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Nov 10, 2024

First Executive Order

First Executive Order

Passage: 1 Timothy 2:1-6

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: General Topic

Keywords: prayer, authority, godliness, ransom, dignified

Last week we considered from a letter to exiles what is the mandate for us all, irrespective of how this week’s election turned out. This week we consider, let’s call it, our “first executive order.” Some are elated–others angered. Still others, just glad the season has passed. The “order” remains the same for all who see their earthly citizenship only in the light of their heavenly one.

CENTRAL TEXT:  1 Timothy 2:1-6

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

 

PREPARATION:  Psalm 24:7-10

LEADER:  Lift up your heads, O gates! 
And be lifted up, O ancient doors, 
that the King of glory may come in.

ALL:  Who is this King of glory? 
The LORD, strong and mighty, 
the LORD, mighty in battle!

LEADER:  Lift up your heads, O gates! 
And lift them up, O ancient doors, 
that the King of glory may come in.

ALL:  Who is this King of glory? 
The LORD of hosts, 
he is the King of glory!

 

PRAYER/SCRIPTURE READING/CONFESSION OF FAITH : The Apostles’ Creed

LEADER:  What do you believe? 

ALL:   I believe in God the Father Almighty 
Maker of heaven and earth. 
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord; 
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, 
Born of the Virgin Mary, 
Suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
Was crucified, dead, and buried; 
He descended into Hell [lit., Hades]; 
The third day he rose again from the dead; 
He ascended into heaven, 
and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; 
From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 
I believe in the Holy Ghost; 
the holy catholic Church; 
the communion of saints; 
the forgiveness of sins; 
the resurrection of the body; 
and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

BENEDICTION: Revelation 1:5b-6

LEADER:  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood  and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

ALL: Amen!

 

RELATED SCRIPTURES

  • Ezra 6:9, 10
  • Matthew 22:15-22
  • Romans 13:1-7; Revelation 13:1-8

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Have someone read Romans 13:1-7 and someone else read Revelation 13:1-8.
    How do these two claims about human authority under the authority of God square?
    How might what Jesus says in Matthew 22:15-22 help? (yeah– read that passage, too!)

 

QUOTES

 

  • [The Christian’s] duty of obedience is binding on him until government directly compels him to offend against the divine commandment. . .until government openly denies its divine commission and thereby forfeits its claim. In cases of doubt obedience is required; for the Christian does not bear the responsibility of government. But if government violates of exceeds its commission at any point, for example, by making itself master over belief of the congregation, then at this point, indeed, obedience is to be refused, for conscience’s sake, for the Lord’s sake.
    - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Ethics

 

  • . . .politics is not the most important thing, but it does set the conditions for the pursuit of the most important things, and those can be better or worse conditions. And that matters.
    - Sarah Gustafson
  • The rule for all of us is perfectly simple. Do not waste time bothering whether you “love” your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.
    - C.S. Lewis
  •  . . . prayer ought to be the fuel of the spirit, the fuel that gives us the strength and the hope that alone can sustain work for justice and peace. “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace” — make me an instrument. Set me to work. In these dark days let me at least light a candle. 
    - Alan Jacobs

 

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