Wednesday Prayer Meeting (January 24, 2022)

Passage: Luke 18:7

1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not
give up.

2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people
thought.

3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice
against my adversary.’

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care
what people think,

5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t
eventually come and attack me!’”

6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.

7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?
Will he keep putting them off?

8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes,
will he find faith on the earth?”

The Judge The Lord The Widow

Don’t fear God nor cared He wants us to pray and Asking for justice against her
what people thought never give up praying. adversary (enemies)

He granted the woman’s The Lord will quickly give Persistent from coming back
request with the reason to justice to His chosen ones. to the judge
stop her from disturbing him.

Unjust In His eyes, We our His Unimportant

chosen ones
 Pray in Faith and Never Give-Up

Introduction:

The purpose of this parable is very clearly stated by the author.

(v.1) Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not
give up.

The Persistent Woman (v.1-8)

There are three characters in the parable

1. The Judge
2. The Widow
3. God

She is a widow
(unimportant)
Deu. 14:29 His elect
(v.7)
She is important
Wearisome
(nakakayamot)
Luke 18:5

Judge Widow God

● Don’t fear God or ● Widow (v.3)
cared what people
● Persistent (v.3)
thought (v.2)

● Unjust (v.6)

Widow - A widow is a woman whose husband has died. Often in Scripture, when widows are
referred to, it appears to carry the idea of a woman whose husband has died who also has no
one to protect or provide for her. (Deuteronomy 14:29)

His Elect (1 Peter 1:1-5)

Why do we need to persistently pray?

Contradicting? (v.7) And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry to him
DAY and NIGHT? and (v.8) I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.
 REMEMBER:
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand
years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).

Sometimes he seems to delay the answer to the prayers of his people. But he will see
that they get the right judgment. This may not happen when we want it to. God knows
the right moment to answer our prayers.

(1 Pet. 5:6)
The strong hand of God’ is picture language for the power and discipline of God.
Christians must accept all that God allows to happen to them. One day God will lift them
up. No one knows when this will happen. It may not be until Christ returns.

I. Pray Persistently Because He’s Ready to Give

Should we persistently pray to wear God off and give us what we need like the judge?

NO!!! (Exodus 34:6) “The Lord is gracious and compassionate…”

(v.7) HINDI BAGA, igaganti ng Dios ang kaniyang mga hinirang, na sumisigaw
sa kaniya sa araw at gabi, at siya’y may pagpapahinuhod sa kanila?

The point is, if that could happen with such a judge (unjust), HOW MUCH MORE YOUR
FATHER IN HEAVEN Who is just and gracious and compassionate?

HOW MUCH MORE…

Luke 11

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; the one who seeks finds; and
to the one who knocks, 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!”

Luke 12

24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet
God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Luke 12
 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is
thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!

“William Barkley - How much more will God as your loving Father give all things that are
needful?” The prime lesson is not that shameless persistence painfully extracts blessings from
an unwilling God; but that in prayer we are coming to one who is our Father and who is even
more ready to give than we are to ask.”

I. Praying is an act of Faith in God and His Favor

(Luke 18:8)

Will He find faith on earth?

Jesus Christ will come to avenge his people.

Sana dumating ang Lord, prayer meeting

(v. 8) “Will He find faith on the earth?

1. This supposes that it is on earth only that there is occasion for faith; for sinners in hell
are feeling that which they would not believe, and saints in heaven are enjoying that
which they did believe.

2. It supposes that faith is the great thing that Jesus Christ looks for. He looks down upon
the children of men, and does not ask, Is there innocence? but, is there faith? WHEN
YOU PRAY HAVE FAITH.

3. It supposes that if there were faith, though ever so little, he would discover it, and find it
out. His eyes are upon the weakest and most obscure believer.

4. It is foretold that, when Christ comes to plead his people’s cause, he will find but little
faith in comparison with what one might expect.

He will find but few good people, few that are really and truly good. Many that have the
form and fashion of godliness, but few that have faith, that are sincere and honest: nay,
he will find little fidelity among men; the faithful fail,

(Psalm 12:1) Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore;

Those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
Application:

1. Persistently pray - Persistent means continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action

in spite of difficulty or opposition - Webster (1 Peter 1:1-9)

God wants us to pray without giving up. He wants to see His children faithfully praying
and waiting for His promises. (1 Peter 1:1-9)

2. Persistently pray because it keeps us in God’s presence. More than answering our
prayer God wants us to have a personal relationship with Him.

Acts 17:24-27