Thursday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Luke 11:5-10
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible:
11:6 Having nothing to set before a guest was unthinkable for a host in Jesus’ day.
11:7 Do not bother me. The omission of “friend” (cf. v. 5) reveals the man’s aggravation. my children … in bed. The entire family is sleeping, and opening the door to the guest would probably awaken everyone. This friend’s unwillingness to help is in contrast to God’s great desire to help his children (vv. 9–10; cf. 18:1–8).
11:8 Impudence is Greek anaideia, which occurs only here in the NT. In all of its other known uses in ancient literature, the term means “lack of sensitivity to what is proper,” “impertinence,” “impudence”; it describes being without aidōs (“respect,” “modesty”). “Impudence,” then, would indicate that the friend is shamelessly and boldly awakening his neighbor, and of course the neighbor will give him whatever he needs. On this interpretation, Jesus’ point is that if even a human being will respond to his neighbor in that way, then Christians should go boldly before God with any need they face, for God is more gracious and caring than any human neighbor. Some other interpreters believe that anaideia means “persistence” here, even though there are no other known occurrences of that meaning. Such a reading does fit the context, however, for the very next verses emphasize that believers must keep seeking, asking, and knocking (vv. 9–10). This would make the parable similar to 18:1–8. Both ideas—a kind of shameless persistence—are possibly intended by this unusual term.
11:9–10 Jesus tells his followers to ask God (a common term for “pray”), seek God (Deut. 4:29; Isa. 55:6; 65:1), and knock at the gates of God for mercy (cf. Luke 11:5–8). The three verbs are all present imperatives, and in this context of teaching a general principle, they encourage prayer as a continual habit of life (cf. 1 Thess. 5:17). The promised result is that it will be given and opened (by God). Everyone who asks receives does not mean that believers always receive what they ask for, because God is wiser than they are and has better plans for his children than they could imagine (cf. Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 2:9).
11:7 Do not bother me. The omission of “friend” (cf. v. 5) reveals the man’s aggravation. my children … in bed. The entire family is sleeping, and opening the door to the guest would probably awaken everyone. This friend’s unwillingness to help is in contrast to God’s great desire to help his children (vv. 9–10; cf. 18:1–8).
11:8 Impudence is Greek anaideia, which occurs only here in the NT. In all of its other known uses in ancient literature, the term means “lack of sensitivity to what is proper,” “impertinence,” “impudence”; it describes being without aidōs (“respect,” “modesty”). “Impudence,” then, would indicate that the friend is shamelessly and boldly awakening his neighbor, and of course the neighbor will give him whatever he needs. On this interpretation, Jesus’ point is that if even a human being will respond to his neighbor in that way, then Christians should go boldly before God with any need they face, for God is more gracious and caring than any human neighbor. Some other interpreters believe that anaideia means “persistence” here, even though there are no other known occurrences of that meaning. Such a reading does fit the context, however, for the very next verses emphasize that believers must keep seeking, asking, and knocking (vv. 9–10). This would make the parable similar to 18:1–8. Both ideas—a kind of shameless persistence—are possibly intended by this unusual term.
11:9–10 Jesus tells his followers to ask God (a common term for “pray”), seek God (Deut. 4:29; Isa. 55:6; 65:1), and knock at the gates of God for mercy (cf. Luke 11:5–8). The three verbs are all present imperatives, and in this context of teaching a general principle, they encourage prayer as a continual habit of life (cf. 1 Thess. 5:17). The promised result is that it will be given and opened (by God). Everyone who asks receives does not mean that believers always receive what they ask for, because God is wiser than they are and has better plans for his children than they could imagine (cf. Rom. 8:28; 1 Cor. 2:9).
Study Questions:
- Jesus then used a parable to teach them about prayer. He says to imagine going to a friends house in the middle of the night needing food. The friend tells you to go away, but if you are persistent he will answer you. James R. Edwards said, “The present parable builds upon the Lord’s Prayer, teaching that true prayer is not only expectant but perseverant.” This means we should come to God expecting Him to answer us, knowing He is fully capable of impossible things, and with persistence, not giving up in prayer. "Shameless persistence," in the words of Jesus. When was the last time you prayed for something BIG, expecting that God could do it? How persistent are you in prayer? How quickly do you tend to give up? How many miracles have you left out there because you didn't ask, didn't have big enough faith, or gave up too soon?
- Sometimes we might be tempted to think that praying for the same request over and over could seem like an unwillingness to submit to God's will. However, there are many examples in scripture of people being persistent in prayer until it is answered. Not only did Jesus teach persistence multiple times, but Abraham persistently prayed for God's promised son, Elijah persistently prayed that it wouldn't rain (and then that it would rain, sending his servant back seven times to see if rain was coming), Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, prayed the same prayer persistently for many years (that God would give them a son), and on and on. This is a both/and situation. Should we trust God and surrender to His will? Yes. Should we be persistent in our prayers, asking God to move on our behalf? Yes. What is God leading you to keep praying for? Maybe you've given up praying for something and need to be persistent? What if your answer is around the corner?
***Guided Prayer Time***
Pray:
- Father, I pray that you would help me to have the resolve to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. Give me shameless persistence in my prayers. I pray that you would grow my faith so that I would be bold in my prayers, asking you to do the impossible. Because I know that you are the God of the impossible.
- Help me to see that I can keep asking and still trust your plan for me. Give me equal measures of faith and trust, whatever your answer might be. Faith to pray big prayers; trust to submit to your answer. Help me to keep asking and trusting you even if the answer might be no, or no for now.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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