"Push"

P-U-S-H Luke 11:1-13

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day.

For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all of his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

But slowly doubts came. He thinks to himself: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't moved." He begins to believe that the task is impossible and that he is a failure. These thoughts discourage and dishearten him.

Then he thinks, "Hey, why kill yourself over this? I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." So that's what the weary man planned to do, but first he decided to make it a Matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

"Lord," he prayed, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded: "Wait a minute! When I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. Really? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yes, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to have faith, to trust in my wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

• John Wesley said the following about Prayer "Prayer is where the action is."

• " E. M. Bounds "Prayer is not learned in a classroom but in the closet.

• William Law “He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life."

• Martin Luther. “Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness."

• I recall old time revivals “Have you got through brother?”

1. WE know Jesus Prayed often

• Today’s lesson says, "111One day Jesus was praying in a certain place.

• When Jesus was baptized He Prayed, Luke 3:21 And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

• When Jesus chose the twelve He prayed

Luke 6:12 12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the

night praying to God. 13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and

chose twelve of them

• In the Garden of Gethsemane .Luke 22:41" 41He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and

prayed,

• The Scriptures says Jesus prayed often. Luke 5:16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

2. The Disciples May have asked Jesus to teach them to Pray because nothing was

happening in their Prayer Life

• , "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."

• Fulton Street Prayer Meeting New York may teach us how to Pray?

• The Layman's Prayer Revival had the motivation that we must pray one hour. Jesus said, 'Could you not tarry with me one hour?' In 1857, the leadership of the Fulton Street Church in New York City saw a sharp decline in church attendance. They tapped Jeremiah Lanpher to lead the effort to reach the un-churched of the city. Workers were asked to pray one hour during their break at lunch. The result a great revival broke out

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3. According to the Text, Jesus wants us to Pray with Persistence

• 5Then 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, 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.' 8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldnessE he will get up and give him as much as he needs.