All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Acts 1:14 (ESV)
The book of Acts opens with Jesus instructing his disciples for 40 days before being taken up into heaven. Before he left them, he commissioned them to be his witnesses to the world (Acts 1:8). He also instructed them to wait in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from on high (Luke 24:49), the promised Holy Spirit.
So after Jesus’ ascension, they returned to Jerusalem, to the place where they had been staying. And they waited. But they did not just sit around idly. They invested the time in prayer. No doubt that prayer included wisdom for how to accomplish the task they had been given, as well as for the promised power that would enable them to carry it out.
This group that was praying together was about 120 people (Acts 1:15). It included the eleven remaining apostles (Judas had committed suicide). A group of women who had traveled with Jesus and his apostles, including his mother. And one surprising group: his brothers.
Jesus’ brothers were mentioned a few times in the gospels. Matthew and Mark tell us that his brothers were James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (Matt. 13:55, Mark 6:3). And John 7:5 tells us that they did not believe in him. But something happened to turn them into believers. Jesus appeared to at least James after his resurrection. And it transformed him from a skeptic to an early leader of the church in Jerusalem.
Waiting in Prayer
After spending a week together in prayer, the Holy Spirit came on them at Pentecost, and the world has never been the same. While Pentecost was a unique event, I have to wonder what would happen today if God’s people gathered together in prayer. Not just for an hour or two. But earnestly seeking his face, for as long as it took. Would we experience the power and direction of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to change the world around us?
