The Ministry of Prayer

Introduction

Turn with me in your Bibles to I Tim. 2

Above my computer at home is a printed poem that I found one day that just perfectly captures my attitude towards prayer a lot of the time.

The Difference

I got up early one morning

and rushed right into the day.

I had so much to accomplish

that I didn't have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me,

and heavier came each task.

"Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered.

He answered, “You didn't ask."

I wanted to see joy and beauty,

but the day toiled on, gray and bleak.

I wondered why God didn't show me.

He said, "But you didn't seek.”

I tried to come into God's presence.

I used all my keys at the lock.

God gently and lovingly chided,

"My child, you didn't knock."

I woke up early this morning

and paused before entering the day.

I had so much to accomplish

that I had to take time to pray.

--Alan Grant

Last time, we saw that the two most important jobs a pastor has, according to Scripture, are prayer and the ministry of the Word through preaching/teaching. Last week, we examined I Tim. 3:2, specifically the requirement that a pastor be ‘able to teach.’

1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV)

2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

We talked about how one of the pastor’s primary duties is to preach the Word. There’s a lot that is expected of a pastor, but preaching the Word has to remain central. But, that’s not all that a pastor is called to do, and it’s not the only central duty of a pastor. Equally important to preaching the Word is prayer.

While a pastor has a special obligation to lift up his congregation in prayer, all Christians are called to pray. So, this morning, I’m going to assume that you can figure out from what I say this morning that it’s important that your next pastor be a man of prayer. But I’m not going to stand here and tell you how much he ought to pray and let you off the hook, because prayer is important for all of us.

FCF

Prayer is important, but we usually underestimate just how important it is. The fact is that without being a prayerful Christian, you’ll never be an evangelizing Christian.

Main Idea:

Prayer is an often neglected discipline, but it’s vital to our spiritual health. In I Timothy 2, Paul argues that it is our prayer lives that enable us to live peaceful, quiet, godly Christian lives and present an effective witness to the world.

Scripture Introduction:

1 Timothy 2:1–8 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. 8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

Prayer for Illumination

Transition:

The Primacy of Prayer

The primary duties of the apostles were Preaching and Prayer

Acts 6:1–7 (ESV)

1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Moses was more effective as a leader when he focused on praying, preaching, and delegating.

Exodus 18:13–21 (ESV)

13 The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening...17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. 19 Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, 20 and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. 21 Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.

Paul singles out prayer in his letter as the thing of primary importance.

1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV)

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

This isn’t the first thing in his letter, so he must mean “The thing of primary importance is that you pray.”

What follows in verses 2-8 are supporting reasons for why we ought to pray.

Specifically, Paul notes that we are to pray for government officials

How do our prayers, supplications, intercessions and thanksgivings for government leaders enable us to ‘lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way?’

The Purpose of Prayer (vv. 1-2)

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, [so] that (ἱνα) we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

The typical argument: “Prayer changes government.”

Government officials are converted

Acts 10—Cornelius the Centurion

Philippians 4:22 ESV

22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

Government passes laws that are not antagonistic towards Christianity (or perhaps even assist Christians in evangelization)

Pax Romana was a period of (relative) peace in the Roman Empire; roads were built (facilitating easier travel for missionaries), people were relatively safe from foreign invaders, and so on.

COVID-19 has taken its toll on the missionary community, just like any other industry, and possibly more so. A lot of missionaries had to leave the country for health reasons when COVID began, and many haven’t been able to return. Those who stayed found themselves isolated even more than usual and with many extra hats to wear as other missionary’s roles went unfilled. Many missionaries have decided for one reason or another not to return.

On top of that, Australia’s borders remain closed, and travel to PNG is still extremely difficult, time consuming, and expensive. Some personal friends of ours who were going through training and fundraising when COVID hit had to resign because churches weren’t having services and they weren’t able to do their fundraising. That’s left a growing hole in the mission work in PNG and elsewhere around the world. Right now, I know of 15 missionary family’s homes that are for sale at our missions center in PNG. When we first got to PNG, it was common to only have one or two houses for sale at any given time.

One of the biggest factors in this is government policies that make it difficult to travel. I’m not here trying to criticize governments or their policies on COVID-19, I’m simply illustrating that there is a connection between governmental policies and our ability as missionaries to carry the gospel to the lost.

But, effecting change in the government is probably NOT the primary connection between Paul’s command to pray and Christians’ ability to “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”

How do our prayers, supplications, intercessions and thanksgivings for government leaders enable us to ‘lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way?’

Typically, people understand this verse to be saying, “If we pray for our leaders, they might enact legislation that enables us to live quiet, peaceful, godly lives.”

“Prayer —> changed circumstances which are favorable to Christianity —> me living a peaceable, quiet, godly life”

The first reason I reject this interpretation is that Christians are expected to ‘lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way’ regardless of whether the government is in their corner or not!

Our best guess is that Paul was writing this letter sometime in the mid-60’s AD, sometime after his first imprisonment in Rome and before his second imprisonment (which happened in AD 64 following the Great Fire of Rome).

NERO was emperor at this time and heavily persecuted the Christians. It’s said that he even used Christians as human torches to provide light to his parties.

Nero was the emperor who had Paul beheaded just a few years later in AD 68.

So, Paul can’t be saying that a pro-Christian government enables us to live godly lives. Paul never lived under such a government, yet he clearly expected the believers of his day to live such a life, regardless.

Secondly, “kings and all who are in high positions” is merely an example of one type of “all people” that we are supposed to pray for.

Somehow, there has to be a connection between our prayers for normal (non-government people) and our ability to ‘lead a peaceful and quiet life’

Normal people can’t effect pro-Christian legislation (especially in the Roman Empire!).

Thirdly, it doesn’t say “pray for kings…so that they will lead a Christian life” it says, “pray for kings…so that we will lead a Christian life.”

The change that Paul expects from our prayers for government is primarily in our own hearts

So, how does praying for our government leaders and other people enable us to ‘lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way’?

Prayer changes the pray-er.

Rather than primarily seeing prayer as a means of changing the external circumstances and making it easier for us to be godly, I think what Paul probably means is that prayer changes our internal attitudes, enabling us to live godly lives.

When we pray for government officials, it humbles us

As Americans in a democratic society, we’re very proud of our freedom to criticize and even demean our political leaders without consequence. But, Scripture says that:

Romans 13:1–2 ESV

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

When we pray for our leaders, we are faced with the realization that God has sovereignly placed them in authority

Prayer for government officials forces us to exercise compassion towards them

It’s no coincidence that Paul commands specifically that we “thanksgivings be made for all people”—even Nero!

You can’t hate someone you’re praying for.

Luke 6:27–28 ESV

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

I Peter offers a similar motive for obeying government leaders as Paul does for praying for them. Compare the wording in I Peter 2:12-17 and I Timothy 2:1-3:

1 Timothy 2:1–4 (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.

1 Peter 2:12–17 (ESV)

12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

What Paul is saying is not so much that prayer changes the government and makes it easier for us to be Christians, but rather, that prayer changes OUR HEARTS and makes us live more like Christians.

Three reasons Paul argues for prayer for government officials and all kinds of people:

vv. 3-4--It pleases God, because God wants them to be saved (and your prayers and godly living contribute towards that end)

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.

At no other time is our heart closer to the heart of God than when we are interceding for lost sinners

Think of the politician that you’re most sure is unsaved. When is the last time you prayed earnestly for their salvation?

Think of someone that you know personally that you’re confident is unsaved. When is the last time you prayed earnestly for their salvation?

vv. 5-6—There’s only one path to God for all men, regardless of their social status: through Jesus Christ, our mediator.

1 Timothy 2:5–6 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.

Politicians, presidents, and movie stars don’t get a different plan of salvation

They need Jesus just like the rest of us!

v. 7—Seeing the lost come to Christ is the whole point of Paul’s ministry (and our ministries, too!)

1 Timothy 2:7 ESV

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.

I think of Paul’s desperate appeal to King Agrippa to believe the gospel and his desire to present the gospel even to Caesar:

Acts 26:27–29 ESV

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” 28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 And Paul said, “Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains.”

Acts 23:11 ESV

11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

The Practice of Prayer

Can you imagine what would happen in America if the Church got a passion for prayer?!?! If we began interceding for the lost, humbly submitting ourselves to the leaders God has sovereignly placed over us, and living peaceable, quiet, godly, and dignified lives? Can you imagine what would happen in this church?

As you’re seeking for a pastor, I urge you to kindle a spirit of prayer in your church. For your future pastor, for yourselves, for the lost in this community, for your family and friends, and for our government.

Instead of an invitation this morning, we’re going to have a time of prayer. Those who are able, I invite to come circle up with us at the front. Those who can’t stand can remain where you are. We’ve talked a lot this morning about praying for government leaders because that’s the example that Paul uses here in I Timothy 2. But this applies to anyone that we pray for. Paul urged us to make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people.

Perhaps this morning the Holy Spirit has burdened you for prayer for someone. I’ll start us off this morning, but anyone and everyone is welcome to pray for whomever they feel led. When it seems that everyone has had a chance to pray, I’ll close us out...