Prayers for governing authorities

As Martin said, we're reading from 1 Timothy chapter 2, and we're going to read the verses 1 to 7.

1 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

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.

Daniel 9 · chapter mention

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