Notes – God Wants Us All

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Last week we looked at the first verse of our passage for today from the context of how it applied to the communion table and today we are going to expand on that.

1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

Getting outside ourselves, broadening the scope and reach of our others centeredness. It is beautiful that Paul gives us a few of the many faces of prayer but what is also cool is although God is all-powerful and all-knowing, he has chosen to let us help him change the world through our prayers. Check this out.

Acts 10:1-4 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, 2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” 4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

This was a man in a position of authority; he was an army officer, a “centurion,” a commander of one hundred soldiers. So here is the thing, he was generous and I have never seen a generous person who wasn’t a thankful person. Paul said, First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, He also says in Philippians 4;

Philippians 4:5-7 The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Cornelius was a man who even though he was a commander of men he was a giver, even though he was in a position of authority he was in continual prayer and these qualities ascended as a memorial before God. Am memorial of what? The text doesn’t say but let me suggest that possibly it was a memorial of the heart that God had originally created in man.

Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.

Yeah, possibly a memorial of a God heart. God took special note of his generosity and his continual prayer to God both of which are direct by-products of gratitude, right? You need to read Acts chapter 10 later because the story is that at the same time the angel is speaking to Cornelius The Holy Spirit is also speaking to Peter about Cornelius and it all leads to the salvation of Cornelius and his household. Now look I am going to go off the track a little bit here to say that often people will ask me something like, “What about the devout Buddhist or other religious person who is faithful and true to his religion and believes he is loving God?”

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

When I look at the story of Cornelius and I see how his prayers were heard and honored by God before he heard the gospel and knew Christ and that because of his heart God made the introduction between this gentile soldier who was praying to a God he didn’t know and the Lord of salvation who is Jesus. When I think of the love and long suffering of God and some of the stories I have heard about missionaries in far off lands fulfilling very mysterious appointments with very unlikely people. When Paul says here, “Behold I tell you a mystery.” Oh man, there are so many mysteries in the Lord! I believe the Lord can fit an entire soul saving message into that twinkling of an eye. In that twinkling of an eye I believe He can make that change. He is not affected by time or space. I believe he can and would want to change that person who has diligently and faithfully sought God. I also believe he put the story of Cornelius in the Bible to illustrate that hope. Please go and read Acts chapter 10 and then you tell me what you think. So after a slight detour let’s get back to 1 Timothy 2.

1 Timothy 2:1-3 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Pau says to pray for all people but then he gets specific in verse 2.

1 Timothy 2:2 For kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

When we read this from a modern viewpoint it would make us think we should be praying for governments as if they were a collective of benevolent entities. Whether they are or not is open to debate and we won’t do that here, but what you have to remember is that when Paul wrote this letter is was kings and those in high positions who were the most dangerous and antagonistic the church. It was kings and those in high positions who crucified the Lord and it was kings and those in high positions who were constantly persecuting the church and the apostles. This even extends to the internal division that was being caused by the false teachers Paul wanted Timothy to rout out of the church. And so we come to a principle and it is a principle rooted in forgiveness, grace and mercy.

Romans 12:17-21 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I Have told you guys that if there was only one chapter of the Bible that I could have it would be Romans 12. I already gave you a little homework assignment to read Acts chapter 10 but please read Romans 12 as well. In fact let’s just read it now! So this last couple of verses in which we are told to leave our frustrations with those who come against us on the Lord is the gateway to what Paul says in the second half of verse 2.

1 Timothy 2:2b That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

We cannot live a peaceful and quiet life if our thoughts are consumed with anger, resentment, ill wishing and revenge. At the end of the day so what if someone has done you wrong. You have eternal life, do they? Shouldn’t we be praying for the salvation of those who have come against us? And if they are saved and have come against us shouldn’t we be seeking the restoration of the relationship? Yes we should and Paul explains why as we move on.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

That should be enough for any of us to look at our lives and if there is anyone who we are harboring dirty baggage about to just let it go, because it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. I mean what could possibly be more important than that? Doing good and pleasing God should really be what it is all about. Look back for a sec to 1 Timothy 2:2b That we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. Can you really have a peaceful and quiet life if we are all bound up in consuming frustration over past hurts? No not really, they are always eating away at the core of our peace. Gnawing away at our serenity with that irritating little grating sound that rattles around our skulls and distracts us from the really good stuff that the Lord has for us. But in the end it comes down to this;

1 Timothy 2:3-4 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

It pleases God if we make peace and pray with thanksgiving for all men because he desires that none would be excluded, none would be left behind. It pleases God if we make peace and pray with thanksgiving for all men because it is the wellspring of peace in our own spirit and in our own lives and that reflects glory on the gospel and on the grace of God. It reflects glory through our testimony on the power of God to work in a man’s or a woman’s life in a supernatural way. It is the attractive scent of real salvation that draws the unbeliever to the truth. You see in the end one truth remains the big truth. One truth remains the main truth.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

That is the main truth, the big truth and whatever illustrates that truth best , whatever brings that truth into the clearest light then that is the perfect will of God. That truth is simply stated, “God wants us all!” Let’s wrap it up with looking again at Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.