We want to take up our series through the letter of Paul to Timothy, 1st Timothy, find that near the end of your Bible, near the back of your Bible, after Thessalonians, after Thessalonians, if you hit Hebrews, you've gone too far, page 1263 in the Pew Bible. Now as we've heard, this letter was written by Paul to Timothy in Ephesus, after certain leaders there rose up to resist Paul's authority and to pervert the gospel of grace that he preached. They had a different doctrine, a different teaching, a false gospel that they were promoting. And so Paul sent Timothy to Ephesus and then he sent this letter behind him to not only encourage Timothy for what he was tasked to do, but also to put the church on notice that Timothy was there not only at Paul's behest, but at the behest of Christ who had established the apostolic ministry. And we're moving into this letter. Paul has set the stage about who he is and why he is to be listened to and how it is that he came to be that person, the chief of sinners who was saved by grace and the mercy of God. And he's turning the corner here now to address the life of the church. He doesn't say it, but behind what he's going to do here is the truism that doctrine matters. What you really believe to be true, at any given moment in time, will be what is expressed in what you do. Now, fickle sinners that we are, sometimes our doctrine shifts to and fro like the breeze. But true doctrine will lead to true practice, and that is his concern in the church. In Ephesus, the bad root of a false doctrine was bearing bad fruit that was dividing and destroying the church. And Paul, as he addresses this problem, it's interesting. He does not get into a theological dispute with the false teachers that I've called the wannabes. He doesn't argue their doctrine point by point. Instead, he assumes a doctrine that Timothy already knows and is going to be preaching, and he reinforces it, but his mode of attack is to speak to the practice of the church and to address the practice as a way of demonstrating true doctrine and supporting and confirming the true doctrine that is to be taught there. But again, his approach is to approach the practice, And he states this at the end of the section, chapters 2 and 3, are all addressing the life of the church. The practices in worship in particular. And his stated purpose at the end is, I am writing these things to you so that you may know how you ought to behave in the household of God. This is how church should look. This is how church should behave. And so in chapter 2, which we're going to enter tonight, Paul urges good practices in the worship of the church. And he begins in our text tonight by addressing the prayers of the church. The unspoken doctrine, the true doctrine that Paul is applying here, that he never spells out directly, and that I hope to make clear by the end of this sermon is this, that the gospel is for everybody. The gospel is for everyone. Now I'm going to read from God's word starting in chapter 1, verse 12. It sets the backdrop for what comes in chapter 2, verse 1. And our text will be verses 1 through 7 of chapter 2. So here now, God's word. I thank him who has given me strength. Christ Jesus, our Lord. Because he judged me faithful, appointed me to his service. Though formerly, I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of whom I am the foremost. But I receive mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the king of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the good prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. holding faith and a good conscience by rejecting this some have made shipwreck of their faith among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme in our text first of all then I urge that supplications prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving 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 savior 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'm telling the truth. I'm not lying. A teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. And here ends the reading of God's word. Paul begins in chapter 2, first of all, then, First of all, therefore, therefore in light of the gospel that I have set forth for you in verses 12 through 17, exemplified in my salvation the worst of sinners, in light of all that above everything else, get this straight. The gospel, that gospel, is for everyone. And to make this clear in the congregation, I urge you to pray and live according to it. Verse 1, I urge that supplications, prayers, and intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people. For all people. In private, of course, but especially when you gather for worship, do not limit your prayers to the select few. This is the fruit of a false gospel. A pint-sized, exclusive, country club gospel that offers salvation to the few that you choose and neglects the many that God has chosen. Instead, pray for all people. In their case in particular for Jews and Gentiles. Men and women, rich and poor, slave and free, subjects and rulers. This is the fruit of the true gospel. The enormous embracing family of God gospel that John describes in Revelation chapter 14 as an eternal gospel. To proclaim to every nation and tribe and language and people that offers salvation freely to all people. And Paul here piles up four words for prayer. He does this twice in this package where he gives us a set of four words to package an idea without getting burdened in the details to help us understand he's talking about the idea as a whole. He's talking about prayer as a whole. And he does it as a way to emphasize prayer, how important it is, and as we know it's the first part of our gratitude that God has commanded us to give. It is important. It needs to be emphasized. But he also does it to capture the spectrum of prayer to know that in any prayer that we might offer, there is opportunity for us to think about someone other than ourselves. Someone other than those that are near and dear to us. Someone that God would have us think about. And so he speaks of supplications and prayers representing the span of our needs from pressing particulars to ongoing generalities. And he mentions intercessions and thanksgiving which covers the spectrum of how we might approach God. Boldly asking God to do something on behalf of someone else. Or happily thanking God for what he's already done and has promised to do. Prayer. The whole package. In this way, Paul is urging the church to pray all kinds of prayers for all kinds of people. And the overall flow of this section has to do with salvation. So whatever else we might pray, we certainly want to pray for their salvation and their well-being, as we'll see. It's interesting in verse 2 that he gives a highlight to kings and all those who are in high positions. As we prayed tonight, they have been placed in position, as we know from Scripture, to do something specific for God. They are responsible to the Lord to maintain society, to restrain evil, to promote good, to keep the pathway clear for the gospel of Jesus Christ to make inroads into the hearts and lives of people. And so it's right to call them out because they play a key role in what comes next in Paul's call to the church. But also I think we might want to consider this. Have you ever stopped to think that we do not pray to our rulers? In the history of the world, a lot of people have prayed to their rulers. Their rulers have been God to them. We pray for our rulers because God is the God to them. Just to seize the God to us. And so that's not a small point. And we don't know exactly what was happening in Ephesus. But perhaps some there had started to pray to Caesar. Which was the Roman practice and it needed to be corrected. But Christians are to pray for our rulers who are again responsible to remove every obstacle to the gospel. Now, if we're honest with ourselves, this is a pretty challenging call. It might not seem so challenging thinking about somebody else's prayers. But let's think about our own prayers. Think about your prayers. Think about our congregational prayers when we're together for worship. eager, how willing, how often do those prayers extend beyond our immediate bubble. That's the call. It can't stop there. If you believe the gospel is for everyone, the doctrine, I'll say it this way, when you believe the gospel is for everyone, your prayers will expand. You'll have someone else in mind. Because the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is big enough to embrace the likes of you and me. This is Paul's argument. If it's big enough to embrace him, the worst of sinners, it can embrace anybody. It's big enough to embrace everyone, not only those who you hold near and dear, but even those who are strangers to you, perhaps even here in our midst. So let us take heed to Paul and exert ourselves to more and more expand prayer for all kinds of people. Now, with this prayer, Paul does not prescribe a bullet list. He doesn't tell us, now pray for this, this, this, and this. Again, he handed us all a prayer as a ball, said, now when you pray, pray for all people. But he does give us a purpose for prayer that extends beyond what we might ask in that moment. And that purpose is that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. Now in our day, the health and wealth gospel wants to turn that into a prayer for a self-serving, conflict-free life. That we're asking God to take away all of our troubles, give us peace and quiet, picket fence, backyard, good neighbors, the whole bit. That's not the concern. Indeed, as we heard this morning, that's not what the apostles expected. And Paul will tell Timothy in his second letter that indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. That's not what this is about. Having a quiet life that's free of conflict. Rather, it is a selfless pursuit of a life that bears public witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ in our demeanor and in our behavior. That we would appear and act differently than the world. The false gospel of the wannabes, according to 1 Timothy chapter 6, led to a life that blasphemes or discredits the name of Christ and his church. It alienates people and it is full of controversy and quarrels and dissensions and friction. It's a mess because it's all about me. The true gospel, the apostolic gospel, is to lead to a very different kind of life that upholds the reputation of Christ and his church, not just with words, but with attitudes and actions that attracts people and is peaceful and quiet, godly and dignified in every way. Again, it's the pursuit. Again, Paul uses just four words to encapsulate the Christian life. He's trying to make a point. He's not trying to write a book. This life that we're called to pursue is peaceful and quiet. In the inner man, it's tranquil and it's well-ordered, no matter what's happening outside or in our own lives. It's godly and it's dignified. It's devoted to God. It's mindful of God. It's purposeful for God and it's honorable. before God, how we think, how we speak, what we do. So when we're praying for all people, we're praying that our lives would come this way, that we would not stand in the way of that prayer. That we would not be the reason that there's division. We would not be the reason that there's alienation. We would be the reason that there's welcome and attraction. and that Christ would be exalted. In verse 3, Paul begins this. He says this, referring to this way of praying and living. He says it's good and it's pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. It's good in his eyes and it's pleasing to his heart because it puts into practice this fundamental doctrine that the gospel is for everyone. And having urged us in the practice of this doctrine, Paul proceeds to answer the question you may already be asking is, how do we know this doctrine is true? How do we know you didn't make it up, Pastor Donovan? I don't see it on the page. Well, as the Westminster Divines would say, it's a good and necessary inference from what is on the page. And Paul expects us to make it, I believe. In verses 4 through 7, Paul answers this question by showing us by showing us that it is true because of God our Savior because of who he is and what he's done what he's revealed about himself we can know that this is true because the truth of this doctrine is the direct consequence of at least three things that God our Savior has revealed about his nature and his saving work in the scriptures the first is in verse four the first revelation is is that the gospel is for everyone because of God our Savior's loving desire he desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth now scripture tells us that his desire is born of love he loved us even when we were dead in our trespass he loved us in this way he gave his son his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life his loving desire extends to all people paul writes in titus that when christ came in the flesh the grace of god appeared bringing salvation for all people and peter writes in the second peter that when christ comes again he'll judge the nations but he hasn't come yet because he's patient not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance his loving desire extends to all but this desire is realized in those and only those who trust Jesus Christ to save them. He is the Savior of all people, Paul will say in chapter 4, especially of those who believe. That's the distinction he's trying to make there. John continues from John 3.16 to say that whoever believes in him is not condemned. But whoever does not believe is condemned already. So his desire extends to all. But his desire is realized and satisfied only in those who trust in Jesus Christ. Those who trust Jesus Christ to save, as Paul says it here, are those who come to a knowledge of the truth. Those who come to understand and believe the gospel, which is the word of truth. Is that not what we confess in our Heidelberg question answer 21? all our students who memorize that you know this question and answer all you adults well I hope you know it too we confess there that true faith which is saving faith is not only a knowledge of what God has revealed in his word a sure knowledge by which we hold that word to be true but it's also a wholehearted trust created by the Holy Spirit through the gospel that God has granted me personally the fullness of salvation coming to the knowledge of the truth is the essence of true faith so the gospel is for everyone salvation is for those who believe it that's what we read in our confessions from the canons of dork tonight you read it out loud the promise of the gospel together with the command to repent and believe ought to be announced and declared without differentiation or discrimination to all nations and people. The old translation ought to be proclaimed promiscuously, without restraint, give it away to everybody. And even while that's true, many who are called through that gospel do not repent or believe in Christ, but they perish in unbelief. While all who genuinely believe truly believe are delivered and saved by Christ's death. The gospel's for everyone. Salvation's for those who believe the gospel. We need to hear this. We understand the doctrine of election in this church that before the foundation of the world, God chose some out of all the people who will ever live and he wrote their names in the Lamb's Book of Life that he would save them. but he hasn't given those names to us. I was going to use the illustration of a Rolodex, but not enough of you are old enough to know what that is. God has a Rolodex, and we don't have it. We don't have the name so that we should then send them and only them an engraved invitation to come and believe in Jesus. That's not the church's mission. What he has revealed is that Jesus Christ, our Savior, Through the gospel, let me say that again. He has revealed Jesus Christ our Savior through the gospel that is for everyone. And he calls us in this text to pray and to live according to that. That we'd be mindful of that. That our prayers would serve that interest, that purpose. That we would pray for all because we don't know who's in the Rolodex. We have no idea what prayer, what word, what action will be what God uses to open someone to hear the gospel, to see Jesus, and to be saved. The second revelation is in verses 5 and 6. 5 and 6. The gospel is for everyone because of God our Savior's singular redemption. This revelation is bound up in a short, two-lined creed that captures the essence of the gospel. Paul, in these letters, is good about dropping in little things that are memorable. This would be a good one to memorize. And here it is. This is the creed. 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. There's one God. and there's one mediator. The first line of this creed highlights the singularity of God and that of the mediator between God and men. There is one God, meaning there's only one God, which calls to mind the Shema that God gave to Israel. Hear, O Israel, the Lord is one. The Lord our God, the Lord is one. It picks up on that, and it extends that beyond Israel. There's one God. There's only one God. Therefore, he is the God of the Jews and the Gentiles. He's the God of all people. He alone is the creator of all people. He alone is the judge of all people. He alone is God our Savior to everyone who trusts him for it. And there's only one mediator between this God and men. He alone can stand between an offended God and offending sinners. He alone can satisfy the law of God and earn the eternal life that sinners need. He alone can endure the fullness of God's wrath that sinners deserve. There's only one. Jews, Gentiles, rich, poor, strong, weak, we all need the same mediator. And the second line of the creed identifies this mediator, his human nature, and his saving work. And this one mediator is not the man Moses that stood between God and Israel, which some in Ephesus may have believed. They were preoccupied with the law. No, this one mediator is the man Jesus of Nazareth, Who is the Christ, the divine Son of God, who came into this world, born of a woman, to save sinners. This man alone gave himself as a ransom, read it now, for all. He gave himself a ransom for all. He gave himself as a substitute on behalf of and in exchange for all. That's hidden in the English. But the substitution of Christ for sinners here is very clear in Paul's words. And he gave himself as a ransom. He gave himself to pay the price that redeems sinners from sin and death. He gave himself to pay the price for their freedom that can only belong to the sons of God. And his ransom is the only ransom that can redeem sinners. It's of infinite value. It's sufficient for all. We confess that tonight. And it must be, for God desires the salvation of all. He desires that all men will be saved. But this infinite value is limited in its application. It's effectual only for those who come to the knowledge of the truth. Who come to trust Christ alone for it. And to be bought with this price is to belong to him, body and soul, in life and in death. But apart from being bought, apart from trusting him, no one can come to God the Father. The gospel is for everyone. Salvation is for those who trust Jesus. But this gospel is for everyone. Every person needs Jesus. And he is every person's only hope. Therefore, we who are trusting him already are called to pray for all people and to live toward all people in ways that demonstrate that we're concerned that they would be saved. Do we have that concern? When we believe this gospel, we will begin to have this concern. It will wax and wane, I understand that. But the point is, when you are aware that this is the gospel that you have believed and it is for everyone, you will find those sparks and those habits of motivation to be concerned, to pray, and to act for others. The third revelation is in verses 6 and 7. The last part of 6 and into 7. The gospel is for everyone because of God our Savior's testimony. This is a little tricky when you read it through and I hope I can help you break this down. At the end of verse 6, Paul points to the substance of this creed. He points to it as the testimony. What is contained in this creed is speaking of the testimony given at the proper time. It's not the creed that is the testimony. What the creed represents is the testimony. And this expression is unique to Paul. He alone uses it only three times and he uses it to indicate the timing of only two events in the history of redemption. Pretty major events. The first event, the first testimony given at the proper time occurred when Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and to give his life, give himself as a ransom for all. His coming, his living, his dying, his being raised, His return to glory was the first testimony given by God at its appropriate time. Sometimes in the Bible you hear it called the fullness of time. The second event mentioned in 1 Timothy chapter 6 has yet to occur. This second testimony will be given on the last day when Christ comes again. And at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, God will display this testimony at the proper time. God has made it clear to this world that Jesus Christ has come to save and that Jesus Christ will come again to judge. There is no denying it. There's no getting away from it. We're all accountable to it. And his person and his work is the testimony God has borne to us. It's the testimony in time and in space of what God is determined to do from eternity. Not only does it testify to his eternal desire for all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth, it testifies to the singularity of redemption that it can only be accomplished through this God-man, Jesus Christ. Christ came and accomplished it once and for all. The Holy Spirit continues to apply it to God's people, to those who are in God's Rolodex, from every tribe and nation and people. And he will continue this work until Christ comes again. And then the book is closed. And then Paul picks up on this idea, on this testimony given at the proper time. And he says, for this, verse 7, for this testimony, I was appointed. Now, Paul made it perfectly clear in chapter 1 that he did not appoint himself. And here he insists, I'm telling the truth, I'm not lying. As if to say, I know it's hard to believe, but it's true, I, the worst of sinners, was appointed. With regard to this testimony. For this testimony Paul was appointed a preacher, an apostle, a teacher. He was appointed a preacher of this gospel of Jesus Christ to boldly proclaim this testimony of his coming. Given at the proper time. And to preach nothing more, nothing less, and nothing other. And he was appointed an apostle. of Christ Jesus, to carry the name of the one and only mediator between God and men before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth, meaning to teach them the true faith and to lead all people to the knowledge of the truth. Paul was appointed to serve this testimony on behalf of all people. And as we learn from chapter one he that was entrusted this entrusted it to timothy an apostolic minister and hence it began across the ages and around the world that this testimony has come to you it was given when christ came into the world to save sinners it will be given again when christ returns to judge the nations and is entrusted to the apostles like paul and to the apostolic preachers and teachers like timothy across the ages and around the world to right here right now this place it's come to you that's what this pulpit represents here this is what the preachers that come here and in every true church bring to you is this testimony of Jesus that you would believe that this testimony this gospel is not just for you it's for everyone and it has come down to us with the same promise that has always been there and that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved this gospel is for everyone people and we who believe it are called in this text to pray for other people and to live toward other people with this testimony in mind for them. Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you that you have borne witness to your son Jesus Christ whom you sent for sinners like us. We thank you that you have done all that we need to be rescued from sin and death and hell, that we might live before you not only in this life but in the life to come. We thank you for revealing this to the prophets and to the apostles, that it's been written down for us in the scriptures as we have received them, and that it is proclaimed to us week in and week out we thank you for that help us not to take it for granted help us to remember that this gospel that's come to us is not for us to hoard to keep to ourselves it is for us to share and to give and to pray for and to act in accord with that we might be good advertisements for the gospel of grace that comes through from you alone the one and only God through the one and only mediator Christ our Savior. We pray this in his name. Amen.