Pray For All People.

Biblical Text

1 Timothy 2:1–4 ESV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Introduction

As often happens to me in studying Word this passaged has convicted my heart greatly for it speaks of praying for the salvation of all people. Calls for praying for all people because God desires that all people be saved.

-Not speaking of our family or friends that are unsaved but all people in general---my friends we lack greatly in this area .

-Everyone like to gather up into their tribes and causes that our our hearts don’t yearn toward the unsaved. We like to pray for people like us or people we know or relate with but avoid like Jonah the rest of the unbelieving world that looks sounds and acts nothing like us.

Jonah couldn’t imagine God would save his enemies...

As we examine the scripture we see several examples of prayer for those outside of salvation.

Numbers 14:19

1 Sam. 7:5

Acts 7:59-60

Romans 9:1-4, 10:1

The Elements of Evangelistic prayer.

As we have said all throughout, this letter is in response to what is going on in the church:

-Clearly the church in and around Ephesus had a problem with praying for the lost or believing that anyone could be saved.

Jewish element 1:7-11, claiming salvation was only for the law keeping Jew or gentile proselytes who kept laws. (Classic example of this Jewish narrow mindedness is Jonah…)

Gentile Gnostics who believed salvation was for the elite who could ascend to high levels of knowledge…even believing they were mediators...

BOTH GROUPS DENIED THE UNIVERSALITY OF GOSPEL. Paul: “pray for all...”

The goal of the church like Israel before it was to reach the world around it with the saving truth of God---Isreal failed and now that has been passed to us. AND I BELIEVE WE ARE FALLING FAR SHORT AS WELL.

Paul had now left Timothy with the duty to put the church back in order, after introductory remarks in chapter 1, he starts chapter 2 with a specific list starting with this. “first of all”

Primary focus of the church.

If primary focus of the church was fellowship..., knowledge of the word..., presence of God..., he should just take us to heaven for all those goals would be perfectly met there.

THE CENTRAL FOCUS OF THE CHURCH MUST BE TO REACH THE LOST.

As long as they maintained selfish exclusivism or tribal mentality they or any church will never do that.

IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE MUST COME TO TERMS WITH EVANGELISTIC PRAYING....

Textual Segment

1 Timothy 2:1 ESV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

“First of all”

Paul starts of right here with telling Timothy where to start with this church. Big Problem. “fix this first they are really missing the point...”

Paul uses the term “I urge” instead of “command” to show his heart for the matter, passion toward the lost and unsaved around the world.

Jews and Gentiles alike Romans… Acts...

Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians or of men in you, let them yearn towards your poor ignorant, ungodly neighbours. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell; many hundred diseases are waiting ready to seize on them, and if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. Have you hearts of rock, that cannot pity men in such a case as this? If you believe not the Word of God, and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you do believe it, why do you not bestir yourself to the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned, so you be saved? If so, you have sufficient cause to pity yourselves, for it is a frame of spirit utterly inconsistent with grace.… Dost thou live close by them, or meet them in the streets, or labour with them, or travel with them, or sit and talk with them, and say nothing to them of their souls, or the life to come? If their houses were on fire, thou wouldst run and help them; and wilt thou not help them when their souls are almost at the fire of hell?

This should be in our hearts, countless people die with out salvation and we do not care?

Then Paul gives us the elements of this evangelistic prayers:

really the first 3 of these really are pretty synonomous words for prayer but there are some inspired differences that we must understand.

“Supplications” = speaks of lacking, there is a great need.

We must first understand the great need the lost have. They are without the good news of Jesus and therefore desperately need salvation

Our prayers for the lost must start here with the understand of the need...

“Payers” = Divine. specifically to God. This speaks of prayers directly to God.

Our prayers must be to the only one who has the ability to answer them, namely God Almighty

“Intercessions”= on behalf of. To fall in with someone, to get involved with them. Romans tells us the HS intercedes for us, John says Jesus intercedes for us as they identify and empathize with our needs and struggles. It is not only a term of advocacy but empathy, compassion, involvement.

This may be the biggest problem we have in praying for the lost, we must understand the depths of there need and fall in with them as we cry out to God for their salvation.

“Thanksgivings”= with a spirit of gratitude to God that the gospel offer has been extended.

Our evangelistic prayers must be with thanksgiving because we have the privilege of reaching the lost with the gospel and that some respond with faith and repentance.

These 4 elements must be part of our praying for the lost to come to salvation. If they are not than we must check our hearts.

Maybe we don’t realize the desperate situation the lost are in?

Do we really yearn to see lost saved?

Do we really want to see God Glorified by the salvation of lost souls?

Are we thankful that the gospel message is extended to all and it is our privilege to share it?

IF THOSE COMPONENTS ARE NOT THERE WE WILL NOT PRAY FOR THE LOST OR OUR PRAYERS WILL BE INDIFFERENT.

The Scope Of Our Prayers:

“be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions”

Our prayers for salvation of the lost are not to be narrow to those we know and love but on behalf of all men.

We are never to limit the gospel v8 “God desires all to be saved” and he has called all men to repent so we must pray for all men to be saved.

“Kings and all who are high places”

Context here calls for the Ephesian church to pray for the Roman emperor Nero…vile....These would be the people they would be least likely to pray for...

BUT NOT JUST FOR WISDOM OR COMPASSION BUT FOR THEIR SALVATION.

Now we miss this terribly ok. If we ever pray for our leaders, which i’m sure most don’t or rarely do, we usually pray that they would make good decisions or removed from office but not that they would repent and be saved. Ever heard that at an inauguration prayer? never

But Paul does not say “pray them out of office or that they would agree with us...”

If we took this seriously and spend as much time on praying for their salvation as we do in political maneuvering we might actually see and impact on our nation.

Do we forget: “our weapons of warfare are not of the flesh but spirit and are divinely powerful to teardown strongholds”

The key to changing a nation is the salvation of sinners and that calls for faithful praying.

That may be lost on us today but it wasn’t to the early church:

1 Timothy: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary The Scope of Evangelistic Prayer

I will rather honor the king [than your gods], not, indeed, worshipping him, but praying for him. But God, the living and true God, I worship, knowing that the king is made by Him.… Honour the king, be subject to him, and pray for him with loyal mind; for if you do this, you do the will of God. (Theophilus to Autolycus, I.xi; The Ante-Nicene Fathers [reprint; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971], 2:92)

Moreover, concerning subjection to authorities and powers, and prayer for them, the divine word gives us instructions, in order that “we may lead a quiet and peaceable life.” And it teaches us to render all things to all, “honour to whom honour, fear to whom fear, tribute to whom tribute; to owe no man anything, but to love all.” (Theophilus to Autolycus, III.xiv; The Ante-Nicene Fathers [reprint; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971], 2:115)

So we pray for the salvation of people: Does God answer that?

Acts 7 where Stephen prayed as he was beneath stones could it be that among his killers the salvation of one of them was a result of his prayer?---The ones name was Saul

Acts 16 as Paula and Silas were in jail that they were praying and singing, could it be that they were praying for the authority over them/ Could it be that the Philippian jailor and his whole household was saved as a result of their prayer.

Acts 26 as Paul was giving his testimony to Agrippa V27-28 “Are you persuading me to be a Christian?” Paul said: “I pray that not only you but all that hear me this day”

All this arises out of a heart that is burdened with a deep sense of the need of the lost.

Do you understand that the lost go to hell?

It arises out of understanding of the glory of God and his worthiness to be praised by all .

It arises out of a falling in with the lost and their plight.

THIS DOESN’T HAPPEN UNLESS IT COMES FORM THE HEART.---DESIRE OF THE HEART.