1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,960
1 Timothy chapter 1 was kind of an introduction.

2
00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:16,040
It was Paul letting us know that he wrote the letter and letting us know that he wrote

3
00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:17,040
it to Timothy.

4
00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:24,200
And Timothy is a preacher in Ephesus and Paul is getting ready to give Timothy some instruction

5
00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,740
on things to watch out for and things to tell the people there.

6
00:00:28,740 --> 00:00:36,920
And so tonight in chapter 2 kind of begins that instruction that Paul is giving to Timothy.

7
00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:43,600
First Timothy chapter 2 verse 1 is where we will begin.

8
00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:45,480
Let's pray and we'll get started.

9
00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:47,120
Father God we come to you.

10
00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:48,600
We thank you for a beautiful day.

11
00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:53,560
We thank you for the sunshine and we thank you for giving us the freedom to come here.

12
00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,320
I thank you for these words dear Lord.

13
00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:56,840
I pray that we would take them to heart.

14
00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:01,160
I pray that you would help me to preach and teach in a way that brings glory to you.

15
00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:05,640
I pray that your Holy Spirit would just guide me in the words to say that you would open

16
00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,040
our ears and open our hearts to hear from you dear Lord.

17
00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,280
And I pray that you give us a good night tonight.

18
00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,040
And I ask these things in Jesus name.

19
00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:15,040
Amen.

20
00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:16,040
Amen.

21
00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:17,040
All right.

22
00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:22,160
First Timothy chapter 2 verse 1.

23
00:01:22,160 --> 00:01:29,720
First of all then I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for

24
00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,180
everyone.

25
00:01:31,180 --> 00:01:36,120
So here at the very beginning of his instruction first of all the first thing.

26
00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:41,440
Now whether he's saying look this is of great significance is why I list it first or maybe

27
00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,160
he's saying this is the first thing that you need to do.

28
00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,700
This is the most important thing when you come together is pray.

29
00:01:47,700 --> 00:01:51,880
It's not certain exactly what he means there but we can be sure that it is important.

30
00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,840
What Paul is saying here is that prayer is important.

31
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,360
It should be important for Timothy.

32
00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,840
It should be important for his audience.

33
00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,240
It's important for you and I today.

34
00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:06,760
And so he says first of all then I urge that petitions or some of your translations may

35
00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:11,860
say supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving.

36
00:02:11,860 --> 00:02:15,340
So he kind of outlines what our prayer life should look like.

37
00:02:15,340 --> 00:02:18,920
So the first thing he says is petitions or supplications.

38
00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:23,200
Well supplication basically means you're asking for something.

39
00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:24,200
You have a need.

40
00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:25,200
There's something you need.

41
00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,720
God I need you to provide for me in this way.

42
00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,940
And so many times our prayers probably include that.

43
00:02:30,940 --> 00:02:33,320
We probably go to God often with supplications.

44
00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,120
We're saying God there's a need.

45
00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,280
There's something that's going on.

46
00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:38,760
God please provide for me.

47
00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:39,760
God please help me.

48
00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,480
And it's good for us to pray in that way.

49
00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:46,280
If we cannot seek God and ask him to provide for us then who can we seek?

50
00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,160
Well there's no one else we can seek.

51
00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:52,920
And so we pray to God for our needs because he's the only one that we can go to.

52
00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:55,760
He is the only one who can meet our needs.

53
00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:58,200
And God certainly does meet our needs.

54
00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,360
And that's why Jesus said look don't worry about the things of the world.

55
00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,880
God knows your needs and God will provide for your needs.

56
00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,480
Now there are certainly things that we want and there are things that we need.

57
00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,920
And sometimes we kind of blur the line between those two things.

58
00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:18,080
Sometimes the things that we think we need might not be anything more than but the things

59
00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:19,120
that we want.

60
00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,380
But God does provide our needs.

61
00:03:21,380 --> 00:03:25,600
And it's not to say that we'll always have an overabundance of our needs.

62
00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,040
But God does give us what we need.

63
00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:33,200
By American standards we probably think we need a lot more than we really do.

64
00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,240
But God gives us what we need.

65
00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,880
So Jesus says don't worry about such things.

66
00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:41,680
And Paul says look pray to God for those things that you need.

67
00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,800
God hears those prayers and God wants us to pray in that way.

68
00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,040
So petitions are supplications.

69
00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,040
He says prayers.

70
00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:52,340
Now it's hard to know exactly what he means there when he just generalizes prayers.

71
00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:56,280
Perhaps he means kind of everything else that doesn't fit into one of these categories.

72
00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:00,440
Now when we look at these categories we kind of see that some of them are specific and

73
00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,260
we understand what they mean.

74
00:04:02,260 --> 00:04:06,040
But there are other things perhaps that we pray for that maybe don't fall in one of these

75
00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:07,760
four categories that he mentions.

76
00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:12,480
And so perhaps here when he says prayers he just means general things that we may bring

77
00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:13,480
before the Lord.

78
00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,840
And there are certainly many of those things that we have in our prayer life.

79
00:04:17,840 --> 00:04:18,840
Intercessions.

80
00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:23,320
Now sometimes we see intercessors in scripture.

81
00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,120
An intercessor is someone who intercedes for another.

82
00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,800
Now oftentimes when we see this in scripture it has to do with God's wrath.

83
00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,700
That God is about to bring judgment on somebody.

84
00:04:34,700 --> 00:04:39,140
And so there's someone else who intercedes, who steps in and pleads for them on their

85
00:04:39,140 --> 00:04:41,800
behalf and says God would you show them mercy?

86
00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,120
Would you show them grace?

87
00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:45,880
Would you not do this?

88
00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:50,040
We see a good example of that in Moses in the Old Testament.

89
00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:51,880
God is ready to be done with the people.

90
00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:55,080
He's brought them out of Egypt, they've sinned, they create the golden cow.

91
00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,300
I mean they do all kind of stuff and God is ready to be done with them.

92
00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:03,440
But Moses prays to God and he intercedes for the people.

93
00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:07,240
And God says okay I'm not going to bring this punishment on them.

94
00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:11,360
A better example of intercession is Jesus Christ himself.

95
00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,960
The Bible tells us that Jesus intercedes for us.

96
00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,120
How does Jesus intercedes for us?

97
00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:19,960
Well he went to the cross for us.

98
00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:21,320
He was nailed to the cross.

99
00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:26,720
He suffered and bled and died and he took the punishment that you and I deserve so that

100
00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:28,520
he can intercede for us.

101
00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:34,240
So that we can receive God's grace and God's mercy even though we deserve the justice of

102
00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:39,400
God we receive the mercy and the grace of God through the work of Jesus Christ.

103
00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:44,040
So that's the most beautiful example of intercession that we see.

104
00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:48,800
Perhaps sometimes we pray for intercession for something that's going on, a conflict

105
00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:53,120
we see in the world or somebody that we know that's close to us.

106
00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,740
Somebody who's not walking with the Lord.

107
00:05:55,740 --> 00:05:58,840
Somebody who's rejecting the Lord and living in sin.

108
00:05:58,840 --> 00:06:03,520
Perhaps we pray for them and in some way that's an intercession.

109
00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,220
Perhaps there are other ways that we intercede maybe that don't have to do with God's judgment

110
00:06:07,220 --> 00:06:10,160
even though we see those types of examples in scripture.

111
00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:14,000
But we're constantly lifting people up in prayer.

112
00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,720
We're going before God on behalf of somebody else.

113
00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,400
God help this person.

114
00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:20,800
Dear Lord this person is sick.

115
00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,080
This person is struggling.

116
00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,280
This person's going through this or that or the other or whatever.

117
00:06:25,280 --> 00:06:28,840
And so we pray on behalf of other people and that's good.

118
00:06:28,840 --> 00:06:32,280
So we pray for our own needs that God would provide for us.

119
00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:33,280
We see that here.

120
00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:38,160
We have kind of our general prayers that we pray, things that may be going on in our life

121
00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:39,960
or whatever it may be.

122
00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:44,200
The prayers of intercession where we pray for somebody else.

123
00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:45,960
We plead to God on their behalf.

124
00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:51,020
Maybe that God would give them mercy or maybe it would be from sin that they're walking

125
00:06:51,020 --> 00:06:54,280
in that God would give them mercy and not judge them but be patient with them that they

126
00:06:54,280 --> 00:06:55,800
would come to him.

127
00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,880
Maybe we pray for God's mercy for those who are sick, who are suffering, who are struggling.

128
00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:02,360
We intercede for them in some way.

129
00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,840
And then he says here, and thanksgiving be made for everyone.

130
00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:09,540
So all of these things he said are for everyone.

131
00:07:09,540 --> 00:07:11,560
We need to be in prayer for people.

132
00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,480
And the last one there is thanksgiving.

133
00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:16,200
Do we thank God enough?

134
00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:17,200
Maybe we do.

135
00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:21,880
Maybe we're very thankful in our prayers but there are also probably times that we get

136
00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:26,760
so caught up with our own needs that maybe we don't even make it past that in our prayers.

137
00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,680
I mean after all our lives are pretty tough.

138
00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,880
I mean we have a lot going on.

139
00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:31,880
Our lives are tough.

140
00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:33,120
Our jobs are tough.

141
00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,800
Our family lives sometimes are tough.

142
00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:36,920
Sometimes church is tough.

143
00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:41,320
I mean there's a million things in our life that are tough and times that we struggle

144
00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,360
and perhaps we pray, okay God I need this.

145
00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:45,520
I need you.

146
00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:50,520
And we're praying so much for ourselves which isn't necessarily a bad thing that maybe some

147
00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:52,640
of these other things fall by the wayside.

148
00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:57,120
So it's not wrong for us to ask God to help us but we don't want to forget to pray for

149
00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,660
others and we don't want to forget to thank God.

150
00:08:00,660 --> 00:08:06,660
So many times we may allow the negative things and the hard things in our life to overshadow

151
00:08:06,660 --> 00:08:08,580
the good things in our life.

152
00:08:08,580 --> 00:08:12,300
But there are probably more good things in your life than you realize and maybe it's

153
00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:14,460
good for us to pause.

154
00:08:14,460 --> 00:08:18,440
Especially when thinking about a passage like this, it's good for us to pause and reflect

155
00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:22,900
and say okay God maybe there are some things in my life that I'm missing.

156
00:08:22,900 --> 00:08:25,680
And maybe even write those things down and say you know what God?

157
00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:26,680
I want to praise you.

158
00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:27,680
I want to thank you too.

159
00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,460
God I thank you for my job.

160
00:08:29,460 --> 00:08:33,680
Now we may be praying because our job's tough or unfair but maybe we should be grateful

161
00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:35,020
that we have a job.

162
00:08:35,020 --> 00:08:36,960
So maybe we're praying for both of those things.

163
00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:38,720
God thank you for my job but it's tough.

164
00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:39,960
I need help with it.

165
00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:43,580
And so sometimes maybe those things kind of interact with each other.

166
00:08:43,580 --> 00:08:46,160
But there are lots of things perhaps that we can be thankful for.

167
00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:47,800
That we can sit in here tonight.

168
00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:52,800
That's a real blessing that I think we probably take for granted sometimes because there are

169
00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:58,320
brothers and sisters in Christ around the world that long for the opportunity to sit

170
00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:03,720
with other brothers and sisters in Christ and sing praises to the Lord and read God's

171
00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,040
word together.

172
00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:06,040
But yet they can't.

173
00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,160
They can't fear persecution.

174
00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,940
In many places there are Christians who are killed on a daily basis if they are found

175
00:09:12,940 --> 00:09:15,720
with the scripture or if they are found gathering together.

176
00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:17,300
They're arrested or they're killed.

177
00:09:17,300 --> 00:09:20,520
This happens all over our world today.

178
00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:25,680
But we don't see that so much in our country and as a result we may take it for granted.

179
00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:30,760
So we need to praise God that we have this privilege that God has given us to be able

180
00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:31,920
to meet.

181
00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,720
But then as we praise God for the blessing that he gives us we also need to remember

182
00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:37,760
our brothers and sisters in Christ.

183
00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:41,560
We need to lift up those prayers and say look God we know there are people who are struggling.

184
00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:45,940
We thank you that we can come but God we pray for those who aren't able to gather.

185
00:09:45,940 --> 00:09:47,520
Those who are your children.

186
00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:51,380
And so our prayer life needs to be full of thanksgiving and requests and all of these

187
00:09:51,380 --> 00:09:52,380
things.

188
00:09:52,380 --> 00:09:56,960
So if you don't thank God for the things that are going on in your life then I encourage

189
00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:57,960
you to do that this week.

190
00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:02,040
Maybe even tonight when you get home get a piece of paper out or open up your notes app

191
00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,000
on your phone and just mark out some things.

192
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:09,800
And you might find that there are more things that you can be thankful for than you've realized.

193
00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:15,400
Then he kind of shifts gears here as he's talking about praying in verse 2.

194
00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:17,360
He says you know do these things.

195
00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:19,760
All these things should be made for everyone.

196
00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:21,360
And then he singles out a group here.

197
00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:27,360
He says for kings and all those who are in authority so that we may lead a tranquil and

198
00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:32,320
quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

199
00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,320
Okay so this is good.

200
00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,960
For kings and all those who are in authority.

201
00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,720
He says to pray for those in leadership.

202
00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,560
Now we see this kind of language in Romans chapter 13.

203
00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:46,240
We see this idea that God puts people into place.

204
00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,880
That they need to be in place.

205
00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,720
And maybe sometimes these people are for our good or perhaps sometimes God puts people

206
00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,480
in place to get our attention.

207
00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,160
Sometimes God may say okay I'm going to allow these things to happen.

208
00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,040
But we need to pray for those people who are in leadership.

209
00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:05,400
Now obviously in our country we don't have kings but there are other countries that do.

210
00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:06,400
But we do have leaders.

211
00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:07,400
We do have authorities.

212
00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,180
We do have presidents and vice presidents.

213
00:11:10,180 --> 00:11:12,480
These are the people who are making decisions.

214
00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,240
Who are passing laws.

215
00:11:14,240 --> 00:11:17,360
Either for the good or for the bad of this country.

216
00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,520
Now when it comes to politics we're not going to open that can of worms because half of

217
00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,200
you are going to think something's for good and half of you is going to think it's the

218
00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:25,800
worst thing ever.

219
00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,520
But nonetheless these people are in charge and God calls us to respect those who are

220
00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:31,520
in authority.

221
00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:32,960
And what does it say here?

222
00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:34,080
What does Paul say?

223
00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:35,600
He says to pray for them.

224
00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:41,680
To lift these requests up for these kings and presidents that we pray for them.

225
00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:43,440
That we pray that God would be with them.

226
00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:45,160
That we pray that God would lead them.

227
00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:47,280
That we pray that they would make good decisions.

228
00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:48,280
Why?

229
00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:52,120
Because the decisions that they make are going to affect Christians.

230
00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:58,160
Now many times throughout the centuries you see governments that are opposed to Christianity.

231
00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:03,600
Even around our world today kings and rulers that want to squash out Christianity.

232
00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:05,640
That want to keep Christianity quiet.

233
00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:11,440
And so it's important that there are good leaders that allow God's people to worship

234
00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:12,440
him freely.

235
00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:16,000
That continue to spread the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

236
00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,560
And so what does Paul say?

237
00:12:17,560 --> 00:12:22,560
He says pray for those kings and those who are in authority.

238
00:12:22,560 --> 00:12:24,060
And for what reason he said?

239
00:12:24,060 --> 00:12:30,000
So that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.

240
00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,280
Now if our leaders do a good job then it's going to result in a good country.

241
00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:35,880
It's going to result in some peace.

242
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:40,440
It's going to result in God's people being able to live in peace and worship God and

243
00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,560
serve God and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to people.

244
00:12:44,560 --> 00:12:48,440
And so he says look pray for those who are in leadership.

245
00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,320
That's important for us today.

246
00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:56,920
We look at our country today and regardless of what your political affiliation is we could

247
00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,880
probably all agree that our country is not too good.

248
00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:02,240
Our country is not in a good shape.

249
00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,140
God is being taken out of a lot of things.

250
00:13:04,140 --> 00:13:08,360
The voice of Christians is trying to be silenced in many ways.

251
00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:13,640
And a lot of times there are politicians, those who have that power and authority that

252
00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:18,120
are heading up the charge to kind of try to squash Christianity.

253
00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,680
Now spoiler alert they never will.

254
00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:22,280
God's word will never be squashed.

255
00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:24,360
They will try their best.

256
00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,280
But God's word will always reign supreme.

257
00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,680
But we want there to be good leaders.

258
00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:31,480
Whether they're Republican or Democrat.

259
00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:35,640
We want there to be good Christian leaders who are led by the word of God.

260
00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,000
And so we want to pray for those people.

261
00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:40,600
We want to pray for the ones who are making those decisions.

262
00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:46,120
He says in verse 3, this is good and it pleases God our savior.

263
00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:47,120
Okay.

264
00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:48,120
He says look this is what you need to do.

265
00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:49,120
You need to pray.

266
00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,360
You need to instruct people in the way to pray.

267
00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:53,360
Why?

268
00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:54,360
This is good.

269
00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:55,360
To pray in this way.

270
00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:57,180
To pray for those who are in leadership and authority.

271
00:13:57,180 --> 00:13:58,600
This is a good thing.

272
00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,140
And this pleases God.

273
00:14:01,140 --> 00:14:06,940
So maybe next time we're tempted to complain about the president that's in office, whoever

274
00:14:06,940 --> 00:14:08,560
that may be.

275
00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:11,920
Maybe instead of complaining, maybe we should take a second and say I'm going to pray for

276
00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:12,920
him instead.

277
00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,640
Now that's probably hard to do.

278
00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,340
It's easy for us to hear what a president says.

279
00:14:17,340 --> 00:14:18,560
This president says this.

280
00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:19,560
That president says that.

281
00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,640
And boy, it's easy for us to complain.

282
00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,120
But maybe we need to pray for him as well if we don't already.

283
00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:30,560
Because this is good and it pleases God our savior who wants everyone to be saved and

284
00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:32,680
to come to the knowledge of the truth.

285
00:14:32,680 --> 00:14:39,080
Isn't that a beautiful passage that God wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge

286
00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,320
of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

287
00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:47,320
Now sadly, not everyone is going to come to faith in Jesus Christ.

288
00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:48,800
God gives us an option.

289
00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,520
He doesn't force us to do anything.

290
00:14:51,520 --> 00:14:56,360
But it's our job as Christians to go out and do the work of God.

291
00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:57,360
Because why?

292
00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:01,300
Because God desires for people to hear his gospel, to hear his word, and to come to faith

293
00:15:01,300 --> 00:15:02,440
in Jesus Christ.

294
00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,520
And what is the knowledge and truth of that gospel?

295
00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,160
Well, he tells us here in the next verse.

296
00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:09,160
Verse five.

297
00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:16,560
For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus himself, human,

298
00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:23,200
who gave himself a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

299
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:28,000
So what is the knowledge and the truth that is important that Paul wants to get out, that

300
00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,640
Timothy needs to get out to these people?

301
00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,600
The truth of the gospel is there is one God.

302
00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:34,800
There is one God.

303
00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,920
There are no multiple gods.

304
00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:42,400
There are no multiple ways to enter into the kingdom of God, to spend eternity with God.

305
00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,680
Now, sometimes we hear that in this world.

306
00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,440
People will say all religions are the same.

307
00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:52,680
And even though religions are a little different right here, all roads are going to lead to

308
00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,720
the same, same eternity.

309
00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:57,200
They're going to lead to the same end.

310
00:15:57,200 --> 00:16:02,840
And that's not true because there are many religions that worship a God or worship something

311
00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:07,460
they think is a God, but they are not worshiping God.

312
00:16:07,460 --> 00:16:12,000
And there are a lot of people that are involved in a lot of religions and all they will ever

313
00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,600
be is religious.

314
00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:15,400
They will never be righteous.

315
00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:20,800
And the road they are traveling will not lead them to God because there is only one God

316
00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,980
and there is only one mediator between God and man, Paul says.

317
00:16:24,980 --> 00:16:26,280
And who is that mediator?

318
00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:30,600
It is Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected.

319
00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:32,200
He is the mediator.

320
00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:34,000
He is the intercessor.

321
00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:37,960
And so this is the knowledge and the truth that people need to come to is that there

322
00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:43,460
is one God and there is but one way to get to God and that is through Jesus Christ.

323
00:16:43,460 --> 00:16:47,760
And all are called, all are called to come into the kingdom of God.

324
00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:49,400
And Jesus has paid the price.

325
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:56,440
It says in verse six that he gave himself a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

326
00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:00,520
So Jesus paid it all, is our intercessor, is our mediator.

327
00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:06,400
He stands between us and God and our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

328
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,920
This is the knowledge and the truth of the gospel.

329
00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:14,840
So Paul says, look, I'm instructing you, Timothy, this is what's important.

330
00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:16,260
Prayer is important.

331
00:17:16,260 --> 00:17:18,600
Praying for those in leadership is important.

332
00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:23,760
These are things that please God that people will come to a knowledge and truth of God.

333
00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:29,240
That there is but one God, there is but one way to God, it is Jesus Christ and Jesus has

334
00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,040
paid it all on our behalf.

335
00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:37,120
Verse seven, for this I was appointed a herald, an apostle.

336
00:17:37,120 --> 00:17:38,280
I am telling the truth.

337
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:39,920
I am not lying.

338
00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:44,880
And the teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

339
00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:46,280
So what does Paul say?

340
00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,280
He says, look, this is the truth of the gospel.

341
00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:51,320
I just told it to you.

342
00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,640
There's one God and there's one mediator.

343
00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:54,960
There's one savior.

344
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,280
It's Jesus Christ.

345
00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,560
And Paul said, I was appointed to spread this news.

346
00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:04,200
Now Paul, and particularly to the Gentiles, but to anybody really that would listen.

347
00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:10,320
I mean, Paul certainly would preach the gospel to a Jew should he encounter one, but he typically

348
00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:12,400
went out among the Gentile people.

349
00:18:12,400 --> 00:18:14,080
Now Paul says here that he's an apostle.

350
00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,200
Now you and I are not apostles in that way.

351
00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,920
Jesus certainly had apostles when he was alive.

352
00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:25,840
And we see even here after Jesus's death and resurrection that Paul is called an apostle.

353
00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:29,640
This is one of the positions that we see in the New Testament.

354
00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:34,040
Now you and I here today are not apostles, but we're certainly called by God, those who

355
00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:36,440
have put their faith in Jesus Christ.

356
00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,560
God certainly wants us to serve him in some way.

357
00:18:39,560 --> 00:18:44,000
And we need to be about God's work of getting the truth of this gospel out.

358
00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:45,000
In whatever way we can.

359
00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,120
It doesn't mean we all have to preach.

360
00:18:47,120 --> 00:18:51,600
It doesn't mean we all have to be experts in the Bible, but we, at the very least, if

361
00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:56,000
we're Christians, we understand the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

362
00:18:56,000 --> 00:19:01,160
And that is that we are sinners, that we are in need of a savior, and Jesus Christ is that

363
00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:02,340
only savior.

364
00:19:02,340 --> 00:19:06,080
And when we come to Jesus Christ, we have eternal life in him.

365
00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,760
We understand those basics of Christianity.

366
00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:15,020
If you don't understand that, then maybe you're not a Christian, but if you are a Christian,

367
00:19:15,020 --> 00:19:18,880
then you have to understand that, that we have to repent, that we have to acknowledge

368
00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:20,360
that we are sinners.

369
00:19:20,360 --> 00:19:24,320
And so that very truth is the truth that we want our world to know.

370
00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:29,080
And whatever way we can serve God, whether it's helping other people, whether it's praying

371
00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:33,520
for them, whether it's telling them a scripture, if God's put something on your heart in some

372
00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:35,640
way that you can reach somebody.

373
00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:40,760
You know, there are ways that God calls us to serve in our families and in our jobs and

374
00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:42,440
in our churches.

375
00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,520
And we want to be about the work of God, just as Paul was.

376
00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,620
Now, we're not missionaries and we're not apostles and we're not preachers, all of us.

377
00:19:49,620 --> 00:19:52,120
But as Christians, we are all called to do the work of God.

378
00:19:52,120 --> 00:19:57,920
I think we are all called to let people know the knowledge and the truth of God's word.

379
00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,440
And what's the number one thing Paul says is to pray.

380
00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:05,620
And that's the best place for us to start, is to pray, to pray that God would help strengthen

381
00:20:05,620 --> 00:20:10,720
us, to pray for our needs, to pray for others, to pray that God would show us opportunities,

382
00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:15,240
to pray that God would give us the strength in the words and those opportunities that

383
00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:20,120
we can serve him, that we can get the knowledge and the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ

384
00:20:20,120 --> 00:20:22,560
to a world that desperately needs us.

385
00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:23,560
Let's pray.

386
00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,040
Father God, we come to you, we thank you for these words.

387
00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:30,760
And dear Lord, I pray that you would help us to be obedient in prayer.

388
00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,380
Maybe we pray to you often, maybe we don't pray to you enough.

389
00:20:34,380 --> 00:20:38,240
Maybe dear Lord, sometimes our prayers are kind of selfish and God, we certainly want

390
00:20:38,240 --> 00:20:42,960
to pray to you and seek you for our needs because we need you dear Lord.

391
00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:47,800
But I pray that we would be found faithful to intercede for others and just to lift up

392
00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,840
other areas of prayer, dear Lord, that may come to our heart.

393
00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,040
I pray God that we would be thankful to you.

394
00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,080
God, I thank you for Jesus Christ tonight.

395
00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:01,640
I thank you for the freedom to come into this room, to this building.

396
00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,240
I thank you for all the ones who are here.

397
00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,800
I thank you for this church and for being good to us, dear Lord.

398
00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,360
I thank you for our country.

399
00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:12,240
I pray for our leaders, dear Lord, as your word says and calls us to.

400
00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:14,680
God, it's not always easy to do.

401
00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:19,200
God, sometimes we are frustrated with those in leadership, but God, I pray that you'd

402
00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:23,360
be with them, that they would make better choices, choices that would bring glory to

403
00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:26,680
you, that you'd put your word in their path and you'd put your people in their path, dear

404
00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:30,200
Lord, that they would do what is right for your kingdom.

405
00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:34,840
God, I pray that you would help us to know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that

406
00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:39,920
we would stand on that truth and that we would do our best to live that truth in a world

407
00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,040
that needs to see it, that they would see it in us, dear Lord, that they would not see

408
00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,960
us, but that they would see you in us.

409
00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,160
And I ask these things in Jesus' name.

410
00:21:48,160 --> 00:22:00,600
Amen.