Acts 1:7-14
They were with one accord
It is important not to gloss over this fact. The disciples were with one accord. The very ones who were just days before arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom (Lk 22:24) were now humbled and unified. Why? What had taken place between these two events? Christ's passion and the disciples utter abandonment. They were all great at one thing … abandoning their Lord when he needed them. Yet after his resurrection he sought after them and commissioned them to be his witnesses to the end of the earth. The ground was leveled through the cross and they all saw their true selves. They were all in need of forgiveness. And they were all in need of the boldness that comes from the Spirit. Therefore they were with one accord devoting themselves to prayer.
They were devoting themselves to prayer
What must they have prayed? What instructions on prayer did Jesus give according to Luke? Lets read Luke 11:1-13. According to verse 13 what are God's children to ask for? They are to ask for the Promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit. What is the first illustration Jesus gives on how to pray? What is he attempting to teach? We are to be persistent in prayer (v8). Or as Acts says, we are to be devoted to prayer.
But this is a paradox. Jesus tells his disciples to wait until they are clothed with power from on high. But he has also instructed them to pray for it. The two seem in conflict. For example, it is like a Father telling his son, I'm going to give you some ice cream and the son continuously asking, “Can I have some ice cream , can I have some ice cream, can I have some ice cream.” The natural response would be to tell the child, “Son, I told you I would give it to you. Now, you need to wait for it and stop asking for it.” But this is not so with the Spirit. The Father is going to give them this promise, but they must persistently ask for it, seek for it, and pound the doors of heaven for it. Therefore, we see in Acts that they were not just praying but devoting themselves to prayer.
If there is a discipline that is overlooked in the believer's life it is often prayer. Prayer is pushed to the periphery because it does not generate the immediate results that our western instant gratification culture demands, but we can do nothing apart from the empowering work of the Spirit. But the Spirit is given to those who devote themselves to ask for it.
Application
How is our unity? How is our devotion to prayer? How is our desire for the baptism of the Holy Spirit? I want us to take some extended time and pray for unity, devotion to prayer, and a desire for the Spirit.
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