November 8, 2015
Evening Service

Luke 11:1-13

This morning Jesus used the parable of the “Good Samaritan” to answer to the question; “Who is my neighbor?”  It doesn’t matter who it is we see in need, we are to show compassion and do what we can to help.  There can be no partiality on our part because “Loving your neighbor as yourself” excludes no one.  Tonight we look at a parable that teaches us some lessons on prayer.  This parable is found only in the Book of Luke.  

Luke 11:1-4  And it happened as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught His disciples.”  (2)  And He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in Heaven, so also on the earth.  (3)  Give us day by day our daily bread,  (4)  and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

·         This is of course what we know as “The Lord’s Prayer.”  There are a number of points we could and have spoken on in these verses alone.  We, however, will look tonight at the parables Jesus taught immediately following this famous prayer.

 

Luke 11:5-8  And He said to them, which of you shall have a friend and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves,  (6)  for a friend of mine has come from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him?”  (7)  And he answering from inside may say, “Do not trouble me. The door is now shut and my children are in bed with me. I cannot rise and give to you.”  (8)  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will arise and give him as many as he needs.

·         The parable here speaks of a man, through his persistence of asking, gets the things he desires.  The point here is NOT that God eventually tires of our asking and finally gives in; as it seems the man tucked snugly in bed did.

·          The point is that we are to be persistent in our prayers and expect results.

·         Do we need to keep praying because God is forgetful and needs us to remind Him?  Absolutely not!  The persistent prayer is for our sakes.  It is a reminder to us that God is in control and we are to be faithful to His command to make our requests know to Him.

 

Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.

·         God does not ever grow weary of our prayers. He commands us not to worry, but instead to pray about everything.

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

·         He would not instruct us to cast our cares upon Him if it were a burden, He desires it from us.

·         He makes this point very clear as we continue in Luke 11.

Luke 11:9-10 And I say to you, Ask and it shall be given you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you.  (10)  For everyone who asks receives. And he who seeks finds. And to him who knocks it shall be opened.

·         Jesus is teaching us that we should not grow weary or discouraged in our prayer life, but instead keeping it active; continue to ask, seek and knock.  As long as we see the need, keep praying.  Examples:  David, Grandma, and Mindy.

·         Notice the results in verse 10.  All who ask will receive.  All who seek shall find.  All who knock it will be opened unto them.

·         I am afraid it is us who grow weary way before God ever does.

·         We need to ask in faith and according to His will; trusting that He knows what and when is best for us.  That means sometimes the answer will be not now, or even just no.  Let’s continue in Luke with another parable.

 

Luke 11:11-13  For what father of you, if the son asks for bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake for a fish?  (12)  Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he give him a scorpion?  (13)  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?

·         Here Jesus uses another parable to emphasize His point.  Do we as parents give our kids whatever they ask for?  No, we give them what we think is best for them.  If it were up to them, they would eat only candy and stay up all night watching television.  We are wise enough and love them enough to tell them no.

·         We must trust God, who has perfect wisdom and perfect love, that He knows what is best for us.  “Do you completely trust Him?” 

·         Our persistent prayer life must also be accompanied by the attitude of Jesus as He prayed in the garden as He as the shadow of the cross lies ahead of Him.

Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

·         Notice the asking for His desire, yet yielding to God’s perfect will.  We must ultimately trust that God knows what is best for us.

·         Even when we aren’t even sure how or what to pray God, through the Spirit, intercedes for us.

Romans 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  (27)  And He searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  (28)  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

·         Have you been there?  You are so burdened down that you have no idea what or how to pray.  That is when the Holy Spirit within us intercedes and relays to God exactly what we need.  That is the God we serve.

 

Ask, seek, and knock with persistence, but also trusting Him to “make all things work together for good.”

 

Lord, guide our prayer life to be faithful and consistent with Your Word.