Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 1 Tim. 2. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- Of our three lessons for this morning, only the Old Testament lesson makes immediate sense. It is expressing the wrath of God on all greed, selfishness, cheating, and stealing – especially when it comes to harming those who are poor and needy.
- In the Gospel Lesson Jesus seems to commend dishonesty. However, God is really commending those who are faithful in how they care for what the master has entrusted to them. God is particularly concerned that we not become infatuated with money and possessions – things which He has entrusted to us. Jesus’ comments were considered ridiculous by the Pharisees. May we receive them more reflectively and reverently!
- In our lesson, from Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he also asserts things that are difficult for us to make full sense of. There are many people in the church today who find some of these things to be ridiculous. But if we remember that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God,” then we must conclude that to ridicule and reject these Words written by Paul is the same as ridiculing and rejecting God and His Word. May we therefore receive the words of our text reflectively and reverently!
- After all, it is clear from our text and all of Holy Scripture that God is good, God is love, and that He desires only what is good for human beings. His love is proven in the “ransom” He has provided for all people in the bitter sufferings and death of Jesus on the cross. His love is clearly seen from the fact that He “wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
- Thus His goodness and blessing is extended to all people everywhere! We are urged to grasp this, and to act accordingly. And so:
I. Knowing God’s Great Love For Us And For All People, We Pray For Others
A. We Pray For Government, Which Is A Good Gift Of God For Us
Text: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior.”
B. We Pray Also For The Repentance And Salvation Of All People, In Accord With God’s Will, That All Might Receive His Ransom And His Mediatory Service On Our Behalf
Text: “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, Who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is One Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all.”
Statement: We may not think it all that proper or good to pray from our leaders, given their stated views and morals, and how many frequently abuse their God-given office by advocating evil things. They do so in ignorance, and at times, likely out of sinful rebellion against God and His Word. Regardless, they need our prayers, and God urges us so to pray, that they may do better and our lives be blessed with peace, safety, security, godliness, and dignity. It may get much harder for us to be able to do so. So we pray for our leaders – not only for our sake, but for the sake of all, our fellow citizens and leaders as well.
Application: So you see the concern of God for all people and how He EXTENDS HIS GOODNESS” to all people. Jesus taught the same thing when He said: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father Who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” So let us surely imbibe in His goodness and love, His ransom and salvation, and do all that we can to urge and encourage our fellowmen to do the same. And let us also continue to do our civic duty, and to pray, that all of the citizens of our nation – and the entire earth – might be blessed with good government!
Transition: And as we live in God’s love, and grow in our appreciation for His love, we will be much more inclined to give credence to His Word, and to submit to it. For:
II. This Love Of God Moves Us To Live Peacefully And In Good Order, Each Fulfilling God’s Will For Us
A. Men Are To Be Praying Everywhere – With Holy Hands, And Without Anger Or Quarreling
Text: “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”
B. Likewise, Men Are To Be Teaching And Exercising Authority
Text: “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man.”
1. Women Are To Be Leading Modest And Godly Lives In Faith, Love, Holiness And Self-Control
Text: “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, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness – with good works.”
2. Women are to be learning with submissiveness
Text: “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.”
3. Likewise, women are not to be seeking men’s privileges or duties
Text: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”
Statement: What is said in regard to men is somewhat understandable. He was created first, to be a leader, a serving leader – teaching and exercising benevolent authority. To this end he is to be a humble “pray-er.” He is to be praying everywhere, without ceasing, and without any animosity.
However, because of the cultural effect of feminism over the past 50 years or so [first seen in the Garden of Eden and oft repeated throughout human history] these instructions in regard to women seem quite out of place. And we tend to resent them, or even reject them, because our minds and perspectives have been captured by this “feminism” so called. But God knows best – even when we want something different, and are eager to provide justifications and rationalizations for what we want. This, however, is just the opposite of the kind of modesty and humility that God desires of His people.
Application: It is of course a mutual thing. For men to please women by acquiescing to their will to usurp man’s responsibilities is likewise a failure of humility and service and reverence for God. So the sin is held in common – and we should not think that the results will be any more favorable for us than they were for Adam and Even in the Garden. But God in His goodness and love has provided us with the proper way to relate to one another, and to carry out our duties in love. There is no question that good will come when we all submit to one another out of reverence for Christ – each functioning as God’s Word, the Holy Scripture, instructs.
Conclusion: Just as we see the goodness of God extended to all people in Christ Jesus, His ransom and His service of intercession and mediation on our behalf with the Father, His will that all be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, just so we know that the truth expressed in His specific instructions to men and women must also be His goodness and love extended to us. Let us not fail to consider this, and let us not fail to submit.
We cannot dictate what the society around us will do – whether non-Christians or apostates within the church. But we can receive the instruction of God’s Word, and make His wisdom our own. We can live humbly and modestly, loving and serving others, as we continue to live in His forgiveness and love. May God grant us such wisdom and such obedience. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.