The Parable of Prayer

Last time we saw the person who motivates us to prayer. Today, let us look at the parable that Jesus told in hopes of motivating and moving us to pray. He shares the parable in verses 5-8.

Luke 11:5-8
And he said to them, "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs
ESV

This is one of the more humorous and entertaining parables in the Bible. It is the parable of the persistent friend. This poor man who had this guest arrive at midnight at his house is between a rock and a hard place. He was in a dilemma. He could be a poor host or, he could be a poor neighbor. Being a poor host was not an option because hospitality was a priority in this culture. So, he goes next door in the middle of the night to disturb his neighbor.

His neighbor awakes to the knock on the door. There must be some kind of emergency! But this is not an emergency. He isn't saying, "My wife is having a baby!" He is not saying, "Someone is dying or is injured." He's not saying, "We've got a robber in the house." It is in the middle of the night and he says, "I want these three loaves (literally just 3 flat pieces of bread).

I am thinking this neighbor is extremely irritated. This is not emergency, and my door has already been shut. This door that had already been shut, was not a door like we would think of. Sometimes doors actually dropped through rings, a combination of metal and iron and removing it was not simple. It would be loud and there was a whole family in there. They had a big mat in a one-room house and they were all finally asleep! I am not waking them up for anyone, especially over 3 loaves of bread. After all, would he die if he waited till breakfast? Use some hospitable psychology on the guy. Tell him, you've been on a long journey, you're probably tired, just lay down. He'll fall asleep before he knows it and forget he's even hungry. Just leave me alone and let me get back to sleep before you awaken my family.

But… there's really no sense in not getting up because he's not going away. The Bible says he was troublesomely urgent, overly persistent: It is a word that conveys an annoying relentlessness. What happened here was this guy finally got out of bed and gave the man what he wanted because he was annoyingly persistent. He was overly persistent. He was troublesomely urgent; what the word literally means is shamelessness, somebody who just sets aside all sense of shame.

Jesus is saying, Pray like this! Pray without ceasing. Don't give up. John MacArthur says, "The picture here is of shameless nerve, boldness, importunity, things that seem almost ludicrous to us going into the presence of the God of the universe. But our Lord is teaching us how to be invasive, how to be bold in our prayers." Jesus is giving us permission to boldly approach the throne of grace, by His blood. I would ask that you do that. Pray for me, for our staff at Cleary, for revival among the church, and an awakening among the community, and this nation. Also I am asking you to pray for the following needs throughout April. Will you be a watchman on the walls for these requests?

Isa 62:6-7 On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.

Pray for the men who are on the mission trip to Columbus, MS this week.
Pray for me as I conclude the revival services at Oakview Wednesday night.
Pray for the mission trip to India April 20-30.
Pray for the Mappila people of Kozhikode India that God would begin preparing their hearts and their minds to hear and respond to His Gospel. Many Muslims around the world are having dreams and visions of Jesus just prior to the arrival of a mission team. Pray that the Mappila Muslims of Kozhikode will begin having dreams and visions that will encourage them to seek the truth.
Pray for the men who will travel to the DR in May

Please forward this along to everyone in your inbox to ask them to help us pray.