2. Christianity 106:
Learn to Pray
Lesson Passage:
Luke 18: 1-14
Background Passage:
Luke 17: 11 – 19: 27

5. 1-2. Praying with Faith [AMP]
This first parable comes after Jesus answered to Pharisees & disciples on
when the Kingdom would come (Luke 17)
Jesus said the kingdom is within you [in hearts] and among you [surrounding
you]. Here now!
But before His return, hard days will come (‘end times’). From Matt. 24:
24 For like the lightning, that flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the
other, so will the Son of Man be in His [own] day…
26 And [just] as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the Son of
Man. 27 [People] ate…drank…married…right up to the day when Noah went
into the ark, and the flood…destroyed them all. 28 So also as it was in the days
of Lot. [People] ate…drank..bought,…sold…planted…built; 29 But on the [very]
day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone …. 30 That is the
way it will be on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day let
him who is on the housetop, with his belongings in the house, not come down
[and go inside] to carry them away; and likewise let him who is in the field not
turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to preserve his life will
lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve and quicken it. 34 I tell you, in that
night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be
left. 35 There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the
other will be left.

6. 1. We Can Pray with Persistence (Luke 18:1-5)[Message]
1 Jesus told them a story showing that it was necessary for them to pray
consistently and never quit. 2 He said,
―There was once a judge in some city who never gave God a thought
and cared nothing for people. 3 A widow in that city kept after him: ‗My
rights are being violated. Protect me!‘ 4 ―He never gave her the time of
day. But after this went on and on he said to himself, ‗I care nothing
what God thinks, even less what people think. 5 But because this widow
won‘t quit badgering me, I‘d better do something and see that she gets
justice—otherwise I‘m going to end up beaten black-and-blue by her
pounding.‘ ‖
 Do most judges care about people?
 Pretend you were a care-less judge: What would you do if your job
was at stake, with a poor person leaning on you for help?
 Have you ever had a neighbor, or person at work, put pressure on
you?
 How did you respond? How does asking someone repeatedly affect
them?
Jesus told a similar parable about a needy neighbor (Luke 11:3-13)

7. 2. We Can Pray with Faith (Luke 18:6-8) [AMP]
6 Then the Lord said, Listen to what the unjust judge says! 7 And will not [our
just] God defend and protect and avenge His elect (His chosen ones), who
cry to Him day and night? Will He defer them and delay help on their
behalf? 8 I tell you, He will defend and protect and avenge them speedily.
However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the
earth?
 What is our part in preparing the world for the judgment to come? (Acts 17;
1 Pet. 4:17)
• We are to continue shining His Light into the world, to help save people for
eternity, for them to repent to God (song: ―Learning To Be The Light‖).
This is difficult in light of evil & persecutions, now, as Paul told Tim. (2 Tim. 3):
―1 This be constantly knowing, that in the last days difficult times will set in, for
men shall be fond of themselves, fond of
money, swaggerers, haughty, revilers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural
affection, implacable, slanderers, lacking self-control, savage, haters of that
which is good, betrayers, headstrong, besotted with pride, fond of pleasure
rather than having an affection for God, having a mere outward semblance of
piety toward God but denying the power of the same. And these be constantly
shunning.

8. Persevere in Faith (2 Timothy 2:7–13) [AMP]
7 Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their
application], for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in
everything. 8 Constantly keep in mind Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] risen
from the dead, [as the prophesied King] descended from David, according to
the good news (the Gospel) that I preach. 9 For that [Gospel] I am suffering
affliction and even wearing chains like a criminal. But the Word of God is not
chained or imprisoned! 10 Therefore I [am ready to] persevere and stand my
ground with patience and endure everything for the sake of the elect [God‘s
chosen], so that they too may obtain [the] salvation which is in Christ
Jesus, with [the reward of] eternal glory.
11The saying is sure and worthy of confidence:
If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him. Safe,if we repented!
12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. His Rewards: “Well done”!
If we deny & disown & reject Him,
He will also deny & disown & reject us Endurance required! (Heb10:35-39)
13 If we are faithless [do not believe and are untrue to Him], He remains true
(faithful to His Word and His righteous character), for He cannot deny Himself.
 How is God calling and helping you to endure?
If you‘re in His Family, enduring for Him, He will answer your prayers! (Jn.15:7)

9. 3. We Cannot Pray with Arrogance (Luke 18:9-12)[Message]
9 He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with
themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the
common people: 10 ―Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a
Pharisee, the other a tax man. 11 The Pharisee posed and prayed like this:
‗Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—
robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. 12 I fast twice a
week and tithe on all my income.‘
• The Pharisee was ‗dedicated‘ - but not to God. Instead, he just pretended
to follow Him. He thought he had God beaten in a game of ―How to thrive
spiritually in 5 easy steps‖.
• Instead, we all must wrestle with our pride:
• First, to come to God in salvation.
• Once there, we have already been humbled and received a new nature –
Born Again. We are more trusting, less depending on self. We receive the
kingdom as (like) a little child (Lk. 18:17)
• The tax collector had a different story. He had extorted others (cf. Zacheus
in Lk. 19).
• Though a failure in the Pharisee‘s eyes, he was concerned about God‘s view
of him. Read on…

10. 4. We Can Pray with Humility (Luke 18:13-14) [Message]
13 ―Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not
daring to look up, said, ‗God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.‘ ‖
14 Jesus commented, ―This tax man, not the other, went home made right with
God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you‘re going to end up flat on
your face, but if you‘re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than
yourself.‖
We must humbly appreciate what God has done for us, paying for ALL our sin!
 Who are our ―tax collectors‖, today?
 How are Christians sometimes like the Pharisee?
 What are some reasons that happens?
• It‘s easier to pretend that we‘re saved – or that once saved, we are always
obeying, than it is to face the Truth, at those times when we‘re not pleasing
God. Only God can help us thru these times (to turn around), and we have
to be willing to admit our need for Him.
• We‘re all undeserving of God‘s mercy that He WILL give us, upon repenting.
• ―Where sin abounded, much more did Grace abound!‖ (Rom. 5:20)
God is pleased ONLY when we drop our guard and come to Jesus, the Truth!
We‘re undeserving (as Peter in Luke 5:8) – BUT He Loves us ! !

11. (Backups)

12. Persevere in Faith (Hebrews 10) [AMP]
32 But be ever mindful of the days gone by in which, after you were first
spiritually enlightened, you endured a great and painful struggle, 33 Sometimes
being yourselves a gazing-stock, publicly exposed to insults and abuse and
distress, and sometimes claiming fellowship and making common cause with
others who were so treated. 34 For you did sympathize and suffer along with
those who were imprisoned, and you bore cheerfully the plundering of your
belongings and the confiscation of your property, in the knowledge and
consciousness that you yourselves had a better and lasting possession. 35 Do
not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and
glorious compensation of reward. 36 For you have need of steadfast
patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the
will of God, and thus receive and carry away what is promised.
37 For still a very little while, and the Coming One will come and He will not
delay. 38 But the just shall live by faith; and if he draws back and shrinks in
fear, My soul has no delight or pleasure in him. 39 But our way is not that of
those who draw back to eternal misery (perdition) and are utterly destroyed, but
we are of those who believe and by faith preserve the soul.
See also James 1:4, 1 Pet 5:10. God will work out with you, YOUR salvation.
God identifies IN us, through perseverance, enduring persecution & trials! (Lk.
11:23 –gather (labor) with Him‘ ; 22:28 stay with Him; the Spirit is with/in you
(Jn. 14-17))