The Parables of Christ no. 27
The
Importune Request
Rev. Brian Kocourek
Prayer…
LUKE
11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, that, as He was
praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples
said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 And He said unto them, When ye pray, say, “Our
Father which art in heaven, … Now, may the Lord add His
blessing to this, His Word. Amen. You May be seated.
This Morning we will take our parable from the Gospel of Luke the
eleventh chapter. In this parable we find Jesus having just been asked to teach
the disciples how to pray, and after he tells them how they should pray, he
then tells a parable to illustrate how our prayer should be done. And then
after he has illustrated this parable to them, he prays for the sick, showing
us how it works. Now, as you know, all of
the parables we have studied in this series so far, have dealt with the time of
the setting up of the Kingdom of God, and therefore the Kingdom of God
has been the main thread that seems to have been weaved throughout each
and every parable that Jesus spoke to the people. Therefore, keep this in mind as we begin our
study this morning concerning the parable found in Luke chapter 11.
LUKE
11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, that, as He was
praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples
said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
Now, I would like to stop here before we go too far and ask the question,
“Who was He, Jesus, praying too?” For
those of you that are still Oneness or Jesus only in your thinking, I ask you
this question plainly. Who was Jesus praying too? Because you claim that
He and His Father were one, like your finger is one, which is contrary to what
Br. Branham taught us. But since you are smarter than the God’s vindicated
prophet, let me ask you the question again. Who was Jesus praying too?
Now, I know your answer. I know that you will say, Jesus was praying to
Himself. Or perhaps some of you may even say, He was praying to the God within
Him. Then why does Jesus tell them to pray to the God that is in Heaven if He
didn’t do it Himself?
2 And He said unto them, when ye pray, say, “Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Now, here we have just seen Jesus had been praying, and when he finished
one of the disciples came to Him and said, would you teach us how to pray? John
taught his disciples how to pray, would you teach us how to pray? And the first
thing Jesus says is “When ye pray, say, “Our Father which art in heaven.”
Then how can it be that Jesus is praying to the God which is in Heaven
and yet we believe that God was in Him? Paul said, God was in Christ
reconciling the world unto Himself. God in His fullness, was in Christ. Therefore,
I ask you the question. Can God be in two places at one time? Now, I am asking this question because I
still do not believe we fully understand how God was in Christ? We are so
finite in our thinking that the Oneness among us can not imagine a God that had
a Son that was not God, and yet we could worship Him as God, because they do
not understand the relationship between the Father and the Son.
And then there is a growing number of people in this Message who are
beginning to believe and understand there is One God and He had a Son and this
Son was an individual being from God, and yet the fullness of God dwelt in that
Son. And yet many still do not fully understand how God could be in His Son on
earth, and yet up in the Heaven at the same time. And if you still do not
understand how the fullness of the Godhead or Godhood could be in Christ, and
yet God could be up in the heaven’s at the same time, then you do not yet
understand how you can receive the person of the Holy Spirit into your own
being, and yet not receive the fullness
of the person of God into your being.
Now, I am not here to talk in circles this morning, but we all have a
desire to know our position in Christ, and none of us wants to be wrong in the
way we worship God. So let’s take a little time here this morning and look at
this scene we have just read from the Scriptures, and Lord willing we will come
to find the answer to this question this morning.
The Apostle Paul said, “For by One Spirit we are all baptized into One Body.”
And the Apostle John told us, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God.”
And the Son of God, Jesus Himself told us, “The Words I speak that the Father gave me to say, they are
spirit and they are Life.
LUKE
11:1 ¶ And it came to pass, that, as He was
praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples
said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 And He said unto them, When ye pray, say, “Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Now, how could Jesus be God, and yet He
prayed to God? Better yet, in John chapter
Well, the answer is quite simple. John said,
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God. Therefore God is the Word. And Brother
Branham gave us the Answer
He said, in the sermon WE WOULD SEE JESUS SIRS 60-0109 E-36 Jesus had to give witness of His Messiahship.
So He... No doubt the Father had told Him. So He said in
87 THE HARVEST TIME 64-1212 Jesus said, "That they might be
one, Father, as You and I are one." Not for some man to be over something, it never will work;
one denomination wants to take over the other, and one man over the other one. But that you might be one with God, like
Christ and God was one, that's what the prayer is. That, He was the Word, and Jesus prayed that we might be the Word,
reflecting Him. That's His prayer to be answered.
JOHN.17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father,
[art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may
believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given
them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast
sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
SHOW US THE
FATHER IT'LL SATISFY 56-0422 E-36 Now,
it's many times it's been said that no man can see God at anytime, the Bible
said so. But the only begotten of the Father has declared Him. Philip, here was
very inquisitive; he wanted to see the Father. Says here He said, "I've been
so long with you, Philip, and you don't know Me?" Said, "When you see
Me you see My Father." In other words, you see the Father express
Himself through the Son. Him and the Father were one in the sense that His
Father was dwelling in Him, not Him doing the works; He was a Son, Himself,
the immortal, virgin born, Son of God. And then in Him was dwelling the God the
Father, expressing Himself to the world, His attitude towards the people. See?
Well, that's how Christ and God were one. God was in Christ reconciling the
world to Himself. Now, He said, "When you see Me, you see the Father, and
why do you say, 'Show us the Father?'
Now, in getting back to the parable this morning, Jesus said, Thy kingdom come. There’s
you Kingdom of God again coming out in this parable. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3
Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also
forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but
deliver us from evil.”
Now, the intention this morning is not to analyze the prayer so much as
to examine the parable that he spoke immediately after his prayer. Because the
prayer itself is not what showed them how to pray. The prayer showed them what
sort of things to pray. But the parable showed them how to pray.
5 And he said
unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight,
and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his
journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from
within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my
children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you,
Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of
his (1)
importunity ) he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
So what we see Jesus saying here is that if you ask it will be given. And
don’t expect anything different that what you ask for. Now, remember they had
asked him how to pray, and he not only told them what to pray but he is telling
them how to pray. And he says, 9 And I say unto
you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you. 10
Now, catch what Jesus is doing here. He showed them what sort of things
to ask for in the prayer he demonstrated for them which we call the Lord’s
Prayer. Such things as Give us day by day our daily bread. That’s not
just the bread you eat, but the income to sustain you and your family. So he
tells us that we should ask for the things we have need of. And hen he
adds, 4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive
every one that is indebted to us. Now, this is important because
these words are establishing our Father as our Lord and Savior as well. And it
also instructs us into what sort of reverent attitude we ought to have when we
approach our Loving Father in Prayer. Remember, he taught us to not be like the
Pharisee that beats his chest and says, “I am thankful that I am not like other
men.” But here we are taught that the way we approach God is very important and
special if we are to get anything from Him. And then He continues by saying, And lead us not into
temptation; but deliver us from evil.” Lead us not into temptation, but be our
deliverer. Keep us from evil, watch over us and keep us in the palm of your
hand. Be not only the provider of our
earthly needs, but protect us and the things you provide for us. For what good
is it if He answers your prayer for those things you have need of only to loose
them to someone more powerful than yourself. So you see, He is not only our
provider, but our shield and protector as well.
Now, listen as Jesus explains why we are to pray in such a way. Notice
his next words tell us that the parable was for our benefit to help us to know
and to understand how we are to approach our God in prayer. He says, For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that
seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
GOD
COMMISSIONING MOSES THE PROPHET
53-0508 E-37 Don't be scared to ask. Ask abundantly.
"You have not, because you ask not. You ask not, because you believe
not." That's right. Ask, ask a whole lot. God will give you a whole lot.
Have a lot of faith.
AT THY
WORD 53-0608E E-19 Don't
be afraid; ask a whole lot. You have not because you ask not. You ask not
because you believe not. That's right. "Ask, and you shall receive; seek,
you shall find; knock, it'll be opened." That's God's Word.
FAITH
IN ACTION 55-1003 E-13
Why did Jesus
stand here one time look out upon the harvest... How many believes He was the
Lord of the harvest? Sure, we all do. And He looked out upon the harvest; He
said, "Pray ye, the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His
harvest." Now, in other words, "You ask Me, to do just what I know
that's got to be done; but yet, you got to ask Me for it." Said, "You
have not because you ask not." Is that right? "You ask not because
you believe not." E-14 A prophet one time had a stick in his hand
or a arrow, and he told the king, "Strike the ground," you know. And
you know, he only struck it two or three times. Said, "Why didn't you
strike it more?" See? And there's certain things that we have to do.
And I believe that if I really could get some more people, and pray for them,
lay hands on them, and especially in
WHERE
I THINK PENTECOST FAILED 55-1111 E-14
And God will never... You can never exhaust God's love and mercy to you.
You say, "Well, I hate to bother You so much, Father." He wants to be
bothered that way. He does. Don't never think that you could ever ask too much
of God. I believe the Scripture said, "You have not, because you ask
not. And you ask not, because you believe not." He wants us to
ask and believe that our joys would be full. He wants you to ask abundantly. Ask
for big things; don't limit your faith to some little mustard seed. Get on out here
to some other kind of faith, and move out in big things. Ask... Big
things is just as easy to receive as little things. You just have to
believe; that's all. And you got faith, just know exactly how to use it, and
it'll be all right. You can put it right to work and it'll just be fine.
E-15
Could you imagine, talking about exhausting God's love, and power, and
beneficiaries for you. Could you imagine a little bitty fish, about that long,
way out here in the middle of the ocean say, "Now, wait a minute. I better
consider this thing. I better drink of this water sparingly, 'cause I might run
out someday." A little fish, about that big, in the middle of this ocean
out here... Well, that could easily be done, more easier than you could ask too
much of God. He's the inexhaustible Fountain of Life. Whatever you have need
of, ask Him and believe it. He provided it in the redemptive blessings when He
died at
E-16 Could you imagine a little mouse, about so
long, under the great garners of Egypt, saying, "Now, wait a minute. I
better not eat but just about two grains a day, 'cause I might run out 'fore the
winter's over." That's the way people act as Christians. Get up of a
morning say, "God bless my family today and keep us close to You. Amen.
Well, I done my religion for the day."
INFLUENCE
OF ANOTHER 62-1013 41
Remember, we can have what we want if we will ask in faith believing.
Jesus said, "All things are possible to them that will believe. You
have not because you ask not, and you ask not because you believe not."
He said, "Ask abundance that your joy may be full." I like
that. Our teaching right: say the right thing; do the
right thing; think the right thing; always be thinking right. And I have a
little slogan: Do right, that's your duty to God. Think right,
that's your duty to yourself; And you're bound to come out right.
Jesus said, ask abundantly
and Elisha that is a type of the
church wasn’t afraid to ask for great things. Here he was in the day of Elijah,
and when he was told to ask what he will, he asked for double what God had
given to Elijah. He asked for a double portion and got what he asked for.
Job got back a double portion of everything he had lost. He wasn’t afraid
to ask it from God. And He got back exactly what he asked for, and he got his family
back that had been lost and he got them back because he asked for them.
ELIJAH
AND ELISHA 54-0304
E-32
Now, when they got down to the
"So what
do you want?" He said, "That a double portion of your spirit come
upon me." That's the way to ask for it. Don't be scared. Ask for the whole
lot. Jesus said, "You have not because you believe--ask not. You ask not
because you believe not. Ask abundantly that your joys may be full." Ask a
whole lot. "God, just don't make me a little bit better; make me all the
way well." Don't just let me have enough religion to make myself
miserable; kill me out to sin that I can live in Christ. That's right.
THOU
SON OF DAVID HAVE MERCY ON ME
61-0215 E-38 We think we'll exhaust His bountiful
blessings. We think, "Well, I asked God to give me my daily bread. I
shouldn't ask Him too many things." Oh, my. Could you imagine a little
fish about that long, way out in the middle of this ocean, saying, "Wait,
I'd better drink of this water sparingly. I might run out someday." Could
you imagine a little mouse about that big under the great garners of
He's trying to
force His way into you, everything He can. Ask abundantly that your joys might
be full. He wants his people to be happy, asking great things, believing for
great things. You are a city sets on a hill, high ambitions, expectations.
Well, mercy, if we see the blind receive their sight tonight, I want to see the
dead raised tomorrow night. Yes, sir. And I want to... I just keep on believing
for greater things. When the church begin to receive the Holy Ghost and speak
in tongues, why did you settle down on that? My, just keep moving on. Go on to
the promised land. We're on our way to the promised land. Sure, just don't take
just one thing. Say, "Well, we'll just... Have you spoke in tongues? Well,
you haven't got a great blessing till you got..." Well, you ought to be a
million miles up the road from that right now, sure, greater things, high
expectations. Certainly.
ACCEPTING
GOD'S PROVIDED WAY 63-0115 E-68
Well, that's the way we're supposed to do. If I see a promise in the
Bible that's God's Word, then I just stay there and cry out till God gives it
to me. And He'd do that to get you off His hands. You see? That would be in the
natural. But He's wanting you to do it. He likes for you to ask.
"Ask abundantly that your joys might be full." Yeah,. Cry until
His Word is a-vindicated. Now, friend, let's watch just a minute now. Cry
until the Word is a-vindicated. The trouble of it is, we get a cookie
and think that's all there is. There's a whole table full. We get so we can
speak in tongues; we say "Oh, brother, that's it." Oh, no. That ain't
it. That's just some of it. That's right. "Oh, I got happy enough to
shout." That's some more of it. But there's a whole lot more of it. Just
keep on crying out until... That's God's provided way for His people. God's
provided way always is to take His Word and hold onto It until It's
a-vindicated to you. Now, do you follow me? God--a provided way... Hold on
to the promise until it's made manifest to you.
How the Christian today seems to live under what they have been privileged
to live. Why are you content with little when you have been promised whatsoever you ask? Now, you are sons, and
yet as John said, it just doesn’t seem like it to you. I JOHN 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we
shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope begins
doing something about it.
Look, if you really believe, then you have this hope, and if you hope
then you truly are earnestly expecting, and if you are truly expecting, then
you will begin to move out towards that thing that you expect. And shame on you
if you think that you have not because God does not want it for you, as though
you are some exception to God’s Word. Jesus said right after speaking this
parable, 11 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? 14 ¶
And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass,
when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. 15 But
some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the
devils.
HAVE
NOT I SENT THEE 62-0124
E-65
" There's many sympathizers
say, "Oh, the Bible's right. Yes, Brother Branham, I believe that the Bible's
right. But you know, I don't know." There you are, "But I..."
See, there you are, just like an old goat butting his head, you know. Just...
See? "But it's all right, but you know, our pastor don't believe that.
It's all right, but I don't believe it can be done." See, there you are
again. You see? You'll never see it done. You've got to act. You've
got to do something. And when you will take God's promise, and know that
it is God's promise, and act upon it, you'll see the mighty miracles of God return back to the church of the living God.
That's right. You'll do it.
DESPERATION 63-0901E
7 You've got to do something for God to
honor. You see? You show Him... The people that's got everything
handed to them so easy, they don't usually---they don't do nothing for it. You
see? You've got to... The gift is free, that is true, but you've--you've got
to... It seems like that, you know, like they say, if you was born with
a silver spoon (you've heard that), you don't appreciate. But when you have to
work for it, you appreciate the valuation of it.
JESUS
CHRIST THE SAME 54-0824 E-41 See? You just have to get a little start.
That's all you have to do. Just get your faith moving one time. God will do the
rest of it.
Unless faith has a corresponding action for
God's Promise it is as dead as a body without a spirit. James
Even in the Old Testament times Jonah sacrificed with a voice of
thanksgiving, calling his prison walls "lying vanities," not after, but before, he got out.
Naaman was required to dip in the
PROVING
HIS WORD 65-0426 28 Before we pray for the sick, we've got
to get the people in that attitude. It's the attitude that always brings the
results. It's the attitude that you take towards God. Here's a woman
touched His garment; she was healed with a blood issue. A soldier spit in His
face, and put a crown of thorns on His head, and felt no virtue. It's your
approach. The attitude is what it takes. And that's what it is tonight,
dear friend; it takes the attitude. We are, and believe that we are in the
Presence of Jesus Christ, but it's your attitude that brings the results. The
mechanics is here and so is the dynamics. If you can just get started, God will
do the rest.
So what has His presence brought you?
Let’s bow our heads in prayer.