ï» back to title page CHRIST-LIKE PRAYING IN A PAGAN WORLD 1 Tim. 2:1-7a Intro: First Timothy is the first of three letters written by Paul to young preachers. These letters, called the Pastoral Epistles, are Paul's attempt at instructing and encouraging these young men of God. In these letters, we can find a great amount of material related to behavior in the church and also material governing worship. Paul felt compelled to write these letters because Timothy and Titus were serving the Lord in a society that was very secular and openly opposed to the preaching of salvation through Jesus Christ and the lifestyle of separation and holiness that accompanies that salvation. He gives these young men some rules of thumb by which they can operate their ministries. It seems to me that we live in a society that is growing more and more anti-christian by the day; a society, which declares right wrong and wrong right. America is no longer a Christian nation, but has become a pagan nation where men live as if God were dead or irrelevant. We are what one would call a "post-christian nation." We can complain all we want to about the situation we are in here in America, but this is where we are, and we have been placed here by the providence of Almighty God. As a result, we need to know how to live for God in a pagan world. I wish I had all the answers as to how we are to live every area of our lives. Though some men think they have all these things figured out, none of us do. However, Paul, in these verses, does deal with one area in which we can all impact America; an area of Christian activity that has the power to change society and demonstrate Christ to a lost world. I am talking about the area of prayer. Tonight, I want us to consider together the matter of Christ-like praying in a pagan world. Notice three important divisions in these verses. I. GOD'S DEMAND 1 Timothy 2: 1-2 A. The Elevation Of Prayer 1. "First of all" Literally, "first in order, rank and importance." Paul tells us that our first priority in the church is that of prayer. 2. There has been a great decline in the importance placed on prayer in recent
years (the Prayer of Jabez phenomena notwithstanding). It seems that we have time for every pursuit and activity, except that which is deemed most important by God. Prayer is often the red-headed step- child of the church! 3. The power of prayer importance to It makes perfect sense that even though prayer is to be of the utmost the church, that is the exact thing we leave off first. The reason for that is because Satan attacks that aspect of our worship with the greatest vigor. We need to put prayer back where it belongs: on the front burner. a. Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, the Lord is His name." God has promised to hear our prayers. b. John 16:23, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, 'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you." God has promised to answer prayers. God has prayers. c. God has promised to hear our prayers. promised to answer our Heb. 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Prayer is the privilege and power of
every saint. No one stands higher than you in the area of prayer! ever! d. Prayer needs to be exalted in our churches more than B. The Elements Of Prayer v. 1b Paul lists four elements that ought to be included in our praying. They are: 1. Supplications This is making requests. This is sharing our felt needs with God. Philippians 4:6, "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Don t ever be shy about letting God know what you need Him to do. 2. Prayers This word refers to the act of worship that should accompany prayer. When we pray, we are literally in the presence of God. Therefore, we are to pray in reverence. We would never go to God FLIPPANTLY. He is the God of the universe and we ought to reverence Him as such. 3. Intercessions This word means 'to fall in with." It refers to Christians taking the needs of others before the Lord. Our praying should not be selfish. While we are encouraged to pray for our own needs, it is when we take others before the Lord that He is most pleased because it shows that we love others as we love ourselves 4. Giving Of Thanks When we draw near to God in prayer, our hearts should be filled with gratitude for all He is, all He has done, all He is doing and all He will do. Thanksgiving should not be tacked on to the end of our praying, but it should be a major ingredient in every prayer we pray.
C. The Extent Of Prayer v.1c-2a 1. We are to pray for "all men." This tells us be prayed for. And that there is no one on the face of the that there is no man beyond the influence Earth that should not of godly praying. 2. We should be praying for Kings and those in authority. The Caesar in Paul's day was Nero! He was a wicked, wicked man, and yet, Paul said pray for "all man" especially those in authority. 3. Now, more than ever, Christians need to pray for our leaders! We do not have to agree with them, but we should pray for them! I was guilty of complaining about President Clinton when I should have been praying for him instead. Christian love and grace should prevail in all that we do, especially in our prayers! We should also be praying for the leaders of the church everyday. The outpouring of concern and the prayers for Jeannie and Pastor Jerry are wonderful, but I hope that you have been praying for them all along and will continue to do so long after Jeannie is back worshipping with us. D. The Ends Of Prayer v. 2b When we pray as we should, the product will be in us lives of a quietness externally and a peacefulness godliness and purity. Our praying ought to be for ourselves that we do not damage the testimony internally. This should produce of Christ by low living! We should include as part of our prayers the request that God would keep us from sin and give us victory over temptation. II. GOD'S DELIGHT
1 Timothy 2: 3 A. When we pray like this, it pleases the Lord and is a good thing in His sight. It delights the heart of God to see us praying for others and for ourselves. He likes it when we spend time fellowshipping with Him in prayer. B. God is honored when His people pray, as they should. Christ-like praying reveals faith on our part and it affords God an opportunity to demonstrate His power. 2 Chronicles 16:9, For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. In Daniel 6 we find the story of King Darius who set princes over his kingdom. Daniel got the king's eye by doing a good job and by having an "an excellent spirit in him." The king wanted to put him in charge of his whole realm, but some of the other leaders became jealous and set out to get Daniel. They got the king to pass a decree that no one could pray to any god or man except the king knowing that it was Daniel's habit to pray three times a day. Daniel kept praying and was thrown in a den of lions. But God delivered him out of the den of lions. God was able to show Himself strong to Daniel and the entire kingdom because Daniel was a praying man. What if Daniel had left off praying because he was too busy with all of his administrative duties? C. God is more honored by our prayers than He is by our protests. Even though we have the right to protest in this country, many times, protesters display an openly anti-christian attitude! Although there is nothing wrong with standing up for what is right, it is not the Christian's main responsibility. As we said earlier, our main responsibility is prayer. We should be praying first of all. D. Christians pray because they want to please the Lord who saved them from sin! That pleases the Lord. III. GOD'S DESIRE 1 Timothy 2: 4 A. God's ultimate desire is to see all men saved! 2 Peter 3:9, "God is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
B. His means of reaching those He wants to save is through those He has already saved. The world is more likely to respond to Christians who love them and pray for them than they are to Christians who attack them and consign them all to Hell. C. We are to hate sin, but always love the sinner. That is what Jesus did. Matthew 11:19, "The and a Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold a man gluttonous, winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners." We love them best by praying for them and lovingly sharing Christ with them. Conclusion: These are perilous times for the church of Jesus Christ. Many in our society would love to see all Christians removed from the world. That soon will happen! However, while we are still here, we are called upon to love the sinner and to pray for our society. Of all the weapons we have at our disposal, prayer is the most effective in changing the world around us. My challenge to you is that you become an effective prayer warrior for the Lord Jesus Christ. James 5:16, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." When it says "effectual fervent" prayer it means prayer that is "active and energetic which proves God strong." This kind of prayer is prayer that is empowered by the Spirit of God. This is the kind of prayer that gets a hold of God and does not let go until the sought after blessing is received. This is like when Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord until He blessed him. This is prayer that does not give up; this is prayer that lingers long; this is prayer that gets results. The nation of Israel was a despicable lot at times. While in the wilderness they whined and complained so much and God finally got to the point where He had had enough of it. He was going to destroy the people and start over with just Moses. But Moses got on his knees and pleaded with God to spare the nation. Turn to Exodus 32:32, Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written. See that dash and semi-colon there in that verse? That is the only place in all of Scripture you will ever see that grammatical construction. That dash represents a very long pause in Moses prayer. He broke down in that moment. He was so burdened for the people that he could only weep, but then look at what he said. He would be willing to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire if God would only spare them. We think it is a sacrifice to even tell anyone what Christ has done for them. Because of Moses' intercession God did spare the people. What about America? Are we any better than Israel? How long will God put up with the sin and rebellion of America? Can His hand of judgment be far from us? This is indeed a pagan nation and it is doomed to the ash heap of history if God does not intervene. But God will not intervene unless we do as Moses did. God will not spare America unless we make interceding for America a priority in our lives.
Make Me An Intercessor One who can really pray, One of the Lord's Remembrancers By night as well as day. In Spirit-touch with Thee, And give the heavenly vision Praying through the victory. Teach me how to prevail, To stand my ground and still pray on, Though powers of Hell assail. Sharing Thy death and life, In prayer claiming for others, Victory in the strife. Willing for deeper death, Emptied, broken, then made anew, And filled with Living Breath.
Reveal this mighty thing, The wondrous possibility Of paying back my King. Hidden unknown set apart, Thought little of by those around, But satisfying Thine heart.