Sermon 

Series: The Stories Jesus Told #4

Sub title: Getting what you want from God.

Luke 18: 1-14

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, 'Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.' 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, 'I don't fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!'"

6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?"

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don't cheat, I don't sin, and I don't commit adultery. I'm certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.'

13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."


I. Persistence like the widow.

• Let’s define this word:  to go on resolutely or stubbornly in the face of opposition.  To be insistent in the repetition of something. 
• He uses the illustration of a widow because this person was someone who was least likely to get justice.
• All she had was her determination. This may be all you have yourself.
• Have you ever prayed until you received an answer?

Why do we often give up?

1. We have other options.
2. It is better to try and fail than to wait for God.
3. We would rather do it our way
4. We lack patience.

Why do some of our Prayers seem to go unanswered?

1. Wrong Motives
2. Lack of Faith
3. Ask out of God’s Will
4. Wrong Timing

One of the biggest reasons our prayers are not answered is because we pray for our will to be done rather than His Will to be accomplished!
What about the judge? 
The point of the story is that If an uncaring, unrighteous judge can be moved to do what is right, how much more our heavenly Father who loves us! He will not make us beg; He will answer our prayers.

II. Humility like a Tax collector

The two people at Tax collector and a Pharisee.
They stood alone so this was not a show for the public.
What kind of bargaining tools have you used with God when you’ve prayed to him?  

• One reminded God of how good he was.  In other words because I’m good you’ve got to answer my prayers.

1. I don’t sin
2. I fast twice a week
3. And I give 10% of my income. 

• One came to God and said God look at me for who I really am.  I don’t deserve what ever good thing you give me.   

• Which one of these two men got the answer to his prayer?
• Be Real with God in prayer. 

GO Questions

1. Read: Luke 18:1-14
    Ps. Jeff sermon last Sunday is about a widow who is so persistant that she at the end get the justice she deserved. But are persistance and strong determination enough?   

John 15:7 says You can ask anything from God and He will give it to you. However, there is one requirement: We remain in Him, and His words in us. In other words as Ps. Jeff said: ask according to God's will. How do we know that we need to be resolute and determine in our request or that it is not His will? Doyou ever has experienced either one of cases? Please share.

2. There are 2 question for every prayers: yes or no. However, some yes answered prayers need persistance and preserverance. Which one are more difficult, a complete no or wait?

3. Have your prayers been answered no before? Do you give up? Please read: 2 Chronicles 32:24, 2 King 20: 1-10
   King Hezekiah was sick and prayed but the answer was that he was supposed to be dead, but his insistant and humility moved God to give him what he wanted: 15 years of lives.
   Have you ever experienced this kind of answer for your prayer ? a no to become a yes? Do you know the reason why God answered no? Do you know why then He change to yes?

4. Read: 2 Chronicles 32:24-33, 2 King 20:12-19. Do you think a no from God is cruelty to us?

GO Questions by Jenny / GO Grace