The importance of Prayer: How we come to God (Bible Study)
Bible Study Questions:
Readings: Luke 18:1-8, Luke 18:9-14, Psalm 84
Luke 18:1-8
Vs. 1 Why does Luke give us the purpose of Jesus’ parable before he tells it? How does it change about our understanding of the parable?
2-5 Why does the unjust judge act? Would this work today?
What would it change if the unjust judge feared God? Or cared about people?
Why does the detail that she’s a widow affect the story and our understanding? In Jesus’ day and ours does position and status affect justice or people hearing your plea?
What is the widow asking for? Why is it so general?
6-8 In what ways are God and the unjust judge similar? How are they different?
Why is this story especially meant to show God’s care, if we are persistent?
The unjust judge didn’t listen because he didn’t care. What are some of the reasons God may not answer our prayers?
How will God still respond quickly even if he doesn’t seem to answer right away? How can both be true?
What does it mean for us to get justice? How does this relate to our prayers? Does God want us to pray for more than justice?
Why is persistence (Day and Night) important with God?
Why does it matter that the Son of Man finds faith on earth? How do we show faithfulness?
Who are God’s chosen ones? (check out Luke 18:15-17)
Luke 18 functions as a chiasmus (a poetic, liturgical feature that repeats themes in reverse order). That means that the blind beggar in Luke 18:35-43 is a parallel story. How do they relate/add to one another?
Luke 18:9-14
Vs. 9 Why does Luke give us this intro? What does it tell us about the coming story?
Why is it bad to be confident in our own righteousness? Why does it often lead to looking down on others?
Vs. 10 Pharisees were the spiritual guides of Israel, who interpreted and lived out the law. Tax Collectors were jewish people that worked for Rome collecting money from the people. Pharisees were often at the centre of the community where tax collectors were austrocised. Why would Jesus choose these two people as examples for his parable?
What is important about them going to the temple and not just praying at home?
11-13 What is the difference between what the two men say and how they express themselves?
Do you think the Pharisee does all of these things? Why might his own selfimage lead him to lie to himself and God? How can our selfimage do the same?
Even if the pharisee does all of these things, is that enough? What does God care about most? What does he want from us? Why would the pharisees selfimage stop him from seeing this, even though he is a teacher of the law?
How is the pharisee exactly like other people? Why can’t he see this?
How does the taxcollector see right?
How could the pharisee have learnt from the tax collector?
Even if we are ahead in our faith, if that’s possible, how should we look towards God and one another?
Why might more be expected of the pharisee than the tax collector? Why should God expect more from Christians, authorities and the wealthy?
How do we balance an unworthiness and God’s desire to draw us close?
Vs. 14 What does it mean for someone to be justified before God? Why is this important? (A helpful idea may be the idea of an acquittal)
Our first reading tells us about when we should reach out to God, this section goes more into how. How might this change our prayer life?
The parallel chiasm of this text is Luke 18:31-34 - How do they relate?
Self-Control - This one relates to all of our other fruits - love, gentleness, kindness, patience - we want to try to control our actions so that they always create love, gentleness, kindness and more
Except for the problem with these great things is when I get angry I don’t want to be gentle or loving. When I want something, I don’t want to be patient or giving. Do you ever get really angry and so might be a little meaner for more forceful than you would otherwise be? Do you ever really want something so maybe you cry or you fight for it or refuse to share.
Self-Control is really important because it is the hard times when it is especially important to act in kindness. That is often the best opportunity to show our faithfulness and love in a way that will affect us and others.
Let me show you a physical example of this: firing elastics (when is it appropriate and when is it not, when it is dangerous and when it is not)
If it feels hard to control ourselves it is especially important to turn to God’s Holy Spirit in you, and trust that he can strengthen you.
Our passage today reminds us that we show our strength not by getting what we want, but by controlling ourselves. As a result, we can find peace in what we have at the moment.
