Rev. David Holwick ZC
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
August 9, 1992
Luke 18:1-8
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I. Problems with prayer.
A. Is anyone really listening to us?
B. Why aren't prayers answered?
C. Some come to question God's good character, or existence.
II. Parable of Unjust Judge given in response to these questions.
A. The judge.
1) Didn't care about religious principle or public opinion.
2) Apparently cared just for himself.
B. The widow.
1) Widow synonymous with being poor and powerless.
2) Persistent - "keeps coming" (Gk).
a) Give me justice against my adversary.
b) Not punishment but what is due her, probably money.
C. The result.
1) Judge ignores her for a long time.
a) Perhaps waiting for a bribe. Acts 24:26
b) Or just plain lazy.
2) She keeps coming, and threatens him with "hypopiazw."
a) "Wear me out" is weak. Lit, "to give a black eye."
b) He is afraid she will literally punch him out, or
figuratively speaking, ruin his career.
c) Her persistence and that alone gets her justice.
III. Jesus compares God to the unjust judge.
A. Similarity? - God isn't fair. He must be pestered for answers.
B. Contrast - God is very fair.
1) All that the judge is, God is not.
2) The judge is selfish, God is not.
C. The only similarity is their delayed response.
1) The judge delayed because he was selfish.
2) God's delay is the tarrying of love.
IV. Point of parable: If even a corrupt judge can be brought to
help a persistent widow, how much more will God help his
followers who persist in prayer.
A. "Should always pray" indicates not merely the duty but the
necessity of persistent prayer. 18:1
1) Only the persistence of the widow got her justice.
2) Notice that the saints call out to God "day and night." 18:7
3) "Will he put them off" could also be translated,
"though he puts them off." 18:7
B. What about the "speedy" justice in 18:8?
1) "Quick" means it will be sudden, not necessarily soon.
2) It is used of Second Coming of Jesus in Rev 22:20.
a) Notice allusion to Second Coming in Luke 18:8.
3) In prayer, though there appears to be a delay, when the
time comes for God to answer, he will do it - quickly.
V. Jesus and persistence.
A. Jesus practiced persistence.
1) Gethsemane prayer was long - only gist is given. 22:42
2) There was time for disciples to fall asleep.
B. Jesus commanded persistence.
1) "Ask, seek, knock" are in present tense. 11:9
2) Several other parables stress the importance of persistence.
C. Not vain repetition. Matt 6:7-8
1) It is not repetition that is forbidden, but the fallacy
that repetition itself works.
2) Persistence is not a magical charm.
a) Rosary and St. Jude prayers in "personals."
b) Manipulative prayer of friend in cult.
VI. Four principles of prayer.
A. Most essential ingredient of prayer is to be a committed disciple.
1) Parable given to close followers, not crowds.
2) Widow's request identified with prayers of the elect, those
who are saved by God. 18:7
3) Those who are wishy-washy with Jesus should expect no answers.
St. Augustine lived around 400 A.D.
Just before he became a Christian he found himself
in a terrible predicament.
He wanted to be saved, but he also wanted to keep
living in sin with his concubine.
As his inner turmoil increased, he would fall on
his knees and pray:
"Oh God, make me pure. Please make me pure!
But not yet, not yet!"
It was not until Augustine made a full commitment to God
that he felt effective in prayer.
#2180
4) If prayer seems powerless, reason may be you don't have
Christ as your Savior. James 5:16
B. To understand prayer, we must understand the character of God.
1) Notice where the focus of the parable is.
a) Most people focus on the widow, because she corresponds
to people who pray.
b) Jesus focuses on the judge, who is a contrasting figure
for God.
2) How your view of God affects how you pray.
a) If you think of God as a bully, you won't have much
confidence in praying to him.
b) Jesus always showed God as a Father who loves us and
wants the very best for us.
c) He knows how many hairs are on our head and what we
need to be truly happy. Luke 12:7
3) One reason God seems to delay his answers is that he knows
what we REALLY need. Not what we THINK we need.
a) A.B. Bruce said that "Delay may be the result of love
taking counsel with wisdom."
1> If we always got what we prayed for, the results
might be disastrous.
2> As Psalm 106:15 says - "So he gave them what they
asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them."
b) If God immediately answered every prayer, who would you
be married to right now?
C. Persistence in prayer shows our devotion, not God's stinginess.
1) Some feel persistence is inappropriate in prayer.
a) Pray about it once and leave it alone.
b) Repetition shows lack of faith.
2) The one seeking the answer must be able to receive it.
a) God doesn't become more willing, but we become more
capable of receiving an answer.
b) Persistence enlarges our capacity to receive what
God desires to give.
3) Persistence purifies both our request and us.
a) It strengthens desire and prepares the soul for full
appreciation and right use of the answer.
b) Without persistence, Christians would become complacent.
c) God reminds us we are dependent on him.
D. You never need to stop persisting in prayer.
1) Some prayers never seem to be answered, not matter how
persistent we are.
2) When do we stop praying for something?
a) Jesus - never give up! 18:1
A good example of this comes from the life of George Mueller.
Mueller was an extremely dedicated Christian who ran an
orphanage in England in the 1700's.
He was known for having a lot of faith in prayer.
He never asked for help or money - he just prayed it in.
Early in his life he prayed for 5 of his friends to be saved.
After 5 years, one of them became a Christian.
After 10 years, two more accepted Christ.
25 years went by, and the fourth was saved.
For the last one he prayed until the year he died but never
saw the man become a Christian.
Yet 3 months after Mueller was buried, this man also was
saved.
For this last friend, George Mueller had prayed 52 years.
You never have to give up in prayer.
#2181
VII. Jesus is coming back.
A. Will you be a Christian?
B. Will you be faithfully persisting in prayer?
===========================================================
"Why Keep Bothering God?" Curtis C. Mitchell (Bible professor at
Biola), Christianity Today, 12/13/85, p. 33f.
I. Persistence in prayer.
A. Unpopular. Shows a lack of faith?
B. Scriptural. NT and Jesus practiced it.
II. Parable of Unjust Judge.
A. "Should always pray" indicates not merely the duty but necessity
of persistent prayer.
1) Only the persistence of the widow got her justice.
B. Application by Jesus.
1) All that the judge is, God is not.
a) The judge is selfish, God is not.
2) The point of similarity is their delayed response.
a) The judge delayed because he was selfish.
b) God's delay is the tarrying of love.
3) The "quick" answer in 18:8 means it will be sudden, not
necessarily soon.
a) It is used of Parousia in Rev 22:20.
b) In prayer, though there appears to be a delay, when the
time comes for God to answer, he will do it - quickly.
III. Jesus and persistence.
A. Jesus practiced persistence.
1) Gethsemane prayer was long - only gist is given.
a) There was time for disciples to fall asleep.
B. Jesus commanded persistence.
1) "Ask, seek, knock" are in present tense.
2) Not vain repetition. Matt 6:7-8
a) It is not repetition that is forbidden, but the fallacy
that repetition itself works.
b) Persistence is not a magical charm.
IV. Rationale for persistent prayer.
A. Jesus never taught "why" in persistence.
1) God is interested in us and doesn't have to be worn down.
2) God doesn't need to be changed.
B. Two basic truths:
1) The one who knows the answer must be willing to give it.
2) The one seeking the answer must be able to receive it.
a) God doesn't become more willing, but we become more
capable of receiving an answer.
b) Persistence enlarges our capacity to receive what God
desires to give.
C. Persistence clarifies our minds and segregates deep-seated
desire from fleeting whim.
1) Persistence thus purifies both the request and the petitioner.
2) It strengthen desire and prepare the soul for full
appreciation and right use of the answer.
3) Without persistence, Christians would become complacent.
a) God reminds us we are dependent on him.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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