WORSHIP SERIES
1Timothy 2:1-8
# 6 - WORSHIP IN PUBLIC PRAYER
(Lead in Prayer)
I just prayed.
What were you
thinking about as I prayed?
Chances are you
weren’t thinking about what I was praying and chances are you were not praying
along with me.
Most of us, and
I’ve been guilty of this all too often, leave the
praying in a worship service up to the person praying. We just let ourselves be distracted with our
own interests, worries and pleasures.
Now I’m not here
to ball you out, to scold you, or to embarrass you. But one of the most important things we have
as born again Christians is the gift of answered prayer. Matthew 7:7-8
And one of the
most important things that we are told to do as Christians is to pray!
Ephesians 6:18
When we think of
prayer, we think of it as a private matter between us and God. Indeed that is true for our personal
prayers. When we are talking to God
privately, we are to be private about it!
Matthew 6:6
Our text is
1Timothy 2:1-8. It is in this text that we receive instruction for public
prayer.
THE PRACTICE OF
PUBLIC PRAYER
1 Timothy 2:1 - I exhort therefore, that, first
of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made
for all men;
Paul is urging us
to pray as a group. Did I say Paul is
urging us to pray? This is Scripture. This is God’s Word. God is urging us to
pray!
And notice the
priority of prayer.
Paul says, “first
of all”.
How often in our
services is prayer a brief tag line?
How absent
mindedly and lightly do we treat prayer!
Paul says, “first
of all”.
The early church was
built on prayer. Acts
Have you ever
wondered why more people don’t come to church?
Have you wondered
why more people don’t get saved?
Have you wondered
why more people to not respond to the invitation?
Could it be because our lack of real prayer at home?
And could it be
because of our lack of real prayer in the church?
What should you do
when an usher prays for the offering?
You should pray
with him, agreeing with him in prayer.
What should you do
when the pastor prays?
You should pray
with him, giving your “amens” and “yes Lords”
quietly. They can even be out loud.
Has it ever
occurred to you that God does not move in this church the way we would like him
to because we are not united in our prayers for God to work?
Don’t get me
wrong, God does answer individual prayers.
But how much more
will God do when we unite, agreeing in corporate prayer!
THE PRACTICE OF
PUBLIC PRAYER
THE PARTICULARS
OF PUBLIC PRAYER
1 Timothy 2:1-2 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all
men; [2] For kings, and for all that are in authority;
Notice there are
four words dealing with prayer here.
·
Supplications
This word means to
ask for what is needed.
If people need conviction,
we can ask for it.
If people need for
forgiveness we can ask for it.
If we need food,
clothing, housing, we can ask for it.
If people need
Spiritual growth, we can ask for it. That’s what we do when we pray the prayers
of Paul in Ephesians 1 and 3 and in Philippians 1 and Colossians 1.
If people need to
be saved we can ask for it.
If people need
strength or protection we can ask for it.
Supplications
·
Prayers
This is a general
word for prayer expressed to deity.
Our prayers not
only include requests but also praise and adoration.
As we have seen
before our prayers should include worship to God before we go asking for
things. Psalm 99:5, 107:1, 149:1, Hebrews 13:15
Supplications
Prayers
·
Intercessions
When we think of
the word “intercession”, we think of praying in another’s behalf. And indeed prayerful intercession is called
for in this passage of Scripture.
According to
William Hendriksen, however, the meaning of the word intercession here “…is
rather that of ‘falling in with,’ ‘meeting with in order to converse freely,’
hence, ‘freedom of access.’ A person …finds himself in the very
audience-chamber of God, the Father.” William Hendriksen,
New Testament Commentary – Thessalonians,
Timothy and Titus, (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1957), p. 92
Think of this.
Every time we come properly into the presence of God in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, we come for an intimate, personal interview with God. And if we
have an intimate interview with the God of the universe, we can certainly speak
to God on the behalf of others.
Supplications
Prayers
Intercessions
·
Giving of thanks
We are to be
thankful to God for all his blessings, yes.
In this verse we are
told that our supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving are to be
made for all men.
Now that’s a long
list!
And we certainly
don’t know everyone by name.
We know that we
can pray for the Christians we know. I do that by mentioning several pastors
and churches, and missionaries, and then pray those four prayers of Paul.
We know how to
pray for the unsaved people we know personally and for backslidden Christians.
They either need
to be saved or to get right with God.
How do we pray for
all men? For their salvation! And we can pray for people in cities and
countries all over the world.
And these prayers,
besides being for all men are to be in particular for kings and others who rule
over us. We need to be praying for the
rulers of the
THE PURPOSES OF
PUBLIC PRAYER
1 Timothy 2:2-4 - For kings,
and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life
in all godliness and honesty. [3] For this is good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be
saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
The results of such prayer leads to a peaceful environment so
that we lead quiet and peaceable lives. That sounds selfish doesn’t it?
However, we want
the quiet and peaceable life so we can live godly and honest lives.
How often we
forget that the Christian life is to be a godly life, a holy life. This should
be the goal of each of us. Leviticus 20:26
Now why would we
want such a quiet lives of holy living?
1 Timothy 2:3-4 - For this is good and acceptable
in the sight of God our Saviour; [4] Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the
knowledge of the truth.
Quiet holy living
pleases God!
Quiet holy living leads
people to Jesus Christ.
It is not only a
testimony of word that brings people to Christ. It is a testimony of life! The
way we live is to be a testimony for Him. Matthew 5:14-16, John 13:34-35, 1
Peter 3:15
Look at verse 4 –
God wants all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
That doesn’t mean
everyone will be saved.
People must decide
if they will accept Christ’s free gift of salvation.
But this does open
the door for us to pray for the salvation of all men, as we mentioned earlier.
The more we pray
for the unsaved, the more we will see people coming to Christ. 1 Timothy 2:5-6
Why is it important that people be saved?
There is one God.
There is only one
“go between” God and man.
Sin separates us
from God.
Sin condemns us to
the judgment of hell.
Sin made us the
enemies of God.
Someone had to
intervene.
Someone had to
mediate between us and God.
In order to
mediate with God, God’s own Son became a sinless man and died in our place.
Jesus gave Himself
as a ransom for all.
When a ransom is
paid it is so someone can be set free.
Jesus paid the
ransom for youf sins so that you can be set free.
Jesus paid the
ransom for the sins of the world so that the world can be set free.
The price has been
paid for the sins of all. All a person
must do is trust Christ as Savior.
Romans 10:9-10
Who is that you
know that needs to be saved? Are you praying for them?
So, we are to pray
so we’ll quiet and peaceable lives, in all godliness and honesty.
We are to pray
because God wants men to be saved.
THE
PREREQUISITES TO PUBLIC PRAYER
1 Timothy 2:8 - I will therefore that men pray
every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
In verse 8 Paul is
talking to men. He tells the women to do
likewise in the following verses.
Prayer is for
everyone. But there are some perquisites.
First of all, holy
hands must be lifted.
There are various
positions for prayer mentioned in prayer.
One such position
is to lift our hands to God in prayer.
So, it is not
wrong, if you feel so led, to lift your hands to God.
Holy hands belong
to people that are saved.
Holy hands belong
to people that have confessed all known sin to God. Psalm 66:18, 1 John 1:9
Holy hands belong
to people that hold no grudges. There is no wrath.
Holy hands belong
to people who are not argumentative. That appears to be the meaning of the word
“doubting”.
If you come to
church having issues with your brothers and sisters, don’t be surprised when
your prayers and the prayers of others are not answered. And I’ve been here long enough to know that
some appear to still have grudges and dissensions with each other.
THE POWER OF
PUBLIC PRAYER
God answers the
public prayers of His saints. Acts 4:31, Acts 12