FOR ALL PEOPLES
Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-7
1 Timothy 2:1-7 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— (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 people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the 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 true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles (NIV).
Paul knew the clock is ticking and that one day it will be his last day. For now he was still fighting the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12) and running his race (Acts 20:24) while imparting his wisdom to Timothy his spiritual son in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2). Paul knew how to number his days as God gave him the wisdom for each day (Psalm 90:12 paraphrased). His mission was his purpose and his purpose was his mission. He had been called by God to be a missionary to the Gentiles. He could not accomplish this mission without prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:13). In this second chapter of this epistle Paul shares with Timothy why petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving must be made for all people (1 Timothy 2:1). The word “all” says it all. Christ died for us all and God is not willing that anyone should perish but that “all” come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).
We all have positions where we are for God’s glory. We all have a purpose for which we appointed. We are all called to pray for all people.
POSITIONS
Don’t we all have positions in this life?
1) Positions: We all have positions don’t we? How many flaunt their rank that have power over others? Paul mentions worldly positions in the secular realm.
> We have kings and kings have kingdoms.
> Paul mentions those in authority and people in authority by God’s design are supposed to watch out after those in their care much like a shepherd watches out for the sheep. Are we always the kind of watchman God called us to be?
> Paul mentions Christians and their responsibilities to petition, pray, intercede and to give thanks for all the people ---great and small; strong and weak; filthy rich and dirt-poor, those in fellowship with the Lord and even those that are wayward because they are out of fellowship with the Lord.
2) Abusive impostors: Though governments were established by God for the good of those in their governance (Romans 13: 1 -2) they can still deviate from their position. Bad leaders can go against God’s appointment of them in abusive and dominating ideals. The Bible mentions bad leaders who were pretenders----pretending to be godly but who resisted God’s will to pursue their own will. God does not look favourably upon those false prophets who are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). How many are false leaders who pretend to care for those in their care while planning to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10)? Paul once said, “Act 20:29 I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock” (GNB).
Was the Apostle Paul hinting at reacting to people who were biased, dishonest and ungodly in their position?
1) Dishonest scales: Proverbs 11:1 says “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight”. Hosea 12:7 says “The [native] merchant uses dishonest scales and loves to defraud” (NIV). Deception, dishonesty, and fraud is the way of Satan who is the father of lies (John 8:44).
2) Inclusive concern: Although Paul does not say it specifically, he seems to stress how “all people” (the sinners and the saved) need prayer from the righteous, to the religious pretenders, from the wayward and unrighteous in character to those who are the secular and scornful because they all need our prayers.
3) Mediator: Christ: Jesus Christ is our mediator. He is both fully human and fully divine. He came to us as one of us to save us. Consider Romans 5:8-10 But God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! (9) By his blood we are now put right with God; how much more, then, will we be saved by him from God's anger! (10) We were God's enemies, but he made us his friends through the death of his Son. Now that we are God's friends, how much more will we be saved by Christ's life (GNB)!
Assessments: God wants us to see that all people matter to Him. This is why we must pray for all people----believers, would-be believers, the least, the lost and the last.
PURPOSE
What verses come to mind when you hear the word purpose?
1) Isaiah 55:11: Does Isaiah 55:11 come to mind?: Isaiah 55:11 “so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (NRSV).
2) Romans 8:28: Rom 8:28 “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (NRSV).
3) Philippians 2:13: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (NIV).
How are we fulfilling our purpose in serving the Lord? A car that gets you from one place to another fulfills its purpose . A house serves its purpose in providing shelter. A purpose is something that is intentional in reaching its long term goal, or design.
1) Unlocking potential: Could it be that God unlocks our potential through time, faith, hope and love to help us find our purpose as Christian disciples?
> By God’s design, Time has a purpose so that we can learn to number our days (Psalm 90:12).
> By God’s design, Faith has a purpose because faith (like mustard seed kind -of-faith) helps us to trust God to overcome obstacles without as well as within.
> By God’s design, Hope has a purpose… “… hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us” (Romans 5:5).
> By God’s design, Love has a purpose. Paul tells us I Corinthians 13:13 that “there is faith, hope and love and love is the greatest of these because God’s love never stops. Let’s expound upon that thought further….1 Chronicles 16:34 says “Give thanks to the LORD, because he is good; his love is eternal” (NIV). We can never be separated from God’s love for us (Romans 8:39).
2) Fixing our imperfections: Do we ever complain to God about how we want Him to make us as God moulds for accomplishing His will and purpose? Isaiah_45:9 asks a poignant question: Does a clay pot dare argue with its maker, a pot that is like all the others? “Does the clay ask the potter what he is doing? Does the pot complain that its maker has no skill?” (Isaiah 45:9 NIV)?
3) A quote by Thomas Carlisle: A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder--a waif, a nothing, a no man. Have a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you. Thomas Carlyle. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/p/purpose.htm
4) Growth: Doesn’t our growth have a purpose? Do we always have to understand how we are growing? Does our growth have the right foundation? Construction workers call it a “DIG Down TO BUILD UP” principle
You've seen tall buildings under construction. For the first few months all the workmen do is dig a great big hole in the ground. To build a tall building by starting far below the surface level seems counter to the purpose. But you know there's a good reason for the large hole. To build tall, it is first necessary to dig down until a strong foundation can be built, one that is capable of supporting the skyscraper.
A doghouse needs no foundation, and an ordinary house can be built on little more than a concrete slab. But a skyscraper, that’s different. It requires a deep and solid foundation.
So it is in our Christian life. Our upward potential is totally dependent on the foundation below. https://sermons.com/search/results?term=purpose&category=sermon&sermon_filters=Illustrations&tab=Illustrations
PRAYERS
Why does Paul exhort Timothy and us to pray for all people?
1) Selective witnessing: Could it be that he knows we want to be selective in those we pray for? Could it be that he knows that we will be selective of those we invite into our fellowship?
2) Convicted: Do you feel convicted by your own selectiveness? If I am going to be honest then I have to answer that question with a “yes”. Some might put us clergy on pedestals of perfection only to be disappointed when they find out that we are flawed. The internal selective traits in us are imperfect.
When it comes to clergy and laity alike, aren’t we are guilty as charged? How many of us would openly welcome an enemy, a stranger, or a convict?
3) Litmus test: In his book, Twelve Tests of Character, Harry Emerson Fosdick gives us a powerful illustration. During the atrocities that occurred in the early 1900s in Armenia, a Turkish soldier had chased a young woman and her brother down a street into a dead-end alley. Although the soldier killed the brother, the young woman escaped. Later, however, she was captured, since she was a nurse, she was put to work in a military hospital.
Then one day the soldier who murdered her brother was brought into the hospital and placed in her ward! Terror flashed over his face as their eyes met and they recognized each other.
The soldier was critically wounded, and the nurse knew that the slightest inattention would cause his death. She struggled within. One part of her cried out for vengeance---Here’s you chance! No one will ever know. But the Spirit of Christ won out. She conscientiously nursed him back to health, and each day, she even prayed for him.
Later, he asked , “Why? You recognized me. Why did you care for me so faithfully?”
She replied, “Because I serve Him who said, ‘Love your enemies and do them good.’ “Tell me more of your religion. Tell me more of your Lord. I would give anything to have a faith like yours!”
Only when our creeds become our deeds do they really become compelling and contagious! (James W. Moore. Yes, Lord, I Have Sinned But I Have Several Excellent Excuses. Nashville: Dimensions For Living, 1991, pp 26 – 27). Imagine you were that sister who was a nurse. What would you have done?
Why does the Lord want us to go the extra mile in praying for all people?
We already know the answer to that question don’t we?
1) God’s undying and unconditional love: 2 Peter 3:9 tells us “This means that, contrary to man’s perspective, the Lord is not late with his promise to return, as some measure lateness. But rather, his “delay” simply reveals his loving patience toward you, because he does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance” (The Passion Translation).
2) Grandma’s wisdom: My grandmother (Velma) often said something wise that applies here: “There’s good in the worst of us and bad in the best of us which behooves---prohibits us to say anything about the rest of us”.
3) Assessments: God wants us to see that all people matter to Him. God wants us to see “all people” through His eyes! God not only wants us to identify our selectiveness in those we pray for, God also wants us to get past that problem. This is why we must pray for all people----believers, would-be believers, the least, the lost and the last. We are called to pray for all people so that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:2), so that through God’s grace we will not be hindered by indifference!
In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
