They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Acts 1:14, NIV

Something I love about united prayer is the opportunity it affords for "all" to come together.  Our 10 Days of Prayer experience a few weeks ago reminded me of this as I saw whole families participated in some of our group gatherings.  There were times when even my youngest lifted her voice in praise or petition, adding to the ongoing conversation that the entire group was holding with the God of heaven.  Those were heart-warming moments for a couple of reasons: 1) they revealed the genuineness of my kiddo's friendship with Jesus, a friendship that finds real, verbal expression; and 2) the faith community surrounding her makes her feel safe enough to pour out her heart to God aloud.  God makes Himself universally available to everyone through prayer, and when God's people join together to seek Him, no one has to feel left out.  We have a tendency to picture the upper room in Acts 1 as a time when only the apostles were joining together for prayer, as if united prayer was just for those with a higher level of spiritual maturity.  But Acts 1:14 broadens that misperception to help us realize that uniting together in prayer is a privilege meant for all of us.

FOR LEADERS 

Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem...They all joined together constantly in prayer... Acts 1:12, 14a, NIV

Luke is intentional about including the names of the apostles who returned to Jerusalem with a renewed sense of calling and purpose.  They knew they were to be Jesus' witnesses right where they were and to the farthest reaches of the earth (Acts 1:8), and with this sacred trust heavy on their hearts, they went to the upper room to pray together as their first priority.  It wasn't to plan, strategize, or launch a creative campaign.  Their first priority was to pray together because their greatest need was to depend on God together.  When we embrace the commission of Christ and have been given recognized roles of leadership in God's church, we must make united prayer a priority -- praying with others who are leading with us, and even praying with those who look to us as leaders, whether this ministry responsibility be in our home or beyond it.  

We can't neglect communion with Christ in all our ministry for Christ.  

In our leadership roles, we have a tendency to rely on the skills and experience that got us to those positions in the first place, but the apostles' example reminds us that our sufficiency to lead well comes from Christ alone.  United prayer keeps us honest with our need for God's Spirit to faithfully fulfill His calling in our lives.  That's why the apostles resolved to stay devoted to prayer even when their ministry responsibilities increased (cf. Acts 6:3-4). The more we lead others, the more we need to pray with others. 

FOR FOLLOWERS & FAILURES 

...along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus... Acts 1:14b, NIV

While joining with others in prayer was a priority for the recognized leaders of the early church, Luke wants us to also see that it was of utmost importance for those who were considered part of the team without having a formal title.  (Side note:  Please understand that I'm NOT suggesting that there were followers of Jesus without a formal title BECAUSE they were women.  On the contrary, Luke is very intentional about highlighting the prominent role of women in the mission Jesus carried out.)  When we survey the references Luke makes to "the women" in the his gospel account, we find a committed group of ladies who stayed close to Jesus throughout His ministry and especially the most pivotal points of it.  They followed Him on the way to the cross (Lk. 23:27), watched His crucifixion from a distance (23:49), came to Jesus' tomb to minister to His lifeless body, and were the first to testify that His tomb was empty (24:5-10).  Here in the first chapter of Acts, Luke wants us to see these faithful followers of Jesus as committed to pressing together into the presence of Jesus through prayer.  They didn't need an appointed ministry title to feel a need or desire for prayer.  If we see ourselves as those who follow the crucified and risen Savior, we can see ourselves as those who join together in prayer in the upper room too.

But there's something more significant about the inclusion of the women in early church's experience of prayer.  In Luke's initial description of the women who followed Jesus and supported His ministry, he is transparent about the painful background from which Jesus had saved them:

and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities...Luke 8:2, NET  

These were the kinds of people who gathered with church leaders in prayer in the upper room.  

Friends, please hear this:  Our checkered past doesn't disqualify us from joining with others in prayer.

In fact, when we're honest with our past and have experienced the healing, transforming grace of Christ, the way we talk with Jesus becomes infused with a precious intimacy, loyalty, and affection that adds a fervor to seasons of united prayer that inspires others.  The sincere love we bring to those group experiences of prayer intensifies that group's bond with the God who heals and their bond with one another to become a community of healing.

For NEWCOMERS & SEEKERS 

...and with his brothers. Acts 1:14c, NIV

It may come as a shock to you that Jesus had brothers.  In all likelihood, these may have been half brothers through Joseph.  But beyond the biological connection to Jesus, what stands out to me is their spiritual connection to Jesus.  In light of the portrait we can piece together of these brothers in the Gospels, it's not farfetched to conclude that these guys were late to the party so to speak.  The brothers of Jesus weren't known to be followers of Jesus, until right here in Acts 1.  While Jesus was on earth, they held themselves aloof and seemed to avoid being associated with Him.  Mark gives us a sense that they felt embarrassed about how Jesus was handling Himself in public and tried to take Him away from His ministry endeavors (Mk. 3:21, 31).  John is pretty explicit to state that Jesus' brothers didn't believe in Him (Jn. 7:5).  They expressed that unbelief through sarcasm and offering mocking counsel about how to best fulfill His ministry (vv. 3-4).  But we find a different attitude in these brothers in Acts 1 -- post-crucifixion, post-resurrection and ascension.  The One they sought to disassociate from is the One they're seeking passionately in prayer.  Like the brothers of Jesus, our journey of faith may be a newfound experience and maybe to some extent an underdeveloped experience,

but that doesn't have to keep us from joining together with others in prayer.  

Maybe we feel self-conscious about praying in front of others because we're not eloquent in articulating the praise or requests on our hearts.  But the reality is that our primary audience in prayer is the One who sits on the throne.  At the same time, when we pray with others at the level we're at rather than pretend to be something we're not, the group we're praying with is benefited by staying on target with simple, even short prayers from the heart.  Our faith may still be "under construction," and that should encourage (not discourage) us in joining constantly with others in prayer.

Friends, no matter where we are in our spiritual journey, the upper room experience is for all of us.  Jesus invites us to join with others in prayer -- constantly, passionately, unitedly.  Whether up-front leaders, background team members, former addicts, new believers, you name it, the reality is we all need God's Spirit.  May God move among us and pour out a spirit of prayer (cf. Zech. 12:10) upon us all.

🙏🏼 PRAYER

Lord, thank you for making prayer available to all of us.  Please fill me with a spirit of prayer and supplication that moves me to join others in seeking you in prayer.  Overcome whatever barriers may exist in my heart that would keep me from enjoying the privilege of united prayer with others in the upper room.