This lesson looks at two more parables that teach us of the goodness and compassion of God.

The God Who Cares and Answers Prayers

The parables of the Friends at Midnight and the Persistent Widow illustrate theme 1 of the parables, namely how good and kind God is. These parables show that we need to seek his grace. (Lke 18:1-8).

The parables of the Friends at Midnight and the Persistent Widow are interesting because Jesus illustrates God's kindness with stories of people who are reluctant and slow to help! Jesus tells of a friend who is tucked up in bed and doesn't want to be disturbed. Jesus also tells of an unrighteous judge who finally gives a widow what she wants —only to stop her pestering him.

Of course Jesus does not mean that God is thus. Jesus is making a contrast. These reluctant and selfish ones are opposite in character to God. If they could be persuaded to answer a plea, how much more will our loving and willing heavenly Father answer our prayers! Therefore we should keep on asking of him, and seeking him, for he will not turn us away. That is what Jesus is illustrating.

1 The Friends at Midnight

Luke 11:5-13

Luke 11:5-8 tell the parable. It is a simple scenario. A friend knocks on the door at midnight. The house is shut up and the family bedded down. It takes a bit of convincing to get the man out of bed to help his friend. He does not do it because the one at the door is his friend, or because the cause is genuine. He helps his friend only to be rid of him, and to get back to sleep!

Luke 11:9-13 explain the point Jesus is making, and two other little parables make it very clear. God is no reluctant friend, but a loving Father. He is more than willing to give good things to those who seek him and ask of him. He will even give us his Spirit, who seals and sanctifies us for an unimaginably great and eternal inheritance (Eph 1:3-14, Eph 3:20-21).

2 The Persistent Widow

Luke 18:1-8

Luke 18:1 shows the lesson of this parable "that at all times people ought to pray and not lose heart". God is most high, yet he is merciful and kind. He will listen to our prayers and our pleadings, and answer them. So we should keep on praying and never give up on God.

Luke 18:2-5 show that even an unrighteous judge will hear the pleas of one who persists in asking. He may have done so out of annoyance and not out of kindness, yet he answered the repeated request. His attitude was not very worthy: "Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her what she asks lest she wear me out". Jesus tells us to listen to what this unjust judge said, because Jesus is going to use it to make a point.

Luke 18:6-7 give Jesus's own application of the parable. We have heard what the unjust judge said. Now consider that by contrast God is perfectly just, and he has a regard for man (because he is our creator and Father). So if an unjust judge answered a widow's plea, surely God will answer the prayers of his chosen ones, won't he? And God is not going to be reluctant to answer, is he? "He will bring about justice for them speedily".

Luke 18:8 shows why the lesson of the parable is important. It may seem to us that God is not answering quickly, and that the Lord's coming has been long delayed, in spite of his teaching that he will come quickly and will not delay. So our faith weakens. Jesus asks, "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?".