Title: Parable of Prayer/(Luke 18:1-14)
Contents The people of faith shown in the Bible were always people of prayer.
However, each person has a unique way of praying.
Moses risked his life to pray.
When we receive the law from God, we fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights.
And Moses fell down and prayed.
When the people raised stones against Moses, they simply fell to the ground.
To God and to the people of Israel, with infinite meekness and humility,
Still, I prayed very fervently.
Joshua prayed early in the morning.
There were difficult things, and whenever there was a problem, I got up early in the morning and prayed.
This is really precious.
Joshua was the first to face God in the first hour of the morning.
In the end, he undertook the great task of conquering Canaan.
Elijah, the man of prayer, receives God's answer by fire on Mount Carmel.
Elijah's prayer was a persistent prayer.
It was a prayer of faith, believing in God with all your heart.
When Israel sinned, God's judgment came.
It hasn't rained in three and a half years.
But he boils down on the ground of Elijah, puts his face between his knees, and continues to pray.
Once, twice, three times... … Let's pray seventh.
A small cloud the size of a human hand rises from the sea and grows bigger and bigger, causing heavy rain.
And Daniel is a person who made prayer a life.
This man opens the window even in the dreadful situation of killing a praying man,
He went to Jerusalem and prayed three times a day.
In the end, he made Darius, the king of a foreign country, praise God.
The people of Israel have a beautiful tradition of prayer.
Wherever they are in the world, at noon they stop what they are doing and pray.
Those who go abroad pray while looking toward the direction of the nation of Israel.
People in Israel pray while looking at the city of Jerusalem.
And the people in Jerusalem pray while looking at the temple in Jerusalem.
I want our Gospel Church members to put this tradition into practice.
Every day at noon, those who departed pray while looking at Mokpo, and the saints in Mokpo
Looking at our evangelical church, our evangelical church is truly a church that works with the Lord.
I want to pray for you to grow.
Even if there are great things and difficulties in front of us, trust in God and we will become one through prayer.
We believe that we will be able to overcome any difficulties when we move forward.
But the one who set the greatest example in prayer is none other than Jesus Christ.
In particular, the doctor Luke, who is the author of the Gospel of Luke, arrived at Jesus' prayer in various ways.
It shows us well.
In Luke 3, Jesus prays when he is baptized.
The Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven
you are my beloved son I take pleasure in you.>
In the past, members of the early church in Korea personally prepared a lot when they were baptized.
Those who used to smoke and drink were all cut off in memory of believing in Jesus.
I read the Bible through at least once, bathed every day and prayed with a pure heart.
These days, I am baptized with a very easy heart.
So I can't even remember when I was baptized.
There is a problem with remembering the wedding anniversary well and the day of receiving money, but not knowing the day when one was born again in the grace of God.
Those who are preparing to be baptized this year, please prepare through prayer from now on.
In Luke 6, when he chose the twelve apostles, he prayed to God all night long.
When he called his disciples, he chose ten of them and called them apostles... … .>
You prayed for it to be right.
Did the Almighty Lord need to pray all night long?
A pastor said that it was because of Judas Iscariot that he prayed that night.
Will you make this man a disciple? will you say It makes sense.
Anyway, if the Lord prayed like this, how much prayer do we need to prepare?
would you like to
In chapter 11, when he taught prayer to his disciples, he prayed through his own prayer.
you taught
Godliness can only be taught through the spring of godliness.
Study your children Don't shout and show your parents that you are studying.
do.
If you set an example through faith, you will believe in Jesus even if you are told not to believe in Jesus.
And today's text teaches us about the shape and posture of true prayer through the parable of prayer.
give it
Through the parable of the so-called widow and the judge, the prayer of the Pharisee, and the prayer of the publican, you should learn about the prayer the Lord wants.
Let's look at verse 1.
Here is an important posture of prayer.
Always pray and never give up.
Prayer is not just for special times, difficult times, difficult times, or sick times.
It's always what you do.
Prayer should be routine.
Prayer should become a lifestyle.
Just as we eat regularly to maintain our health and life.
Prayer is always a common thing.
That is why it is precious and important to build an altar at dawn every day.
A godly man in Israel prayed at a set time three times a day.
And those who pray should never be discouraged.
Praying itself refers to an active attitude that does not give up on life.
Today's parable is the widow.
It refers to an unhappy, painful person.
You have no one around to help you with your problems.
In today's text, a man full of grudges and an unjust trial appear.
This man is in contrast to the good God.
Nevertheless, the widow cried out and begged for it day and night, and in the end the grudge was released.
Even an evil judge hears like this, and how much more does God hear our prayers?
Can you please listen?
Our prayers offered in faith never fall to the ground.
God's thoughts and our thoughts are different, and God's times are different from ours.
To pray is to fully acknowledge that God is right.
It is a confession of obedience to obey God's will.
So, in verses 7 and 8, God's clear will is revealed.
Will you be patient with us? I say to you, avenge the resentment quickly.
I will give you.>
But the next words must be deeply engraved in our hearts.
Have we not lost our faith until the end?
In some parts of the United States, there was no rain, so we had a prayer meeting.
Four thousand people gathered.
However, there were about 10 people who brought umbrellas.
My prayer, which I prayed with a selfish heart, is now answered by God
We need to understand it as a sign to change our prayers in a way that pleases them.
The parable that follows gives us a model of wrong prayer and true prayer.
In verse 9
Believing that you are righteous means that you do not realize your sins.
Those who do not realize their faults, faults, and transgressions are not in a right relationship with God.
He is a human being, and he is not in a right relationship with his neighbours.
In verse 11 and below, the publican's prayer appears.
He stood up and prayed separately, saying, I already consider myself a special person.
If you look at this man's prayer
There is no God, only the proud self.
A proud prayer is a prayer without confession of sin.
God is not pleased.
Verse 13, the publican's prayer
He said, "God, have mercy on me, for I am a sinner."
Prayer is not the fluency of speech. The center of the heart is important.
You must show yourself honestly before God.
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”