Thank you for selecting this message by Dr. James Hoffman. Dr. Hoffman preaches verse by verse through the entire book of the Bible. From all of us at Living Water of Lapine here in Central Oregon, we hope that it will encourage you and feed you spiritually. And if you would like to leave a message after the sermon, our contact information is found on the sermon page where you found this sermon. Now may God richly bless you as you listen. All right. You know, there are two takeaways from today's passage. I'm gonna just give them to you straight up. I wanna give them to you right away. I hope that they shake you up every bit as these two takeaways have shaken me to the core over the past few weeks. Let me fire two missiles at you right from our passage as we get started. And I do pray that they hit their intended target deep inside all of our hearts. Consider with me, please, that although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, He has chosen to let us help Him change the world through our prayers. Doesn't that astound you? How this works is a mystery to us because of our limited understanding. But it is a reality. And we're gonna clearly see this reality taught in our passage of Scripture today. Now, here's the second missile. Church, The slow progress of the gospel is due to our prayerlessness more than anything else. The slow progress of the gospel in reaching our community is due to our prayerlessness more than anything else. The slow progress of the gospel affecting our nation and the world is due to our prayerlessness more than anything else. Now you might be thinking, I'm overstating the issue here. But test whether I am or not on the basis of the content in today's passage. In our study of Paul's first letter to Timothy, we have seen how Paul left Timothy and Ephesus to set the church in order. Now, that context is important for us to fully grasp so that we can see what our passage is teaching today. It seems that there were some leaders in the church, they were elders, who were in authority there, and they were teaching wrong doctrines. Young Timothy was told that he had to confront them. The entire first chapter of Paul's first letter to him was filled with encouragement to build Timothy's confidence in taking on this very fearful and intimidating task. In chapter one, Paul addressed what is not to be done in the church, as he wrote about correcting these elders. Now in chapter two and three, we are about to see what is to be done and how. And Paul does not by any means beat around the bush. He immediately starts with the most pressing need. Paul gets down to the brass tacks of the most important matter that Timothy needed to correct. Chapter two begins with the words, first of all, First of all, what? First of all, the church needs to correct its thinking about its role and importance of evangelistic prayer. Look at verses one and two, second chapter of 1 Timothy. First of all then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. First of all, Well, those aren't throwaway words. Evangelistic prayer must be the first priority in our private devotions and in our public worship. How often and how fervently do we pray for our missionaries and for our evangelism? evangelistic praying apparently had been neglected in the church. Not only do we get this sense from this verse that we've just read, these verses, and what's gonna follow here, but also because of what Paul has already written in chapter one. You see, the errant elders, it seems, were the reason why evangelistic prayer was neglected. Paul said that they were, 1 Timothy 1, 7, desiring to be teachers of the law without understanding either what they were saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. So these errant teachers were making too much about the law. as though salvation could only be obtained by those who lived by Judaism. Salvation is only for those who observe the law. This exclusivism would obviously restrict evangelistic praying. So Paul advises Timothy to confront this problem with the need to pray for all men, not just those who are trying to live by the law, Jewish converts. Now, as we get further into our passage, we'll see that Paul has in mind praying for all men to be saved. In other words, evangelistic prayer. Ever since the days of Abraham, the Jews misunderstood the reason they were God's people. God wanted to redeem all of mankind through them, but instead they turned inward and had nothing at all to do with those Gentile dogs. Israel failed to reach out to the world. And Paul was concerned that this same exclusive attitude that caused Israel to fail her mission would now cripple the church. I propose to you that Paul's concern should be ours today. we may be in danger of the same sinful neglect. Evangelistic praying perhaps is not the priority that Paul here calls for it to be. As we study today's passage, please evaluate with me if we are treating the discipline of evangelistic prayer as the priority that it needs to be. Now, to help us do that, we're going to follow a five-point outline through these verses, which explain evangelistic prayer. Number one, the nature of evangelistic praying. Number two, the scope of evangelistic prayer. Number three, the benefit of evangelistic prayer. Number four, the reason for evangelistic prayer. And number five, the attitude of evangelistic prayer. So let's get started with the first one. The nature of evangelistic prayer. Please look with me at verse one again. It says, First of all then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Now, in this verse, there are four different expressions for prayer here. In the Greek, there are seven. But Paul here employs four of these words for prayer. And these four distinct words, although they're closely related, reveal what the nature of evangelistic praying is. Entreaties, there's our first word. Deasis in the Greek. The word stresses the idea of asking intently to the point of begging. Its urgency can be seen in the use of the same word in the request of the leper to Jesus, Luke 5.12. It's also used by a demoniac. Luke 8, 28 and 38. It's used by the father of a demon-possessed child, Luke 9, 38 and 40. It's used by a very distressed Simon. So it is a word that is used in all of these other contexts as begging, pleading diligently. Does that sound like the way we pray? Evangelistic praying requires a heart that actually cares enough for the unsaved to urgently plead. This earnest attitude was was encouraged by a Puritan preacher back in the 1700s, just before the powerful revival, which we call today the Great Awakening. And when I first read this, I thought, is it any wonder why those people got to experience a revival? Here's what he preached. Oh, if you have the hearts of Christians, let them yearn towards your poor, ignorant, ungodly neighbors. Alas, there is but a step betwixt them and death and hell. How many hundreds of diseases are ready to seize upon them? And if they die unregenerate, they are lost forever. Have you hearts of rock that cannot pity men in such cases as this? If you believe not the word of God and the danger of sinners, why are you Christians yourselves? If you believe it, why do you not bestir yourself in the helping of others? Do you not care who is damned as long as you be saved? Dost thou live close by them, or meet them in the streets, or labor with them, or travel with them, or sit and talk with them, and say nothing to them of their souls or of the life to come? If their houses were on fire, thou wouldst run and help them. And wilt thou not help them when their souls are almost at the fires of hell? The nature of evangelistic praying is a heart that cares and fervently pleads on behalf of others' salvation. Now, the next word that Paul used that also shows us the nature of evangelistic praying is the Greek word prosuche. This is a more general word for prayer. However, this type of prayer does carry a unique element to the concept of worship. It focuses on giving God glory for the answer he will bring. So evangelistic prayer looks ahead, anticipating those who will be saved anticipating how they will be bringing glory to God in their worship as they join us in worshiping Him. Evangelistic prayer focuses on the Lord abounding in glory all the more as others come to know Him. The third word, petition, is entuchesis. This means to get involved with them. The same word is used in Romans 8.26 to describe what the Holy Spirit does for us. He intercedes on our behalf. So evangelistic prayer becomes involved with unsinners, well, with unsaved people's struggles of life. It's never detached. It's not cold. It's not impersonal. It's not like a public defender assigned to represent a criminal in a court of law who's just doing his job. It cries out to God for the well-being and ultimately for their salvation. The fourth and final word is thanksgiving. Eucharista, evangelistic prayer, thanks the Lord that we have a part in bringing the gospel to someone else. God, thank you that you've included me in your plan and changing the world. Now these four words for prayer here in verse one demonstrate the nature of evangelistic prayer. So let me put them all together now in such a way that I'm gonna ask you to examine your heart. Number one. Do you fully realize the desperate condition that your lost friends and family members are in? Do you really want to see God glorified by the salvation of souls? Do you sympathize with the compelling reality of being condemned for eternity? Are you thankful that God has given you the mission to evangelize the lost? Now, if the answer is no to any of those questions, then we're indifferent. And church, the slow progress of the gospel is due to our evangelistic prayerlessness more than anything else. We have seen, number one, the nature of evangelistic prayer. Now, let's look at number two, the scope of evangelistic prayer. Picking up with the last part of verse one and reading into the first part of verse two. Be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions. Oh, there's no place for selfishness. There's no place for exclusivity. And what this means for the modern day church is that we must not keep our prayers narrowly confined and centered primarily on our circle of family and friends and what our felt needs are. We need to expand our prayer lists to those we don't know. We need to expand our prayer list to even those we don't like. The scope of evangelistic prayer is for all men. In other words, every kind of person. Pray for everyone. Not a single person. is to be omitted or left out. We are to pray for all persons, the high and the low, the educated, the uneducated, the important, the unimportant, the rich, the poor, the leader, the followers, the young, the old, the friend, the enemy. Do you pray evangelistically for the leaders of the gay rights movement? Do you pray evangelistically for those who upset you as you watch television news broadcasts? Or those who upset you at work? Or at school? Do you pray evangelistically for the producers of the filth that permeates our prime time television? Do you pray evangelistically for the terrorists who plot America's destruction. When Paul asks us to pray for all men, this does not mean everyone who has lived. We can never do that, that would be impossible. All men here means mankind without distinction. In other words, all kinds of people. We are to pray for anyone, including, government leaders and politicians. We live in such a politically charged atmosphere today. There is so much bitterness and animosity. But if we believe the word of God, neglecting to pray for government leaders and politicians is simply defiance, it's serious sin. One of the biggest tests of our prayer life is whether or not we can honestly pray for those we feel threatened by. You know, Jesus was quite clear, pray for those who persecute you, Matthew 5, 44. Paul says that Christians are to pray for public officials, and I take that to mean the prayers that we are to be praying for public officials need to be made publicly in church. bring this up to date. I think he is saying that Democrats ought to be praying for Republicans. And Republicans ought to be praying for the Democrats. The thought of praying for evil politicians is shocking to some people. But remember, when Paul wrote this, Nero was on the throne in Rome. And he said, pray. for Nero, the king and for the emperor. Nero had already burned Rome and had blamed it on the Christian believers when Paul wrote this. In fact, he was presently launching a violent persecution against the believers. Not only were the Christians denied certain privileges in society, some were even publicly butchered, burned, and fed to lions. But believers were taught to support the government and those in authority, not rebel against it. Donald Guthrie says the Christian attitude toward the state is of utmost importance. Whether the civil authorities are perverted or not, they must be made subjects for prayer. For Christian citizens may in this way influence the course of national affairs. a fact often forgotten, except in a time of special crisis. Matthew Henry writes, pray for kings, though the kings at this time were heathens, enemies to Christianity, the persecutor of Christians, because it is for the public good that there should be civil government and proper persons entrusted with the administration of it. Now, if we as a church today took our admonition here to pray for our leaders more seriously, I have little doubt that we would see a much greater impact on our nation and world and ourselves. Church, the slow progress of the gospel is due to our evangelistic prayerlessness more than anything else. From today's passage, we have seen the nature of evangelistic prayer, and we have seen the scope of evangelistic prayer. It's now time for us to look at the benefit of evangelistic prayer. Now, Paul put it in a twofold way here in verse two. First, he wrote that we may lead a peaceful, quiet life. Now, Paul's desire for a quiet life doesn't mean that he simply seeks personal tranquility for Christians. What is sought is the best conditions for expanding God's kingdom, not simply a personal, peaceful life. In light of the context, the purpose of this verse is to encourage prayer for an orderly society in which the gospel will be able to continue to go out. and reach others. His goal, and all-consuming compassion, is that the gospel might freely penetrate society, which happens most effectively in a peaceful context. But it is not only so that the messengers of the gospel may be unhindered. Evangelistic prayer also has its effect on us. And there's something that is accomplished inside of us when we pray evangelistically. There's a sense of godliness and dignity that grows, which Paul writes about in these verses. The Greek word for godliness most closely means realism. Realism about life. You see, that intensifies in us when we pray evangelistically. We develop a different consciousness about everything that is happening around us. We awaken from Satan's delusions and we live realistically. It's been described as hearing the footsteps of people marching into hell. We understand more realistically what's happening to the masses of people around us, why they act the way they do, and the forces that are at work in society. Compassion replaces anger. There's a change that happens in us when we pray evangelistically. That's why Paul used the second word, which my Bible translates dignified here in this verse. The word semnotes, it has the meaning of courteous understanding. We understand that people are not the problem, they're the victims. So the effect that evangelistic prayer has on us is that we become courteous to people. praying evangelistically will have us pass through life with a graceful dignity is what Paul is saying here. Graceful dignity is itself an attraction to the gospel. Church, the slow progress of the gospel is due to evangelistic prayerlessness more than anything else. Let's move on now to number four, the reason for evangelistic prayer. Verses three through seven. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this, I was appointed a preacher and an apostle. I am telling the truth, I'm not lying. A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. In short, Prayer for the lost is the proper thing because it is good and pleasing in the sight of God. He desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Uh-oh, pastor, did you really say that? Yes, because the scripture said it. But how can this be true? If this is true, if God desires all men to be saved, why doesn't He just save them? In Hebrews 12, verse two, a scripture writer wrote that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. Jesus authors, He creates. and he perfects faith in us. So the obvious question, why doesn't he simply author and perfect faith in everybody? If he has the desire and the ability to do it, then why doesn't he? And there's further problems that this verse seems to create here. How can this verse and verses that teach about predestination both be true. If God considers all, he desires for all men to be saved, why does he only predestinate a few to be saved and not the whole human race? So, should we just rip this verse out of our Bibles? No. The easiest way for me to answer what looks like a problem here is for you to go back with me and look again at the verse we started with in our passage here today. Verse one, it says, first of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Does this first mean that we are to go to the Deschutes County Records Office and pray for everyone who's ever been born in this county? And then go to our state, and then our country, and go through all the records offices in order to be obedient to this passage to pray for all people? No, that's not Paul's meaning of all men, is it? Of course, it wouldn't even be possible. Remember, Paul wanted Timothy to confront the exclusive Jewish attitude in the church where Timothy was, which thought that salvation was only to be offered to certain people, those who were obeying the law. The exclusive Jewish attitude had no desire whatsoever to offer salvation to those who they didn't see as worthy of it. And so Paul told Timothy to have the church pray evangelistically for all types of people without distinction from all walks of life. And when Paul wrote all men there in verse one, that was his meaning. He did not tell us that we had to pray for every single human being who's ever walked the face of this earth. Now, just three verses later, Paul is still instructing Timothy how he is to confront the Jewish exclusive attitudes. And he is saying, God's desire is to save people from every nation on this terrestrial globe. The same way that Paul used these words in verse one is the same way that he uses them in verse four. All men, or all persons, means that no ethnic group is excluded. God desires that salvation will include some who are black, yellow, white, red, Jewish, Gentile, free, slave, Democrat, Republican. Watch how this also fits the context in the very next two verses. Paul goes on to write that there is not one gospel for us and another gospel for the Hottentots of South Africa. Christ is how we come to know God the Father, and it's how the Mongolians in the Southeast China come to God as well. Islam, Buddhism, and ancient Indian religions are not all equal paths to God. And therefore we must include them in our evangelistic prayers because God wants to include many of them. And he will. Verses five and six here. For there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. If we believe the common lie today, that there are several ways to God, we have no reason to pray evangelistically. We can be satisfied to just let them pursue their own way. But in doing so, we would allow them to pursue their own way into hell. There are not several paths to God, and that's why we need to pray evangelistically. God wants us to pray evangelistically for people regardless if they seem like good candidates for responding to the gospel message or not. regardless if they seem like our kind of people or not. God is gonna save some people from every walk of life. And we don't know who they are. Only God knows. But verse three says that it is pleasing in God's sight. that we evangelistically pray for all people without knowing who's gonna respond and who is not. Can you picture it? Even driving down the road and you see somebody who looks like they're in great need? Yeah, pray for their salvation. In verse seven, Paul is still striking against Jewish exclusivism by reminding them that he was commissioned by God to take the gospel to the Gentiles all around the Roman Empire. And when he says, I'm telling the truth, I'm not lying, there in verse seven, it would appear as though those false teachers were there in the church at Ephesus saying that Paul was lying about God sending him to give the gospel to the Gentiles. And so he tells him, no, I was sent by God. So far we have seen, number one, the nature of evangelistic prayer, number two, the scope of evangelistic prayer, number three, the benefit of evangelistic prayer, number four, the reason for evangelistic prayer, and this just leaves us with one more, number five, the attitude of evangelistic prayer, verse eight. I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling. I hope by now that God has been convicting you that the slow progress of the gospel is due to our evangelistic prayerlessness more than anything else. And if God has been convicting you, You're probably ready for, how do we do this? And we see it here in this verse. Having urged Timothy to make prayer his top priority in ministry, Paul explained how it should be implemented churchwide. He wanted people in every place to pray. He didn't want them just to construct a special building where that's the only place that they would go to pray. He didn't want them to consecrate some special spot and that's the only place where you can go to pray. He didn't want them to reserve a special time, and that's the only time he can pray. He didn't want any of that. Now, there's nothing wrong if you have a prayer closet, if you have a war room, if you have some place where you do go that you've dedicated, God bless you. Use that, but don't only use that. When you're driving down the road, when you're in the store, Pray everywhere. D.L. Moody is quoted as saying, Satan will do anything to keep you from praying, even if it means adjusting a window shade. Has that ever happened to you? You settle down to pray and you're really getting, oh, there's a fly buzzing around. Any distraction that comes. Evangelistic praying demands that I be in right relationship with God, and that's the holy hands part of it. That I've confessed my sin, I'm being honest before God, coming before him empty. And then he says, evangelistic prayer demands that we come without anger and quarreling. that we do everything we can to be right with our fellow believers and with others. You know, mouthing all the right words while holding on to unresolved conflict is the wrong way to pray evangelistically. Our goal needs to be to be in right relationship with God and with others so that we can pray evangelistically. Now, if God has been speaking to you today, if God has been calling you to the priority of evangelistic prayer, then I'm gonna ask you to rededicate your life to this discipline. Start by driving through your neighborhood and praying for those who live near you. Begin praying for people that you see every day. In your normal course of life, pray for the grocery checker. You know, one of the greatest thrills that I'm receiving is telling a grocery clerk as she's doing the groceries there and adding them all up and just saying, you know what? I'm a pastor and I love praying for people. How can I pray for you? What? After they get over the shock, it's amazing how many of them just spill it out. Thank you for asking. Please pray for this. You don't have to know the people that you're praying for. It's nice if you can tell them that you're praying for them. Pray for people who upset you. Pray as you watch the news, as you watch television, And yes, pray for our government leaders.