LUKE LESSON 44
We will begin this lesson in Luke 18:1 "And he spake a parable
unto them [to this end], that men ought always to pray, and not to
faint;"
Some would have us believe that praying just one time for a thing
is enough, but this parable teaches just the opposite. We should be
continually in an attitude of prayer. We should keep praying until we
see the answer to prayer. The Bible says the fervent prayer of a
righteous man availeth much.
Luke 18:2 Saying, "There was in a city a judge, which feared not
God, neither regarded man:"
Jesus is showing in this parable, this judge who is not a believer
in any sense of the word. This judge is not swayed because he has no
regard for man or God. His judgement is based on pure fact and is
calculated with no feeling.
Luke 18:3 "And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto
him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary."
This woman has had someone cause her problems. Possibly because
she was a widow, this person thought she was helpless and took
advantage of her. She comes to this worldly judge and wants him to
take action against this evil person.
Luke 18:4 "And he would not for a while: but afterward he said
within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;" Luke 18:5
"Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her
continual coming she weary me."
This woman just wouldn't give up. She came over and over again and
kept bringing her petition before this judge until she wore him down.
Her perseverance caused him to finally act upon this to get rid of
her. This is also the way we should pray. We should bring our request
over and over unto God until He tells us to hush or until He answers
our prayer.
Luke 18:6 "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith."
Jesus is telling His disciples, of then and now, that persistence
pays off. Even this man who seemingly had no heart did what she asked,
because she kept on asking until he did.
Luke 18:7 "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day
and night unto him, though he bear long with them?"
Jesus is saying, here, that God with His tender heart hears our
prayers and will avenge for us. The only difference here is that God
is trying to give them ample time to repent, before His judgement
falls upon them.
Luke 18:8 "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the
earth?"
This question here, to me, is saying just because God has not
already answered your prayer. Have you stopped believing that He will?
God's time and our time are two different things. Fifty years is
nothing to Him, but with us it is half a lifetime. We must keep the
faith regardless of whether it appears He has answered our prayer or
not. Our faith pleases God. Faith can move a mountain or get you to
heaven. God's judgement is not slack as we read in II Peter 3:9 "The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance."
Luke 18:9 "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in
themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:"
Remember, that Jesus spoke in parables, so that people who were
worldly would not understand with their mind and accept Him through
knowledge and not the spirit. Jesus is speaking here to self-righteous
people who are down on everyone else. By speaking in parables, they
could not accuse Him. This is what He said.
Luke 18:10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican."
Remember, the publican was the hated tax collector and the
Pharisee was one who was strict in the keeping of the law. Both of the
men in this parable went to pray at the temple. the Pharisee probably
went regularly to pray at the temple twice a day to conform to the
law.
Luke 18:11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God,
I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortionists, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this publican."
It appears he prayed words pleasing to himself. His conceit shows.
He didn't even humble himself before God, but stood while he prayed.
To me, it appears that he is saying, God take a look at how great I
an. I see no repentance or humbleness at all. I see a self-centered
man who is trying to prove how great he is to God.
Luke 18:12 "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I
possess."
Here, again, he is bragging to God about how wonderful he is.
Luke 18:13 "And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up
so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying,
God be merciful to me a sinner."
We see, here, an humble man. He is in direct contrast to the
Pharisee. Fear (reverence) keeps him from even looking up to heaven.
He realizes he is a sinner and begs for mercy. In 1st John chapter 1
verses 8 through 10, we see that this publican is telling the truth
and the Pharisee is in error. I John 1:8 "If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." I John 1:9 "If
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:10 "If we say
that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in
us." We must be like the publican and beg mercy.
Luke 18:14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified
[rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be
abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
"Justified" means just as if I had never sinned. The justified,
here, is the publican who humbled himself before God. Moses was said
to be the humblest man in the Old Testament. We know that God exalted
him to the point that he led three million (approximately) Hebrews out
of Egyptian bondage. The Pharaoh exalted himself, and God (through the
ten plagues) brought Pharaoh down.
Luke 18:15 "And they brought unto him also infants, that he would
touch them: but when [his] disciples saw [it], they rebuked them."
These disciples felt that these people were wasting Jesus' time.
They thought, what could Jesus touching a baby do? It could raise up a
John the Baptist or someone like him, that's all. These babies, not
baptized, but promised to God, would be the next generation of
disciples. Listen to Jesus' answer to them.
Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called them [unto him], and said, Suffer
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is
the kingdom of God."
We are all little children to God. These children could miss many
a heartache if they decide to follow Jesus at a very early age. A
child raised in the church when they are little will always follow God
when they are old. Sometimes in their teens or twenties, they may
wander away, but when they get a little older, they always come back
to their early training. The kingdom of God is made up of people who
have accepted Jesus with an humble heart like a child. We see this
very thing said by Jesus in verse 17 below.
Luke 18:17 "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein."
This does not mean you have to be a little child. but that you
must have the humbleness and total dependence on God that the little
child has. We must receive the kingdom of God as a free gift. We
cannot earn it, and we certainly do not deserve it, as this Pharisee
thought. We get it through the grace of God by faith.
Luke 44 Questions
1. How often should men pray?
2. What kind of prayer availeth much?
3. In verse 2. what kind of judge is this speaking of?
4. What does he (judge) base his decisions on?
5. Who came to this judge for help?
6. What did the judge reply at first?
7. Why did he finally listen to the woman?
8. What does this teach us about praying?
9. Why has God not already avenged for His own elect?
10. What question did Jesus ask in verse 9?
11. How would you answer this?
12. What do we read in 2nd Peter chapter 3, verse 9 that tells us of
His love even for those who have not repented?
13. The people Jesus spoke this to trusted in whom?
14. In verse 10, who were the two who went to the temple to pray?
15. Who was the publican?
16. Who was the Pharisee?
17. What attitude did the Pharisee have?
18. What were some of the bragging remarks the Pharisee made?
19. What does 1st John chapter 1. verses 8-10 teach us about sin?
20. Which was justified the publican or the Pharisee?
21. What does "justified" mean?
22. Which two Old Testament people did the author use to show how God
exalts or brings down someone? Explain.
23. Why did they bring infants to Jesus?
24. Why did the disciples rebuke them for bringing the infants?
25. Jesus said "suffer little children to ________ ____ ______ and
________ __________ _________.
26. Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child
shall in no wise _________ ________.
27. What exactly is this Scripture saying?
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