A Praying Church

The Priority of Prayer

1 Timothy 2:1-2

  1. Paul begins this chapter by urging believers to pray “first of all.” Why do you think he emphasizes prayer as the top priority?
  2. Paul uses four words to describe prayer: supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. What do these different terms suggest about the depth and breadth of our prayer life?

The Purpose of Prayer and Living a Godly Life

1 Timothy 2:2-4

  1. What does it look like to live a “peaceful and quiet” life in today’s digital, highly polarized world?
  2. The passage states that God “desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” How does this truth influence your prayers for unbelievers in your life?

The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ

1 Timothy 2:5-6

  1. Paul declares that “there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Why is Jesus’s role as the single mediator so important to the Christian faith?
  2. Jesus “gave himself as a ransom for all” (v. 6). How does understanding Jesus’s ransom sacrifice impact your view of his love for you and all of humanity?

The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ

1 Timothy 2:7

  1. Paul reminds Timothy of his own appointment as “a herald and an apostle… a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” In what ways has God appointed you to proclaim or live out the truth of the gospel?

Personal Application

  • Reflect on your prayer life. Are you more focused on personal requests or on interceding for others? What is one practical step you can take to make your prayers more selfless?
  • Who is one person you can commit to praying for regularly to “come to a knowledge of the truth”? Take a moment to pray for that person silently or aloud.