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Parable of the midnight visitor

A story of a late-night visitor is a lesson on prayer.
Contributed by Andrea Rau
Story also available on our translated websites: Polish, German
1
Jesus once told a story to help us pray. At midnight, a man was woken up by a friend who was on a journey and needed somewhere to stay. – Slide 1
2
He looked to see if he had any bread to feed his unexpected guest but he had none. His visitor was hungry. What should he do? – Slide 2
3
He decided to go and wake up a friend of his living nearby to see if he would lend him some bread. – Slide 3
4
Everyone was asleep. He knocked loudly on the door and shouted, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. A visitor has just arrived and I have no food to give him.’ – Slide 4
5
What would his neighbour say? Would he say, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ – Slide 5
6
He keep knocking and asking. ‘Friend, please lend me three loaves of bread.’ – Slide 6
7
His neighbour did not want to get up. The door was locked and all his family were asleep. But he knew was the man knocking was his friend. And because he was his friend he wanted to help him. – Slide 7
8
So he got up and found three loaves of bread. – Slide 8
9
The man knocking at the door was pleased when it opened. – Slide 9
10
‘Here is everything you need,’ said his neighbour. ‘Thank you,’ he replied. – Slide 10
11
He rushed back in the darkness to his house. – Slide 11
12
And went indoors carrying the three loaves he needed … – Slide 12
13
... and served them to his late night visitor. Jesus then explained that this story was to help us to pray. ‘Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks receives. The one who seeks finds. The door will be opened to the one who knocks. – Slide 13
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Slide 14