Pray with shameless audacity (Luke 11b)

Pray with shameless audacity

Luke 11:5-13*

Key Verse 9

Last week we learned what to pray. We are to pray that God may be honored and glorified, His kingdom may come, and His will may be done. We are to pray that God may forgive our sin as we forgive others. Also we are to pray that we may not be tempted but be delivered from evil.

Today’s passage is about how to pray. Jesus taught his disciples to pray with shameless audacity. I pray that we may also come to know what it means to pray in this way .

1.            We approach God in prayer with our own credit. (5-7)

In order to teach his disciples how to pray, Jesus gave them a hypothetical situation in which each of them had to figure out what to do  if they were faced with this particular scenario.

V5-6.

In order to understand this story, let’s assume that Jesus was talking to Peter. Late one  night, a dear friend of Peter’s arrived at his house. This friend had had a long journey and was extremely hungry because he had not had time to eat. Immediately, Peter realized that this friend needed food. But when he looked into his refrigerator, there was nothing to eat, not even a single piece of bread. He did not know what to do. After much thought over what to do, Peter got an idea. He knew of a man living a few houses down the road who was rich and generous. Peter was sure that he could get some food from this neighbor friend, so he went to his house and knocked on the door. It was about midnight.  While he knocked, Peter called out loudly, “Friend, can you give me few pieces of bread?” When he did not get an answer, he knocked more and shouted  again, but there was silence. After shouting and knocking for over 20 minutes, finally an answer came.

V7.

Peter and this neighbor were good friends. They may have played tennis once in a while,  had dinners together a few times, and exchanged Christmas gifts. Among his few friends, this neighbor was the only one that might have enough food and  be willing to share it. But Peter had never asked for anything like this before. For the first time, based on their friendship, he thought his neighbor would get up and give him a few pieces of bread, but it was too late at night and the neighbor did not want to be bothered for a few pieces of bread. After receiving such a cold response, Peter thought that he was asking too much of so little a friendship. He even thought that this neighbor friend might think that he was crazy for asking for bread at such odd hours.

Peter cared for his dear friend, who had come to visit him, so much that he even bothered  to ask  one of his neighbors for a few pieces of bread, but  these efforts did not yield a good outcome. Peter wanted to do anything for his friend but even  the best of his efforts resulted in empty hands. Peter was disappointed, but he did not have any other choice but to return and  let his dear friend suffer hunger through the night.

Nobody gets anything for free. You have to earn your credit and if you come out and ask for something, you must be better, worthy of what you are asking. We live in such a way and as we pray, we bring the same thinking to our concepts about God as well.

Contrary to Peter’s thoughts, Jesus had an excellent suggestion:

2.            We are to pray with shameless audacity (8)

According to Jesus, Peter’s friendship with this neighbor went only so far. It ended at midnight when  his family went to sleep. As far as his friendship went, Peter could not make any further demands. But if he had found favor with his neighbor  in the past, then it would have been no problem for them to get up, even in the middle of the night. But Peter had very little credit with this man since he had only a limited friendship with him in the past. Peter had never done any great favors for this man or  lent any money to him.

But here Jesus suggests that if Peter could make his demands with shameless audacity, this neighbor friend would surely get up and give him as much as he needed. Jesus was suggesting  that Peter stayed at this man’s door, shouting and knocking at his door, until he would come out to give him what he needed.

The problem is that no one wants to do such crazy things. No one in their right mind would do such a thing. To all, such thing were  unreasonable, irrational, and a violation of basic human ethics and civility. How could Peter do this?

In order to do so such a thing,  Peter first had to throw away his pride,  reason, conscientiousness, and civility as a man of integrity. Second, he needed to understand that his starving friend was far more important than his own thinking,  pride, reason, and conscientiousness.  Third, he needed to believe that this neighbor was kind enough to eventually get up and give him food.

Who was this neighbor friend that had riches that Peter visited in the middle of the night? Actually, he represents  God’s position in regards to our prayers. Jesus is the Son of God and he knew what his Father had in mind. So he suggested to Peter this great truth about praying to God.

Even though Peter did not have any significant credit to demand food in the middle of the night, Jesus  suggested that he demand ‘a credit’ that he never had, to thoroughly depend on the grace and mercy of this man.

This prayer, made with shameless audacity, is an expression of  utter dependence on God’s mercy and grace. In the past, God had punished  His people Israel for what they had done. But He began  something new  with Jesus’ coming.  God wrote a blank check for those who believe in Jesus. As Jesus was leaving, he said this to his disciples:

John 16:24-27 “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete… In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God”.

He also said this:

John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father”.

We have credit from God in Jesus’ account; this credit is not ours but Jesus’. It is unlimited. This credit was earned through Jesus’ suffering and death, his obedience. Jesus has given all of that credit to us. So we have a blank check; whatever we write on it, we can get it. God is eager to give it to us! It sounds unreal, but it is true.

Peter felt that he had very limited credit from his neighbor, so he was about to turn back. Likewise, as long as we rely on the credit that we have earned, we can only ask so much, but when we believe that we have unlimited credit in Christ, we can ask with shameless audacity! Since this does not depend on my own credit, it doesn’t matter how bad I  have been before God. What matters is now; do you ask God while relying on your own credit or depending on His mercy and grace?

The best example of praying with shameless audacity is in Abraham’s prayer: Abraham came to know that God would destroy the city of Sodom because of their wickedness. So in order to save his nephew Lot who lived in Sodom, he prayed to God that if there were fifty righteous men in that city, God would not destroy the city. God heard his prayer. But when Abraham came to realize that there wouldn’t be fifty righteous men in the city, he pleaded with God in this way:

Genesis 18:27-28 “Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,  what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."”

Had Abraham done anything for God that he could make such a request? Nothing! But in his concern for his nephew, he asked God to reduce the number of righteous men from 50 to 45 in the city of Sodom. He knew what he was before God and said,  “I am nothing but dust and ashes” (Gen 18:27). He understood that he had no credit to demand anything of God. He was totally depending on God’s mercy. This is  praying with shameless audacity. How could he dare to ask God to change His mind or his plan? Abraham asked God five times! He eventually reduced the number of righteous people to ten. God heard and accepted Abraham’s prayer!

3.            How does praying with shameless audacity express itself? (9-10)

V9

Asking with shameless audacity includes a triple force of action as we have seen in this story; we can take these three actions as an emphasis on the same action, but I believe that each has its own significance. Why are these three actions included in prayer? These three actions make up the totality of our search for God’s truth or ultimate purpose in our lives, i.e. seeking the kingdom of God. So in this regard, prayer is not just what we do as we kneel  and utter our words to God; prayer is inclusive of all actions that search for the meaning of life or for God’s will and the fulfillment of that goal.

It becomes obvious as we look at this story: First he pondered  his choices, then he went to his neighbor friend, and finally, he knocked on his friend’s door, asking for three pieces of bread. Likewise, praying with shameless audacity includes three actions: asking, seeking, and knocking. When we ask, we should do so with shameless audacity. When we seek, we should do so with shameless audacity. When we knock, we should do so with shameless audacity. In v9, three action verbs are emphasized. If one ‘asks’, he will receive. If one ‘seeks’, he will find, and when one ‘knocks’, the door will be opened for him. These three actions are essential steps to receiving what we pray for.

As Jesus said, when one demands something with  shameless audacity, there will surely be a response. It is certain; it is not maybe,  probably, or perhaps. Demanding with  shameless audacity would surely bring a result from this man. If our ultimate goal is to receive, then this is the way to go. So, each of these actions is important in order to receive.

If we put more exactness on these three:

“Ask” is an invitation to pray to God. This is prayer in a pure sense, how we pray. Here we ask God to give us many things; the primary source of this need is from ourselves.

Second is to seek. Seeking is to search out what and where God’s will is. God may reveal His will and  purpose for our lives.

Third  is knocking. Knocking is actively pursuing access through the door that separates us from God. As the door opens, the encounter takes place. We are pleading with God to open His life to us so that He may come in to us and we may go in His world and be one with Him. This is the ultimate joy and blessing that we can taste.  

V10

This verse seems similar to v9. It is a repetition and an emphasis on this verse. Here the emphasis is on the person who acts in these three ways. Everyone who asks will receive, the one who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to the one who knocks. Only those who  act will be rewarded. What does this mean for us? When we ask, seek, and knock, we are fully assured of receiving what we ask for. If not, nothing is sure! So our lives should be full of, asking, seeking, and knocking, Godward demands made with shameless audacity.

What is your prayer now? Go, ask, seek, and knock!

Earlier, Jesus suggested through this parable that Peter ask his neighbor with shameless audacity. Here this neighbor   represented God in our prayer. In the last part of this teaching, Jesus gives us understanding of who it is to whom we pray. Ultimately, it is God who hears our prayers and gives us what we ask for.

4.            God our Father has the best gift for us and is ready to give it to us regardless (11-13).

V11-12

As Jesus said, no father would give his son a snake, instead of a fish. No father would give his son a scorpion, instead of eggs. This is a strong denial of the thought that such thing is likely. Who would think such things? Why such foolish thoughts?

This short story reflects the real fear and doubt that exists in the depths of men’s hearts as they approach  God. For this reason, we have had very little interaction with God. He is a  distant  stranger to us. In addition, we know how sinful we are and that God does not tolerate any sin! We know how far short we fall before God Almighty and His holiness. Simply put, as sinners, we  have little or no credit before God that would warrant His  blessing. So whenever we approach Him, we lose our courage and  know that we are not  worthy of demanding or even receiving His blessing.

Jesus exposed this reality in these two examples of earthly fathers. This is expressed in the fear of receiving a snake or scorpion instead of eggs or fish. It is repeated and denied twice. If evil fathers give good gifts to their children, how much more will the heavenly Father do the same! Such fear is totally unfounded and even nonsense. It is rooted in  unbelief towards God’s grace and mercy.

Why?

God is our Father and we are His children. A father’s good will for his children is tightly bound up in their blood relationship. This relationship cannot be severed or altered by any weakness or sin in his children.

John 20:17 “Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

God has become our Father  through adoption in Christ.

Ephesians 1:5 “he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will”.

This is established by Jesus’ blood and cannot be altered or severed. Isn’t it amazing that God is bound to His father-ship toward us, even though we are not  godly!

When Jesus suggested his disciples  pray with shameless audacity, he meant that God was ready to give us whatever we ask for, no matter how little credit we have. We have to come to Him with full dependence on His mercy and grace. We do not need any credit of our own. No matter how bad we are, or how ungodly we have been, we must come and ask with shameless audacity because our Father God is ready and eager to give His children what they need!

 “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

So God’s gifts are always good and better than anything that we can get in this world. In other words, God is far more merciful and graceful to his children than we think He is. Since He has the best for us, we must come before Him with shameless audacity! This is a new beginning. His people, Israel, could never have done this; however, through Christ, He bought us as His children and made His unbridled blessing available to  us.

Among all gifts, the Holy Spirit is the best one for us.

John 14:15-17 "If you love me, keep my commands.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”.

Through prayer, we encounter with the Holy Spirit. We come to know of His assistance as our advocate. We come to know the truth through His revelation, enabling us to discern what the truth is. He is like our personal trainer in God’s will. He is the best gift for us.

Conclusion:

God decided to give His own Son as a sign of His love for His children. He knows that we do not have any credit before Him. When we realize and accept this, the things we can do! Jesus said we should ask with shameless audacity with total dependence on God’s grace and mercy!  When someone  approaches God without shameless audacity, it means that he feels worthy of His blessing. Such an attitude is arrogance towards God our Father and He will not reward such men.

Our Father is pleased to give us whatever we ask. He will never give us a scorpion or a snake! The gift that He gives us is the best we could ever receive - the Holy Spirit.

We are to ask, seek and knock with shameless audacity, with total dependence on God’s grace and mercy! Nothing else!