Luke 11:5-13
Would you consider someone a friend that refused to help you in your time of need? Would you consider someone a friend that did not honor and respect your time with your family and they annoyed and pressured you even when you made it clear that you weren’t interested? If you answered, “Not much of a friend”, then you are on the same page with Jesus in this story of the importunate friend.
Jesus is giving His doctrine on prayer in response to His disciple’s request to teach them how to pray. Having just shared what we commonly call “The Lord’s Prayer”, He moves on to the attitude that believers should have when they pray. Jesus asks a question, placing the disciple and the reader into the story, forcing us to come to a decision as to whether or not we would consider the following person to be much of a friend. If we asked for food for a guest of ours but our friend yelled from within his house that he was sleeping and didn’t have time for us, would we consider him a friend? Finally, the man rises and gives him food, not “because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity” (Luke 11:8).
The word “importunity” is a bit archaic. It means “shamelessness” in the Greek. The man inside did not give his neighbor food because they were friends, but because the man knocking had no shame. Both men are examples of poor friends; one won’t rise to help the other while the one won’t get the hint that his neighbor doesn’t want to be bothered!
Jesus shifts gears in verse 9, “And I say unto you…” as He now shows us how we should ask of the Father. We simply “Ask…seek…knock…for every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10). With man you must beg and plead; but with God you simply ask and He gives. You simply seek and you find. You simply knock and He opens up revelations and blessings to you.
To use the preceding story as an example of how we should ask for things from the Lord is to assume that He is not our friend, for the text clearly states that the man inside the house doesn’t answer the door out of friendship (Luke 11:8). In Christ, we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). By begging and pleading for things, blessings, miracles, etc, we are making God out to be a stranger that must be coerced. Come on believer!
Even though we are not as loving and concerned as our heavenly Father, even we know how to give good gifts to our children, for we love them very much. Jesus asks three different questions, each with deep spiritual meaning, as to how we give to our own. He considers us His very own so keep that in mind as you notice the objects that He inserts:
“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?” (Luke 11:11) Bread is a type of manna, or fresh provision, thus it is a type of grace while the stone is a type of the Law. Jesus refused to feed off of stones in the wilderness, for there is no provision in the Law. Would God give you Law when what you need is grace?
“If he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?” (Luke 11:11) Fish are a type of blessings, which Jesus proved when He gave Peter a boat-sinking load of fishes, leading him to repentance (Mark 5:4-8). Serpents are a type of the curse which Moses raised onto a pole in the wilderness. Jesus was that serpent on the pole, cursed for all of us (John 3:14; Galatians 3:13). Would God give you a curse when He has promised a blessing?
“If he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (Luke 11:12) The egg speaks of new life, while the scorpion has no other function but to kill, representing death. Would God give you death when you come seeking life?
Believer, be secure in the knowledge that it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). He wants you to have all good things, and He is ready to give them to those that ask (Matthew 7:11).
Would you consider someone a friend that refused to help you in your time of need? Would you consider someone a friend that did not honor and respect your time with your family and they annoyed and pressured you even when you made it clear that you weren’t interested? If you answered, “Not much of a friend”, then you are on the same page with Jesus in this story of the importunate friend.
Jesus is giving His doctrine on prayer in response to His disciple’s request to teach them how to pray. Having just shared what we commonly call “The Lord’s Prayer”, He moves on to the attitude that believers should have when they pray. Jesus asks a question, placing the disciple and the reader into the story, forcing us to come to a decision as to whether or not we would consider the following person to be much of a friend. If we asked for food for a guest of ours but our friend yelled from within his house that he was sleeping and didn’t have time for us, would we consider him a friend? Finally, the man rises and gives him food, not “because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity” (Luke 11:8).
The word “importunity” is a bit archaic. It means “shamelessness” in the Greek. The man inside did not give his neighbor food because they were friends, but because the man knocking had no shame. Both men are examples of poor friends; one won’t rise to help the other while the one won’t get the hint that his neighbor doesn’t want to be bothered!
Jesus shifts gears in verse 9, “And I say unto you…” as He now shows us how we should ask of the Father. We simply “Ask…seek…knock…for every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened” (Luke 11:9, 10). With man you must beg and plead; but with God you simply ask and He gives. You simply seek and you find. You simply knock and He opens up revelations and blessings to you.
To use the preceding story as an example of how we should ask for things from the Lord is to assume that He is not our friend, for the text clearly states that the man inside the house doesn’t answer the door out of friendship (Luke 11:8). In Christ, we have a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). By begging and pleading for things, blessings, miracles, etc, we are making God out to be a stranger that must be coerced. Come on believer!
Even though we are not as loving and concerned as our heavenly Father, even we know how to give good gifts to our children, for we love them very much. Jesus asks three different questions, each with deep spiritual meaning, as to how we give to our own. He considers us His very own so keep that in mind as you notice the objects that He inserts:
“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?” (Luke 11:11) Bread is a type of manna, or fresh provision, thus it is a type of grace while the stone is a type of the Law. Jesus refused to feed off of stones in the wilderness, for there is no provision in the Law. Would God give you Law when what you need is grace?
“If he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?” (Luke 11:11) Fish are a type of blessings, which Jesus proved when He gave Peter a boat-sinking load of fishes, leading him to repentance (Mark 5:4-8). Serpents are a type of the curse which Moses raised onto a pole in the wilderness. Jesus was that serpent on the pole, cursed for all of us (John 3:14; Galatians 3:13). Would God give you a curse when He has promised a blessing?
“If he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? (Luke 11:12) The egg speaks of new life, while the scorpion has no other function but to kill, representing death. Would God give you death when you come seeking life?
Believer, be secure in the knowledge that it is your Father’s pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). He wants you to have all good things, and He is ready to give them to those that ask (Matthew 7:11).
