Scripture
1I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
1 Timothy 2:1-6
Observation
Nero was the reigning Emperor at the time of this writing and all historical accounts make it clear that he was as wicked as they come. He set Rome on fire and then blamed Christians for the blaze. He declared publicly that he “wished the ruin of all things” before his death. He developed all manner of torturous death for Christians who refused to worship anyone but the One True God. Along with being mangled by animals, he would light Christians on fire on top of pyres to light his personal gardens at night. THIS was the guy Paul was telling the church under Pastor Timothy to pray for! Paul knew what it was like to be fighting against God Himself and to have God Himself reach out to him. He was challenging the church to pray from the same perspective. In fact, history makes it clear that both Paul and Peter would die for their faith in Christ under Nero’s rule. To their names history adds others you will recognize from the New Testament: Erastus, chamberlain of Corinth; Aristarchus, the Macedonian, and Trophimus, an Ephesian, converted by Paul, and fellow-laborer with him, Joseph, commonly called Barsabas, and Ananias, bishop of Damascus.
Application
Why would Paul tell us to pray for a leader like Nero? Logically speaking it seems the prayers didn’t work since they and so many others died at the hand of Nero. Yet, these martyrs of our faith have something to teach the 21st Century American Christians who are shouting accusations of persecution during the second lockdown here in California. The answer to “why pray” is what follows Paul’s command to pray for “all in authority” and not just those we agree with or voted for- “so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” When I pray for Governor Newsom, when I pray for Joe Biden, when I pray for Trump, when I pray for Amy Coney Barrett and those in authority it aligns my heart with Christ. It reminds me that the Kingdom of God is not like the kingdoms of this world. Prayer for those in authority reminds me of who my true authority is and how much I want to please my God. Jesus tells me it pleases Him when I pray for everyone, my friends and my enemies. Though everything in me wants to do the opposite of that God calls me to remember that He died for everyone and wants everyone to be saved. Everyone means everyone! Just in case I read this and still decide to ignore this command Paul reminds me that Christ was a Mediator for me. He took my place and my pain so I could be saved. He didn’t just do this for me. “He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” Everyone means everyone! Have we as the church been distracted from our primary mission which is to see everyone come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ? Rather than the church dying away under the hand of Nero the Church exploded in growth, compassion increased in the face of such a passionate faith witnessed by a secular Roman culture. So, the prayers did work! Nero may not have come to Christ, but thousands of others did. I think this message is coming to me at just the right time. In the face of my fatigue from this year, my frustration at the overreach of our government, my fear that things aren’t going to get better Jesus is calling me back on mission. First of all, the American church is not under persecution. Disruption? Yes. Persecution? No. Singled out? Yes. Silenced? No. Our brothers and sisters of faith in China can tell us what persecution looks like and how to stay focused on what matters most as faith continues to spread rapidly underground there! Second of all, the American church has been so focused on our rights as Americans that we have forgotten that we follow a Savior who laid down His rights to make us right with God. We aren’t supposed to be doormats but we are called to be a welcome mat for everyone through Jesus. Everyone means everyone. We don’t have to agree to what is being done. Paul certainly didn’t agree with Nero. We do have to pray for everyone no matter what.
Prayer
Lord, I must repent for my prayer life has been anemic and self-centered. I pray for a lot of people but mostly people that are in my life, mostly for people that I like. and rarely for people in authority that I don’t agree with. Yet, this is what You have called me to do if I want to please You in these last days and if I want to see everyone come to know You as their Savior. Jesus, You died for everyone and I must pray for everyone to come to know you. Even while I was against You Your love was for me and calling me towards you. I and so many others have come to know You because someone refused to give up on us in prayer.
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