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The Epistle lesson for Sunday, Sept. 18, focuses on I Timothy 2:1-7. The books of I Timothy and II Timothy were two of the last letters written by the Apostle Paul while he was in Rome. Shortly thereafter he faced death by beheading. In the book, he referred to God as "Savior." Paul saw himself as an apostle, like the others, who was called by Jesus Christ himself on the road to Damascus.
In this scripture, Paul urges "supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings" be made for everyone (NIV). His first word was supplications. "Supplications" is defined by the Oxford English dictionary as "the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly." It would be like us "praying after falling to our knees in supplication."
After all, prayers are the way we communicate with God.
Intercessions are "the actions of intervening on behalf of another" person or an institution. It may be praying that our nation finds unity and peace. It may be praying for the Ukraine and the people who have been displaced and also for the aggressor nation to be pushed back and defeated. I believe intercessory prayer is the most common type of prayer. We are asking the Lord to intercede in situations where we desire things be made right and just.
Our prayer may also be for comfort to be given to a person whose loved is dying or has died. It could be for divine healing for a person who is sick. As a pastor and a chaplain, I pray more prayers of intercession than any other type.
While it is nice to know that we have a God who intercedes for us when asked, we need to remember to give thanks for what the Lord does. Sometimes it can be as simple as saying "thank you" when your car almost runs off the road. A prayer of thanksgiving is simply giving thanks for what we have and for what has been done on our behalf.
Paul goes on to call for prayer for "all that are in authority" (1 Timothy 2:2a).We need to pray for our President and others in high offices. That is what we are told to do even if we do not agree with their leadership. We still pray for them to make wise decisions and work in the best interest of the people who they have been called to serve. We need to pray that our leaders have a desire as God does to save everyone and that they come to a saving knowledge of truth.
The Apostle Paul says we should live "a quiet and peaceable life" in a godly and dignified manner (2:2b). We do it because it is "right and acceptable in the sight of God" (2:3). Christians believe "there is one God," with "one mediator between God" and humankind, which is Christ Jesus. Jesus lived a life as a human on earth, giving "himself as a ransom for all"; this was attested to by witnesses and in the Bible (2:5-6). Paul in this case was one of them. Paul was appointed a messenger of the Gospel and as an apostle. The term apostle means "one who is sent off." An example would be an ambassador.
Paul says he is bringing truth and is not lying. Paul saw his calling as one who is "a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth" (2:7). This is the reason why he wrote letters to different cities in the gentile world, which have churches he had visited and in some cases started.
This is the reason he wrote about supplications and intercessions.
Rev. James Behrens, Loyalsock United Methodist Charge (Bethel of Loyalsock, Mill Creek, and Third Street United Methodist Churches), Williamsport.