Luke 11.5-13
continued, shameless knocking
Now Jesus is giving us an illustration of prayer. But it is important to note that Jesus often illustrated with contrast. So that the man knocking at the door is a type of a man praying. Asking for a need of a friend. Intercessory Prayer. We must come to him by prayer for others as well as for ourselves.
And this man is persistent. He continues to knock on the door until he gets his desired response. Now, does that mean that we have to continue to pray until we break God down, until He gets so sick of hearing us that He finally gives in and gives us what we want? No, again we have a contrast. If a man, a friend, will do something because of persistency, how much more will your Father?
It is similar to the unjust judge. He didn’t want to get eventually worn out by her continual coming. This man did not want the household woke up. His “friend” was not going away until he got the three loaves of bread.
It was unusual to travel at night. Dangerous. What do you do when unusual things happen in your life? Something unexpected, something at the “wrong” time. Have you said, “Now this?” or This could not have happened at a worse time! We see through as well as dimly or dark like as a poor reflection but one day will see face-to-face one day window even as we are noon. So God knows all things. He knows when unexpected things come to us we need to remember they are not unexpected to God.
So this man had unexpected company in the middle of the night. It was his friend. He traveled a long way. No doubt he had travel by foot. He was hungry. He had nothing to set before him. This was embarrassing for both the traveler and the host. In that culture in that time it would’ve been considered disgraceful. I have had fair share of contact with people from the Middle East the east and the far east. I am related to some by marriage. I have been in their homes I have watched how they will cook more than enough so that you do not feel that you are needing to watch how much you eat. So he asked for three loaves of bread.
This traveling friend must have been in some type of emergency. As I said normally you would not travel at night. It was dangerous. It was dark. Animals of prey both human and literal lurked in the darkness. Bands of theives were around turns waiting for unsuspecting innocent person to pass by. We see this in the Good Samaritan in a few chapters.
So it was an inopportune times for both the visitor and his host.
1. The Most Inopportune Times v.5-6
occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time.
Store Clerk to my Dad when he had the Drakes Cake Route. Here on the Island, actually he worked in Brooklyn, he had a Wise Potato Chip Route. Kids from the neighborhood remember it to this day 45 years later. Upstate Drakes Cake, then the Franchisor for the whole region.
- We may come with the more boldness to God in a strait, if it be a strait that we have not brought ourselves into by our own folly and carelessness, but Providence has led us into it. This man would not have wanted bread if his friend had not come in unexpectedly. The care which Providence casts upon us, we may with cheerfulness cast back upon Providence. -Matthew Henry
2. The Refusal of the Neighbor v.7
Don’t bother me.
The reasons or excuses... we can tell the difference!
- The door is shut and locked, his children are asleep in bed, in the same room with him, and, if he make a noise, he shall disturb them. His servants are asleep, and he cannot make them hear; and, for his own part, he shall catch cold if he rise to give him.
He had the bread!
God has things to give us as we put ourselves out, we sacrifice to pray.
Jesus prayed all night... for his disciples, picked and in peril
In the Garden He said to them after they pledged to die with Him, “Could you not keep watch with Me for just one hour?”
3. The Answer to the Request. v.8
fervency, and constancy, in prayer
Intercessory prayer
Continual shameless audacity in knocking.
We ought to continue instant in prayer, and watch in the same with all perseverance.
4. How Much More! v.9-13
So he keeps knocking and perhaps even shouting out, “I need bread!” The friend inside thinks, “I am not going to get rid of him until I give him what he wants.” This is the same idea as in Luke 18.1 that Jesus expressed, He gave them this parable to show them that men ought always to pray and not give up.” We cannot be a pain to God when we are praying. We cannot change His will. He cannot be convinced by such action.
We win over men because they are displeased with it 1976, Colorado Springs 7-11. Jerry Erickson, supervisor, “You are not going to stop bugging me until I give you a job, are you?”
We get answers from God because He is pleased with it.
Prayer is a family matter!
It is between our Father in Heaven and His children here on earth.
This is the way this section begins and concludes.
To encourage us in prayer. If importunity could prevail thus with a man who was angry at it, much more with a God who is infinitely more kind and ready to do good to us than we are to one another, and is not angry at our importunity, but accepts it, especially when it is for spiritual mercies that we are importunate. If he do not answer our prayers presently, yet He will in due time, if we continue to pray.
Bread and eggs from our earthly fathers
The Holy Spirit from our Father in heaven... give good gifts... what can better than to serve the LORD in the power of His Spirit! We need Him. We need to filled again!
Ask
Seek
Knock
For answers
But definitely for the Holy Spirit
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