As Martin said, we're reading from 1 Timothy chapter 2, and we're going to read the verses 1 to 7.
First of all, then, I urge that supplication, 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 it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, 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, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle. I am telling the truth, I'm not lying.
A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Well, g'day.
To those who are visiting this morning who might not know me, I'm Adam.
I'm one of the elders here at Grace.
I'm filling in for Dave while he's on some annual leave.
We're going to open God's Word together and reflect on prayer in just a moment.
But what more fitting way can we begin that than to pray together?
So let's bow our heads.
Dear Lord, our holy God, we just thank you that we can approach you and know that you hear our prayers.
We thank you that we have the righteousness in Christ, that you would consider us worthy to be heard.
Lord, we ask this morning, as we look at your Word together, reveal yourself to us.
Show us more of you and grow our love for you, we pray, in our time together this morning.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
The famous wartime Prime Minister of the UK, Winston Churchill, once said that democracy is the worst form of government.
Except for all the others that have been tried.
But he was on to something.
There is a guaranteed messiness to democracy, isn't there?
Conflict and disagreement is baked into the system itself.
Leaders are able to stay and set a direction for a season, but soon their popularity falls and it's on to the next vision.
Last year, more than half of the world's population voted in a national election.
This year, 2025, is set to be a year where politics and government is again centre stage.
Locally, we've got another federal election coming up in the first half of the year.
Just this week gone, the Austrian President resigned, the Canadian Prime Minister resigned and suspended their parliament.
And even though he's not yet inaugurated, Donald Trump starting a second term seems to pop up in my news feed every day.
You can't escape it.
Like it or not, our modern kings and authorities do fill a lot of our attention.
And they do have significant impacts on our day-to-day lives.
So now we come to our current series on big prayers for the new year.
Today we're going to be thinking through that intersection between prayer and government.
In some ways, this is quite an odd connection.
Even the passage we're going to be digging into in Sir Timothy,
praying for those in authority isn't the main point.
And perhaps that should be our main point for today.
Running a bit of a risk of concluding before we've really begun,
the influence of worldly governments will take up a big part of our time and attention living in this world.
But they are never the main point.
Important, significant, with far-reaching impacts, sure.
But they are merely a footnote in the eternal story that should capture our primary focus.
So with this in mind, how should we pray for kings and those in authority in 2025?
What is our functional view of God's sovereignty when it comes to living in a democracy like Australia?
Who is in control here as our country seems to be turning away from our historic Christian truths?
A society that unashamedly ignores God's revealed truth in his word when it comes to deciding what is and is not ethical.
Well, let's turn to God's word and have a look.
The book of Timothy is a short letter from the Apostle Paul to his British aide, Timothy, who's serving the church in Ephesus.
It's a letter of encouragement, a letter of advice of how to deal with the challenges facing the early church.
The end of chapter 1, just prior to our passage for today,
Paul has roused Timothy to fight the good fight and to live up to the prophecies
that had previously been made about him as a leader of the church.
And Paul continues this strong, emotive language here.
He's urging Timothy, as a matter of first priority, to prayer.
Not just to be a man of prayer, but to lead the church to be praying big, bold prayers.
Petitions, intercessions, and thanksgiving for everyone.
It's superlative. It's all-encompassing.
It's a turn of phrase that, for me, takes a bit of a turn when we get to verse 2.
It jars with the thrust of that big anticipation.
We now are praying for kings and those in authority,
that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness, godliness, and holiness.
The two parts to verse 2.
Firstly, to pray for kings and those in authority,
just doesn't seem to be the Australian way.
And the ambition of verse 2 to live peaceful and quiet lives,
well, tranquil lives seems all very plain and ordinary.
And if we're honest, a little bit boring, doesn't it?
I can't think of a time when I've prayed for someone's good
and praying for government has come to the top of the list.
At times, I've prayed for their relationships with their boss,
but generally, in Australia, this isn't such an urgently felt need.
We can tend to take the blessing that we've been given in good government for granted.
But when we think about praying for Lincoln and Leah in Myanmar,
prayer for the political situation is never far from our prayers for their good, is it?
In our lives in Australia, we often don't have to worry too much about government.
And when we do, we focus on politicians themselves
rather than the authority or the roles their government departments hold over us.
And we benefit from this compliance.
It's great that our kids can ride their bikes down the street,
that our road networks are affected and generally ordered,
that if we call for help when our house is on fire or we're in an accident,
someone will come and quickly.
But the most common way government measures how good things are going
and how good it's doing is material wealth
or the gross domestic product, GDP.
How many more dollars have we made this year than last year?
In part, this is because it's relatively easy to measure.
But this has become quite influential across all of Australia life.
We've all bought into it.
Very few things will capture the collective attention as quickly
as a proposed change to our tax system
or proposals around negative gearing.
The overwhelming majority of the commentary on our current government
is in terms of how well it's doing to control the cost of living crisis.
Government in Australia is won or lost on the management of the economy.
Wealth has become our key common value.
Anything that gets between us and living a comfortable life
will not be stood for and voted out.
Paul here is encouraging Timothy to be very concerned with prosperity,
but he's not interested in their material wealth.
In verse 3, he expresses that God himself is pleased
when government provides the opportunity for people
to live peaceful and quiet lives
in all godliness and holiness.
Not because it's great to live a comfortable life,
because it is a means to which people can be saved
and come to the knowledge of the truth.
Think of what it would mean to Lincoln and Leah
to be able to preach the gospel openly.
We don't have a gospel freedom index.
We can't measure that.
But here in Australia, we have a real deep wealth.
But because we can't measure it,
we're prone to overlooking it.
And we do underuse it, don't we?
We don't treasure that wealth as we ought.
This is the wealth that Paul is wishing for all people.
The same all people back in verse 1
that were the motivation to pray for government in the first place.
The logic of this passage is that we ought to pray for all people
to know our holy God for who he is.
Remember back to Sam preaching last week,
highlighting that the Lord's Prayer shows us
that our biggest need is to know God for who he is as our holy God.
So we pray for all those in authority,
for the benefit of all the people under them,
for freedom to live godly and holy lives,
freedom to be saved,
and to know the truth.
This freedom has been purchased for us at great cost.
The ransom that Jesus paid
was nothing less than his life.
This vision of good government
is one that enables individuals to live their lives before God.
It is not proposing enforced legalism or a theocracy,
but rather it is pleasing to God for us to live lives
in light of his truth,
by conviction,
conviction in our hearts
and knowledge of his world and world.
We see this intent reflected across the Western world
as governments that have been established
under the influence of Christian scriptures
do embrace individual freedoms.
But freedom is a double-edged sword.
As a society,
we have come to embrace freedom,
not so we can pursue holiness,
but for freedom's sake itself.
It's become an idol.
We have all seen freedom used to walk away from God's word.
Both at an individual level
and also at a societal level.
This rightfully pains us
to see God's truth ignored in his own world.
It's wrong.
It is right to pray for our leadership
that they might see the truth,
to govern in a pattern
that is fitting for living in God's world.
Just as it is good to pray
for an individual to turn to Christ
and to submit to him as their Lord.
At the same time,
we do well to remember
that God is not constrained
when government rejects his word.
He is sovereign,
king of kings
and lord of lords.
Think of Joseph's brother
when they throw him into the well.
You meant it for evil,
he will say when they reunite.
But God meant it for good.
That was the very means
through which
the nation of Israel was saved.
It's the very means
through which Jesus
was brought into this world.
Think of how God used
the ungodly Babylon
to call the kingdom of Judah
to account
and carry them off into exile.
We are left
not so much with the question
of what government will do,
but what God will do
through government.
This is a real
and tangible way
that God interacts
with his world to this day.
As Paul reminded the Romans
in chapter 13,
the authorities that exist
are instituted by God.
And this wasn't a new idea.
Paul hadn't come up
with this relationship.
He merely was updating it
in light of who Christ is
and our newfound relationship
with God through him.
But God's relationship
to government in this world
and the relationship
of governments
to his people
has a long history.
We're going to do something
a bit different now.
Anne's going to come back up
and we're going to read
from Daniel chapter 9.
So you might like to open
to that and read along.
This is a prayer
from Daniel
written in exile
under the Babylonians
600 years before Paul's
writing to Timothy.
It's a prayer
about government
and the lot of God's
chosen people in exile.
Listen carefully
as it's read.
I want you to reflect
on how big
do you see God
in today's political landscape?
How presumptive
ought we to be
as we're praying
for government
in 2025?
So from Daniel 9
the first 19 verses
In the first year
of Darius
the son of Ahasuerus
Bises sent Amid
who was made king
over the realm
of the Chaldeans
in the first year
of his reign
I, Daniel
perceived in the books
the number of years
that according
to the word
of the Lord
to Jeremiah the prophet
must pass
before the end
of the desolations
of Jerusalem
namely
70 years.
Then I turned
my face
to the Lord God
seeking him
by prayer
and pleased
for mercy
with fasting
and sackcloth
and ashes
I prayed
to the Lord
my God
and made confession
saying
O Lord
the great
and awesome God
who keeps covenant
and steadfast love
with those who love him
and keep his commandments
we have sinned
and done wrong
and acted wickedly
and rebelled
turning aside
from your commandments
and rules
we have not listened
to your servants
the prophets
who spoke
in your name
to our
Lord
our kings
our princes
and our fathers
and to all people
of the land
to you
O Lord
belongs righteousness
but to us
open shame
as at this day
to the men
of Judah
to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem
and to all Israel
those who are near
and those who are far away
in all the lands
to which you have driven them
because of the treachery
that they have committed
against you
to us
O Lord
belongs open shame
to our kings
to our princes
and to our fathers
because we have sinned
against you
to the Lord
our God
belong mercy
and forgiveness
for we have rebelled
against him
and have not obeyed
the voice
of the Lord
our God
by walking
in his laws
which he set
before us
by his servants
the prophets
all Israel
has transgressed
your law
and turned aside
refusing to obey
your voice
and the curse
and oath
that are written
in the law
of Moses
the servant
of God
have been poured
out upon us
because we
have sinned
against him
he has confirmed
his word
which he spoke
against us
and against our rulers
who ruled us
by bringing upon us
a great calamity
for under the whole heaven
there has not been done
anything like what has been done
against Jerusalem
as it is written
in the law of Moses
all this calamity
has come upon us
yet we have not
entreated the favour
of the Lord
our God
turning
from our iniquities
and gaining insight
by your truth
therefore
the Lord
has kept
ready
the calamity
and has brought it
upon us
for the Lord
our God
is righteous
in all the works
that he has done
and we have not
obeyed
his voice
and now
O Lord
our God
who brought
your people
out of the land
of Egypt
with a mighty hand
and have made
a name
for yourself
as at this day
we have sinned
we have done
wickedly
O Lord
according to
all your righteous
acts
let your anger
and your wrath
turn away
from your city
Jerusalem
your holy hill
because
for our sins
and for the iniquities
of our fathers
Jerusalem
and your people
have become
a byword
among all
who are around us
now
therefore
O
our God
listen
to the prayer
of your servant
and to his
pleas for mercy
and for your own
sake
O Lord
make your face
to shine upon
your sanctuary
which is desolate
O my God
incline your ear
and hear
open your eyes
and see
our desolations
and the city
that is called
by your name
for we do not
present our pleas
before you
because of
our righteousness
but because of
your great
mercy
O Lord
hear
O Lord
forgive
O Lord
pay attention
and act
delay not
for your own
sake
O my God
because your
city
and your
people
are called
by your
name
Amen
Thanks Anne
There's
no indication
that Daniel
was officially
qualified
or had been
set apart
to take upon
himself this
ministry of
intercession
He didn't
belong to a
priestly family
or lineage
wasn't in an
ordinary sense
commissioned as
a prophet
He's praying
here as a
man who loves
God
and who is
familiar with
his word
A man who's
familiar through
his word
for God's
intent for
this world
As such
Daniel's prayer
stands as a
modern of
genuine
heartfelt
intercession
A response
to the revealed
truth of God
It was
characterised
by humility
confession
self-denial
with the
ultimate glory
to glorify
God
Daniel is
aligning with
God's purpose
but it is a
prayer of great
requests
with great
assurance
It's also not
like a one and
done type of
prayer
It's probably a
conglomerate of
multiple prayers
made by Daniel
over days
months
years
praying
persistently on
his own behalf
and on behalf
of God's people
beseeching God
to act
God to remain
faithful to the
promises he had
made
for the sake of
God's name
not for the
people
Daniel wrestles
with the real
brokenness of the
world he sees
God's people
It's a stark
contrast to the
glorious promises
from our
holy God
He lays this
disconnect before
God and he
pleads for his
mercy
He pleads for God
to build his
kingdom to glorify
his name
He recognises the
shortcomings of
Israel
both of the
people and
their rulers
In verse 8
We and our
kings our
princes and
our ancestors
are covered with
shame Lord
because we have
sinned against
you I can't
explain the
exact balance
of how God
used Daniel's
prayers in
his plan for
salvation but
when you read
on through the
rest of the
story he
certainly did
The walls of
Jerusalem are
soon to be
rebuilt
Daniel in later
chapters also
writes the
prophecy of the
son of man a
powerful image of
triumph of a
mediator between
Israel and the
ancient of days
The title the
son of man was
also Jesus' most
common way to
refer to himself
during his
worldly ministry
claiming that
prophecy as one
of his own
I doubt Daniel
had in mind that
the son of man
would be born in a
manger in
Bethlehem but we
can now see that
that was indeed
God's plan
the self-same
plan which
Daniel was
praying here
urging God to
bring to fruition
and faithfulness
his promises
which God was
pleased to do at
the apportioned
time and in the
apportioned way
indeed when God's
own son became a
man and entered
the world the
Jewish nation
restored from
exile would once
again be under
the dominion of an
external authority
in the form of the
Roman Empire
prayer that's not
the script that
Daniel would have
written nor if
we're honest is
the script we
would write yet as
Paul outlines in
verse 6 of the
letter to Timothy
it was the proper
time it was the
proper way this has
implications for our
prayers we need to
pray with an earnest
humility we cannot
see the detail of
God's future plans
Daniel always
remembered his place
as he prayed in
verse 18 of
Daniel 9 we do
not make requests
of you because we
are righteous he
prays but because of
your great mercy
Lord listen Lord
forgive Lord hear
and act for your
sake my God do not
delay because your
city and your people
bear your name
in Jesus Christ
all the promises to
Abraham to Noah
to Moses even back
to Adam are
fulfilled we can
have relationship
with God again
assured salvation
how much greater is
God's mercy than
merely a restoration
of the walls of
around Jerusalem
or the integrity of
national Israel
it was a much
bigger prayer than
Daniel realized
it's interesting
that Daniel doesn't
pray for a leader to
lead Israel back to
the promised land in
the vein of Moses or
a new king like
David rather he
implores God to act
to restore his own
reputation it's
another whisper of
Christ where God
himself was a
sacrifice that pays
the ransom's price
in his prayer
Daniel partners with
God himself as
through the rebuilt
gates of Jerusalem
it is through the
rebuilt gates of
Jerusalem that
Jesus will ride a
donkey to the
cheers of the crowd
on Palm Sunday
the restoration Daniel
longs for is part of
the means through
which the free offer
of salvation will be
open to all
first to the Jews
but then to the
Gentiles too
for there is one
God and one
mediator between God
and mankind
the man Christ
Jesus who gave
himself up as a
ransom for all
people
we'll to pause for a
minute here
for there's something
quite profound we're in
danger of skipping
God was pleased to
use the prayers of a
prison of the
Babylonian Empire as
part of his plan for
your salvation
when God entreats us
to prayer to pray
for our world and all
those he created in
his image to pray for
his will to be done on
earth as it is in
heaven to pray for
those in authority
we are being commanded
to participate in the
reality of this
universe beyond our
comprehension
it is truly a
privilege that we so
quickly lose sight of
don't we
Paul got a glimpse of
this and was urgent
in his command to pray
and pray big
but even as we have
this bigger vision for
God's purpose in our
prayers we need to
hold on to that large
perspective
like Daniel we need to
align our prayers with
God's plan
it is God's world to
rule
he has raised up
every ruler and
authority that we
encounter
his plan is far
greater than we can
understand
but we do know where
he is heading
one day soon
Jesus will return
on that day every knee
will bend every tongue
confess that he is
Lord
we as his people ought
to desire a world
shaped by this truth
freedom to live our
lives that reflect this
truth
and the courage to do
so
Paul wraps up the
letter to Timothy with
another enthusiastic
encouragement
in verse 14 of chapter
6 he charges Timothy
to keep this command
without spot or blame
until the appearing of
our Lord Jesus Christ
which God will bring
about in his own time
God the blessed
only ruler
the king of kings
and lord of lords
who alone is immortal
and who lives in
an approachable light
whom no one has seen
or can see
to him be honour
and might
forever
amen
that is the proper
setting for all of our
prayers
that is also the
setting for our
experiences of
government
we're not going to be
able to place each
and every action of
authority with detail
in God's timeline
but that's okay
because God can
I find it
personally
too easy
to lose sight
of this truth
I need to keep
in the word
reminding myself
I need you
to keep reminding me
we need to be
encouraging each other
that the day is coming
Christ will soon return
and all the chaos
of our broken world
will be put to its
ultimate right
we can pray with
confidence
because we have a God
who is working
in all things
for the good of those
who love him
and we can take
deep confidence
from his past
faithfulness
as we look towards
his future faithfulness
even in times of
uncertainty and change
let's pray
dear heavenly father
our great God
we thank you
that you are
beyond us
we thank you
for your faithfulness
to your promises
in spite
of our fallenness
and we thank you
for your son
Jesus
in whom we have
complete confidence
that
the difficulties
of each day
are in your hand
Lord
you've seen them
you've decreed them
and they will not
fort your plan
they will not
fort our salvation
we will be with you
again
and soon
hasten that day
we pray
and Lord
we do pray
for those in authority
we pray for the
government of Australia
as we approach
an election
that
the priorities
and debates
that are had
might focus
on principles
from your word
Lord
that there might be
a true seeking
after your ways
more broadly
Lord
we pray
for the government
in Myanmar
and the upheaval
there
we pray
for stability
for the return
of order
we pray
for our brothers
and sisters
Lincoln and Leah
and their ministry
amongst the turmoil
lest their work
we ask
open the door
for them to preach
and open many hearts
to turn them
to your ways
in Jesus name we pray
Amen