Instructions concerning Prayer
1 Timothy 2:1 – 7 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all --this was attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Introduction: It is sad to see how prayer has lost importance in many churches. “If I announce a banquet,” a pastor said, “people will come out of the woodwork to attend. But if I announce a prayer meeting, I’m lucky if the ushers show up!” Not only have the special meetings for prayer lost stature in most local churches, but even prayer in the services is greatly minimized.
When “The Body of Christ” faces a serious problem, this presents the leaders and the members with a number of opportunities. For one thing, problems give us the opportunity to examine our ministry and discover what changes must be made.
In times of success, it is easy for us to maintain the status quo, but this is dangerous. Henry Ward Beecher called success “a last-year’s nest from which the birds have flown.” Any ministry or organization that thinks its success will go on automatically is heading for failure. We must regularly examine our lives and our ministries lest we start taking things for granted.
Acts 6:1-4 - Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. 2 And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, 4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word."
The Apostles studied the situation and concluded that they were to blame: they were so busy serving tables that they were neglecting prayer and the ministry of the Word of God. They had created their own problem because they were trying to do too much. Even today, some pastors are so busy with secondary tasks that they fail to spend adequate time in study and in prayer. This creates a “spiritual deficiency” in the church that makes it easy for problems to develop.
The two main ministries of the pastor are the Word of God and prayer (Acts 6:4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word."). It is sad to see churches robbing their pastors of these important ministries by keeping them “busy” promoting a program, pleasing people, and practicing church politics.
If the churches would simplify their organization and purify their motives, the pastors would be able to do a spiritual work for the glory of the Lord.
It is important that the church have a balanced ministry of the Word of God and prayer.
The Word instructs the church; prayer inspires the church to obey the Word. The church that has an abundance of Bible teaching but little prayer will have “much light, but no heat.” It will be orthodox but frozen! The other extreme is the church that has much prayer and religious enthusiasm, but little teaching from the Word; this may produce a group of people with zeal, noise. . . but no knowledge.
From his concerns about the circumstances giving rise to false teachers Paul turned to matters relating to the conduct of the church broadly . Paul began with what he considered most important: prayer.
What too often comes last in a church’s priorities should actually come first.
The church members also need to be prepared to pray. Our hearts must be right with God and with each other. We must really want to pray, and not pray simply to please people (as did the Pharisees, Matt. 6:5), or to fulfill a religious duty. When a local church ceases to depend on prayer, God ceases to bless its ministry.
Point 1: There are at least seven different Greek nouns for “prayer,” and in our focus verses for this morning, three of them are used here.
a)Supplications carries the idea of “offering a request for a felt need.” This refers to the prayers that focus upon special needs—deep and intense needs. When you see special needs in the lives of people—all people—you are to supplicate for them. That is, you are to be carrying the need before God with a great sense of urgency: you are to plead and beg for the person or persons. The idea is that of intense and deep brokenness before God in behalf of others, that God would help and save the person.
Just think what a different world this would be, what a different community we would have, if we really took the names and needs of people before God and pleaded for them in an intense brokenness and tears. Just think …
· how many more loved ones would be saved and helped.
· how many more within our community, villages, country, and world would be saved and helped.
· how fewer problems would exist within society.
b)Intercessions is best translated “petitions.” There are "intercessions" (enteuxeis). This refers to bold praying; to standing before God in behalf of another person. Christ is your Intercessor, the One who stands between God and you in your behalf. But you are also to intercede for men, to carry their names and lives before God. You are to boldly approach God and pray for them, expecting God to hear and answer—all in the name of Christ. You are to intercede for all men—to stand in the gap between them and God—boldly praying and asking God to be merciful and gracious in salvation and in deliverance. Many OT characters noted for their faith are also noted for their intercessory prayer.
Abraham asked God not to destroy Sodom in order to save his nephew Lot. He called on the righteous character of God, asking if God would “kill the righteous with the wicked” (Gen. 18:25). In so doing, Abraham acknowledged that he was not worthy to lay such claims before the holy God (v. 27). Abraham also interceded for Abimelech, fulfilling a prophetic function and bringing healing (Gen. 20:7,17).
Moses intervened between God and Pharaoh as he tried to get permission for the people to leave Egypt (for example, Exod. 8:8). At Sinai the people asked Moses to represent them before God since they feared to approach the awesome God (Exod. 20:19). After the people built the golden calf, Moses prayed for God’s mercy, calling on God to remember His reputation among the nations and His promises to the patriarchs. As a result, God relented (Exod. 32:11-14). Through intercessory prayer Moses sought to make an atonement for sin, identifying himself so completely with the people that he asked to be blotted out of God’s book if God would not forgive the people’s sin (Exod. 32:30-34; cp. Deut. 9:25).
The priests had intercession as part of their job description (Joel 2:17; cp. 1 Sam. 2:25). The high priest’s task was to make atonement for the people (Lev. 16). In face of the people’s idolatry, Samuel asked God to forgive them (1 Sam. 7:5). Even when he did not agree with the people, Samuel took their plea for a king to God (1 Sam. 8; cp. chap. 12).
When God rejected Saul, Samuel did not glorify in or gossip about another man’s downfall, he prayed in grief (1 Sam. 15:11). David interceded all night on behalf of his newborn baby, even knowing God had decreed the child’s death because of David’s sin (2 Sam. 12:14-18). After taking a census without God’s direction, David asked God to punish him and not the innocent people (2 Sam. 24:17).
In dedicating the temple, Solomon asked God to hear the prayers of the sinful people and forgive them (1 Kings 8; cp. 3:3-14). Elijah accused God of bringing “tragedy upon the widow with whom I am staying by killing her son” (1 Kings 17:20) and prayed successfully that the child would live again (cp. 2 Kings 4:32-34). Hezekiah took Sennacherib’s letter to the temple and opened it before God, praying for deliverance from the Assyrians (Isa. 37:14-20).
Intercession formed an important part of the prophet’s task. Amos prayed that God’s Word would not come to pass (Amos 7:5-6). Jeremiah responded to God’s Word of judgment on the nation with a plea for God not to be a stranger among those who could not save themselves (Jer. 14:7-9). Lamentations is filled with prayers for the nation.
The Prophet Isaiah looked to a day when people from all nations could come to the temple and make intercession (Isa. 56:7). The prophetic hope centered in the Suffering Servant who would bear the sin of all people, making intercession for transgressors (Isa. 53:6,12).
In the final analysis, even the most righteous of people need an intercessor with God (Job 9:32-35; 19:25; 23:1-17).
c) Giving of thanks is definitely a part of worship and prayer. We not only give thanks for answers to prayer, but for who God is and what He does for us in His grace. We should not simply add our thanksgiving to the end of a selfish prayer! Thanksgiving should be an important ingredient in all of our prayers. In fact, sometimes we need to imitate David and present to God only thanksgiving with no petitions at all! (see Psalm 103 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits-- 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. . . .)
Point 2: “Prayer and supplication [petition] with thanksgiving” are a part of Paul’s formula for God’s peace in our hearts (Phil. 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ). It is worth noting that Daniel, the great prayer-warrior, practiced this kind of praying (Dan. 6:10–11 Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in its upper room open toward Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously. 11 The conspirators came and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God.).
Point 3: Our focus verses for this morning, 1 Timothy 2:1 – 7 speak on The objects of prayer . “All men” makes it clear that no person on earth is outside the influence of believing prayer. (We have no examples of exhortations that say we should pray for the dead. If we should pray for the dead, Paul certainly had a good opportunity to tell us in this section of his letter.)
This means we should pray for the unsaved and the saved, for people near us and people far away, for enemies as well as friends. As in modern times, some in the Ephesian church were prepared to question the validity of a prayer for the salvation of all men. Thus Paul defended his instructions by pointing out that such a prayer is good, and pleases God our Savior . Literally, the Greek says that such a prayer is “acceptable before” (in the presence of) God. Many of the people inside our churches seem to forget that there are prayers that are unacceptable to God, but not this one.
Paul urged the church to especially pray for those in authority. Godless Emperor Nero was on the throne at that time, and yet the believers were supposed to pray for him!
Even when we cannot respect men or women in authority, we must respect their offices and pray for them. In fact, it is for our own good that we do so: “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Tim. 2:2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.). The early church was always subject to opposition and persecution, so it was wise to pray for those in authority. “Quiet” refers to circumstances around us, while “peaceful” refers to a calm attitude within us. The results should be lives that are godly and honorable.
Paul has not named all the persons we can and should pray for, since “all men” covers the matter fully. We can’t pray for everybody in the world by name, but we certainly ought to pray for those we know and know about. Why? Because it’s a good thing to do and because it pleases God.
Point 4: It pleases the Father when His children pray as He has commanded them to. The Pharisees prayed in order to be praised by men (Matt. 6:5) or to impress other worshipers (Luke 18:9–14). True Christians pray in order to please God. This suggests that we must pray in the will of God, because it certainly does not please the Father when we pray selfishly (James 4:1–10; 1 John 5:14–15). It’s often said that the purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth.
What is God’s will?
The salvation of lost souls, for one thing. We can pray for “all men” because it is God’s will that “all men” come to the knowledge of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. God loved the world (John 3:16) and Christ died for the whole world (1 John 2:2; 4:14). Jesus died on the cross that He might draw “all men” to salvation (John 12:32). This does not mean all people without exception, for certainly the whole world is not going to be saved. It means all people without distinction(separation)—Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, religious and pagan.
Point 5: Why are so many lost? God is long-suffering with lost sinners, even delaying His judgment that they might come to Christ (2 Peter 3:9). But salvation depends on a “knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).
Not everyone has heard the truth of the Gospel, and many who have heard have rejected it. We cannot explain the mystery of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility, but realize that both are taught in the Bible and are harmonized in God’s great plan of salvation.
We do know that prayer is an important part of God’s program for reaching a lost world. We have the responsibility of praying for lost souls (Rom. 10:1) and making ourselves available to share the Gospel with others.
Conclusion: The basis for prayer is found in scripture! (vv. 5–7). Many believers do not realize that prayer is based on the work of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Mediator. In His perfect life and substitutionary death, He met the just demands of God’s holy law. He was the “ransom for all.” The word ransom means “a price paid to free a slave.” His death was “on behalf of all.” Though the death of Christ is efficient only for those who trust Him, it is sufficient for the sins of the whole world. Jesus said that He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
Christ died for “all men,” and God is willing for “all men to be saved.” God calls and ordains messengers who take the Gospel to lost sinners. Paul was such a messenger: he was a preacher (the herald of the King), an apostle (one sent with a special commission), and a teacher. The same God who ordains the end (the salvation of the lost) also ordains the means to the end: prayer and preaching of the Word. This Good News is not for the Jews only, but also for the Gentiles.
If the basis for prayer is the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross, then prayer is a most important activity in a church. Not to pray is to slight the cross!
To pray only for ourselves is to deny the worldwide outreach of the cross. To ignore lost souls is to ignore the cross. “All men” [people] is the key to this paragraph: We pray for “all” because Christ died for “all” and it is God’s will that “all” be saved. We must give ourselves to God to be a part of His worldwide program to reach people before it is too late.
All who believe had better learn to harness, to make use of, the power given to us in prayer! Our modern day churches had better learn once again to Pray! Pray our way through the hard times, maybe then we can open our eyes and see that there is such a thing as "Desert Beauty."
Every one of us gets to spend some time in the desert, or the wilderness, as it's often called in the Bible. It's not our permanent home, but it sure is part of the journey. You may be in one of those difficult dry spells right now. It's time to remember that while the desert is hard, it has a beauty all its own. There are things you see there that you can't see when you're in the green and blooming times.
God's ancient people learned that when they spent their time in the wilderness. God describes some of that in Deuteronomy 1:30-33, "The Lord your God who is going before you will fight for you, as He did ... before your very eyes in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son ... The Lord your God ... went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go."
Wilderness times can be tough for several reasons - you feel depleted, the devil does everything he can to exploit this vulnerable time with his lies, fear of what may happen starts to take over, and sometimes it just plain hurts.
God's Word on desert times reminds us of several very important encouragements which the dry time tends to make us forget. First, the desert is part of the plan. Sometimes it's God who leads you into a wilderness time, knowing that it will take a wilderness to take you to the next level in Him.
Even though the devil was all over Jesus when He spent forty days in the wilderness, the Bible makes it very clear that the Lord led Him into the wilderness. The God who loves you passionately has decided that every once in a while, wilderness is what will bring you the greatest good and Him the greatest glory.
Secondly, the wilderness is a place of miracles. It was in the wilderness that God's people saw manna come from heaven, water come from rocks, and a pillar of cloud and fire providing daily guidance.
If you'll remain faithful, even when you don't have the feelings, God will show you His power in the desert in ways you'll never see it in the Promised Land.
The third desert encouragement is that the wilderness is a growing time. Paul saw his greatest revelations of God (the things we now read in the New Testament) while he was in the desert. Jesus emerged from the wilderness full of the Holy Spirit and power and exploded into His public ministry.
God wants to use the desert time to drive you more deeply into Him because He's all you've got. And as you go deeper, you develop a new spiritual power that prepares you for a whole new level of impact on the other side of the wilderness.
The wilderness will not last forever. There's a Promised Land on the other side. And the desert is a place where God will carry you when you've got nothing left - like a daddy carries a tired little boy to places that little boy could never go in his own strength. And there's something very special about collapsing on the shoulder of your all-loving and all-powerful Heavenly Father. Your assignment in the desert: keep showing up, keep being faithful even without the feelings. If you're in a desert stretch, trust the One who's allowed or directed you to be there. Pray ,and while you're there, don't miss the strange beauty of the desert.
1 Timothy 2:1 – 7 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all --this was attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.