SERMON—PRAYER—Luke 11:1-13
TEXT
Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: " `Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation. ’ " 5 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ 7 "Then the one inside answers, `don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
INTRODUCTION
As we study the parables of Jesus, we can see how He used the parabolic method of teaching on different subjects.... Mostly on the theme of the kingdom of heaven, but also in response to questions by His disciples and even His Enemies... One such parable was told in response to a question related to Prayer. Jesus had been praying in a certain place – Luke 11: 1. When He ceased praying, one of His disciples asked: "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" and in answering that request, Jesus did three things... He first told them "how" and "what" to pray for. He then told a parable to stress a crucial element in "how" to Pray and he followed up by elaborating on what the parable was designed to illustrate. The parable is known as "The Friend At Midnight" and it is recorded in Luke 11:5-8 in it we find Jesus illustrating the importance of "persistence in prayer"
[Let’s begin our study by noticing that].
JESUS’ PRAYING PROMPTS A REQUEST
HE HAD BEEN PRAYING IN A CERTAIN PLACE - Luke 11:la
In the gospels we see glimpses into the prayer habits of Jesus. Rising early to pray in a solitary place - Matt 1:35. Often withdrawing into the wilderness to pray - Luke 5:16. Praying all night in preparation to selecting His apostles - Luke 6:12-13. His beautiful prayer recorded in John 17. His agony in the Garden of Gethsemane’. Mat 26:36-44. His prayers on the cross – Mt 27:46; Luke 23:34,46
Undoubtedly His example had an impact on those who saw Him Praying
A disciple wants Jesus to teach them to pray - Luke 11:lb. Even as John had taught his disciples! Certainly this Jewish disciple knew how to pray in some sense, but understood that Jesus had so much more to teach him. [We may know how to pray, but we can always learn more from The Master of prayer].
JESUS ANSWERS BY TEACHING A MODEL PRAYER. Commonly referred to as "THE LORD’S PRAYER"... Recorded here in Luke 11:2-4. Also in His sermon on the mount - Mt 6:9-13
The words (Mt 6:9) "This, then, is how you should pray: suggest, "The Lord’s Prayer" is a PATTERN and not a liturgy that must be recited every time we pray. Here we begin to learn the "how" and "what" of prayer. "How" to pray would include "simplicity" in prayer The words "this then" in Mt 6:9 connects what follows with what was said before - Mt 6:7-8 Jesus’ pattern for prayer is an "illustration" in contrast to the "many words" used by the heathen. In the prayer itself, note the brevity of words - Luke 11:2-4. We learn the "what" of prayer should include such things as: Reverence for God and His "Name" (i.e., His Being and Character) - Luke 11:2. Praying for the progress of God’s Kingdom and Will on the earth -Luke 11:2. Asking for physical necessities - Luke 11:3. Also, our spiritual needs... Forgiveness of sins as we forgive others- Luke 11:4. Protection and deliverance from evil - Luke 11:4 In His sermon on the mount, Jesus chose to follow His pattern prayer with an emphasis on forgiving others (Mt6: 14-15). But on this occasion, He has a different concern in mind. So He follows with a parable...
THE PARABLE SUMMARIZED...
You find yourself with company and inadequate provisions. Yet you know that you can go to your friend’s house and borrow some food even if is late at night, and he and his family are already in bed, he would normally not help you, even though you are a friend ...yet you know that if you "persist", he will help you! – Luke 11: 5-8
THE POINT OF’ THE PARABLE IS SIMPLE, BUT IMPORTANT...
Jesus is illustrating the importance of "persistence in praying". One does not know "how" to pray, then, unless they learn to be persistent in prayer! [The importance of persistence is stressed even further as we consider...J
JESUS’ APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE (THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSISTENCE) -Luke 11:9-10
It is those who ask, seek, and knock, who will receive, find, and have doors opened. The element of persistence is implied even in. "ask", "seek", and "knock" Literally, "keep on asking", "keep on seeking", and "keep on knocking". The progressive relation between the words: One normally starts out by "asking" As they learn more, they begin "seeking" As they arrive close to their destination, they start "knocking”. Failure to persist in prayer, then, may be one reason some prayers go unanswered!
REMEMBERING WHO IT IS YOU ARE ASKING - Luke 11:11-13
To encourage persistence in prayer, Jesus speaks of earthly fathers and their sons. If a son asks his father for bread, will he give him a stone? If he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead? . If he asks for an egg, will the father offer him a scorpion? (Each of these rhetorical questions implies a definite "No!"). Then how much more will our heavenly Father gives us that which is good? If earthly fathers, though evil, know how to give good gifts to their children. How much more will our heavenly Father give the Spirit to those who ask Him? . This reference to the Holy Spirit may relate to promise of the Spirit
A promise made by Jesus on another occasion - Jn 7:37-39 A promise offered by Peter on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:38-39
Jesus’ point seems to be this: If persistence with a friend will prove fruitful (the parable)... And if earthly fathers know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will persistence prove fruitful with our heavenly Father!
CONCLUSION
We may know "how’ to pray when it comes to saying the right things, but from this parable we learn that we do not know "how" to pray until we have learned to pray with "persistence" So important is this quality of prayer that Jesus taught another parable on the very same theme! (Cf. "The Parable Of The Persistent Widow" - (Luke 18:1-8). But for now, let’s remember what we have learned from Jesus at "the school of prayer"... That we have a heavenly Father who knows how to give good gifts to His children That this should motivate us to ask, and to ask persistently! Have you received the gift spoken of in our text? The Father gives His Spirit to those who obey Him in faith, repentance and baptism... - Jn 7:37-39; Ac 2:38; 5:3.
Personal Application
Prayer is one of the strongest and most fundamental aspects of the Christian life and we cannot expect growth in grace, without time in prayer. This is our highest calling to separate a special time to be alone with God on a daily basis and to turn our burdens, needs and cares over to Him. It is not enough for us to talk about God; we must begin to talk to God. This aspect of the Christian life is one of the most fundamental and one of the most forgotten. It is time to make a dedication to daily spiritual exercise that builds our spiritual life with Christ.
BEAUFORT RESTORATION MINISTRIES
E.W.Carey-Holt
