Date:   03/21/2010

Text:   1 Timothy 2:8-10

Title:   Believers at Pray

Theme: Since God has called His people to pray, our prayers are to be compatible with our lives.

Introduction:

  All eyes are on the Health Care reform bill. Before the end of today, we'll know if it will become the new law of this country. This has been in the making since the first term of president Clinton. When president Obama decided to make this reform his legacy, he pulled out all stops to make this happen. There were tremendous lobbying efforts, persuasive speeches, town hall meetings and backroom deals. Even though the final bill may not meet everyone's expectations, yet it is a major step towards the long needed health care reform. When political leaders want to realize their objectives, they will remove all barriers. Even then, there is no guarantee that it will succeed.

What happens when God revealed to us his desire that he wants all men to be saved and come to know His truth? He did something very unusual; He invited His people to pray. He is not saying that if you don't pray, then my desire would be put aside in that storage room in heaven. No, instead He says, it is my desire that all men be saved, so come now and pray.

One month ago, we learned that God calls us to pray. This call was issued in the context of what is known as House Rules for God's Family. He wants believers when gathering to worship, that they must remember to pray. Not only that, he also provided us with guidelines about what to pray. We are to pray for all men, including the leaders. Such prayers form the foundation of mission work in every church.

Today's passage continues on to instruct us how to pray. Even though this instruction is directed to men and women separately, yet the principles behind are applicable to all. Vs.8-10 develop into the topic of the roles of men and women, or more specifically, women, in the local church. We'll take a closer look at this particular topic later in the year.

In vs.8-10 we discover a simple truth that as God calls us to pray, we are to respond with both attitude and life-style.

I •  We are to pray everywhere.

“8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;…” This tells us that whenever we come to pray, man needs to pray. Have you wondered why this instruction is given to men, even though it is not inapplicable to women? In general, men are more task oriented. Men focuses on doing things and finding satisfaction in their accomplishment. When we pray, we don't feel we are as accomplishing anything and we'd rather use that time to do some things. May be for this reason, men are usually slow or even reluctant to pray. In vs.8 we notice that it is also about location.

We are to pray everywhere. This can be a reference to every place of worship. Here, the apostle Paul may be referring to Malachi 1:11, “ 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi was foretelling a day when people everywhere would be praying to God.

In one city I taught last week, the students had their daily morning prayer at 5, and an evening prayer at night. At another city, they had prayer time before the class started in the morning and afternoon. At the end of the day, there was another prayer time. Whenever and wherever God's children come together and pray, is a fulfillment of Malachi's prophesy that in every place prayers will be offered to God.

II •  We are to pray with variety of postures.

Men are instructed to pray whenever and wherever they gather. “ 8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands.” This is a reference to the purity of prayer, but also has implications for its posture. Here, men are asked to pray with hands lifted. The Bible does not ask for one single posture of prayer. Instead there are varieties of postures. Psa. 5:7, “ But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.” Ps 95:6, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down;

let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” Daniel knelt down 3 times a day to pray and offered thanksgiving to God. Jesus knelt in the garden to pray. Moses often fell face-down in the presence of the Lord. At the dedication of the temple, Solomon knelt to pray while the people all stood up.

  Lifting of hands was common in the early church. The church father Tertullian said, “We Christians pray for all the emperors, looking up to heaven, with our hands stretched out, because guiltless, with our heads uncovered, because we are not ashamed.” We also find the lifting of hands in many of the Christian artwork throughout the centuries. I still remember that my father would pray standing in front of the picture of Jesus' praying in the garden of Gethsemane .

  It is important to know that the scriptures do not mandate a certain posture when we pray. Therefore we must not let postures become an issue; that we have to pray in a particular posture.

III •  We are to pray with a pure heart.

What is more important than posture is purity. Vs.8, “ 8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;” Holy hands means clean hands, pure hearts. Sins defile our hearts and hinder our prayer. Here we are told to be free from anger and quarreling. Yes, the scriptures affirm the fact that we get angry, yet it also tells us not to let our angry feelings be expressed in sinful and wrongful ways. This passage is directed to men, telling them not to harbor anger and quarrel when they pray; but it is equally applicable to the women.

There are times when women can cause dissension in a church. However, isn't it true that men are more prone to argument? By nature, many men are competitive and want to be proven right. Men tend to argue over doctrinal matters. We are critical of others' view on certain doctrines. We can get into the nitty gritty of different doctrines. Once our minds are made, it is hard for us to change. We like to argue and prove our point on whether or not Jesus will return prior, during or after the tribulations. We like to discuss and argue about whether it is a 6 day or 6 periods of creation. There are also plenty of discussions and arguments about worship styles and worship order. It has to be done in a certain way. We have the tendency to confuse the peripheral personal convictions with the core of our beliefs. Instead of a reasonable dialogue, we make it into life or death matters.

Not only we quarrel and get all worked up, it is also difficult for us to reconcile. Even though we may say, it is nothing, I am ok, misgivings are often buried deep within us. While I was teaching in china, I heard so many stories about churches splitting. Almost without exception, it was men who left and started a new church. Such anger and quarrel are not healthy to church life, especially when we come together to pray. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:23-24, “ 23 "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you," 24 "leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."” Jesus wants us to be reconciled first, before we come to worship him.

Paul is telling Timothy that when we pray to God, in public or in private, we must have a right relationship with those around us. There is a clear connection between how we relate to others and our prayers. In 1Peter 3:7, “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” A husband who is not living with his wife in an understanding way, meaning being inconsiderate, his prayers will not be heard. In counseling sessions or marriage workshops, I often remind the husbands that for our prayers to be heard, we want to make sure that we are being considerate to our wives. Paul is saying the same thing here. When we pray, we are to make sure that we are in good standing with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Certainly this is not limited to the men; it is equally applicable to the women.

IV •  We are to pray with a consistent life-style.

Now Paul turns to the women in church. Vs.9-10, “ 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”They are to pray just like the men. They too are to be freed from anger and quarrel when they pray. But there is more.

When we come to the place of worship, when we come to pray, women are to dress in respectable clothes, and not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly outfits. Paul is not saying that women cannot style their hair or wear jewelry or nice clothing. Instead he was forbidding women to wear clothes or hair style that resemble the elaborate and extravagant dress of the Roman society. He was also forbidding them to wear clothes or make-up that resembled the prostitutes of the day. They were to stay away from excessive luxury and licentiousness of that era. In today's words, we are to stay away from styles set by promiscuous pop singers and actresses. Don't dress like Lady Gaga. We are to stay away from clothes that are sexually seductive.

Instead, Paul writes that clothes and style should be modest and self-controlled. The focus is to put on good works which are appropriate for individuals who claim to worship God. Again, this is similar to Peter's teaching in 1 Peter 3:3-4,“ 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.”

This means that when people look at us, they will not notice how fashionable we are, which when done properly is nothing wrong, but rather our good works, our life-style and what is within.

Conclusion:

   During these past few months, we witness the tremendous lobby and persuasive efforts that had gone into this Health care reform bill. When political leaders want to accomplish an objective, sometimes they will do everything within their means to make it happen, even at the expense of certain basic principles.

When God wanted to fulfill his desire of wanting every person to be saved and to come to know the truth, he did something very mysterious. He invited His followers to come and pray. He is not saying, if you pray, then this will happen. If you don't pray, then it will not happen. Instead He is saying, this is my desire and my kingdom will go from here to the end of the world. And I want you to come and pray. Because this is such a noble cause, it is about God's desire and the salvation of many, he also wants us to remove every barrier that will hinder our prayers.

  He wants His people to be free from anger and quarreling. When we pray, there must be the unity and harmony among the believers. He also wants us to put on clothes that radiate modesty, self control and inner beauty. Prayer is more than words; it has to be accompanied by good works, a life-style that reflects His beauty.