Sunday 9 September 2007

They all continued in one accord

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” - Acts 1v14

We all know what it is like experience those days after hype and excitement. We have worked and prayed and seen great things happen. Perhaps it has been a big day at church, a wedding, or some other major event in our lives. What happens when it is over? Well, we go home.

This was something like what faced these first few believers. Over three years of walking with Jesus were over. He had preached, loved, healed, and taught thousands. He had been arrested for nothing, tried in a kangaroo court, sentenced to the cross, and executed. Then He had been raised from the dead, taught them more, told them to wait for the Holy Spirit, and then be witnesses for Him. After that He had ascended to heaven. What do you do next? Well, it looks like they went home and waited. A couple of verses later we find that there were about 120 believers at this stage. Amongst them were the disciples, the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers.

What did this group of believers do? They continued unified in prayer and supplication. The group who would be the foundation of the first church started their ministry with prayer and supplication. They knew the import of their task. Jesus had just told them to wait for the Holy Spirit, but they took that waiting to include continued on in prayerful unity. What a pattern for our in our groups of believers. Faithful unified praying should always follow the great events when we go back home.

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