Welcome to Week 9 of “He Gave Us Stories,” our series on the parables Jesus told. This time we’re in Luke chapter 11 and the topic is prayer. The name of the parable varies depending on which version of the Bible you have (these Bible translation teams do enjoy shaking up their section headers), but we’re calling it the Parable of the Friend at Midnight.
It begins, however, not with that friend, but with one of the disciples of Jesus asking him about prayer.
Prayer guides by Tracy Lautenschlager.
Index to Days 2 through 5
Day 1
Lord, Teach Us to Pray
Observe
One of the disciples of Jesus asks him to teach them to pray.
Luke 11:1
1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”
Luke 5:29-35
29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
33 And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” 34 And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? 35 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.”
Certainly, the disciples of Jesus knew what it meant to pray. Of course, it is fair to note that the most likely example of prayer they’d have is from the Pharisees, who we know loved to pray in public and at the top of their lungs. And since Pharisees both loved themselves and were very certain of their righteousness, those prayers were usually ones extolling their own virtues. The clue here is in the phrase “as John taught his disciples.” There was something of a competition between the disciples of Jesus and John the Baptist. Not because of anything Jesus or John had done, but just because people like to stir things up. It is likely that John’s disciples had been taught to pray in a distinctive manner, one that easily identified them to any listeners, and the disciples of Jesus are probably asking him for the same thing. We’ll get into that prayer tomorrow, but today we want to acknowledge this: both Jesus and John the Baptist were willing to teach their disciples how to pray. And that lets us know that prayer is a skill, one that can be learned and something at which we can improve. If you find praying difficult or uncomfortable, take heart, and then take advantage of opportunities to pray happening around the church. You will find friends who are delighted to help you learn how to pray.
- If you have been a believer for some time, what has changed about your habit and practice of prayer? (On the other hand, if you are new to the faith, what do you hope will change in the future?)
- What have you learned about prayer from someone else? Who has inspired you when it comes to prayer?
Heavenly Father, I’m here today to pray about prayer. First, help me to be honest when I pray. You already know my heart, but sometimes I do not. Help me to spend enough time in prayer for intrusive thoughts to be quiet. Help me to remember your faithfulness and praise you. Make your desires my desires, and help me to find joy and peace in your presence. Refresh my soul Lord. Amen.
Day 2
The Lord’s (Disciples?) Prayer
Observe
Jesus gives them an example of distinctive prayer, and it becomes the most often-repeated prayer in history.
Luke 11:2-4
2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
John 17:6
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
Proverbs 30:8-9
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Let’s be clear, there is no possibility we can consider everything about this prayer in one day. So we’re not—we are summarizing briefly. This example prayer, most often called The Lord’s Prayer, should properly be called The Disciples’ Prayer. And it was never intended that we should repeat it verbatim. While there isn’t anything terribly wrong with that, what this prayer gives us is a series of hooks, sample petitions, that Jesus recommends we use when praying. The first two are about our Heavenly Father, beginning with hallowed be your name, asking that the name of God be made holy and shown respect throughout the world. The next, your kingdom come, has already been fulfilled in part when the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost, but will also be fulfilled completely when Jesus returns. Then we ask for ourselves, give us each day our daily bread, just enough for today, but not too much, so we learn to live in daily reliance upon him. And, forgive us our sins, not referring to our salvation, but the continual confession of sins needed to maintain a relationship with God. For we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us, because forgiven people forgive—period. Finally, lead us not into temptation, a petition that only works if we follow him.
- Jesus clearly intended this to be an example, so why do you think it became something repeated verbatim in churches?
- How has this prayer impacted your own prayers?
Dear Lord, It is a wonder and a joy to pray the words that your people have prayed, in groups and alone, for centuries. It reminds me that I am never alone; I am surrounded by your church. But I have prayed this model prayer so many times that I think the meaning and your intent have become lost to me. Let me hear it as if for the first time and learn it again as you intended, an example. Give me words to bring honor to your name, to yearn for your kingdom, to seek contentment, and to ask for and grant forgiveness. Thank you Jesus. Amen.
Day 3
The Friend at Midnight
Observe
Right on the heels of his example prayer, Jesus tells his disciples a parable about two friends and a late night request, to set up a point about how eager God is to hear from us.
Luke 11:5-8
5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
Luke 18:4-5
4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”
Some quick first century context: the homes of most regular folk in that time had just one room. When it came time to sleep, they would make up a bed on the floor in front of the door and the entire family would sleep together for warmth. The location in front of the door was a first century burglar alarm. Anyone creeping in to steal something would disturb the bed when they opened the door. So the one friend’s initial refusal to help is entirely reasonable, since it would take some considerable effort to unwind all this and open the door. Yet, because of the asking friend’s impudence (ESV), he will. That word means “a lack of sensitivity to what is proper.” Jesus is setting up a contrast here. God is always available to hear us, we never need to be ashamed or hesitant to come to him in prayer, we are eternally welcomed to his throne of grace.
- We all know someone who won’t take no for an answer, how does it make you feel when someone just wears you out by their asking, eventually getting what they want?
- So that’s what it takes sometimes for a friend or acquaintance to get what they want, but what about one of your children (or another loved one)? When they come to you with a request, how and why is that different?
Father God, I confess that I find this teaching on persistent prayer difficult, but I suspect that my discomfort is just foolish pride. I don’t want to be so needy that I must ask again and again. I don’t want to be a beggar. But truly, I have only what you give me. I am saved by your grace alone. My very life is in your hands. I am always in need of your mercy and provision. In that truth, Lord, I will continuously seek your face. Amen.
Day 4
Ask, Seek, Knock
Observe
Jesus says our persistence will be rewarded.
Luke 11:9-10
9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
James 4:2b-3
2b You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Yes, Jesus says our persistence will be rewarded. But we all know instances in which God did not do what we asked him to do. So what is Jesus saying? Each of these three verbs (ask, seek, and knock) are present imperatives in the Greek language, referring to an action that is happening right now and will continue to happen into the future. Jesus wants us to make prayer a continual habit of life even though we don’t always get what we ask. James and John wrote about that, because like us, they didn’t always get what they prayed for either. They knew God always answers what is in alignment with his will. The challenge for followers of Christ is to become so filled with his Spirit and so close to his heart that his desires become their desires, and then God is pleased to give them the desires of their hearts. There is one other thing to consider, and Jesus concludes with this thought, which we will take up tomorrow. God knows what is best for us.
- Has God ever shaped, or changed entirely, what you desired? What was it and how did that turn out?
- Why is it so valuable for us to continue and persevere in prayer, even when we don’t see the answers we want? What might change if we don’t give up?
Dearest Jesus, thank you for your patience with me. So many times, you have brought my eyes to the very passage I need, but I look away. You’ve tried to bend my stiff neck with words of wisdom from a godly friend, but I reject them. Only after prayer has my heart yielded. You knew all along what I ought to pray for, what I needed to confess and what I must lay down. Thank you for both listening and leading me in prayer. Teach me to follow. Amen.
Day 5
Father Knows Best
Observe
Jesus concludes by comparing human fathers with our heavenly Father, reminding us that fathers want to give their children what is good for them.
Luke 11:11-13
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Matthew 6:7-8
7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:31-33
31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
When my children were little, asking them what they wanted to eat was always an adventure. Sometimes the information was useful, because knowing they wanted chicken strips instead of macaroni and cheese would avoid strife at the dinner table. But they also developed a practice they referred to as being “kid full.” This meant they were too full to continue eating the food we’d provided for dinner, which would include unpleasant things like vegetables, but they were not too full to have some sweet treat for dessert. As parents, it was the responsibility of my wife and myself to tell them that if they were too full to eat their green beans then they were too full to eat ice cream. Jesus wants us to know that our heavenly Father is even more desirous that we would have what is best for us and we can rely on that when we come and ask him things in prayer. God knows what is best for us and he wants us to have those things, so if we don’t get what we ask for, the task before us is to look for what he did give us. If you don’t see the answer to your prayer, look hard for the answers to the prayers you didn’t pray.
- What example can you give when God did something different from what you asked and it turned out better for you?
- It is the rare individual who gets to live free from disease or pain and die peacefully in their sleep at a ripe old age (Jesus certainly didn’t live pain-free to his old age). How can that not be what is best for us? Why do you think God doesn’t do this for most of us?
Heavenly Father, Thank you for your kindness and mercy to me and my family. I feel that we have been spared so much heartache, but not all. Help me to remember your goodness in times of sorrow. Strengthen me by your spirit, so I do not lose hope in times of trial. There is so much I do not understand, but I know you. I know that you love me. I know you are good. I know that you are able. Thank you, dear Father. Amen.