Luke 18:1-8 Prayer

Intro: Today we are going to talk about PRAYER - a very important ACTIVITY in the Church .

  1. That which is essential to the Life & walk of every Believer
  2. I am blessed that we CURRENTLY have ___ different opportunities for this body to pray together on a weekly or monthly BASIS/ GREAT
  1. Although I know that there are some real Prayer warriors here in our fellowship / all of those prayer meetings could be bettered attended
  1. Prayer is one of those things that we all Know is VITAL – Yet at the same time can be so difficult !!!
  1. The Lord’s DESIRE IS THAT we would be a PRAYING PEOPLE

Paul declared in 1 Tim. 2: 8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

James declared 5: 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

  1. And here JESUS HIMSELF DECLARED that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

It was for that PURPOSE that Jesus told the following Prayer – to help us to not grow weary or LOSE HEART in our prayer life . Consider

  1. He begins in v. 2 saying "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
  2. In other words The fear of God was not in his heart & consequently he had no regard for man .

Read v.3-8

So here we have this judge – who’s job is to administer Justice / but he has no respect for authority / God / or opinion of man

  1. This widow comes – seeking Justice for a particular situation / but he

    2. doesn't respond to her – he just ignores her request / but she doesn’t give up

  2. Finally because of her persistence / because of her continual coming he says ok – just to get her off his back .

Now ALTHOUGH Jesus is using this Parable to give a lesson about not losing heart in PRAYER /

  1. But note this parable is not so much a PARALELL to our situation / but a CONTRAST
  2. For you see our situation w/ God is entirely Different than this woman’s w/ the Judge How So? If taking notes Jot down a few things

    3. #1 We are not going before an UNJUST JUDGE - We are going before a LOVING FATHER

    A) Jesus told us to that when we Pray – We were to begin Our Father ….

    B) The term is literally ABBA OR DADDY - It speaks of the intimacy

    1)Jewish Children only referred to their Fathers as ABBA in the

    Privacy of their HOMES .

  3. So we come not as Strangers to an UNJUST – JUDGE in prayer but to a LOVING Father –who knows our needs before we ask
  1. Who Knows the # of hairs on our Heads & who cares about us more than we could ever imagine
  1. Some People doubt this / hard time believing God thinks of them in this way - God only cares that way about Pastors / people in Ministry –
  1. Those People have a / DIRECT LINE to God !!

E) Pope & a Rabbi / Rome – RED PHONE / Jerusalem /LOCAL CALL

Not so God is the Father of all who BELIEVE !!!! / So First …….

2NDLY - She was a WIDOW – But we are a Bride

  1. She had no Husband to stand w/ her to aid her in her trouble she was all ALONE !!!!
  2. Not so w/ us – We are called the Bride of Christ - we come before the one who loved us enough to Give Himself to make us His Bride
  3. The one who Longs to Take care of us & minister to our needs & show us His unfailing Love & Devotion .
  1. A Love that is So High / So deep / So wide / So Long – we can never fully comprehend it !!!

Andrew Murray - The great thing in prayer is to feel that we are putting our supplications into the bosom of omnipotent love.

 

3RDLY - She Had no attorney to represent her before the Judge –

  1. Yet we are told in 1JN.2:1 that if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
  2. Term advocate = DEFENSE ATTORNEY -
  1. As we come before the FATHER - sins & Our failings numerous
  1. Jesus stands at our side – Defense attorney – those sins have been taken care of PAID IN FULL at the CROSS !!!!
  2. In fact it is only because of that Provision / it is only in His Presence that we have access into the Throne Room of God .
  1. Kid at BUCKINGHAM PALACE

 

 

 

4THLY – She was appearing before a COURT OF LAW - We however don’t appear before a court of Law – but according to Heb. 4:16

  1. A THRONE OF GRACE – where we find MERCY to help in our time of need

  2. We come before the one who has an abundance of Grace & Mercy to shower upon us to enable us to HANDLE anything

2 Cor. 9: 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

 

So Jesus paints this picture of this woman who had all these points against her & yet she persisted in coming before an unjust Judge

  1. How much more then should we be those who are FERVENT & CONISTENT IN PRAYER – CONSIDERING

B) We are coming – before a LOVING FATHER – not an Unjust Judge

Coming not as Strangers / but as Children

    1. We are coming not as a Widow but as Bride / We come w/ our advocate -& not alone / Not to a court of Law but a throne of Grace

C) We have every Reason in the World to be PEOPLE OF PRAYER

Now as I mentioned early – Jesus introduced this Parable by stating His Desiring that men ought always to pray & not lose heart/ faint

  1. The fact of the matter is that if I am not PRAYING I will faint !!
  2. My life will be void of Joy /Power and any effectiveness if I stop praying
  3. Recall Moses went before the Lord – on the Mountain – place of Prayer & COMUNION W/ GOD / RESULT was it left his face GLOWING
  1. But when he came down from being w/ God – that Glow began to fade so what did Moses do – HE WENT BACK / BACK & FORTH
  1. Listen in this life we will grow fainter & fainter unless we are consistently in the Presence of the Lord
  1. Comes by Praying & Communing w/ God in the Word

 

Now here is what is interesting is that you can stop praying & the blessings won’t necessarily stop in your life .

  1. You might find yourself being Blessed & moving right along for a while / like a train when you stop feeding coals into the FIRE !!!!!
  2. It doesn’t stop DEAD in its TRACKS / NO - The TRAIN will still move forward on its previous momentum /

  3. But it will begin to move slower & slower – at first you don’t even notice.
  1. But it can go a long way & for a long time / suddenly after going slower & slower it CEASES to roll at all
  1. That is what Happens in our lives when we don’t Pray !!!

 

So people wonder why their marriages seem to run out of steam

A) Why their ministry is drying up / why their kids are doing poorly

Why their walk w/ the Lord is so STAGNATE

  1. It happened somewhere down the line – down the track when they stopped praying .
  1. They went on for days / perhaps months even yrs thinking everything was ok – all the while running on OLD MOMENTUM
  1. Easy trap to fall into – We need to be so careful – that is why we CAN’T LOSE HEART or Neglect the DISCIPLINE of Prayer !!!!!

1) QUOTES FROM GREAT MEN OF THE PAST

John Bunyan – Pilgrims Progress

Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan.

Martin Luther – Leader of Reformation -Prayer is a strong wall and fortress of the church; it is a godly Christian's weapon.

J. C. Ryle/ Pastor Commentator No time is so well spent in every day as that which we spend upon our knees.

SPURGEON My heart has no deeper conviction than this, that prayer is the most efficient spiritual agency in the universe, next to the Holy Ghost.

SPURGEON Also said I usually feel more dissatisfied with my prayers than with anything else I do.

SINCE have no reason to not pray why do we find that prayer can be so difficult

A) Knowing that Jesus doesn’t want us to not lose heart in prayer

Why is it that we can so easily lose heart & not Pray ?

B)There are many reasons – I want us to consider – a few that perhaps are at

the heart of matter

#1 We fail to understand the first true & Ultimate Purpose of Prayer

  1. That is communion w/ God
  2. Prayer is talking to God – it is at the core of Building a relationship
  1. If I approach prayer only as a means of petition – of bringing my request before the Lord – I am missing out on Relationship
  1. Saved to KNOW GOD – walk w/ Him / Live in fellowship w/ Him / enjoy COMMUNION
  1. The Fact that God invites me to spend time w/ Him & enjoys it very much when I do is a FACT that Boggles my mind
  1. And though I don’t understand it – I most surely want to take advantage of it !!!!

 

But when I only come to Him when I have needs & w/ my Petitions / I AM missing out on one of the greatest blessings of my Salvation

  1. INTIMATE COMMUNION W/ GOD

B) David was Called A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART – He was AFTER God’s Heart !!! ( One thing I Desire …….. Seek …… Dwell ….)

C)As the Deer Pants after the Water – so my Soul THIRST ……

D)If my relationship w/ my wife was such that the only time I spoke to here

was when I was asking her for something or thanking her for something

  1. Our relationship would be lacking in depth intimacy closeness
  1. Or if the only time my kids every talked to me was when they needed something – Sad relationship – would Know me accept as Provider
  1. Mentioned on Wed. My Kids Blessed me & Surprised me ….

F) It is that ATTITUDE that needs to be at the HEART of Prayer – Why Prayer & Worship are Intertwined !!!

That is why in the model prayer that Jesus gave – Starts w/ Daddy & moves to worship / affection/ then comes PETITION

  1. It is that ATTITUDE that will keep our Prayers from Becoming dry & Mechanical !!

  2. But many people fail to understand – that is the First Purpose of Prayer

 

 

Another reason why some Lose heart in prayer is because God doesn’t answer their prayer in what they perceive to be a timely manner

  1. Now God always answers – YES / NO OR WAIT !!!!
  2. But To us so often God’s timing can seem so slow / yet God’s timing is always perfect !!!! – PROBLEM IS we are so impatient
  3. I was reading in my Devotions this past week – in Heb. / reading there in Ch. 3 the list of the sins of the Children of Israel
  1. And why they Perished in the Wilderness after 40 yrs
  1. Listed things like – not listening to God’s voice / hardening of the heart / how they tested the Lord / main cause – UNBELIEF
  2. In v. 10 said something that just grabbed a hold of my Heart – They have not Known my ways .

 

The idea there is they should have Known His ways

  1. And if you study Exodus – ( will on Wed. nights) find there was a PATTERN in God’s dealing w/ them .

  2. The Pattern Basically was this – God led them into one BOXED in situation after another – ONE IMPOSSIBILTY after another
  1. In order to show Himself Strong on their Behalf / In order to show Himself – FAITHFUL to them .
  1. From being Boxed in at the Red Sea / to Hungry & thirsty in the Desert to fighting against Amelek / Crossing the Jordan / Conquering Jericho
  1. Or fighting against Giants – all the way along there were obstacles / all the way along they found themselves Boxed in – Impossibility

c) Now They should have embraced each situation by saying FAR OUT –

WHAT IS GOD GOING TO DO THIS TIME !!!!!!

    1. HOW IS HE GOING TO MOVE ?
  1. But you Know what they did in the face of almost everyone of those things ? - They complained / they rebelled / Didn’t Believe
  1. they accused God Of forsaking them – Their Hearts became hardened & filled w/ UNBELIEF – SO SAD

 

They didn’t Know His ways – they didn’t see the Pattern –

  1. they didn’t understand the process of Faith & maturity the Lord was

    2. seeking to build into them .

  2. As I pondered that - I thought my own life / how I can look & see where there have been consistent Patterns – God working
  1. Consistent Trials that have been part of the MATURITY process God is seeking to build into my life / my Walk / my Service
  1. Some of the Patterns are because I didn’t learn the first time / but others just the Lord’s way of keeping me Close – Dependant

D) But I started thinking about all the times where I responded in the same way as the Children of Israel -

  1. When I felt Boxed in ? Attacked ? Inadequate ? A lot of times I PANIC / I get DEPRESSED / CRAWL into a shell
  1. All of which are signs of UNBELIEF in my heart that God is not interested in what is best for me / that He doesn’t care

 

God often works in Patterns – do we Know His ways

  1. And one of the areas where we see a consistent Pattern is in that Place of God’s timing in answering Prayer !!!
  2. And Too often when He doesn’t respond in the way or time that we think that He should – we get frustrated & take matters into our own hands
  1. We mess everything up
  1. All the while God is working & Moving but in ways that we don’t Know /

And He is working in our Lives to Mature us & Grow us

1) We miss out on Learning & growing

Another Reason why many don’t pray is because they are Self Dependent & not GOD DEPENDENT

  1. Why Pray when I can do it myself ?

B) Or when they pray their attitude in approaching God is all wrong / Jesus

deals w/ that type of heart in the next Parable Read.v. 9-14

 

Here we have another Parable of Contrast : In this one Jesus is contrasting the TRUE attitude we should take before God in prayer

  1. With the Wrong Attitude / CONTRASTING the RIGHT & WRONG attitudes of the HEART that finds Access to God & Prayer answered!!!

    2. B) So two men went up to Pray - insight Morgan :

    Two men. Each was a man & only a Man. Our Lord described them first by the term which revealed them as Heaven Saw them .TWO MEN !! Whenever men cross the threshold of the temple that is how they are listed before high heaven . JUST MEN

  2. Now in the world’s eyes these two were at opposite ends of the spectrum / the Pharisee was VERY RELIGIOUS
  1. But he was also very self Absorbed / Self focused & Self Righteous
  1. Notice the # of times the personal pronoun I is used in his short prayer

    2. 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'

  2. Sad but also comical what Jesus says about that man – HE PRAYED THUS W/ HIMSELF
  1. Many don’t pray because they in their high opinion of themselves & their abilities believe they can manage on their own
  1. And when & if they do pray – their prayers are not heard because of the arrogance in their hearts that / keep them from humbly approaching God

 

Now Jesus contrast the Pharisee w/ the Publican who comes to the Lord in simplicity & Humility – admitting that he is an undeserving sinner

  1. His prayer is for mercy - He comes before the throne of grace seeking that which there is a large quantity of MERCY

B) Mercy is not getting what you do deserve !! LORD BE MERCIFUL

TO ME A SINNER !!! GREAT PRAYER

  1. His mercy is ABOUNDING - His mercies are NEW every morning !!

C)Result He goes away Justified changed / he received the mercy that He

asked for

  1. The Pharisee went away unchanged & still Deceived by his own SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS – that he was Ok – before God .
  1. It is the simple & Humble heart that God responds to in Prayer !!!

Jesus said in v. 14 for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Peter 1 Pet.5:5 / James 4:6 God resist the proud …. Grace …humble

 

Now The last scene that we want to just briefly look at – it is in a sense a neat picture of all that we have been discussing about prayer

  1. We have enacted a picture of the right & wrong attitude of the Soul in which God Delights .
  1. Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
  1. The they here is masculine – interesting – suggest – Fathers were bringing their – Kids to Jesus
  2. Disciples always trying to be Helpful – rebuked them – too Busy –
  1. Made the Mistake that many today make that the Lord is not interested in Children / So Wrong
  1. Listen one of the Most important ministries in any Church is the Kids ministry - NEXT GENERATION

1) The Disciples Rebuke but watch what Jesus does

16 But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

17 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Note : Jesus called & they came

It is that simple & humble heart of a Child that God so desires to Produce in us / build into our relationship w/ Him

  1. Child like faith – DAD CAN DO KNOW WRONG - Dad is always right
  2. If you are not a Believer today – the only way that you can have any hope of entering the KINGDOM of God is w/ such faith
  1. That when Jesus calls – You Respond

 

Closing : Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday –

  1. There have been over 38 million Abortions in the U.S. since Roe vs Wade in 1973 – 26 yrs ago
  2. Presently there are 1million 350,000 abortions performed in the U.S. every year .

C) Guys this is a TRAVESTY WE MUST CONTINUE TO PRAY ABOUT

    1. Many other things we can do / But one thing we must do is pray
  1. Jesus Loves the Children
  2. Only Consolation we have to this attempt of Satan to Destroy lives is while He is infecting Great emotional Pain upon those who go through it

1) He is Populating Heaven at the Same time !!!