Date: Sunday, 28 March 2021
PRAYING TOGETHER
Abraham Verghese

Text : Matthew 18 : 19 , 20 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Matthew 7 : 7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
The apostles learned their leadership patterns from our Lord Jesus . Go through the Gospels for Jesus’ teaching and practice of prayer, and you will identify many ( some scholars say 37 verses – I have not counted ! ) . Of those many instances in which Jesus refers to prayer, most ( some scholars say 33 – again I have not counted ) of them are in the plural rather than singular . These verses show that Jesus’ instruction decisively leaned toward praying with others, not just praying in private.

Take, for example, Matt. 7:7 We read “you” in that verse and immediately think it’s singular, referring to an individual. In fact, it is a plural “you,” meaning Jesus is urging a gathering of believers to ask, seek, and knock.

Jesus seems to deliberately emphasise the importance of praying together. In Matt. 18:19 Jesus said “If two of you on earth agree…” instead of “If anyone asks…;” He chose to emphasise a group gathered for prayer. This focus of Jesus’ on more than one praying indicates that there is a design of God’s in such gatherings..

Praying together was a priority for the apostles
The example of the apostles in Acts points to the priority praying together held for them. Every occurrence of prayer in Acts preceding Chapter 6 (1:14, 24; 2:42; 3:1; 4:23-31) pictures the apostles leading others in prayer. Not one reference points to their private prayer time; the focus is on God’s people praying together. So by testimony and by example, it is clear that the apostles placed a high premium on the people of God praying together. They considered guiding the corporate prayer life of the church just as critical a priority as the preaching/teaching of God’s Word. God has sovereignly ordained the corporate praying of a church, such that His mighty workings increase exponentially and His purposes are accelerated when we pray together.

The Book of Acts records the mighty works of God for and through His church in its early years, and clearly connects them to unified, corporate prayer.

The 120 were gathered in an upper room praying in one accord when Pentecost comes (Acts 1:13; 2:1). The disciples prayed for wisdom in knowing who Judas’ replacement should be (Acts 1:24). When Peter and John reported the Sanhedrin’s threats, those gathered cried out to God in one accord for boldness, and the place was shaken where they prayed (Acts 4:24, 31). The church prayed over the seven men appointed to serve the widows (Acts 6:6). After James was martyred and Peter imprisoned by Herod, the church was fervently praying, and God miraculously delivered Peter from his cell (Acts 12:1-11). While the prophets and teachers were praying and fasting, the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to go on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-2). Paul and Silas were praying when God sent an earthquake that resulted in the conversion of the jailer and their release (Acts 16:25).

What is our attitude towards corporate prayer – which is now online on Saturday mornings or on third Sundays like we used to have when we had physical services? Do we view prayer meetings as optional – something to drop by or log on to view once in a while ? Can we not consider changing the the timing of some of our worldly activities to enable us to attend our corporate prayer sessions ? If we have not managed to attend any corporate prayer , can we take steps forward in our participation and confidence in prayer, not just as individuals, but with other believers, gathered together with the purpose of seeing God’s glory manifested. After we start , we pray that the Spirit will move us to make it regular in our calendar.

As a church , PBC has been blessed in many ways . Can we become a praying church , praying together and letting God set the direction as to how we should serve Him? May we move as the Spirit moves us so more than ever .

Prayer : Heavenly Father , we pray that more of Your people in PBC will be moved to gather together to pray corporately . May You move us to know how we can serve You more and more each day to the glory and honour of Your Name. In Jesus’ name . Amen!

每日靈糧
星期日，2021年3月28日
題目:一同祈禱
作者:亞伯拉罕·韋爾蓋塞（Abraham Verghese）
翻譯:王靖端姐妹

馬太福音18:19-20
19 我又告訴你們,若是你們中間兩個人在地上,同心合意的求甚麼事,我在天上的父,必為他們成全。
20 因為無論在那裡,有兩三個人奉我的名聚會,那裡就有我在他們中間 。
馬太福音7：7 你們祈求,就給你們;尋找,就尋見;叩門，就給你們開門。

使徒們從我們的主耶穌學會了領導的方式。查看福音書，您將會發現很多有關耶穌教導如何禱告的經文（一些學者說37節經文-我沒有數過！)。在耶穌提到禱告的許多經文中，大多數（有些學者說33 處，我沒數過)是複數形式，而不是單數形式。這些經文闡明，耶穌明確的指示我們與他人一起祈禱，而不僅僅是個人私下禱告。

以馬太福音 7：7為例，耶穌正敦促一群信徒祈求，尋找和叩門。耶穌似乎特意強調了一起禱告的重要性。在馬太福音 18:19中，耶穌說：“ 若是你們中間兩個人在地上,同心合意……”，而不是“如果有人祈求……”。他重視群体在一起祈禱。耶穌對群体祈禱的關注，表明這樣的聚會合乎上帝的旨意。

使徒們在使徒行傳所立下的榜樣說明了他們以共同祈禱為重心。在第6章（徒1:14，24; 2:42; 3：1; 4：23-31）之前的使徒行傳中，每次禱告都描繪了使徒帶領眾人一同禱告。沒有提到他們的私人祈禱時間，重點是上帝的子民一起禱告。因此，通過見證和榜樣，使徒們很明顯的十分重視上帝的子民在一起禱告。他們認為教導教會的集體祈禱生活，與宣講或教導上帝的話一樣重要。上帝以他的主權確認了教會的集體祈禱，以致當我們一起祈禱時，祂的大能工作翻倍增長， 也加速達到祂設定的目標。

使徒行傳記錄了上帝為早期的教會和透過其教會所做的偉大工作，並清楚地將它們與門徒的集體祈禱聯繫在一起。

五旬節到來時，這120人聚集在所住的一間樓房裡祈禱（徒1：13； 2：1）。門徒們祈求智慧，好知道誰應該代替猶大（徒1：24）。當彼得和約翰報告關於公议会的威脅時，聚集在一起的人就同心合意的，高聲地向神呼喊，他們聚會的地方震動了（徒4:24，31）。教會為任命的七個照顧寡婦的人禱告（徒6：6）。當雅各殉道並彼得被希律王囚禁之後，教會為他切切地禱告，上帝奇蹟般地將彼得從他的牢房中救了出來（徒12：1-11）。當先知和老師祈禱並禁食時，聖靈差遣保羅和巴拿巴進行他們的第一次宣教之旅（使徒行傳13：1-2）。保羅和西拉在祈禱時，上帝發動地震，導致獄卒歸主和他倆被釋放（使徒行傳16:25）。

我們對會眾集体禱告的態度是什麼—像現在每週六早上通過網絡時那樣，或是像以前在實体崇拜時的第三個星期日？我們是否將禱告聚會，視作是可選擇的-有空時參與或上網查看的聚會嗎？我們是否可以考慮改變一些世俗活動的時間安排，以使我們能夠參加會眾集体的禱告會？如果我們還沒有參加任何集體祈禱，那麼我們是否可以向前邁出一步，參與和對祈禱充滿信心，不僅是個人，而且是與其他信徒聚集在一起，來彰顯上帝的榮耀。集体祈祷開始之後，我們祈求聖靈促使我們，使其成為我們的日曆中的一項固定的活動項目。

作為一座教堂，班底浸信教会在許多方面受到祝福。我們可以成為一個祈禱的教會，一同祈禱，讓上帝指引我們如何服侍他嗎？願我們跟隨聖靈來推動我們前進。

禱告：天父，我們祈禱在班底浸信教会你的子民們中，有更多的人被感動，而聚集在一起共同祈禱。願你感動我們，使我們知道每天如何為榮耀和尊崇你的名，而能更加服事你。奉耶穌的名，阿們！