Shameless Persistence

In one paragraph

Pastor Billy worked through Luke 11:5-13, the section that follows Jesus teaching the Lord's Prayer, and showed how the two belong together. The passage centers on persistent, shameless asking, and what God actually gives to those who keep seeking him. To understand verses 5-13, Pastor Billy first walked back through the Lord's Prayer in Luke 11, since Jesus moves straight from teaching it into...

Read together

1. 1 Peter 5:7 opening encouragement to give all worries and cares to God before the first song
2. 2 Thessalonians 2 read as an encouraging word about God choosing believers for salvation through the Spirit
3. Psalm 34:3 quoted before the offering: glorify the Lord and exalt his name together
4. Luke 11:5-13 the main passage for the sermon, the friend at midnight and ask seek knock
5. 1 John 1:9 cited as the mechanism of confession, God faithful and just to forgive and cleanse from unrighteousness
6. Psalm 67 referenced as the spreading circle, bless us God so that we may be a blessing and your name revered on earth
7. Genesis 3:14 quoted to show the biblical hatred of snakes, God cursing the serpent to go on its belly
8. Numbers 21 referenced as the bronze serpent on a pole that saved snake-bitten people
9. John 3 Jesus references the bronze serpent to Nicodemus, connecting looking to God with being saved
10. James cited to say no one who is tempted should say God caused the temptation
11. Matthew 5 beatitudes referenced, blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled
12. Matthew 6 the longer form of the Lord's Prayer referenced and compared to Luke's shorter version

Talk about it

1. Pastor Billy walked through the context of the Lord's Prayer sitting between the Good Samaritan and Mary and Martha. What do you think that placement teaches us about the relationship between serving others and staying close to God?
2. The sermon described the word translated 'shamelessness' as shameless persistence, carrying out God's plan with unembarrassed boldness. Where in your own life do you find it hardest to keep asking God without embarrassment or giving up?
3. Pastor Billy pointed out that the Greek verbs in 'ask, seek, knock' are continuous actions, be asking, be seeking, be knocking, not one-time events. How does that change the way you think about prayers that seem to go unanswered?
4. The argument in the passage moves from a friend helping a friend, to a father providing for a child, to God giving the Holy Spirit to those who ask. Why do you think Jesus lands specifically on the Holy Spirit as the gift the Father gives, rather than something more tangible?
5. Pastor Billy used the story of signing his dad's name at the gas station to illustrate praying in Jesus' name. Not a magic formula, but drawing on an account that belongs to someone else. How does that picture shape the way you approach asking God for what you need?