PRAY…PEOPLE…PRAY (Outline)
September 20, 2020 - Pentecost 16 - LUKE 18:1-8
INTRO.: A popular movie used the phrase: “Run…Forrest…Run!” A kind soul used this saying to encourage her friend to flee from danger. Our text today teaches us about prayer. Our loving, heavenly Father reminds us to run from danger. Run to the safety of God’s powerful love for us with prayer. “Then you will call on me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, when you will seek me with all your heart” (JEREMIAH 29:13). In other words: PRAY…PEOPLE…PRAY. I. Constantly. II. Confidently.
I. PRAY CONSTANTLY
A. Verse 1. A parable is an earthly example to explain a divine truth.
1. Jesus’ parable contains the parts of our theme. “…the need to always pray”.
2. “…the need to always pray and not lose heart”. Pray constantly and confidently.
B. Verse 2. In a certain town there was a certain judge. He was doubly wicked.
a. The judge did not fear God. b. The judge did not care about people.
1. Verse 3. Widow kept coming. Sought justice. Widows were helpless of the helpless.
2. Widows had no other means of support. They depended on the generosity of others.
C. Verse 4. Judge kept refusing widow’s persistence. He admits no fear of God or care for people.
1. Verse 5. Eventually the judge has enough. He will give her justice.
2. Gives justice because worn out from widow. Greek: pound with fists until a black eye.
D. The widow did not give up. She persisted in her request for justice. Constantly came to the judge again and again. Bothered him enough to answer. Jesus used this example to remind us to pray…people…pray. We are to bring our prayers to God’s throne of grace constantly. Each of us would likely admit that we ought to be praying more. We ought to strive to be praying constantly. Scripture does NOT say pray a little or a lot. The Bible reminds us to pray constantly. Without ceasing. "At every opportunity, pray in the Spirit with every kind of prayer and petition. Stay alert for the same reason, always persevering in your intercession for all the saints" (EPHESIANS 6:18). Pray for all the believers everywhere. Jesus also reminds us to pray even for our enemies. Changes hearts. And lives.
E. Our prayers are NOT to be selfish. Self-centered. How often do our prayers focus only on our-selves? Our needs? Our wants? Our desires? Nor are our prayers to be greedy for material posses-sions. How often do we turn to our loving, heavenly Father asking for everything earthly? “Lord just a little more…for me.” It is not wrong to seek God’s blessings in our lives. It is far better to pray for those around us who are in desperate situations. We may even know or have relatives affected by the natural disasters in our nation. Fires. Floods. Disease. There are many people, other than ourselves, for whom we can constantly pray. "Be persistent in prayer, and as you pray, be alert and thankful. At the same time, pray for us too, that God might open a door for our message…” (COLOSSIANS 4:2, 3a).
F. We also learn about prayer from Jesus’ examples. He often went off by himself to pray. Jesus needed the privacy to focus on his Father’s will. It is a good thing to have quiet time in our prayers with our loving, heavenly Father. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to seek those things that are spir-itual far more than anything earthly. “Give us our daily bread” is the only earthly petition. The Lord does give us our daily bread. We are praying to be thankful for our earthly blessings. “Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (PHILIPPIANS 4:6). Constantly pray without worry. With thanksgiving.
PRAY…PEOPLE…PRAY. Pray constantly.
II. PRAY CONFIDENTLY
A. The judge in a certain town was the worst. Did not fear God. Did not care about people.
1. Verse 6. “The Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says.” “I will give her justice” (verse 5).
2. Even a wicked, unjust judge changed his mind. Constant, confident prayer worked.
B. Verse 7. Parable purpose: If an unjust judge can give justice what about the just Judge…God?
1. The Lord will give justice to his chosen ones crying out day and night. Constantly.
2. “Will he keep putting them off?” Of course not. The Lord loves to hear and answer.
C. Verse 8a. “I tell you that he will give them justice quickly.” This is God’s mercy-filled love.
1. Believers were to pray constantly. And now Jesus teaches believers to be confident.
2. The Lord God of Armies is NOT an unjust Judge. He hears. He answers. Perfectly.
3. Verse 8b. The Lord Jesus will return. “…will he find faith on the earth?” Yes. Pray.
D. We know we ought to pray more. We know that we are to pray confidently. How are we able to do such a simple but challenging assignment? Especially in our day and age. We live in a time when our confidence has been shaken. Our society lives in the fear of not knowing. Not believing. It seems as if there is another disaster just around the corner. These alarms attack confidence. This is the worldly view. Earthly example. As Christians we have confidence in Christ. In Scripture. In our loving, heavenly Father. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord God of Armies. He does not change like shifting shadows. "Then even before they call, I will answer. While they are still speaking, I will hear” (ISAIAH 65:24). Our Lord knows what we need even before we ask. God answers before we call upon. The Lord listens while we are still speaking. Confidence in Christ!
E. We know that we are God’s children. Just like children we are sometimes disobedient. We might even feel a bit scared facing our heavenly Father. We may feel ashamed because of our many sins. We come to the Lord with humility knowing we do not deserve any of God’s gracious blessings. We come before our loving, heavenly Father because he is our loving, heavenly Father. He sent his Son to pay for our sins. Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers. We now come to the very throne of God because of the cross of Christ. “So let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (HEBREWS 4:16). At the throne of our heavenly Father we do “receive mercy and find grace”. Pray…people…pray. With confidence!
F. Our confidence to pray to our loving, heavenly Father comes from Christ alone. Through scripture alone. By grace alone. How gracious is our God. He invites us to pray. Any time. An-ywhere. All the time. The Lord promises to hear. God always answers: yes, no, not now. We may want to ask for the wisdom to understand God’s divine answers to our requests. Once again, we are encouraged to pray for others. We are reminded that our prayers are powerful. Effective. “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, in order that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is able to do much because it is effective" (JAMES 5:16). At times may feel we do not know the right word to use or say when addressing God. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf. (cf. Romans 8:26).
CONC.: Pray…people…pray. Constantly. Confidently. Short prayers are powerful. Peter saw the wind and began sinking in the water: “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). When danger and trouble surround you, pray. Pray constantly. The thief on the cross: “Jesus, remember me…” (Luke 23:42, 43). When there seems to be no way out, pray. Pray confidently. “The LORD is far away from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous" (PROVERBS 15:29). PRAY…PEOPLE…PRAY. Constantly. Confidently. Our loving, heavenly Father hears. Answers. Always in all ways. Amen. Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 16 rdgs: EZEKIEL 33:7-11; ROMANS 13:10; MATTHEW 18:15-20; (PSALM 51)
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