A Parable On Prayer

Title: A Parable On Prayer – “Always Pray”

Text: Luke 18:1-8

Subject: (Does prayer work?) How do we commit to Prayer when injustice seems to rule?

Complement: (Wait and see...) by faith in Christ’s coming kingdom

Big Idea: Without Faith We Will Fail – With Faith We Pray And Prevail!

INTRODUCTION: “Ostensibly” unanswered prayer…discourages us from praying…

Context: as the Lord’s coming approaches, evil will increase…

? as it was in the days of Noah

? as it was in the days of lot.

? It will be just like this on that day… (17:30)

I. Jesus Tells A Parable Of Persistence ... (an essential character trait)

? A woman... AND, she’s also a widow

? A powerful judge – But, he’s a calloused judge? “local gentile judge—not a religious court.

? Many such cases of injustice will come his way…

? His reputation is at stake

? He so corrupt he doesn’t even fear God!

? Widow -- “grant me justice...”

? Finally to get rid of her the judge helps ...

II. Jesus Contrasts (!) The Widow’s status & Our Status:

? God will bring justice! (at the eschaton)

? Finally, vindication!

? ‘his chosen ones” ? note the contrast w/ helpless widow

? justice and speedily!

? Speedily ---quickly is misunderstood !

I. A reference ch 17 – the kingdom/his coming!

? Help is one the way...and the delay will prove shorter that we think.

** this isn’t a parable about praying for a prayer need before God our unjust judge who can’t be bothered helping us – so we bother him until he surrenders...

NO!

It's a parable about the practise of praying – and calls us to commit and do it!

– even when there’s chaos all around... this is when we need faith... not faith for “a” miracle...

**but faith to believe in Jesus return and his kingdom!

This is a prayer about the end of the age... and the question Jesus asks us is this “ when I come ...will I find you to still believe in me... will you still be praying...or will you have given up praying?”

See again verse 1: Jesus told this parable that we should always pray and not give up.”

III. Jesus Asks However, ...When I Come, Will I Find Faith?

The return of Christ expresses the triumph of the gospel over all kings and kingdoms... over sin and evil

***This victory inspires us to pray!

The return of Christ will settle all injustices

The people of God will finally be vindicated.

Until then... there will be wins and losses

A mixture of miracles and misery

Example: pastor in Nigeria killed by beheading

Example: pastor in China imprisoned for 9 years

Too much misery may cause us to quit praying...???

***Jesus says...I’m coming back – and I want to find my people to be people of prayer!!!

? Things will be tough...

? Faith will be under fire...

? Example ? China... NA (church on the margins)

I. Church in Nigeria.

II. Pastors in prison in China

? All of this creates a discouragement... yes even, a “why bother” attitude, resulting in – prayerlessness!

? Elim – can we be a people of devout prayer?

? The ball is in our court—will we be faithful enough to pray?

? Remember 2 weeks back... “ask, seek, knock”

? Last week – “kneel before the Father”

? Jesus is committed to doing justice!

? But things will get tougher as we near the end…

? Will he find us faithful? {Faith is seeing things unseen} Heb 11.

? What is faith? Firstly, it is praying!

Application? so what? Take-away?

Develop Prayer habits...?

(1) 3 x per day

(2) journal

(3) pray scripture

*** “As a good, good Father, God is interested not merely in answering our prayers (~demands) but in shaping our character !

(REPEAT...)

Have you ever prayed a prayer like this...”Lord, help we to get an A on this assignment” or quiz even though you didn’t study much... then you get a ‘C’ and you wonder God, why didn’t you answer my prayer?

*** “As a good, good Father, God is interested not merely in answering our prayers (~demands) but in shaping our character !

Another example: “someone you love becomes sick and dies too young... we wonder why didn’t God answer our prayer and heal this person? We look for someone to blame: (1) God (2) ourselves

We can become angry with God.

We can lose our faith.

We can say why bother praying

Prayer didn’t work.

This parable doesn’t promise an answer to every prayer ...if we just bother God enough, we will get our answer...

Like I said ... this is a very misunderstood parable!

We cannot predict the outcome of our prayers

We cannot control the outcome of our prayers.