Sermon 5-6-18
Overview
A Prayer Burst: How the Early Church Responded to Opposition
When Peter and John returned from the Sanhedrin with a "cease and desist" order forbidding them to speak in the name of Jesus, the church could have responded with complaint, dejection, or despair. The highest court in the land had ruled against them. Instead, Acts 4:23-31 shows them bursting into prayer—and that prayer offers us a pattern worth following.
Sovereign Lord: Beginning with Who God Is
Their first word is striking: "Sovereign Lord" (v. 24). The Greek word translated "Lord" here is despotes—a rare term used only five times in the New Testament—emphasizing absolute mastery over every detail. Coupled with "Sovereign," it doubles down on God's kingship. While the Sanhedrin postured as the highest authority in the land, the believers oriented themselves to a higher throne. Scripture often models this address: Jeremiah 32:17 ("nothing is too hard for you"), Psalm 71:5, and the prophets' refrain "hear the word of the sovereign Lord." Beginning prayer with this title is both adoration and a reminder to ourselves of who is actually in charge. It produces joy and banishes anxiety, because we answer the question "Is God greater than this?" the moment we open our mouths.
Seeing the Situation in Light of Scripture
Next, the believers interpret their circumstances through Psalm 2—"Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot in vain?" The word for "rage" pictures wild horses snorting, refusing to be controlled. Jew and Gentile, united in opposition to God, had gathered against Jesus exactly as the psalm foretold (vv. 27-28). Far from being shocked at the Sanhedrin's ruling, the church recognized it as Psalm 2 being lived out again. This echoes Peter's earlier sermon in Acts 2:23: even the crucifixion happened "according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God."
We are called to do the same. Jesus told us plainly in John 16:33 that in this world we will have trouble. When we walk through hardship, when society opposes Christ, when we see our own sin-soaked hearts—none of this means God has abandoned us. Scripture has already prepared us for it. Power struggles, hostility to the gospel, the pervasiveness of sin: we view them through the lens of God's Word rather than being swept away by them.
Supplication: Praying for Boldness, Not Vengeance
Notice what they ask for in vv. 29-30—and what they don't. They don't pray for the Sanhedrin to be struck down. They don't dwell in anger or self-pity. Rationally and faithfully, they ask the Lord to look at the threats and grant boldness to keep speaking His word, asking also that God stretch out His hand to confirm the message through signs in Jesus' name. They pray for the will of God to be done through them—that will being the proclamation of the gospel (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8)—and for God's power to back up His message. The answer came swiftly: "the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (v. 31).
The Better Way
The alternatives are familiar to all of us: dejection, disappointment, depression, exhaustion, trying to push through in our own strength. The pattern of Acts 4 offers a better way. Whatever struggle you are carrying this week, take this outline into it: address the Sovereign Lord, see your situation in light of Scripture, and bring your supplication—asking not first for relief or vindication, but for boldness to speak and live the gospel where God has placed you.
Transcript
Would you open your Bible's please with me to the fourth chapter of the book of Acts 0s
as we continue our study in this great chapter and this great book of God's infelible, 4s
holy word. If you had to put what we have studied thus far in this narrative in the fourth chapter 11s
of Acts, you can do it with a couple of words, I think. You've got the healing, you've got the sermon, 18s
got the arrest, the investigation, and then the response. Now we move into the report 27s
and the reaction. I remember what the response was last week from the Jewish San 37s
Hederan. It was really a cease and a cyst order. It wasn't it. They were commanding that there 44s
be no more teaching in the name of Jesus Christ. It's a tool of Satan as we studied. Silence. 50s
To try and get the church to be quiet because if the word doesn't go fourth then the very 61s
vehicle whereby God brings people to faith is muted. And so now after receiving from the Jewish 67s
Supreme Court, this cease and a cyst order they go back to the people of God and they give them 75s
their report. One ponder is what possible reactions there could be. Of course we see 82s
inscript what reaction was. But of the range of reactions you could have, I suppose you could have 93s
reaction of complaint. You could have the reaction of the ejection after all the Supreme 101s
Court has issued this ruling. They're the highest court in the land. You can be dejected at what 108s
they say. You can be complaining about what they did. But what was the reaction of the people of God? 116s
The reaction was not complaint. It was not ejection. It was not about it was a burst of prayer. 126s
A prayer burst. And in that prayer burst we are given a glorious outline to follow. 139s
So let's study. We pick up chapter 4, verse 23, after they were released, they went to their friends 150s
and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. When they heard it, 158s
they raised their voices together to God and said, sovereign Lord who made the heavens and the earth, 167s
the sea and everything in them. A couple of particulars here that's helpful for us 177s
is before we can apply something we've got to understand it. A couple of particulars here. Notice 186s
where when they begin the prayer they say sovereign Lord, sovereign Lord. The word there for Lord 192s
is a very rare word in the New Testament. In fact, it's only used five times. If you look down 200s
into verse 29 where it says, and now Lord, look at their threats and grant to your servants, 207s
etc., the word there for Lord is a different word than what you have in verse 24. 215s
The Greek word is despata. Now can you guess what English word we get? 222s
despata. So you ask yourself why is it the Holy Spirit in spires the use of that 228s
rare word only used five times for Lord in the New Testament? What that word does is it 235s
highlights the fact that God is the absolute master of everything. The word for Lord in 29, 241s
that helps to highlight this beautiful affection that we have. But the word here, despata, 251s
in this verse is highlighting the absolute mastery that God has over every situation, over every 259s
detail. Notice what is before despata. It's the word sovereign. This is a double emphasis. 268s
For you have the emphasis on the kingship of God Almighty, the kingship is absolute mastery over 279s
every detail. So here they're given the cease and the cease order from the Jewish Supreme Court, 291s
and their reaction is not complete. It's not depression, it's not rejection, it's prayer, and they 297s
start off with sovereign Lord. Put that indistinction now with the Supreme Court from which Peter 304s
and John have just come. The Supreme Court is the highest body of authority in the land. 312s
They receive the word, the judgment of the court, the highest body, and what's their reaction? 323s
It is a prayer in which they are elevating the sovereign master of all. The Supreme Court, 331s
you see of the Jews, is not the ultimate authority. As they make their report, the very first things 343s
they do, as they burst into prayer, is highlight the fact of the absolute master of all the sovereign 351s
Lord. That is so helpful for us when we move into our prayer. When we come before the Lord in our prayer, 364s
we start out with titles, don't we? Sovereign Lord is a great designation to use. 377s
Because as we turn to the Lord in our prayers and we start out with sovereign Lord, that is not only 387s
adoration to God who is sovereign and the master of all details, but it is a profound reminder to all 395s
of us of who it is that we are praying to. That the situation that we are facing or the word that we have 403s
received or whatever you want to fill in the blank with there, that comes as if it is the final authority. 413s
No, God is the ultimate authority. And so we come in the absolute confidence of who God is and when 421s
we move into our prayer life and we start out with saying sovereign Lord, that is joy producing, 430s
is it not an anxiety banning? Because we are coming before God in the assurance of His identity 440s
and who is? I think for example, when Jeremiah the 30 second chapter, it says, 452s
ah, sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched 459s
arms, nothing is too hard for you. Psalm 71, for you have been my hope, O sovereign Lord, 465s
my confidence since my youth. Ezekiel 6, hear the word of the sovereign Lord. When we pray that, 475s
we are immediately telling ourselves, is God greater than this and we've already answered the question 485s
in the prayer title. Everyone we say, sovereign Lord, they're faced with their struggle now, 498s
the ruling of the Sanhedrin and what do they do? They burst into prayer and they start 511s
with the Holy Spirit. So they start with sovereign Lord, then they see their situation in 523s
light of Scripture. Let's go on, verse 25. It is you who said by the Holy Spirit, 544s
through our ancestor David, your servant, why did the Gentiles rage and the people's imagine 554s
vain things? This now moves into a reference to Psalm 2. Break it down here. 563s
Why did the Gentiles rage? Literally the word means snort. Here's the image. The image is of 574s
wild horses who don't want to be under the control of anyone. So right after they receive the 583s
season to sister from the Sanhedrin, right after they start the prayer, they start sovereign Lord, 593s
then they see their situation in light of Scripture. Why did the Gentiles snort? 598s
In other words, why did they act like wild horses that don't want to be controlled? Then you've 607s
got the distinction between the Gentiles and then notice the next phrase. And the people's 614s
imagine vain things. The people's there is a reference to the Jews. So you've got Jew and Gentile here 621s
in rebellion to God's ways. Another way to translate the magic and vain things is to simply say 631s
to plot in vain. Psalm 2 goes on then. The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers have 638s
gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah. So you've got Jew and Gentile 649s
opposed to God and what has unified them is their opposition to God. They're seeing their 658s
situation then in light of Scripture. Because Psalm 2 is not some isolated event. Psalm 2 keeps 670s
repeating itself continually in history until the day when the Lord comes again. Where human kind 679s
lives in rebellion against God. They act like we act like wild horses that don't want to be controlled. 690s
Then there's the application of Psalm 2, verse 27. For in this city, in fact, both 709s
carried and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel gathered together 717s
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed to do whatever your hand and your plan had 729s
predestined to take place. You see the very language in Psalm 2 starting to be lived out in the 736s
application. You've got Jews, reference to his peoples, Gentiles, the gathering together, 742s
verse 26. It's the application of Psalm 2 to their specific situation and they see that what we have just 751s
experienced is the fulfillment of Psalm 2. They burst into prayer for sovereignty to God Almighty. 759s
They then see their situation in light of Scripture. Look again, at verse 28, 771s
that they did this to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 782s
Okay, go back now into chapter 2, where'd you? Chapter 2, verse 23. 790s
Remember this was Peter's sermon. Part of his sermon, he says, this man, speaking of Jesus, 798s
handed over to you, according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and 809s
killed by the hands of those outside the law. What's being highlighted here? But the sovereignty once 818s
again of God, that when Jesus went to the cross, God was not out of control of the situation 826s
going on, it was precisely what God had destined to happen. Sovereign Lord, prayer burst. 833s
They see their situation then in light of Scripture. That's instructive for us, isn't it? 846s
As we move into our times of prayer to see our situations in light of the Scriptures, 856s
we see what we are going through, we see what we might be going through, 868s
we see it all in light of the Scriptures themselves. Jesus said, in this world, we will have 873s
trouble. We'll have trouble. Trouble comes by living in a sinful world, trouble comes by being sinners. 881s
We then see the trouble that we experience in light, we see it in light of Scripture. 894s
So when we are walking through times of trouble then, that does not mean that God has abandoned us, 902s
doesn't, because we see it in light of the Scriptures. This is what we will experience. 909s
When we witness creation that drips with sin, when upon reflection of our own lives we see ourselves 921s
sin soaked. We see our situation and we see ourselves in light of Scripture. 932s
Luther said, we regard to the Lord's prayer that as we turn to our Lord, we ask in this prayer 943s
that the devil, the world and our sinful self, not deceive us and lead us into false belief, 950s
despair and other great and shameful sins. It's an acknowledgement in the very prayer 956s
that we pray. Lead us not into temptation. It's an acknowledgement of the pervasiveness of sin 963s
in the world. And we see our situation in light of the pervasiveness of sin we see it in light 974s
of Scripture. We live in a world in which there are constant power struggles. Why? 984s
Because it's the antithesis of servanthood. And so when we see in what we experience 995s
when we see in our own lives the lack of servanthood we understand our situation in light of Scripture. 1004s
When we see a society bent and in opposition to the Lord Jesus Christ, that doesn't surprise 1013s
us because we see it in light of Scripture. We say, this is nothing but Psalm 2 being lived out once again. 1023s
You see they pray to the Lord, prayer bursts, sovereign Lord, there's the confidence and then they 1035s
of Scripture. The fact that the sin headroom had ruled as the sin headroom did in light of Scripture, 1043s
that's not a shocking ruling is it? They understood this is Psalm 2. 1053s
Sovomboard seeing their situation in light of Scripture, and third that lead to supplication, 1065s
supplication back to chapter 4 now, verse 29. And now Lord, look at their threats 1076s
and grant to your servants to speak your word with all bullblows. Look at their threats, 1089s
grant to your servants to speak your word with all bullblows. You notice here that they are not 1099s
lost in their emotions, not they're not caught up in upset, they're not caught up in disappointment, 1109s
they're not caught up in anger, they see it for what it is. They're not immersed so that the 1120s
emotions pull them like an undertow into irrationality, they are profoundly rational. 1133s
And look at the situation and say, and now Lord, here are supplication. 1142s
Enable us to look at their threats and to speak with bullblows. 1150s
Because as they know, the temptation is to be towards silence. And so they're praying then 1157s
for the will of God to be done in their life. The will of God to be done through them, 1169s
because what's the will? The will is for them to speak the gospel. 1180s
Jesus says recorded in Mark 16, He says, and He said to them, 1188s
go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. That's the will of God. 1193s
Acts 1, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my 1202s
witnesses in Jerusalem in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. 1211s
So I'm in Lord, see our situation in light of Scripture, supplication. 1220s
You want your will to be done. The will to proclaim the gospel of Jesus, 1226s
that all of the sin of the entire world, including the sin of the early church, 1236s
including the sin of this existing church, including the sin of the church that will come, 1243s
has been born through Jesus Christ and the dead has been paid on the cross and forgiveness, 1249s
has been announced and the tomb is empty and Jesus reigns. The will to proclaim. 1257s
2nd part of their supplication is they ask for the power of God. The good verse 30, 1274s
while you stretch out your hand to heal and signs and wonders are performed through the name 1282s
of your holy servant Jesus. Remember, why did God give the apostles the gift of healing? 1289s
So that the message would be validated of what they were saying. This was before the scriptures 1300s
were caught off of. So the people listened because the message was being validated because of the 1307s
miracle in front of them. So they don't cry out and they don't say, oh Lord, strike down. Next time 1314s
the sand headren gets together, just wave them out with one bolt of lightning. Oh, 1321s
or Lord, do this that destroys their life because can you believe what they have done to us, Lord? 1327s
Now they say, you're sovereign. We see this in light of scripture, 1339s
and this is what we ask that you will be done in power us to people and validate your message. 1349s
Didn't take long for the answer, did it? Verse 31, when they had prayed the place in which they were 1364s
and spoke the word of God with boldness, 1376s
prayer burst, prayer burst. What's the alternative today? What's the alternative to the prayer burst? 1386s
The alternative to the prayer burst is dejection, disappointment, depression, exhaustion, 1403s
going on one's own power, just keep adding to that list. Right? Let's keep adding to the list. 1416s
There's a better way though, isn't it? There's a better way. A faced with a struggle, 1426s
prayer, sovereign Lord, understand it in light of scripture. 1435s
Here's our supplication. 1446s
What about for you, this week? What does it mean for you in your various struggles, in your various 1450s
situations, to take that outline? What's the alternative? 1460s
This is the better way, isn't it? It's the better way. 1476s
You 1501s