< Luke 18 >

Jesus taught his disciples to pray. He instructed them to “pray always” v.1Waiting for response for Luke 18:1 and not to be discouraged but to be importunate like the widow in his parable.vs.3-7Waiting for response for Luke 18:3-7 God promises to hear our prayers if we believe and obey him, and we can have “the confidence that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us”. 1 John 5:14Waiting for response for 1 John 5:14 The vital requirement is to determine God’s will from his word so that our requests are indeed “according to his will”. Jesus told another parable to show two attitudes in prayer, one acceptable, the other not. Those who pray “trusting in themselves that they are righteous, and despising others” v.9,11-13Waiting for response for Luke 18:9,11-13 are rejected by God. But those who recognise their own faults and humble themselves as little children will not only have their prayers heard, but also enter into the kingdom when Jesus returns, “for of such is the kingdom of God”.v.16Waiting for response for Luke 18:16

Jesus is able to discern our innermost thoughts and character, and when a certain rich ruler came to ask what he had to do to inherit eternal life v.18Waiting for response for Luke 18:18 Jesus knew that his particular weakness was covetousness. The answer to his question is: we can inherit eternal life if we keep the commandments. We today must keep the commandments of Christ but this man was under God’s law through Moses and so Jesus cited those of the ten commandments which related to character, but omitting “thou shalt not covet”! This man had kept most of God’s commandments from his youth v.21Waiting for response for Luke 18:21 and his character was such that Jesus loved him Mark 10:21Waiting for response for Mark 10:21 but when he was told how to overcome his weakness v.22Waiting for response for Luke 18:22 to gain eternal life, he was sorrowful. v.24Waiting for response for Luke 18:24 Jesus therefore commented how difficult it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God,vs.24-25Waiting for response for Luke 18:24-25 but not impossible v.27Waiting for response for Luke 18:27 for wealthy people can use their money in the service of God. The young ruler was saddened by the prospect of forsaking his riches but the apostles had forsaken all to follow Jesus and they will receive eternal life in the world to come v.30Waiting for response for Luke 18:30 for this is the reward for faithfulness to Christ.

Jesus knew that there would be much tribulation before that glorious time came as God had revealed this beforehand through his prophets.v.31Waiting for response for Luke 18:31 Jesus, therefore, was able to declare of himself: “He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again”.vs.32-33Waiting for response for Luke 18:32-33 Although this was so plainly stated by Jesus to his apostles, they did not understand him.v.34Waiting for response for Luke 18:34 Even though the apostles had been with Jesus for three and a half years, hearing him preach the gospel and preaching it themselves, they emphatically knew nothing of his death as a sacrifice. This should be noted because it is often claimed that the gospel is the good news of Jesus’ death, whereas in fact it is the good news of the coming kingdom of God.