Daily Bread 2011 - 1 Timothy 2
Instructions on Worship
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
What Does This Mean?
Paul turns to the practical matter of worship. First and foremost, he calls on them to pray. It is interesting that Paul mentions this first, as often we think of worship in terms of the sermon and then singing praise songs. But Paul calls Timothy to focus on corporate prayer in their worship life together. This is pleasing to God who desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
So there is a correlation between evangelism, or preaching the Good News to those outside the Church, with praying inside the Church for them. Prayer is an avenue for God to soften the hearts of unbelievers, and also develops a culture in the church where lost people matter to God and to us.
What Does This Mean For Us?
While we know our world is corrupt in many ways, and sometimes we get discouraged about the trajectory of where it is headed morally, God calls us to pray for the world and those who govern it. This is in keeping with Romans 13, where Paul commands us to be obedient to the earthly authorities God has called to be in place. Of course there is the exception listed in Acts (4:19, 5:29), where if government calls us to do something against God’s will, we are to obey God before men. The apostle’s used this in their decision making and in the face of persecution.
At the heart of Paul’s teaching on this subject is God’s desire for all to be saved and His sovereignty over all things. Yet, Paul reminds us it pleases God’s when we pray for those in authority and this promotes an atmosphere of peaceful and quiet living. Since the Church was under persecution from many who were in power, Paul is praying for governments to provide room for worship of our Creator from whom they have received their power in the first place.
This became a reality when Constantine, the Roman Emperor became a believer and made Christianity the religion that Rome backed in the early 4th century (313 AD in the Edict of Milan). I’m sure many of the prayers of faithful and nameless people helped make this become a reality. So while it is easy to bemoan our political leaders and our presidents, the bible teaches us to pray for them, and so we should.
Lord we pray for President Obama and his advisors, and all the other world leaders that they might acknowledge you as Lord and Savior and provide a place where believers can worship you in Spirit and truth. We know you desire all people to come to a knowledge of the truth so may our governments not stand in the way of the passing on of the Good News. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.
What Does This Mean?
Paul turns to the practical matter of worship. First and foremost, he calls on them to pray. It is interesting that Paul mentions this first, as often we think of worship in terms of the sermon and then singing praise songs. But Paul calls Timothy to focus on corporate prayer in their worship life together. This is pleasing to God who desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
So there is a correlation between evangelism, or preaching the Good News to those outside the Church, with praying inside the Church for them. Prayer is an avenue for God to soften the hearts of unbelievers, and also develops a culture in the church where lost people matter to God and to us.
What Does This Mean For Us?
While we know our world is corrupt in many ways, and sometimes we get discouraged about the trajectory of where it is headed morally, God calls us to pray for the world and those who govern it. This is in keeping with Romans 13, where Paul commands us to be obedient to the earthly authorities God has called to be in place. Of course there is the exception listed in Acts (4:19, 5:29), where if government calls us to do something against God’s will, we are to obey God before men. The apostle’s used this in their decision making and in the face of persecution.
At the heart of Paul’s teaching on this subject is God’s desire for all to be saved and His sovereignty over all things. Yet, Paul reminds us it pleases God’s when we pray for those in authority and this promotes an atmosphere of peaceful and quiet living. Since the Church was under persecution from many who were in power, Paul is praying for governments to provide room for worship of our Creator from whom they have received their power in the first place.
This became a reality when Constantine, the Roman Emperor became a believer and made Christianity the religion that Rome backed in the early 4th century (313 AD in the Edict of Milan). I’m sure many of the prayers of faithful and nameless people helped make this become a reality. So while it is easy to bemoan our political leaders and our presidents, the bible teaches us to pray for them, and so we should.
Lord we pray for President Obama and his advisors, and all the other world leaders that they might acknowledge you as Lord and Savior and provide a place where believers can worship you in Spirit and truth. We know you desire all people to come to a knowledge of the truth so may our governments not stand in the way of the passing on of the Good News. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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