-
Relentless For Justice PRO
Contributed by Bishop Johnathan Hester on Sep 22, 2009 (message contributor)
Relentless for Justice
IN the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, we meet an extraordinary woman who refuses to accept her fate. She voices opposition to injustice without relenting. As a result of her persistence, even the unjust judge is prompted to act.
If even an unjust judge can be moved to grant justice, then imagine how much God desires to help those who are wronged. God looks upon the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow with deep concern for their plight. With our help, God can respond. The image of God wanting justice gives me hope as I think of Darfur, Sudan, where more than 300,000 people have died in the past three years as a result of civil unrest, lack of food, and disease. It is probably the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today.
While I am easily overwhelmed and feel discouraged, I draw strength from our God who does not forget Darfur. The cries of people around the world do not go unheard. I pray that Christians will unrelentingly pray, demonstrate, and call for peace with justice on behalf of our brothers and sisters everywhere.
After living what I felt was a ’decent’ life, my time on earth came to the end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought to be a court house.
The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.
As I looked around I saw the ’prosecutor.’
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there,,, sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.
The corner door flew open,,, and there appeared the Judge, in full flowing robes.
He commanded an awesome presence,,, as He moved across the room ,I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him...
As He took His seat behind the bench,,, He said,, ’Let us begin.’
The prosecutor rose and said,
’My name is Satan,,, and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell.’
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and In the past when I cheated others Satan told of other horrible Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely,,, forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney, who sat there silently not Offering any form of defense at all.
I knew I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’d done?
Satan finished with a fury and said, ’This man belongs in hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged ,and there is not a person who can prove otherwise...’
And when it was His turn,,, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench,,, The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan,,, and beckoned Him to come forward.
As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor and majesty.
I realized why He seemed so familiar;,,, this was Jesus,,, representing me, my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge,,,, ’Hi, Dad,’ and then He turned to address the court.
’Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned,,, I won’t deny any of these allegations,,, And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this man deserves to be punished..’
Then ,,,Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father, with outstretched arms and proclaimed, ’However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted Me as his...
Continue reading this sermon illustration (Free with PRO)Related Sermon Illustrations
-
A Young Man Had Been Promoted To An Important ... PRO
Contributed by Charles R. Swindoll on Nov 1, 2004
A young man had been promoted to an important position in his company. He’d never dreamed he’d be in such a position, much less at such a young age. So he went to see the venerable old timer in the company, and said, "Sir, I was wondering if you could give me some ADVICE." The old timer came back ...read more
-
Do You Ever Feel Like Robert Orben Who Said, ... PRO
Contributed by Pat Cook on Nov 15, 2004
Do you ever feel like Robert Orben who said, “Sometimes I get the feeling the whole world is against me, but deep down I know that’s not ...read more
-
People Want To Work. People Are Telling Me ...
Contributed by Fred Mueller on Sep 7, 2005
People WANT to work. People are telling me they’d LOVE to go down to New Orleans to help the people in misery there. People woul dgladly enter the smell and danger to do ...read more
-
This Is A True Story, About A German Artist Named ... PRO
Contributed by Chris Appleby on Oct 18, 2000
This is a true story, about a German artist named Albrecht Durer and one of his famous drawings, "The Praying Hands." Durer’s Father was a goldsmith and apprenticed him in his early years to learn the family trade, but Durer loved painting and really wanted to be a painter. So his father ...read more
-
Perhaps You've Heard Of Watchman Nee. Watchman ... PRO
Contributed by Karl Eckhoff on Nov 13, 2003
Perhaps you’ve heard of Watchman Nee. Watchman Nee became a Christian in mainland China in 1920 at the age of seventeen and began writing in the same year. Throughout the nearly thirty years of his ministry, Watchman Nee was a unique gift from the Lord to the church. Though imprisoned for his ...read more
Related Sermons
-
Ready Or Not, Here I Come! Series
Contributed by David Owens on May 13, 2012
After answering the Thessalonians' concerns about the dead in Christ, Paul then addressed their concerns about when Christ would return. Paul makes three very important points about Christ's Second Coming.
-
Remember To Live In The Shelter Of The Most High Series
Contributed by Dean Courtier on Aug 20, 2015
It’s fair to say that this life is filled with its share of problems. Some are small and some are huge and when we are in the midst of a difficult circumstance its good to be able to remember God’s word and draw strength from it.
-
Hope In Times Of Despair
Contributed by William Hooper on Feb 16, 2015
How can we find hope when we despair of being rid of depression or guilt or besetting sin? How to find hope in Jesus.
-
Testing The Reality Of Our Salvation Series
Contributed by Scott Kircher on Sep 1, 2016
Who is this warning passage to and how can I test my own salvation?
-
Jesus Comforts The Disturbed And Disturbs The Comfortable
Contributed by David Mcnally on Oct 20, 2011
For those who are worried about their salvation or any and every aspect of their lives Jesus can give the peace that the world cannot give and cannot take away, but for those who are comfortable with their sin and the sin of the world Jesus brings discomf