Luke 18:1-14 - "Parables on Prayer"

Introduction

It is a blessing to be able to bring the word of God to you this morning. Today we will be taking a break from our sermon series through the book of Romans. As you all are aware, we have been in the book of Romans for the last 10 months. If you are like me, it has been such an encouragement to be reminded and to learn of the amazing work of our God in bringing us to salvation. Things looked bleak for us but the Lord had a plan. While I have been encouraged and lifted up in our study of Romans I decided that this morning we may need to take brief break in our study of Romans. So, this morning we will be in the Gospel of Luke Chapter 18. The gospel of Luke is quite unique when compared with the other Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John. Luke is likely the only gentile author of any of the New Testament books. If you look at the word count Luke is responsible for contributing the most words of any one New Testament author. This gentile physician was deeply interested the saving work of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Luke often spoke and wrote of those who were commonly oppressed in the first century. Children, women, and the poor were commonly overlooked and held in contempt. In our passage of scripture this morning, we will hear of an oppressed widow, and a beat down tax collector. Have you ever known someone who regularly thought of those who are so easy to forget? To consider those who are so overlooked? Luke was one of those people. The parables we will be studying in our text today are unique to the gospel of Luke. They are not recorded in any of the other synoptic gospels. When I say synoptic gospels what I am referring to is the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The word synoptic simply points to the fact that these three gospels tell generally the same stories with a few minor differences. So, it is important for us to note that the passages we are considering must have held some sort of special significance to Luke. The elements of the oppressed receiving vindication were sweet to the mind of Luke. Maybe you have come into this place this morning feeling beaten down by the world. Maybe you have come here feeling discouraged at the sadness that is so often prevalent in this world due to sin. What are we do do with these feelings? How are we to respond to our circumstances? The answer to that question is persistent, humble, and faithful prayer. So with this in mind we will be breaking our text down in the following points:

Sermon Points:

Be Praying Always

Don’t Trust in Yourself

The Lord Is our Deliverer, Vindicator, and Keeper

Sermon Text

Luke 18:1–14 ESV

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?” He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Exposition

1. Be Praying Always (Luke 18:1-8)

I must confess that the parable of the persistent widow is one of my favorite passages of scripture. Firstly because of the simplicity in which the Lord communicates His word. For the serious interpreter of scripture this passage is among the easiest. Matthew Henry in his commentary says “This Parable has its key hanging at the door” and so it does. Look with me at verse 1 (Luke 18:1 “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” ) In a very real sense we could stop there and those words would be enough. The Christian ought always pray and not lose heart. Indeed, there is no reason that is sufficient that the Christian lose heart in any situation. The heavenly realities are so great and substantial that they should overshadow and inform our thinking even in moments that we are in the depths of despair. Consider for a moment some of the benefits those in Christ enjoy.

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,”

2 Corinthians 5:1–5 “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.”

These two truths enough are a case for not losing heart and hope.

That said, because of our frailty and our tendency to forget the Lord provides us with a parable to help us understand. The Lord Jesus tells us a parable of an unjust judge who in all respects had little concern for actual justice. He is said to have “neither feared God nor respected man.” The question that comes to my mind - Is not the primary duty of a Judge to fear God and respect man with the respect to his judgements? Nevertheless we hear of a Widow who had some sort of adversary. This type of story was one that Luke would grab onto. As I noted in the introduction, Luke often had a special concern for those who were oppressed. In Luke’s day and in many ways in our day, widows are fragile against the attacks of an evil world. It was not until recently in my life that I truly ever considered the danger that widows can live in. They can often find themselves bearing with a seemingly incurable loneliness, fragile against those who would take advantage of them and the like.

In the case of this parable, the Widow being oppressed by an adversary did not have any to advocate for her so she goes directly to the judge. When she did not receive justice, she did not give up but continued to go the judge requesting and even demanding that the judge provide deliverance.

Eventually, breaking under the pressure of annoyance the judge gave her justice. To the unjust judge the woman was like a woodpecker that would just not stop pecking. Or like the dogs in the neighborhood that just wont stop barking. Justice in this case is exacted out of exacerbation and not a sense of duty. Nevertheless, the widows cause is vindicated.

The Lord summarizes the parable :

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?””

Jesus seeks to show us that if an unrighteous Judge can execute justice out of exacerbation how much more will the Lord who is just, and loves his people act at the appropriate time. This parable comes immediately on the heels of Jesus teaching about his second coming. How he will return to judge the living and the dead, to take His people home, and to execute justice on the wicked. So, the primary context of this parable is that we should not lose heart despite the seeming delay in the Lords return. In the first century during Jesus’ early ministry it is obvious that the people of that day did not anticipate that the Lords return would be delayed for over 2000 years. They lived thinking at each moment that the Lord could return. Only to find that he did not return but they would go to him.

Though 2000 years may seem long to us it is not long unto the Lord.

The larger context of this passage of Scripture is that there really is no reason for the Christian not to seek the Lord in prayer or to lose hope at all. If an unjust judge can give justice to an oppressed woman he cares nothing about consider what it will be when the Lord gives justice to his oppressed people whom he loves.

Brothers and sisters, I don’t know what plagues your heart this morning. The issues you are facing may be new or difficult and temporarily subside. Or you may be here today with issues and trials on your hearty that have been there for years. My question to you is, will you believe the Lord Jesus? Will you take heed to the very very very clear main point of this passage that you ought always to pay and not lose heart? Or will you shrink back. Maybe you are in a situation where it seems the unrighteousness seems to have gone unpunished and it seems that someone has gotten off scott free. Will you lose heart?

Understand this, if justice is not served in this life, it will be in the next? The Lord will never overlook sin. Either it is paid for in Christ or it will be paid for in hell for eternity.

Jesus ends this section of the parable by asking a very grave question:

“Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?”

Again in light of the preceeding context from chapter 17 this question could not be more appropriate. In light of what seems like delayed justice and deliverance, will you lose hope? Will the Lord find those who have had faith on earth? This is an important question we must ask and consider.

This passage teaches us that if we understand the righteous judge, we have no reason to lose heart at the seeming delay of justice. The Lord always has good purposes for what he is doing even if we do not understand what those good purposes are.

2. Don’t Trust In Yourself (Luke 18:9-14)

Things brings us to our second parable on Prayer. The first parable taught us about persistence in our prayer that we would not give up convincing ourselves that we are without hope.

Again, just like the prayer of the persistent widow the keys of this parable are hanging at the door.

Luke tells us (Luke 18:9 “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:”)

It was obvious that in reviewing verse 8 and the address to those who trust in themselves in verse 9 indicates that Jesus was telling these parables in earshot of the Pharisees.

Our Lord begins by laying out before us two apparently very different individuals. You had a Pharisee which if you don’t know who the Pharisees are, were a group of extremely religious, pious, and holier than thou types. This is demonstrated in our passage in that the Pharisee in his own prayer bolsters up his status by saying this Look with me at V11 (Luke 18:11–12 “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’” )

First he mentions that his very existence and outward living was full of pride. He thanks God he is not like “those people.” Next he points to all thine things he does. The items he mentions that he is doing are above even what the Law of God required for the Jews. He is essentially saying that he is “extrasuperspiritual” Better than the next guy.

The next man that Jesus mentions is the tax collector. Again, by outward appearance and status these two could not be more different. Tax collectors were some of the lowest viewed individuals in the society. Think IRS level of dislike. Tax collectors were considered unclean. In many ways, Tax collectors had earned a disdain for themselves that was justified. It was not uncommon for a tax collector to demand more tax from an individual just to keep the extra profits for himself. Whether they were being just or unjust in their collection of taxes they were viewed as no better than an unclean dog by most members of society and especially by the Pharisees.

Consider the testimony of the Pharisee in verse 11 (Luke 18:11 “The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.”)

This Pharisee lumps this tax collector in the same boat as adulterers, extortioners, and other unjust men. This guy is no better than those we see on the news.

Lets now consider the content of their prayer.

In the prayer of the Pharisee you see a man who sought to bolster his own supposed self righteousness. You see, in the eyes of this Pharisee and many in the world - this man was better than most people. When it comes to the way human beings view other human beings, a case could be made that this Pharisee was the real deal. The picture we get is of a man who enters the temple with shoulders of superiority.

In the prayer of the tax collector you see a man beaten down. The text says that he stood far off. This simply points to the fact that this tax collector did not feel as though he could stand in the place of the righteous. He would not even lift his eyes to heaven. He beat his breast and pleaded not his accomplishments or righteousness but he pleaded the mercy of God. His outward appearance matched what was on the inside.

What is the evaluation of our Lord Jesus here?

Luke 18:14 “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””

The first century Jew or even a modern day Muslim or Buddhist would come to this text and be puzzled by the conclusion that Jesus draws for us. If you were to poll them they would most certainly say that the righteous one of the story was the Pharisee and not the tax collector.

For most Amercians and evangelicals we love to lift up the tax collector but for reasons that may be misguided if we aren’t careful. Unlike a Muslim or Buddhist we are all too willing to admit we are sinners or that we are not really living the life we ought to live. RC Sproul points this out in his commentary on Luke.

He says this “Now many people in this world are willing to acknowledge that they are sinners. It is commonplace to hear people say, ‘Well, no-one’s perfect and that includes me.’ But so often that is the end of our confession. But it is not enough to admit that one is a sinner. One has to repent of that. In fact, to acknowledge that we are sinners and not repent of it, is to blaspheme God. This tax-collector here not only recognized that he was a sinner, he also confessed it before God and begged God for mercy.”

-(R. C. Sproul, A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke (Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1999), 335–336.)

In this passage of Scripture, the Tax Collector demonstrates his need of God’s mercy.

Thus, the tax collector went home justified and the religious Pharisee went home a whitewashed tomb.

In truth brothers and sisters both the Pharisee and the tax collector were the same. They were both sinners in need of Gods mercy. One convinced himself that he was righteous and the other knew what he truly was.

This reminds me of the passage of Scripture that the Lord used to change my life and to convince this formerly self righteous man that he was indeed in need of the mercy of God.

Matthew 7:21–23 ““Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

External righteous does not make one righteous.

In this we sing:

“No list of sins I have not done, No list of virtues I pursue, No list of those I am not like Can earn myself a place with You. O God, be merciful to me– I am a sinner through and through! My only hope of righteousness Is not in me, but only You.

No humble dress, no fervent prayer, No lifted hands, no tearful song, No recitation of the truth Can justify a single wrong. My righteousness is Jesus' life, My debt was paid by Jesus' death, My weary load was borne by Him And He alone can give me rest.

No separation from the world, No work I do, no gift I give Can cleanse my conscience, cleanse my hands; I cannot cause my soul to live. But Jesus died and rose again– The power of death is overthrown! My God is merciful to me And merciful in Christ alone.

My righteousness is Jesus' life, My debt was paid by Jesus' death, My weary load was borne by Him And He alone can give me rest.

3. The Lord Is Our Deliverer, Vindicator, and Keeper

As I seek to close this sermon. I want to finish by summarizing a few things:

The Keys of these parables are hanging at the door. The truths that we ought always to pray and not lose heart, and that we ought not to trust in ourselves and treat others with contempt are very simple but don’t confuse their simplicity for being simplistic. It is much easier to speak about these things than to live them.

Are you tempted to lose heart Christian? Do you fret and become downcast at your struggle? Take heart look to the persistent widow. May she teach you that persistence if effective. Do not forget how much more effective it is with our God who gives justice to His elect (Chosen people)

Don’t be confused by appearances. Not the perception of your own or others supposed righteousness. It is much better to be truthful than religious. It is not a bad thing to do what is right but you must never confuse doing right as the reason for your righteousness. As we have learned from the last 10 months in Romans - There is only one who was righteous and His name is Jesus.

If you don’t know Christ, then will you turn from your self righteousness and your sin and trust in the mercy of Christ towards those who believe? Or will you convince yourself that you are okay? Will your prayers be about trusting in the savior or yourself? I pray we all would go to the cross and with our mouths and in our hearts say “Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling.”

Let us pray.