2. To Commune with God

THE PASTOR’S JOB DESCRIPTION

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Last week I started our series on the organization and leadership of the church. I presented the Bible as the authority for how we lead and organize the church and 1 Timothy as the specific book written to deal with leadership and organization in the local church.

With the Lord as the head of our church, the subservient levels of organization that Paul lays out in 1 Timothy are: 1) Congregation; 2) Elders and Deacons; and 3) the Pastor, or pastoral staff. Not only does Paul delineate the structure, but he also gives instruction for each level of leadership- a job description in order to fulfill the work of the church.

Last week I introduced the 5 key roles in the job description of the pastor, they are: 1) Correct False Teachers (Apologetics)- 1:3; 2) Commune with God (Prayer)- 2:1-3; 3) Call Certain Leaders (Elders and Deacons)- 3:1-16; 4) Conform to the Image of Christ (Godliness) 4:12; 5) Command and Teach the Whole Counsel of God (Sound Doctrine) 4:11, 13-16

I am sometimes amused and other times disappointed by the things that people expect are the pastor’s job description: some expect me to be the janitor and let me know when the building is a mess; some expect me to be a social worker and to fix the community; some expect me to be a political activist; and others expect me to be a life coach, a CEO, a market analyst an entrepreneur or some type of corporate strategic planner.

My job performance is always being evaluated through those wide and varying lenses. It’s like being a single employee with forty or fifty bosses and some of whom have sincere, but sometimes arbitrary and ambiguously defined expectation for the pastor.

You know, I do not believe that I have ever been either commended or criticized for my performance in the second key component of the pastor’s job description. I wish I were, because it is an element of my job that is of utmost importance and it is the easiest area of my profession to slack off on and not get caught. (Fortunately, Arden has committed to meeting me every Wednesday morning at 7:00 am for prayer- otherwise, I could shluff that off too!)

And by the way, when I consider all that God has been doing to bless and to grow our church as well as to give us favour in our community I am humbled by the reminder of how little it has to do with me, or with programs, or with any person in this church, but that prayer has been a consistent and central element of our churches ethos and prayer is the main reason that God has been so good to us.

Let’s look at what God has to say about that: Read 1 Timothy 2:1-4

As Matthew Henry writes, “What is acceptable in the sight of God our saviour, that we should abound in prayer.”

I don’t believe that Paul structures the order of the pastor’s roles in any random manner. But, having just dealt with the urgent matter of false teachers in the church in the first chapter, Paul is now in chapter two able to move on in an orderly sequential manner to build upon the “pre-eminence and superior excellency” of prayer (John Gill). Making prayer the primary task to all the consequent roles of the pastor. And the success of those roles will be directly impacted by the pastor’s prayer life.

Prayer was central to Jesus’ ministry. When the world around him was demanding his attention, Jesus could often be found alone in his prayer closet. For example look at Mark 6:45-56.

Jesus had to get a way not only from the multitudes who seemed to follow him everywhere, but also from his own disciples. He went up to the mountain to pray so that he could continue in His ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of the will of His Father.

There was work that was left unfinished on one shore, work that needed to be done on the other shore and the danger of the travel between those two points and yet Jesus main concern was to pray… to pray well into the early morning.

The Apostles appeared to have learned this lesson well from Jesus, because early on we find them telling their congregation not distract them with administrative tasks and the waiting of tables because their primary concern was to give themselves continually to pray and the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4).

Even for the Apostles, prayer comes before the ministry of the Word. Charles Bridges urges pastor’s that prayer be “one half of our ministry; and it gives the other half all its power and success.” Jean Massillon, the famous French preacher said that a pastor who does not love to pray is:
…a stranger, who has usurped the pastor’s place, and to whom the salvation of the flock is indifferent. [He admonished pastors of his day saying] …be faithful in prayer, and your functions will be useful, your people more holy, your labors will prove much sweeter, and the churches evils will diminish.

When I read such mandates to pastors I am convicted of my apathy towards the centrality of prayer in my role as pastor. I feel the need to ask for the forgiveness of this church and resolve to commit myself to continual prayer and request that this church enable me to do so.

Prayer must never be an after thought to the work of the church, much less to that of the pastor. A church whose pastor is prayerless is like an ocean front without an early warning system for a Tsunami.

The famous Puritan divine, John Owen said “what that minister is on his knees in secret before God Almighty, that he is and no more.”

Another famous preacher, John Welsh, kept his robe at his bed side so that he would not catch cold when he rose each night to pray. He once told his wife when she found him weeping on the floor after midnight, “Oh my dear wife, I have 3000 souls to answer for, and I know not how it is with many of them!” That is the heart of a true pastor.

John Bunyan called prayer “a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God and a scourge to Satan.” What a strong shield prayer must be in our day. What great sacrifice for the pastor who is glued to his latest gadgets and gizmos and dragged along by his wrist watch. What a scourge to Satan in this city where it seems that he has his throne.

One more opinion, this one from Spurgeon- he gave it to his students at his college for pastors, “The more familiar you are with the court of heaven, the better you shall discharge your heavenly trust….” How’s that for church growth methodology?

If the church is inconsequential and emasculated in our pluralistic and secular nation, it may be because too many church require of their pastors too much administrative duties, too many meetings, too many ‘practical’ responsibilities and they do not hold their pastors accountable to their longevity in prayer.

Back in 1 Timothy 2, Paul write, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men.”

Many of the early commentators interpreted Paul’s command in verse 1 as directed primarily at Timothy. The ancient Syrian translation even says, “I exhort thee first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be made for all men.” Thee being the addressee of the letter, Timothy.

The ambiguity is intentional because there are two levels of application, for one, the pastor is to model to fellow believers a life that is committed to prayer and the members are to be encouraged also to excel in zeal for prayer. Prayer is also very much the responsibility of all believers.

The pastor must pray for “all men!” Does that mean that I am obligated to get hold of every phone book in existence and travel the world to find the names every man woman and child so that I can pray for them? I don’t think so.

“All men” cannot mean every single person on the face of the earth in verse 1 any more then it could mean every person on the face of the earth in verse 4.

It is the same phrase used of the Pharisees when they plotted to kill Jesus. They said that “all the world” had gone after him. God is not bound by the will of men. God’s calling is effectual, that means that regeneration, faith and repentance are the “sovereign work of God” (J.I. Packer).

Here is what Baptist have taught since the early 1600’s,
This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone, not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature… he is enabled [by the Holy Spirit] to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered (London Baptist Confession 1689) ( 2 Timothy 1:9; Ephesians 2:8; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:5; John 5:25; Ephesians 1:19, 20 )

For the good news- that Jesus, being God in the flesh, born of a woman and lived a perfect life, was crucified and suffered the wrath of God on our behalf, died and was buried, but two days later was raised from the dead and ascended to sit on his eternal throne- it may be foolishness and a stumbling block to some, but to those whom God has called, it is the power of God and the wisdom of God and no one who is called can resist that.

That thorny issue aside, we must conclude that the prayers for all men, is a general term. It covers people from all races and therefore those who hate other races and cultures must be excluded from pastoral ministry because they cannot fulfill this command.

Paul explains in more detail what he means in verse 2 anyway. He says to pray for Kings and all who are in authority, that means world leaders and local governments. I am certain that if we complained to God about our leaders as much as we complain to one-another about them, we could effect more change in our leaders.

“All men” must also include those who are not yet Christians; that the eyes of their understanding my be enlightened, so that they will know the hope of his calling and the riches of his glory (Ephesians 1:18). Pray that God’s providence will bring them into an encounter with the Gospel whether through a missionary, a tract, religious radio and especially through this church.

“All men” includes members of this church. Paul prayed this way for the Corinthians:
7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. 8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. 9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete (2 Cor 13:7-10).
For the Philippians he prayed,
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
For the Colossians he prayed
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
Finally, Jesus prayed this for us before his crucifixion,
20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

In conclusion, I make these requests. If this church desires that their pastor be more effective and more productive, that my sermons be more powerful and that my heart be overflowing with love for everyone, empower and enable me for prayer.
1. Be sparing in the requests that you make of me that I may abound in the requests I make on your behalf before the Father. In some cases I may be the only person outside of yourself who is praying for you.
2. Restrict your criticisms of my performance to the roles to which I am called and limit the tasks that you require of me.
3. Please do not assume that if I don’t answer the phone or cannot meet you at a certain time or place that I am not about my father’s business.
4. Keep me accountable regarding prayer; give me many opportunities for prayer.
5. Finally, most importantly, pray for me that God will open up many doors of opportunity that I will have the endurance and the zeal and the passion to remain long in prayer.