4.6.45 10.5.2025 The Premise of Prayer 1 Timothy 2.1-7

Start:

Entice: The title of this sermon sort of tells the story and presents a dilemma. A sermon on prayer would seem to be like an instruction book on breathing. We all do it, all the time.

We humans are praying creatures.

Even those very few who claim “atheist”

would at least,

under their breath,

utter something like a prayer, when under duress.

The disciples of course asked Jesus “How to pray” and He gave them a model prayer which, serves as a scaffold for faithful prayer. 

Engage: Admittedly, many of us—most of us would give ourselves poor grades. Virtually all of us know someone who “Prays better” than we do (though I’m not sure that’s a thing).  Paul is less interested in the structure of our prayers than in the purpose or premise that rightly guides them. And as is so often the case for what he says in 1 Timothy the Church plays a central role in how he thinks about and teaches us about prayer. 

1 Timothy 2:1–7 ESV

1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

Expand: Yes we know the form, we understand the structure of prayer. But many of us bring content to the moment that is to be bluntly honest, a little self-centered and short-sighted. The premise that Paul begins with is that this “natural” human impulse to prayer has been liberated from purely personal interest and blind superstition by our faith in Christ.

By being incorporated into the Church our focus on

limited personal needs,

individual goals,

and

immediate satisfaction

is broadened toward realizing God’s universal purpose through the Church

Excite: So

the proper approach to prayer is we, not me.

When each of us comes individually before God, we do not cease to be a part of the Church. Yes, each of us has a unique, individual, even personal set of concerns. But the premise of prayer is that individual and community prayer is from the Church for the sake of the Kingdom. The peace and quiet, dignity and godliness we seek should adorn the saving Gospel of Jesus.

Explore:

Prayer unifies us around God’s universal vision for redeeming the world.  

Expand: The premise of prayer is that it unifies us before the Father. This text answers the question “How does prayer itself unify the Church?”

Body of Sermon: To begin with Paul tells us that prayer addresses a 

1 Universal  Need. 

1 Timothy 2:1–2 ESV

1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

We come to God in a lot of different ways, for the sake of a lot of different people, hoping for several different outcomes all of which speak to the collective health of the Church as we live and serve in the world.

Paul talks about 

1.1 A variety of approaches.

Supplications.

Prayers.

Intercessions.

Thanksgivings. 

1.2 A variety of people.

The Everybody’s.

The Somebody’s.

1.3 A variety of outcomes. 

Peaceful & quiet.

Godly & dignified.

Next, Prayer acknowledges some

2 Universal Benefits. 

1 Timothy 2:3–4 ESV

3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2.1 Circumstantial.

Good and pleasing in the presence of our Savior God.

2.2 Missional. 

His desire for universal salvation.

His plan for universal salvation. 

Last of all, we have Paul’s continuous refrain as he reminds us that  Prayer should assert the

3 Universal Gospel.

1 Timothy 2:5–7 ESV

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

3.1 The Ministry of Jesus.

The Context of His ministry.

Our confession of His saving work. 

3.2 The Ministry of the Church.

In the preaching by the Church.

In the extension of the Church into the gentile world. 

Shut Down: 

As I said, preaching about prayer is like a discussion regarding breathing. We do it, unstudied or not. Paul doesn’t want us to stifle our spiritual instinct toward prayer but to hone it, to tune it, to refine it so that it is not a series of self-centered, childish requests to be God’s favorite.

I learned the same prayer that many of you did.

“Now I lay me, down to sleep…”

A good place to start for a 3 or 4 year old, not so much for an adult. The Church united and focused in prayer will pray for the the needs of world and Church,  for the beneficial outcomes of submitting ourselves faithfully to the Father, and of course, for a theology focused on the saving Gospel. 

Paul makes explicit what the universal tendency towards prayer implies. We will pray. So, let’s do it right. Let’s discipline ourselves towards a life of prayer which is inclusive of the needs of others, recognizes the benefits for the whole Church, and yes—is Jesus focused and theologically sound.

Paul is always reminding us that we are a part of the Church, never more so than when unified in prayer.

The premise, the purpose of prayer? To bring the single Savior into contact with the fallen world. To meet its needs, to provide His benefits, to proclaim the saving story.  May that be the purpose that provokes our prayers.