Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Does God answer prayer?
• Do you pray and seem to have no answer?
• Do you wonder how you ought to pray?
• Others might ask if there is a need to pray?
• Looking at some of Jesus' teaching on prayer
• The 1st parable - addressed to Jesus' disciples
• Don't be discouraged - continually pray
• A motivating parable to pray in difficult days
• At the Second Coming - will God's people be praying of faith
• The 2nd parable - addresses particularly the person who is not a Christian
• The one who cries out to God for mercy will go home in peace with God
• Jesus exemplified prayer in His life
• Luke speaks more about Jesus' prayer life than any other gospel writer
• Examples of His baptism, death and ascension
• Examples of significant life events couched in prayer
• Examples of events in the disciples lives, couched in prayer
• Jesus was often in prayer (Luke 5:16)
• If we have any doubts about prayer - look to the Lord Jesus
• Overview:
• The 1st parable
• The 2nd parable

The parable of the persistent widow

• We should always pray - v1
• 1 Thess 5 - We are to always pray
• We are to pray in difficult days
• Don't be discouraged
• The characters
• The widow - small and insignificant
• The judge - powerful and unjust
• He does not regard men or God
• He is not bothered about treating fairly
• The widow does not give up - such that the judge gives her what she wants – v6
• Will God not answer His people?
• A great example of perseverance
• Examples of those who have persevered
• Jesus is encouraging His disciples to pray
• God will bring justice - v7
• At the Second Coming
• Example of David delivered by God
• It is often the little people with odds stacked against them - that see a might victory - examples
• If you feel small and insignificant - God hears the cries of His people
• So much encouragement

The parable of the tax collector

• Very challenging - looking at the pharisees (cf Luke 17)
• Anyone who trusts in themselves, who looks down at others, who think themselves superior
• This parable is very straightforward - two men and two results
• A Pharisee:
• Stands and prays - probably at the front with others looking at him
• Prays within himself
• He compares himself better than others
• He congratulates himself for his behaviour
• A tax collector:
• Stands at the back
• He is so wracked by sin he cannot lift his eyes to heaven
• He beats his breast
• He prays a very short prayer
• The tax collector was justified (and not the pharisee)
• Whoever is lifted up will be humbled and whoever is humbled, God will lift
• Application:
• Do we expect God to accept us based on what we have done?
• Are we self-righteous (like the pharisee) or like the tax collector?
• Are we like Simon Peter?
• Do we really feel our sin?
• This parable reminds us that Jesus came into the world to save not the righteous but sinners
• Ps 85:2
• Ps 86:15
• Ps 103:8-12
• Micah 7:18-19

Closing Remarks

• Do you realise you are a sinner?
• Do you continue to trust in yourself, your good deeds or your religion of works
• Confess your sin, turn to Jesus Christ, believe in Him and be forgiven of your sin
• Pray, pray, pray