Sunday Oct 13th, 2019

one day Jesus was praying in a certain place when he finished one of his disciples said to him Lord teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples. He said to them when you pray say father Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom come give us each day our daily bread forgive us our sins for we also forgive everyone who sends against us and lead us not into temptation. Then he said to them suppose one of you has a friend and he goes to him at midnight and says friend lend me three loaves of bread because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me and I have nothing to set before him. Then the one inside answers don't bother me. The door was already locked and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything. I tell you though. He will not get up and give the bread because he is a friend yet because of the man's boldness. He will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you ask and it will be given to you seek and you will find knock and the door will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives he who seeks finds and to him who knocks the door will be open which of you fathers if your son asks for a fish will give him a snake instead or if you ask for egg. Will they give him a scorpion? If you then though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children? How much more will your father in heaven? Give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. May God be pleased with the reading of his word. Please be seated.

What was your Earthly father like?

Have to a blessed to have a really great dad. You know one who was loving and encouraging and protective and warm and kind.

Maybe you had the kind of dad that had trouble showing your love and dough. He provided. He was emotionally distant and your relationship was never really close.

For some apps your father was a dysfunctional monster who was drunk too often and violent beating you and your mom. Or maybe you never knew your dad.

Whatever your personal situation was or is it is pertinent because it influences how you conceive of the fatherhood of God.

God as your father.

I want to scripture wants us to know about God or the kingdom. It almost always sets forth first something that is known and familiar. to illustrate the unknown and the unfamiliar so that we make graphs something of the meaning. that is why we hear the word so often descriptive as or like Psalm 78 then the Lord awoke as from sleep as a warrior weeks Hosea 13 the Lord your God like a bear robbed of her Cubs. I will attack them and lip rip them apart like a lion. I will devour them. A warrior a bear a lion are all gnomes that communicate to us a fierceness and unbridled power. And the point is that God is even more so Fierce and Powerful in those situations. and then the New Testament revealed the Kingdom of Heaven is like like a man sowed good see it's like a mustard seed. It's like he's a treasure a merchant and much more and Christ uses the common everyday examples of life to help us grasp the concepts of the Sacred and the eternal.

So we see how impactful what we have experienced from our own father's is upon table view of our heavenly father from the known to the unknown.

What is essential in this is to understand and accept that no matter what sort of Earthly father. We have had weather the best.

all the worst They all fall short. I want God our Father is to us.

1ryna carefully notes when Jesus calls God our Father we might think this is another metaphor that God while not being an actual human father shares some similarity to Earthly dad's we should see God as the actual literal father Earthly fathers have certain remote similarities to him, but the essence of fatherhood is found in God not in human beings.

Last week we look at verses 1 through 4 here in Luke Chapter 11. We saw that there was something so unique about the way that Jesus prayed that his disciples asked and it was only that the only request they accept Jesus and his whole time here on our Lord teach us to pray.

And what's that Jesus prayers off and made them unique was the constant use of his term father? In a very intimate and familial way.

The fact that he bids his disciples to enter into that same relationship is proved by the opening word of the prayer. He taught them on model for them Father.

Being born of the spirit of the Holy Spirit When Faith is birth in us to believe and we become United with Christ Our Savior. We become truly children of God Romans 8:15 the spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship and by him we cry Abba Father the spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are all God's children.

And with this restored relationship with God our Father through Christ, we come to him as his children in prep. Is a new Dynamic an intimate relationship in the New Kingdom.

The prayer Jesus kids and verses 1 through 4 what we often called The Lord's Prayer the Our Father what was one also labeled the disciples prayer since he was given to disciples and only the disciples. Is Then followed by two short Parables on the subject of prayer that continue to answer this question Lord teach us to pray.

To understand these Parables it's necessary to see that the point of these Parables is not one of similarity. but rather as Parables of contrast Between two things that we keep that in mind. It's much easier to understand what's being said. Will become clear as we go on.

Starting verse 5 we read then Jesus said to them supposed to have a friend and you go to him at midnight and say friend lend me three loaves of bread a friend of mine on a journey has come to me and have no food to offer him. I suppose the one inside answers. Don't bother me. The door is already locked and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything. I tell you even though he will not get up and give you bread because of friendship yet because of your Shameless audacity. He will boldly a truly get up and give you as much as you need. That's better. Appreciate this Parable. You have to kind of go back into the setting first century setting. First is as we've seen previously in that culture Hospitality was considered a sacred Duty.

People dependent upon other people friends and relatives in times of need. The people follow these Customs as formal even sacred codes of conduct.

Cost of the heat of the day people often waited to evening to travel which meant that they often arrive late at night. And there was no forewarning. There's no cell phones. No Telegraph, you know, nothing like those no carrier pigeons nothing. They just showed up at your door.

And so important was Hospitality want to get if we go back into centuries before we go back to the example of Abraham in Genesis. We get an idea of how important Hospitality was in Genesis 2:18 beginning verse 1 the Lord appeared to Abraham the other great trees of mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent In the Heat of the day Abraham looked up and saw three men standing there when he saw them a hurry from his entrance of this tent to meet them and balance low to the ground. He said if I have found favor in your eyes my Lord Do not pass your servant by let a little water be brought and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get something for you to eat so you can be refreshed and then go on your way now that you have come to your servant. Garlic very well do as you say so Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah.

Isotopes fire falling nothing changes

turn into the tents are at this hour quick. He said get 3 series of finest flour and needed and bake some bread. Then he ran to the herd and select their choice tender calf and gave it to a servant who hurried to prepare and then he prepared some curds and milk in the calf that he had prepared to set up before them. And while the 8 he stood near them under a tree. So important was the obligation to extend Hospitality that the host would go to Great Lengths to see that there was more than enough.

a contrast Abraham's treatment of his gas with what that of Simon the Pharisee as we read about back in chapter 7 and his treatment of Jesus. Simon invited Jesus to dinner and while they were their sinful woman came with an alabaster jar and anointed Jesus feet. Silent silent is silently horrified that Jesus allow such a person to touch her him. But Jesus uses it as a teaching moment and skulls Simon for his lack of simple and normal act acts of hospitality. Back in Luke 7 it reads. Jesus said to Simon do you see this woman? I came into your house you did not give me water for my feet. But she wept on my feet with her tears and wipe them with the hit you did not give me a kiss. But this woman from the time I entered has not stopped kissing my feet you did not put oil on my head, but she has anointed me with perfume on my feet. That was a shameful rebuke of Simon. And his lack of keeping to the code of hospitality.

So we can better understand. I want this friend shows up unexpectedly at midnight. It causes something of a crisis for everybody.

Food such as bread could not be stored for quickly Harden and when stale it needed to be baked everyday and this man had none left.

The next things on the stand the grass this Parable, is that the housing situation? The usual House of a poor family was a square one-room Stone building. It had a door and usually a small window like opening. There was no kitchen all the cooking with Emily done on a fire outside or in a stone Oven outside. There's no bathroom. It was always just out houses. The floor was just pounded earth covered with some hay until the rear apportion the room might be raised up a little bit and this is where the family will put it there Max and they would Gather in there and sleep and at night so many animals would be brought in hens and maybe a goat or two to keep them safe. And then the door was locked and a big ball would come down across the door and tell everybody be busy on that Matt's in the rear and they got the animals doing whatever animals do out on the front living room the area there and this is the scene that we have to imagine when this guy comes out at midnight.

I need bread.

Of course, the guy inside responds like we all would write don't bother me. All right, I'm sleeping. All right, it goes on all these thing. You know that the kids are in here with me, you know, I got to get to climb over them to get out over there. I'll wake up the animals. All right, then it goes on and on with all these excuses. panda puppy course The guys are at the door.

Greek words at sometimes it's translate Bold and the Bible sometimes it's persistent. Sometimes it's importunity. But the word here is that really means that the guy is Shameless. The guys Shameless the very unusual Greek words only used it one time and it meaning is he's making a scene with an outrageous request.

However, because of his persistence that he's making a scene the man inside will get up and give him as much as he needs.

How do we interpret this little parable?

Tell if it was a parable of similarity. We would have to say that God is like the man inside the house. Begrudgingly will answer our prayers as long as we keep knocking at the door and he just gets tired of us. That doesn't sit well with me and I don't think it's it's well with you. That's often what we hear? All right. I'll talk to David when I'm professor of New Testament Trinity College England puts it but it is not The Reluctant giving of the neighbor in the parable rather and unfortunate picture of divine generosity and response to prayer. Would it not have been better if the neighbor had responded because of the depth of his friendship rather than because he could not help it. The answer to this Parable is not one that works by saying God is or acts like this. But rather by saying if people act like this how much more will God and contrast give you the things you asked for?

Scripture does it speak about the perseverance in prayer? But hear Jesus is making a point of contrast. It comes out in the next versus so I say to you asking to be given seek and you will find knock and the door will be open to you for everyone who asks receives the one who seeks finds and the one who knocks the door will be open. To contrast that is set up here is between the persistence needed to get the father inside to fulfill the man's outrageous request by giving him what he needs. Contrasted to the Willing response of a Heavenly Father even with an outrageous request. If persistence guess what is needed from a reluctant person think how much more it will get from a loving Heavenly Father?

So then don't let shame. Keep you from asking.

Jesus asked just as Jesus tells us to ask we should ask. It doesn't to seek we should seek it tells us to not?

While it may take haggling and complaining controlling for a person to get what they want from a friend with God. None is needed.

How much is it just encourages disciples in the all father to pray give us this day our daily bread. And now father wants to make good on that request. And these two verses nine and ten Jesus assures us that the father will answer his child. Not just once he says not just twice six times.

You asked receives he was six finds who knocks it's open. And again, he repeated and verse 10. And so this Parable is to be encouraging us to be bold. what to be Shameless in are asking a heavenly father to provide Jeremiah 32-27 I am the Lord the God of all mankind is anything too hard for me?

Last week I was if you were here and roupenian came up and gave a request about the World Vision runners. Pick him up. If you remember he came up here and he said that they were short but they needed $7,000 and it came up here and he said that it would be nice if you could chip in 5-10 $25 if I came over and we all laughed.

I was in prayer as it was request. That's exactly what's being said here make the outrageous request of our heavenly father. Stop asking for 25 extra 7000.

That's what it's saying. I make the bowl to Shameless request. What is your need?

And Hebrews 4:15 and 6th and we are reminded that because we are united in Christ by faith. He stands is our great high priest before the father of the verse reads, but we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with us weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are yet did not send let us approach God's throne of grace with confidence.

So that we may receive mercy and find Grace to help us in our time of need the throne of grace with confidence or bulnes. It translates means the absence of fear and speaking boldly cheerful courage.

It's like asking dad for the keys to the car.

Let me put a parenthesis on all this before we we lose this this and that Jesus is making one point about prayer. He's not give me a complete Theology of Prayer. about all aspects of Prayer We must acknowledge that this confidence must be based on God's Will and not our desire.

We cannot pray Lord. Give me that Lamborghini. cuz I desire that's not what it's saying. God is not giving us a blank check or he's not promoting some name it and claim it theology. 1st John 5:14 States. This is the confidence we have in approaching God that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us?

Mathews longer version of The Lord's Prayer includes the petition your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Well, no bread prayer is too big for God and no detail too small. We need to accept the fact that at times the answer will be no.

No is one Paul prayed three times to be healed. And God said no. Or it's no because as James says we ask with the wrong motives. You don't need a Lamborghini.

What the answer can be not yet?

However, it is here in this Parable. Jesus is talking about our need to bring our requests no matter how big they are Before Our Father by asking seeking and knocking.

the theme continues into the next Powerball starting at verse 11 Which of you fathers if your son ask for a fish will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg will give him a scorpion. A Jesus is asking a rhetorical question. The answer's obvious what father would give his son a snake when he asks for a fish or a scorpion for an egg. No father would would answer harmless request with such a murderous intent a loving father would cheerfully provide for his child. And then Jesus makes this point. If you then though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your father in heaven? Give the Holy Spirit to those who ask? Again, approaching this Parable as a contrast. Those fathers are doing good. Jesus calls, even the good Fathers evil. in comparison to God

noting how much more will he give his children?

If human fathers meet the needs of their children how much more does God offer father meet our needs in Christ Jesus the meet the needs of his children? And Lucas Hernandez to the point that great gift of the Holy Spirit.

Sleep important is the Holy Spirit to the life of the Christian. Time and again the scriptures address the spirit as the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It is the spirit that makes our hearts alive and births faith in us to believe. John 3:6 through eight that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is Spirit do not be amazed that I said to you. You must be born again the wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the spirit? It is a holy spirit at work within us sanctifying us and molding us to be more like Christ everyday 1st Corinthians 6:11, but you were washed you were Sanctified you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the spirit of our God.

He Sanctified means to be set apart as sacred essentially a purification of sin and spiritually maturing to become christ-like. It's an important process for every believer. Leaving behind the old and growing into the new the new transformation that is always the new creation that is always but it's a daily process. Bob and the guy in sin to truth and the conviction of sins it takes time, but it's not possible without the Holy Spirit.

Transformation is stated in 2nd Corinthians, 3:18. And we all who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's Glory of being transformed into his image with ever-increasing Glory which comes from the Lord. Who is the spirit.

It is the spirit that gives us all spiritual gifts 1st Corinthians 12:4. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit is the source of them all. It is the spirit of God the Holy Spirit which gives us strength and hope in life's journey. Romans 15:13, May the god of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in Hope

And it is the spirit that helps us even in our prayers Romans 8:26 likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness for we do not know what to pray for as we ought but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

I finally it's a spirit that secures us in our salvation. Ephesians 4:30 and do not grieve the holy spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Elizabeth some of the gifts the blessings that are ours as Believers that the father gives to us and giving us the spirit. This is how generous a heavenly father is to his children. And even when the request seems large even Shameless our father is eager to answer.

Is one author puts a prayer has this kind of efficacy not because of the way we pray but because of the way God answers. He is a generous father who loves to give us what we truly need. When we have the audacity to pray the way Jesus taught us to pray God has promised to hear us and answer us. In the dialogue of prayer. We are pressing God for something. He is Longing To Give.

These parables are more than a call to persistent prayer. It's a call that end face to make bold request Shameless request. That I never took your impossible for our God.

They are about seeking the how much more. My God has for us. waiting to give us

our God is more than a friend. He's our father.

Regardless of what kind of Earthly father we had look to your heavenly father and see what a perfect father is like. Look to Jesus who said if you have seen me you have seen the father.

By faith. We are united to Christ with God as his father. And because of that he is now off father as well.

No matter what.

Even if you as his child go prodigal.

Our father loves you.

Any easy Glee looking? Polo return

we can never not be his child once we are his child.

Parable says the friend gave the man as much as he needed. Shut off all that gives us much more than we need.

Well, there are times. It may be inconvenient or annoying for us.

to help out someone it's never midnight with God.

He is the one who never sleeps with slumbers. And he's always eager to hear and respond.

And wealthy man inside finally changed his mind or father never changes his mind, but he does not change like shifting Shadows.

Is tells us in for 2? You do not have because you did not ask.

Story is told of a man who approached Alexander the Great with their financial request. the famous conqueror referred the man to his Royal treasurer with the promise that he would have whatever he needed. Turn the treasurer came running up in a panic because the man had asked for a vast sum of money. Truly said there must have been a mistake.

Alexander simply said give the man what he wanted. He has treated me as a king and asking. And so I shall be as a king to him and given.

When you come to your heavenly father. You come to him like that.

Ask and it shall be given. Let's pray Heavenly Father. We rejoice in you and what? Wonderful blessing to know that you are that type of father. So eager to hear and to give and to respond. And the teachers to pray like that to have the faith to make that bold request that Shameless request law. And to trust that was in your will it will come to pass?

What teachers to pray?

That we might fully realize your generosity and love towards us. That's what you get to hear from us and to respond to us. We thank you Lord for your love and making us your children. Thank you that you are our father in Jesus name. Amen.