Faithfulness in Prayer
Part 1
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
-Luke 18
Q: Have you ever given up on anything too soon?
Don’t ever give up on prayer.
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
-Luke 18
Prayer was a Priority for Jesus.
At His Baptism
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove.”
-Luke 3:21,22
Whenever He Withdrew from Others
“Jesus went out to a solitary place.”
Luke 4:42 etc
Before He Chose His 12 Apostles
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”
-Luke 6:12+
Before Feeding the 5,000
“We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)… 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks [Prayer] and broke them….”
-Luke 9:13+
On the Mountain of Transfiguration
“… he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem… 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
-Luke 9:28+
After the Return of the 72
“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
-Luke 10:21
The Lord’s Prayer
“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.”
-Luke 11
In the Garden of Gethsemane
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
-Luke 22:42
Prayer does not change the purpose of God, But prayer does change the action of God. (How he accomplishes his will)
“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.” (v. 2)
[He was unjust, took bribes, did not care about integrity or “Doing the right thing”. He did what was “Right for himself”]
3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ 4 “For some time he refused.
[We assume she was at court constantly, eventually following him home.]
Things Going AGAINST Widows
They were Woman
They were Poor
Women could not go to court
“BUT finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” [Greek = To beat me into submission like UFC fighter tapping out] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out [Pray] to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.
Jesus is speaking from what is known as
“Arguing From the Lesser to the Greater”
*God is not the uncaring selfish, wicked judge.
*We are not the powerless widow.
He is saying that if the total opposite of God (The Judge) will selfishly give in, how much more will a loving, caring God give in to us (His children)
We are not the powerless widow, we are his loved children.
“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
-Luke 18
[How Many People Really Trust That I Listen to Them?]
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
-Hebrews 4:6
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
-Luke 22:42
Prayer does not get us ready for the greater work,
Prayer is the greater work.
“The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
-Psalm 121:8,9
Prayer does not change the purpose of God, But prayer does change the action of God. (How he accomplishes his will)
You can be persistent!
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