”I am urging therefore first of all, to being made entreaties, prayers, petitions, thanksgivings, on behalf of all men...”
-OK, so Paul has established that Timothy has been gifted and commanded to keep the flock at Ephesus on course and following Jesus. And it is going to be a battle, first and foremost a spiritual one, fought in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6.12). And so it is no coincidence that the very first item on Timothy’s mission checklist is... Prayer. First of all, Timothy - pray. First of ALL. Of all the things you CAN do, do THIS. Start here. Continue here. This is paramount. I am URGING you - all y’all, all God’s people - to pray. Prayer. It is THE work of the ministry. It is THE battle. The army of God marches forward on its knees. That’s exactly what Paul taught the Ephesians - God’s people suit up in God’s armor, they take up the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and they... pray (Ephesians 6.16-18). They wage battle against the forces of darkness which oppose the name and mission of the one true God, against those who take their stand against that fair Name by which we have been saved. The Company of the Redeemed fight together side-by-side, praying together, agreeing together in prayer (which is how Jesus instructed us to pray - Matthew 18.19), praying without ceasing (1Thessalonians 5.17) - at least, that’s the idea. We seem to prefer a whole lot of plans and processes and programs and promotions and then we throw in a little dash of prayer for favor.
-Au contraire. What’s the first thing you do for your faith? What’s the first thing you do in your service for the Lord? In your service on behalf of your church? Is prayer anywhere in there? We read that Jesus would go out into the wilderness to pray OFTEN (Luke 5.16 cf Luke 6.12). Does that word describe my praying? Our body? The early church devoted themselves to prayer, praying together (Acts 1.14, 2.42). The apostles devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 6.4). Teach us to pray, the disciples said (Luke 11.1). And I’m not so sure that it’s teach us HOW to pray as much as it is simply, teach us TO pray.
-And Paul says he wants prayers and petitions and thanksgivings to be made on behalf of all people. He’s not merely wanting Timothy to pray. He wants the whole assembly to be praying. Lots of prayers by everybody for everybody. Everybody needs prayer. It’s not only the blasphemers who need us to battle on their behalf. It’s the rest of the body - so many needs for which we can intercede and so many things for which to be thankful. And it’s those who are not yet following Jesus - they need to know Him, the truth about Him. They need prayer as well. First of all, pray, Paul says. Pray first, and keep on praying. Failing here, we fail ultimately.
-Different ones try to splice and dice the various words Pauls uses for prayers here. I have them as prayers of petition (which emphasize God as Provider), prayers of trust (which focus on God as sovereign), and prayers specifically of intercession (praying for others). These, and thanksgivings - so much for which to be thankful. In everything give thanks, right (1Thessalonians 5.18)? This then, is where the army of God sets out - on our knees. Lord, have mercy on us and teach us TO pray.
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