Luke 18:1-17 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Always Pray and Not Give Up
Comments for Study 31

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Memory Verse: 18:1
Questions
Outline
A MAP OF JESUS' LATER MINISTRY TRAVELS
A MAP OF GALILEE
A MAP OF PALESTINE IN JESUS' TIME
A CHART COMPARING JESUS' PARABLES

I. Persistent Prayers (1-8)

Jesus' Late-Ministry Travels

>1. To whom did Jesus tell this parable?

* Luke 18:1 "Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."

* "Then Jesus told his disciples"

* "a parable"

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>What did Jesus intend to teach them?

* "to show them that they should always pray and not give up"

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>Why?

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>2. What kind of person was the judge in the parable?

* Luke 18:2 "He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men."

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>In what respect does he contrast with the image of a good shepherd? (John 10:11, 14-15)

* John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

* John 10:14-15 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me-- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep."

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>3. What was the request of the widow in the parable?

* Luke 18:3 "And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.'"

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>What characterized the attitude of her supplication to him?

* "who kept coming to him with the plea"

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>What would be the difficulty in her continually coming to the bad judge?

* "a widow"

* "in that town"

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>4. What made the judge relent and finally grant what she asked for?

* Luke 18:4-5 "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"

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>What role did the incessant appeals of the widow play in bringing about justice in an environment where justice didn't come easily?

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>5. How is God's attitude toward his people different from that of the unjust judge?

* Luke 18:6-8a "And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly."

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>Why does it give such a powerful effect when God's people cry out to him day and night?

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>6. Why can only faithful people pray like this?

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>Why is it necessary for God's people to pray like this widow in the parable?

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>7. What surprising thing will Jesus find when he comes again? (8b)

* Luke 18:8b "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

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>What does this parable teach us about prayer?

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II. Humble Prayer (9-14)

>8. To whom did Jesus address this parable?

* Luke 18:9 "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:"

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>9. Who were the two men praying in the temple?

* Luke 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."

* "a Pharisee"

* "a tax collector"

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>What were the respective social positions and reputations of each of them?

* "a Pharisee"

* "a tax collector"

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>10. How did the Pharisee pray and what was wrong with his prayer?

* Luke 18:11-12 "The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'"

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>What was the attitude and prayer topic of the tax-collector?

* Luke 18:13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'"

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>11. What was God's response to the prayer of each?

* Luke 18:14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

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>What can you learn about the character of God throughout this parable?

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>What can you learn here about prayer?

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III. Like a Little Child (15-19)

>12. Why did the people bring babies to Jesus?

* Luke 18:15 "People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them."

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>Why did the disciples rebuke them?

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>13. How did Jesus welcome them?

* Luke 18:16 "But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

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>What lesson did Jesus teach his disciples through accepting them?

* Luke 18:17 "I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

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>In what respect do the widow and the tax-collector in the parables have childlike characters?

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