Do you remember Elijah and the priests of Baal? No, not the pop group! This was on Mt. Carmel and they had that contest---the rocks, water, sacrifice---calling down fire from heaven. Well, if you can recall, the priests of Baal danced around, screamed, cut themselves, and then Elijah said, I'm pretty sure sarcastically (UNDERSTATEMENT), 'pray a little louder and your gods might hear you.' Yeah, right. OK, so let's reverse that idea and say that group prayer is the same thing. If we get a whole lot of people together praying, then we will pray louder and God will then hear us. No. God already knows what you're praying, and He is not hard of hearing. Well, it's a kind of strength in numbers kind of thing then? Um. No. God has already said that He will answer your prayer, if you pray alone. That's right. Alright, so what is the thing with group prayer?
First, God likes hearing more people praying. He said that the prayer of the upright is His delight. More people praying equals more delight. Second, we can know what other people are praying, and then pray for what they are. Their desires for answers can become our desires for answers---we can supplicate on their behalf. These are very, very good, but I believe that the bigger deal is that group prayer is supposed to help us pray in the will of God. God works uniquely through the church in a way that He does not work through individuals. He gave the church the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:19). The agreement of the church gets the attention with God in the loosing and bounding of someone to the church (Matthew 18:15-20). God wants the church to judge matters (1 Corinthians 6). The unity of the Spirit (Eph. 4) means that the church is getting Holy Spirit led doctrine. Agreement from the church brings confidence that something is the will of God. And what kind of prayers does God answer? Those in the will of God.
People will say that prayer is a personal thing. Not group prayer. When we pray as a group, that means the whole group is thinking through the prayer, and if the group cannot agree with what you are praying, then one or more should say something. Do we want answers or to impress people with our prayer phrases? Do wish to look spiritual like a Pharisee standing on the street corner or are we interested in seeing God? Helpful in group prayer is opening our prayers to the grid of God's people, to see if our prayers ring true with them. Perhaps they will know that our prayer isn't Scriptural. If we do find unity about what we are praying for, then we are also very likely finding that our prayer has been in the will of God. And then you get answers.
8 comments:
Thank you for posting this - there are some aspects of this issue I was wondering about. I couldn't understand why if God would answer the prayer of 2 or 3, why we should get more people praying - seemed like just being religious (and no one else seemed to have an answer either when I asked about this) - but I can see what you mean about unity within the local church on a matter they are praying about. Though I do not think I have ever heard of someone going to the others and stating that they did not believe what was being prayed for was in God's will - if they ever thought that, they kept it to themselves. But I can see how this would be relevant, especially when praying for God's will in a major area - including when it involves as aspect of ministry. If the church is basically unamimous (after prayer), then that is a good indication that it is in God's will.
Hey throwback. You are right about singular, Peter, leader, spokesman of the group. This I knew, and not attempting to contradict Scripture, but He used the singular because He was speaking to Peter specifically, going back a few verses in the context, but it applies to all of the first church members.
It is not in Matthew 16 that we get this applied to the church, but in Matthew 18 (notice the context, and now plural pronouns are used):
Matthew 18:15-20 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Contrast that with this verse:
Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The difference is Peter was giving the keys to the kingdom - which means he had the authority to open the door of the Gospel to the Jews and to the Gentiles - and we find he is the first one to do so in the early church to each group.
All believers have the ability to bind and loose according to God's will - only Peter had the authority to open the door of the Gospel/kingdom.
Joel,
I think it provides a strong argument for human authority in the church. Peter made His confession, and Jesus answered him, and this was His answer; therefore, He spoke to Peter. But Peter was the leader of the group. John the Baptist got baptism from heaven, but that didn't mean that no one else could baptize. Peter could turn with that authority and give it to everyone else. The same authority as opening the doors to the kingdom is wrapped up in a whole lot of other commands that Jesus gave all of them. Something dispensational here though as well, related to Israel no longer possessing the keys.
Joel, just to be on the same page---what do you think the keys to the kingdom are?
God works uniquely through the church in a way that He does not work through individuals.
Amen.
Comment eaten by blogger, again...
Well, it will suffice to say "Amen!" to your comment, Kent:
God works uniquely through the church in a way that He does not work through individuals.
"Talking thur Joel's hat".....well said. I have to agree that it would appear the door was indeed opened to others besides the Jews...and arn't we glad.
Thur Joel's hat......
ILA
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