Proper 24
October 16,
2016
Luke 18:1-8
Persistence
in Blessing – Persistence in Prayer
The Gospel for today and next Sunday. Both deal
with prayer. The Savior will use short stories. About earthly life. To teach
spiritual truths. These stories. Contain
casts of only a few characters. Next week it will be the Pharisee and the tax
collector. This week, it is the persistent widow and the unjust judge. Jesus
will teach us about Persistence in Blessing. And Persistence in Prayer.
1. What the
widow in Christ’s parable teaches us.
A. About ourselves.
1. Like the widow. We also experience
injustice. And evil. At the hands of others. In her case. We don’t know
specifically what was involved. Likewise. We often don’t always know beforehand
what people will do to us. They might malign us. Impugn our motives. Pilfer our homes and
businesses. And persecute us. In overt
or subtle ways.
2. But we do know. That our sin. Makes
us deserve nothing but punishment from God. Not only do others sin against us.
But we too sin against them. Thinking. Speaking. And doing evil. Continually. Over and over
again. Each of our sins against others is also a sin against God. It is a
striving against Him. That deprives us of our rights as children. This brings death. For which all sin brings.
3. In the face of the evil. Done
against us. And the evil that we do. We are tempted to despair. We are virtually
unable to help ourselves. And any help from God. Appears to be delayed. Or
denied.
4. But God our heavenly Father. Invites us to seek His help. And blesses us
for Christ’s sake. You are not unknown to God. Not as the widow was to the
judge. You are His elect. That is, He has chosen you in Christ before the
foundation of the world. He has adopted you as his beloved child. Because of
the work of His only-begotten Son Jesus Christ.
B. About God.
1. As the widow persisted in her plea
and request for mercy. So did our lord persist in His work of winning for you
His Father’s good pleasure. He endured as your Substitute. He experienced human
injustice and wickedness. Drinking the bitter dregs. The cup of suffering. That
the Father administered to Him. As the result of your transgressions and sins.
Never did He falter in carrying out His mission of salvation. He persisted.
Declaring, ”It is finished!” But also promising, “I am with you always!”
2. For the sake of His crucified and
risen Son. The Father now persists in hearing your prayers. His desire is to
bless you. Through Christ, you have access to the throne of grace. What a
blessing it is to uphold one another in our Friedheim family. - Taking our
needs burdens joys and sorrows to the throne room of grace. Being thankful as
the Savior answers each petition.
2. What the
judge in Christ’s parable teaches us.
A. About ourselves.
1. In stressing that the judge’s
decision was a selfish one. The parable reminds us that we also decide to do
many things for a selfish desire to benefit ourselves, rather than a pure
desire to praise the Father and benefit others. For example, our obedience to
civil laws is sometimes motivated more by our fear of punishment than by a
concern for the common good. Or a celebration of the Reformation can tend more
toward worship of the self then toward proclaiming with thankfulness and
patience the glorious message that the Father has entrusted to us the salvation
of others.
2. Such selfishness is unrighteousness.
Such selfishness is contrary to God’s will. Such selfishness deserves
condemnation. Yet, it so thoroughly pervades all human thinking, that the
parable is not at all absurd or unbelievable. The judge is a picture of how we
by nature deal with each other!
B. About God.
1. How different in this regard is God from
sinful human nature. We can contrast the judge’s forced and selfish decision
with God’s willing and selfish promises. God loved the world so much that He
freely and selflessly gave His only Son into death to save all sinners from everlasting
death. Jesus did not regard equality with God as a thing to be grasped. Rather,
He humbled Himself. And became obedient even to death. The Holy Spirit designs
to enter even our frail and mortal bodies and build us into a holy temple in
the Lord.
2. Unlike the judge. Who in selfishness.
Was erratic and suspect. The Father is altogether trustworthy. He wants us to
hold Him to His promises and blessings. Demand them! You are His child. His
answers to prayer do not always come according to our timetable. But He does
answer. – And always at the right time.
The Father wants you always to pray and not
despair. Realize His faithfulness toward you. Be constant in prayer. The
Father’s persistence in blessing leads to persistence in prayer.
Words – 850
Passive Sentences – 2%
Reading Ease –73.9
Reading Level -4.7
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