Luke 18:1-8

Persistent Prayer

Introduction:

In his book, Practical Religion, JC Ryle has a chapter on Prayer. He begins that chapter with a simple question, do you pray?

He says that the surest mark of a true Christian is a habit of prayer. He continues saying ,“That not praying is a clear proof that a person is not yet a true Christian. They cannot really feel their sins. They cannot love God. They cannot feel themselves a debtor to Christ. They cannot long after holiness. They cannot desire heaven. They have yet to be born again. They have yet to be made a new creature. They may boast confidently of election, grace, faith, hope and knowledge, and deceive ignorant people. But you may rest assured it is all vain talk if they do not pray.”

So let me ask you this, do you pray?

In the chapter before in Luke 17, the disciples were being taught by Jesus about the dangers of the temptations to sin. Jesus taught to forgive a brother if he sins seven times but repents seven times, you must forgive him. And then disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith! Later in Chapter 17:22, Jesus tells the disciples about the coming kingdom of God. That many people will say “Look there” or “Look here” and he warns them to not follow these false teachers because man does not know the day or hour, but like a flash of lightning will be the day that the Son of Man returns. Like the days of Noah and the flood, and like the days of Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah, death will come to unbelievers when the Son of Man is revealed. And just like their desperate plea for Jesus to increase their faith, they ask him, “Lord, where?”

You see the promise of the destruction of the wicked should have encouraged the disciples, but the thought of the days of Noah and the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, seemed to them to be so far away. Jesus just told them that he must suffer and be rejected first and that the justice that God would bring would be like lightning, but not knowing where and when caused the disciples to lose heart. We can grow weary from waiting for our precious Savior to return as well. As you look at the evil and wickedness in this world, does it cause you to lose heart. Does the waiting for the return of Jesus seem too far away?

Well Jesus, in lovingkindness and mercy, encourages the disciples and you with this parable in Luke 18:1-8. Here, Jesus explains that there is no power in your prayers because the power comes from God and that’s why you pray.

**READ/PRAY**

Propositional Statement:

In Luke 18:1-8, you will see three stimulating approaches to prayer that Jesus uses to encourage you as you patiently wait for justice.

I. You Must Pray and Not Give Up

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

What is a parable?

A parable is a fictional story about a biblical truth. Jesus uses these to illustrate or teach a religious principle or a moral lesson. In his wisdom these parables strike the heart of his listeners and readers and they are easily memorable. He uses common themes that are easy to understand with characters that are recognizable. And although some are not easily understood at first, through careful study, they unlock the mind and reveal heavenly treasure.

This particular parable, Jesus uses to encourage his faint-hearted disciples to always pray and not to lose heart.

II. You Must Pray Continually

A. Luke 18:2–5 “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.’ ””

III. You Must Pray in Faith

A. Luke 18:6–8 “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?””