The Parable of the Fiend at midnight (the persistent neighbor a

1. The Parable ofthe Fiendat midnight (the PersistentNeighbor – 6th
September2016 aa
“Ask,and it will be given to you.Search, and youwill find.Knock, and the door will be opened to
you”(Luke11:9).
Immediatelyafterteachingthe disciplestopraythe Lord’sPrayer,Jesustoldthe storyof the neighbor
whowas inneedof breadfor a visitor.We can learnthisparable fromLuke 11:5-10. The discipleshad
justaskedHim toteach themto pray andthe lessonJesusisteachingthroughthisparable istobe
persistentinprayer.Thisisthe firstof twoparablesJesususestodrive thisconceptof prayerhome.The
firstbeingthe Friendatmidnight (PersistentNeighbor) andthe secondisthe parable of the persistent
widowandthe unjustjudge,thatwe findin Luke 18:1-8.
The characters in the parable of the FriendinNeed are a villagerwhoisinbedwithhisfamilyat
midnightanda neighborwithaneed.Hospitalitywasastrictlyobservedcustominthe Middle East,and
a man caught withoutbreadfora visitorwouldbe ina shameful anddesperatelyneedyposition.Only
such a needwoulddrive amanto hisneighbor’shouse atmidnight.Andonlysuchaneedwoulddrive
the man to thislevel of persistence.The Greekwordtranslated“boldness”inthe NIV “persistence”
impliesimpudence andaudacity.ThisiswhatJesusissayingshouldbe ourattitude aswe approach the
throne of grace—a confidentboldnessthatpersistsinpursuingGoduntil He grantsusmercy and grace.
We can readthisfrom Hebrews 4:16, “Solet us boldlyapproachGod’sthroneof grace. Then we will
receive mercy. We will findgrace to help us when we need it”.
In the Parable we are toldof a personwhowas inbedwhena neighborcame tohis house requestingfor
some bread because someone knownhadcome withoutinforminghim. We canreadfrom Luke 11:5-6,
“Then Jesus saidto them, “Supposeyou havea friend. Yougo to him at midnightandsay,‘Friend,lend
me three loavesof bread. 6
A friendof mine ona journeyhas come to stay withme. I have no foodto
give him”.May be it was the time or simplybecause he waslazytogetup the man we can read whathe
saidin Verse 7: ‘Don’tbother me. The door is alreadylocked. My childrenandI are in bed. I can’t get
up andgive you anything.’ Here we can learnfrom Verse 8 whenJesussaid; “
I tell you,that person will
not get up. And he won’t giveyou bread just becausehe isyour friend”. But we can learnfromwhat
Jesussaid:“Butbecause you keepbotheringhim,he will surelyget up. He will give you as much as you
need”.Throughthisparable Jesusisteachingusof the needtobe persistentinwhatwe ask throughour
prayersto God.
But a word of cautionis appropriate here.AsChristianswe shouldneverapproachGodwith
impertinence ora demandingordisrespectfulattitude.Beingpersistentisdifferentanditmeans
continuingtodosomethingina determined way evenwhenfacingdifficulties oropposition.Itis
certainlyNOTdemandingoranimpertinentrequestfromGod…butwe cancertainlypersistinour
prayerto God...Yeswe can keeppersistinginabsolute faithuntill youhave ananswertosame.Whenwe
readthrough the passage we can learnwhenJesustells: “Sohereiswhat I say to you. Ask, andit will
be given to you. Search,and you will find.Knock,and the door will be opened to you. 10
Everyone who
asks will receive. The one who searches will find.Andthe doorwill be openedto the one who
knocks”(Luke11:9-10).
The apostle Jamestellsusthatwe don’thave because we don’task,or we askwiththe wrong motives:
“Whenyou doask for something,youdon’treceive it.That’sbecause youaskforthe wrongreason.You
wantto spendyourmoneyon yoursinful pleasures”(James4:3).We must know thatGod allowsusto

2. approach Himwhichby itself isanindicationof Hismercyandgraciousnesstowardusas sinners.
Because He is our Fatherand we are His children.Whenwe believe andhave faithinJesusChrist, that
He diedtosave us, repentforoursin andthroughthe grace of God receive oursalvation.Thenwe are
alsoblessedwiththe indwellingHolySpiritthathelpsandassistsus.We geta wonderful teachingforus
as Christiansin Romans8:15, “The Spirit you received doesn’tmakeyou slaves.Otherwiseyou would live
in fear again.Instead,theHoly Spirit you received madeyou God’sadopted child.By theSpirit’s power
we call God Abba.Abba meansFather”.
We come before Godas a childcomesbefore hisearthlyfather,inconfidence thathisfatherloveshim
and wantsthe bestfor him.Therefore aswe learnedinthe parable of the Friendinneed,we canclearly
understand that if thisman wouldgive hisneighborwhathe wanted - notout of friendship,butjust
because of hisboldness –we can knowhow much more will Godwill give uswhenwe come intoHis
presence throughourprayers?Ourfaithand belief inHimisof critical importance.We canlearnof an
importantteachingthatwasgivenbyJesusin Mark 11:24, “So I tell you,when you pray forsomething,
believe that youhave already received it. Then it will be yours”.
In additiontoabove,Jesustellsustoask and keeponaskingand whateverwe askinkeepingwithGod’s
will,itisassuredtous. We can learnfrom Matthew 7:7, “Ask,and it will be givento you.Search, and
you will find.Knock,and the door will be opened to you”. As Christiansourimportantconsideration
shouldbe about‘whatwe ask Him! If what we are askingGod is withinHisplanwe can be persistentin
askingforHis provision.He will workinourlivesandanswerourprayersaccordingto Hisperfectwill
and timing.Butwe needtohave absolute faithandconfidence thatHe will doso.
Whenwe persistentlypray,withoutgivingupandhavingconfidenceinGod’sprovision,the benefitsare
many.We experience the goodnessof Godas we commune withHim.We become eagerparticipantsin
the purposesof God, yieldingourlivesandwillstoHim.Andwe enterHispresence withboldnessand
security,knowingthatHe will blessuswithHisfellowshipandlove.