We have a new King – King Charles the third. And no doubt most preachers will be focusing on this and Paul’s encouragement to pray for our leaders in order to avoid trying to interpret and preach on Jesus’ Gospel where he says: Use worldly or rather, dishonest wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. It’s a tough parable to dissect.
The 2nd reading from Paul can be just as challenging in today’s society because it instructs us that there is only ONE mediator between us and God and that is Jesus Christ. It appears to exclude all other paths to God whether it be our good works or other religions. And in today’s society that can be challenging as to try and explain. So let’s see if we can understand what Paul is saying:
First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. Last week we heard how powerful prayer was. God was angry with Israel for rejecting him and worshiping a Golden Calf. It was not the way to God. So God had decided to destroy all of “stiff-necked” Israel and start again with Moses. But Moses begs for Israel – pleading for God’s mercy as he intercedes for them. And because of Moses’ prayer it says that “God changed his mind”.
Have you ever considered just how powerful your prayers are when you are praying for a situation. A prayer that can actually change God’s mind. A prayer that can change the course of history. And Christians are charged with that responsibility by praying for all people – for our King – and all people in positions of authority for a peaceful life of the world. And for this reason our Prayer of the Church where we pray for the world, the church and all people according to their needs is not just another “part of the liturgy” but a fundamental life pulse of the world. Who else has been charged with this responsibility? Who else can change the mind of God? Moses did because he had personal access to God which no one else had in his time.
Remember the people were frightened of God and begged Moses to not let God speak with them but that Moses become the mediator between them and God. They said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!” So, because Moses was their mediator, they could have their requests made to God and God would listen and Moses could change the very mind of God.
We had seen that earlier with Abraham pleading on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. Interceding as their mediator to stop God from destroying them. And God promised that if he could find a few as 10 righteous people living there he would not destroy them. God has given us access to himself through proper mediation.
Nineveh discovered that also that through their repentance God changed his mind. And now, Paul tells us, that Jesus is the new mediator between us and God to bring our requests to God through him. There is one God; there is also one mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself a ransom for all.
This, as I said, is very challenging in a world that is growingly rejecting Christianity. But Paul is not alone in this understanding of Jesus being the only mediator between us and God. Jesus himself said this: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Coming to God through Jesus is how we know that God has heard our prayers.
Communication is important in any relationship. When we send an important letter and we want to know that it has arrived we will send it by Registered Mail and obtain a signature. We might ask for a “read receipt” on an email we send to know that it has been received. With God we don’t need to do that when we come to him through Jesus.
When we pray – in Jesus’ name I pray. We know with absolute confidence that God has heard our prayer.
But the most important prayer that we Christians are to pray and to pray unceasingly is to pray for the world that is moving away from God. Paul says that God desires that all people be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. How comforting to know that God wants everyone to be in heaven with him. And there’s only one thing that prevents that from happening – as we saw with Moses and Israel – our rejection of God through sin.
But just as Moses stood between God’s judgement and Israel, so too Jesus stands between God’s judgement and us. He is the mediator. He has paid the ransom to free us. So if we reject Christ then we reject that mediation that Jesus paid for with his life. So as children of God – as the people of God – as the body of Christ we have a huge task that God has given to us – but a rewarding task. We are asked to pray. For all people.
For Kings and those in leadership. And our prayer is for all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. And what is that truth? Jesus says – “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”.
God wants the world to know how much he loves the world – so much that he sent his one and only Son to die for us and to be the mediator between him and us. Works of charity – works of service – serving in positions of leadership in the church are important. But prayer is not important – it is vital – it is essential. As Christians – we are the Moses praying to God on behalf of those who have rejected him, like Israel.
As Christians we are sometimes called to be the Jonah’s of this world to call people back to God through repentance, like Nineveh, so they can repent and rediscover God’s grace. And sometimes, like Abraham, we might even find that despite our best efforts, despite all our pleadings, that, like Sodom and Gomorrah, there is continued rejection and we need to keep praying. And that’s why Paul says elsewhere – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. If there is only one God – and there is only one mediator between humanity and God in Jesus Christ – and that is what we believe and what Jesus taught – then we have a huge responsibility to pray for the world to come to the knowledge of truth. But what a blessing to know that we can come to God as we read in the book of Hebrews – to approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. And not just for ourselves but the world – for Kings – and all people according to their needs.
