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Study No.8 : The Basis for Prayer : Luke 11:1-4

 

A. Find Out:    

     

1. What was Jesus doing? v.1a

2. What did this prompt his disciples to ask? v.1b

3. What did he teach them to declare first of all? v.2

4. What should they ask for daily? v.3

5. What should they ask God to do? v.4a

6. What should they also ask Him to do? v.4b

 

B. Think:

1. What does this passage say about example?

2. How does it show that prayer should come out of relationship?

3. What 3 aspects of prayer are then covered?

C. Comment:

     Luke's recounting of what we often call “The Lord's Prayer” is a shorter version than Matthew's although in the notes at the bottom of your page you will see there are various alternatives. Perhaps Luke is giving us a summary, in which case it is important to note the things he has included.

    To start, note that the request for teaching comes out of observing Jesus' example. Next observe the contents of this basic outline for prayer. First it is acknowledging God as Father. Prayer best comes out of a relationship. But it also recognises that God is the Holy One who is utterly different. This calls for a respectful attitude in the relationship. The reference to God's kingdom as Luke puts it, could either be a request – “May your kingdom come” – or simply a declaration – “Your kingdom is coming”, it depends on your faith level!

    Next we see the things Jesus includes as things to be asked for. First there is request for daily provision. In a day when we take for granted the tremendous variety of food on the supermarket shelves, it is good to remind ourselves that it is only by the grace and goodness of God that we have these things. Next comes a reminder of our frailty, our need of forgiveness when we fail, and finally a cry to keep us from falling. Each of these things remind us of our need of our relationship with the Lord

 

D. Application:

1. Relationship in Prayer

•  Do my prayers come out of my relationship with the Lord? Is His love for me and my love for Him, the foundation of my praying?

2. Awareness of Need

•   Am I aware of my daily needs of natural provision, of forgiveness, and protection, that generate an awareness of my need for reliance upon Him?

 

Study No.9 : Be Confident as you Pray : Luke 11:5-13

A. Find Out:    

     

1. What does Jesus tell them to imagine? v.5,6

2. What might be the response? v.7

3. Yet why will the man respond? v.8

4. So what principle does Jesus lay down? v.9,10

5. What illustration of a parent does Jesus then give? v.11,12

6. How does he apply that? v.13

 

B. Think:

1. What is the point of the illustration in v.5-8?

2. What is the point of what he says in v.9 & 10?

3. What is the point of his illustration in v.11-13?

C. Comment:

     Jesus has just given an outline of the sort of things to pray for and now he gives encouragement to pray and keep on praying. Let's observe first the two sets of illustrations he gives.

      Illustration 1: Be bold in your praying! In this first illustration he imagines one of them going to a friend in the middle of the night asking for a favour. The crucial thing in this is that it is the middle of the night and naturally the one they go to is not likely to be very helpful, yet simply because they are bold in their asking, the man will give. So, says Jesus, be bold in your asking of God.

     Illustration 2: Trust in your asking! He asks them to imagine their responses to their children. If their children come hungry they are not going to give them inappropriate things in response. No, he says, in the same way your Father in heaven will only give you the best,   and that is His own Holy Spirit when you ask for him.

     Now between the two illustrations is a basic principle which loses some of its impact because we cannot see the tense of the various verbs. In the original they are ongoing so it is “Ask and go on asking , seek and go on seeking,  knock and go on knocking ”. The power here is in the “go on” element. Don't be put off, but persevere in prayer is his instruction to them.

 

D. Application:

1. Bold in Prayer?

•  Am I able to be bold in asking for what I am sure is right? Does my security in the Lord's love for me enable me to come like this?

2. Giving Up?

•  Have I learnt to persevere and keep on until I get what I'm sure is right?

 

Study No.10 : Who Drives Out Demons? : Luke 11:14-20

  

   

A. Find Out:

         

1. What did Jesus do? v.14

2. How did some say he was doing this? v.15

3. What principle did Jesus declare to refute this? v.17

4. How did he then apply it? v.18

5. What question did he ask of them? v.19

6. What conclusion did he challenge them with? v.20

 

B. Think:

1. How were some of the watchers being critical?

2. Why were their suggestions unthinking?

3. What are really the only two possibilities here?

C. Comment:

     Continuing to press us with spiritual realities, Luke now recounts an incident that nudges us to consider the authority behind what Jesus was doing. On this occasion Jesus was driving out a demon. Apparently it was quite obvious what was happening because the demon had silenced this man and Jesus releases him so that he can speak. The Jews have no question that a demon has been cast out, but what they query is how Jesus did it.

     Some of them, unthinkingly, claim that Satan has been giving Jesus this power, that he came from the devil and was doing the devil's work – that is basically what they are saying! (Beelzebub was just another name that the Jews used for Satan, as the following verses show). Jesus' response to them is basically, “Think about it guys, is Satan likely to pull down his own kingdom? Is Satan likely to drive out one of his own minions? No way!”

     Then he prods back at them – so who are your people guided by when they cast out demons? He knows their answer will be God. That is the only alternative answer. OK, says Jesus, now we've ruled out Satan, that only leaves God doing this work, so please recognise God at work in my ministry! When demons are cast out, this is the kingdom or rule of God coming into your midst. Acknowledge it!

 

D. Application:

1. What do I feel about deliverance?

•  Do I recognise that deliverance ministry is a work of God, and still operates today?

2. What is deliverance?

•  Deliverance is the rule of God releasing people from darkness where they have been held prisoner by demons.  Have I ever seen this ministry and the wonder of this experience?

Study No.11 : The Need of a Strong Occupier : Luke 11:21-26

   

A. Find Out:

           

1. When did Jesus say a man's possessions are safe? v.21

2. When are his things taken? v.22

3. What principle did Jesus then state? v.23

4. What does an evil spirit do when it comes out of someone? v.24

5. What does it find when it comes back? v.25

6. So what do they do, with what result? v.26

 

B. Think:

1. What had Jesus previously been speaking about?

2. How does the analogy of v.21,22 flow on?

3. How does Jesus then explain the analogy in v.24-26?

C. Comment:

     The subject of demon possession had come up because Jesus had just cast a demon out of a man and then had to defend himself against the negative Jews. He takes the opportunity now to teach on the subject with a hidden powerful message.

      First of all he gives a simple human analogy: a strong man guarding his house. Most of the time, he implies, this man is safe, safe that is until someone stronger comes along! That's the summary of these two verses. Very simple, very obvious.

     In verses 24 to 26 he then tells what actually happens in the case of deliverance ministry if the person delivered doesn't take appropriate precautions. The cast out demon is a living spirit and it looks for somewhere to rest. It looks for someone who has given their life over to the enemy by rejecting God (no, that's not there, but that's what happens). If it doesn't find someone it thinks of returning to the person it left. When it goes back, it finds that the man has cleaned up his life and isn't so easy to re-inhabit, so it goes and finds other evil spirits and together they wage warfare on this person until they take possession of him and his latter state is worse than the former.

       So what is the implication? It is that there must be an occupier who is stronger than ANY demons. Who is that?   Jesus himself!   Hence verse 23.  So what is he saying? It's not just enough for a person to be delivered from Satan, they must receive Jesus into their life to be the redigning, occupying Lord.

 

D. Application:

1. From where to what?

•   Delivering a person is not enough; they must let Jesus in. Let's not be content to deliver people from darkness, they must be delivered into Jesus kingdom (Col 1:13)

2. Access for the enemy?

•  Strong demonic attack comes when a life is not surrendered to God and when it is given over to the enemy through occult means. Ensure your life is clean of such things.

Study No.12 : A Generation Condemned  : Luke 11:27-32

   

A. Find Out:

         

1. Who did a woman say was blessed? v.27

2. But who did Jesus say was blessed? v.28

3. What did Jesus say about that generation? v.29a

4. What did he say would be given it? v.29b,30

5. Who will condemn them and why? v.31

6. Who else will condemn this generation and why? v.32

 

B. Think:

1. Read Jonah 1:17 & 3:1-10 & 2 Chron 9:1-9

2. Why was Jesus deriding the present generation?

3. What was the point of his illustrations?

C. Comment:

      In verse 16 some had been asking for a sign from God to verify who Jesus was – just after he had delivered a mute demoniac. They were grumbling against him and not rejoicing in the things that were happening. He has moved from the north down to the area around Jerusalem (see 9:51, 10:38) so he's in the area that has a history with God, a city where the Temple of God was, a place where you would expect faith, but instead there was grumbling unbelief.

      "You want a sign?" implies Jesus, "well if you can't see all the miracles I'm doing, all you're going to be left with is the sign of a man who was dead for 3 days and who came back from the dead" – that was Jonah. What can this be other than a clear reference to his coming death and resurrection?

     Then he derides their unbelief: on the day of judgement, the Queen of Sheba will rise up as a condemnation against you – she, a Gentile, heard what was happening in Solomon's reign and came looking. Here there is something much more wonderful and you can't see it! The people of Nineveh will stand against you as well on that day, for when they saw Jonah and heard his message they repented – but all you do is moan and remain in your unbelief.

     These examples show up this present generation for what it is – an unbelieving, non-seeking, grumbling bunch who are missing the wonder before them!

 

D. Application:

1. Sign Seeking?

•  Is our faith so weak we demand signs foolishly? God does give signs to confirm our commitment of faith, but He wants that to come first.

2. Complacent?

•  Do we appreciate the wonder of the salvation that is ours? Have we become compalcent over the wonder of what God has done for us and in us? Ask Him to open your eyes afresh to this.

  

Study No.13 : The Lit-Up Body  : Luke 11:33-36

A. Find Out:

           

1. What doesn't and does someone do with a lamp? v.33

2. How does Jesus describe our eye? v.34a

3. What happens when the eye is good, and then bad? v.34b,c

4. What instruction does Jesus then give? v.35

5. What does he conclude about the body? v.36

 

B. Think:

1. How does the human body depend on the eyes?

2. How do you think “light” is used in a spiritual sense?

3. So what is the point of what Jesus is saying here?

C. Comment:

     To catch the meaning here we have to take the passage slowly, verse by verse. Jesus starts this passage repeating what he said in 8:16 with an obvious statement, that if you have a lamp you put it where it can be seen and where it will shed light. Jesus has just been speaking about how past people responded to the revelation that came to them. Surely the implication must be that he is, or is bringing, the spiritual light that the world needs and he's out in the open to be seen by those who have eyes to see.

     But then he pivots the teaching to talk about the quality or state of our eyes. He says your eyes are like a lamp that lets light into your body to tell the body what is happening so the body can respond. If you can't see, you are in darkness. But the way he uses this language, it seems to hint that he's speaking of more than natural light, but instead spiritual light. Spiritual light came with his illustrations from history, and he's bringing spiritual light now, but are their “eyes” (heart, perhaps) open to receive it?

     His enigmatic challenge of verse 35 is likely to mean, if you think you have revelation and understanding, make sure that it is truly spiritual insight from heaven, otherwise you're still in darkness. If the light from heaven (himself and his revelation) is truly received and is allowed to shine in to a person's life, then it will transform that life completely, as our vision is when a bright light shines naturally.

 

D. Application:

1. Transformed?

•  Has the revelation of Jesus completely transformed us? He is light and wants to shine into every corner of our lives dispelling any darkness (wrong).

2. Openness

•  Have we opened our hearts fully to him? His light cannot fully shine into every corner uless we invite him to do that.

Study No.14 : Careless Cleaners!   : Luke 11:37-42

A. Find Out:

          

1. What happened to Jesus next? v.37

2. What did the Pharisee notice? v.38

3. What did Jesus say about the Pharisees? v.39

4. What did he point out to them? v.40

5. What did he then instruct? v.41

6. What did he say they did? v.42

 

B. Think:

1. What was the Pharisee's concern?

2. What, basically, did Jesus say they should be more concerned about?

3. How did he then illustrate that?

C. Comment:

     Remember that Jesus has just been scolding the present generation for its lack of faith. A Pharisee now invites him to come in for a meal. Why? We're not told. Perhaps he was looking for an opportunity to collect more evidence against Jesus. But Jesus accepts. Why? Possibly because he knows what is coming and wants to take the opportunity to speak the truth and build up more opposition to provoke the Cross.  He does not wash his hands.  He will know the Pharisee will object and he's going to speak out of that.

    Now the Pharisees were a semi-religious sect that was concerned to uphold every minute detail of the Law but had lost the meaning of it all. They are about to get some correction!

     Jesus saw what this Pharisee was feeling about him not washing his hands first, and lays into them.  Look, he says, you focus on getting the outside clean but you don't care about what you're like on the inside, so you wash yourselves on the outside but are full of greed and wrong thinking on the inside.  You're trying to please God by your outward cleansing, which didn't make the inside clean as well, but God is just as concerned about what goes on inside you! Start being givers (v.41) and you'll start changing. You think you give because of your tithing practices but you don't give concern for the poor and needy and for God.   You've got it all wrong! What a condemnation for these people who thought they were so good spiritually!

 

D. Application:

1. Appearance or reality?

•  Do we make the mistake of worrying only about appearances while ignoring our real state, what we're like on the inside?

2. Heart condition?

•   Jesus is more concerned for the state of your heart.   How is it? Really?

 

Study No.15 : Pharisees & Scribes Chastised :  Luke 11:42-54

A. Find Out:

          

1. What was the first thing Jesus said the Pharisees did wrong? v.42

2. What was the second thing he said they did wrong? v.43

3. What did he say they were like? v.44

4. Who next came under his fire and why? v.45,46

5. Why next did he deride them? v.47-51

6. Why finally does he chastise them? v.52

7. What effect did this have on them? v.53,54

 

B. Think:

1. Sum up Jesus' complaints against the Pharisees.

2. Sum up his complaints against the Scribes.

C. Comment:

     First a Pharisee, then a Scribe brought themselves to Jesus' attention and he spares neither. Both groups were concerned with the Law but Jesus said both missed the point.

  

    The Pharisees: As we saw previously he scolds them for apparently keeping the minutiae of the Law (tithing herbs) but missing the big issues (justice and love of God). He says they are characterised by pride (v.43),  believing themselves to be the nation's spiritual guardians, while all the time they are full of spiritual death (v.44).

      Then the Scribes: in their efforts to reveal the full force of the Law, the Scribes had broken it down into tiny details for daily living that were actually impossible to live by (v.46). Thus they have actually hindered people having a relationship with God because the ‘religious thing' had become impossible for the ordinary man (v.52).  Also they tried to make out that the nation's history with God was very important and so built tombs and memorials to the men of the past – the prophets, but all that did was remind the nation that the people of the past had killed many of God's prophets and rejected them. So it still is, he says, and so this present generation will be held accountable for all this.

     In all this Jesus speaks forcibly against man-made religion that exalts itself while at the same time hindering ordinary people coming to God.

 

D. Application:

1. Missing the point?

•  Do we sometimes miss the point with our religious practices? Be honest, why do we do some of the things we do as Christians?

2. A foundation of Love

•   Is practical, expressive love for God the top of our agenda? Is God's love in us and through us and for us, at the very heart of all that we are and do?

RECAP No.2  "Spiritual Realities"  Luke 11

    

SUMMARY :  

      

In this second group of 8 studies we have seen Jesus :

- teaching on prayer

- driving out a mute demon

- teaching on the need to maintain deliverance

- warning that no sign than that of Jonah would be given

- teaching about light in the body

- denouncing the Pharisees and Scribes

 

COMMENT :

      This is a chapter of conflict and teaching. The conflict came from those who questioned his authority casting out demons, and then from a Pharisee and a Scribe, and then at the end by the Pharisees and Scribes as groups because they did not like his teaching.

        His teaching really comes in three groups: to his disciples (v.1-13), to the crowds generally (v.14-36), and against the Pharisees and Scribes (v.37-54). The content of the teaching is about Prayer, Demon Possession, judgement on the present generation, the need for inner goodness, and the falseness of the religious elites.

 

LESSONS?

1. My reliance upon my heavenly Father will be seen in daily prayer.

2. Persistent prayer reveals the level of my faith.

3. I need to keep my life full of Jesus.

4. Faith means believing without great signs.

5. I need to be careful what I watch and what goes into me.

6. Jesus calls me to be true, honest, real and compassionate.

 

PRAY :

     Ask the Lord to fill you afresh with His Holy Spirit, to be a fuller expression of Jesus, full of grace and truth.

 

PART 3: "Be Wise and Watchful"

       In this next Part, Jesus continues teaching, first his disciples, then to the crowd, and then to his disciples, and finally to the crowd again. The nature of this teaching is a combination of encouragements and warnings. Our call therefore is to be wise and watchful.