Praying Outside the Box
Do you remember your first prayers? As a child, learning to pray, I never remember having a class or hearing a list of instructions about prayer, do you? I do remember being told to say, “In Jesus Name, Amen.” But most of what I learned about praying as a child came from hearing the prayers of others.
What would you think if God took some prayers that others had prayed and laid them out before us with comments to show what he wanted and didn’t want. Would that be helpful? Well, today, we will look at just that. In God’s word we will hear some prayers with comments from God himself to instruct us in our own prayer lives to help us pray.
Now I know that Jesus also gave us a model prayer called the “Lord’s Prayer” that is a wonderful example of how we ought to pray. We’ll study that at some other time. Today, lets look at some instruction on prayer that Jesus gives us as well as a critique of two prayers.
I’m really excited about today’s study and these scriptures. Luke 18 gives us two parables of Jesus specifically about prayer and these are probably the most powerful parables on prayer in the Bible. In them we see the positives of persistence and the perils of pride. Look at them with me. They are very familiar.
18:1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,
2 saying, "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect man.
3 "And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ’Give me legal protection from my opponent.’
4 "And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ’Even though I do not fear God nor respect man,
5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out.’"
6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge said;
7 now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?
8 "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
This is about at direct as you can get. Look at verse one again. What does Jesus want them to do? Pray at all times and not lose heart. KJV says, “faint not.” Don’t get weak and pass out on your prayer life. Keep it up! Why?
Look at this story. There are two characters here. One is a judge. Now listen to me here. A judge has a lot of power and authority. In fact, we understand that well, don’t we? When a judge comes into the room in his robes and walks to his seat, what is the command for all present? All rise! Why? Here comes the judge! A judge is a powerful person! When the Bible describes God in the final day, he is called the Judge! He sits on the throne and judges. Many of the judges in the Bible were also rulers of the people. I’m here to tell you that a judge has power and influence. But look at this judge that Jesus describes. Is he a judge you’d want to face? This guy is a judge who has no respect for God or man! He could care less what happens to you! Since he doesn’t fear God, he doesn’t care about justice according to the truth, and since he has no respect for man, he doesn’t care about what happens to those he rules over.
There’s another character in this parable. This one is a widow. Now in those days a widow had very little power or influence. God’s word protected the widow and orphan because they were the members of society that were the most needy. They were also the most vulnerable. This widow has enemies and she needs protection or someone to be the avenger against her adversaries. So what does she do? She goes to the judge and states her need. And what does the judge do? Nothing, at least at first.
Now what would you have done if you were that widow? She has nowhere else to go. She has no power to deal with her opponents, and the judge doesn’t listen to her case. He keeps throwing it out of court. Well, in those days, the judge used to sit at certain stations for judging. This widow won’t leave! She just keeps coming back and stating her case! He doesn’t throw her out, but he doesn’t help her with her need until finally he realizes that she’s not going to give up!
What is his reason for helping this widow? She’s a pain in the neck! She’s here every morning with the same old thing! She’s driving me crazy and wearing me out! Ok, Ok! I’ll give you the protection!
At this point in the story Jesus makes a turn in the parable. His listeners are probably all on the widow’s side at this point. Jesus says, “Listen to what the unjust judge says! Now, what about God? If an unjust judge will listen to a persistent widow’s case, don’t you think God will hear yours? Don’t you think he will bring about justice to those he has chosen who cry out to him day and night? Is God just dragging things out so you will give up? Verse 8 is great. "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
Let’s notice a few things first and then come back to this verse…
First, why did this widow keep coming to the judge? He could get the job done! She couldn’t. She knew he was her only hope! If he doesn’t help her, there is no help for her.
Second, why did this widow keep coming to the judge? It was his responsibility to give her justice! It was his job! He was appointed for the very purpose of seeing that people received what was fair and legal.
Third, what is your view of God’s ability to answer your need? Are you like the widow who sees God as your only hope? Will you be like her and persistently pursue his blessings?
Now lets return to verse 8. It’s a pretty clear point. Jesus is comparing the way this widow appeals to this judge with the way we should appeal to God. But Jesus is saying that God will certainly grant us justice! He will do it in a flash! But then he asks this haunting question: When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?
Will there be anyone who left who trusts in God and seeks his help? In other words, will there be anyone practicing persistent prayer, and holding on to hope in God for the answers.
What is Jesus teaching us about prayer here?
1. We need to keep praying and never give up. We need to believe that God is able and will hear our cry. Now if you are praying for something against God’s will or that he will save someone against their own will, you may be in for a long prayer session with a disappointed ending. But if you will pray for those things that are just and true and according to his will, watch out! And don’t give up!
I’ve heard Christians say, I asked God once and I don’t want to be untrusting or lack faith or go on babbling like the pagans do with many words… so I won’t ask again. Have you ever heard that?
Jesus taught about prayer in the Matthew 6. In verse 7-8 he said, “7 "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Some have taken this to mean that I shouldn’t ask the same thing again and again. This is not the point here at all! Jesus is referring to pagan’s who use incantations in prayer thinking that there are magic spells that one can recite over and over to conjure up a spell or appease the gods. Those are vain repetitions and meaningless words. This has nothing to do with heartfelt requests that you might place before God’s throne over and over. Otherwise Luke 18 is a direct contradiction! Besides, we do pray for the same things over and over don’t we? I know that we ask God for his blessing on our leadership and our elderly and our homes, families, and children. I do it every day! Night and day! These are not vain repetitions! I’ve been asking the Lord for wisdom and the Holy Spirit every day. For myself and for you! I’m praying Luke 11:13 and James 1:5 every day!
I know with all the confidence in the world that God wants that! He said so!
Let us be a people of prayer who never give up. Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking at heaven’s door. Pray, pray, pray. If Jesus comes back in your life, be a praying saint who asks in faith!
2. This widow knew her limitations and she knew who could help her.
We also need to recognize our limitations and pray to God who can help us. With persistent faith and expectation that he will give us what we need. This widow knew her cause was right and she went to the source that was supposed to support her. Even when it seemed her efforts were in vain, she continued to do this. Find the right cause and go to God with it. When it seems nothing is happening, review the cause, and if you are confident in the cause, continue in the prayer.
Jenny and I have done this for each of our children. We continue to pray for God to help them to know him and walk with him. We trust that whatever it takes, God will do what is best. We don’t tell God how to do it, we just pray what we already know his will is for them, and trust him to do what is best.
Finally, we have the two prayers with comments: Verses 9-14
9 And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer.
11 "The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ’God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer.
12 ’I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’
13 "But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ’God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."
Look at these two attitudes! Again Jesus give us a parable with two characters. But the lesson is introduced in verse 9. Religion can make a person feel pretty good about himself or herself. Let’s face it. When you know the will of God and you live by the guidance of the laws of God, you have a life that is worthy of imitation and respect. It’s a good life! It is honest, clean, church going and respectable. In fact, it can get downright comfortable! Being good is… well, it’s good! Too bad there are so many people around who are just bad people! They just don’t behave! Aren’t you glad that you and I are not like that? I mean look at us! We are church people! We live like you are supposed to live and behave ourselves. Right? We don’t want to have to live next door to people who have nasty habits and sinful lives! We have nice neighborhoods with nice neat lawns and pretty flowers and proper jobs. Thank God we are not like those people in the projects down in inner city! Those people live lives filled with immorality, drugs, godlessness… are you getting uncomfortable yet?
Have you thought lately about the traps religion gets you into?
The Pharisee was a religious man. If you looked at his life, you’d be impressed with how dedicated he was. But when you look at his attitude toward those who are struggling with sin, suddenly you see the trap of religion. Not pure and undefiled religion that cares about the needy. Here we see legalistic religion that cares about self. Does your religion make you look good or does it make God look good?
It’s ok to be thankful that your life is not wrecked by sin, but not so that you look down on those whose lives are destroyed by it.
It’s ok to be thankful that you do what God tells you to do, but not so that you can compare yourself with others who don’t and feel better than they are and proud of yourself.
It’s ok to recognize that there are people who are wicked and sinful, but not so that you can measure your nearness to God by it.
Pride and prayer don’t mix well.
The heart of God that Jesus shows us here is interesting. God looks with favor on the humble sinner who begs for mercy and turns away from the religious, squeaky clean, man who boasts in his goodness.
Both prayed. One was a sinner and had a life broken by sin, but he humbled himself before God and begged for mercy and God justified him. The other was a religious leader who had a life of legalistic righteousness, but he bragged on himself and God rejected him.
When I put myself in this picture, I have to ask, “Which one best represents me?” The danger of being a good church going clean cut well dressed smooth tongued preacher is that I might fall into the trap of self righteousness and look down on a fellow sinner. God deliver us from such. May we live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God! May we always see people with the compassion of Christ. May we stand for holiness, but never haughtiness. May we pray in faithfulness and humility. Father, please forgive us, fill us with wisdom and your Holy Spirit! In Jesus name, Amen.
