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Scripture: 1st Timothy 2:1-7
2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone,
2:2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.
2:3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
2:4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
2:5 For there is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human,
2:6 who gave himself a ransom for all--this was attested at the right time.
2:7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
We have before us part of Paul's letter to Timothy regarding how he should conduct himself in Ephesus. You don't need to read many of Paul's letters to Timothy to realize that as a father loves a son, Paul loved Timothy. It was important to Paul that Timothy know not only the truth from the lie, but that he know how to distinguish the truth from the lie.
Since these letters from Paul to Timothy and to the churches have come down to us through time, intact, it would appear obvious that God the Father has an interest in we, His sons and daughters in this age, amidst these confusing events happening around us, know and be aware of the same kinds of things Paul shared with Timothy.
Paul was a trained expert in things religious, having studied under the very best of that age. He knew power and he knew how to speak truth to power. Perhaps even more importantly, he knew how to discern truth and lift it out from among the growing lies of that age, even as the Father of Lies planted lies more believable than the truth.
Matthew Henry writes in his commentary on these passages, "Sin had made a quarrel between us and God; Jesus Christ is the Mediator who makes peace. He is a ransom that was to be known in due time. In the Old Testament times, His sufferings, and the glory that should follow, were spoken of as things to be revealed in the last times. Those who are saved must come to the knowledge of the truth, for that is God's appointed way to save sinners: if we do not know the truth, we cannot be ruled by it."
Now, some 2,000 years away from Paul's letter to Timothy, we find ourselves in a similar situation. "...if we do not know the truth, we cannot be ruled by it," Matthew Henry wrote. That truth stands, down through the ages just as it did when Paul wrote to Timothy, in verses 3 and 4, that God our Savior "desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." But as Matthew Henry reiterated, "if we do not know the truth, we cannot be ruled by it."
Our scripture today begins with the issue of prayer and everyone's need for prayer. We take for granted our access to the Father for our needs, to pray for the needs of others, to seek wisdom, insight, to ask for protection and leadership in our lives, to ask for healing, for intervention in our lives and the lives of others.
But what of those people outside our circle of family, friends and acquaintances?
Paul urges "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions..." And Paul does this "so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity."
We may or may not like or approve of those who have power over us, those elected or appointed to positions over us, but we still owe them the respect of their office. If they misappropriate their appointed responsibilities, we need to remove them from office. But in the meantime, we should pay rapt attention to Paul's advice.
Why? Because prayer doesn't change things; prayer changes people, and people change things. It was for people Christ went to the cross, not for situations or events, but to reunite people with God the Father.
The 17th century theologian Albert Barnes, best known among Biblical scholars for his "Barnes' Notes on the Bible," wrote of Paul's urging that we pray for those in power, "... while all people should be the subjects of prayer, those should be particularly remembered before the throne of grace who are in authority. The reason is, that so much depends on their character and plans; that the security of life, liberty, and property, depends so much on them. God has power to influence their hearts, and to incline them to what is just and equal; and hence we should pray that a divine influence may descend upon them. The salvation of a king is of itself of no more importance than that of a peasant or a slave; but the welfare of thousands may depend on him, and hence he should be made the special subject of prayer."
Incidentally, the scripture translation used here is from the International Standard Version, but in many translations, and commentaries, the word "dignity" is translated "honesty." As honesty, the reference is to our duties toward our fellow human beings -- of whatever station in life -- the decent relationships we owe to one another through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Matthew Henry, again, elaborates, "The disciples of Christ must be praying people; all, without distinction of nation, sect, rank, or party. Our duty as Christians, is summed up in two words; godliness, that is, the right worshipping of God; and honesty, that is, good conduct toward all men. These must go together: we are not truly honest, if we are not godly, and do not render to God His due; and we are not truly godly, if not honest."
The real problem in our current age, however, goes not to the issue of not praying enough, or not praying about the right people or issues, and certainly not to whom we respect or don't respect.
I submit to you the real problem is that we in this age are ignorant of scripture. In his second letter to Timothy (2nd Timothy 3:16-17), Paul writes, " All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." If all scripture is "God-breathed", given of inspiration by God, and God is truth, then we can rely on the truth of scripture. But how are we to know when something is a lie if we have ignored knowing the truth of the matter?
All throughout the Old Testament God is spoken of as being truth. In the New Testament, John 1:17 reminds us "For while the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. From John 4:24 we learn, "God is a Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
John 8:32 gives us this promise: "And you will know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free." To which we can add John 14:6 for clarity, where Jesus says, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by Me."
Knowing truth has perhaps never been more important than in this age, for Satan, the Father of Lies, is working very hard at misguiding those ignorant of truth, at misleading those unaware of truth, of leading into open rebellion against God those who will not seek out truth.
Harken back to Matthew Henry's words: "Those who are saved must come to the knowledge of the truth, for that is God's appointed way to save sinners: if we do not know the truth, we cannot be ruled by it."
The lies that would rule us are already among us, and you are going to see them showcased as truth more and more blatantly in the days to come, on the TV, in the news, in ads and interviews and movies. Not only Islamic Imams, priests, of the false god Allah would have us believe that Allah and Jehovah God are one and the same, we are seeing more and more people who claim to be ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ giving credence to this false idea. If you know anything at all of the Book of Revelation, this idea has the very scent of hell about it.
Revelation, chapters 17 and 18 document the rise and fall of one world religion, one world government. Those who neither know nor understand truth will likely be caught up in the religiosity of it all, and forfeit eternal life through their ignorance.
Now, there are also those who read, hear, skip across scripture just enough to lead themselves astray. So there is some question about whether or not the Church, the Bride of Christ, will go through this period of Tribulation described in the Book of Revelation. The letters to the seven churches make it plain the church will not, but here's the rub. I suggest that all of the church today is not necessarily covered by that promise. In other words, all that claims to be Christian today is not of the true church. This is suggested in the Revelation letter to the church in Thyatira in Chapter 2, and in Chapters 17 and 18, beginning with the first six verses of Chapter 17.
It is my urgent hope that if there are any here who still believe it is not important to understand the truth of scripture, just this bit of enlightenment will disabuse you of that notion. God has given us the information He knows we need to get through this age safely. We ignore it at our peril.
Jesus has told us there will be many who will claim to be the Messiah, many who will claim to have truth, claim to lead us to God. If we do not know the truth, how do we separate the truth from the lie?
All throughout life we will find it is so much easier to be ruled by the lie than to struggle with the truth. The lie will seem so much easier to live with, look better, taste better, feel better, meet with so much less resistance than the truth, have so many more supporters, and cost less.
Please, pray frequently, fervently, and faithfully that you might know the truth.
For here is the truth of the matter. The lie is a sin. And sin will take us further away from God, keep us so much longer, and cost us more than we ever intended. But if we do not know the truth, how shall we know the lie?
Amen.
Morning Worship Services for September 19, 2010
Invocation
Almighty God, You who created me and called me to Yourself, pour out Your Holy Spirit on me today so that I may be a wise steward of these precious gifts. In the name and spirit of Christ. Amen.
Read Psalm 3
Sermon for Sunday, September 19, 2010: "The Truth, or the Lie?"
Scripture: 1st Timothy 2:1-7
Prayers for the church of Christ, for others, for yourself.
Hymn: "Draw Thou My Soul, O Christ"
Lucy Larcom, 1872
Copyright: Public Domain
Scripture: John 12:32
Draw Thou my soul, O Christ, closer to Thine;
Breathe into every wish Thy will divine;
Raised my low self above, won by Thy deathless love,
Ever, O Christ, through mine let Thy life shine.
Lead forth my soul, O Christ, one with Thine own,
Joyful to follow Thee through paths unknown;
In Thee my strength renew; give me Thy work to do;
Through me Thy truth be shown, Thy love made known.
Not for myself alone may my prayer be;
Lift Thou Thy world, O Christ, closer to Thee;
Cleanse it from guilt and wrong; teach it salvation’s song
Till earth, as Heaven, fulfills God’s holy will.
Benediction
Go forth now as God's servant. Remember God's presence often and draw strength from the knowledge that the One who calls and sends also sustains. Amen.
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Daily Scripture Readings for September 19-26, 2010
Monday -- 1st Kings 17
Tuesday -- Luke 12:1-21
Wednesday -- Luke 12:22-32
Thursday -- 1st Timothy 6:1-19
Friday -- 2nd Corinthians 10:1-18
Saturday -- Philippians 4:10-19
Sunday -- Joel 2:23-30, Psalm 107:1, 33-43; 1st Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31
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