International Sunday School Lesson January 18, 2026
Hi, I’m Donnie Bryson. Welcome to another edition of the International Sunday School. Today’s lesson is for January 18, 2026. The title of today’s lesson is, “Prayer and Humility.” We’ll be jumping around in the scriptures today but the theme is very consistent. Humility is critical in our interaction with God. Our Scriptures are taken from Genesis 18:25-27, Luke 18:9-14, and 1 John 5:14-15.
Pleading with Perspective
We are reading a small portion of a much larger story in the book of Genesis. Abraham left his home and took his nephew Lot with him. Lot and Abraham’s field hands began to have tension among them. They decided to split up. Abraham gave Lot the choice of where he wanted to settle when they split up. Lot chose the richest area which included Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah was a very evil area and God had decided to destroy it. The pre-existent Christ visited Abraham. He let Abraham know the city was in danger because of the horrible evil. Abraham thoughts immediately go to his nephew Lot.
Genesis 18:25–27 ESV
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
We stop with the scripture reading but it goes on. Abraham asks about 45 in verse 28. Then he gets it down to 40 in verse 29. Then he gets it down to 30 in verse 30. He gets it down to 20 in verse 31. He gets it down to 10 in verse 32. This interaction between God and Abraham demonstrates how the righteous are the salt of the earth. Matthew 5:13–16 states ““You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Salt has a preserving quality when placed in food. It keeps it from spoiling. A strong true Christian presence in a society has a preserving quality provided it is real and not fake. A true Christian presence is guided by love, humility, and generosity. Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 29:7 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”
Pharisee’s Pitfall of Pride
Now, we go to the time of Christ. This parable we are studying contrasts two groups of people. The Pharisees were very strict in their rules. They took great pride in the life they lived. They had a very high opinion of their own righteousness. The other group, the tax collectors, were one of the most hated groups in the society. They were Jews that worked for the Romans to collect taxes from their fellow countrymen. They had power and little accountability. All the Romans cared about was their share of the revenue rolled in. Most tax collectors pilfered money from their kinsmen. In other words, if the tax was a dollar then they would collect a dollar and a quarter and keep the quarter for themselves. That’s why they were so hated by the other Jews.
Luke 18:9–12 ESV
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
Look how the Pharisee disguises his bragging. He hides it in thanksgiving. How many testimony services have that type of prideful testimony? How many public prayers have that type of prideful prayer? The answer is a lot. Jesus is pointing out how wrong it is. James says in James 4:6 “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””
Tax Collector’s Transforming Trust
Now we hear the tax collector’s prayer. There’s such a humble acknowledgement of sin.
Luke 18:13–14 ESV
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
God is merciful. God is forgiving. God receives the confessing sinner back. Friends, I’m proof of it. I have failed God so many times. He has taken me back everytime. Thank God.
Confidence in Communion
We need to have faith when we pray. God hears our prayers when we seek Him.
1 John 5:14–15 ESV
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
We need to be in His will when we pray. Proverbs says in Proverbs 10:24 “What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.”
Concluding Thoughts
Two major concluding thoughts. First, don’t ever be proud and bragging. Pride is the first sin in the universe and it is the worst. All sins flow from pride. Second, seek God with humility. Well friends, good Lord willing, I’ll be back with you next weekend.
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