1 Timothy Message 8 Sunday 19 April 2020

A. Introduction of the Epistle 1:1-2

This introduction reveals the truth that we all make choices in life and these choices influence others. We may never even know how we have helped others by living a life that honours God. As we begin this letter, we note the identification of the writer and the recipient. –

1. Identification. We are introduced to the Apostle Paul, The Pastor Timothy, and the Church in Ephesus.

We saw the care of Paul in this ministry through –

2. Intercession:

The grace, mercy, and peace given to Timothy from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ who Paul stated is “…our hope…” Our expected end!

Based on this encouragement, Paul set forth the –

B. Charges to Timothy 1 Timothy 1:3 – 6:21a

In order to fulfil the responsibility given to him, Timothy had to make a –

1. Commitment to right Doctrine 1 Timothy 1:3-20

We spent some weeks preaching and teaching about the courage Timothy was going to have to seek from the Lord in order to commit himself completely to uphold right doctrine.

It would be good to remember that Paul has given Timothy, as pastor of the church in Ephesus, the responsibility to correct the wrongdoing in the church and instruct in knowing and doing God’s work God’s way. Timothy had to commit himself to right doctrine in order to set in order the right –

2. Conduct of the church 1 Timothy 2:1 – 3:16

We, the members of the church, are a living body – more than just an organization.
We have been placed into this body, the church, by the Lord –

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

– and are to help one another to accomplish God’s will, and to tell all those in the world that God has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world that they may be saved.

Ephesians 4:12, 15-16 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:….. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Each church is a living body unto itself. Each church has the same leader, the Head of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Just as our bodies are directed by our head, working according to the directions given by our brain, we the church body are to be directed by Jesus. This body, the church, communicates with God by receiving and sending signals, which we call reading God’s Word (receiving) and praying (sending)

Admitting that God has declared that we should know and do His will, we should begin all things in prayer. We notice that while prayer is not complicated –

1 John 5:13-14 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

– But, it is work and we must set our minds to pray as we should.

We are reminded here, along with Timothy, that we should speak to God about a variety of subjects.

Paul provided a list to help us consider the world around us and bring these things before the Lord in prayer. Our conduct in the church through –

a. Prayer 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Today we will look at verse one and the first kind of prayer Paul wrote of –

1). Supplication – seeking, realizing one’s insufficiency. 1 Timothy 2:1a

In supplication we notice –

a). The emotional struggle involved in supplicating God in prayer.
It is most informative to learn of the emotion that underlies this prayer (supplications), crying unto God, oftentimes with the whole body, soul, and spirit.

b). The examples set forth in Scripture.

(1). Jesus Christ our Lord.

This prayer was lifted up in the garden in preparation for the counsel’s accusations, the condemnation, and the crucifixion –

Luke 22:41-44 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Now consider these familiar accounts of the ministry of Jesus –

Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Luke 7:14-15 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Did any agonizing or repeated crying unto God the Father accompany any of these wonderous miracles of the Lord? All of this was accomplished by the simple act of His will. While all praying involves a determined effort to spend time with God, we see that at times, prayer (supplication) involves every part of our being, sometimes resulting in physical and emotional exhaustion to prepare us and help us to face the trials immediately coming upon us.
We learn about supplications from the experience of our Lord Jesus Christ. We also can learn from the account given in Scripture of –

(2). The church in Antioch.

This church sought the leadership of God by setting themselves apart from the necessary things of life for a time in order to focus completely on His will how to carry out His work –

Acts 13:1-3 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

We see that this time spent with God in prayer was more than casual conversation, but they set aside some things that were important to them in order to speak with God about something that had become, if we can say it like this, an emergency in their lives. They had to know what to do and they called out to God for His direction.

Another example we see is from Paul. We see that –

(3). Paul learned the importance of supplication as he began his ministry of evangelism to the Gentile world.

He (Saul) was part of the church in Antioch and learned the importance of relying on God for His leadership that he and those he ministered with might have complete confidence in Him.

Consider how many times Paul was desperate for God’s direction. What accounts do you remember? What about Acts 16:6-10. He had suggested going into Asia and Bithynia, but was forbidden by the Holy Spirit to go to these places. Do you believe he would casual in seeking guidance or do you believe he would have been making an emotional plea for direction from the Lord?
What about the time he was fearful as he began preaching in the city of Corinth

Remember Acts 18:9-10 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

or years later on the ship as they were caught in the storm with everyone thinking they could not survive –

Acts 27:23-24 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Do you think that Paul had been afraid and was calling out to God about their circumstances? He knew that God hears and answers prayer!

Paul instructed Timothy that all prayer should be founded on our complete reliance on God. Jesus told us in John 15 “…for without me ye can do nothing.” Think about that statement – “…ye can do nothing…”. We might move forward with our lives, impressing ourselves and those around us, but our labour will not please God. We are His children and we know that we cannot lose our salvation, but we can certainly lose our way and our only help will be our own strength unless we turn back to God, asking for His forgiveness and direction.

Do we understand what supplications are, what Paul is commanding Timothy to begin with? Paul is warning Timothy, telling him that the ministry he is to accomplish is more than he can do – that it is bigger than he is and the people are not just going to say “Thank you very much Timothy for pointing out the error of our ways. We are so glad that you have told us that we are wrong and need to get right with God.” These people are going to get angry with Timothy and they are going to turn against him.
Timothy was facing an emergency situation and he needed to cry unto God for help.

We may not have been given the task of a pastor to correct wrong doctrine in the church, but there are many times in our lives when we should cry unto the Lord.

I remember times that were just part of life, when I have been put into a place by others that I could not help myself and I cried out for help.

When I was very young, our family lived on a small farm in Texas. It was very primitive. I still have one of the oil lamps that we used because we had no electricity. We did not have much and I remember, even though only about 3 years old, getting a toy fire truck as a present. One day, my brother and sister took my fire truck and threw it into the tornado shelter. This was just a place dug out into the ground with some steps down to a flat area just large enough to wait for a tornado to pass by. It had a heavy door that had to be pulled up and open in order to get inside. I went down to get it and they closed that heavy door on it. There was no light, I could not see anything. The door was heavy and I could not lift it up. I asked them to pull the door open, but they just laughed. I needed to call upon someone who cared and had the power to help me. I started crying “Daddy, Daddy”. This is supplication – crying out to one that has the power and the willingness to help.

I remember times when I got myself into trouble through foolish actions and cried out for help. The time when my friend, Tom, and I were walking down the path into the Grand Canyon. We were 15 years old and acted like it. We stayed on the path for a while, but we got bored and decided to climb down the side which was a steep incline. We would get back on the path and after some time, climb down again. The last time we got off the path, Tom was going down ahead of me, and when he reached the edge, he called up and said the path was not there, it was a straight drop off to the bottom. I started to turn to go back up and the dirt began to slide out from under me. I was sliding down toward the edge with the dirt and rocks sliding with me. Tom was being hit by all of the rocks. He was holding on to small tree that was growing out of the rock outcrop. He yelled at me to stop, but I could not. I was calling to Tim to help me. He could not even see me through all of the dirt coming into his face. He put out his had and my foot hit it and he held me from going over.
That was a supplication – crying out for help and nothing I could do to help myself.

Another time I was in the hospital for surgery and suffered complications. In the middle of the night, I experienced the most pain I have ever had. The nurse could not give me extra medicine to relieve the pain. I cried unto the Lord and He reminded me of His Word. I began to quote Scripture and God’s grace was more than enough to see me through the pain until morning.

You will have times in your lives when you will cry unto God through the name of His blessed Son, Jesus Christ –
For things that people have done unto you
For things you that got yourself into through foolish actions
Through no fault of your own

We can praise Him today because we know that He hears us and knows how to bring us through each situation.

Have you called upon the Lord with all of your being, with all of your heart crying out to Him? You might say that you have not had the occasion to cry unto God in such a way.
May I suggest that you have not yet stepped out by faith to follow Him, beyond what you feel is comfortable. It may be possible that you have been holding yourself back. I encourage you this morning to follow the Lord’s admonition through the Apostle Paul as written in Romans chapter 12, verses 1 and 2 –

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Give all of yourself to the Lord today.

Today, are you saved? This should be the first thing that you do, believe in Him and call upon Him for salvation, confessing that you are a sinner and you need salvation – the only salvation to be had, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today is the day of salvation. Trust Him today.