Introduction:
A. I want to begin today with a wonderful story that the late Peter Marshall, who was the chaplain of the U.S. Senate, used to love to tell, called: “The Keeper of the Spring.”
1. Once there was a quiet forest dweller who lived high above an Austrian village along the eastern slopes of the Alps.
a. The old gentleman had been hired many years ago by a young town council to clear away the debris from the pools of water up in the mountain crevices that fed the lovely spring flowing through their town.
b. With faithful, silent regularity, he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and branches, and wiped silt that would otherwise choke and contaminate the fresh flow of water.
c. By and by, the village became a popular attraction for vacationers.
d. Graceful swans floated along the crystal clear spring, the millwheels of various businesses located near the water turned day and night, farmlands were naturally irrigated, and the view from restaurants was picturesque beyond description.
2. Years passed. One evening the town council met for its semiannual meeting.
a. As they reviewed the budget, one man’s eye caught the salary figure being paid to the obscure keeper of the spring.
b. Said the keeper of the purse, “Who is the old man? Why do we keep him on year after year? No one ever sees him. For all we know the strange ranger of the hills is doing us no good. He isn’t necessary any longer!”
c. By unanimous vote, they dispensed with the old man’s services.
3. For several weeks nothing changed.
a. By early autumn the trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped off and fell into the pools, hindering the rushing flow of sparkling water.
b. One afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish-brown tint in the spring.
c. A couple of days later the water was much darker.
d. Within another week, a slimy film covered sections of the water along the banks and a foul odor was soon detected.
e. The millwheels moved slower, some finally ground to a halt. Swans left as did the tourists.
f. The clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deeply into the village.
4. Quickly, the council called a special meeting.
a. Realizing their gross error in judgment, they hired back the old keeper of the spring.
b. Within a few weeks the veritable river of life began to clear up.
c. The wheels started to turn, and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps once again.
B. Fanciful though it may be, the story is more than an idle tale because it carries with it a vivid, relevant analogy directly related to the lives we live.
1. What the keeper of the springs meant to the village, prayer means to our lives.
2. We live in a time where life is terribly complex and exhaustingly continuous.
3. Our culture offers little time or encouragement for qualm, quiet, meditation and prayer.
4. Everyone, including Christians, are often so busy, even doing good and godly things, but little attention is often given to the needs of the soul, and our vital, personal connection with God.
5. We have to stop and ask ourselves, why are we so busy?
a. Am I busy because I am vain? I want to appear important. Significant. What a better way than to be busy? The incredible hours, the crowded schedule, and the heavy demands on my time are proof to myself, and to all who will notice, that I am important.
b. Am I busy because I am undisciplined? If I were more organized or simply planned ahead, could I use my time more wisely and not find myself frantically trying to complete things at the last minute, under undo stress?
c. Or, am I busy because I don’t want to slow down and face myself? If I stay busy I don’t have to face the ugliness inside, or the insecurities, or the doubts, or the emptiness.
C. In 1 Timothy 2, we find Paul exhorting Timothy to slow down and to put prayer at the top of his priority list. Why?
1. Because prayer is the subtle, yet essential element of the Christian life from which everything else proceeds.
2. My aim today is to help us see the importance of prayer, and to encourage us to make a commitment to the priority of prayer.
3. So, let’s slow down the pace, allow the dust to settle, and learn how to regain the proper place of prayer.
I. Let’s Consider The Biblical Perspective on Prayer
A. Let’s start by doing a little investigating...Is it accurate to say that prayer should be the top priority in life and ministry?
1. Does the New Testament present prayer with such urgency?
2. We need only to glance at a few passages for the answer.
3. Consider Acts 6:1-4, when the apostles put the seven servants in place to serve tables so that they could “devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word.”
a. Of these two primary ministries, prayer came first on their list.
b. So, the apostles found a way to maintain their top priorities and still meet the physical needs of an expanding church.
4. Consider Ephesians 6:13-19, where Paul talks about the spiritual battle and the armor we need to put on.
a. Although prayer is not listed as a piece of armor, Paul exhorts us to: “Pray at all times, with alertness and perseverance for all the saints.”
b. Prayer is an indispensable weapon in our battle against Satan and his forces.
5. James 4:2 says: “You do not have, because you do not ask.”
a. James scolded his readers for not approaching God with their needs.
6. Then James says in 5:16: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
7. One final example comes from Philippians 4:6-7, where Paul basically said: “Do not be anxious about anything, but pray about everything.”
a. According to Paul, prayer is the best way to stop worrying.
B. So, are any of us overwhelmed by life’s demands? If so, then we should pray.
1. Are we under spiritual attack? Then we should pray.
2. Is temptation getting the best of us? We need to pray.
3. Are we lacking? Are we anxious? What should we do? Pray, pray, and pray!
4. Prayer should flow through every situation, reminding us that everything we do depends on our Father in heaven.
II. Let’s Consider Some Common Distortions of Prayer
A. Prayer, just like any spiritual activity, can be misused, distorted, or relegated to a mechanical regimen.
1. Let’s note some common ways we diminish prayer’s effectiveness.
2. One common distortion of prayer is Hypocrisy – where we turn prayer into a public performance.
a. Jesus attacked this practice when he exposed the public prayers of the Pharisees as shallow displays of piety meant solely to impress others (Mt 6:5-8).
3. A second common distortion of prayer is Formality - Where we limit prayer to a specific time and place.
a. Prayer shouldn’t be limited by time or location.
b. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have regular prayer at a specific time and place, like at the bedside or table, but it simply means that God hears us, no matter the hour or place.
c. Paul told the Thessalonians, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Th 5:17).
d. Communing with God throughout the day, anytime, anywhere, expresses our complete dependence on Him.
4. Another common distortion of prayer is Passivity – when we use prayer as a substitute for action.
a. George Buttrick rightly observed, “Prayer is not a substitute for work, thinking, watching, suffering, or giving; prayer is a support for all other efforts.”
b. It’s true that we need prayer before we make a decision, but before long that prayer should take us into action.
c. We must not use prayer as an excuse to avoid the actions we need to take.
5. A final common distortion of prayer is Emergency – when we make prayer a last resort.
a. Our motto should not be, “when all else fails, pray” but should be, “Before I do anything, I need to pray.”
b. The old motto “shoot first and ask questions later” can be replaced by “pray first and ask questions later.”
c. God wants us to come to Him all the time, not just when we’re in trouble.
III. Let’s Consider God’s Directives regarding Prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1-7.
A. Now that we’ve considered the mandate to pray and the wrong ways to pray, let’s delve into 1 Timothy 2 and discover what Paul said about how to pray.
B. First, Let’s Make Prayer a Priority
1. Paul wrote to Timothy: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made…” (2:1)
2. In other words, the first thing I urge is prayer.
3. Paul didn’t merely suggest prayer was a good idea, rather he urged his friend to give prayer the attention it deserves.
4. That was going to mean making it a priority with both time and effort.
C. Second, Let’s Fill Prayer with Creativity and Variety.
1. Paul wrote: “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority…” (2:1-2a)
2. The first aspect of creativity and variety has to do with the types of prayer.
3. There are at least seven different Greek nouns for “prayer,” and four of them are used here.
a. It is true that some of them are not to be sharply distinguished from each other, but together they fill out the spectrum of prayer.
4. The first word is “petitions” (the NIV says “requests”).
a. The fundamental idea behind the Greek word is a request made to satisfy a need.
b. Barclay wrote, “Prayer begins with the conviction that we cannot deal with life ourselves. That sense of human weakness is the basis of all approach to God.”
5. The second word is “prayers.”
a. This is the most common term for this spiritual activity, and it emphasizes the sacredness of prayer.
b. We are praying to God; prayer is an act of worship, not just an expression of our wants and needs.
c. There should be reverence in our hearts as we pray to God.
6. The third word is “intercession.”
a. This word pictures someone entering a king’s presence to submit an official request on behalf of someone else.
b. God is the King of Kings, and we have open invitation to enter His presence and present requests for ourselves and for others.
c. What a privilege it is to intercede on behalf of others.
7. The fourth word is “thanksgiving.”
a. An important ingredient in all our prayers ought to be thanksgiving.
b. We should be as ready to thank God for His provisions as we are to ask for them.
8. Over the years, when I have taught about prayer, I have borrowed the acronym “A.C.T.S. of Prayer” to help us remember the major aspects of prayer
a. A-C-T-S stands for (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication).
b. This simple 4 step outline for prayer helps us to round out our prayers with more than just our requests.
9. The second aspect of creativity and variety has to do with the object of our prayers.
a. For whom are we to pray? Only for ourselves? Only for our families? Only for Christians? Of course not.
b. Paul said that prayers should be offered for “everyone” in general, and specifically for “kings and all those in authority.”
c. When it comes to praying for “everyone,” think about who “everyone” includes: our enemies? Yup. Politicians with whom we disagree? Yup.
d. EVERYONE means everyone.
e. Note that the king in authority at the time of Paul’s writing was Nero, the Christian-killing maniac. Was Timothy supposed to pray for Nero? Yup.
f. I don’t think we should be praying for the demise of our enemies or political rulers, rather we should pray for them to change, realizing that God will bring about justice in the end.
D. Third, Let’s Understand the Reason for Prayer.
1. Why did Paul say that we should pray? Paul said that we should pray “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2:2b-4)
2. I think Paul’s point is that prayer helps us be who we should be.
a. Prayer enables us to live peaceful and quiet lives (when we pray, we release any inward or outward turmoil), which leads to all godliness (proper reverence for God) and holiness (proper conduct).
3. And then as prayerful people, we are able to accomplish the will of God in the world.
a. God’s will is that all people will be saved and come to a knowledge of Him.
b. This will only happen as we offer ourselves in prayer and let God work through us.
c. Prayer helps us to stay focused on God’s purposes while empowering us to live godly lives.
E. Fourth, Let’s Understand the Basis for Prayer.
1. Ultimately, the power of prayer is based on the existence of God and the work of Jesus as our Savior and Mediator.
2. Paul wrote: “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, a testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” (2:5-7)
3. We pray because there is a God, and He loves us very much.
4. The reason we can approach Him and be saved is the fact that Jesus created a bridge between us and God - He paid the ransom to set us free, and now He is our mediator!
5. Praise God that He loves us and made a way for us to not only be saved, but to be commissioned to do His good works in the world.
6. In addition to the common commission that all disciples of Jesus receive, Paul received a special commission as an apostle, and His mission focused on taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.
F. Finally, Let’s Develop the Right Attitude in Prayer.
1. I am going to end today’s section of verses with verse 8, even though verse 8 could be examined with verses 9-15 that follow.
a. After Paul spent the first 7 verses of chapter 2 on the priority of prayer in general and the need to pray for everyone, in verse 8 and following, he turned his attention to the different and separate roles of men and women, especially in the gathering of God’s people.
b. Next week, Lord willing, we will look at Paul’s special instructions for women.
2. But for today, we will finish up with verse 8, that gives specific instruction to men about prayer.
a. Paul wrote, “Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.” (2:8).
b. In verses 1, 4 and 5, Paul used the generic word for “man” or “mankind” (anthropos), which indicates all humans, male or female, but here in verse 8, Paul used the specific word for “men” (males), which is andras, the plural of aner.
c. As a rule andras specified adult human males in contrast to women.
d. This contrast is confirmed by the separate instructions for women that follow verse 8.
3. What did Paul want the males to do?
a. First, He wanted the men to pray – Paul used the most common words for prayer.
b. Second, He wanted the men to pray in every place – this makes the command universally applicable – it isn’t a command for just a specific time and place.
c. Third, He wanted the men to pray lifting up holy hands.
1. I believe that lifting up holy hands has more to do with spiritual condition (holy) than body position (lifted up), nevertheless, our body position can be helpful to us.
2. There are many postures for prayer found in scripture: kneeling, standing, standing with outstretched hands, sitting, bowing the head, lifting the eyes, and falling face-down on the ground.
3. But no matter which physical body position we employ in prayer, we should endeavor to approach God in purity, with holy hands.
4. That means not only confessing our sins to God, but striving to maintain pure relationships with others – which is what Paul expressed in his last phrase.
d. Finally, He wanted the men to pray without anger or argument.
1. Few things hinder our prayers more than simmering anger and bitterness, hatred and division, and gossip.
4. So, as Paul began his instructions on public worship, he basically said: “When you come together in worship, the first thing I want the men to do is to pray, and they should do it with holy hands lifted to the Lord, and with a spirit of love and unity.”
a. The implication is that only then will their prayers be acceptable to God and be effectual.
b. Male spiritual leadership is a controversial and combated subject in our day and time, but it is a principle that is communicated throughout the Old and New Testaments.
c. I have briefly touched on it here, because it comes up in this text, but a much more exhaustive study is necessary to clearly layout God’s plan for leadership in God’s church.
d. That is a study for another day.
Conclusion:
A. So as we draw this sermon to a close, let’s return to the general focus of the priority of prayer in our lives.
1. Are there any changes or renewed commitments that any of us need to make in our prayer lives because of encountering God’s message today?
2. Just like in the opening illustration, do we need to take better care of the spring that feeds and nourishes our souls?
B. I pray that all of us will make or remake the following commitments:
1. Form a Habit - If we don’t plan to pray, chances are we won’t.
a. Spontaneity is good, but so is regularity.
2. Set no Limit - Pray about everything, pray with faith, and pray all the time.
3. Remove all Substitutes - Don’t let anything take the place of prayer.
4. Let’s remember James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
5. And why is the prayer of a righteous person powerful and effective? Because our God hears our prayers, and answers our prayers, and He is all powerful!
Resources:
• 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, Commentary by David Roper, Truth For Today Commentary
• “The Priority of Prayer” Sermon by David Owens
