Tag: New Testament Church

Men in Church

Roles in Church (Part 1)

1 Timothy 2:8

Ever get done with a training time just to realize the resulting action wasn’t clear? You know there is something for you there, you’re just not sure what it was. This passages jumps straight from teaching on prayer right into how the family works in church. 

Let’s not forget how practical God’s Word really is. Teaching is given in this passage for both men and women in church (we’ll look at the part for women next week).

Men, Pray!

“I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” 
1 Timothy 2:8
“I will therefore that men pray every where…”

Here again we see the word “therefore”. This is pointing us back to the previous passage, this thought build on that one.

In verses 1-7 Paul makes the case for Prayer in church, now he’s going to give some instruction for this to happen. 

Men are to pray.

Some of this instruction is good whether you’re a man or woman. I think there is a reason that Paul focused this to men, and I’ll try to address that as we work through this verse.

Pray Everywhere

This phrase as it would naturally seem means: “Pray wherever you are.” 

Wherever you are, men should pray

In the context of church meetings this is instruction for men to pray.

Men need to pray in church. Men need to pray in their homes. This is a NEED. 

I don’t personally see that this excludes women from praying in church meetings, but there may be cultural contexts where that is necessary. This passage is calling out men to lead in church (more on this is as we progress through the epistle).

Pray Lifting up Holy Hands

Lifting Hands

The outstretched arm is an instinctive expression of trust, a child won’t reach out to someone they don’t trust. Prayer is reaching out to God in trust. It calls out to His strength and waits on Him for a response.

From what I read raising hands in prayer was culturally normal is some of these regions, as it is in some places even now. However we pray: with hands raised, without them raised, our hearts must be reaching for God. We must know that we have reached the end of ourselves, and wait on Him for His perfect strength.

Lifting Holy Hands

18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me: 
19 But verily God hath heard me; He hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 
20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, Nor his mercy from me. 
Psalm 66:18–20

God is interested in our holiness. So much is said about this in scripture (see Isa 6:1-8, 1 Pet 1:15-16 and others).

When we regard iniquity in our hearts our prayers are only surface deep. We are bringing God just the words of this prayer, not our devotion. Our hands are the main way we act on things. How we use them is a direct expression of out intentions and priorities.

Think through how you’ve used your hands today. Are they able to be lifted to God as Holy?

God is very merciful and will forgive sin as His children confess it to Him. (1 John 1:9)

Pray without Wrath

In the movie “Inside Out” the character, Anger, was male. This wasn’t random. Men are known for greater external indications of anger.

Do you find yourself naturally drawn to prayer when you’re deep in an anger fit? I don’t! Are you able to genuinely pray for someone that you are plotting revenge against? I’m not!

Anger is human. What you do with that anger is where there is a potential for sin (Eph 4:26-27). Don’t harbor that anger when you come to God in prayer.

Pray without Doubting

Doubt is the enemy of Faith. Think back to the Garden of Eden, the serpent brought doubt into Eves mind with the simple phrase “hath God said” (Gen 3:1).

Later in the New Testament James warns against doubt (James 1:6-7).

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. James 1:6–7

We cannot expect God to answer the prayer we don’t believe in Him to answer.

Your Turn

Pray. 

Volunteer to pray, help start prayer teams, and grow in your personal pray life.

Men, take this challenge and lead in prayer.

Pray through the items listed in this verse.

Ask God to show you any sin you’re regarding in your heart, ask Him to show you any anger or doubt.

How to “Do Church”

An overview of 1 Timothy.

In ministry we often look to other examples as a starting place for the practical points of things. This has a good side and a bad side. 

  • Good: We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There is no shame and LOTS of wisdom in learning from others.
  • Bad: We sometimes use what others are doing as a starting point when we should be going back to the Word of God to see how things are supposed to look.

Where should a Pastor Start?

What would it look like to start from scratch? A brand new church, with just the biblical approach of church and ministry. How would a pastor start?

Meet Timothy

Timothy and Titus are the guys who know what this is like. Before churches all used hymnals or had a similar order of service as everyone else, these men of God were pastoring churches that sprang up as a result of Paul’s missionary work. Paul wrote them three letters going over some of the most important points for New Testament Churches. 

Over the next few weeks we’re going to be looking at the first of these epistles, 1 Timothy. But before we get into the details let’s zoom out and get an overview of this letter to Timothy.

Overview of 1 Timothy

Author

Paul the Apostle states that he is the author in 1 Timothy 1:1. Paul was converted to being a follower of Christ after persecuting the Church (Acts 9). He was called at his conversion to be a minister for Christ to the Gentiles (anyone who is not a Jew) though it took a few years for him to really begin this ministry (Acts 13). Paul was probably the first to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the city of Ephesus (Acts 18:19-21) this visit was very brief, but Paul returned later and spent over 2 years with these new believers (Acts 19).

Recipient

Timothy (also called Timotheus) was the main recipient of the this letter (1 Timothy 1:2)

Timothy had been received into Paul’s church planting team for Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:1-3). He was the son of a Greek man (probably an unbeliever, though we don’t know for sure) and a believing mother. He had been given a heritage of faith in Christ by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. 

Timothy was probably not a super confident person. Paul encourages him a couple of times to not let anyone despise him (1 Tim 4:12) and not be driven by fear (2 Tim 1:6-7). Yet Timothy was someone Paul could rely on (Philippians 2:19-23). Paul viewed him as a son.

Key Thoughts and Structure

(Paul’s purposes in writing essentially create the outline of the Epistle)

I have had to summarize the themes in these points, but hope to unpack a lot of this in the coming weeks and months.

Right Teaching – 1 Timothy 1

Right Worship and Church Organization – 1 Timothy 2-3

Personal Instruction for Timothy – 1 Timothy 4

Right Relationships in Church – 1 Timothy 5-6:2

Right Priorities – 1 Timothy 6:3-21

Challenge:

Read this letter in one sitting. This will help you see it’s structure and overall message.

Share:

What are some of your favorite verses from the Firat Letter to Timothy?

What jumped out to you from what Paul was writing that we could apply as we “Do Church”?