Luke Part 2 Week 14

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:2-4 

² Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. ³ Give us each day the food we need, 

⁴ and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” 

Although this is often referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer” it is obvious this was not what He needed to pray. He had no sins that needed to be forgiven. The word “temptation” also literally means “testing.” This word was based on the same Greek word seen when Jesus Himself was tested in the desert (see Luke 4). In Jesus’ case there was nothing in Him that caused Him to want to yield, but He knew His followers might yield as He taught them what to pray. 

REFLECT 

Have you grown up saying “The Lord’s Prayer”? Did you know it was not a prayer He needed to pray for Himself? 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading what is actually the Lord’s prayer. This is found in John 17. It is also called “Jesus’ High-Priestly Prayer.” He was pouring out His heart to the heavenly Father in this prayer. He prayed not only for His own followers, but also for those who would believe in Him through their message (John 17:20). 

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:5-6 

⁵ Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ⁶ ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’” 

It is important to see that Jesus was still talking about prayer when He told His disciples this story. It has to do with asking a friend for help at midnight when they had nothing to give a visitor something to eat. The story certainly painted a desperate picture.  

REFLECT 

Have you ever found yourself in a desperate situation when you were surprised by unexpected company? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about your experiences when you received unexpected company. Talking about this will help you in understanding what the disciples are thinking at this point as Jesus begins His story. 

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:7-8 

⁷ “And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ ⁸ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.” 

The homeowner would not grant the request because of friendship. He would, however, because of constant knocking and asking. It depended on the one in need “knocking long enough.” This would bring the help that was needed. Surely the disciples were listening to this story with captivated attention.  

REFLECT 

Had you been with the disciples when Jesus was telling this story, what would you think about this point in His story? 

RESPOND 

Jesus’ story is often called a “parable.” This is based on a combination Greek word of para meaning “alongside” and bolē from the word that means “I throw.” It is a story “thrown alongside” of something to illustrate a point. This would be like an illustration in a sermon to drive home a point more clearly. 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:9-10 

⁹ “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” 

In the Greek language in which Luke was writing, the tenses (time of action) were significant. The words “asking” “seeking” and “knocking” are in the Greek present tense. This referred to continuous action in present time so it can be translated “keep on” in each case. Jesus kept emphasizing the points in His story even with the tenses used in the Greek language.  

REFLECT 

Hopefully you have a mentor or other sources to enable you to understand more of the original language of the New Testament.  

RESPOND 

The apostle John also loved the use of the Greek present tense that referred to continuous action. In 1 John 3:9 the apostle was referring to those who continuously sin or who practice sin. Such people have not been born of God. No one is perfect so it cannot refer to a person who occasionally sins.  

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:11-13 

¹¹ “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? ¹² Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! ¹³ So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” 

In the days when He was on earth, Jesus referred to items that had a similar appearance. He stressed that God would not deceive the believer by giving the wrong thing. Even as an imperfect father on earth would not do this; certainly the perfect heavenly Father would not do so. Here Jesus also referred to the disciples at that time being given the Holy Spirit if they would ask. There is no record that they ever did. 

REFLECT 

Are you confident that God will never deceive you in giving something you never asked for? 

RESPOND 

In his gospel, Luke was referring to a time before the Day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2, a passage he also wrote about. On that day the Holy Spirit was given to all believers. Romans 8:9 reveals if one does not have the Holy Spirit he or she is not even a believer. 1 Corinthians 12:13 tells what the baptism of the Spirit is. It is when a believer is placed into the body of Christ.