The Persistent Widow
Applying the Kingdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Reading:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Introduction:
"The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat," the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller.
George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did.
Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. "Mr. Mueller," he said, "last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in. Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.” -The George who showed 300 children such great faith in God is George Mueller.
Maybe it would surprise you that George Mueller was not always a person of such great faith and good character.
As a young boy growing up in Germany in the early 1800s, he often stole money from his dad. As a teenager, he sneaked out of a hotel twice without paying for the room. One time he was caught by police and put in jail. As a Bible college student, George loved going to bars, drinking, gambling, and being the life of the party. He also loved making fun of people, especially Christians.
One day, a friend invited George to go to an off-campus Bible study. He went only because he wanted to make fun of the Christians later. But to his surprise, he liked the Bible study. For the first time, he saw people who really knew and loved God. He attended each evening. Before the end of the week, he knelt at his bed and asked God to forgive his sins.
- Christianity.com
George’s life was spent revealing the God he trusted and depended upon.
It is estimated that nearly 10,000 orphans sat under his example and direction. 10,000 souls that were directly impacted by faith!
It was said that when they were about to “age out” of the home He would place a bible in their right hand and a coin in the left and tell them: “If you hold onto what is in your right hand then God would always make sure there was something in your left hand as well.”
Prayer in faith was the earmark of George’s trust in the God he served!
We have spoken on prayer in the past; and today this will be a little bit
of a different aspect; which we can find ourselves in with prayer.
Prayer is defined as:
“In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness.”
The definition doesn’t really hit the nail on the head for me either.
Prayer is often something that is better defined through examples.
Examples like George Mueller’s.
Transition:
But today we can find a good example of prayer with a little different focus than what is normally expressed.
Our text is in Luke 18 verses 1-8.
The context of this parable is following Jesus teaching the disciples about His return and what society and culture and world will be like.
His effort here is for the disciples.
In verse one we have:
Jesus’ Thesis Statement (1)
Jesus’ Thesis Statement (1)
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Faithlife study Bible says: They must pray and not be discouraged In anticipation of the events outlined in Chapter 17:22-37.
The issue that Christ is addressing in verse 1 would be:
The Possibility of loosing faith.
The Possibility of loosing faith.
In the KJV the word for loose heart is:
King James Version Chapter 18
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint
We have the phrases: “Lose heart and not to faint”.
Illustration:
At one job site we had a new hire begin, he was the low man on the totem pole.
because he didn’t know anything about building a house he was given the laborer position.
His job was to carry wood and get stuff for those more skilled than him. The first thing in the morning he was to make sure the generator and air compressor were ready for work.
That job can be disappointing, because your’e not building your carrying the wood and aren’t able to build stuff.
You are kind of stuck, but only for a little while.
The young man was getting discouraged about construction since he was only the laborer.
One morning he quit.
This is what happened:
He pulled the generator and air compressors out of the trailer, filled them up with gas and began the process of starting them.
Air compressor fired right up.
Generator did not!
This young man pulled and pulled, checked the spark plug, etc...
He was so frustrated that it wasn’t working he quit, got in his car and went home.
Was he mad at the generator?
He was discouraged about being the laborer, the generator was the last straw!
(The problem with the generator was he failed to turn the ignition switch to “on”.)
Being a believer can be equally frustrating and disappointing at times.
There may be moments you don’t see God working in you’re life.
There may be moments you feel further from Him than before.
There may be a lot of terrible things that are happening.
All of which may build a facade.
The Facade which Satan will use to suggest we believe that our Lord is so distant from us because He isn’t real or He doesn’t care.
Causing us to be discouraged and possibly lose faith!
Point:
That would be us loosing heart!
We give up on God and abort our believing in Him for all things.
Transition:
At the point when someone looses heart in something, it becomes taboo in their lives.
It would be that thing they are vehemently against, since they were greatly disappointed or betrayed by it.
With the text ending chapter 7 Jesus was reassuring all who heard it and all of us reading it now that we cannot lose heart in times of trouble and turmoil.
We can trust and know that Jesus is in charge of it all.
Jesus helps soothe them with:
The Comparison (2-5)
The Comparison (2-5)
2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”
The first character mentioned is the Judge.
Judge:
A civil officer who is invested with authority to hear and determine causes, civil or criminal, between parties, according to his commission
Judges were supposed to show special attention to widows.
17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
3 Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
Here is something that happens over time.
The principals and point of the job when it began changed because sin crept in to situation.
Kind of like politics hindering getting stuff done.
Illustration:
A pastor once told a story about men who would go out and save boats stranded on the coast of California.
What does the passage say about the Judge in this parable?
2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
The judge had 2 problems that everyone knew, probably including him, :
He didn’t fear God!
He had no respect for man!
? How can a person be a judge and not possess these 2 attributes?
Thankfully in America they are “public servants”.
They work for the people, are paid through the taxes of the people.
Can you imagine a police officer pulling you over whom has no respect towards people?
How would he treat you?
That wouldn’t be a very good judge.
But then enters into the parable: persistent widow.
3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
The widow is appealing to the proper authority for justice!
She wasn’t asking for vengeance against her adversary she was only asking that the judge for justice!
There is something we must know: the judge was the only authority a widow could appeal to for justice, there was no other authority!
She did appeal to Him, many times.
Her message never changed, it stayed the same!
A widow is vulnerable and needed to be cared for by the community, and the neighbors.
The expectation for the community to care for the widow isn’t just a cultural expectation; it is a biblical command.
27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Widow’s were typically poor, since they had no one to provide for them.
So a lot of times the politics of being able to get an audience with the judge would’ve only been possible through a bribe!
She probably didn’t have the money to bribe an official.
She pestered the judge until he caved to get rid of her.
Illustration:
Which one of your siblings mastered the art of “the nag” to get what they want?
The widow is the nagging lady who always complains about the same thing and she won’t back down until it is resolved.
She wore the judge down until he resolved it.
The judge in the Greek uses a word to describe the wearing down from her:
Hypopiazo which is a term describing having a black eye.
She hit him in the way the public perceived him.
The weapon of choice for the widow was her persistence.
Connection:
As we pray we should persistently pray about the same things until there is an answer or a remedy given.
4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”
In verse 4 the judge reveals that it has nothing to do with God, why he agreed to do something about her request for justice.
What he did was voice what to expect:
He didn’t fear God or respect man!
He didn’t care about justice, he only cared for himself.
Why did he agree to get justice for her?
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”
I don’t want her in here any more, go away and don’t come back!
Ignoring her didn’t keep her away, so maybe getting her justice would make it final and she wouldn’t come anymore!
Connection:
Where does this all fit into our lives for applying God’s word?
We should learn from the comparison:
The widow = Us - believers.
The Judge = Him; we aren’t an pester to the Lord when we come to Him in prayer.
Our heavenly Judge we appeal to is perfect and would never try and get rid of us.
He cares about every little detail of our lives; because He loves us.
We are being told to pray earnestly and persistently!
The things that matter most to us are the things we are earnestly and consistently pleading with Him about.
We are in great need for those prayers and we can recognize:
When we are persistently pleading to the Lord about something, until there is a judgment, we are talking to God because He is who we hope in for answers and action!
Then believe that He hears you and is doing something; but it He is doing His will not yours.
It may not be taken care of how we want Him to; but we trust Him.
Transition:
George Mueller prayed and wasn’t sure how they kids would eat; but He trusted the Lord would answer it.
Yet He was willing to accept the possibility that there wouldn’t be any food too.
Since the parable is clearly not talking about a specific widow or an judge; we can understand it is comparing us to the widow and God to the judge.
Jesus, since He is speaking to those who judged, further expresses:
The charge (6-8)
The charge (6-8)
6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Jesus calls the judge of the case: Unrighteous!
Morally impure, not perfect!
He points out God and what He would do!
The 2 judges are contrasted:
Unrighteous judge = Man’s authority!
God = Perfect!
Will God delay very long like this judge to hear my case and do something about it?
Jesus hears all pleas from His children!
Notice it isn’t a “take a number” scenario, He can hear it all simultaneously.
Why hasn’t He given the Justice against all those I have been praying about?
One commentator states: This isn’t a delay; but a purposeful act of mercy.
Not giving somebody what they’re asking for or deserve is an big action of grace and mercy.
Jesus asks:
7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
When the 2 judges are compared we get:
If an unrighteous judge can give in to the continuous cries from the widow, a stranger to the judge, how much more a loving father?
Jesus answers the question:
8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Jesus will give fast and perfect judgments when He comes!
? What will He find here when He comes?
Will He find those who persistently had contact with Jesus in prayer and trusted by faith His will?
Since they know He always heard their prayers, even though He didn’t always answer them right away or in the way they expected?
Conclusion:
To be able to consistently and persistently pray reveals the faith you have in the God you’re talking to.
This kind of faith requires that we guard and protect it.
Most importantly it needs to be something that we cultivate and allow to grow!
There will be times when things aren’t great in our lives.
Moments where being comfortable in our faith is non-existent!
When those moments happen we won’t loose heart.
We won’t abandon or our faith; we will continue trusting Jesus.
There will come a day when all the justice will be handed out; but for the time being Jesus is offering mercy and grace to all who deserve justice!
When we are in prayer, pray about the same things until we see God’s answer?
We should and we can; because our Judge isn’t bothered or pestered with our prayers, He wants to hear them and answer them.
George Mueller’s faith was revealed to at least 10,000 kids who grew into adults.
Even though the orphanage collectively prayed together, I’m sure He didn’t stop praying; he was persistent and consistent.
How would that kind of faith affect their views of this world and the God who created it all and the promises He teaches us in His word?
If there is even the smallest chance that your faith could build up the church body it’s worth it.
When God provides that opportunity for any person to see the God in you, you must reveal Him and be the one who either plants, waters, or reaps the harvest!
- Pray!