We Must Pray For Our Leaders Series

“WE MUST PRAY FOR OUR LEADERS” 1 Tim. 2:1-4

FBCF – 7/4/21

Jon Daniels

INTRO – History Lesson: In the early & mid-1770’s, conflict between the 13 US colonies & England was heating up as England increased its oppression & taxation over our people on this side of the pond. More & more colonists were convinced that the British king & parliament was determined to take away their freedom & saw more & more corruption by England all around the world. Britain began preparing for war in early 1775 & the first fighting broke out in Massachusetts in April of that year. The Revolutionary War had begun. By early 1776, many of the colonists began to seriously consider cutting ties w/ England & the movement for independence began to gain some serious momentum.

A Continental Congress was elected & became the governing body during the Revolution. In June of 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution “that these united colonies are & of right ought to be free & independent states.” On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to declare independence, & on July 4, the Declaration of Independence was ratified & the battle for independence & freedom was engaged. Some 8 years later, the Treaty of Paris was signed, the war was over, & the United States of America was a free nation.

Here we are, 245 years later. We’ve been through 12 different wars. We’ve established ourselves as a major world power in every way imaginable – military, economic, education, entertainment, athletics, & other areas. We’ve stood against tyranny & oppression all around the world. We’ve helped in nearly every world disaster you can think. We’re strong! We’re free! We’re proud! We’re Americans!

And, we’re also in trouble.

- We’re immoral

o College girls on mission trip to India – Men’s idea of Western women comes from pornography

- We’re violent - Rioting in street of Los Angeles this week over a transgender man who exposed himself to little girls. Some believe he had right to do that. We are so messed up!

- We’re unspiritual & unchurched/dechurched - The "Nones" are fastest growing religious group in US now (https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2020/december/unaffiliated-are-not-unreachable-understanding-and-reaching.html)

- We’re irreligious

- We’re greedy

- We’re uncaring

- We’re desensitized

- We’re more divided than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime – We don’t agree to disagree anymore. We just disagree, dig our hard line in the sand deep, & try to destroy those who disagree w/ us.

- We’re angry – sometimes righteously angry – more often than not, just MAD

ALL of this to say – WE NEED A SWEEPING REVIVAL IN OUR LAND!

#205 – 1956 Baptist Hymnal – “Revive Us Again” – 4th stanza:

“Revive us again, Fill each heart w/ thy love,

May each soul be rekindled w/ fire from above.

Hallelujah, Thine the glory, Hallelujah, Amen

Hallelujah, Thine the glory, Revive us again!”

For that much-needed revival to come, we must pray, & pray BIG!

EXPLANATION – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

Paul continuing to instruct & disciple Timothy in those things necessary to lead the church there at Ephesus.

- Timothy needs to know & teach sound doctrine

- He needs to have some strong servants in the church w/ him.

- He needs to be ready to stand against false teachers & those who would stir up dissension w/in the church.

- He needs to keep proclaiming the Gospel, keep building up & growing the church

- He needs to maintain his own personal walk w/ the Lord –

o 1 Timothy 4:18 – “Keep a close watch on yourself…”

o 1 Timothy 6:11 – “But as for you, O man of God, flee [from sin]. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, & gentleness.”

Here in this passage, Paul is “urging” Timothy – earnestly asking him; begging & pleading w/ him – to lead the church to pray - & not just some general call to prayer, but corporately in specific ways:

- “supplications” – “requests” (NIV) – Praying for needs, usually of the person who is praying

- “prayers” – This sounds sort of general, but it truly means those prayers that only God can answer.

o Some prayers you can get involved in. Pray for someone who doesn’t have enough food. Spirit says, “You’ve got a bunch of food. Take them some.”

o But then there are those prayers that only God can answer. That’s what we are talking about here.

- “intercessions” – praying on behalf of others.

o 2 Thessalonians 3:1 – “…brothers & sisters, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly…”

- “thanksgivings” – for God hearing & answering

Paul exhorts Timothy that he must lead his church to pray. And specifically, to pray for leaders & those in authority over them. Same is true for us.