Thank you for stopping by to read the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone is doing well and feeling well.
I have had a challenging week. I've been working on many different projects. I believe that I am going to go back to working as a freelance writer for more hours starting soon. The job where I am working now is becoming more difficult with each day. Please pray that the Lord will guide in what to do.
Also, please pray that the heavy rains that are predicted for my area won't be too heavy. I always worry about flooding in my area. Thank you for your prayers.
Please remember to pray for the people of France. There was a terrorist attack there last night. Please pray for the safety of that nation. Also pray that the French people will have wisdom as they vote for a new president this weekend.
Continue to pray for peace in this very troubled world. Pray for peace in Syria, South Sudan and Iraq.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us join in prayer for those who live in the nations of Algeria and Japan. Pray that many will hear the message of Jesus in these nations.
Over the course of this year, we have been in a study of the parables of Jesus. Today, we will look at the parable of the persistent widow. This parable is often referred to as the parable of the unjust judge.
In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus told a parable about the need for continuing in prayer without losing heart. Jesus said that there was a judge who did not fear God or man. A widow kept coming to him day by day to seek justice against her adversary. The judge kept putting the widow off, but she just kept coming back. Finally, the judge was weary from listening to the widow day after day, and he ruled in her favor. Jesus said that the Father would hear the prayers of His children, and He will not be slow to answer. Jesus ends the parable with the question, "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"
This parable has some similarities to the parable found in Luke 11:5-8 where a friend comes at night to ask for food to feed a guest. The man's friend is in bed and doesn't get up. However, since the man keeps knocking at the door, the man in the house gets up and gives his friend what he needs.
What do these teachings of Jesus have to say to us today? First of all, these are lessons about how we are to pray. They are not parables teaching that God is hard-hearted and that we have to keep pestering Him in order to get an answer. God is not an unjust judge or a friend in bed. He is better than that.
One thing that I would like to emphasis as we look at the parable of the persistent widow, is that the widows and orphans were the most vulnerable members of society. The Lord instructed the people and their governments to take care of the most vulnerable members of society. In Isaiah 1:23, the Lord brought a word of condemnation against the rulers because they were not taking care of the orphans and widows.
Any government that does not take care of the least of these among them is in violation of the teachings of Scripture. We as members of the body of Christ also have the obligation to help other is need. In James 1:27 it states, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world." Also, remember that Jesus said when we do good to the least among us, we do it as unto Him.
The main focus of the parable is to encourage us to keep praying even when it does not seem as if the Lord is going to answer. I know that it seems at times that the Lord is not listening. We pray and pray, and nothing changes. It is in times like this that we need to keep praying.
There have been at least four times in my life that I had to keep praying for a long time in order for the Lord to work. The first instances involves the husband of a woman that used to go to church where I went as a young man. This man was not a Christian, and he didn't treat his wife well. We prayed for him over the course of several years. One day, he came to church and accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.
I will give you another example. In a church I used to minister in, we always had a time when we prayed for peace for nations in conflict. My cousin was a medical missionary in Nepal for awhile, and that country had a civil war that lasted for years. In my church, we prayed for peace for Nepal every Sunday for I don't know how long. After several years, a peace agreement was finally reached.
One other example of my having to persevere in prayer involves my friend Toby. He was beset with several health problems just as I am. One of his medical problems was an autoimmune skin problem. I prayed for him every day for almost two years. One day, his skin cleared up, and for the last several years of his life, he had no more trouble with this particular health issue. Thanks be to God.
When I was about thirty years old, I developed a problem with my skin called vitiligo. This condition causes patches of skin to loose their pigmentation. I prayed that this would be healed for over two years. Finally, to the doctor's amazement, my vitiligo was completely healed. Praise be to the Lord.
These are just a few examples from my own life. I don't think that we should ever stop praying unless the Lord gives us an answer, there is a result, or the person we are praying for passes on. For instance, Paul prayed three times that the thorn in his flesh would be removed. Finally, the Lord told Him that His grace was sufficient. Paul stopped praying about that at that point.
When my Mom was so badly affected by Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and the effects of her stroke, I prayed every day that she would get better until the day she died. Now, she at home with the Lord Jesus, and she is totally healed.
The Lord wants to give good gifts to us. He wants what is best for us, and He wants us to bring our requests unto His throne of grace. Never give up in prayer. Circumstances may look grim, but the Lord is working things out in His own time. Sometimes His answers might not be what we want to hear. However, His will is always what is best for us.
We can rest assured knowing this. One day, Jesus will come again. On that day, all things will be made right. All sickness will be healed. All wars will cease. All injustice will be rectified. Keep praying and believing, and don't give up. Keep trusting in the Lord.
There is one last thing that I want to mention is regard to our parable today. Jesus wonders if there will be anyone who has faith when He returns. There are two possible meanings for this as far as I have discerned. Jesus may be wondering if people will still be persevering in prayer when He returns. What I think this means is that when Jesus does return, there may not be that many Christians left on earth. I've always found this question of Jesus interesting to ponder.
Let us keep believing and trusting in Jesus Christ as long as we live on earth, so that if Jesus does come while we are alive, He will find us filled with faith, hope and trust in Him.
Next week, we will continue with our series on the parables of Jesus. I will post the verses on Monday, and there will be a review on Wednesday. I will post another chapter of the book on Tuesday, and the sermon will appear next Friday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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