PARABLES OF JESUS - THE FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT

THE FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT

We are taking a 25 week walk through the parables of Jesus. Week 7 was the unmerciful servant who owed a debt he could not pay and showed mercy but when he did not show mercy on his own servant who owed him a little – he was thrown in prison and tortured. Last week was one of the most famous parables, The Good Samaritan and we looked at how a Jewish lawyer was not only testing Jesus, but then tried to justify his life to the Lord. We saw that religious attitude is not as important as action – knowing about God is of little importance unless you KNOW God and if you KNOW God, then you do His Will – show mercy, help those in need, forgive. The lawyer, the priest and the Levite knew about God but they did not put into practice God’s Very Words – the lawyer was even looking for a backdoor out of doing God’s Words.

Today we cover a parable that has always confused me, may it has confused you as well or maybe just how to implement it in your own life. It is the parable of the friend who arrives at midnight. So, as we begin today, let us pray!

THE FRIEND AT MIDNIGHT

Luke 11:5–13 – 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, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 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’? 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. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Impudence is like audacity – boldness, fearlessness.

All people have needs. God desires to meet these needs, and often meets them through His people. In this parable we see a man with a need who would not give up or accept defeat. If you are praying according to God’s Word (1 John 5:14 – And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.), then keep praying. Don’t give up—the answer will come; perhaps not in the way you expect, but according to God’s will.

Right before this parable, Luke records The Lord’s Prayer and then follows up with this parable – “And lead us not into temptation. And He said to them, …” This parable can be seen two ways – depicting God in contrast to the unwilling owner of the house or as an incentive to pray, encouraging us to go on praying, continue praying until you get your answer. Two we look at ourselves as the friend with an unexpected guest and the call to persistence prayer

I. Seeing the Need—vv. 5–6 – Jesus starts with a rhetorical question, which of you, when you have unexpected guests show up at night and you know your friend has extra food would not go to him

Notice he does not send his friend away because of the time – he meets the present need

A. Present need—v. 5. Food was needed for visitors. God wants to meet our needs—

3 loaves – no specific reason for number but 3 in Jewish culture represented God – we have God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit – 3 in one.

Loaves of bread – look at Luke 11:3 – Give us each day our daily bread,

Philippians 4:19 – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

God does not send us away or turn a deaf ear because of the hour we come to Him

B. Pressing need—v. 6. Note, “I have nothing.” As Christians, we show our love by helping those in need.

1. Showing our love— Love always gives.

1 Corinthians 13:5b – love…does not insist on its own way

1 John 3:17-18 – But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

2. Sharing our love—As we give to others, God will give to us in return.

Luke 6:38 – give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Proverbs 19:17 – Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

3. Surrendered love—Like the good Samaritan, help those in need.

All around us are the needy, depending upon us for help. Will you help them?

Luke 10:34 – He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

II. Selfishness if Spite of a Need—v. 7

The friend didn’t want to get involved – why?

Probably a poor family. What can we surmise from the story – probably a one-room house, no spouse. These houses had a raised platform at one end of the house where the whole family would sleep and animals would sleep on the floor – how do we know – look at verse 7

v7 – 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’?

He doesn’t say the word “FRIEND”

Also, It is not that he does not have it –

he does not want to get involved – risk waking up kids, animals, etc. -

A. Selfish attitude. In the story of the good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite had no time to help - It was a fellow Jew who fell to robbers - Surely God was not first in their lives—

Matthew 6:33 – But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

When we see a need – If God is a priority in our lives – if we are seeking after Him – we meet needs where they are

B. Selfish ambition—The rich farmer was preparing for himself, with no thought for others. God called him a fool.

Luke 12:16–20 – And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

James 3:16 – For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

C. Selfish affection—Love Self First but When we love God, it is easy to love others—

Matthew 22:37-38 – And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.

Matthew 22:39-40 – And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Again - 1 John 3:17 – But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

III. Sharing the Need—v. 8 – his impudence – shameless immodesty without concern for self-dignity

Persistence will help us meet the need – God wants persistence

Because of his boldness – his refusal to give up – his neighbor meets his need

Proverbs 24:16 – For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.

Philippians 3:14 – I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Luke 18:1-8 – And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

A. Daily prayer—Note the importance in Psalm 55:17—

Psalm 55:17 – Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.

David prayed three times daily— Daily prayer means daily power and daily persistence.

James 5:16 – Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

B. Determined prayer— “He prayed again.” He didn’t quit when the answer didn’t come—he kept praying.

James 5:17–18 – Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

Colossians 4:2 – Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Romans 12:12 – Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Luke 18:1 – And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

C. Dedicated prayer—If we live according to God’s Word, He will answer.

John 15:7-8 – If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Psalm 37:4-5 – Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Psalm 37:7a – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

Are we praying with impudence? Jesus starts in verse 9 with And I tell you – ASK – and I tell you pray!

Seek and you shall find – are we seeking Jesus on a daily basis?

True Christians will not only see the needs of others—they will supply. Love toward the Lord, as well as others, is more than mere words. The man at the door would not give up. His persistence brought results. God will answer our prayers as we persistently seek Him, ask Him.

v13 – If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. We have people right now who could use us to be persistence in prayer

Donna Virginia Kim

And people who caring for them that could use persistence in prayer and maybe even help

Michele Julia/Terry & Dani/Pat Leroy

Let Us Pray!