Blog
“Prayer and Preaching”
Prayer and Preaching
Wade Webster
In past studies we examined the prayer and fasting and prayer and watching. In this study, we are going to notice prayer and preaching.
The sixth chapter of Acts records a controversy that arose in the early church that consumed a large amount of the apostle’s time. As you recall, Grecian widows were being neglected in the daily ministration. The apostles had to step in and handle it. Likely, they handled it initially by serving tables themselves. While this was a good thing for them to do, it took them away from two greater things - prayer and preaching. Therefore, they instructed the brethren to select seven men who could serve tables so that they could give themselves continually to those other things. We read, “Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:3-4). Clearly, this passage shows the priority (importance) that the apostles placed on prayer and preaching. Caring for widows is extremely important. One’s religion is deficient and defiled without it. James wrote, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). The apostle’s statement also shows the partnership (connection) between these two things. Prayer and preaching go together. Just two chapters earlier, we see them together. We read, “And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus” (Acts 4:23-30). Prayer and preaching are powerful partners (Rom. 1:16; Jam. 5:16). Finally, the apostle’s statement shows the position of the two. Prayer precedes preaching. In the thirteenth chapter, we read, “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3). Before the church sent out Barnabas and Paul to preach, they fasted and prayed. They knew the success of this mission depended on prayer and God’s blessings.
As we get ready to worship this week, we need to pray for the preacher and the lesson that he will preach. We need to pray for the church and the message that they will carry home and to the world.
