Learning How To Pray Pt. 14 Jesus Said Prayers Of The Repentant Are Heard

Jesus teaches us about prayer by giving us a parable about a foolish judge who lacked compassion for others. He reminded us that God provides for widows and orphans in His law and that He keeps His eyes upon their condition. 

A judge who fails to fear God is a fool and this judge was wicked because he had no compassion for the widow's desperate circumstances. 

The foolish judge eventually relented of his harsh stance and granted relief to the widow. 

This parable is a picture that contrasted the grudging response of the foolish judge with the ready response of our righteous heavenly Father. 

Our Father always gives us that which is good. 

Luke 11:11-13  If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12)  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13)  If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? 

Our Father knows what we need before we ever ask for anything. He will always hear the prayers of those who know Him through repentant faith in Jesus Christ. He will always supply our needs. 

In the text above, right after Luke's record of the Lord's Prayer, we find this commentary from Jesus.

Jesus asked three rhetorical questions that demand an answer of "No." If a son asks his father for bread, will that dad give him a stone? No.

If a son asks his father for fish to eat, will that dad give him a serpent? No.

If a son asks for an egg to eat, will that dad give him a scorpion? No.

Jesus shows us that even earthly fathers know how to give good things to their children when asked. The picture is that our heavenly Father will abundantly supply for our needs when we ask Him.

This principle is magnified throughout Jesus' teaching on prayer.

A self righteous man's prayers are rejected. 

Luke 18:9  And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

Jesus gives us one more parable to explain prayer to us. This one concerns a Pharisee. He was a religious conservative who trusted in his ability to keep man made rules of the rabbis rather than living by the law of God.

Thus, he was self righteous. He believed his works ensured that he was right with God. His spiritual smugness was on full display, because he looked down on others.

The Pharisee viewed those he thought were not as spiritual as he was, with utter contempt. 

This describes the impact of cults like the Gnostics who felt themselves superior to others because they gained secret knowledge and special access to God. 

Luke 18:10-12  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11)  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 

Here is Jesus' parable. Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a self righteous Pharisee and the other was a publican or tax collector. 

Publicans were despised because they often demanded more tax money than what the Roman government required. They then pocketed the extra amount collected as profits and many of them were quite wealthy. 

Notice how an arrogant attitude permeates the Pharisee's prayer. His posture was to stand alone by himself. He did not want to be associated with the publican in any way. 

He expressed thanks to God that he was not like most other men. He did not extort extra taxes like the publican did. He did not commit adultery. He was not an unjust man nor was he vile like the publican. He frequently fasted and always tithed.

The Pharisee was filled with self conceit and convinced of his inherent goodness.  He truly thought he was holier than others and was a good example for others to follow. 

The Pharisee liked to pray in the temple because it was a very public place, where many others would see him praying, and applaud his devotion. 

Jesus previously pointed this out and said we should enter our prayer closet to pray privately.

The temple of Jehovah is a house of prayer for all people. 

Isaiah 56:6,7  Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; 7)  Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. 

The Pharisee believed that no one as vile and contemptible as a publican should be allowed into the temple to pray. 

Yet, Jehovah said that non Jewish people (strangers) who join themselves to Him, by learning to love and serve Him, will have access. 

He will bring them to His temple to worship and to pray. His temple is a house of prayer for all people.

Thus, the posture of the publican is in total contrast to the arrogance displayed by the Pharisee. 

A repentant publican humbly prays from a distance. 

Luke 18:13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 

Here is the publican's address to God, which was opposite of the Pharisee's. His prayer was full of humility and contrition, as the Pharisee's was full of pride and ostentation. 

The publican's prayer was as full of repentance for sin, and seeking mercy from God, as the Pharisee's was of self confidence, self righteousness and self worth before God. 

The publican expressed repentance and humility in his prayer. He was arrayed with the humble garment of a broken, penitent, and obedient heart. 

Notice the position of the Pharisee in contrast to the publican. He placed himself in close proximity to the priests and altar where more people could see him praying.

Filled with shame and guilt before God, the publican kept at a distance, feeling unworthy to draw near to God. He could not lift his eyes toward heaven because he knew that he failed God so many times. 

He smote his breast and cried out for the mercies of God, because that was all that he could do. 

Psalm 40:11-13  Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. 12)  For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me. 13)  Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me.

This text from the Psalms is very applicable to the crushed spirit of the publican. 

The Psalmist pleaded for the mercies of Jehovah, for His lovingkindness to surround him. Why? because his iniquities took hold of him and he is unable to look up as our holy God. 

He saw his sins as more numerous than the hairs of his head and his heart fell before God's presence. 

Thus, like the Psalmist, the publican could not lift up his eyes toward heaven. He could not draw near to God. He was overcome with his own guilt and shame for sin and in great distress. He consciously confessed his guilt to God and cried out for mercy. 

The repentant publican was justified by God. 

Luke 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Jesus made it very clear which man was accepted by God and which man was condemned. God rejected the arrogance and self righteousness of the Pharisee. 

With tender mercies, God blotted out the sins of the publican and he returned home fully justified in the sight of holy God. 

The publican trusted what he knew to be true of God, that God is merciful to those who come with repentance and humility in their hearts. He called upon Jehovah for mercy and that is what he found.

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 

The prophet Isaiah tells us about our God. Jehovah is high and lofty above all else. He inhabits eternity because He is not bound by the space, time and matter continuum. His dwelling place is full of His holiness. 

Yet, notice where Jehovah will dwell. He will condescend to dwell with all those who have a contrite spirit, who have been ground to dust by their sin and guilt. 

He will dwell with those who have humble spirits, who are convicted of their sins and brought low before God. 

Jehovah met with the publican at the point of his contrite and humbled spirit, and so will He meet with you and me today, when we repent of sin, confess and forsake it and turn to seek mercy. 

Jehovah promised to revive the hearts of the humble and the spirits of the contrite ones. Thus, He justified the publican but rejected the Pharisee. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Oh, how our God is gracious to His children. His mercy to us always overflows. 

Let us always remember to confess our sins knowing that he is just and ready to forgive our sins and cleanse us again through the blood of Jesus Christ (James 1:7-2:2).  

Psalm 138:6  Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. 

Jehovah is holy, high and exalted above all creation. Yet, he has respect and will hear the prayers of the lowly in heart, those who have been humbled by their sins and repented of their iniquities. 

Jehovah will reject the proud in heart, those who are self righteous and puffed up. He will not draw near to the arrogant and conceited ones. 

Psalm 147:6  The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. 

When we cannot lift our eyes to heaven because we know we failed our Father again, we must remember, that He will lift us up when we have confessed and forsaken our sins. 

Yet, the wicked ones who believe their are right with God through their own polluted works, will be cast down to the ground.

May we join in prayer to ask Jehovah to root out any arrogance, any self conceit, or any idea of being self righteous before God. 

May we see how costly our sins are, that it required God the Father to slay His own Son, Jesus Christ in our place on the cross. 

May we readily confess our sins and seek His abundant mercy, so that we too, can go home fully justified and forgiven by our All Gracious God.

Bob