Introduction:
I was born and raised in the “holy land” - to you its Canada’s 10th province… we called “God’s country” … nowadays being exiled here in Upper Canada I refer to it as the “holy land”. It was a wonderful place to grow up… close to the ocean… filled with a rugged beauty.
When I was in grade 7 (1972) our French class decided to take a weekend trip to France… more precisely the island of St. Pierre -- just a few miles off the south coast of the island.– However the cost was ridiculously high -- $50… I wanted to go… I wanted to ask my parents for the $50 -- but I didn’t think my parents had the money to afford such an extravagant adventure. I was certain they would say “no” -- “we can’t afford it”… so after some consideration… I decided the proper thing to do was to simply not ask … it would place them in an awkward position of having to say “No”... besides, the money could be spent elsewhere… So… I just never asked… To this day I have never visited St. Pierre – and my French is understandably – pathetic.
Read text; Luke 18:1-81 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ”
6 And (“de” – But… However) the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And (“de”- But – However) will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice (vindication), and quickly (referring to his coming quickly?)(cf.rev 22:20)). However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Situation; A Poor Widow Seeks Justice ...
• This woman is at the bottom of the social ladder… Jewish men often prayed a morning blessing from the Talmud; to thank God that they were not born a slave, or a gentile or a woman!!!
o “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman.”
• Not only a woman but also a widow…she has no husband… she is lacking a male advocate… and likely has very little money (so the option of bribery is out of the question) …furthermore, there’s no mention of a lawyer in the parable.
• If anyone is going to be ignored …or treated unjustly… it is likely to be this woman… everything is against her. Now she finds herself in court seeking justice against an adversary -- someone has tried to exploit her weakness and low social standing for personal gain… she can’t afford a good lawyer – so she is hoping for a fair hearing before the judge.
• It was extremely unusual for a woman to even appear in court.
• I imagine her showing up in court dressed in rags and looking quite out of place. Her face is gaunt from a sparse diet and the wear and tear of a difficult life. But there is a force in her eye and a determined gaze.
• The justice system can be an intimidating place for anyone. Fear grips us. Will there be a fine? Will I have to serve time? Will I find justice or injustice? Is my lawyer any good? Is my lawyer better than the other lawyer?
• Have you ever been treated unjustly? Ever been the victim of discrimination? Been passed over for a summer job because you didn’t have the connections other people had?
You are probably thinking the same thing the 12 disciples were thinking -- This poor widow it seems… “doesn’t have a prayer”
Complication: This poor widow meets an unjust (jaundiced) judge…
• If you thought things couldn’t get worse – think again.
• Not only does the poor widow have little means to find justice against her adversary – it turns out she has another adversary – the judge himself.… this judge is corrupt, calloused and apathetic… he has no regard for justice…he has no regard for God. He cares only for himself… what chance does a poor widow have?
• While the Torah teaches respect and care for widows – an unjust judge who fears no one –including God himself – has no such inclination.
• It has been said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
{“She doesn’t have a prayer”}
This widow has little hope of finding justice – “she doesn’t have a prayer!”… but she has no quit in her… she is deliberate and stubborn… her only power is the power of persistence. And she is not going away.
Day after day she approaches the judge in his courtroom – “grant me justice against my adversary”
At first he simply ignores her.
Then he becomes annoyed.
Then really bothered.
Then he begins losing sleep.
He is starting to feel worn down – and his golf game is suffering.
So finally this jaundiced judge admits to himself that the only way to get rid of her is to grant her justice. He takes little pleasure in this decision– its simply to ease his own pain. A strange way to administer justice indeed.
So finally after extreme persistence – day after day and week upon week…the poor and powerless widow actually finds justice from the corrupt, cruel, and jaundiced judge.
Luke’s gospel is very interested in the ministry of prayer… and here we have a parable unique to Luke - that encourages us to pray. It's a parable about the kingdom of God – as are all of Jesus parables. {These Parables are like seeds – in order to grow they need time, and light and water… otherwise the seed will remain dormant.}
Transition…
But what is Jesus trying to say in this parable? It seems a strange way to teach us to pray.
Is he saying it will be tough to get God’s attention when we pray?
Do we pray as beggars before a cold-hearted God?
Are our prayers a bother to God?
The disciples of Jesus have been asking questions about prayer and Jesus has already given them the “Lord’s Prayer” … they have seen Jesus spend early mornings, and late nights and even all night …. in prayer… they even knew some of his favourite places to pray.
But I imagine as the 12 listen to this parable they are confused – what is Jesus saying about his Father?
Is God cruel ?
is he corrupt?
Are my prayers a bother to him?
Resolution; The issue is not will God grant justice – the question is …will we pray?
Do we sometimes think of God is an unjust judge?
• Is that how we approach prayer?
• We don’t want to admit that we may think poorly of God…Am I bothering God when I pray?
• Is prayer an attempt to twist God’s arm – hoping he will do something –even if reluctantly?
• Is it only by sheer belligerence that we make progress in prayer?
• Is that why we fast and pray – to persuade God to do something on our terms or see things our way?
• So maybe this widow is modelling how to pray?
Augustine said in his letter on prayer (cited in T. Keller’s book on prayer); “we must count ourselves desolate in this world; however great the prosperity of your lot may be.”
And now Jesus turns the parable from analogy to reality…. It is no longer about a hypothetical judge… its about God himself.
Jesus poses two questions…
• Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones?
• Will he (also) keep putting them off?
I tell you, says Jesus… he will see that they get justice – and quickly!!!
And then another (3rd ) question… “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
When it comes to prayer, Jesus says…
“You don’t ever have to worry about God’s character and compassion. You don’t ever have to worry about a cold-hearted God.
God – the ultimate judge is the absolute opposite to the unjust judge of this parable.
The question isn’t will God dispense justice… the question is “will he find his people to be people of prayer.”
This parable doesn’t guarantee that God will answer all of our prayers as we’d like– and that right quickly. It guarantees ultimate justice and vindication against the many injustices inflicted upon God’s people including severe persecution – and even martyrdom. This month, November, is the month when the church is called to concentrated prayer for the persecuted church around the world.
Jesus moves the focus of prayer to the kingdom of God and the consummation of the age. The recurring theme of the kingdom of God emerges from this parable. And the question is not will God hear and answer… the question is “will we the people of God, be people of prayer?”
As the return of Christ nears… will we the people of God give up on prayer or persevere in prayer?
This parable isn’t about God answering particular prayers of ours – its about our commitment to pray.
Jesus asks us … when my return nears – will prayer still be practised by my people?
God can be trusted… he is more than just - he is merciful - If this widow can find justice against impossible circumstances --- how much more will God’s people.
We have every reason to pray; we are not poor, powerless widows – we are children of God. And God our Father is neither corrupt nor cruel. If this widow found justice – how much more will God grant justice to his people! --
The word for justice here suggests “vindication” at the end of the age.
And the word for “quickly” hints at the suddenness of his coming … “behold I come quickly” (rev 22:12)
Craig Blomberg writes;
“The parable teaches both that (1) God will hear and answer the cries of his people against injustice - by sending the Son of man to earth, and (2) we must persist in faithful petition for the consummation of the kingdom.
*gospel idea: we can persevere in prayer because our faithful Father promises justice.”
(When you don’t think you have a prayer… pray!!!)
Application; keep praying… not just “a” prayer… but a commitment to a life of prayer
Sometimes like this widow, we may not know where to turn…even praying can be difficult –clouded with confusion and discouragement… the apostle Paul identifies with this experience and in Romans 8:26 he writes “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans, that words cannot express.”
So, When Jesus comes …will he find faith on the earth?
Remember -- “when you don’t think you have a prayer… pray.”
Augustine; “We lack the spiritual capacity to realize all we have in Jesus Christ”… we are like a little boy who wants his broken truck fixed… who when informed that he has inherited $5 million dollars… is unable to grasp such a large sum of money – and so he remains fixated on his toy truck.
Jesus calls us to a life of prayer… “we should always pray and never give up.”
The challenge of this parable isn’t about praying and getting my prayer answered my way… its about … will the people of God be practising prayer upon Christ’s return.
This parable isn’t about persistence in an individual prayer request – its about the commitment to the ministry of prayer by the people of God. And if we believe that God is kind and compassionate – we will pray to him. If we think he is cruel, calloused and corrupt – we will not.
Luther counsels us when we pray to “always keep a lookout for the Holy Spirit. He will preach to us, says Luther, and….“ one word of his sermon is better than a thousand of our own.”
Calvin; “our prayers have no virtue to procure us access to the Father. Christ has done that. Prayers that are in accord with a gracious God however, can connect us to him. If we pray without humility it cuts us off from him. But, if we pray without confidence or hope of being heard - that also blocks any sense of his presence. Both these mistakes, says Calvin, are a failure to pray in Jesus name.”
“When you feel like you don’t have a prayer… pray - in Jesus name!”
In conclusion… let’s go back to the beginning…Back to the holy land…
So one day … while still lamenting my missed opportunity to visit St. Pierre…My sister comes home from high school… “Mom our class is going to Europe ; its $1000 and I really want to go.”
Mom; “Ok… I’ll talk it over with your Father -- we will find the money somewhere.”
– I’m in shock!!!
Europe viz St. Pierre
$1000 viz $50
I think I may have underestimated by parents
I didn’t think I had a prayer! ( So I failed to ask)
When you don’t think you have a prayer…pray to your Father – in Jesus name!
