Sermon Tone Analysis

Pre-Sermon Ice Breaker

The story i told of a man who encountered a bit of trouble while flying his little airplane.

He called the control tower and said, “Pilot to tower I’m 300 miles from the airport, six hundred feet above the ground, and I’m out of fuel.

I am descending rapidly.

Please advise.

Over.” “Tower to the Pilot.” the dispatcher began, “Repeat after me.

“Our Father who art in heaven...”

Introduction

I want to teach you a word in sign language this morning.

First you make two f hands in front of your body and connect them together at the thumbs.

Then you disconnect them and move your hands up approx 4 inches and reconnect them at the thumbs like so.

This is the word important.

It pictures taking something from the bottom of a pile and moving it to the top because it is important.

Like the pilot in our story, he encountered a dispatcher who felt that prayer was the last resort.

The only thing left to do.

But in reality prayer is not the last thing that we should do, it is the first.

Our theme in 2022 is Pray First.

It grows out of the Scripture in Matthew 6:33

At the top of your bulletin this morning you can read these words:

Before the day begins — Before you go to bed — Before you go to work or school — Before you send that text — Before you eat, drive or travel — When bad things happen — Before bad things happen —In every situation — PRAY FIRST!

To introduce this simple, yet profound concept today we will look at 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

1st and 2nd Timothy along with Titus are the Pastoral Epistles, the events referred to in them take place after those recounted in the book of acts.

Paul mentions Timothy more than anyone else.

It seems Timothy became a believer under the ministry of Paul at the town of Lystra in Modern day Turkey during his second missionary journey.

Paul refers to Timothy as his son in several epistles.

Paul begins in Chapter 1 by instructing Timothy to be watchful of false teachers then in Chapter 2 he turns his attention to public worship.

Look at 1 Timothy 2:1

Paul says, “I exhort...” The Greek word used here is “Parakaleo” It is a verb that literally means I beg you, I implore you, I call you to my side.

so you can see how important this is.

to...

First of all.

Paul says Pray First.

Today in our message we will explore the three things Paul express to Timothy about prayer that will help us understand it’s importance in our Christian life.

Body

The Pattern of Prayer

Those of you who have been here any amount of time know that I feel you need to SPIT out your Prayers

Supplications

Prayers

Intercession

Thanksgiving

Supplication – The action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly.

Prayer – A solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.

Intercession – The action of intervening on behalf of another.

The People of Prayer

Does the Bible tell us for whom we should pray?

The Bible does give us at least 8 people for who we should pray

One Another - James 5:16

Pastors - Colossians 4:3

The Sick - James 5:14-16

Political Leaders - 1 Timothy 2:2

Our Enemies - Matthew 5:44

Israel - Psalm 122:6

Ourselves - Matthew 14:30

The Purpose of Prayer

As a young youth pastor in my first ministry I engaged our youth group in a debate.

30 years later the topic of the debate escapes my mind.

We divided the group into two teams and each team was to take an opposing position.

The one team ended the debate before it even began, The spokesperson for the team said, “God said it, I believe it and that settles it.”

While I wanted them to be able to understand their faith and be able to defend it.

There answer was true.

It would be easy to say God commanded us to pray and that is all the reason we need.

But that is not what the apostle Paul tells young Timothy.

He presents not all the reasons we should pray here, but here are 3 specific reasons.

Number 1 - For our benefit.

Number 2 - For God’s Glory

Number 3 - For other’s Salvation

Conclusion

As a Christian we are challenged to do many things.

Go to church, read the Bible, Give our tithes, witness to the lost, serve others, be good citizens, and so much more.

We may be tempted to ask, “What is the most important thing we can do?

What should I do first?”

Important - It starts at the bottom and goes to the top.

Today the Apostle Paul has challenged us that the most important and the first thing we should always do is pray.

Because it starts at the bottom with us and goes to the top, to God.

If you make no other resolution this year, will join me in this simple pledge

“Before the day begins — Before you go to bed — Before you go to work or school — Before you send that text — Before you eat, drive or travel — When bad things happen — Before bad things happen —In every situation — I will PRAY FIRST!”

Let’s bow our heads in Prayer.