Two Parables and Two Encounters with Jesus that teach us four characteristics needed to enter and live in the Kingdom of God.
Persistent Prayer
Penitent Humility
Dependant Acceptance
Sacrificial Submission
Two great enemies in the hearts of men that prevent them entry into the kingdom are also plainly seen here. They are:
Self righteousness and love of riches.
Notice the text with me.
The chapter begins with Jesus telling a parable teaching us to be persistent in prayer. Luke tells us that this is the specific purpose in this parable. It was intended to show that we need to be praying constantly and never losing heart. And notice the context. This parable follows Jesus teaching about the Son of Man coming in judgment. Chapter 17:22-37.
Look now at 18:1-8. There are two major characters in this parable: an unrighteous judge who fears neither God nor man, and a determined widow who needs his help. Jesus tells us that this widow comes to the judge asking for justice, or legal protection from some opponent. At first he doesn’t listen to her or do anything for her. But this little woman doesn’t give up. She keeps coming back over and over and over. So the judge, motivated by exasperation because of her continual coming to him, gives her what she asks for. It is like he says, “Ok, ok, ok! Here’s what you want, now, if you will just leave me alone!”
Jesus makes his point, two points in fact. First is the assurance: If this man would do that for her, don’t you think God will bring about justice for you who cry out to him day and night? Of course he will! Never give up on God! Keep asking, seeking, knocking!
Be persistent in prayer. God hears and God helps those that never give up.
Then Jesus adds this haunting little post script. “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Ooooooo! This is a kingdom issue if there ever was one! Why? God tests our faith. Faith here is measured in some degree upon our persistence in prayer.
Persistent prayer! This is item number one after the warnings about the coming of judgment. It is interesting that he uses a parable of a judge to make his point. Jesus is serious about prayer! In Luke 19:45-46, when Jesus comes into Jerusalem and enters the temple, he observes what is going on there with all the commercialism and becomes furious! He casts out those that are selling and cries out, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer! But you have made it a den of thieves!” Jesus gets angry at things that stand in the way of prayer. He will clean house to make room for prayer.
When we were in Nazareth we went to the Orthodox Church where Mary’s well is. That place is where they say the angel Gabriel came to her to announce the birth of Jesus.
Just outside the gates as you come into the front doors, guess what you find? There are marketers on both sides of the gate peddling their wares. There’s a lot more peddling of wares than saying of prayers. I wonder what Jesus thinks about this? Is it any wonder Christianity is dying there, but Muslims are growing like crazy? Jesus lasts words echo again. “When the Son of Man comes will he find faith on the earth?”
I’ll tell you one thing. The Moslems pray. (To the wrong god, but they pray). Every morning it begins at 4 AM. They have a speaker system mounted on a tower at each mosque, and 5 times a day you hear some Moslem singing out a prayer loud and long and hard. Right, Bob and Marcus? In the hotel where we stayed there in Nazareth, they turned off the hot water during the week days and Marcus figured out how the Moslem preacher got his voice to do all that stuff. He called it the cold shower song. But five times a day, they stop and pray. That used to be descriptive of the church. When Paul wrote Timothy about the most important activities of the church, guess which activity takes first place. What gets top billing? 1 Tim. 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men…
Prayer is first and foremost here. Col. 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer. 1 Thess. 5:17 Pray without ceasing. God’s word is filled with commands and examples of our need for persistent prayer.
When Jesus comes will he find faith on the earth? Let’s just be sure that if he comes while we are alive he will find faithful praying saints that continue to cry out in persistent prayer for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven!
Join me in prayer: Father, forgive our unbelief, help us to be people of faith that never give up calling on you, seeking your face, pursuing your glory, reaching up to you with longing hearts, holding up pure and holy hands toward heavens shores. Let us see in every circumstance of life a reason to call on you and further depend on your strength and grace. And let us always give thanks with grateful hearts for your constant care and kindness to us in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Continuing on the theme of prayer, Jesus told another parable to show that not all prayer is profitable or even proper. Jesus teaches us another kingdom characteristic for coming into God’s presence. The principle is this: pride has no place in our relationship with God. Boasting in self is a clear contradiction of kingdom character. Penitent humility must replace self-righteous pride. Do you see it there in verses 9-14?
Here again Jesus’ parable has two characters: a publican and a Pharisee. We again see that Luke tells us the purpose of the parable in verse 9: And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:
Wow! What an attitude! Jesus has moved from the habit of prayer to the heart of the person praying. Along with persistence we need penitence in prayer. But look at this. It is interesting to note that the guy with the prideful prayer is actually looks good in many ways! He’s spit polished and shined up religiously! He’s habitual in fasting and tithing, he’s squeaky clean morally… just look at the list! But his problem is also obvious. He breaks the second most important commandment. (Love your neighbor as yourself). He sees himself as better than other people and looks down on others! He’s got a few things to learn. His pride shows up in two forms.
First he is self-righteous. Pride cometh before a … what? Fall! Remember the play “Camelot?” When Lancelot comes from France to join the noble knights at the round table, he feels he must prove himself better than all others! He sings:
The soul of a knight should be a thing remarkable,
His heart and his mind as pure as morning dew.
With a will and a self-restraint
That’s the envy of ev’ry saint
He could easily work a miracle or two.
To love and desire he ought to be unsparkable,
The ways of the flesh should offer no allure.
But where in the world
Is there in the world
A man so untouched and pure?
C’est moi! C’est moi, I blush to disclose.
I’m far too noble to lie.
That man in whom
These qualities bloom,
C’est moi, c’est moi, ’tis I.
I’ve never strayed
From all I believe;
I’m blessed with an iron will.
Had I been made
The partner of Eve,
We’d be in Eden still.
C’est moi! C’est moi! The angels have chose
To fight their battles below,
And here I stand, as pure as a pray’r,
Incredibly clean, with virtue to spare,
The godliest man I know! C’est moi!
Robert Goulet’s words here sound a bit like the Pharisee’s prayer, do they not?
Second, he looks down on others. God I’m glad I’m not like other men! Thank-you that I am not like this tax-collector!
Now let me say something here that needs to be understood. It is one thing to be thankful not to have a life destroyed by sin, but it is quite another thing to be in that position and from it to look down on those whose lives are destroyed by sin! What if God were like that? What if, in His holiness, God did nothing but look down on sinners? God is love! Even toward sinners. God demonstrates his own love that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. While we were enemies, Christ died for us. While we were powerless, Christ died for us. While we were ungodly, Christ died for us.
Loving God empowers us to love even our enemies and pray for them. Instead of self-righteous pride, we all need penitent humility. God be merciful to me, the sinner. There is always room for improvement in my life. Looking down on others allows me to forget that.
Join me in prayer: Father, holy, perfect and true, thank-you for your great love, even for us, for we have sinned against you. Thank-you for the grace and deliverance from sin that you freely give to us through Jesus Christ, your Son and our Savior. Help us to be like Jesus, oh Lord! Teach us how to see ourselves and others the way you see us. Free us from the blindness of pride and self-righteousness, and motivate us to reach out with your love in our hearts to the lowliest of sinners. May we always see ourselves as sinners saved by your grace given to us freely in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Finally, we have two encounters with Jesus that teach us two more kingdom lessons.
Look at verses 15-17. What principle does Jesus teach us here? There are many qualities in children that could be mentioned. The first thought is innocence. But Jesus rarely points to innocence as a requirement for those desiring kingdom entry. Repentance, yes! But innocence? Who is innocent enough to make the cut? Perhaps, if Jesus means one who is born again and innocent by the washing of regeneration we might see it this way. I think, though, that another quality fits this context better. That is dependence. A child depends on parents to survive. He may be a brat, but when he is hungry, he knows who butters his bread. Children are the lowliest and most dependent of society. Their position in life is one of vulnerability. So the question must be, what does Jesus mean when he says, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Dependent Acceptance is the quality I see here. Do we depend on God? Or are we self-reliant and self-sufficient? Have we positioned ourselves in life so that we don’t need God? Or do we live in awareness of our constant need for God’s presence, protection and provision?
What would help us is an example of the opposite. I think we have exactly that in verses 18-25. Like the Pharisee in the second parable, the rich man has an enviable set of credentials. He’s religious. He looks to be obedient to the law. He is also wealthy and physically comfortable. It is hard to know what is in his heart as he approaches Jesus with his question. Matthew 19 and Mark 10 tell the same story.
He comes to Jesus asking what it takes to obtain or inherit eternal life!
Let’s stop here a second. Ask yourself this question: what is it that I really want from Jesus? Come on, I know it’s time to finish this lesson, so help me here. What did you come to Jesus for? I think most of us want the same thing this rich ruler wants. Eternal life. I don’t want to go to hell, Lord!
Now for a more important question: Will you listen to him when he tells you how to get it?
In this chapter Jesus shows us four characteristics for entering and living in the kingdom.
Persistent Prayer, Penitent Humility, Dependent Acceptance, and here… Sacrificial Submission. You’ve got to want Jesus more than your stuff.
This chapter also reveals four characteristics that will hinder you from entering and living in the kingdom: Unbelief that quits praying, Prideful Self-righteousness, Self-sufficiency, and Worldly Attachments.
Which do you most identify with today: The Widow and the children or the Pharisee and the rich man? Which will you leave here identifying with most? God wants you to have the best. Let go of whatever stands in your way. Run to him today. His arms are open to receive you.
