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Last week, I focused on prayer in the context of the book of Acts. While Wednesdays are typically devoted to a topical study in Acts, I want to tease out prayer in the early church by going a step further by examining the reciprocal nature of prayer among Paul and the churches he ministered. What you will see the prayer relationship between Paul and these churches is fundamentally focused on the gospel and the mission of God. First let’s begin with general exhortations to pray.
To the Romans, Paul encourages them to “be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:2); to the Ephesians, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18); to the Philippians, “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6); to the Thessalonians, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17); and to the Colossians, “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Col. 4:2). It is evident that the call to fervent, continuous prayer was expected among all believer everywhere. To borrow from Jude, they were “building themselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20).
Now, let’s consider the mutual prayer exchange of intercession and request with Paul and these NT churches.
To the church in Rome, Paul interceded: “without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you” (Rom. 1:9-10). On the other hand, Paul requested, “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company” (Rom. 15:30-32).
To the church in Ephesus, Paul “did not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers . . .” (Eph. 1:16). Paul’s motivation for praying for them was because they had “heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him . . .” (Eph. 1:13). The circumference of His praying was the the gospel believed and the mission embraced. Similarly, Paul requested that they would pray “also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph. 6:19-20). Paul could of requested any number of personal prayer requests, but his requests are exclusively centered on the mission Christ had given Him and the proclamation of the gospel.
To the church in Philippi, Paul said, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now” (Phil. 1:3-5). Later in that same chapter, Paul was confident that “through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance” (Phil. 1:19). Again, we see Paul motivated to pray continually because of their partnership in the gospel.
To the church in Colossae, Paul said, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth . . . And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding . . .” (Col. 1:3-6, 9). Much like the Philippians and Ephesians, he prays on behalf of their reception of “the word of truth, the gospel” and that they would “be filled with the knowledge of His will.” On the other hand, Paul asked that they “pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak” (Col. 4:3-4). Almost an identical request to the one offered to the Ephesians–door of opportunity, the mystery of Christ, and clarity of the gospel.
To the church in Thessalonica, Paul gave thanks to God “always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thess. 1:2-5). And at the conclusion of his letter, he simply asks, “Brothers, pray for us” (1 Thess. 5:25).
In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says, “To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:11-12). On the other hand, he asked that they “pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you” (2 Thess. 3:1). If you are going to pray, when you pray for us, pray for the gospel, the word of the Lord to prosper and be glorified, says Paul.
Here is the exchange of prayer among New Testament churches in Scripture. Do you see a pattern here? The gospel, the mission, the partnership in the call, the consecration to the task–this is the context and substance of the intercessions of and requests by the Apostle Paul.
The only question left to ask is, “What does the exchange of our prayers look like?”
The danger of those things we consider most fundamental to Christian living and the health of a church is taking them for granted. Taking a look at the early church in Acts, the nearness of God was evident as they prayed for just about every situation. It was natural that, when the church gathered, prayer dominated their fellowship. As they waited for “power on high” in the upper room, they were “with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14). After Pentecost, the thousands of new believers in Christ had “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). This church, when their elders were released, prayed together such that “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” (Acts 4:31). When Peter was imprisoned, Luke records that “earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church” (Acts 12:5) such that when he was miraculously released, he found them still “gathered together and were praying” at the house of Mary (Acts 12:12).
Prayer was especially seen in the early church in the commissioning of leaders for the sake of the mission. Beginning in Acts 1, Scripture says,
And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place” (Acts 1:24-25).
When the apostles had committed to “devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4), the congregation set deacons before the apostles who “prayed and laid hands on them” (Acts 6:6). When Ananias was to find the man who would eventually bring the gospel to the Gentile world, Jesus told him to “look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying” (Acts 9:11). The Antioch church commissioned the first missionaries, Paul and Barnabas by “fasting and praying” (Acts 13:3). In the same manner, when these men had planted churches in the cities they traveled, they “appointed elders . . . with prayer and fasting, committing them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23). Whether it was determining the apostle who would replace Judas, the deacons who would serve the church, the missionaries who would be sent out, or the elders appointed in the churches planted, prayer was the essential and key ingredient.
Prayer was evidenced not only corporately but individually. Peter and John prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15). Cornelius was a man known as one who “prayed continually before God” (Acts 10:2) whose prayers “ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4). Peter again, when approaching a city, went up to pray about the sixth hour (Acts 10:9). When Paul and Silas were imprisoned at Philippi, Luke records that Paul and Silas “were praying and singing hymns to God” about midnight (Acts 16:25). Finally, for both Peter and Paul, prayer was essential in their healing ministry. In the case of Peter, he prayed alone to God prior to raising Tabitha from the dead (Acts 9:40); in the case of Paul, he prayed for the father of Publius who was sick with fever and dysentery, laid hands on him, and healed him (Acts 28:8).
These are just some of the instances we find the pervasive influence of prayer in the life of the early church. If prayer was so crucial to the vitality and growth of the early church, how are we to expect God to bless our efforts unless we are devoted to prayer both individually and corporately as the body of Christ? May God us a passion for prayer more than growth, success, or anything else. If we have Christ, we have everything. May we pray to Him in faith and live in light of that reality!
Continuing in our study in the book of Acts, I want to make some observations on the topic of leadership in the early church. Some have said that everything (in an organization) rises and falls on leadership. We have seen how Acts can be structured through the missional outworking of Acts 1:8 (Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria, and uttermost parts of the world), but I want to begin by briefly outlining the book of Acts with leadership in mind. Here’s what I came up with:
Leader(s) and Scripture Reference
Jesus – Acts 1:1-11
Peter – Acts 1:12-26
Holy Spirit – Acts 2:1-13
Peter – Acts 2:14-47
Peter and John – Acts 3:1-4:37
The Twelve – Acts 5:1-6:7
Stephen – Acts 6:8-7:60
Phillip – Acts 8:1-40
Jesus – Acts 9:1-19
Saul – Acts 9:20-31
Peter – Acts 9:32-12:25
Paul and Barnabas – Acts 13:1-15:41
Paul and Silas – Acts 16:1-18:23
Apollos – Acts 18:24-28
Paul – Acts 19:1-28:31
Now I know that is a rather rough outline, but I think it serves the point that there were marked leadership in the early church. It should be noted, however, that the fundamental leader of the early church was the Holy Spirit (the book is really the Acts of the Holy Spirit). Christ through His Spirit directed His church as its Head to bring about the initiation (Acts 1) and ultimate fulfillment of its mission.
A second observation is the men who were placed in leadership over churches that were planted. Generally speaking, Luke writes that Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23). In most of the churches, names were not given as to who these men were; nevertheless, the fact that leadership was appointed, established, and confirmed with prayer and fasting reveals the priority and serious approach the early church had towards leadership. Through his letters, Paul does give some names of men in leadership. For instance:
James (Acts 12:17, 15:13, 21:17-18) and Peter (Acts 2, 8, 11) were apparently leaders among the elders in the church at Jerusalem.
Aquila and Priscilla were leaders in Corinth, Rome, and Ephesus.
Epaphras and Onesimus were leaders in Colossae (both were described as “one of you”).
Paul mentions the service of Timothy and Epaphroditus in leading the church at Philippi.
One can conclude from Gal. 2:11-14 that Peter and Barnabas were leaders in Antioch (albeit bad leaders).
Titus was an influential leader in Corinth as well as other Macedonian churches.
Silas and Timothy were leaders in the church at Thessalonica when Paul could not stay.
These examples are by no means a comprehensive list but simply seeks to show how leadership was marked throughout the mission. Paul was a principal network who marshalled an army of Jesus-loving mission-embracing partners whom he often called “fellow workers” and “fellow soldiers” (consider the lists in Rom. 16 and 2 Tim. 4!).
Something we need to be asking is, “Where did these leaders come from and how were they recognized?” Several of the leaders in the Pauline network were second and third generation leaders (see 2 Tim. 2:2 for example). Many of them had been men whom Paul called “sons” in the faith–those whom he personally invested in and fathered in the faith. For the most part, they came from the harvest, that is, they came from obedience and faithfulness to the mission and finding the fruit therein. I don’t think Paul waited for someone to “step up to the plate” and reach a city or region for Jesus; instead, he went there with the Word and Spirit and saw lives transformed who later God shaped into leaders in their own community (“one of you” kind of leaders, to use the examples in Colossae).
Lastly, I want to observe some of the characteristics of these leaders. We don’t know much, so whatever Paul or Luke chose to reveal about them should cause us to pause and consider.
Epaphroditus “nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life . . .”
Timothy was genuinely concerned for the welfare of the church, “not seeking his own interests by those of Christ Jesus.”
Epaphras “struggled on behalf of the Colossian church in prayer . . . and worked hard for you”; Paul also wrote that he was “a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf”
Aquila and Priscilla Paul’s “fellow workers in Christ Jesus” who “risked their necks” for his life
Tychicus was a “beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord”
Titus was Paul’s “partner and fellow worker” for the benefit of the Corinthian church
Philemon “refreshed the hearts of the saints” through his ministry
What we find in Scripture is the apostolic pattern of loving Christ supremely and giving one’s life sacrificially was the normal Christian life, not necessarily something exceptional but the expected behavior of one who followed the crucified Savior and took up the cross.
A brief study like this only sractches the surface of what we can learn from the leadership of the early church. It is my hope that, through taking a closer look at the men God used to “turn the world upside down” we might also be used by God to do something extraordinary in our generation but ordinary in the kingdom of God.
As a Pharisee, Paul was quite familiar with the synagogue. According to his own testimony, Paul was a Hebrew of Hebrews, blameless in righteousness under the law. He was “extremely jealous” for the tradition of his fathers, advancing in Judaism more than anyone else. This was a man who was undoubtedly well known in the synagogues of the leading cities of the Roman Empire. And it is these very synagogues that Paul went back into after having his life transformed by Jesus whom he was persecuting.
It is no small thing to consider that Paul entered into such familiar territory with such an unfamiliar message of Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified one, risen from the dead. Consider the account of Acts regarding the placement of the synagogues in gospel advance:
@ Salamis:
When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.
Acts 13:5
@ Antioch:
but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen.
Acts 13:14-16
@ Iconium:
Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.
Acts 14:1
@ Thessalonica:
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
Acts 17:1-3
@ Berea:
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue.
Acts 17:10
@ Athens:
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
Acts 17:17
@ Corinth:
After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:1-4
@ Ephesus:
And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
Acts 18:19
And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Acts 19:8-10
In some examples, Paul is said to address Jews only (Salamis, Antioch, Thessalonica, Berea, and Ephesus); other times he address a mixed audience (Jews and Greeks in Iconium and Corinth, Jews and “devout persons” in Athens). Luke states the main action of Paul was to “reason” (explain, prove, and persuade), although at Salamis he “proclaimed” the word of God. From here we see that teaching (especially biblical theology) and the importance of truth (life of the mind) are foundational to Paul’s evangelism and apologetic. In other words, he wasn’t just winning hearts, but he was convincing minds and thus affecting hearts with the truths of the gospel.
What I find intriguing is that even in predominately Gentile regions, Paul first entered the synagogue. Not only that, but Paul explicitly states that his apostolic mission is to reach the Gentiles with the gospel. So why the synagogue, Saint Paul? Why not the coliseum or marketplace?
I am inclined to believe that the synagogue was a place where he could leverage his influence and position for the sake of the gospel. It was a familiar place with familiar faces. And it was there Paul reasoned with them–an approach that connotes coming alongside an explaining as opposed to direct confrontation (though the truths were confrontational no doubt!). Paul was also one to argue that, while his mission was to the Gentiles, the gospel was the power of God unto salvation for all who believe, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
I think there are some redemptive-historical observations to glean from Paul’s missionary strategy, but also believe there are some practical approaches we can learn as well. For example, Paul went back into an environment he was very familiar with, knowing that his message and transformed life would not be well received. He knew that his fellow men were also zealous for the law and jealous for the Jewish tradition. In their eyes, he was a traitor. Nevertheless, he had both the courage to withstand their charges and criticisms and the compassion to deliver the good news of Jesus Christ. He was one who testified that “I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.”
May God grant us the passion and purposeful pursuit of sinners with a re-entry that where our limp reveals that we have been staggered by sovereign grace. Let us never hide behind the sovereignty of God and fail to mourn for lost souls as seen in Paul. But may we sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts and be prepared to give a reason for he hope that is within us with gentleness and respect.
Last week, I mentioned the relationship of Word and Spirit in Acts, arguing for the paradigm of agency of the Holy Spirit and instrumentality of the Word as fundamental to biblical, successful church planting efforts. This week I want to draw your attention to how the early church recognized the Spirit’s work through the honoring and advancing of the Word in the hearts and lives of people.
The Word and Acts 1:8
Just prior to His ascension, Jesus tells His followers:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The book of Acts reveals how the early church through a variety of means (including persecution and visions) was directed from Jerusalem [Acts 2] to Judea and Samaria [Acts 8] and ultimately to the ends of the earth [Acts 10]. In every occasion, the Spirit’s work is tethered to and evidenced by the proclamation and reception of the Word (the gospel):
Jerusalem
* “those who received the word” (Acts 2:41) resulting in 3,000 added
* “many of those who heard the word believed” (Acts 4:4) resulting a totaling now 5,000
* “and the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” (Acts 6:7)
Judea and Samaria
* the first scattering from Jerusalem to Samaria is described as “those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4)
* the evidence that gospel movement had taken place in Samaria was that they “had received the word of God” (Acts 8:14, cf. 8:25)
Uttermost
* when the gospel came to the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit fell on “all who heard the word” (Acts 10:44 cf. 11:1)
* after martyrdom of Stephen, the word spread as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch (Acts 11:19)
* after the death of Herod, Luke writes that “the word of God increased and multiplied” (Acts 12:24)
* the first place Paul and Barnabas went after being sent out was Salamis where “they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogue of the Jews” (Acts 13:5)
* in Antioch Pisidia, after Paul’s preaching, it is said that the Gentiles “began rejoicing and glorying in the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region” (Acts 13:48-49)
* Paul and Barnabas bore witness to “the word of his grace” in Iconium where “a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed” (Acts 14:1, 3)
* Paul and Barnabas revisited the places and cities where they “proclaimed the word of the Lord” (Acts 15:36)
* when the Philippian jailor asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas “spoke the word of the Lord” to him and to all who were in his house (Acts 16:31-32)
* when the gospel came to Berea, they “received the word with all eagerness” so that “many of them believed with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men” (Acts 17:11-12)
* when Paul came to Corinth, he was “occupied with the word” and remained there eighteen months, teaching them “the word of God” (Acts 18:5, 11)
* Paul continued in Ephesus for two years until “all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10)
The centrality of the Word of God is clear in the account of the church planting and progress of first-century Christians. We hear a lot these days about being a “first-century church in the 21st century.” One thing is for certain–it is impossible to do that with the primacy, centrality, and sufficiency of the Word of God in the life and progress of a church on mission.
Each Wednesday, we will be drawing our attention to reflecting on church planting as revealed in Scripture, in particular as seen in the book of Acts. In our first installment, I make the argument for the relationship of the Word and Spirit of God as the means by which God advances His church for His glory.
The emphasis on the relationship of Word and Spirit was really brought out during the Reformation, especially in the writings of John Calvin and later in the Puritans. The agency of the Spirit and the instrumentality of the Word are, in my mind, key to understanding how God worked among His people then and now. The paradigm of Word and Spirit together helps to prevent theological error and recognize the source (or foundation) of our work. I hope to elaborate this paradigm more in the future, but for the time being, allow me to list seven places in the book of Acts where the Word and Spirit paradigm can be seen.
Word and Spirit in the Early Church
Acts 1:1-2
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.
Jesus, through the Holy Spirit gave the commands to his apostles. The commands (word) were communicated in the power of the Holy Spirit (spirit). The Word and Spirit paradigm was first seen in Jesus and then emulated by the apostles.
Acts 4:8-12
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Peter declared the gospel (word) to the rulers and elders having been “filled with the Holy Spirit” (spirit). Proclamation of the gospel, as seen in the post-Pentecost Peter, is done in the controlling influence of the Spirit of God.
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