Audio Access Available Above
"Do
This First" • 4.17.16 • Calvary
Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- Of the many truths mined from chapter 1, the first that stands out is that
the church has a message that changes lives. There is power in the gospel
message to transform lives.
- When presented correctly and consistently, it
will take a man who had been a blaspheming persecutor and make him a minister,
in Paul's case, even an Apostle!
- The gospel makes men look back upon a former
life. In fact, if there are still ties to a former life, the gospel has not had
it's effect. The phrase "I was a former" is stock for a believer.
- But the neglect of the gospel in the church
corresponds to far greater danger. When fables, human philosophies and legalism
are lifted up, the souls of men assume a great risk.
- Make the church a place where a man's soul is
lifted up in pride and he will soon find his faith shipwrecked.
- These are the stakes and why the message of
Christ's work must be central in the pulpit. Today, we'll begin to assess the
ministry that is primary in the pew! Take a look at verse 1.
Text
• I Timothy
2:1,2 : "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in
authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
reverence.": "Therefore." Because of the present danger of people
swerving from the faith and swerving toward shipwreck which were exemplified in
the lives of Hymanaeus and Alexander, pray!
- Since that was the context in the first
century, just 30 years removed from Christ's lfe, how much more do we need to
observe this truth today!?
- This is why this is a matter of great urgency
to Paul. Because of that precipitous reality, Paul is urging the church to take
action.
- A Greek speaking person would understand that
he is presently, repeatedly, consistently encouraging the same thought. What he
presents is not first in order, but first in priority.
- Prayer is a matter of first importance in the
church! Isn't it funny that Paul doesn't move immediately to the subject of
teaching correctly? In a way, he has.
- In putting a stop to the abberant teachings
that were going on, all that would be left would be correct, consistent
Biblical teachings, but there is more to it.
- Let me suggest that the issue here was not an
issue of the lack of good teaching or even very good teachers. This church had
been founded by Apollos and taught by Paul himself!
- We've already learned that Timothy was
considered a "true son" in the faither by the Apostle so we can
rightly assume his teaching gift. Clearly, there was something far more
spiritual at play.
- This is why the matter of spiritual
intervention through prayer is to be a priority within the church. Make
supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings for all men.
- This is a calling to all within the church
body! There is no mandate so clearly universal as the one in which God's people
are called to in prayer!
- Interestingly, it is also the most simple of
the disciplines. There are no special places to go and hardly anyone will be
persecuted for their prayer life. In that way, it's easy to engage.
- And yet, it is often the most neglected
discipline among them all! Let us hear the Apostle's words and take them to
heart! God expects us to be people of prayer!
- Consider these words, these facets of prayer.
Paul begins with the word supplication. Other translations employ the word
"requests" or "petitions."
- These are requests for personal need, urgent
and persistent. Urgent, referring to that which comes up unexpectedly and
persistent, as pertaining to our regularly scheduled needs.
- We are to learn to call upon God to act on
our behalf, not in a demanding way, but as a matter of relationship. God does
not owe us, but He obligates Himself to us by calling us His children!
- There isn't any shame in making requests of
God, but that should not be where our prayer life ends! He continues with the
word "prayers" which has a far more devotional aspect to it.
- During our own devotional time with the Lord,
we are to add into our prayers the thoughts that the Lord would bring to our
mind through the reading of His Word.
- When I encounter an example that I need to
follow, I would pray, "Lord, make me a man like this." When I see a
sin that I need to avoid, "Father, forgive me when I act this way."
- This word is an acknowledgement of God's
presence in our life and His sanctifying work in our souls. This brings us to
intercessions, a word which is only used here in I Timothy.
- It refers to a conference, a conversation or
even an interview. There is a sense in which we confer or begin a conversation
with God.
- It could refer to our own sanctification or
perhaps that which is occurring in the lives of others.
- It isn't a one time occcurence, but as
details emerge and events unfold, the believer is to respond to that developing
information with a desire to discover God's heart in the matter.
- Finally, notice that Paul tells Timothy to
give thanks. In a way, it's sad to have to be told this!
- What began in earnest request, came into our
daily devoted time of prayer.
- From there, as developments occurred and our
prayers took more informed shape, at some point God answers or reveals our
privilege to pray, so don't forget to say thanks!
- We give thanks for the opportunity to trust
Him during dire situations.
- We give Him thanks as we affirm our faith in
His continued oversight.
- We give Him thanks as He develops new turns
and unveils new choices in the matter and when it is all resolved, we thank Him
for doing what He did and for the way He did it!
- Luke
17 records that Jesus healed 10 lepers at one time. Only one, a Samaritan
returned to thank Him! May it not be said of us! Prayer is a place for
gratitude!
- Can you see now a commentary on what Paul
means when he tells the church to pray without ceasing! (II Thessalonians 5:17, Romans
12:12, Ephesians 6:18 and Colossians 4:2)
- Each of us should be consistently
experiencing a part of prayer! Whether it be the dire circumstance or the
developing story, prayer is our unique course of action before God!
- Understand this friends: Because the people
who comprise the body of Christ, are related to God through Christ, it is our
prayers that are truly going anywhere! Think about that!
- When I hear people outside of the church say
that they are going to pray for someone, I truly wonder where they think that
prayer is going! Being properly related, we can be assured of success!
- Notice who are to be the subjects of our
prayer. Paul adjures the people under Timothy's care to perform this duty for
all men.
- In case there was any question as to who he
was referring to, hear him now. The church is to spiritually intervene in the
case of all men, even for Kings and all those in authority!
- We may never meet men of great power, but we
must pray for them, even unto the highest levels of power.
- Listen to the comments made by Tertullian, a
Christian author and apologist, who lived about 150 years after this was
written.
• "We pray
for all the emperors, that God may grant them long life, a secure government, a
prosperous family, vigorous troops, a faithful senate, an obedient people; that
the whole world may be in peace; and that God may grant, both to Caesar and to
every man, the accomplishment of their just desires." Tertullian
- Notice what the scripture does not say:
Complain about all men. Gossip about all men. Stir up anger over all men. These
we do without instruction and because we do not pray for them!
- There are unique circumstances that people
experience, especially as they are entrusted with increasing responsibility.
- Your prayer for them may be simple and
repetitive but it must be heard consistently before the throne of God and
certainly before you air your feelings! Why does he call them to this?
- That we Christians may lead a quiet and peaceable
life in all godliness and reverence! Mark that verse and consider. There is a
practical reason for our prayer.
- Praying issues in a life marked by
"quietness" or stillness. That is the first effect of prayer!
- Where there had been a tumult, there is now
tranquility. A prayerless life is saddled with a lack of quiet. Prayer calms
our hearts and allows us to rest and be still.
- "Peaceable" refers to our being
settled and undisturbed, as one who might plop down in a chair at the end of a
day's work. It is the picture of satisfied relaxation.
- Most of the commentators that I listened to
this week believed that this verse referred to a lack of governmental
interference.
- When we pray for those in government and God
affects their lives, we will have allies in high places and thus can lead
tranquil, undisturbed lives.
- In the days of Nero, the days that Paul was
writing in, persecution was rampant and a believer lived in fear of their lives
because of their beliefs.
- Paul wanted the church to pray for Nero's
soul and the potential good done for him by God would be better for the church
than if he were simply deposed.
- I don't disagree with these commentators, but
I will say that the personal effect of prayer in a believer's life will cause
the Government not to respond to us either, generally speaking.
- Someday, it may be that we will be persecuted
directly for our faith. Don't get me wrong. But if you are expending your
energies in prayer you likely won't expend them in public!
- Romans
13:3 tells us that the governing authorities are a terror to those who do
evil. Therefore, "do what is good
and you will have praise from the same!"
- Either way, the path toward a calm, quiet,
and settled life is forged in prayer.
- Besides, these effects are exactly the
responses of God Himself! When a situation occurs, God is not panicking or
fretting! He knows the end from the beginning!
- When I am consistently following the story
that I am praying for, I trade my panic and disquiet for tranquil stillness!
This is a person who exemplifies godliness and dignity.
- What is there to be said for one who is
consistently up in arms, in a state of complete chaos? How does that reflect
upon God?
- On the other hand, what does God think about
a quiet and peaceable life forged by the discipline of a praying saint? Verse 3.
• I Timothy
2:3,4 : "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and
to come to the knowledge of the truth." : A
life marked by spiritual intervention is a life that pleases the Lord.
- Is it not enough for you to know that a life
that expresses such trust and worship of God brings Him pleasure? Notice though
that the line continues.
- It pleases God when you cooperate with Him,
but then comes the fruit that is made possible by your activity.
- When you and I are praying for all men, the
goal of their dilemmas is to reveal the power of God to them. God desires all
men to be saved. Jesus came into this world to save sinners remember!
- This may be a direct rebuke to the types of
teaching that were beginning to prevail which was more of an exclusive club.
Not so with Christ!
- Notice that he began with calling the church
to pray for all men. Here, he speaks of God's desire to save all men! God's
program upon the Earth is clear to see. It involves all men.
- Sadly, the sticking point is that not all men
wish to be saved!
- That being said, it is God's program to
rescue and to bring men to a full acknowledgment and reception of the truth
about their lives and the nature of redemption.
- The truth is that man is inherently sinful
and separated from a Holy and righteous God. The truth after that is far more
glorious. Look at verse 5.
• I Timothy
2:5-7 : "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the
Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a
preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not
lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth." : Quite simply, there is only one God and all men must appear
before Him!
- There are not multiple gods or even powerful
deities like the God of the Bible! The name "God" implies exclusive
use!
- Anyone named God is necessarily alone in that
designation! There are no ties or close rivals.
- Additionally, this One God has to be taken in
context with the characteristics outlined in scripture. When we identify God,
we identify Him by how He acts.
- Is He consistent with scripture, with what He
has revealed about Himself? Our God, the God of the Bible is one being,
eternally existent in three distinct persons.
- The Mormons talks of serving "God,"
but then identify His person and actions in ways that can't be corroborated
with scripture. To their thinking, their god is neither eternal or alone.
- The same can be said of the Jehovah's
witnesses or the Muslims. We're to pray that men and women come to the
realization that they have one God to relate themselves to.
- This is the ultimate nature of reality. Every
man, woman and child on the planet will one day stand before the One and only
true God of the Universe!
- But then comes the truth about God's system
of justice, for there is only one Mediator between God and men. The word
"Mediator" speaks of one who works as an Arbitor.
- Strong's defines the word this way: "one who intervenes between two, either in
order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for
ratifying a covenant."
- These words remind us of Job's suffering and
his complaint that he had no one to represent Him, who could bring him before
God.
- In Job
9, Job speaks of the awesome power of God and yet his own blameless cause.
How could he approach this powerful being? He needed someone to stand with him.
Verse 32 says,
• Job
9:32-35 : "For He is not a man, as I am, that I may answer Him, and that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, who may lay his hand on us both. Let Him take His rod away from me, and do not let dread of Him terrify me. Then I would speak and not fear Him, but it is not so with me." : Jesus Christ, the Man, is also the only Mediator between God
and mankind!
- He stands in a unique place as Jesus Christ
remains a Man who has been glorified and is the God who had taken on humanity
in the first place!
- As a Man, He can sympathize with our weakness.
As God, He can stand before the Father and speak face to face in our defense,
based on His own blood relation to us!
- That is what qualifies Christ to stand there.
He gave Himself a ransom for all!
- Christ did not offer a ransom, the price of redemption.
He WAS and IS the price of redemption! His offer of Himself was the value
against the price of redeemed souls.
- For those who are redeemed and not all are,
the price of your redemption is both legally tendered and eternally satisfied
by the very life of Christ presently!
- There are some who would like to espouse the
belief that Christ's death was for all because God desires all to be saved, but
it's His ransom that tells us of the specificity of His death.
- Every person who has ever been saved, or who
will ever be saved, can say that they are saved because they have been bought!
- There wasn't enough gold in the universe to
buy you. You don't have enough time in your life to work your way out. It is
the precious, rare, unique blood of Jesus Christ which redeems your life!
- Soon, this will be seen to be true. You will
soon testify to the reality of Christ's ransom, as will the Gentile world that
Paul announced the good news of Christ to!
Conclusion
- Paul tells us
that prayer is the priority of the church. The perameters are set upon all of
mankind. The purpose is to see men saved. We've talked enough about it. Let's
do it!
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