Second Presbyterian Church

"Two Parables on Prayer
Preaching From the Gospel of Luke"
June 12, 2005

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Sermons Homepage » Sermons for 2005 » Sermons for June 2005 » Sermons from the Series on Luke

#54 in the Series on Luke
The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.

• I Chronicles 4: 0-10
• Luke 18: 1-14

Our lesson this morning has two parables on prayer. The first parable, about the widow and the unjust judge, has to do with praying with persistence. It was very common to lose heart in the early Christian community when they were being persecuted by the Roman Empire. Sometimes the Christians would hide out in the tombs, or catacombs around Rome. Sometimes they would meet secretly. Often these early believers were caught, arrested, tortured and killed. When we stop to consider the condition in which these early Christians had to practice their faith it's very easy and understandable why many Christians were losing heart during those tough times. It is not surprising that Luke would use parables, such as this one, to shore up their waning faith.

Today when we talk about prayer, when we talk about what it is like to lose heart we talk about praying for a suffering relative. We talk about praying for someone who could use a real break in his/her distress. I am sure that many of you have prayed the prayer that seems to never be answered, not even with a "no."

One needs to be a little cautious about comparing the unjust judge to God. The comparison is minimal. It is only meant to point out that God is so much more gracious and caring, therefore we are to be encouraged in our suffering and to trust in God's speedy and generous answer to our needs. The Lord knows our needs. He knows when the best timing is to directly respond to these needs. Can we trust that? Can we accept that? Can we continue to pray for (whatever we need to pray for) with the persistence that demonstrates faith and trust in our Lord? We demonstrate our faith in God when we pray continually. If we quit praying, we quit expressing our faith in God. So, we are to pray persistently.

Now, the second parable consists of two characters: the Pharisee and the tax collector. It is very easy for us to rush to the end of this parable and judge the Pharisee as arrogant and pompous. And it is very easy for us to root for the underdog, the tax collector, and say "hurrah" when he is the one who is justified (e.g. he is the one who beats the Pharisee.).

Frankly, the tax collector is someone who was understandably despised. He worked for the oppressors, Roman Empire. He collected the taxes for Rome. He would often extort money from those who were required to pay him. Tax collectors were usually quite rich. Because of his close association with the despised Gentiles, the tax collector was usually ritually unclean. What that meant was that he could not worship beyond the Gentile court of the temple. Almost all the upright people, the decent people would avoid tax collectors as if they had leprosy.

The Pharisee was different. He was a pillar of the community. He was a pillar of the synagogue. He strove to obey the laws of the land and he strove to obey the Laws of the Torah. He tithed his income. He fasted twice a week. He had the personal discipline required to be an upright and outstanding citizen. He was a "mover and shaker." And he was grateful! He was grateful that he had the discipline to uphold the Torah. He was grateful that he had the will power to fast and tithe and to make sure that he didn't do anything that we wasn't supposed to do. He was grateful that he was such a righteous man.

My point is this: we miss out of the power of this parable when we just lump the Pharisee in the "bad guy" category that is in opposition to the tax collector who is in the "poor, oppressed, or underdog" position.

Again, we have one of Luke's great "reversals." The one who is justified is the one who beats his chest and confesses how sinful he is, so sinful that he dare not look up toward heaven. The one whom the crowds expected to be justified, the Pharisee, was not. The point is simple: grace. It is by the grace of God that we are justified. And we can experience God's grace when we come clean and "fess up." We do not; we will not ever experience God's grace by praying to God and telling him how grateful we are for being such good Christians!

So the point for us is clear, when it comes to prayer: Pray with persistence, pray with humility. Persistence in prayer requires and demonstrates faith. (If we lose heart and quit praying, we have expressed our lack of faith). To pray humbly, to pray with humility, is to confess our shortcomings to God. We confess the fact that our justification comes from the grace of Christ and not by our piety or good works.

To conclude: not only are we called to pray persistently and with humility, but this prepares us to hear the next passage, of receiving the Kingdom of God like little children. Amen.

The Rev. Daniel E. Hale, D. Min.