By George Huang
Initially given as a sermon at Chinatown Church of Christ
Scripture: Luke 11:5-13
In When You Don’t Have Enough Bread, we explore Jesus’ parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:5–13) and discover that “Ask, Seek, Knock” is not merely about receiving what we want, but about seeking God’s resources so we can serve others. Jesus concludes this teaching by pointing us to God’s greatest gift—the Holy Spirit. Rather than simply meeting our immediate needs, the Holy Spirit prepares us with love, wisdom, courage, and strength so that one day we will have “bread” to share with the next traveler God brings into our lives. The real question is not whether we have enough today, but whether we are pursuing God deeply enough to be ready when someone else needs us.
Powerpoint presentations – in English and 中文 Chinese
The following are texts from the 2 Powerpoints. They are meant for the search engines to read.
English version:
When You Don’t Have Enough Bread
Scripture: Luke 11:5–13
Have you ever wanted to help someone… but realized you didn’t have enough?
When we studied the Good Samaritan, we learned that loving others is often inconvenient and risky.
Then when we studied the Friend at Midnight, we learned that we need to be prepared to help and put down our pride.
Although the host had compassion, willingness, and humility, he had no bread to give to his friend.
So the question for today is:
How do we get bread and keep it ready?
At the end of Friend at Midnight, there is a surprise paragraph commonly known as “Ask and You Shall Find.”
This “Ask and You Shall Find” passage (vv. 9–10) is not about our personal desires, but about seeking God’s resources to do His work and serve others.
In Greek, the verbs are present imperatives, implying continued action:
- Keep asking…
- Keep seeking…
- Keep knocking…
Perhaps they also show a progression of how we should approach God to receive the resources needed to serve.
Each verb seems to imply stronger action than the previous one. Perhaps this indicates a progression.
Ask — making your request to God.
This is the verbal stage that most people do. Some just stop here.
What should we ask for?
- Love
- Compassion
- Wisdom
- Courage
- Ability
- Resources
- And more
God has already given us:
- The Bible — His unchanging Word
- The church and other Christians — sources of teaching and support
- Our own life experiences
- Most importantly, God Himself — the Holy Spirit
Knock — keep pursuing when you don’t have it yet.
Sometimes we have to wait.
Sometimes we don’t immediately receive what we ask for or find what we need.
Don’t give up so easily.
Sometimes God says “No.”
Sometimes we understand why.
Sometimes we won’t know until eternity.
Until you hear from God, keep asking, keep seeking, and trust God’s timing.
God invites us to pursue Him more deeply until He provides what we truly need.
Now we come to verses 11–13.
Perhaps the most difficult verses in the whole passage.
A son asks for a fish.
The father won’t give him a snake.
A son asks for an egg.
The father won’t give him a scorpion.
Even evil fathers won’t do such things.
God gives the Holy Spirit to those who seek Him.
Verses 11–12 remind us that God never gives evil things to His children.
When we struggle to understand God’s answers, we should begin by trusting His goodness.
Sometimes we don’t understand what God gives us or how His gifts benefit us.
As a result, we may mistakenly think God has not treated us well.
Matthew 7:7–11 records an almost identical teaching, except the ending says:
“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!”
Verse 13 says:
The Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.
This means that many times we ask for things, but not for the Holy Spirit.
Imagine this conversation:
We: “Please provide this basic need.”
God: “Let Me give you the Holy Spirit.”
We: “That’s not what I asked for.”
God: “The Holy Spirit is better—and exactly what you need.”
We ask for what we need.
Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit.
Why?
Because the greatest gift God gives is not a thing.
It is Himself.
He is not just the Provider.
He is also the greatest Provision.
Most of us forget that when we ask God for things.
When we don’t receive what we requested, we may even think God’s response is insufficient or inappropriate.
Jesus reminds us of God’s good character.
Why does God give us the Holy Spirit—or something else—when we make a reasonable request for a genuine need?
Perhaps God is answering our true need beneath our request instead of the request itself.
The Holy Spirit is God’s greatest provision for us.
That is why Jesus mentioned Him in verse 13.
He doesn’t simply answer our need.
He prepares us to become the kind of person who will have bread to give to another traveler.
When we don’t feel motivated to help, He gives us love and compassion for others.
When we don’t know what to do, He gives us wisdom and understanding.
When we don’t understand God’s Word, He gives us discernment so we can interpret it correctly.
When we feel too afraid or too weak to do what is right, He gives us courage and strength.
When we lack the resources to serve others, He provides the resources and the right people.
When we can’t see the whole picture, He shows us what we need to see at the right time.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t merely meet our needs.
He prepares us to become the kind of people who have bread to give others.
Your life experiences, both good and bad, become valuable lessons that can help others grow.
But sometimes, even when we ask God for what we need to serve others, He prepares us by making us wait.
Jesus told us to keep knocking until we receive.
Sometimes God makes us wait.
If God doesn’t answer a request that seems reasonable, there must be a reason.
We may or may not discover that reason during our lifetime.
Continue trusting God even through disappointment.
That is part of our journey of faith.
Perhaps it is the most important part.
Remember:
We are here to learn and grow.
Our achievements are secondary.
Our life is a journey toward eternity.
God’s goal is not merely to provide for us, but to prepare us for that journey and for eternity.
God gave us the Holy Spirit to be our companion on this journey.
He is our Provider and our greatest Provision.
The important thing is to learn during this journey and be ready for the next one.
One day, another traveler will arrive at your door.
The question won’t simply be:
Do you have bread to give?
The real question will be:
Have you pursued God deeply enough that you’ll have bread to give?
The Father has promised you the Holy Spirit.
Because the greatest provision God gives is not merely bread.
It is Himself.
Pursue the Provider.
God’s provisions will come in His way and in His time.
Chinese version:
當你沒有足夠的餅時
經文：路加福音 11:5–13
你是否曾經想幫助別人，卻發現自己沒有足夠的能力？
當我們學習《好撒瑪利亞人》的時候，我們學到愛人往往很不方便，甚至需要承擔風險。
接著，當我們學習《午夜的朋友》的時候，我們學到需要預備好幫助別人，並且放下自己的驕傲。
在那比喻中，雖然那位主人有憐憫、意願和謙卑，但他卻沒有餅可以給他的朋友。
所以今天的問題是：
我們如何得到餅，並且常常預備好？
在《午夜的朋友》的結尾，有一段令人意想不到的經文，通常被稱為「祈求，就給你們；尋找，就尋見」。
這段經文（v.9–10）不是關於滿足我們個人的慾望，而是關於尋求神的資源去完成祂的工作並服事他人。
在希臘文中，這三個動詞表示持續不斷的行動：
- 持續祈求……
- 持續尋找……
- 持續叩門……
但它們也可能顯示出我們應當如何親近神，來得到服事所需資源的一個漸進過程。
每一個動詞似乎都比前一個動詞代表更積極的行動。這或許表示一個漸進的過程。
祈求（Ask）：用言語向神提出你的請求。
這是大多數人都會做的第一個階段。有些人就停留在這裡。
我們可向神求什麼呢？
愛心, 憐憫, 智慧, 勇氣, 能力, 資源, 等等
神其實已經賜給我們：
- 聖經：永不改變的話語
- 教會和其他基督徒：教導與支持的來源
- 我們自己的經歷
- 最重要的是，神自己——聖靈
叩門（Knock）：當我們還沒有得到的時候，我們仍然要繼續追求。但是有時候我們必須等待。
有時候，我們一開始得不到我們所求的，也找不到所需要的。但不要那麼容易放棄。
有時神會說：「不。」
有時，我們明白原因。
有時，要直到永生我們才會知道原因。
在你還沒有聽見神的回答之前，要繼續祈求，繼續尋找，同時也要信靠神的時間。
神邀請我們更深地追求祂，直到祂供應我們真正需要的。
現在我們來到第11至13節。
這可能是整段經文中最難理解的幾節。
兒子求魚，父親不會給他蛇。
兒子求雞蛋，父親不會給他蠍子。
即使邪惡的父親，也不會做這樣的事。
神卻要把聖靈賜給尋求祂的人。
第11至12節：神不會把邪惡的東西給你。
這幾節提醒我們，神從來不會惡意對待祂的兒女。因此，當我們無法理解神的回答時，我們應當先信靠祂的良善。
有時候，我們不明白神給了我們什麼，也不明白那些恩賜如何使我們得益。
因此，我們甚至可能誤以為神對我們不好。
在馬太福音 7:7–11 也記載了一段幾乎完全相同的教導。只是最後一句說：「你們雖然不好，尚且知道拿好東西給兒女，何況你們在天上的父，豈不更把好東西給求祂的人嗎？」
第13節：父神把聖靈賜給那些向祂祈求的人。
這章節表示，在很多時候我們求的是各樣東西，而不是求聖靈。
想像這樣一段對話：
我們：「請供應我這個基本需要。」
神：「讓我給你聖靈。」
我們：「那不是我的請求。」
神：「聖靈更好，而且正是你真正需要的。」
我們求我們所需的。
耶穌給的卻是聖靈。
為什麼？ 因為神所賜最大的禮物不是一個東西，而是祂自己。
祂不只是供應者。祂也是最大的供應。
當我們向神求東西時，我們大多數人都忘記了這一點。
當我們沒有得到自己所求的，我們有時甚至可能認為神的回應不足夠或是不合適。
耶穌提醒我們神的本性是良善的。
為什麼當我們為真正且又合理的需要提出請求時，神卻賜給我們聖靈或是其他東西呢？
也許，神是在回應我們真正的需要，而不是我們表面的請求。
聖靈是神給我們最大的供應。
這就是耶穌在第13節提到聖靈的原因。
祂不只是回應我們的需要。
祂是在預備我們，好讓你有一天能把餅分給另一位旅人。
當我們沒有動力幫助別人時，祂賜給我們愛心和憐憫。
當我們不知道該怎麼做時，祂賜給我們智慧和悟性。
當我們不明白神的話語時，祂賜給我們分辨力，使我們能正確地明白聖經。
當我們因害怕或軟弱而不敢行正確的事時，祂賜給我們勇氣和力量。
當我們缺乏服事別人所需的資源時，祂供應我們所需要的資源，也預備合適的人。
當我們看不見全貌時，祂會在適當的時候讓我們看見真正需要看見的。
聖靈不只是滿足我們的需要。
祂更是在預備我們成為有餅可以分享給別人的人。
你人生中的經歷，無論是好的還是不好的，都可以成為寶貴的功課，幫助別人成長。
但有時候，即使我們向神求服事別人所需要的供應，神卻藉著等待來預備我們。
耶穌告訴我們要一直叩門，直到得到。
有時候，神會讓我們等待。
如果神沒有答應一個看起來很合理的請求，那一定有祂的原因。
我們可能在今生知道，也可能直到永生才知道。
即使經歷失望，仍然要繼續信靠神。
這是信心旅程的一部分。
這也許是最重要的一部分。
請記住，我們來到這個世界，是為了學習，也是為了成長。我們的成就只是次要的。
我們的人生是一段走向永生的旅程。
神的目標不只是供應我們現在的需要，更是幫助我們走完這段旅程及為永生預備。
神賜聖靈給我們來陪伴我們走完這段旅程。
祂是我們的供應者，也是我們最大的供應。
最重要的是在這段旅程中學習，並且預備好迎接下一段旅程。
有一天，另一位旅人會來。
那時的問題不只是：你有餅可以給他嗎？
真正的問題是：你是否已經夠深地追求神，以致有餅可以給他？
父神已經應許要賜給你聖靈。
因為神所賜最大的供應不只是餅，而是祂自己。
追求那位供應者。
神的供應必按祂的方式，在祂的時間來到。
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