The Paradox of Prayer: Brokenness and Boldness

REFLECTION QUOTES

“Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides.”

~André Malraux (1901-1976), French novelist and Minister of Cultural Affairs

“The Holy is too great and too terrible when encountered directly for men of normal sanity to be able to contemplate it comfortably. Only those who cannot care for the consequences run the risk of the direct confrontation of the Holy.”

~Jaroslav Pelikan (1923-2006), history scholar at Yale University

“The person with a secular mentality feels himself to be the center of the universe. Yet he is likely to suffer from a sense of meaninglessness and insignificance because he knows he’s but one human among five billion others—all feeling themselves to be the center of things….”

~M. Scott Peck (1936-2005), American psychiatrist and best-selling author

“God intends us to penetrate the world. Christian salt has no business to remain snugly in elegant little ecclesiastical salt cellars; our place is to be rubbed into the secular community…”

~John Stott (1921-2011), English pastor and writer

“I suspect I have been allotting habitually too little time to religious exercises, as private devotion and religious meditation, Scripture-reading, etc…. I had better allot two hours or an hour and a half daily.



“Surely the experience of all good men confirms the proposition that without a due measure of private devotions the soul will grow lean. But all may be done through prayer– almighty prayer, I am ready to say– and why not? For that it is almighty is only through the gracious ordination of the God of love and truth. O then, pray, pray, pray!”

~William Wilberforce (1759-1833), English politician,
credited with ending the slave trade in Great Britain

“Until you believe that life is war, you can not know what prayer is for.”

~John Piper, American pastor and author

“Let those who love this present world have it, but Christ is a more worthy and noble portion; blessed are those who have him.”

~Samuel Rutherford (1600-1661), Scottish theologian and author

SERMON PASSAGE

Luke 18:1-17 (NASB)

1 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2 saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3 There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4 For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; 7 now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? 8 I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

15 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

Luke 12:32 (NASB)

32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.