Call His Name John
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Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
The ESV Study Bible Key Themes
Believers are to live a life of prayer and practice good stewardship with their possessions. In Luke’s narrative, prayer occurs at every major point in Jesus’ life: at his baptism; at his selection of the Twelve; at Peter’s confession; at Jesus’ transfiguration; in his teaching the Lord’s Prayer; before Peter’s denial; etc.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
[CIT] In this passage, God sent his angel, Gabriel, to tell an elderly country priest, Zechariah, that he and his elderly wife, Elizabeth, would have a son - a son they were to name John, which means “The Lord is gracious.”
[ILLUS]
[CONTEXT] It had been 400 years since God last sent a prophet among his people to declare his word to them. Malachi had been the last and his final words were haunting, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction,” ().
God’s people had been eagerly waiting on Elijah, the bold prophet of God who had stood up to the false prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, for 400 years - but after such a long time perhaps hope deferred had become hope disappointed.
Zechariah and Elizabeth knew that feeling.
It had perhaps been a long time since they had dared to hope for a baby. As they years passed by they celebrated with friends and relatives as they welcomed children into the world. For a while, they held onto hope, but soon for them too hope deferred likely became hope disappointed.
Would Elijah ever come?
Would Zechariah and Elizabeth ever have a baby?
[TRANSITION] God loves to bring us the hope of his grace exactly when things look hopeless - when 400 years have passed and people begin to whisper, “Maybe Elijah’s not coming” - when you’re so old people whisper, “They’ll never have a baby.”
[PROP] Nothing is impossible with God. When we are on the verge of giving up, he loves to thrill us with his grace.
[PROP]
[INTER] Have you ever been on the verge of giving up? Are you there now?
Maybe you’re about to give up on your prodigal child.
Maybe you’re about to give up on your marriage.
Maybe you’re about to give up on healing for you or someone you love.
Maybe you’re about to give up on everything in general.
If so, then maybe this is for you this morning.
I believe this passage is God’s grace come to us as just the right time this morning.
[TS] Let’s notice the grace of God played out in four different SCENES in this passage...
MAJOR IDEAS
MAJOR IDEAS
SCENE #1: When grace doesn’t make sense (at least from our perspective) [vv. 5-7].
SCENE #1: When grace doesn’t make sense (at least from our perspective) [vv. 5-7].
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
[Illus] I heard a man talking about his brother the other day. He said, “My brother is so incredible it sounds like I’m making a person up.”
[Exp] You couldn’t make up a more godly couple than Zechariah and Elizabeth.
Zechariah, whose name means “The Lord remembers,” was a priest serving in the division of Abijah, the eighth division of the priesthood. (The priesthood was divided into 24 divisions with each division serving twice a year for one week except for major feasts during which all the priests served.)
He was married to Elizabeth whose name means “The Lord has sworn.” She was from the daughters of Aaron, the first high priest. (Priests were required to marry an Israelite virgin but the fact that Elizabeth was from the line of Aaron would’ve made this godly couple even more respectable in the eyes of their community.)
And together they “were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in the all the commandments and statutes of the Lord,” (v. 6). (They weren’t perfect people, but they had found favor in the eyes of the Lord just as Noah did who was also described as righteous and blameless []. When they confessed, they confessed from the heart. When they served, they served from the heart. When they prayed, they prayed from the heart. When they obeyed, they obeyed from the heart. Their righteousness was not just for appearances sake. It was from the heart.)
Now, all of this is what makes so surprising...
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Here’s the disappointment: “they had no child”
Here’s the cause: “because Elizabeth was barren”
And here’s the hopelessness: “and both were advanced in years.”
From the perspective of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s Jewish community, being barren was like being cursed.
Although they were favored or graced by God, people looked at them as disgraced because they were childless.
[Illus] Many people around them were no doubt like Job’s friends.
You’ll remember from Sunday School this morning that Job “was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil,” (, ), and yet Job suffered. He lost his wealth, his children, his health, and then his friends show up.
At first Job’s friends just sat with him, then they began to ask Job, “What have you done to deserve this suffering, this disgrace?” When Job said he hadn’t done anything, his friends replied, “Well, you must’ve done something!”
Job lost his wealth, his children, his health, and then his friends show up. At
We can imagine Zechariah and Elizabeth having that same conversation with well-meaning family and friends.
“What have you done?”
“We’ve followed the Lord as closely as we can!”
“Well, you must’ve done something!”
We can even imagine Zechariah and Elizabeth having this same conversation within themselves.
“Have I done something to deserve this childlessness?”
“I’m not perfect, but I’ve been trying to follow God.”
“I must’ve done something.”
[App] Sometimes a specific sin we commit does lead to a specific instance of suffering, but we need to understand that, although all suffering is the result of sin, not all our suffering is the result of our sin.
We need to understand that sometimes we suffer, not because we’ve done something, but because God is up to something.
In all of our suffering, God is drawing us closer to himself or drawing closer to others through our suffering.
[Illus] That was the case with Job, who came to understand God better through his suffering.
[Illus]
That was the case in the book of Acts when the Jerusalem church suffered persecution and had to flee, but those who “scattered went about preaching the word,” ().
That was the case for Christian author, Joni Eareckson Tada, who was paralyzed in a diving accident as a teenager. She has said that she wouldn’t be as close to God today if she had not had that accident. If that’s true, she also wouldn’t have had the impact on others that she has had.
This has been the case in my own life. If my childhood had not been ripped apart by the divorce of my parents, I wouldn’t have met Christ, wouldn’t have been called to preach, wouldn’t be here this morning.
[App] Being favored by God doesn’t mean that we won’t suffer. God’s grace won’t make sense to us if we believe that.
God’s grace does, however, mean that our suffering won’t be pointless. With God, there is a point to our pain.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were about to find that out.
[TS] Let’s look at SCENE #2...
SCENE #2: When God’s grace surprises (and blows us away) [vv. 8-17].
SCENE #2: When God’s grace surprises (and blows us away) [vv. 8-17].
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
[Exp] This was the pinnacle of Zechariah’s career as a priest. Because of the large number of priests and they fact that a priest’s division only served twice a year, most never got the opportunity to offer incense just before the curtain that led into the Most Holy Place or Holy of Holies. Those who did receive the honor were only allowed to do so once in their lifetime. Zechariah must’ve been thrilled to offer up the the incense that represented the prayers of God’s people rising up to God and Elizabeth must’ve been so thrilled for her husband, but, again, God was up to something.
Zechariah was chosen by lot to offer the incense, which by comparison we might think of drawing straws or rolling dice. In other words, the fact that Zechariah was chosen just seemed like luck or good fortune. In reality, however, it was God who orchestrated the whole thing. As says...
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
As Zechariah stepped into the Holy Place he would have seen the magnificently embroidered curtain leading into the Holy of Holies with its cherubim woven in scarlet, blue, purple, and gold.
To his left would’ve been the table of shewbread.
In front of him would’ve been the horned golden altar of incense (cf. ; ).
And to his right would’ve been the golden candlestick.
Zechariah would’ve purified the altar and waited for the signal to offer the incense at the same time the multitude was praying outside.
As he waited alone, he was suddenly not alone and that’s enough to trouble anyone. Fear fell upon Zechariah as an angel of the Lord appeared to him, suddenly standing on the right side of the altar of incense. But fear has no place for those saved by grace, so the angel said in v. 13...
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Luke 1:13
Now, this is a lot to take in if your Zechariah. You’re high on life because you’ve been chosen to offer the incense and now you’re learning that your wife is going to give you a son and not just any ol’ mangey son, but one who will bring you joy and gladness, one who will be great before the Lord, one who will be set apart to God and filled with the Holy Spirit, one who will bring revival to God’s people, one who will “go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah… to make ready for the Lord a people prepared,” (v. 17).
Zechariah would’ve recognized the language of the Prophet Malachi and he would’ve known that the time for the Messiah’s arrival was at hand!
The Messiah was the promised Anointed One who would bring sight to the blind, make the lame walk, cleanse lepers, heal the deaf, liberate the captives and the oppressed. He was the One who would sit on the throne of Israel forever and ever! And Zechariah’s son was going to be paving the way for him! Yes, indeed, the Lord is gracious!
[Illus]
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
I love the angel’s response.
First, he gives his name, “I am Gabriel...” That name means “man of God” or “God my strength,” but Zechariah would’ve realized that this was the angel that the Prophet Daniel wrote about in , the same angel that said to Daniel after he prayed in the temple, “I have come out to give you insight and understanding… for you are greatly loved...” ().
Second, Gabriel stated his rank by saying, “I stand in the presence of God...” The comparison between Zechariah and Gabriel couldn’t have been more stark. Zechariah was offering incense outside the Holy of Holies. Gabriel had just come from God’s very presence!
Third, Gabriel stated his mission, “I was sent to speak to you...” Gabriel didn’t come of his own accord. He came because Almighty God sent him!
Fourth, Gabriel characterized the message he was sent to deliver, “to bring you this good news.” Gabriel was sent to deliver good new but it had been received by Zechariah as unbelievable news. That’s why Zechariah asked, “How shall I know this?” which was a way of asking for a sign.
The sign would be his silence.
Until the day John was born, Zechariah would be unable to speak.
He didn’t believe God
[Illus]
[App] God’s grace comes to us when we least expect it, but it blows us away when it comes. Just when we feel like there’s no hope, God’s grace staggers us by doing more than we could ever ask for or imagine.
Think about this in terms of our own salvation.
God’s grace reveals to us that we are sinners in need of a Savior. We recognize that the price for sin is death and that Jesus has paid that price for us on the cross! But grace keeps going...
Jesus didn’t just die to save us from God’s wrath, he also rose from the dead so that through faith in him we can have new life with God! But grace keeps going...
If we have truly believed on Jesus as Lord and Savior, then we have been filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and he is making us more like Christ from the inside out! But grace keeps going...
Filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit, we’ve been adopted into the family of God as sons and daughters of God, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ! But grace keeps going...
Christ Jesus at this very moment is interceding for us and preparing a place for us that where he is we may also be! But grace keeps going...
Jesus will one day return for us and we shall all be changed from perishable to imperishable, from mortal to immortal! But grace keeps going...
When Jesus comes in all his glory and all his angels with him, we shall reign with him!
And grace - God’s grace - will just keep on going and going and going… there will be no end to it.
[Illus] The Energizer battery company used to have the Energize bunny commercials (perhaps they still do).
It was a little toy bunny, powered by Energizer batteries, beating a drum that just “(kept) going and going and going” as their slogan said.
I’m sure any one with children bought Duracell because at some point you actually want the batteries in the noise making toys to die.
But the idea that Energizer was selling was that there was no end to the life of their batteries, which we know is not the case in reality. At some point the battery runs out. It’s not a source of perpetual energy.
God’s grace is. God’s grace energizes everything in the Christian life from salvation to sanctification to glorification and beyond! There is no end to God’s grace!
God’s grace is so unbelievably good in fact, that to some it sounds to good to be true.
That’s in fact what Zechariah thought.
[TS] Let’s look at SCENE #3...
SCENE #3: When we don’t believe in God’s grace (because it sounds to good to be true) [vv. 18-23].
SCENE #3: When we don’t believe in God’s grace (because it sounds to good to be true) [vv. 18-23].
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
[Exp] It all must’ve sounded a little too good to be true, because Zechariah had a hard time believing the good news that the angel was preaching. That’s why he asked in v. 18...
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
I love the angel’s response.
First, he gives his name, “I am Gabriel...” That name means “man of God” or “God my strength,” but Zechariah would’ve realized that this was the angel that the Prophet Daniel wrote about in , the same angel that said to Daniel after he prayed in the temple, “I have come out to give you insight and understanding… for you are greatly loved...” (). / Daniel had been praying for the redemption of Israel just as Zechariah was likely praying. Daniel was praying in the evening, which is likely when Zechariah was praying. And God sent Gabriel to reveal a part of his salvation plan to Zechariah just as he did to Daniel. / It would’ve been normal for Zechariah to have grown bitter - for him to think that God had forgotten him or didn’t care about him or Elizabeth. Why else would he leave them childless? But God hadn’t forgotten them. He loved them just as did Daniel. And he was revealing his plan to them just as he did to Daniel.
Second, Gabriel stated his rank by saying, “I stand in the presence of God...” The comparison between Zechariah and Gabriel couldn’t have been more stark. Zechariah was offering incense outside the Holy of Holies. Gabriel had just come from God’s very presence! / The Holy of Holies was the place where God’s presence descended among his people. Once a year the High Priest would go in to the Holy of Holies to make sacrifice before the Lord, but God’s presence wasn’t limited to the Holy of Holies. / God dwells in unapproachable light on the throne of Heaven above. In his presence, the seraphim never cease to say, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That’s where Gabriel stood - in the very presence of God!
Third, Gabriel stated his mission, “I was sent to speak to you...” Gabriel didn’t come of his own accord. He came because Almighty God sent him! / Gabriel didn’t speak on his own authority. He spoke on God’s authority! Just as those who contending with God’s prophets were really contending with God, so Zechariah wasn’t disbelieving Gabriel but God who sent him!
Fourth, Gabriel characterized the message he was sent to deliver, “to bring you this good news.” Gabriel was sent to deliver good new but it had been received by Zechariah as unbelievable news. That’s why Zechariah asked, “How shall I know this?” which was a way of asking for a sign.
The sign would be his silence.
Until the day John was born, Zechariah would be unable to speak.
He would be unable to speak of God’s graciousness with his wife, with his family, with others who were desperately waiting for the Elijah to come and the Messiah to follow.
I can think of no worse punishment for a preacher than to be unable to speak of the grace of God.
[Illus]
But this silence must’ve also thrilled Zechariah’s soul.
Gabriel had said that the sign of the baby’s coming would be his silence and he was unable to talk so the baby must be coming!
It wasn’t just sudden onset laryngitis! It was the sign of God’s grace!
Despite not believing right away, how happy Zechariah must’ve been to go home and realize that soon that home would be filled with the squeals and cries of his new born son!
[Illus] I once saw a commericial for tires.
Some tire company was running a promotion where you buy three tires and get the fourth one free.
In the commercial, a man walks up to the counter and reads the sign on the counter advertising the free fourth tire. Skeptical he asks the salesman, “Do I really get the fourth tire free?” / The salesman says, “Yes sir!” / The skeptical man says, “OK, but is it really free?” / The salesman says, “Yes sir, it really is free!” / The skeptical man says, “It’s free free?” / The salesman says, “Yes sir, that fourth tire is free free!” / The man still skeptical says, “Well why does the sign just say free then?”
[App] Some people are like that when it comes to God’s grace.
They just can’t believe that God would love them so much that he would send his One and Only Son to die for their sins on the cross!
They just can’t believe that God would redeem them from the curse of sin and death and welcome them into his family!
They especially can’t believe that God would do all of this as a free gift! They’re like that skeptical man in the commercial: “It’s free free? Then why does the sign just say free?”
God’s grace is free. You don’t deserve it. You can’t earn it. You can only believe it and receive it.
Zechariah struggled with that. Do you?
[Illus]
Do you struggle to believe that God’s grace can meet your greatest need? Do you have hard time believing that God loves you greatly, so much so in fact that he sent his Son to die for you?
To not embrace grace is a sin.
If you have, are you living each day from the reality that you have been graced by God?
Embracing is more than believing. It’s basking in grace, rejoicing in grace, putting all our weight on God’s grace. I usually ask if you have believed or received God’s grace, and that’s a fine question, but this passage asks us if we have embraced God’s grace.
[Illus] Think about the way we greet one another when we come to church.
Most of the time we greet one another with a respectable handshake, but every now and again we greet someone with an embrace.
Maybe they’re going through something or we just sense they need a hug. Whatever the reason, we bring them close, wrap them up, and let them know that we cherish them.
That ought to be how we greet God’s grace - not with a respectable handshake - but with a full-hearted embrace.
[App] When we don’t respond that way to God’s grace, it limits the effectiveness of our message when we tell others about it.
Like Zechariah, when we don’t embrace grace, our tongues are still and others have a hard time understanding the good news we’re sharing.
May that not be the case with us. May we embrace the grace of God as a cherished gift. And as we do so, may we speak clearly with those who need to hear it.
[TS] One final SCENE...
SCENE #4: When grace takes away our reproach (as only it can) [ vv. 24-25].
SCENE #4: When grace takes away our reproach (as only it can) [ vv. 24-25].
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
[Exp] As I mentioned this morning, barrenness was considered a disgrace in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s Jewish community.
Based on the fact that the Law said the punishment for certain sins was childlessness, it likely made some think that Zechariah and Elizabeth were guilty of such sins or sins closely related to them (cf. ).
Elizabeth felt people looking down on her just as they looked down on Sarah, Abraham’s wife, when she was barren before the Lord granted her Isaac (cf. ).
She heard her husband’s prayers for her just as Isaac prayed for his barren wife, Rebekah, before the Lord granted her Jacob and Esau (cf. ).
She felt envy just as Jacob’s wife, Rachel, did when she looked on those who had children when she could have none of her own (cf. ). In fact, Rachel said that if she didn’t have children, she would die (cf. ). That was before the Lord gave her Joseph.
And she no doubt wept bitterly just as Hannah did in her barrenness before the Lord granted her a son in Samuel (cf. ).
God had opened barren wombs before and Zechariah had communicated that God promised to open hers, but if ol’ mute Zechariah was wrong, her disgrace would go from bad to unbearable. I think that’s why Elizabeth hid herself away for five months.
Soon, however, she conceived and the bump in her belly began to grow, and don’t you know she was proud of that protruding belly when she stepped out after those five months.
She was old, yes, but she was pregnant! God’s grace had taken away her disgrace!
God’s grace had taken away her disgrace!
[Illus]
[App]
But grace keeps going… her son would pave the way for the grace of God that has come to us all in Jesus Christ.
[Illus]
[TS] {see below}
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
A couple points of application as we close for those may be suffering:
The ESV Study Bible Key Themes
Believers are to live a life of prayer and practice good stewardship with their possessions. In Luke’s narrative, prayer occurs at every major point in Jesus’ life: at his baptism; at his selection of the Twelve; at Peter’s confession; at Jesus’ transfiguration; in his teaching the Lord’s Prayer; before Peter’s denial; etc.
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
If you’re suffering, pray. / In Luke’s gospel, prayer is a major theme and nothing happens in his gospel apart from prayer. / Here Zechariah is praying and the multitude is praying outside when the good news of God’s grace comes. / If you need grace, pray.
Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
If you’re suffering, read. / Find encouragement in the Bible as read of those men and women of God who suffered and found God faithful. This is what the Bible calls the fellowship of the suffering. / Elizabeth could’ve read about Sarah’s barrenness and Hannah’s barrenness and remembered that God is faithful and good. He hadn’t forgotten her. He would do what was best for her.
Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white.
He will do the same for us because the Lord is gracious.
Luke
Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Luke
but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
