Men's Prayer Participation
Dear brother,Thank you for joining the online version of our men’s morning prayer group. Please read the following passage from God’s Word, which will be the focus of Sunday morning's message. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s leading, and make note of what God is speaking to you through His Word. Go to the comment section and respond by Tuesday evening 7pm, for your comment to be shared at Wednesday morning prayer at 6 am. Please feel free to also leave any prayer requests. Lord bless you!
1 Timothy 2 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man a Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
a men and man render the same Greek word that is translated people in verses 1 and 4
1 Timothy 2 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man a Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
a men and man render the same Greek word that is translated people in verses 1 and 4
Comments
Years ago I was first to see smoke coming from neighbor's garage. I first tried to open door, it was locked, I tried a 2nd door, and couldn't get it open, I tried to hook my hose up the the faucet and I was all thumbs and couldn't get the threads lined up, I recall hollering at another neighbor to alert him of the fire. Finally I remembered to call 911. The firemen arrived shortly and put out the fire. How much time was wasted trying to do something myself?
Paul's words to Timothy here, not "suggest" but "urge". Put this as your top priority, your first action, your first reaction.
Then Paul uses his Greek Thesaurus: "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings". Same way of saying the same thing, or is there emphasis placed here on the various types of communication available to the believer. Then Paul specifies the the object of these prayers: "all people". Okay, that includes everyone. Does it? Kings? Politicians? Supreme Court? President? Cabinet? UN? CEOs of Fortune 500? Media moguls? Terrorist leaders? All authority comes from God. His plan for all men is consistent with his creation, that its order and function be a reflection of His very character.
v3 - "this is good". This is what God said about his creation. This speaks of God's plan and purpose. "It is good", when we pray for "all people", it is God's plan, God's purpose, part of being "salt and light".
v4 - here we see "all people" again. I can't begin to even remember the names of all the people I have met, but God knows each an every one, by name, and all the details of their life. Paul mentions "to be saved" and "to come to the knowledge of the truth". I usually think that the 2nd must come before the first but first can happen in an instant, like the thief on the cross", and the 2nd can take the rest of our lives and maybe all of eternity.
For such a big plan, after all I am just one person, what can I do?
v5 - God did it all with one man, Jesus Christ, or as it says here, Christ Jesus. It is done. I don't have to be the mediator. Just a "communicator" of this truth. Paul was a "preacher", "an apostle", and "a teacher", and in other places lists "example".
Summary: Paul is urging Timothy in a lifestyle that is consistent with the plans and purpose of God, the salvation of all men, bought by the ransom paid by Jesus Christ. First priority and action in this new lifestyle, call 911! Call for reinforcements. Call on God's power to fulfill God's plan in God's way.