The Ridge Abilene
A Praying Church in a Lost World

      • 2 Corinthians 9:7NKJV

  • My Jesus
  • My God Is All I Need
  • There Is A Name I Love To Hear

      • 1 Timothy 2:1–7NKJV

  • His Glory and My Good
  • 1 Timothy 2:1–7 (NKJV) Series: The Household of God

    Introduction

    Church family, take your Bible and turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter 2.
    In the previous passage, Paul charged Timothy to fight the good fight. He reminded us that the gospel is a sacred trust, that faith must be guarded, and that a careless conscience leads to shipwreck.
    Now Paul tells us how the church fights.
    Not first with strategy. Not with political power. Not with cultural influence.
    But with prayer.
    Notice how chapter 2 begins:
    “Therefore…”
    That word connects this passage directly to the battle imagery of chapter 1. Paul is saying, “If you want to fight the good fight, prayer must come first.”
    A fighting church must be a praying church—or it will not fight well at all.

    Reading of the Text

    Let’s read 1 Timothy 2:1–7 together.
    1 Timothy 2:1–7 NKJV
    1 Therefore I exhort (urge) first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence (dignity). 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to 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, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
    As we walk through this passage, you’ll notice that Paul answers five key questions:
    Why prayer must be central
    Who we are to pray for
    What prayer is meant to accomplish
    What prayer reveals about God’s heart
    Why the gospel is the foundation of all true prayer
    📖 Verse 1
    “Therefore I exhort first of all…”

    I. The Priority of Prayer in the Church (v. 1)

    Paul does not say prayer is important. He says prayer is primary.
    “First of all” speaks to priority, not sequence.
    Before Paul addresses:
    Church leadership (chapter 3)
    Church conduct (chapter 2)
    Church protection from error (chapter 4)
    He addresses dependence on God.
    The church does not advance by cleverness, but by calling upon the Lord (cf. Psalm 127:1; Zechariah 4:6).

    Four Expressions of Prayer

    Paul lists four overlapping words:
    Supplications – specific needs
    Prayers – general worshipful communication
    Intercessions – standing in the gap for others
    Thanksgiving – gratitude even before answers come
    👉 Illustration (Biblical): In Acts 6:4, the apostles declared, “We will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” Prayer did not replace preaching—it powered it.
    Truth: A church that minimizes prayer reveals what it truly trusts.
    📖 Verses 1–2
    “…be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority…”

    II. The Scope of the Church’s Prayers (vs. 1-2)

    Prayer is not selective—it is expansive.
    “All men” means: all kinds of men, kings even...

    Historical Context

    Paul wrote this under Roman rule—likely during the reign of Nero.
    Paul does not say:
    Agree with rulers
    Endorse rulers
    Excuse rulers
    He says: pray for them.
    Jesus commanded the same:
    “Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
    👉 Illustration (Biblical): Jeremiah told Jewish exiles to pray for Babylon—the very nation that conquered them (Jeremiah 29:7 “7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” ).
    God’s people have always been called to pray for hostile authorities.
    Truth: Prayer keeps the church from becoming reactionary instead of redemptive.
    📖 Verse 2
    “…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”

    III. The Goal of a Praying Church (v. 2)

    This is not a prayer for comfort—it is a prayer for stability.
    Paul is not asking God to remove opposition, but to restrain chaos so the gospel can move freely.
    Paul experienced persecution, imprisonment, and suffering—yet he prayed for peace because peace creates space for witness (cf. Acts 9:31).
    👉 Illustration (Biblical): In Acts 16, Paul preached in peace and in prison. But peace allowed the gospel to spread farther, faster, and deeper.
    Truth: Godly living in a hostile world is itself a powerful testimony.
    📖 Verses 3–4
    “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved…”

    IV. The Heart of God Behind the Call to Prayer (vs. 3-4)

    Prayer pleases God because it aligns us with His heart.
    This does not teach universal salvation. Scripture is clear that salvation requires repentance and faith (cf. John 3:18; Acts 4:12).
    Rather, Paul reveals God’s saving disposition:
    God is not indifferent
    God is not cruel
    God delights in mercy
    👉 Illustration (Biblical): God delayed judgment in Noah’s day because He was patient (1 Peter 3:20). Patience does not cancel justice—it postpones it for mercy’s sake.
    Truth: A praying church reflects God’s missionary heart.
    📖 Verses 5–6
    “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus…”

    V. The Foundation of Prayer: One Mediator (vs. 5-6)

    Prayer works because of who stands between God and us.
    Not saints
    Not priests
    Not pastors
    Only Christ.
    Jesus is the Mediator because:
    He is fully God
    He is fully man
    He gave Himself as a ransom
    “He gave Himself a ransom for all…”
    This speaks of substitution, not automatic salvation (cf. Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
    👉 Illustration (Biblical): In Exodus 32, Moses stood between God and Israel, pleading for mercy. Christ does not merely plead—He pays.
    Truth: Prayer is effective because Christ’s cross is sufficient.
    📖 Verse 7
    Paul connects:
    Prayer
    Preaching
    Mission
    “For which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle…”

    VI. The Church’s Role in God’s Redemptive Plan (v. 7)

    A praying church is not passive—it is participatory.
    Prayer fuels proclamation. Proclamation fulfills God’s purpose.
    👉 Illustration (Biblical): In Acts 13, the church prayed—and God sent missionaries. Prayer didn’t delay mission; it launched it.
    Truth: The church prays because Christ saves.

    Conclusion & Pastoral Appeal

    Paul teaches us that:
    Prayer is the church’s first work
    The scope of prayer is the whole world
    The goal of prayer is godly witness
    The heart behind prayer is God’s mercy
    The foundation of prayer is Christ alone
    If we truly believe the gospel, we will pray.
    If we truly love the lost, we will pray.
    If we truly trust Christ, we will pray.
    A praying church is a church aligned with the purposes of God.

    Gospel Invitation

    If you’re listening today and you’ve never trusted Christ, the same Savior who stands as Mediator invites you to come.
    There is one God. One Mediator. One ransom.
    And His name is Jesus.
    Amen.

      • 1 Timothy 2:1–7NKJV

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The Ridge Abilene
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