JUST JESUS: CHAPTER BY CHAPTER THRU LUKE
Peter Piper Prays Persistently
LUKE 18:1-8
#justJesus
PETER PIPER RHYME
Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
A peck of persistent prayers did Peter Piper pray;
If Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
Praytell the payoff of the peck of persistent prayers Peter Piper prayed?
INTRODUCTION 2… https://www.barna.com/research/silent-solo-americans-pray/
Starting a sermon with facts and figures is always fun for some of us, so let’s do that today! Get ready to be astounded and amazed and bored at what the numbers show us.
“Almost all American adults (94%) who have prayed at least once in the last three months most often choose to pray by themselves. Not only are most prayers a solo practice, but the vast majority are also most often silent (82% compared to 13% audible and solo prayers). Affirming this shift is the fact that only a very small percentage most often pray audibly with another person or group (2%), or collectively with a church (2%).
Black (27%), Hispanic (16%) and all non-white Americans (20%) are much more likely than white Americans (8%) to be outwardly expressive by praying audibly when alone. This is also true of those in the South where charismatic traditions are more common (17% compared to 9% in the Northeast), and especially true of evangelicals (25%), a quarter of whom pray out loud when they are alone.
American adults who pray with regularity do so with varying motivations, the most common being to offer “gratitude and thanksgiving” (62%). Generationally, this is lowest among Millennials (53%) and highest among Boomers (71%). An equally popular prayer incentive is the “needs of their family and community” (61%), followed by “personal guidance in crisis” (49%). The latter is most common among those with lower levels of education (49% with a high school diploma or less, compared to 39% of college graduates).
What does that all mean? Prayer is the most common spiritual practice among Americans no matter what religion they belong to or even if they have no religion. Americans pray mostly alone and see it as a solitary activity defined primarily by their immediate needs and personal issues.
BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION
Before we jump headlong into our passage today, we need a little bit of background in two different areas for the passage in Luke 18 to make sense for us.
First, what is prayer? John Piper, a well-known minister in the United States, when preaching on Colossians 4:2-4 defines prayer (in a way I like) as, “Mainly it means asking God for things. By "things" I don't mean objects - stuff. I mean, generally, whatever your heart desires or needs. And, of course, what your heart needs most is God - to know Him and trust Him and love Him and obey Him. I know that we should come to God with more than asking. We should come confessing sins and giving thanks and praise. In a broad sense, prayer includes all that. But, speaking precisely, prayer is requesting, asking… But prayer, in the strict sense, means requesting. So, I define it as asking God for things… the essence of prayer is the expression of our dependence on God through requests.” (http://pipersnotes.com/piper2k/1-9-00.htm)
I like that definition of prayer a lot. “Prayer is the expression of our dependence on God through requests.” It can mean adoration and praise. It can mean confession. It can be thanksgiving and also asking. It can mean all those things. The purpose of any prayer is to praise God, but at the same time we also need from Him as so we have that tug in our minds and hearts. He is the Almighty God! He is the One who Forgives. He is our Provider! So now we know what prayer is and we are all on the same page this morning when we speak about prayer: “Prayer is the expression of our dependence on God through requests.”
In addition to a definition of prayer, we secondly need some background on how rabbis often taught in Jesus’ day. This will come in handy when we tackle our passage for today which is Luke 18:1-8. One of the ways that religious teachers in Jesus’ day would teach would be to argue or teach something “from the lesser to the greater.” In Latin it is called “argumentum a fortiori” and has been around many centuries in philosophy, law, and educational circles. What does that mean? It means that the teacher makes the case with something that is tangible and easy to understand and then applies the same principle to something greater and abstract and difficult to understand.
For example, in Matthew 6:27-34, Jesus teaches the crowds not to worry by giving the example that God takes care of birds and grass which mean little (lesser) and so God will take care of His people (greater). Both are true and informs us about the huge and incomparable love God has for us.
Another example is found in Matthew 7:8-11, when Jesus is teaching about the character of God. He relates that human fathers give proper and good gifts to their children (lesser) and so our Heavenly Father gives proper and good gifts to His children (greater). Both are true and teaches us about the abstract character of God.
Another great example from the teaching of Jesus is in Matthew 12:11-13. Jesus was faced with a decision to heal a person or not on the Sabbath day. Jesus argued that someone would help a stranded sheep on the Sabbath (lesser) and so He should help a man with a shriveled hand (greater). The lesser was true and so Jesus healed a human being and showed true compassion and taught about the Sabbath all at the same time.
TRANSITION
Now we have a bit of background as we read Luke 18:1-8, but wait, there is more we need to get into our minds and hearts before we read the passage! When I read this passage of Scripture, and I have one central questions that comes to mind and I am hoping it is the same question you ask (otherwise this sermon will be boring).
CENTRAL QUESTION: Does God want us to pray about something over and over and over again?
Don’t be too quick to answer on this one. The answer could be ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
It could be ‘yes’ in the sense that God doesn’t mind that we ask for things and ask repeatedly. It could also be ‘no’ in the sense that if we keep asking… where is our faith that God is taking care of us? To me this seems like a sticky situation regarding prayer. Does God want us to pray about something over and over and over again?
In order to answer this ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, we are going to look at two passages and see what the Word of God says. God’s Word should always be our first resource when answering questions about God. God’s Word informs what we think. God’s Word is better than what society tells us. God’s Word outdoes what our moms and dads taught us. God’s Word surpasses what self-help books state.
ANSWER IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1 Samuel 1 is a heartbreaking story that centers on a woman named Hannah. Hannah had no children and desperately wanted to have them. 1 Samuel chapter 1 describes her husband and that he “used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh” (1 Samuel 1:3, ESV). His wife would go with him and pray that her womb would be opened and she would have a child. There were other factors which caused her grief, but needless to say, 1 Samuel 1:7 tells us plainly and repeats the reality that this, “went on year by year.” 1 Samuel 1:10 (ESV) further describes the situation in that, “She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly” and later in 1 Samuel 1:15 (ESV) she tells Eli the high priest, “I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD.”
Was this important to Hannah?
I think it is clear that it was… she poured herself out to God in prayer.
Was she persistent?
Year after year she consistently prayed for the same thing.
Was she praying about something worthy of God’s might and power?
God IS the designer of such things.
Was she praying humbly?
She was praying before the Lord in worship and sacrifice… so I think so.
What was the result of Hannah’s prayers? Did the priest scold her for praying so hard for a child? Did the Word of the Lord come down that she should knock off asking for the same thing over and over? Did she ask once and then never give it another thought? Did she ask and get upset when there was no answer and stopped worshipping God?
The answer is “no” to all of those questions. In fact, 1 Samuel 1:17-19 says:
READ 1 SAMUEL 1:17-19 (ESV)
“Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to Him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. 19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.”
In the end, God answered her prayer and she conceived and bore a son. Her son would be the great prophet Samuel. Does God want us to pray about something over and over and over again?
Does God want us to pray about something over and over and over again? What does the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 1 tell us the answer is? I think 1 Samuel 1 tells us that ‘YES,’ God does want us to pray about something over and over and over again. He does not mind. The passage does not paint Hannah in a negative light even once, but rather shows her as confident, persistent, humble, and a person of continual prayer.
TRANSITION
I wonder if the same is true in the New Testament?
I am so glad you asked! Let’s look in the New Testament and Luke 18:1-8 and see what Jesus Christ teaches about prayer, persistent prayer
READ LUKE 18:1-8 (ESV)
And He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to His elect, who cry to Him day and night? Will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you, He will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”
PETER PIPER RHYME
Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
A peck of persistent prayers did Peter Piper pray;
If Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
Praytell the payoff of the peck of persistent prayers Peter Piper prayed?
ANSWER IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
At the beginning of Luke 18, Jesus is teaching His disciples about prayer. Remember our definition of prayer: “Prayer is the expression of our dependence on God through requests.” Jesus is teaching His disciples about prayer and chooses to do so in Luke 18 by sharing a parable which teaches based on the lesser to greater principle.
Jesus tells the disciples a parable about a widow who makes a request of a judge. We need to take note that the one seeking and making the request in this parable is down and out. She is a woman, a widow, and most likely poor. All three of these descriptions would have made this woman undesirable and completely on the back burner for most people in Jesus’ day. She would not have been at the front of any lines or at the top of anyone’s list. She was facing an “adversary” of some kind who obviously knew that she had very little chance of getting any kind of help.
Jesus describes a callous and hard judge as the other character in the parable. I don’t know why this person is described as such, but perhaps for no other reason than to show us that this poor widow did not have much of a chance even in a court of law. The unjust human judge is definitely the “lesser” example in comparison to God.
Verse 5 shows us that this poor widow’s persistence with the judge pays off and she is able to secure justice for herself. Jesus Christ is teaching us that if a cruel and heartless judge can and will eventually help a poor widow and give her justice (lesser), how much more will our righteous and holy Heavenly Father listen to us and stand ready to help us in our times of need (greater). The greater truth is that our God is faithful and just and hears all our prayers. The greater truth is that if an earthly judge will grant a persistent request that certainly our Heavenly Father will.
So, ‘yes or no,’ Does God wants us to pray about something over and over and over again? What does the New Testament in Luke 18:1-8 tell us? Keep in mind verse 1 which says the purpose of this parable was: “they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (ESV).
I hope you see that Jesus’ lesson from the parable of the persistent widow is that the answer is ‘yes.’ God does want us to pray about something over and over and over again. He does not mind. God listens each and every time we pray to Him and He answers according to His will.
PETER PIPER RHYME
Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
A peck of persistent prayers did Peter Piper pray;
If Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
Praytell the payoff of the peck of persistent prayers Peter Piper prayed?
TRANSITION
There is one other area where we can draw truth about this particular question. While it is not the best place for us to gather answers, as long as personal experience matches up with Scripture, it can be of benefit for us and help us see the truth. The Old Testament says ‘yes’ we should persistently pray and the New Testament teaches us ‘yes’ we should persistently pray and even our lives can share this same answer.
ANSWER IN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 1 (p)
I have found that persistence in prayer is good and valuable and true in my own life. Many many years ago, Kelly and I made the decision that when our children were born, that she would stay home with them if at all possible. We were able to put that plan into action by the time Ian was born if I remember correctly.
Kelly and I decided that she would start working outside the home again when the kids were older and they are all in school. It made sense. She got a great job at a lawyer’s office which was definitely a blessing, but it wasn’t the right fit for her since they asked her to lie and manipulate folks on a regular basis.
She started praying and praying. I was praying as well for a part-time job. I mean, as a minister, you can either sell drugs or do extra weddings and funerals. The drug trade dried up and you can’t plan on weddings and funerals to pay off extra bills you have. I prayed and was blessed with the wonderful opportunity to teach at Florida Christian College which used my degree and it fit well in my ministry schedule.
Kelly’s job wasn’t changing. She kept praying. Like I said, her job wasn’t a good fit for her. She answered an ad on Craigslist (of all places) for a position at another church in our area. I told her it was probably a scam because no one posts a real job on Craigslist! This church did! She got the job and worked there 8 years and it was a super blessing.
* She kept praying and kept persistent and the Lord answered yes in His timing.
* In His timing the law office moved way north after Kelly left and it would have been a great hardship to continue to work there.
* It was His timing because she “happened” to have off Mondays, which is the day I taught.
God worked it out all in His timing and in His ways. This time He said “yes.” Persistence in prayer paid off. Yes, God wants us to pray about something over and over and over again. What does personal experience tell us? I think personal experience varies, but in this instance, experience tells us that it is true that God does want us to pray about something over and over and over again. He does not mind. I never got the sense, neither did Kelly, that we were acting in doubt or impatience by bringing the same issue to God over and over again. He did not mind Kelly and I praying for ways to make extra money to pay off bills. Does it always work out that way… for the positive in the exact way we want? I have to be honest and answer no, but God does always listen and He does always work for my good… even if that is a “no” or a “wait” or a “I have something else planned.”
ANSWER IN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 2 (p)
If you ask anyone in my family, 2018 and 2019 were the hardest years for our family. The church leadership that I previously served in Tampa decided they did not want me as their pastor anymore and so on a Tuesday night, the eldership called me in and fired me on the spot. It was an emotionally jarring time and one that was unexpected and hurtful.
I prayed and prayed if I was supposed to remain in ministry. I prayed and prayed that God would heal my heart and my mind and my soul. I prayed and prayed for the next place to serve. I want you to guess how many churches I applied for from October of 2018 to May of 2019. Any guesses? 119. Because of the nature of how search committees work, Cincinnati Christian Church was 102 on the list of 119 churches, Christian colleges, and Christian organizations I applied for. 58 told me no either right away or after some time and 50 just never got back to me or said anything at all. Do you know how hard it is to hear ‘no’ 108+ times? Those after May 14, 2019 I did not follow up with because I knew my prayers had been answered.
PETER PIPER RHYME
Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
A peck of persistent prayers did Peter Piper pray;
If Peter Piper prayed a peck of persistent prayers,
Praytell the payoff of the peck of persistent prayers Peter Piper prayed?
Answered prayer.
SUMMARY ANSWER CONCLUSION
Does God want us to pray about something over and over and over again?
1 Samuel 1 tells us ‘yes.’ Luke 18 tells us ‘yes.’ Personal experience tells me ‘yes.’
I do not know what you are dealing with today. Perhaps you are having boyfriend or girlfriend stresses and the relationship is not going as you planned or maybe you are heading in the wrong direction sexually. Perhaps you are praying for a family member to come to know the Lord. Perhaps you are praying for healing for someone or for recovery from an illness or surgery. Perhaps you need a new job or have bills to pay or anxieties are getting the better of you.
No matter your requests to God or how often you pray, know that He doesn’t mind you asking. No matter your requests to God, know that He doesn’t mind you asking over and over. Please do not stop praying. Please do not stop expressing your dependence on God through requests. He loves us and wants to hear from us!
CONCLUSION
I want to leave you this morning with one more passage of Scripture which illustrates that God indeed hears us, answers us, and does not mind us coming to Him over and over. The Prophet Jeremiah writes in Lamentations chapter 3:
READ LAMENTATIONS 3:49-58
“My eyes will flow without ceasing, without respite, 50 until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees; 51 my eyes cause me grief at the fate of all the daughters of my city. 52 “I have been hunted like a bird by those who were my enemies without cause; 53 they flung me alive into the pit and cast stones on me; 54 water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’ 55 “I called on Your Name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit; 56 You heard my plea, ‘Do not close Your ear to my cry for help!’
57 You came near when I called on You; You said, ‘Do not fear!’ 58 “You have taken up my cause, O Lord; You have redeemed my life.”
When we cry out to God, He hears us and is near. Yes. Yes. Yes.
INVITATION
