First of All (Part 2)
from The Truth Church
Bishop Riggen expounds on 1 Timothy 2:1-4, where Paul exhorts that first of all, as the highest priority, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks should be made for all men. He emphasizes that prayer is the premier responsibility of every Christian, more important than job, education, or relationships, because it develops a relationship with Jesus Christ. Using Luke 11:1-2 and Matthew 6:9-13, Bishop Riggen examines the Lord's Prayer, highlighting that Jesus taught his disciples a method, not a recitation. He focuses on the pronouns: Jesus never used 'I,' 'me,' or 'my,' but only 'our' and 'us,' teaching that prayer must not be self-centered. Instead, the first three petitions concern God's name, kingdom, and will. Bishop Riggen illustrates the power of praying for others from Job 42:10, when Job prayed for his friends, God restored his fortunes. He warns against selfish, repetitious prayers, referencing the Pharisee who prayed only about himself. The sermon calls believers to shift their perspective from personal needs to the needs of the body of Christ, praying collectively for deliverance, daily bread, forgiveness, and spiritual protection, so that the church may prevail in prayer and see God's kingdom advanced.
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