First Things First (1 Timothy 2:1-8)

Big Idea: Prayer should be the church's top priority in public worship, including all people, especially leaders, as it supports the church's mission and God's desire for people to be saved.

This is a pretty broad question, and there are no right answers, so just yell out with something that's been on your mind. In our church, we have over 220 members. Our average Sunday morning attendance so far this year has been around 280. It's safe to say that we probably have about 280 different opinions about where our church should be headed. 280 different agendas for the church.

I'm more than a little curious what advice Paul will give Timothy. What advice will the apostle Paul give that church leader on how to lead a church? Up until now, in chapter 1, Paul has admonished Timothy to correct false teachers. Paul urged Timothy to prevent men from teaching false doctrines. That was Timothy's task as a church leader: to defend Christian truth from distortion or perversion.

But in chapter 2, Paul moves to the subject of church worship. The question is not what Timothy is called to do, but now: what is the church as a whole called to do? What is the calling, the mission of the church? And what we have in chapter 2 is the earliest manual on church worship that we possess. Here are the guidelines for church gatherings. What should churches do when they come together? What conduct is appropriate within the church? Tonight, I want to explore this meaningful passage and apply it to our situation at our church.

Let me first begin by saying that:

The Priority in Public Worship Is Prayer

"I urge, then, first of all..." (1 Timothy 2:1). If I asked you what should be prioritized in public worship within the church, you'd get a variety of responses. We would hear such things as music, prayers, Scripture reading, the proclamation of God's Word. I myself would have a hard time answering this question – how can you pick among so many different options?

But in verse 1, Paul writes, "I urge, then, first of all..." Whatever Paul is about to say, it is urgent. And then Paul says that phrase, "first of all." Paul could mean either first in time, but it is clear from the context that Paul is saying "first in importance." So ask yourself, "What exactly is Paul identifying as the urgent first priority of the church?" Let's read on.

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone" (2:1). Question again: What is the urgent first priority of the church? Answer: Prayer is the urgent first priority of the church. The most essential part of public worship is prayer. Prayer is absolutely central to everything the church does.

Jim Cymbala writes, "The clearest instructions about church life come in the Pastoral Letters, where Paul tells young pastors such as Timothy to proceed. The apostle couldn't be more direct." First in importance in public worship is this matter of prayer.

Paul actually lists four different types of prayer in verse 1. I believe Paul emphasizes the importance of prayer rather than the various types. However, it's helpful to briefly consider these four words. Out of the 7 Greek words used in the New Testament for prayer, four of them are used here.

• In verse 1, the term "requests" pertains to petitions. It has the idea of needs and desires. God wants us to bring our needs and requests to him.
• "Prayers" is a more general word. Unlike the requests we just mentioned, it only has reference to God. Requests can be given to anyone, but prayers can only be offered to God. It reminds us that our prayers are God-directed and worshipful.
• "Intercession" is a word that only appears twice in the New Testament. It seems to have the idea of both conversation and petition. Some say that it's a free and familiar prayer, such as boldly drawing near to God. Origen, the foremost Bible scholar of the early church, believed that the key concept was boldness in approaching God's presence.
• "Thanksgiving" is self-explanatory. The giving of thanks should always be an important part of our prayers. It's the one aspect of prayer that will continue throughout eternity.

Eugene Peterson paraphrases this verse, "The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how; for everyone you know." The first thing we ought to be doing as a church is praying – praying in a variety of ways, but praying. Now is the time that some of you are going to get discouraged in prayer. It's only been since January that we've given prayer a higher place of priority. It's tempting to give up, because prayer isn't always easy. There aren't always immediate results. People – even leaders – that you hope would be involved, aren't. But Paul says, "Prayer is first in importance in the public worship of the church. Don't let it slip."

What Should We Pray For?

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Verse one literally says "all men" – not in terms of every single person alive. The idea is that we pray for all kinds of people. We are not to limit or restrict the scope of our prayers to believers, or to any type of person. We are to pray for all, regardless of race, nationality, or social position.

Pray for everyone you know – don't leave any type of person out. Pray for those you see every day. Even when you drive down the highway, and you look over to another car and briefly make eye contact – pray for that person. Pray for their salvation. You don't know them, but God does. The important point at the end of verse 1 is this: Don't leave any type of person off your prayer list.

Paul gets more specific in verse 2. We have a special obligation to pray for government leaders. Prayer for all those in various levels of authority should have a regular place in our public worship. At that time, the emperor was Nero. You remember him – he was a notoriously cruel tyrant. A man who would eventually murder both his mother and his wife. Known for his brutality and scandals that would make modern political scandals look like nothing. A man who, later, would arrest and kill Christians on charges of "hatred of the human race." Paul says, "Pray for him." Do you get the picture?

Prayer has got to be one of the central priorities in the church. And one of the things we need to do when we gather to pray is to pray for our civic leaders – to pray for governments.

Why Should We Pray?

Two reasons.

First, so that the church can be free from interference and persecution. Reason number one to pray is found in verse 2. The reason is that "we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." The word "peaceful" refers to the outward situation – a life free from outward disturbance. The second word, "quiet," refers to our situation – the inner state of the church. The goal is that the church may be free from both external and internal disturbances that can be so distracting. And the goal is not just peace and quiet in itself – the goal in verse 2 is that we may lead lives of "godliness and holiness."

Our prayers for everyone, including the government, aim to create an environment that supports the growth of the church. We need to pray for the government and politicians, mainly for the church's benefit, not just to reduce taxes or address specific issues. When did you last pray for government leaders to allow the church to grow without interference?

Second, we pray because God's desire is for people to be saved. A deeper reason to pray is found in verses 3 and 4: "This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to know the truth." The primary reason to pray is because prayer pleases God, whose nature it is to save. God defines evangelistic prayer, which includes praying for various people, the lost, and government leaders, as inherently good, and this resonates with our consciences. The word "good" in verse 3 means "beautiful, pleasing." Our prayers on behalf of the lost are beautiful to God, and pleasing to him.

According to verse 4, God's desire is for everyone to be saved and to accept the truth by faith, not just intellectually. When Paul says that God wants all men to be saved, this could refer to one of two things, and we can't be sure which. Paul could mean "God wants everyone to be saved" or "God wants all types of people from every rank, tribe, and nation to be saved." In either case, God's heartbeat is the salvation of men and women.

2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness." He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. God has even delayed the day of judgment to allow more people to escape the coming judgment.

John MacArthur writes, "If the primary aim of the church were fellowship, knowledge of the Word, or the holiness of the saints, all those goals could perfectly be accomplished by taking us to heaven. The central function of the church is to reach the lost." And, I might add, one of the first things to do in reaching the lost is to pray for them. It is a most excellent task to pray for the salvation of the lost.

To clinch his argument, Paul inserts what appears to be an extract from a catechism or a liturgical formula. "For there is one God..." This is the basic tenet of Judaism, repeated at every synagogue service, and by pious Jews daily. But Paul continues in verses 5 and 6: "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men–the testimony given in its proper time."

In Job 9:33, Job complained: "If only there were a mediator who could bring us together, but there is none." Job needed a mediator to bridge the gap between him and God, bringing peace. And Jesus Christ is that mediator. Jesus is the only one who embodies complete humanity – even in our present day! – and who is also fully God. And by his death, he restored the harmony that was broken. He restored us to fellowship with God through his death and resurrection. He was a ransom for us – a ransom being in that day what was paid to set a slave free. Jesus paid the price. One person translates it, "Jesus...offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free."

And Paul says in verse 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." This is Paul's calling – to be a herald, an apostle, and a teacher of the truth to the Gentiles.

There is so much to unpack in these verses. But let's back up and try to get the central point. Why should we pray? We should pray to foster a positive environment for the church's growth and because praying for the lost aligns with God's saving nature.

So far in this passage, we've discovered the priority in worship: prayer. We've discovered what we should be praying for: all types of people, specifically government leaders. We've discovered why: so that the church can be left undisturbed, and because prayer is consistent with God's saving nature. Paul answers one final question in verse 8.

How Should We Pray?

1 Timothy 2:8 says, "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." Next week, we'll address the gender issue. For now, it's important to note that only men were allowed to recite prayers in the Jewish synagogue. Here, Paul carries this over into the church in Ephesus. And he says, "I want, I command, I purpose that men lift up holy hands in prayer..."

The common position for prayer seems to have been standing with hands outstretched and palms facing up. Raising hands in prayer is a biblical practice, not just for Pentecostal or charismatic traditions. But I don't think Paul's main point in verse 8 is posture – it's the inward condition of the heart.

Paul says, "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing." Genuine prayer is impossible for those who are unforgiving and who are nourishing grudges. Eugene Peterson paraphrases, "Since prayer is at the bottom of this, what I want mostly is for men to pray – not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God."

So friends, prayer is the main thing. Let's put first things first, and pray for the lost. When we do so, we're doing what is beautiful and acceptable to God, and consistent with his nature. Let's even now bow in prayer and plead with God that prayer would be the first thing in this church and in our hearts. Let's cry out following the example of Jesus, who prayed for those who killed him. Let's follow the example of other Christians and their evangelistic prayers. John Knox cried out, "Give me Scotland or I die." George Whitefield prayed, "O Lord, give me souls or take my soul." The apostle Paul may have found salvation due to Stephen's prayer: "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Are you prepared to respond to the urgency and priority of prayer?