Praying With Persistence

Title: “Praying with Persistence” Scripture: Luke 11:5-10

Type: Expository series Where: GNBC 10-13-21

Intro: For more than 40 years, a shy Welshman went to his neighbor’s door each week and slipped a love letter underneath. Because of an argument they’d had decades before, she refused to speak to him through the years. Finally, after writing 2,184 love letters with no response of any kind, the 74-year-old man went to the door, knocked on it, and asked the 74-year-old woman to marry him. Much to his surprise, she said yes and they soon tied the knot. His persistence paid off! (Richard Armstrong, “Make Your Life Worthwhile”) Persistence usually does pay off. One area in which we may not think about persistence is in the area of prayer in our lives. Are you and I persistent in praying for the needs we face?

Prop: Studying Lk. 11:5-10 will teach us 3 important principles about being persistent in prayer.

BG: 1. Read a recent Barna poll that stated 90% of all American believe in prayer. 86% believe in God.

2. Are you persistent in prayer? Do you get easily discouraged when God doesn’t seem to answer immediately? If so this parable is for you (And me!).

3. Jesus loved to tell parables, because He loved stories and the way they helped people understand big truths about the kingdom of God. Today, we’re going to look at a parable about prayer. It’s called the Parable of the Persistent Friend.

Prop: Let’s examine Lk. 11:5-10 so as to realize 3 important principles about being persistent in prayer.

I. 1st Principle: Persistency in Prayer is Applauded by our Lord. Vv.5-8

A. Jesus tells this wonderful story to illustrate this Important Principle.

1. Most scholars refer to this as the “Parable of the Persistent Friend”.

a. The story begins vividly and appealingly. A man goes to his friend’s house at midnight to ask for food because a travelers has come to his own house. “Lend me 3 loaves of bread.” Is the request. “Lend” is not the common word in the NT which means allow to borrow with the expectation of interest. Rather, here, the only time in the NT, the word means “grant the use of as a friendly act”. We understand the difference. Illust: You go to the bank and they “lend” you money to purchase a car or home. They expect repayment with interest. Your neighbor’s lawn mower is broken and in the shop. He asks if you would mind “lending” him yours. You do it as a friendly act because you are a neighbor. Not going to calculate interest!

b. So the unsuspecting host has no food and rushes to his neighbor to ask a small request, “Three loaves of bread.” Think more of glorified pancakes. Two for the guest and one to eat with him as a sign of hospitality. Illust: Some have asked before, “Why midnight?” Come to travel at nighttime due to the intense heat.

2. Let’s look at the persistence of this man.

a. Notice the neighbor’s response: v.7 “Don’t bother me!” The hour is late. The door is bolted shut. The kids are in bed. “Come on, what’s your problem?!” This is a poor family. Sharing of a bed. Illust: I once new a man who was one of 14 children, lived in a 2 br. Row House. Packed in like sardines! Now Jesus says that the man will not help you because you are his friend, but rather, because you are persistent!

b. The Greek word for “persistence” (anaideian) literally means, “shamelessness”. The NIV translates this: “utter shamelessness”. Illust: We’ve all seen homeless people begging money before. Many are tragic figures with Spiritual/mental health problems. Some chemical addiction. Some, life has been terribly difficult. Some PSTDs. There is, also, however, a minority of those who “utterly shameless” and have told you their story with a straight face and what was our response? Gave them money. Why? They were bold! Got in your face. Asked for money. Jesus is telling us that when there is a matter for prayer we need to be just as utterly shameless in making our requests known.

B. The Parable Sets up the Obvious Point: Be Persistent in Prayer.

1. Be Persistent in Prayer when Interceding on Behalf of Others.

a. Illust – I love the OT story of Abraham in Gen. 18. God reveals to the patriarch that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and that He is about to destroy them for their perversion. One problem, Abraham’s nephew and family are there. Abraham begins to pray to the Lord and intercede and ask if God would relent if 50 righteous people were found in S&G. If you know the story, God says that He would relent. Abraham comes back by asking if there are 45, then 40, until goes down to 10. Why? Because his relatives are living in this vile community and Abraham wants them to be spared from God’s wrath.