Services | Parables on Prayer: Persistent and Humble

Bulletin

FBCWest
July 26, 2020

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship Him in Spirit and truth.”

“Standing on the Promises”
Praise and Worship
SCRIPTURE READING – Revelation 5:11 - 14
“Sing, Sing, Sing”
“I Raise a Hallelujah”
“Wonder”
“Stronger”

Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
SPECIAL MUSIC – By Pru Hungate

Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Parables on Prayer: Persistent and Humble”


PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“We Humble Ourselves”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “Won’t Stop Now”

Sermon Notes

Luke 18:1 – 6 Persistent widow and an unrighteous judge
Luke 18:7 & 8a God is not like that judge
Luke 18:8b Will Jesus find faith when He returns?
Luke 18:9 Trusting yourself and having contempt for others
Luke 18:10 – 12 Prayer of the Pharisee
Luke 18:13 Prayer of the sinner
Luke 18:14 The results of the two prayers

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Scritpures

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Transcript of Service

We have been going through the earthly life and Ministry of Jesus.

And he's getting closer and closer to.

Jerusalem.

Before.

Also.

And Jesus.

Continues to perform signs and wonders and miracles like raising the dead healing.

The continues to teach.

Ann

As he's getting closer to Jerusalem.

One of the things he's gonna teach on is.

Prayer.

Now I find it interesting that Jesus doesn't have a seminar.

On prayer.

He teaches here. He teaches later, teaches a little later he continues to teach on prayer throughout early on in his ministry, his disciple said, well, you know, John taught his disciples how to pray. He's just how to pray. And instead of going into long, lengthy dochnal

assertions's prayer, he gave them a sample prayer. One that I think that we tend to repeat because we think that's the prayer. I think that Wallace, an excellent prayer. It is a good outline.

Out of.

About praising God but acknowledging who he is that we request daily provision that we seek his Kingdom first, that we forgive others as we want to be forgiven and throughout. And so it's a good outline. But Jesus doesn't spend.

A seminar.

On prayer.

He teaches throughout now I think and notice I said, I think you can have a different opinion. That's OK.

Is that the reason Jesus does this?

Is that as we get to know God better?

Our prayers.

Margin.

Kind of like meeting somebody for the first time. If you are an introvert, you're not quite sure what to talk about, so you kind of uncomfortable. And when you first kinda meet God, you don't know how to have a conversation with.

And those of you who are extrovert, you tend to talk about yourself so much you don't know what the other person thinks. As you've just told them, all kinds of stuff about yourself and we tend to do that with God. In prayer we tend to tell him all kinds of stuff about ourselves and what we want him to do.

And little expectation of him.

Reply back.

So Jesus is going to in this continuity of teaching on prayer to give a couple of.

Herubel

and it tells us why, and so in Luke Chapter 18, starting with verse one it says.

Now he was telling them a parable to show that all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.

So the purpose of this parable is to teach his disciples to pray.

An when you pray not to lose heart.

So he has a double.

Purpose of teaching these two things, and I think, again, he's teaching us again that we ought to pray and not lose heart. So he said, saying in a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and do not respect man.

There was a widow in that city and she kept coming to him, saying give me legal protection from my opponent.

For a while he was unwilling, but afterwards he said to himself, even though I do not fear God nor respect man. Yet, because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection otherwise by continually coming, she will wear me out.

Notice that the judge is not that concerned about whether her case is valid.

Whether she's entitled to legal protection.

Or not, is that I'm tired of her keep coming and bothering me.

Therefore, I'm gonna give her what she wants.

Because.

She keeps on keeping on.

I could get in trouble, so I won't, but there are a lot of people would like to use this tactic to get what they want.

But that's for another time.

And so the judge says.

OK, I'm gonna give it to her because she's just wearing me out.

For six and the Lord said here what the unrighteous judge said.

Work now will not God bring about justice or his elect, who Friday him day and night.

And will he delight long over them?

I tell you that he will bring about justice for them quickly.

So Jesus tells them that here's the key that we should be persistent in our prayer, but he's not comparing God to the unrighteous judge. He saying if the unrighteous judge who doesn't care about man or God is worn out, Can you imagine God, your father, who loves you?

If you continue to come to him, day and night, will he not give you?

Now here's a little secret.

On prayer.

Some people think that there are two answers.

Yes.

No.

There's a third.

Yes No.

And not now.

I'll give you 2 examples.

1.

God told Abraham.

And he was gonna give him the land.

And then as far as he could see it as far as he could walk. That would be the land of God was going to give him.

But he said.

The same and inequity of the inhabitants at that time and not fully running.

So you see, God is just even in his judgment.

It's always says I'm going to give you this land, but it would be unfair to the inhabitants to give it to you now because they've not sinful.

There's another example that comes even closer to.

This particular parable, and we find it in Revelation.

Revelation

Chapter 6.

And it says this.

And when the lamb broke the Super Seven before seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creatures saying, come and I looked, and behold, a national horse, and sat on it.

At the name death and Haiti's was following with him. Authority was giving him over 1/4 of the earth to kill with the sword in the salmon famine and Pestilence, and by the Wild Beast.

And when the lamb broke the fish till I saw underneath the altar.

The souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God because of the testimony which they had maintained. These aren't the martyrs these people suffered for the cause of price. They died for his cause. They were martyred.

And so he says, I see them and their underneath the altar. That's the place.

Where the prayers of the Saints.

And so it says.

And they cried out.

With a loud voice saying how long will Lord Holy and true? Will you refrain from judging an avenging our blood on those?

Good, well on the earth, so they're asking for justice. They're asking for retribution. They're asking for judgment. They said, God, we suffered at the hands of these people. We weren't criminals. We were declaring your word. How long are you going to wait?

For judgment

and there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest.

For a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servant and their brother, and who are to be killed, even as they had been, would be completed also.

So you see, God is not saying I'm not going to give you justice. I'm not going to avenged your blood, but there is a number of people who must also do that.

You gotta wait for them.

So the answer is, for God is yes, I will give you justice. Yes, I will avenged you, but not now.

Because there are other.

Yes, is there others who needed to continue sitting there? Others who will be monitored or the name of.

So sometimes we need to be persistent.

Because the answer is not no.

The answer is not now.

And let's face it.

If you really, really really, really want them.

You just asked one.

Is a child.

When you wanted something, did you just ask your parents want?

Or if you got smart, you ask your grandparents or is there more likely to give it to you?

And in our grandkids, know it because all they gotta do is ask Grandma and she's out the door.

Didn't for them. If you can't get it online.

And so it's those types of things, but we.

Want something we asked for and ask for an asteroid?

And if you don't.

Ask for it numerous times.

Maybe you just don't really want it that much.

So Jesus is saying, be persistent in your prayers.

Understand that God may not be saying no. He may be saying not.

And maybe the purpose of the delay is not only for God to complete something that is part of his plan.

Or maybe it's because it's time for you.

List.

Stop.

Are you see prayer is more than telling God what he needs to?

Listening to God.

What he?

May your Kingdom.

Then Jesus asked.

Question.

However.

When the son of man come.

We find faith.

Here.

Now if you look at the commentaries, they kind of stuff this off.

Some of them will simply say Oh yes, his the natural answer is yes.

I'm not so sure.

I think yes, he will find faith on the Earth.

They're probably not as widespread as we might have.

Because.

In my humble opinion, about some of the teaching on the Second Coming.

There will be. Those will be so discouraged.

They will walk.

And that is why I say make sure.

Your string, your faith is strong enough.

We even overcome.

Wrong decision.

On Teologi

and so will he find faith on the Earth. I just.

Oh

he finds it more expensive.

Then again, why would he ask the question?

Well, let you wrestle with.

First 9.

He also told this.

Parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt. So he's teaching again on prayer, but he's zero in it in, and not only those who are.

There, but he's zeroing in on those.

Who are self?

And unfortunately in church.

And even out of church.

There are plenty of people.

Yourself.

You find people in church or self righteous and they are what we call Pitchfork Baptist or Pitchfork believer when the pastor says something that belongs to that person that goes to that person that goes to this person never looking at what it is that their lives need to.

And then there are the self righteous outta church who say we don't need shirt.

We don't need to worship God because I'm plenty good enough that I will stack up my righteousness, my goodness.

Does anybody else?

So yeah, you go to church because you might need that. You might need that krutch.

Translate

those he said.

Who men went up into the temple to pray?

1A Pharisee and the other a tax collector now against the Pharisees, or not, only the religious leaders. They are the trendsetters, other religious leaders, if they do something, then it ought to be wholly. If they do something, that's what we need to copy, they are the guys to look at and and pay attention to and to follow as example and the tax collector. He's just the opposite. No one.

Not only do they not like him, they hate him.

There's number one. Nobody likes tax collectors. I don't care whether you are.

A 21st century resident or a first injury resident, I knew a tax collector.

He said when he went to a party, he never told anybody what he did for a living.

Because early on he did and everybody left.

They will never talk to him.

In this age, not only do they not like the tax collector because he collected taxes an usually in this situation he was allowed to flex.

A stated amount that Rome wanted.

Anything above and beyond that he got to keep.

So he overcharged.

Then on top of that, because he was participating with Rome, he was viewed as a trader.

So they hated him. They were sinners, so we got the extreme righteous person in the extreme center, both going to the temp.

The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself now.

When you first look at this, you might think.

Well, what he's doing is he's praying pilot.

He's praying to himself. I don't think so.

Because of how the.

Excellent.

I think he's praying to himself as God ain't.

He's just talking to him.

Is rain.

After all, is the notice what he says? So the Pharisee stood and was praying the Stew itself. God, I think you notice how many eyes are here. God, I thank you that I am not like the other people, swindlers, unjust.

Adult Truth or even like this tax collector I.

Fast twice a week more than they are required.

I pay ties of all that I get.

Notice all the eye.

Notice all the I'm so wonderful I do this. I do that.

I'm extending outstanding.

Example.

All right?

But the tax collect.

Standing some distance away.

Was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven who was beating his breast, saying God.

Be merciful to Maine.

The that's why I think he's praying out loud because the tax collector is hearing. Here's This guy talking and I don't I I don't fast.

I don't do all those things like this guy does.

I'm the center here.

I'm not just a Sinner, I'm the centre I'm the guy.

Beating his breast God. Be merciful. To me the center.

I tell you.

This man went to his house, justified rather than the other.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

You see, the tax collector humbles himself. He acknowledged that he's a center, not only a center, the center.

He didn't compare himself to what the righteous person did, he said God.

I'm the center.

The Pharisee I'ma Righteous Guy, I'm outstanding, I'm wonderful.

I'm an exam.

The Pharisee exalted himself.

The textbook humble.

Now the interesting thing here.

Is one of the greatest sins God hates.

It's an abomination.

This project

As the scripture says, pride goes before the fall.

And if anything this pharisee.

In all of his statements of how wonderful he is.

Committed the sin.

Bye.

Did not humble.

And Jesus says.

He because he exhausted himself.

Is not responded.

But the tax?

Who humbles himself?

Just.



Now.

We Christians have a tendency.

Who admire the center?

They have such a great test.

We will hear about somebody who will.

Come to the.

Lord, but before they came to the Lord, they were involved in whatever sins or whatever that.

Weather be drugs or.

You name it and they said and they'll talk about how their life was before and how the, uh, changed it.

But in their testimony, it's almost like they regret.

Leaving that life.

Because it glorified and we're going. Oh isn't God wonderful that he saved that person out of that's in into this life?

But the young person.

His parents were Christian.

Raise.

Him or her.

Trust.

Pray.

Pretend not only worship the Particip

Who didn't do a whole lot of that.

The phone got all their life.

They have a tendency to feel.

Their testimony isn't all that value.

If you're one of those people, let me tell you the next. Nothing is a wonder.

But even an X not.

Is a sin.

Now you know I use.

Send as chocolate and broccoli because I don't wanna talk about specific things or whatever.

But even if you are.

Next month.

Broccoli and chocolate always come out.

And there are times.

Either broccoli or chocolate or both.

*****.

But even if you avoid temptation.

The situation is this.

The Scripture says there is no one good but.

So even an expected nothing.

Does not merit entry into the.

It is because of God.

And when a person truly understand.

Who got it?

And what their relationship to him? It doesn't matter whether you are text, nothing or not, you still beat your chest and say God reversible to me.

No one game.

Entry.

The Kingdom of God on their own merit.

No matter what you've done or not.

Gain entry to the Kingdom.

Is.

Is.

Is that?

His sharing of his blood and his resurrection in your acknowledged.

That you need.

No prayer.

God has given us through Jesus. The sample way to pray.

He's also told us what we should be doing.

In the method of rain, in that we should be persistent.

And he also teaches us.

We also need to be humble.

You know?

There was a pastor who gave a sermon.

And it caused me to laugh because it is.

He was saying about prayer and he goes. I know so many of you in there were thousands of people at this particular.

That because I know most of you, Arthur or anointed and God hears your prayer and the answers right away an and you're just whatever he goes, but not me.

I pray and I pray.

Pray.

Eventually.

God answers.

Or maybe delay.

Or maybe says no.

We need to.

Not be discouraged in our.

I've shared on.

Couple of occasions to others.

I'm praying for something.

In God doesn't change the situation.

So I asked myself.

Is it that God doesn't change the situation because he needs to change me?

So these are the types of things we need in our prayer life to experience and to explore.

No, I think I'm asking for something that.

Reasonable, I'm asking for something that I think ultimately will benefit your Kingdom.

What you're hearing me.

The answer is maybe you need to be persistent.

Or maybe you need to be.

And maybe it.

Yes.

Don't give up.

Last thing I want to say about prayer before we close.

I said this several years ago.

And somebody.

Misinterpreted, so I'm gonna say it again because I still believe it's true. But the great thing about prayer is this person who came up to me after the service.

And didn't like what I had to say the following week came and said, You know, I prayed about it and God revealed to me what you meant.

So.

Least, I'm encouraged it. He actually break.

But here is. Here is my state.

There's no power in prayer.

Hour.

All too often we look to give prayer glory.

Lori.

No.

No.

Because it is not here.

It is God who is.

Is not fair.

That is like saying I'm gonna take my cell phone.

And stick it into the to the charging plug.

The same isn't my.

Charging a wonderful.

It's old marvelous.

But unless you take the other end and stick it in the power source, it does you no good. It will not charge your cell phone.

And you can say how wonderful Prairie.

Unless you plug it into God, it does you no good.

Power come from God. It does not come from prayer. Prayer is the medium to get God.

To hear our concerns and to respond to a.

But it is God who answers it is God who delivers. It is not prayer.

So when God responds to your request.

Give God the glory, not how wonderful prayer it.

Prayer is a good thing, is a means of communication.

So we pray.

YouTube.

E.

And so.

When you hear somebody talk about how powerful prayer.

Want you to make a mental note?

No, it's God's power.

Prayer just give me the app.

This allows me to recharge my.

Allows me to go on another day.

Laos

here.

Not.

Store.

How?

For me.

Finally.

When we pray.

System.

We need to be humble.

Not as false. Sense of humility. I don't deserve an answer.

That's not humility.

That's having a wrong view of you.

Humble is.

I know who I am.

And I'm praying to my father.

And I'm his child, and he loves me and he would give me all manners of good things. And maybe the reason he does not give it to me now is it is not now later. Or maybe it's something that will not do. Me Bennett.

I'm always asking to become wealthy.

By the world standards I am.

Not by my.

Maybe by becoming wealthy?

I'll become independent.

Which would be very dead.

Paper scissors.

Pray with him.

Pray understanding.

God is not like the unrighteous judge.

Has to be worn out.

God is there 'cause he's your father.

All God's people said.