A Starting Place For Successful Ministry

Sermon: A Starting Place for Successful Ministry

Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:1-6

1Ti 2:1 ¶ 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; 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.

5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Introduction: The Apostle Paul who had invested so much in the life of young Timothy, helps him prepare for a new beginning by offering him a starting place for success. I believe this is also a starting place for successful ministers as we prepare others to make it on their own. Timothy had been left at Ephesus to manage the affairs of the church; there in the absence of Paul, who in this Epistle directs him as to how to manage this assignment. How exciting it must have been for Timothy to take the leadership in this Church. Paul had met him and his family on his first trip to Lystra or Derbe. These cities which were visited and evangelized by Paul on his 1st missionary journey. Timothy’s father was a Gentile and his mother was a devout Jew. Paul was instrumental in making sure that Timothy was circumcised according to Jewish custom and then ordain for ministry by the laying on of hands by the presbytery. This was done so that young Timothy would be free to minister among Jews and Gentiles without opposition.

We as leaders are to provide for the next generation, our Churches, and our families as best we can, but also to prepare them for the future. I wanted to talk about “A Starting Place for Successful Ministry” as we prepare the church to face uncertain times. We must help our generation get ready to face the future. All leaders face the same challenge. It is the one place where we all meet together on level ground. Both saints and sinners tend to make mistakes because we fail to hold to the only training manual we have: The Holy Bible. Without the word of God as our guide, many of my personal goals become selfish and limited. Our goals become worldly, we wanted to buy a house, or get a new car, or make more money, in other words most of my goals early on were all about me, myself and I. How do we prepare our sons to be men of God? How do we prepare our daughters to be women of God?

Lest young Timothy, Paul’s son in the ministry, would start setting goal for his ministry, his church, his popularity and personal interest, Paul give him “A Starting Place for Success.” A Starting Place designed to allow God to be at the center of all he would do. Young Timothy needed this advice, not because he is young, restless, unruly or carnal. On the contrary, Timothy is quite a good, godly young man, raised by a godly Grandmother and mother, who walked in the faith, taught him the scriptures and to strictly observed the Jewish rituals. Yet every new beginning requires a new focus.

Any time, we undertake new responsibilities, begin a new year, take on a new job, or desire to improve or change, we need a new focus. Every day, we experience things that can distract us, turn us, detain us and even stop our progress. Every one of us desire to see a better world, filled with better family. The apostle Paul gives us some specific things we can do to help the world be a better place. Listen as Paul offers young Timothy three powerful suggestions in the text. If Timothy and the Church he leads are to be successful in this phrase of ministry, he must teach them first, To pray unceasingly; Second, To live Righteously, Godly and Honestly; and Third, To evangelize fervently. If you and I as godly leaders are to be successful in preparing the church for the future, helping them develop into fruitful and faithful leaders, then we must teach them these same things. First, to pray unceasingly; Second, to live Righteously, Godly and Honestly; and Third, to evangelize fervently. Paul exhorts him to see that prayers should be made for all men.

1.To Pray Unceasingly – “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority;”