Prayer that Pleases God (1 Tim. 2:1-7)

Outline: Prayer that Pleases God (1 Tim. 2:1-7): 

The aim of this passage is two-fold:

1. To call us to pray for all people
2. To Motivate us to pray for all people

Summary:   If the church is to be a "pillar and buttress of the truth" (3:15), then prayer must be strongly prioritized ("first of all").  One of the primary means that God uses to bring about His purposes in the world is the prayers of His people. This passage has a two-fold aim, to call God's people to pray for all people and to motivate God's people to pray for all people.  And it is the description of God's heart for all people (2:3-7) that is meant to stimulate our prayers for all people (2:1).  In one sense, God is simply saying "imitate my heart for the lost."  Perhaps this is the secret of all faithful and effective prayer: crying out to God in such a way that God hears the echo of the loving desires of His own heart.

Main Point:  We must let God's love for all people shape our prayers for all people

Discussion Questions:

• What hints in v.1 teach us about the priority that prayer should have in our lives?
• Who should be included in our prayers? (vv.1-2)
• What in this passage is designed to motivate and stimulate our prayers for all people? 
• Reflect on the phrase "God our Savior." What do we learn about God's heart for all people?How should this shape our prayers for all people? 
• What does it mean that Jesus is the one and only Mediator between God and man?

Application Questions:

• Have I been seriously and urgently prioritizing prayer? Explain.
• What is the current scope of my prayers? Do they include all people? Civil authorities? What new habits need to be formed in order to increase the scope of my prayers?
• How has God's love for all people shaped my prayers for all people?
• What do we mean when we say Jesus is our "ransom"?

Prayer Points:

• Praise "God our Savior," whose big heart lead to our salvation
• Praise Jesus for paying our ransom with the high price of His own life
• Praise Jesus, our faithful Mediator, who made a way for sinful man to reach the holy God
• Ask God to allow His love for all people shape our prayers for all people
• Ask God to make us a church that is marked by fervent, big-hearted prayer for all people