Lord’s Day, Vol. 14 No. 41

Arise and Give

Luke 11:5-8 (KJV) And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

Here is given the blessing of good neighbourliness. There is a united purpose to do good in a good neighbourhood where neighbours look out for one another and the strangers and visitors that come their way are blessed. The weary traveller is hereby nourished because he has come to a good neighbourhood where there is a community spirit to share hospitality among neighbours.

Here in the scenario that our Lord has painted, He highlighted the inertia and that it is troublesome to be a good host yet it is the right thing to do. He highlighted the visitor coming at an odd time and the host was unprepared to receive the guest. Nevertheless, he lived amongst a community of one other who has the capability of rendering help though it required some sacrifice of sleep, disruption to the family, and effort to meet the need of a desperate neighbour.

The verdict of our Lord Jesus on the course of action is given in verse 8 –  I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

The word “importunity” means in a negative sense, as insensitivity to what is proper shamelessness, boldness, insolence and in a positive sense persistence, tenacious insistence without regard to time, place or person. Both instances can be cited to refer to the person in Luke 11:8. [Friberg] In a sense, the donation will put an end to the disturbance. [Danker]

A friend of your neighbour should also be of direct interest to you. In meeting the need you’re a good neighbour to your neighbour. This family had the three loaves of bread needed to nourish the famished visitor and therefore has a moral obligation or duty to furnish what he has for the blessing of his neighbour’s visitor.

The theme of our Lord’s discourse is on prayer. He will link meeting the need of the weary traveller to the meeting of the needs of supplicants who sought the Father in the heaven. Surely, as His people plead with the Father through the Name of Christ at the throne of grace, their petition before Him is never in vain. Our Father who art in heaven hears every cry of His people and doth answer their prayers to meeting their need as the weary traveller was nourished by the goodwill of the household where he sought refuge. Though there was a lack in that household to provide for his need, there is a neighbour who has what was needed to help the weary traveller. 

It is indeed comforting to know that our God neither slumbereth or sleep. He is our ever present Helper through Christ our Advocate – Psalm 121:3-4 (KJV) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. Amen.