Faith Prays

Luke 18:1-8

Faith Prays

Luke 18:1-8 is the conclusion to Jesus’ response to the Pharisees who asked him “when” the Kingdom of God would come in chapter 17:20.

Jesus teaches them that the Kingdom is already among them. It’s in their midst. The Kingdom is already here. Where the rule of Jesus is, the Kingdom has invaded!

Then, in 17:22, Jesus begins to address his disciples (those following him in discipline) and tells them they are going to long to see the days of the “Son of Man” (Jesus’ favorite title for himself from Daniel 7).

Then Jesus reminds them of Noah and Lot and tells them it will be like that. It will be hard on the one’s not loving his appearing. Jesus is going to draw a line clearly down the middle and make clear who are his and who are not his, and Jesus reminds them that it will be very visible!

Then Jesus launches into the parable to remind the people to pray and never give up praying.

Luke 18:1-8

1. Always pray and don’t get discouraged in praying v. 1

There are two verbs: pray and lose heart (be discouraged)

“lose heart” modifies, as a verbal noun, the main verb “pray”.

In other words, one is to pray never discouraged.

A. Prayer may be a long-term proposition (see Joseph, see Abraham, see David)

B. Prayer must be built on the work of God’s Kingdom not “padding out dens”

The parable is essentially an encouragement to continue in prayer without losing heart right through the difficult times of waiting before the Son of Man comes.^[1] (see 17:20-37).

2. The Triune God vs. The judge, the unjust v. 2-7

The parable Jesus tells contrasts the Lord with an unjust judge. Luke records Jesus giving the definite article (the) to the noun (judge) and the adjective (unjust) emphasizing the fact that this judge is not just a bad guy, but he is a super bad guy.

Probably the woman was bringing a financial case to the judge and he refused to listen because he was waiting for a bribe; she was too poor to pay, and persistence was her only weapon.

If even a judge who does not honor the laws of God and man can be induced to act by the incessant appeals of a widow, how much more will God act to uphold his people when they cry to him.^[2]

A. Father will answer the right requests of his people

B. Father will answer the right requests of his people for sure

1. Think of speedily not in terms of time but in terms of surety

a. The reason is that the Kingdom does not wear a time stamp.

Father works not on time but on mission.

1. “In the fullness of time”

a. Father answers when the timing is right in doing

the mission not when the clock ticks to what we

think urgent.

C. We pray and we are NOT discouraged in our praying

3. Faith prays v. 8

The really vital question is not whether God will respond to prayer, but whether there will be faithful people who have persisted in prayer and not lost hope when the Son of Man comes.^[3]

To quote Piper, prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie not a domestic intercom.[4] Prayer is a tool of the Lord given to get Gospel, Kingdom work done. Prayer is a tool to go to war with not to be tinkered with on vacation for entertainment.

Two ways to go to war:

1. Pray for our team

2. Pray for the overturn of Roe v. Wade  (39th anniversary of R v. W)

Abortion is a direct rebellion against the command of God to fill the earth. It’s another way man continues the rebellion begun by the evil one and propagated by our parents.