12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The first thing I note about this pre-Pentecost prayer meeting is that the ”brothers” of Jesus were there. How remarkable, and how encouraging to all of us who have unbelieving (and maybe even hard, cold and resistant) families. Jesus brothers were not always believers (see John 7:5). It seems they were hostile. But now they were in a prayer meeting!!! and in obedience to their brother’s command. Things can change. Oh yes they can. We had better believe it.

But here’s the second thing about this prayer meeting, it was in definite belief of God’s promise and Christ’s own Word (4). It was God’s will and desire for them to be there and doing this during those days.

Thirdly, it was a united and lengthy prayer meeting which preceded Pentecost. They were committed and devoted in prayer. May I even say that there was an intensity (as well as faith) in their praying? They were serious. They meant business.

I have a book, by Spurgeon, of addresses given on and at prayer meetings, and it is entitled, ‘Only a prayer meeting’ The ‘Only’, of course, is ironic, because Spurgeon’s teaching clearly extols the power of prayer. Here are some of his own words on the subject:

”IF you were to go to one of the banks in Lombard Street, and see a man go in and out and lay a piece of paper on the table, and take it up again and nothing more; if he did that several times a day, I think there would soon be orders issued to the porter to keep the man out, because he was merely wasting the clerk’s time, and doing nothing to purpose. Those city men, who come to the bank in earnest, present their checks, they wait until they receive their gold, and then they go, but not without having transacted real business. They do not put the paper down, speak about the excellent signature, and discuss the correctness of the document, but they want their money for it, and they are not content without it. These are the people who are always welcome at the bank, and not the triflers. Alas, a great many people play at praying, it is nothing better. I say they play at praying, they do not expect God to give them an answer, and thus they are mere triflers, who mock the Lord. He who prays in a business-like way, meaning what he says, honors the Lord. The Lord does not play at promising; Jesus did not sport at confirming the word by his blood; and we must not make a jest of prayer by going about it in a listless, unexpecting spirit.”

Those men and women in the upper room had gathered to transact ‘real business’, and that is precisely what they did. They got their gold!

May God keep us from playing at prayer.