06a) Instruction on Prayer - Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we concluded the 1st chapter of the letter to Timothy from Paul. As he gave the charge to fight the fight as he is to turn to the church as Ephesus and to correct issues that have grown from the false teachers that had arisen in the church.
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the good fight,
He was to go to battle against the myths and other ideas that were contrary to the truth and the message that had been given to the apostles. The gospel of the saving grace of God. The gospel message that had saved Paul, a self proclaimed, a blasphemer of God, a persecutor of the church and a violent man. He had warned them years earlier that these false teachers would be found among them.
28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.
How did Paul know they would arise? From the sin of men. There will always be men and women that will naturally distort the word of God fit their sinful life verses being convicted by it, transformed by it and submitting to it. Every time period has had people pervert and distort God’s Words in his scripture.
Our time is no different. The false teachers are amongst the flock in our nation today. The teachings of God have been so mixed up that many today are struggling to know what the truth is.
Today we will see Paul start to instruct Timothy so that if he is delayed in coming to see Timothy, He will have what he needs to direct the church.
15 But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Paul starts his instruction, in the same place we should start all service and ministry to God. Prayer. Turn with me to 1 Timothy Chapter 2.
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.
How They Are To Pray
How They Are To Pray
The context of this letter is correction and instruction so it is not all inclusive of the teaching on prayer. It focuses on areas of this church where prayer was being neglected. This first instruction is on how they are to pray.
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,
First of all, before any other correction is to be given the first one is to correct the prayer life of the church. He does this by giving Timothy four descriptors of prayer.
He urges them to make Petitions, prayer, intercessions and thanksgivings.
Petitions
Petitions
The first word used is petitions or supplications as is found in other translations. It comes from a root word which means “to lack” or “to be deprived” or “to be without”.
These are the requests made to God that come from what we need from our Lord. To see what is missing in our supply and to ask him to supply it.
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.
The petitions recognise that it is God who provides and is at work and responds to prayerful requests of God to work in the lives of men and women. This is one area that I believe is the most common type of prayer in the church today.
Prayer
Prayer
The second term used is translated as pray and is a very general word for prayer. To speak to God from a humble and contrite heart is an act of worship and praise. Every time we turn to him. And humbly speak we are in a form of worship.
Intersessions
Intersessions
The third word used to describe prayer is intersessions or requests for others. The word used here means to make a formal request of a king or one of authority that has the power to grant that request. To make a request to God as king. It has the idea of coming alongside of a person.
The verb form is used to describe how the Spirit and Jesus comes along side of us and intercedes to God on our behalf.
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps us in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.
25 Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
The Spirit and Jesus give the example of what this prayer looks like. It is more than just a judicial and cold request but one of compassion and sympathy for the one who is being interceded for. There is care and concern in this type of prayer.
Thanksgivings
Thanksgivings
The fourth word that Paul uses is Thanksgivings. This beyond being just grateful. This is gratitude that acts. These prayers are prayers for others that are motivated by the gratitude that a believer has for what God has done in their own life.
Who They Are To Pray For
Who They Are To Pray For
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
In the context of this letter to Timothy, these four descriptors of prayer are to be made for two groups. He urges them to universally pray for everyone and specifically for the authorities that they were subject too.
Pray for everyone
Pray for everyone
It has been my observation that it is common for the scope of the church’s prayer to narrow over time. Given enough time, the prayers of believers will drift towards their own personal needs. We already looked at petitions earlier and that it is acceptable to present our request to God for our needs. However, it is common, as the scope of prayer narrows, so does the desire for God’s will to be done, but the will of the person giving the prayer.
This is my observation many times when I participate in prayer in a small group setting. If prayers are requested for someone else they are usually in a very tight circle of close friends or loved ones.
This was a concern for Paul and Ephesians church. There were groups of people that were teaching that only those who conformed to the Jewish Laws could be saved. Thus, this group could have been neglecting prayer for anyone who was not following the old Jewish customs.
Another group was teaching that only special people who recieved special understanding and secret knowledge would be saved. These people would be neglecting the prayers of anyone outside of the special circle.
There were probably others but Paul instructs Timothy that the church should be praying for everyone. This is the Greek word anthropos which is used here to mean all of mankind, not just the church or any other specific group. The church had narrowed who it believed it was supposed to pray for and Paul had heard about this and was expanding the scope of prayer back to the width of all mankind.
After this instruction to pray for everyone he then turns to a specific group that they were neglecting to pray for.
Pray for Authorities
Pray for Authorities
1 First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
You don’t have to turn the pages of a history book very far to find corrupt, power abusive, evil, sacrilegious, irreverent, tyrants over and over again in the accounts of the world. It does not matter in what part of the world or what time period you are in you find these people in places of authority. It can be difficult for us to see them as someone we are to pray for.
Paul writes this letter in the time of Nero who could claim a very high ranking in the list of evil and deranged tyrants of history. This man alone would have been hard for them to contemplate praying in this way for.
Leaders tend to draw out the ire of the disenfranchised, discontent, and the disheartened. They tend to be the focus of all that is wrong in a persons life. A symbol of hardship and suffering. They are usually distant and aloof and make great targets for the hardness of people hearts and a bucket to place blame for the hardships of the life people live.
Other people just don’t give leaders much thought as they go about their daily lives. They just exist day to day without ever thinking beyond the right here and right now. Out of sight and out of mind.
Either way the simple truth is that we are directed to include them in our prayers and there is a reason for this.
The Hope of Their Prayer
The Hope of Their Prayer
2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
The hope or the result that Paul claims will be recieved is the opportunity to lead a tranquil and quite life in godliness and dignity.
The two words here for tranquil and quiet bring forth the ideas of being free from external disturbances and internal disturbances. Basically to live undisturbed or troubled as a believer lives a life in all godliness and dignity.
Petitions, prayers, intersessions, and thanksgivings on behalf of the leaders and rulers has a result that effects the communities that the churches interact and exist in.
They probably have some of the same thoughts we are having today. How can that even be possible with the state of our leaders? How are we to pray for what we see as evil men and women? One could say that our country may have come closer to this image that Paul paints than most in history. For many decades we have, for the most part, been able to live anyway that we want. Free to live undisturbed as a church and individuals.
But as prayer for the nation and leaders has drifted away from biblical teaching we may be seeing the opposite effect. We are now seeing authorities that are causing disturbances in our lives. What we can buy, what we can have in our homes, what rights parents have, what is taught in school, what can be preached from the pulpit. The list continues and will continue as long as the church is not in prayer for the leaders and authorities.
We are not to compromise truth in any way that would be against God’s will for us but we are commanded to have a biblical perspective on the leaders that have been established as we trust in God’s sovereign providence.
13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority 14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good. 15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 18 Household slaves, submit to your masters with all reverence not only to the good and gentle ones but also to the cruel. 19 For it brings favor if, because of a consciousness of God, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if when you do wrong and are beaten, you endure it? But when you do what is good and suffer, if you endure it, this brings favor with God. 21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.
1 Peter speaks much about suffering for God and here we are to submit to authority because of the Lord. It is God’s will that believers silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. I would be hard pressed not to say that the leaders we see at all levels of our government fall under God’s definition of ignorant and foolish.
And still we are to silence them.
How? Not with rebellion, or pitchforks and torches, or with memes, facebook rants, arguments, fights, but with doing good.
24 The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, 25 instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. 26 Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Though we may hate the world and the schemes of the enemy, we are to remember that the lost world is just that, lost. To be compassionate toward those that cannot save themselves. What does that look like in the life of a believer?
I remember one year our extended family was in town and we went down to Mirabou park to get some family pictures. We were at the water falls and in a series of events. Hand offs, boys needing to go the bathroom, there became a heart wrenching moment when it came to our attention that our little Kinley, who was only a couple of years old, was gone.
Did some one grab her, did she fall into the waterfall, did she walk off into the woods. She is so little she cannot make decisions that can save herself. She is ignorant of the danger she is in and what could happen. She is lost.
I wonder at the idea of the Lord’s compassion for those that are lost. As he wept when he entered Jerusalem. As I thought about my own child being lost for only a couple of minutes. I have to ask myself, does my heart reflect the compassion that Christ had for me.
We may hate the schemes of the enemy but we are not to see people as our enemies. They are to be seen as hopefully future believers. They can be our opponents today but our hope is that they are our brothers and sisters tomorrow.
The Lord’s servant is to be gentle to everyone, not quarrelsome, instructing opponents in gentleness.
Perhaps. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.
The hope of our prayer is that they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Paul instructed Titus in this way.
1 Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, 2 to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people. 3 For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another.
We are to pray for everyone and the authorities because when we look at them we are to remember that we too were once the ignorant, foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passion and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another. They are incapable of anything else.
The only remedy for these things in our lives was the Gospel, the message, of the cross, the message that we carry as ambassadors to the world. That Jesus came to save sinners.
The prayers for all people and rulers are requests that they would hear the message of Jesus and be saved. Our actions and words are part of the testimony of the Gospel that we give. This does not mean that we will not be persecuted, just that if we are persecuted it is to be for his sake, not because of our unholy words, actions, or attitudes. With godliness and dignity or holy motives.
12 In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
We should have the same heart as Jesus.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.
Quote
1 Timothy: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Scope of Evangelistic Prayer
Paul does not command us to pray for the removal from office of evil rulers, or those with whom we disagree politically. Believers are to be loyal and submissive to their government (Rom. 13:1–5; 1 Peter 2:17). If the church today took the time and energy it spends on political maneuvering and lobbying and poured them into intercessory prayer, we might see a profound impact on our nation. We have all too often forgotten that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Cor. 10:4). The key to changing a nation is the salvation of sinners, and that calls for faithful prayer.
The Early Church
The Early Church
We see that this is what the early church believed and demonstrated in their prayer life.
1 Timothy: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Scope of Evangelistic Prayer
theologian Tertullian wrote,
Without ceasing, for all our emperors we offer prayer. We pray for life prolonged; for security to the empire; for protection to the imperial house; for brave armies, a faithful senate, a virtuous people, the world at rest, whatever, as man or Caesar, an emperor would wish. These things I cannot ask from any but the God from whom I know I shall obtain them, both because He alone bestows them and because I have claims upon Him for their gift, as being a servant of His, rendering homage to Him alone.…
Do you, then, who think that we care nothing for the welfare of Caesar, look into God’s revelations, examine our sacred books, which we do not keep in hiding, and which many accidents put into the hands of those who are not of us. Learn from them that a large benevolence is enjoined upon us, even so far as to supplicate God for our enemies, and to beseech blessings on our persecutors. Who, then, are greater enemies and persecutors of Christians, than the very parties with treason against whom we are charged? Nay, even in terms, and most clearly, the Scripture says, “Pray for kings, and rulers, and powers, that all may be peace with you.”
We know that a mighty shock impending over the whole earth—in fact, the very end of all things threatening dreadful woes—is only retarded by the continued existence of the Roman empire. We have no desire, then, to be overtaken by these dire events; and in praying that their coming may be delayed, we are lending our aid to Rome’s duration. (Apology, XXX, XXXI, XXXII; The Ante-Nicene Fathers [reprint; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973], 3:42–43)
He recognized that even the Roman empire kept the worst from showing up on their door step.
These were not good times historically and the church was convicted to pray for them by the scriptures. For there is no other reason to pray for them other that the will of God revealed in his word.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Paul’s first instruction after he charges him to fight the fight. Is on prayer and specifically that the message of the Gospel would be spread to all men. Like Timothy we have the same message to keep and the same charge to conduct ourselves in God’s household.
15 But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
Paul would end up dying for this message so that the leaders would hear the Gospel. He took it to the highest authorities that God providentially set forth for him. And in that journey God wrote these words to for us to hear today.
Today we have heard them and the next question is do they apply? The answer is yes. God has not changed and his will for his bride the church has also not changed. The church is to be directed by the words of God alone and his truth alone. And to pray for everyone and Authorities.
If these words apply today like they did in Timothy’s time the next question is. Is this still an issue? Have we learned from the past and has the church come to pray the way that Paul instructs here?
In one study, it found that of the people who pray at least once in the last three months 94% of them pray only alone. Praying alone is vital to our lives but praying together is also of importance as we are called to pray together.
One year I attended the NWBC and we have many churches in the northwest that come from all over the world. One of the people praying found it very strange that we do not stand in honor of God when we pray. I will say that I have pondered that thought for a long time. Not so much the standing but the honor.
The early church devoted themselves to prayer. Can the typical church claim to be devoted to prayer? I do believe that many individuals honor God in their personal prayer life. But I believe God’s word shows us that prayer as a community is essential.
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Praying together helps prevent us from our prayer life narrowing and encourages and trains for the prayer life in the home. We see mature believers pray, they come along side of us with the scriptures so that our prayers are in line with God’s word. Most pastors I have talked to have struggled with the prayer life of the church.
It could be said that in today’s churches it is not seen as necessary. If not in word but in action. If this is the case the question for us is what do we do grow in our devotion to prayer?
Many gather in homes in small groups. We can ask the question is this group as devoted to prayer as it is to God’s word, fellowship and the breaking of bread? Work to encourage each other to grow in prayer.
As a church we have started our Sunday Evening prayer service. This is the hope of this time each week. It is a time and place for us to gather and pray. To learn about prayer and to pray for what God calls us to pray for. It is a place to learn how to pray helping you to pray at home. Our aim is to humbly lift up our petitions, prayers, intersessions, and thanksgivings to God.
The personal prayer at the beginning, the prayer before the Lord’s supper, the handouts each week have different families in the church that you can pray for.
Let us ask God to reveal to us where we can grow in our prayer life and may we lift up everyone and the authorities in prayer.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Communion
Warning
Children, Lost, Sin
19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Prayer
Song
Closing
Blessing/Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.