Keep Praying - Luke 11:1-13 - March 12, 2006

Sunday School Lesson – Keep Praying – March 12, 2006

This is lesson two (2) in our series “CHRIST Followers.”

This is a fitting follow up to last week’s lesson on discipleship. Prayer is essential for every Christian to maintain fellowship and a loving intimate relationship with our FATHER. Simply prayer is communicating with JESUS and our FATHER.

JESUS thought prayer was essential for HIS life and HE was GOD in the flesh. Although CHIST is 100% GOD, HE was also 100% human. HE was tempted in all ways like we are, yet without sin. HE prayed before making important decisions such as choosing HIS disciples and before going to THE CROSS. JESUS prayed on many occasions.

Our background and focus scripture is Luke 11:1-13.

Let’s read Luke 11:1-4.

v A disciple asks JESUS to teach them how to pray:

1 He was praying in a certain place, and when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them,

“Whenever you pray, say: Father,[1] Other mss read Our Father in heaven Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come.[2] Other mss add Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven 3 Give us each day our daily bread.[3] Or our bread for tomorrow 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt[4] Or everyone who wrongs us to us. And do not bring us into temptation.”[5] Other mss add But deliver us from the evil one
Matthew 6: is the most often cited “LORD’S Prayer”, “Model Prayer” or “Disciples Prayer”, which was given in a public setting in the Sermon on the Mount.
Luke’s version was given in a private setting.
- JESUS is teaching believers how to pray and this prayer is not intended to be the sinner’s prayer for salvation. The sinner’s prayer is “FATHER forgive me of my sins and I ask JESUS to come into my heart or life.”
- Verse 2 - Notice JESUS begins the model prayer “When you pray “say”. This is interesting. JESUS said speak your prayer. I said LORD why speak your prayer? Answer – Satan cannot read your mind. When you speak Satan and all his followers hears what you are saying to GOD, THE FATHER. When you want a secret communication just go into your closet so-to-speak and communicate with GOD through your mind or meditate.
- When JESUS cast out demons HE spoke to them. Speaking out loud is powerful and puts Satan on notice that you mean business for THE LORD and are not afraid or ashamed.
GOD-centered perspective:
- Verse 2 - JESUS says when you speak call GOD, FATHER or better translated call HIM “Daddy”. We can address GOD with a personal intimate greeting as “Daddy” but keep in mind GOD is Holy and is to be honored and reverenced.
- Ask “Daddy” to send HIS kingdom to reign in the hearts and life of those who submit to HIM in faith through JESUS. The coming of GOD’S kingdom will usher in the period of grace which we cannot earn or even deserve. GOD will give the gift of grace when the penalty of sin is paid in full through the death and resurrection of HIS SON. So the kingdom of GOD is the rule of GOD in every believer’s heart’s until GOD’S kingdom is fully established through the second coming of CHRIST.
Personal needs perspective:
- The next petition (verse 3) is to recognize that GOD provides everything needed to sustain life. As HE gives us opportunity to work HE provides the means where we can earn our daily bread. The word “gives” infers continuous giving by GOD. Bread means that which will sustain us or food in general. The idea is that we always recognize that it is GOD WHO is the provider and for us not to become self-sufficient or arrogant but to always know that GOD is our provider each day or “day by day.”
- Verse 4 - JESUS did not have sin in HIS life but HE recognized that HE was tempted and since all humans are flesh there will always be a struggle with temptation and sin. 1 John 1:9 tells us “If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” JESUS knows human nature and knows believers will sin and we need to confess, which is to agree with GOD that we have missed HIS mark and sinned. When we confess, GOD forgives, cleanses and restores us to full fellowship with HIM. We have NOT lost our salvation but when we have unconfessed sin, Satan uses it to defeat us because we are trying to hide something from GOD. Satan makes us feel guilty. Unconfessed sin can interfere with our prayer life. Did you know that not being good to your wife can interfere with our prayers?
1 Peter 3:7:
7 Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives with understanding of their weaker nature[6] Lit understanding as the weaker vessel yet showing them honor as co-heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.

We must pray according to the will of GOD.
1John 5:14-15:
14 Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.
This begins to frustrate me. Is there fine print to effective praying? Answer – yes!
So what is the answer to effective praying? Answer – relationship. When we have the proper relationship with GOD through JESUS CHRIST, we are always in HIS will. We must yield our will to GOD and let HIM control our life.
Remember our scripture from last week. JESUS said I never do or say anything on MY on but only what THE FATHER tells ME. This is the relationship HE wants us to have with HIM.
- Verse 4 - May our attitude toward others who treat us in a sinful way be such that we forgive them as GOD forgives us. This again comes about through relationship and having a GOD-like attitude toward others.
- Verse 4 - JESUS in essence is saying, “Do not let our flesh lure us into sin.” May our relationship with GOD be such that we will always seek HIS strength and seek HIS help when we are tempted. We are to ask GOD our “Daddy” for strength, protection and deliverance from temptation.

v JESUS follows the “Model Prayer” with a parable to put what HE has just told HIS disciples into proper perspective. The following are the “So-much-more” examples which CHRIST gave to HIS disciples, which are just as relevant to us today. CHRIST wants us to know that GOD, our FATHER has our best interest in mind more so than any earthly relationship.
Let’s read Luke 11:5-10:
5 He also said to them: “Suppose one of you[6] Lit Who of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’[7] Lit I have nothing to set before him 7 Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence,[8] Or annoying persistence, or shamelessness he will get up and give him as much as he needs. 9 “So I say to you, keep asking,[9] Or you, ask and it will be given to you. Keep searching,[10] Or Search and you will find. Keep knocking,[11] Or Knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

This is in the days before the telephone and cell phones. So JESUS used an example to which his disciples could relate.

JESUS is saying, “Put yourself in this situation. A friend of yours has traveled a long way to come visit you. Your friend arrives at your house late at night, he is hungry and you do not have any thing for him to eat. What would you do?

You would have no reluctance going to your good friend and neighbor, even though they are bedded down for the night. You will knock on your neighbor’s door and ask for bread. Your neighbor refuses but you do not let that stop you. You keep on shouting and knocking. So your neighbor, even though he is your friend, he will not get up at first, but because of your persistence, he will get up and give you the bread just to keep you quiet.

This reminds me, when our children where young. Our eldest daughter Allison was about 4 years old and Ted our eldest son was about 6 years old. We were at my mother and dads home preparing for Sunday lunch. Fried chicken was on the menu. Ted came in an asked Flonnie for a piece of fried chicken and she said no we will have lunch in a few minutes. A few minutes later Ted sees Allison with a piece of fried chicken. He says to Allison, “How did you get that chicken, mother told me I had to wait?” Allison replied, “Ted here is what you have to say. Mother I want some chicken. Mother I want some chicken. Mother I want some chicken and then she will give you a piece of chicken.” Persistence does pay off.

The parable is an example of how you can get what you want through persistence in an earthly situation, HOW MUCH MORE WILL YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER PROVIDE YOUR NEEDS. Pay special attention to ‘Provide your needs” not your wants. HE will provide that which is best.

JESUS follows with “Keep asking.” This implies that the one doing the asking does not have the answer. But the ONE WHO is being petitioned does have the answer and is capable of providing the answer. And will give you an answer sooner or later.

“Keep searching” means we seek, expecting to find. When we pray, we keep seeking until we have a GOD-given find.

“Keep knocking” is not just knocking to make a noise but we knock with full expectation that someone is at home and will answer.

The bottom line, GOD answers HIS children’s prayers.
v GOD our FATHER always answers our prayers. Just sometimes HE answers them in a different way or much later than we anticipate.
In next part of the parable, JESUS is telling HIS disciples that GOD our FATHER answers the prayers of believer’s. Stick with me.

Let’s read Luke 11:11-13:

11 What father among you, if his son[12] Other mss read son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give[13] Lit the Father from heaven will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

This again is a “How much more” will GOD, our heavenly FATHER, respond to our requests than our earthly father.

If we as earthly fathers’ know how to give the right thing to our children “how much more” does our FATHER in heaven know how to answer our request.

Notice the earthly father never gives the child something which will hurt his child.

Here is where we must acknowledge the sovereignty of GOD. GOD is all knowing, all powerful and present every where. HE has a vantage point which cannot be compared to anyone. HE will never give us something which will harm us.

GOD always answers our prayers. HIS answers can be:
- Yes
- No
- Maybe at some point.
- You need to wait for awhile.
- You need to grow more.
- You need to -------- fill in the blank

LORD is there anything on my part which is preventing YOU from answering my prayer?
JESUS is telling us never to give up when we pray. Keep praying. When we continue to pray, we are acknowledging that we recognize that it is GOD WHO will provide the answer and we have not lost trust or faith in HIM to answer our prayer.

Prayer is essential for all believers to communicate with our FATHER as often as necessary. Nothing is ever unimportant to HIM.

I have heard some people say, “I only pray about the big things in my life because I do not want to bother GOD.” How much more is GOD ready, willing and able to come to our aid when we ask? James tells us that every perfect gift comes to us from our FATHER, through the relationship we have through HIS SON by the miracle of the new birth. We are HIS children and HE wants us to fellowship with HIM and have a loving intimate relationship with HIM.
James 1:17-18:
17 Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. 18 By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth[4] message of truth = the gospel so that we would be the • firstfruits[5] Nm 15:17–21 of His creatures.

Yield your life to HIM today. FATHER please take me as I am and help me to have a loving intimate relationship with YOU beginning at this moment. What an awesome journey awaits you.

My prayers go with all who make this decision, as well as all who will ponder this decision.