Meet one of today’s most serious threats to the cause of Christ

After April 14, 2009 – Border Patrol incident

Faithful Word BaptistChurch, Tempe, AZ

Steven Anderson

August 17, 2009 – President Obama visits Phoenix, AZ

ChristopherBroughton

With his preacher,Steven Anderson

From Anderson’s August 16 sermon, “Why I Hate Barack Obama”

• “God hates Barack Obama. I hate Barack Obama. … I’m not going to pray for his good. I’m going to pray that he dies and goes to hell. When I go to bed tonight, that’s how I’m going to pray.”

1 Timothy 2:1-6

• I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession

and thanksgiving be made for everyone— (2) for kings

and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and

quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (3) This is good,

and pleases God our Savior, (4) who wants all men to be

saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (5) For

there is one God and one mediator between God and

men, the man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave himself as a

ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

Few passages stress the universal scope of the gospel so strongly

• We are to pray for everyone• God wants everyone to be saved• Jesus gave his life a ransom for everyone• Walter Lock (ICC): “God’s will to save is as

wide as his will to create”

This appears in NT again & again

• 2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

• John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

• John 12:32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

The gospel includes everyone

• Emperor & slave • Scholar & uneducated• Rich & poor• Good & bad• Christian & non-Christian• No one is outside our prayers

Four aspects of prayer are grouped in one verse

• 1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone

• Requests (Gk. deesis)• Prayers (Gk. proseuche)• Intercession (Gk. enteuxis)• Thanksgiving (Gk. eucharistia)

This is a cardinal principle of Christian prayer

• Emperors tried to stamp out Christianity• Even then, the church regarded it as an absolute

duty to pray for the Emperor & his subordinates• 1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone:

Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.

• Remember, the Emperor at that time was Nero

Tertullian

• Of prayers for the emperor, pray for “long life, secure dominion, a safe home, a faithful senate, a righteous people, and a world at peace” (Apology 30)

• “We pray for our rulers, for the state of the world, for the peace of all things and for the postponement of the end” (Apology 39)

Theophilus of Antioch

• “The honor that I will give the Emperor is all the greater, because I will not worship him, but I will pray for him. I will worship no one but the true and real God, for I know that the Emperor was appointed by him.... Those give real honor to the Emperor who are well-disposed to him, who obey him, and who pray for him” (Apology 1:11).

Justin Martyr

• “We worship God alone, but in all other things we gladly serve you, acknowledging kings and rulers of men, and praying that they may be found to have pure reason with kingly power” (Apology 1:14,17).

Clement of Rome1st Letter to Corinth

• “You, Lord and Master, have given our rulers and governors the power of sovereignty through your excellent and unspeakable might, that we, knowing the glory and honor which you have given them, may submit ourselves unto them, in nothing resisting your will. Grant unto them, therefore, O Lord, health, peace, concord, stability, that they may administer the government which you have given them without failure. For you, O heavenly Master, King of the Ages, give to the sons of men glory and honor and power over all things upon the earth.

Clement of Rome1st Letter to Corinth

• Lord, direct their counsel according to that which is good and well-pleasing in your sight, that, administering the power which you have given them in peace and gentleness with godliness, they may obtain your favor. You who alone are able to do these things, and things far better than these for us, we praise you through the High Priest and Guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be the glory and majesty to you both now and for all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (1 Clement 61).

The Church prayed for rulers with two things in mind

• 1 Timothy 2:2b ... that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

• Peaceful & quiet lives• Godliness & holiness

– Godliness (Gk. eusebeia)– Holiness (Gk. semnotes)

What motivates godly prayers?

• The one & only God• The one & only Mediator • Because there is one God & one Mediator,

we are all brothers • Our world finds this hard to believe

– “Your religion is good for you and ours for us”

• Jesus gave his life as a ransom for all