Corporate Prayer as a Means of Grace (5)

Driving home: I say unique, for I know of no other promise in the Word of God, that gives to us in such plain language God's intention to bless with unusual measures of blessing the united prayers of His people.

Martin uses the analogy of a patchwork quilt to describe his sermon's structure, combining different supporting texts and applications.

Then last Lord's Day, we began to consider, we began to consider some supporting text which pointed in the direction of the duty of corporate prayer. And we had time only to consider Romans 15, 30-32, and Philippians chapter 1 and verse 19. Now today, what I'm going to do is that which would be likened to a kind of homiletical patchwork quilt. I'm going to direct your attention.

8:04 - 8:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I say unique, for I know of no other promise in the Word of God, that gives to us in such plain language God's intention to bless with unusual measures of blessing the united prayers of His people.

He compares 1 Timothy 2:1-8 to a large granite block on which the duty of corporate prayer rests, and other supporting passages (Romans 15, Philippians 1, 2 Thessalonians 3) to smaller blocks placed under it, reinforcing the foundation.

on which the duty of corporate prayer rests, then these three passages are like blocks of lesser size, but they are placed on top of each other. They are placed under that large block as supportive texts, underscoring the duty that is ours as the people of God. Here in this second letter, Paul, as he is drawing the letter to a close, indicates in verses 13 and 14 of chapter 2, that he is thankful to God for all of the indications that they have been the recipients of God's saving mercy. And that they will receive the full supply of that mercy, and obtain the very glory of the Lord Jesus Christ...

9:57 - 11:15 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds 2 Thessalonians 3:1-4, detailing Paul's command for the congregation to constantly pray, identifying the concerns (success of the Word, deliverance of ministers)…

Paul's imagery of the 'word of the Lord may run and be glorified' is explained as the word having free entrance into hearts, being believed, obeyed, and transforming lives, like a runner crowned with glory.

The imagery that the word may run and be glorified and be crowned with glory is Paul's way of saying that the word of God will have a free entrance into the hearts of men, that it may be believed and obeyed and transform men's lives. For he says, in asking you, in commanding you to pray for us, that the word may run and be glorified, notice what the standard is that Paul has in mind. Even as also it is with you. Well, how did the word run and get glorified among the Thessalonians? Well, just read the first letter. He said, our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the...

15:25 - 16:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin expounds 2 Thessalonians 3:1-4, detailing Paul's command for the congregation to constantly pray, identifying the concerns (success of the Word, deliverance of ministers)…

Martin explains that since men cannot get their hands on God or His Son, they attack His servants who speak His word, illustrating the opposition faced by preachers.

The first concern identified is the success of the preaching of the word. Pray for us that that word may run and be glorified that what it has done and is continuing to do in you Thessalonians, it will do wherever we go that we will see the conquest of the word of God. And furthermore, his concern focuses upon the need that the servants of God be protected and delivered from evil and unbelieving men. Not only do I command you to pray that the word of the Lord may run and be glorified, even as it is with you, but also that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men, for all have not fai...

16:57 - 18:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins a survey of Acts, starting with Acts 1:12-14, showing the disciples' steadfast corporate prayer in the upper room before Pentecost, emphasizing it as a divinely…

He clarifies that 'tarry at Jerusalem' simply means 'stay put,' correcting the misunderstanding that led to 'tarrying meetings' aimed at overcoming a reluctant God.

This ministry was climaxed in the command that they not go forth and fulfill his commission to make disciples of all the nations, but that they wait at Jerusalem. The old King James tarry at Jerusalem, which has been the basis of so-called tarrying meetings. The word simply means stay in Jerusalem, stay put in Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. And according to Luke's account at the end of his gospel record, they spent much of their time in Jerusalem in the temple in the exercise of praise and adoration.

28:39 - 29:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes the survey with Acts 12, detailing Herod's persecution and Peter's imprisonment, and the church's earnest, corporate prayer for Peter's deliverance, demonstrating…

Martin humorously describes Herod sending out 'pollsters' to gauge his popularity after killing James, illustrating Herod's political motivations for persecuting the church.

Chapter 12 Now about that time Herod the king put forth his hand to afflict certain of the church. He began by what we would call milder forms of prayer or selective persecution. Herod this wicked unprincipled man now ruler over all of that area he wants to curry the favor of the Jews and so he selectively picks on certain ones of the church and in pursuit of that goal of ingratiating himself more to the Jews to promote his own political ambitions he killed James the brother of John with the sword. He is afflicting certain but he kills James. Then he gets his pollsters to go out in the streets...

41:49 - 42:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes the survey with Acts 12, detailing Herod's persecution and Peter's imprisonment, and the church's earnest, corporate prayer for Peter's deliverance, demonstrating…

He expresses distaste for the phrase 'say a prayer,' comparing it to a 'prayer wheel concept' to emphasize that true prayer is dealing with God, not mere recitation.

It doesn't say prayers were said. One's skin crawls when people say say a prayer. It's the prayer wheel concept. No, they were having true dealings with God.

45:01 - 45:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin concludes the survey with Acts 12, detailing Herod's persecution and Peter's imprisonment, and the church's earnest, corporate prayer for Peter's deliverance, demonstrating…

When Peter was imprisoned, the church did not form a 'commando party' or a 'political pressure party,' but went to their faces in prayer, illustrating their dependence on God.

We don't know but this much is clear. When their primary leader is cast into prison they don't form a commando party and figure out a scheme to bust him loose. Nor do they form a political pressure party to bring pressure to bear upon the Roman government. They go to their faces as a church.

46:34 - 47:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Any concept of the work of God in and through the church which renders corporate prayer unnecessary or an irritating burden stands under the control and condemnation of God.

Martin recounts how Trinity Baptist Church faced financial impossibility during its building program, but instead of hiring financial experts, they held regular corporate prayer meetings, demonstrating their reliance on God.

stands under the condemnation of God the day this church ceases to be marked by a deep visceral conviction that we are utterly totally dependent upon God and His grace and His power a conviction manifested in regarding corporate prayer not as a necessary or a galling irritating burden but a marvelous privilege as well as a solemn duty a privilege to be workers together with God to think that the God of heaven has woven into the fabric of His own mysterious eternal decrees and purposes the cries of His people what a privilege to gather to agree on earth this touching what we ask that it might b...

60:13 - 61:40 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Any concept of the work of God in and through the church which renders corporate prayer unnecessary or an irritating burden stands under the control and condemnation of God.

He shares how people, even those claiming to believe the Bible, would ask what the church 'did to raise the money' after hearing they prayed, highlighting an 'incipient spirit of unbelief in the advocacy of prayer.'

and the line of inflation and cost they were getting wider and wider humanly speaking impossible so what did we do? we started Saturday morning prayer meetings and for a couple of years every Saturday morning the group met corporately to cry to God and then in the midst of the building program when we faced crisis what did we do? call extra prayer meetings not once not once did we call in a financial expert we had been banging on our doors wanting to come in we'll help you raise your money we said thank you but no thank you we have a better way we cry to God oh yeah well we know you pray you r...

61:40 - 63:02 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Any concept of the work of God in and through the church which renders corporate prayer unnecessary or an irritating burden stands under the control and condemnation of God.

Martin reminds listeners that their conversion was not due to clever sales pitches but God's saving power manifested through various means like contacts, books, tapes, and witness, all in answer to prayer.

not because someone came to you with a clever sales pitch and persuaded you against your will to pray a prayer after them and then laid his hand on you and absolved you and said you're in no God's dealings with you strange and mysterious as they were a contact here a book here a tape there a word of witness there all of these things what are they? but the manifestation that God continues to put forth his saving power in answer to the prayers of his people but then thirdly having considered the inescapable conclusion the searching observation there is a necessary deduction from all of this mate...

63:02 - 64:28 Read in full sermon

The point: Don't deny the weariness, but go to prayer meeting out of sheer, dogged, naked duty.

He quotes Thomas Shepherd, founder of Harvard, who said he sometimes 'would rather die than pray,' to illustrate the struggle of indwelling sin against the duty of prayer, even for godly men.

about your part in the patterns of the corporate prayer life of this church now I say it's a sympathetic exhortation because I know the struggle of indwelling sin in the presence of the duty to pray Paul said I find that to me who would do good evil is present with me and we're never more conscious of the presence of indwelling sin than when we purpose to do that which is well pleasing unto God and the more spiritual the activity the more violent is the opposition of indwelling sin and the minute you begin to think on a Wednesday tonight's prayer meeting night isn't it amazing how the mind can...

65:53 - 67:22 Read in full sermon