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(I Timothy 2)
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1:5).
I. Paul’s earnest exhortation to prayer (2:1-7).
I URGE (present, active, indicative, first person, singular)
- Over all the rest of the things in this epistle this is the most important.
- Look at the other things.
- We do need to think about why this would be so important.
- We do need to see why it is so easily discarded.
- Requests (dehsis): intercession, petition. “To chance upon” then “to have an audience with a king”. To have the good fortune to be admitted to an audience, so to present a petition. The word was a regular term for a petition to a superior and constantly used in writing when addressing a king.
- Prayers (proseucas)
Prayer remains one of the mysteries of our faith. Yet prayer is a simple act and a comfort to believers, who from the beginning have turned with confidence and faith to God.
The mysteries are theoretical: How can prayer "change" the mind of God or modify events? How does prayer relate to divine sovereignty? Scripture hardly notices such questions.
Instead, the Bible emphasizes the simplicity of prayer. Believers are to pray about everything, confident that God hears prayers, cares, and is able to act.
- Intercession (enteuxeis)
In the NT, the main word for "intercession" is entynchano (5 occurrences), which means "to plead on behalf of someone." Besides being used in Ro 8:27, 34; Heb 7:25, it is found in Ac 25:24 (in regard to the Jewish community's petition to Festus against the apostle Paul) and in Ro 11:2 (to describe Elijah's appeal to God against a sinning Israel). The Holy Spirit exercises this ministry in its most intensive degree (hyperentynchano, only here in the NT), according to Ro 8:26.
- Thanksgiving (eucaristias)
The NT words translated "thank" (eucharisteo), "thankful" (eucharistos), and "thanksgiving" (eucharistia) signify a thankful attitude and a demonstration of gratitude. Only in three passages (Lk 17:16; Ac 24:3; Ro 16:4) are these words used of thanks given to human beings.
In the NT, the swelling sense of gratitude and appreciation expressed in thanksgiving has three primary associations. Thanks is given at the eucharist (communion service) for the broken body and the blood of Jesus (Mt 26; Mk 14; Lk 22; 1 Co 11). Thanks is given for the blessings that have come to us through Christ (1 Co 15:57; 2 Co 2:14; 9:15). Thanks is given for those who come to know Christ and who bring joy to Paul's heart (1 Co 1:4; Eph 1:16; Php 1:3; Col 1:3; 1 Th 1:2; 2:13; Phm 4). Remembering all that Jesus has done for us and in us, it is appropriate to address every prayer with thanksgiving (Php 4:6).
- Be made for everyone
- Be made for authorities
- That we may live a peaceful (hJpemos – quiet, tranquil) life in all godliness and all holiness.
- That we may live a quiet (hJsucios – still, quiet) life in all godliness and all holiness.
We do need to think about why this would be so important.
We do need to see why it is so easily discarded.
Why is the order in our lives so difficult?
How can it be so hard to do the right things first?
There is a Far Side cartoon that shows a man sitting on the edge of his bed looking at a big sign on his bedroom wall that says: pants first, then shoes.
Why is it hard to get order in our lives?
Because order, from the time of our fall into sin, has been confused.
God’s original order was “very good”, but became “very confused”.
Our homes, government, societies, even our New Testament Churches are feeble but necessary attempts to bring some order into a fallen and very confused world.
Nineveh (Jonah 4) had 120,000 people who could not tell their right hand from their left (pretty good illustration), but the Lord has compassion on them because they repented at the preaching of Jonah (read Jonah 3).
They were spared and a feeble but necessary attempt at some order was accomplished in the center of power for the world of that day.
One hundred years pass; confusion again reigns; the Lord speaks through Nahum about the judgment on Nineveh. This time there is not repentance, no Jonah, no humbling, no hearing. Thus, God’s sovereign judgment through the governing powers of this fallen world is meted out.
Paul knew these things better than all of us Gentiles put together.
Paul knew the law.
Paul knew the OT prophets.
Paul knew the sovereign power of God.
Paul knew God’s original plan – that it was “very good” but became “very confused”.
What was his inspired response?
I urge first of all (the matter of greatest importance) that we pray.
What about preaching?
What about teaching?
What about singing?
What about serving?
What about miracles?
What about the gifts of the Spirit?
What about the church work?
What about church offices?
What about giving?
What about the money?
What about husbands?
What about wives?
What about the children?
What about the widows who lost their husbands?
What about the orphans who lost their dads?
Paul tells us about all of these important things.
But it is done in this setting:
First in importance is that we pray.
Now, what do you think of that?
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