Sermon Tone Analysis

Take your Bibles and turn to *Luke 11*.

I'm going to share one crucial thing with you today.

There is one thing that Jesus is trying to emphasize here.

It's not complicated.

Don't leave here not understanding what I've said, but the message that Christ is trying to teach us today is that */there is power in being persistent/*.

It works on the job, and it works in the home.

Look at *Verse 5*.  "And Jesus said to them [His disciples, His followers, the people in the crowd], 'Which of you shall have a friend"  Now, note that He's talking about a friend.

"And Jesus said to them, 'Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight'"  How many of you are normally in bed by midnight?

How many of you are in bed by 9 o'clock?

You're afraid to raise your hand, aren't you?  "Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves.'"

Now, he hasn't gotten in the house.

He's doing his talking from outside.

The next verse tells us that he hasn't gotten in the house.

*Verse 6: *"For a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him."

Who in the world is eating at midnight?

Young people!

It's midnight, and he is asking for three loaves of bread.

When I was growing up, you could go next door and borrow a cup of sugar or bread.

Today, you can get up, drive a block and buy whatever you need.

Does anybody remember walking to a little mom and pop store?

So, he needs some food, and he goes to his friend's house.

*Verse 7: *"And he will answer from within"  He didn't even come to the door.

"And he will answer from within and say [to you on the outside], 'Do not trouble me, the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed.

I cannot rise and give to you.'"

He isn't getting up.

That means he is hollering from his bed.

*Verse 8: *"I say to you, though he will not get up and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence"  He is going to get out of bed, not because they are bosom buddies, but because of his persistence.

He is going to get out of bed and give him three loaves of bread because of his persistence.

We're quitters.

There is an epidemic in the church, and let me tell you what it is.

It's not cancer.

It's dropping out.

Where is so and so?

Well, you know, it's rough and it's tough.

The valley is too deep.

Jesus said the man got what he came for for one reason.

He was persistent.

He would not take no for an answer.

Well, I guess the Lord doesn't want me to have it.

I guess I'll just die like this.

How are you doing?

Well, just pray for me that I'll hold out to the end.

It was one thing:  persistence.

He's not talking about praying.

He talking about being persistent.

Now He shifts gears and says in *Verse 9*, "So I say to you"  His only point was persistence.

Persistence means "never ceasing to continue to try."  That's all it is.

Perseverance is going forward even though conditions around you may be adverse.

"So I say to you, ask"  That Greek word means "continue to ask."

It does not mean to ask one time, and you will get it.

It means that you must consistently continue to ask until you receive.

It says here, "If you have not, it is because you don't ask."

 

          "So I say to you, ask [continual action], and it [that's what you're asking for] will be given to you"  We're not talking about fast food.

God knows that persistence always reveals sincerity in our hearts.

If it doesn't mean much to you, why should it mean much to God?

If it's just a casual thing to you, why should it mean much to God?

This was just three loaves of bread.

He could get by without it, but he was persistent.

He wasn't leaving without the three loaves of bread.

So Jesus says, "If you have that kind of tenacity and persistence with God who loves you"  "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

This is true in every facet of your life.

People say, "Oh, I wish I could do this or that."

Wouldn't it be great if I had the gift of praying for people, and they would lose 20 pounds immediately?

I heard where people said that this preacher would pray for people, and they would lose 20 pounds.

May I tell you how you lose 20 pounds?

Take in less and walk more.

People say, "Well, I work out."

You do?

What do you do?  "I change channels."

People don't even get up anymore.

I've got people who think the tribulation has hit because their cable is out.

Come on, church.

I asked Babu how long it would take him to get back to India.

He flies from here to Washington, DC, then flies from Washington to India which takes 12-14 hours.

When he gets to India, he still has about 16 more hours before he gets to his home.

"Knock"  It means to keep knocking.

They're in there.

Don't ring the doorbell.

Take your shoe off.

"Knock, and it will be opened to you."  *Verse 10: *"For everyone"  Does your Bible say, "everyone?"

Tell your neighbor, THAT MEANS YOU, and tell your neighbor, THAT MEANS ME.  "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

*Verse 11: *"If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?

Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?"  *Verse 12: *"Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"

*Verse 13: *"If you then, being evil"  What He means there is "being human flesh."

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children"  I want to add something here--grandchildren.

They can get about anything they want from me.

Christian James called the other day and said, "Papa, we need a sand bucket, because we're going to the beach."

Now, when he asked for a sand bucket, guess what he got a sand bucket!

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more"  Get that in your spirit.

"How much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to those who ask Him!"

You say, Brother Wright, I'm praying for my house to sell.

I'm praying for a new job.

I'm praying for a raise.

Hey!

We need the power of the Holy Ghost in us.

Once you get the Holy Ghost in you, He teaches you how to pray, teaches you what to pray for, and teaches you when to connect.

When you don't have the power of the Holy Ghost in you, you're just shooting out there in the dark.

We need the power of the Holy Ghost!

 

          Let's look at *Luke 18:1*.

Persistency is the key from *Luke 11* to *Luke 18*.