The Good News According To Luke: Part 9
Pastor Cole Parleir
Luke 10 set us up for a teaching on prayer. Jesus commends Mary’s decision to set at his feet and learn from him rather than be distracted by what seems necessary. This approval of Mary coupled with Jesus’ own prayer life and powerful ministry, causes the disciples to take note and ask Jesus to teach them how to pray.
Focus: God cares about our heart so he gives miracles to awaken us to hear His Word that we may become disciples of Jesus Christ and experience true blessing.
Pray with Jesus
Work with Jesus
Cleansed by Jesus
Pray With Jesus (Luke 11:1-13)
Disciples look to Jesus to teach them to pray powerfully. When they do, they and the world are transformed.
“Now Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:
“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread,[b]
4 and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”
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[c] 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[d] 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!”
God’s kingdom come on earth as in heaven is the goal of the prayer of a disciple of Jesus.
Disciples should ask God for their daily needs that are physical (food) and spiritual (forgiveness of sin and deliverance from temptation) while interceding for the physical and spiritual needs of others as well.
Disciples are those whom God desires to be free from offense. This requires a daily forgiveness of those who sin against them.
Effective faith filled prayer is that which can be impudent and persistent with great expectation laid upon the sovereign Lord.
We pray in faith because our prayers are focused on the manifestation of God’s promise and not our own desire.
God’s goodness and faithfulness are the foundation we kneel upon in prayer. He delights in giving the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. When we have the promised Holy Spirit at work in us we can go from praying intimately with Jesus to working powerfully with Him.
Work with Jesus (Luke 11:14-23)
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil by delivering and healing those in Satan’s grip.
“Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”
Jesus cares for the hurting by turning compassion into action.
Working with Jesus is always miraculous for he is always setting the captives of Satan free, healing the broken, and preaching good news to the poor.
Jesus’ miracles and those he does through us will be a sign and wonder provoking a 3 fold response from witnesses: marvel, accusation, or testing.
1) Marvel which leads to repentance, salvation, and worship at God’s goodness and power.
2) Reject the miracle as demonic leading to a hard heart.
3) Testing of God by asking for a ‘sign from heaven’ when Jesus’ presence is the sign from heaven.
Unity matters. Satan will attack the churches unity so we must be aware of it and fight to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Neutrality regarding Jesus’ divinity and mission is not an option.
Deliverance MUST be followed with discipleship.
“There is no discipleship without deliverance, and there is no deliverance without discipleship” - Dr. Leo Lawson
There is no spiritual vacuum or 'emptying your mind'. It will be filled by something, so fill it with God's Word and Spirit as a disciple.
We must go from a ‘believer’ to a ‘disciple’ to experience the increase of his kingdom on earth.
Cleansed by Jesus (Luke 11:37-54)
Jesus came to shed his blood because it’s the only work that can make us truly clean on the inside and eternally blessed.
“While Jesus[a] was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”
45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”
53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.”
We need to be made clean on the inside.
An evil generation focuses on behavior modification (cleansing the outside of the cup and dish) rather than being clean on the inside where God sees, judges, and blesses.
Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God, would go to the cross for our deliverance from sin, cleansing our hearts, and would be resurrected 3 days later as a final and ultimate sign to overcome one's unbelief granting them repentance and faith and giving them a new clean heart averting God’s wrath and securing his promises.
Once born again we must let the light of Christ shine brightly without compromise including syncretism to religious and cultural traditions.
We are called to obey all that Jesus commands and teach others to obey what HE alone commands. We must become disciples of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit who make disciples.
Questions
Have you been born again, cleansed on the inside through Jesus’ shed blood for you?
Have you become a disciple set on obeying Jesus?
Do you need deliverance from 'habits' or mindsets that keep you from doing what Jesus wants you to do?
Do you want to walk in signs and wonders that point your generation to the resurrected Christ?
Pray
Our Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your one and only Son Jesus Christ to reveal yourself and your Kingdom! Search me and know me that I may be cleansed by you. Teach me to pray your will, do your will, and abide in Christ. Use me in my generation to bring your Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name, amen.
Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher