Sermon Tone Analysis

1 Timothy 2:1-7

Our nation has set aside tomorrow to be a day of thanksgiving in the land.

We remember back to the origins as a group of people received mercy and aid from their neighbors after they had left England and came here to practice their faith in peace.

Our forefathers in the Lutheran Church came over for similar reasons, we are blessed and thankful to be in a land that permits us to practice our faith.

Now in our Epistle lesson Paul speaks to the Church and reminds us that we are to include all in our prayers and that we are to make supplications, that is to ask that God might aid them, pray for their well being, intercede on their behalf asking for God to show them mercy and blessing and do that on behalf of others and that we are to make thanksgivings for all people.

Paul knows well the temptations of our hearts, that as sinners we often have no qualms praying for those who are dear to us, but will hesitate to pray that aren’t so dear, especially those who are authorities above us, and so he reminds us to pray for kings, and all those in high positions which would include all governing leaders.

Throughout history mankind has been vexed and troubled by those authorities that God places above us, and it is no different today.

It was the persecution of the pilgrims and our Lutheran forefathers that brought our churches over here.

We are tempted to grumble against those who God establishes as our leaders, especially when they are leaders that we don’t want, but that is not for us to do my dear Christians.

We are to pray for them, for they are God’s servants.

This is especially important when we find ourselves with leaders, bosses, parents, and other authorities that we are frustrated with, we do not need the command to pray and give thanks to God when we have leaders that we enjoy, agree with, and bring us blessings, but we need this reminder when we have rulers that we don’t like or enjoy.

Now you might wonder why?

Why on earth would we ever give thanks for authorities who vex us so much, who are not godly, why would the Scriptures command us to pray for them, and give thanks to God?

Why should we do that?

This is where we see that the Command of the Law is not enough to motivate us to good works.

For it were, we wouldn’t ask why?

So let us instead think on Christ, and consider what God gave to Him, that He was to care for, sustain and provide until the end and bring safely home to paradise.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and you are His sheep.

Have you followed His guidance, made His life simpler, observed all that He commanded?

Or have you been his enemy?

Have you opposed His will, has your heart been sluggish and have you been weak in your confession, and in your duties as a Christian?

Are you the type of sheep that Jesus should give thanks for?

None of us are, the Prophet Isaiah confesses that We all like sheep have gone astray.

Yet while you wandered Jesus sought you out, and Christ give thanks for you.

He gives thanks to the Father, because you are His, and He redeemed you by His blood.

Christ loved while you were yet still a sinner and on the night that He was betrayed, He was in the Garden on His knees, sweating blood, praying for you.

Jesus prayed for all of those who would believe in him in the years to come, not only the disciples that would scatter from him that night, his flock that did not yet know him, or love him, and not yet born that He was going to Cross to shed his blood for their sake.

Why would you refuse to pray for your neighbor?

We are tempted to complain about our neighbor, our government, everything that God has placed in our life, and yet what have we done that Christ might complain and grumble about us?

And yet we have Christ’s words, He says, Father I desire that they also whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

(John 17:24)

Jesus intercedes for you before the Father, for He desires all people, especially you, to be saved.

He serves as mediator between you and God that you might have entrance into heaven.

When we pray, we make intercessions for people and come before God because through we have been adopted as the children of God, and come before our dear Father in heaven.

We ask on behalf of all of those who are in need.

Now we do this not only for our those christians who are sick and suffering, but also for the unbelievers.

For the Father is not just the God of Christians, He is God of the whole world even of those who do not believe or recognize them.

We ask certainly that God would grant them faith, and that the Holy Spirit would work upon their hearts, but we also know that God sends rain on the just and the unjust.

So when they are in distress, we pray for them even though they do not yet know the Lord for Christ prayed for us while we were yet enemies of God.

This part of how one leads a peaceful and quiet life, that is godly and dignified in every way.

We come before God and raise up in prayer those who are in need.

Now in praying for them, and in wrestling with God’s Word and His promises, it begins to change our hearts toward our neighbors, and indeed towards the world and everything we have.

We find ample reason to give thanks to God for His Goodness, we see in our neighbor a fellow man, who has weaknesses and flaws like ourselves, and someone who needs God just as we do.

Sure at first we might be praying for them because we think they need Him more than we do, but with time we realize that our sins are just as bad as their sins and all of us need to be covered by the blood of Christ.

This leads to that quiet and peaceful life.

Instead of being contentious and given to conflict.

It doesn’t mean that we are without struggles, that we don’t suffer hurt, loss, or any of those problems.

Christians suffer like those who are in the world, and sometimes suffer even more than those of the world for the sake of Christ, but there is hope and joy that endures, that flows from God.

The more we learn to rely on him instead of our neighbor, or our fellow man, the more at peace we are.

For we able to handle disappointments, losses, hurts, and the like knowing that despite it all that God is still Lord over the earth, and He is with us.

Then we raise our voices giving thanks for everything that God has given us.

For He has shown to us remarkable grace, love, and compassion for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ Lord.

So my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, let us give thanks to God for the goodness that He has given us, and tonight I would encourage you, I will pause in the prayers as we offer up thanks to God for the good things He has given us, and how He has blessed us in the midst of our trials and hardships, and take that moment in your heart to offer up prayers for those you have not prayed for.

Then may we continue to give thanks each day for the good things that our father in heaven has given us, and even if you can think of nothing, remember that He has given you His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

In His name.

Amen.