Scripture: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high,” Luke 24:49.
As we stand on the verge of another gospel mission here in the church, we are exactly where the disciples were here in this chapter and in chapter 1 of Acts.
We are totally unready for the task ahead! Nothing that we ourselves can do will make us ready.
But in the Saviour’s word there is hope and guidance and assurance of help given us.
1. The Lord Jesus knew the unready state the apostles and disciples were in.
“But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
No matter what they had heard or seen or experienced in the past they were not ready! Even so is it with us.
Dear Christian learn that tonight.
2. Tarrying in prayer would bring them to a state of readiness.
First appearance of this word ‘tarry’, Matthew 5:1. ’Set’. It means to sit down. “Be still, and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10.
‘Be still’ means ‘be feeble, faint, cease.’
What could be easier for us tonight than to simply sit down and acknowledge our nothingness and weakness to God.
Let that be the sole theme of this prayer meeting and if it is, we will have taken great steps toward readiness and effectiveness of witness in this mission!
This is one of the most instructive passages on the matter of prayer.
Here we see a man in a very domestic situation. He is almost frantic with a fearful anticipation of the revenge of his brother, Esau.
He had prayed, Verses 9-12, a very wise and good prayer.
He had taken a number of steps to seek to placate Esau. Verses 13-20.
For all that, Jacob was still very uneasy and anxious.
I. A bold encounter with the Lord.
It was the “Lord God” he met, verse 30.
The word ‘wrestled’ means ‘to get dusty’! This was a real grappling between two men seeking to overthrow one another.
Jacob lays hold in order to wrestle an answer and the Lord lays hold in order to overcome Jacob.
1. That is what prayer is. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water,” Hebrews 10:19-22.
2. We can pray with boldness, that is commandingly. “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him,” Ephesians 3:12. Because:
a. Our sins are forgiven. “by the blood of Jesus”.
b. A ‘way’ dedicated for us alone. “He hath consecrated for us.” It is as if God has given us a key to His door!
c. We have our own High Priest. “An high priest over the house of God.” He offers for us our sacrifices of praise and prayer up to God. He presents all our offerings, perfumed with the incense of his own merits, before the throne of God.
II. It was a time of desperation for Jacob.
Verses 22-24.
1. Desperation causes us to act boldly, resolutely. Abraham, Genesis 18:23-32. Note verses 27, 30, 31, 32. Here is boldness born of desperation! Likewise the unnamed woman of Canaan, Matt 15:22-28. This woman showed boldness, verses 23, 27.
2. So it was Christ prayed. This is wrestling with God! “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground,” Luke 22:44.
3. So it is the Holy Spirt helps us to pray. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered,” Romans 8:26. (Acts 7:34.) Expressing unutterable words in prayer.
III. The Lord engaged in this wrestling.
“ . . . . . and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day” Genesis 32:24.
1. The wrestling is accredited to the Lord! True prayer begins with God. “And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples,” Luke 11:1. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced,” Zechariah 12:10. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father,” Gals 4:6.
2. The victory the Lord gained. “And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him,” Genesis 32:25. Jacob was strengthened by his defeat!
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted,” Matthew 23:12.
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time,” 1 Peter 5:6.
3. Here is a wounding unto health and strength! “He touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint.”
He had a new walk. “And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh,” verse 31.
This what we heard about yesterday morning.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me,” Galatians 2:20.
Jacob was given a new name from that day. “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed,” Genesis 32:28.
Young people, here is the secret, the key of the victorious kingly life.
The word ‘many’ appears a number of times in the verses prior to our text.
Vvs. 5, 10, 11. It also appears in verse 30 only there it is translated by the word ‘great’. That helps us understand just what the Saviour is saying of the last days.
A GREAT NUMBER of deceivers will come and will deceive a GREAT NUMBER of people, verse 5.
A GREAT NUMBER will be offended as a result of the great persecution, verse 10.
A GREAT NUMBER of false prophets will succeed in deceiving many, verse 11.
The result of all this deception, persecution and offence is a GREAT NUMBER of believers will grow cold in their love for Christ and His cause!
I. SURELY WE ALL SEE THE ABOUNDING OF INIQUITY TAKING PLACE TODAY.
The word “iniquity” means ‘the overthrowing of the law’. I need hardly illustrate that such has been happening before our eyes.
The word “abound” means “to multiply”. Acts 6:1, 7, 9:31, 12:24. This how this age started but it will end with wickedness abounding. The tide of blessing will go out!
1 The vilest of sins, outlawed by God, have been legalised by men! The world we live in has an utterly different opinion of right and wrong from that of 50 years ago.
2 The level of tolerance amongst believers for such sin has risen! This is alarming! Christians today tolerate the intolerable. John 2:13-17, Gal 4:18.
3 It is accepted without a protest from those who once protested. The FPC is very silent now where once it was very vocal. Our pulpits rang with challenges against ecumenism and modernism. Not so much any longer.
II. IN SUCH AN ATMOSPHERE, ‘WAXING COLD’ WILL TAKE PLACE.
I need hardly illustrate that such has been happening before our eyes. We see it in the:
Attendance at our church services.
Participation in our prayer meetings.
Lack of interest in a carrying out the great commission of Christ.
1. The words “shall wax cold” carry the meaning of “growing cool by blowing.” Something that we all do with our porridge, soup or tea! Look at Rev 12:14-16 and see an example of the devil seeking blowing upon the people of God to “cool” them and turn them from the truth.
2. Cooling is taking place all around us, aye and maybe within us! The cries of the wicked fills the air and creates a cooling wind.
3. It has happened before. Rev 3:14-20. It leads to a withdrawing by the Lord and a deafness and insensitivity to that withdrawal amongst Christians.
Can it be that the Saviour is withdrawing from us?
III. IT CAN ONLY BE REMEDIED BY HEEDING THE SAVIOUR’S WORDS.
Rev 3:14-18.
1. Recognise the offence such a thing is to Christ. 15-16.
2. Recognise the sinful thinking that has led to such a state. 17.
3. Respond to His counsel. 18-19. It is a call “to do business with Christ.” “Buy – be in the market place.” Christ was engaged in “His Father’s Business.” “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Luke 2:49.
4. Rejoice in the Saviour’s promises and look for their fulfilment. 20-21.
