THE SPECIAL PRAYER MEETING

“When he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.” Acts 12:12.

It was a great wonder that the infant church of Christ was not destroyed. Truly, she was like a lone lamb in the midst of furious wolves, without earthly power, prestige, or patronage to protect her. Yet, as though she wore a charmed life, she escaped from the hosts of her cruel foes. Had not this child been something more than others, it would have been slain like the innocents at Bethlehem—but being heaven-born, it escaped the fury of the destroyer. It is worthwhile asking; however, with what weapons did this church protect herself, for we may very wisely use the same! She was preserved in her utmost danger from overwhelming destruction—what was her defense? Where did she find shield and buckler? The answer is—in prayer—“Many were gathered together praying.”

Whatever may be the danger of the times, and each age has its own peculiar hazard, we may rest in calm assurance that our defense is of God, and we may avail ourselves of that defense in the same manner as the early church did, namely, by abounding in prayer. However poisonous the viper, prayer can extract its sting. However fierce the lion, prayer can break its teeth. However terrible the fire, prayer can quench the violence of the flame. But this is not all—the new-born church not only escaped, but it multiplied. From being as a grain of mustard seed, when it could all assemble in the upper room, it has now become a great tree. Lo, it covers the nations. The birds of the air, in flocks, find shelter in its branches. Why this wondrous increase? What made it grow? Outward circumstances were unfavorable to its progress—upon what nourishment has it been fed? What means were taken with this tender shoot that has been so speedily developed? Whatever means were used of old, we may wisely use them today, also, to strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die, and to develop that which is hopeful in our midst. The answer is—the fact that on all occasions, “Many were gathered together praying.”

While praying, the Spirit of God came down upon them. While praying, the Spirit often separated this man and that for special work. While praying, their hearts grew warm with inward fire. While praying, their tongues were unloosed, and they went forth to speak to the people. And while praying, the Lord opened to them the treasures of His grace. By prayer, they were protected, and by prayer, they grew. If our churches are to live and grow, they must be watered from the same source. “Let us pray,” is one of the most necessary watchwords which I can suggest to Christian men and women, for if we will but pray, prayer will fill up the pools in the valley of Baca, yes, and open to us all the channels of that river of God which is full of water, the streams whereof make glad the city of our God.

We have heard a great deal of talk in certain sections of the church about going back to primitive times. They are introducing to us all sorts of superstitious inventions, under cover of the customs of the early church. The plea is cunningly chosen, for primitive practices have great weight with true Christians. But the weak point of the argument is that, unfortunately, what they call the early church is not early enough. If we must have the early church held up as a model, let us have the earliest church of all. If we are to have fathers, let us go back to Apostolic Fathers. And if we are to have ritual, rule, and ceremonies modeled on strict precedent, let us go back to the original precedent recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

We, who are called Baptists, have not the slightest objection to going back in everything to the apostolic habit and practice—we reverence the real primitive method and desire to follow the customs of the true early church. And if we could see every ordinance restored to the exact mode in which it was practiced by the saints immediately after the ascension of our Lord and during apostolic times, we would clap our hands with delight; ’tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. To see the early church alive again would cause us unfeigned satisfaction. Especially upon this point would we imitate the early church—we would have it said of us—“Many were gathered together praying.” May we have much prayer, much household prayer, much believing prayer, and much prevalent prayer—and then we shall obtain great blessings from the Lord.

I. THE IMPORTANCE THE EARLY CHURCH ATTRIBUTED TO PRAYER

This morning, my earnest desire is to stir up the church of Jesus Christ to increased prayerfulness. I have taken this text, as it furnishes me with one or two points of great interest and is full of practical suggestions. The first is this: LET US NOTICE THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE EARLY CHURCH ATTRIBUTED TO PRAYER and to prayer meetings. Let this be a lesson to us. As soon as we begin to read in Acts, and continually as we read on in that record, we note that meetings for prayer had become a standing institution in the church. We read nothing of “masses,” but we read much of prayer meetings. We hear nothing of church festivals, but we read often of meeting together for prayer.

It is said that Peter considered the thing—I fancy that he considered it all round, and thought, “Where shall I go?” And he remembered that it was prayer meeting night down at John Mark’s mother’s house—and there he would go because he felt that there he should meet with true brethren. In those days, they did things by plan and order, according to that text, “Let all things be done decently and in order,” and I have no doubt that it had been duly arranged that the meeting should be held that evening at the house of John Mark’s mother. Therefore, Peter went there and found, as he probably expected, that there was a prayer meeting going on. They were not met to hear a sermon. It is most proper that we should very frequently assemble for that purpose, but this was distinctly a meeting where, “Many were gathered together praying.” Praying was the business on hand. I do not know that they even had an address, though some will come to the prayer meeting if the pastor is present to speak. But you see, James, who is generally thought to have been pastor of the church at Jerusalem, was not there, for Peter said, “Go show these things to James,” and most probably none of the apostles were there, because Peter added, “and to the brethren,” and I suppose by that, he meant the brethren of the apostolic college. The eminent speaking brethren seem to have been all away, and perhaps no one expounded or exhorted that night, nor was there any need, for they were all too much engrossed in common intercession.

The meeting was convened for praying, and this, I say, was a regular institution of the Christian church and ought always to be kept up. There should be meetings wholly devoted to prayer. There is a serious flaw in the arrangements of a church when such gatherings are omitted or placed in a secondary position. These prayer meetings should be kept to their objective—and their great attraction should be prayer itself. An address if you like. A few burning words to stir up prayer if you like. But if you cannot have them, do not look upon speech-making as at all necessary. Let it be a standing ordinance in the church that at certain times and occasions, many shall meet together to pray, and supplication shall be their only objective.

The private Christian will read, hear, and meditate, but none of these can be a substitute for prayer. The same truth holds good upon the larger scale—the church should listen to her teachers and receive edification from gospel ordinances—but she must also pray. Nothing can compensate for the neglect of devotion. It appears, however, that while prayer meetings were a regular institution, the prayer was sometimes made special, for we read that prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God “for him,” that is, for Peter. It adds greatly to the interest and not a little to the fervency of prayer when there is some great object to pray for.

II. THE NUMBER ASSEMBLED

The text says, “Many were gathered together praying.” Somebody said the other day of prayer meetings that two or three thousand people had no more power in prayer than two or three. I think that is a grave mistake in many ways, but clearly so in reference to each other. For have you never noticed that when many meet together praying, warmth of desire and glow of earnestness are greatly increased? Perhaps two or three might have been all dull, but out of a larger number, someone, at least, is a warm-hearted brother, and sets all the rest on a flame.

Have you not observed how the requests of one will lead another on to ask for yet greater things? How one Christian brother suggests to another to increase his petition, and so the petitions grow by the mingling of heart with heart, and the communion of spirit with spirit? Besides, faith is a cumulative force. “According to your faith, so is it done unto you,” is true to one, to two, to 20, to twenty thousand. And 20,000 times the force will be the result of 20,000 times the faith. Rest assured that while two or three have power with God in their measure, two or three hundred have still more. If great results are to come, they will be accompanied by the prayers of many. The brightest days of all will never come except by the unanimous prayer of the entire church, for as soon as Zion travails—not one or two in her midst, but the whole church travails—then shall she bring forth her children.

Therefore, I do earnestly pray, brethren, to make the numbers gathered in prayer as great as they can be. Of course, if we come together listlessly—if each heart is cold and dead—there is only so much more coldness and deadness. But taking for granted that each one comes in the spirit of prayer, the gathering of numbers is like adding firebrand to firebrand and piling on the burning coals—and we are likely to have a heat like that of coals of juniper which have a most vehement flame.

III. THE PLACE OF ASSEMBLY

This was a prayer meeting held in a private house and I want to urge all my brethren here to consecrate their houses by frequently using them for prayer meetings. This would have an advantage about it—it would avoid all savor of superstition. There still lingers, among people, the notion that buildings may be consecrated and rendered holy. Well, it is so babyish an idea that I should have hoped the manliness of this generation, let alone anything else, would have given up the notion. How can it be that inside four brick walls there should be more holiness than outside, or that prayer offered in some particular seat should be more acceptable than prayer offered anywhere else?

Meetings for prayer, held at the house of the mother of Mark, at your mother’s house, at your brother’s house, at your own house, will do much to be a plain protest against the superstition which reverences holy places. There was meetness in their meeting in this particular house, the house of Mark’s mother, for that family stood in a very dear relationship to Peter. Do you know who Mark was, in reference to Peter? If you turn to Peter’s First Epistle, in the fifth chapter, you will read, “Marcus, my son.” Ah, I am sure Mark would pray for Peter, because Peter was his spiritual father. I should not wonder but what Mark and his mother were both converted on the day of Pentecost, when Peter preached that famous sermon.

IV. THE TIME OF THIS PRAYER MEETING

It was held at dead of night. I suppose they prayed all through the night. They could say, “We have been waiting, we have been waiting, all the night long.” After midnight, the angel set Peter free. Peter went to the house and they had not gone to bed, but many were met together praying.

Now, as to the time for prayer meetings, let me say this. If it happens to be an inconvenient hour, and I should think the dead of night was rather inconvenient, nevertheless go. Better hold prayer meetings at midnight than not at all. Better that we should be accused, as the Christians were of old, of holding secret conventicles under the shadow of night, than not meet together for prayer. But there is another lesson. The dead of the night was chosen because it was the most suitable hour, since they could not safely meet in the day because of the Jews.

V. THE SUCCESS OF THE PRAYER MEETINGS

They prayed and they were heard at once. The answer came so speedily that they were themselves surprised. It has sometimes been said that they did not really expect Peter to be set free. And that their astonishment was the result of unbelief. Perhaps so, but I doubt it, for you must remember that their prayers did set Peter free, and therefore it does not look as if it could have been unbelieving prayer.

Dear friends, the Lord Jesus waits to give us great blessings in answer to prayer. He can send us surprises quite as great as those which astonished the assembly at midnight. We may pray for some sinner and while we are yet praying, we may hear him cry, “What must I do to be saved?” We may offer our prayers for the sleeping church and while we pray, it may be answered. But the church still sleeps. She has had a smiting on the side of late, but has not yet girded herself and come out of the prison of her coldness and conventionality. But if we continue in prayer we may see, with astonishment, the church rouse herself from sleep and come forth to liberty.

We cannot tell what will happen. Prayer operates in so many ways, but operate it will, and we shall assuredly have our reward. The practical point is—What is to be done now? We must keep up this work. And how? Not by those large assemblies, but by all the churches being revived all around—and the numbers in all the places of worship becoming more numerous—and at the same time becoming more prayerful. Let us pray now.

Charles Spurgeon