Persistent Prayer

Thursday 7 October – Holy Communion at St Giles

Gospel Luke 11

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.' ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹ "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened.

¹¹ "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Sermon

Teaching on prayer.

Previous chapter ends: Jesus visits Mary & Martha. Mary listened to Jesus. Martha complained she had to do all work in kitchen. Jesus replied Mary has chosen the better part.

Chapter 11 starts with Jesus praying in a certain place. When he finished, disciples ask Jesus to teach them prayer (as John taught his disciples). So the background to this request was Jesus’ own time of prayer, and his commending Mary for listening to him and not being distracted by more mundane things.

It’s easy to be distracted – there is so much to do – things that have to be done, and can take our attention away from higher things.

Like in Matthew 6, which has longer form, Jesus starts with Lord’s Prayer (Disciples’ Prayer).

² 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 Forgive us our sins,
       for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
       And lead us not into temptation.^]' "

Then by way of explanation, we have today’s story.

Parable talks of need for urgent and insistent prayer. Not a mumbled routine set of words in church we hardly even notice or comprehend. For Luke, it’s about the end of time.

The request for bread is an urgent petition that cannot easily be denied. Answer has to be right now. Cannot be put off.

However grudging, we know the earthly friend will get up out of bed and help his friend. The message is that our requests for heavenly bread must be equally persistent and immediate.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; those who seek find; and to those who knock, the door will be opened.

Amen