Teach Us to Pray
1 Timothy 2:1-6
May 5, 2024 anno Domini
In these later Sundays of the Easter season Jesus teaches us how to live in His resurrection. Two weeks ago, He taught us to consider this life of sorrow and grief as just a little while. He’s coming back. Life’s going to get better soon and for a long long time. Last week He taught us that we sing a strange song as Christians. We sing of sin and righteousness and judgment. We sing of Christ and the world hates our song as it hated Him. Today, through the Apostle Paul Jesus teaches us to pray.
He teaches us to pray with supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving.
Supplication is what beggars do. You have nothing God needs. He doesn’t even need your prayers, but you need Him. Faith needs to pray. Praying doesn’t mean you have faith, but faith can never be without prayer, because faith believes that God alone gives you all you need. Without Him and His providential gifts, chaos and death would rule. When you go to pray you go as a beggar, with your hand out, because God alone can give you what is good, and beautiful, and wholesome.
Prayers are sacred words. When you pray, you are entering in to the heavenly throne room. Moses had to take his shoes off. The High Priest had to wash himself completely and put on a new set of clothes. You’ve gained entrance because Christ has washed you in His blood and cleansed you from every stain of your sins. That’s why you bow your head and fold your hands. You’re standing before the Almighty God. It might not be a bad idea to hit your knees.
Intercession is a lighter word. Intercession is what Luther had in mind when he explained the introduction to the Lord’s Prayer. God tenderly invites us to believe that He is our true Father and that we are His true children, so that with all boldness and confidence we may ask Him as dear children ask their dear father. Intercession is when you ask your dad for something. “Hey dad, can we go fishing this afternoon?” Intercession also means you think of others, “And can my friend come along?”
When you pray, you’re a beggar before a King. You’re a sinner in the presence of the Holy God, but you’re also a dear child before your Father. To keep all that straight remember Jesus. He’s the only way for beggars to receive God’s gifts, for sinners to stand in God’s presence, and for the boldness to ask God to do something for you because He loves to Love you because He’s your Father in Christ.
The fourth element of prayer is thanksgiving and thanksgiving convicts us. Most of your prayers are selfish. How do I know? Because mine are. I approach God when I’m lacking something and think I deserve better. I thank Him when I get what I want, when a conflict is avoided or a cantankerous member transfers to another church. Thanksgiving belong in every prayer, for by thanksgiving you acknowledge God’s goodness even when you’re not doing so good. You give thanks because by faith you believe you have received far more than you deserve, even when you’re struggling and in need. Thanks be to God the earth is still spinning and the sun still shining, and laws of physics are still at work so that our planet is in perfect orbit to support life. How many gifts has God given you already this morning that you never prayed for or thanked Him for? Lord, have mercy and thanks be to God.
Christians sing a strange song and pray peculiar prayers because the God of Scripture isn’t from around here. His ways and words are not our ways and words. If they were, it would be a good indication He isn’t God, but an invention of our selfish bellies. The uniqueness of Christian prayer is not only in the content – supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings, but in the object of prayer – all men, Kings, and all who are in high standing.
Do you think the Palestinians are praying for the Jews? Or vice versa? Do Republicans pray for Biden or Democrats for Trump? Who would pray for all men if it wasn’t for the church? Our president is in our prayers almost every week. It doesn’t matter his party or his polling numbers. We pray for those who are without work, who are addicted. We pray for single mom and the men who have abandoned them and their children. We pray for the married, the single, and the widowed.
This year especially we need to pray for Kings and all who are in high standing. Should we pray for a Christian nation? Absolutely. Should we work for a Christian nation? Absolutely. But let’s be clear, that doesn’t mean a nation where people are forced to be Christian. It doesn’t even mean we have to have a Christian president. What it does mean is that the people expect their leaders to govern according to God’s Word – that murder is punished, marriage is supported, parents are the authorities of their children, every human including the unborn has the right to life. A Christian nation is a nation in which the Government does what God has given it to do and doesn’t do what God has given others to do – like raise children and save the planet and define words differently than God’s Word. How does that happen? It doesn’t happen by voting. It happens by preaching. It happens by the Holy Spirit working through the Word to bring people to faith. No nation ever became Christian by force. Nations become Christian through it’s people coming to faith and gladly following God’s Word and then, expecting their leaders to rule in a Godly manner. Such a nation, a Christian nation is better for all people, believers and unbelievers. History backs that up. The alternative to Godly rulers is a President or Governor thinking he is god and running the place for himself and his selfish belly. for power and re-election.
Note this also from Paul’s letter to Timothy – the state serves its purpose for the Church. The state is to provide peace and quiet for everyone that Christians might live godly and dignified lives. The State exists so that that the Gospel might be preached, that all people even Kings and Republicans and Palestinians might be saved.
This text is only six verses, but I’m quite sure I could preach another hour. Thankfully for you, we have guest speakers here for our Bible Study hour so I’m going to cut it short.
The last thing I want to do is teach you to pray, using a method Martin Luther developed for his barber, Pete. This is Luther’s method. First read a passage of Scripture. Christians don’t speak until we’re spoken to. If you’re going to talk to your Father, you’d better use your Father’s language. Read a small passage of Scripture, maybe your favorite Bible verse, maybe today’s text. Then you pray using four letters. I T C P.
I – is for instruction. What did you learn from the text? What did it teach you about God, yourself, the world?
T – Thanksgiving. That squares with Paul. What did the text remind you to be thankful for?
C – Confess. What sins do you have to confess based on the text?
P – is for Prayer or Petition. What should I ask of God according to this Word.
Let me just say a quick prayer, using this method, based on the sermon text.
Let us pray. Lord God heavenly Father, you urge me to pray to You for all men, especially Kings and those in authority. Thank you for granting our nation good government and the peace and quietness it provides. Especially be with President Biden and Governor Walz. May their work allow your church to preach Christ and Him crucified to all people. Forgive me Lord for I fail to pray for my leaders as I should and am far more likely to grumble and complain about my lot in life. Help me to pray for all people and grant your church peace and quietness to preach Christ so that all might be saved through the One Mediator between God and man – Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. And Amen!