The Gospel of Luke: The Teacher's Guide to Prayer Pt. 2 | prayer | persistence - Video

Sermon notes - 10/12/25 Luke: 11: 5-13 . Check us out at: https://citylightvicksburg.org/ Or check us out here: https://www.facebook.com/citylightvicksburg . 5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Prayer is more than words. Prayer is more than content. Prayer is heart and soul. Last week we spent time walking through Jesus’ formula of prayer. In that lesson, we demonstrate our desires to see God's kingdom and glory. Our prayers should not just seek to change our conditions, but to change us. Jesus uses a parable to illustrate the fulness of prayer. . Jewish hospitality was taken very seriously, so this parable of a friend showing up at midnight and the homeowner having to deal with an unexpected visitor would have struck a chord with the audience.The homeowner in the story doesn’t have the food to give to his traveling friend, so he goes to his next door neighbor. This homeowner must plead, because the neighbor is unwilling at first. But the heart and attitude of the homeowner is shameless. . Impudence is shameless audacity. It is a willingness to keep knocking. Jesus teaches us that this persistence and audacity is necessary in our prayer life. Do you pray with that kind of persistence or audacity? By continuing to "knock" via our prayers, we show our desperation and need, and ultimately our reliance on God. We must show persistence in our prayers. If we do not want something enough to be persistent in our prayers, then we must not want it enough. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us what to pray, but this parable teaches us how to pray. It is a continuous process. . But we should pray with an understanding of God's love. We know that the Heavenly Father loves us. Even the best parents are imperfect. And God rises to a better standard, which He holds Himself to. So, if even evil parents can give good gifts, how much better can God give?