Worship: Prayer & Worship
Stephen emphasizes the vital connection between worship and prayer within the Christian life, especially in the context of the early church. He highlights Acts 2:42, where believers persisted in the apostles' teachings, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, illustrating that these are practical expressions of their devotion. Stephen underscores that prayer, as modeled by our Lord Jesus, is saturated with worship, dependence on the Father, and a spirit of adoration. Jesus' prayers, especially at His baptism and during His ministry, exemplify selfless worship and complete reliance on God's will, often involving fasting and seeking the Father's guidance through night-long prayers. He explains that prayer involves laying down oneself, offering worship, and aligning with God's purpose, not merely petitioning for personal needs. The Lord’s Prayer is presented as a model of corporate worship and prayer, beginning and ending with adoration, and including requests for daily needs, forgiveness, and spiritual protection. Stephen stresses that corporate prayer should be characterized by unity, shared burdens, and a spirit of worship, avoiding vain repetition and emphasizing that all believers should participate actively. True prayer, he concludes, is rooted in a worshiping spirit, committed to God's testimony, enabling believers to pray with one accord and power, fulfilling the church’s ministry of prayer.
Main Points Outline
- Perseverance in apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42)
- Prayer as a practical expression of worship and dependence on God
- Jesus' life saturated with prayer, exemplifying worship and reliance on the Father
- Fasting and prayer as means to weaken the soul and strengthen spiritual focus
- Prayer involves adoration, thanksgiving, confession, petition, and intercession
- Early morning prayer as a model for seeking God's face and worship
- Praying through the night for divine guidance and decision-making
- Corporate prayer as a unified, Spirit-led act, representing the church
- Importance of participating actively in corporate prayer, sharing burdens, and praying with one accord
- Vain repetition is unnecessary; prayers should be sincere and Spirit-led
- The Lord’s Prayer as a model of worship and the principles of prayer, not mere repetition
- Praying with a worshiping spirit enables unity and effective church prayer
- Commitment to God's testimony is essential for praying with one accord
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
