How audacious are your prayers?

What a grumpy neighbor teaches us about the generosity of God.

This sermon was given by the Rev. David Libbon at Good Shepherd Anglican Church in Cornelius, North Carolina, on July 27, 2025.

You can view the sermon here, starting 28 minutes into the service.

The text for this sermon is Luke 11:1-13.

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Sunday’s gospel reading was Luke 11:1–13, where a disciple asks Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Jesus responds with a shorter version of the prayer we now call the Lord’s Prayer. The fuller version appears in Matthew 6:9–13 — the one most Christians recite in church.

Then Jesus tells a curious little story: A man knocks on his neighbor’s door at midnight, asking for some bread to feed a guest. The neighbor, clearly irritated, tells him he’s already in bed and isn’t about to get up just to hand over a midnight snack.

Then Jesus said: “Yet because of his impudence, he will rise and give him whatever he needs.”

“Impudence” is a word we don’t use very often today.

In this context, “impudence” means shameless persistence or boldness without regard for social etiquette.

The ESV Bible — my regular study Bible and the one we use at church on Sundays — uses the word “impudence” in this verse. Other translations render it differently:

• NIV: “because of your shameless audacity”

• NLT: “because of your shameless persistence”

• NASB: “because of his shamelessness”

• CSB: “because of his shameless boldness”

The ESV’s “impudence” might sound negative today, but it accurately captures the original idea of bold, unashamed persistence — pressing in prayer without fear of social awkwardness or embarrassment.

Jesus is making a “how much more” argument, one of his common teaching methods.

Jesus is telling the disciples — and us — If even a reluctant friend will respond to shameless persistence, how much more will your loving Father respond when you pray?

So Jesus is not saying God is like a grumpy neighbor. He’s saying if persistence works with people, even when they’re annoyed, then imagine how powerful persistence is with a gracious, generous God.

Pastor David said:

“Let me ask you this: Is it any more audacious to ask our heavenly father for our daily bread? Is it any more audacious for us to ask him to forgive us our sins or that his kingdom might come?

“How audacious are your prayers?

“What if we (Good Shepherd Anglican Church) became known as a church that prayed audaciously? Big prayers — so big, in fact, that only God can answer them. And when he does, only God will get the glory.

“What if we started praying that this place would be a place where people would recognize the presence of God in our midst, where the hurting and the broken might find healing and wholeness, or might simply have the audacious belief that healing and wholeness is a reality?

“Where the lonely might find community, where people might come to give God their first chance and their last chance.

“Those are the kind of audacious prayers I want us to be known for. Those are the kind of audacious prayers that I want to shape my prayer life.”

Jesus isn’t giving us a formula — he’s giving us an invitation.

He’s telling us to come to the Father with boldness, to knock on heaven’s door with confidence, and to trust that God is far more willing to answer than we often imagine.

So let’s take Jesus at his word.

Let’s pray boldly. Don’t be timid.

Let’s pray persistently. Keep asking.

And above all, let’s trust God’s goodness. He delights in giving good gifts to his children — and he knows exactly what we need.