The Just Judge-Faith

Scripture

Hebrews 11:6 “6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

2 Corinthians 4:16 “16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Luke 18:1–8 “1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

www.theword.net

fireworks

Introduction of underdog

No chance of winning! life had dealt some cruel blow and there was no chance. people shake their heads and say that is a shame. no real chance.

I have seen people face things and emerge from the other side. You people are my heroes. (look) faith is knowing you will be living with God on the other side

📍True Story – WWII, Battle of Okinawa

He had no weapon. No rank. No respect. And no business on the front lines… except for one thing: He refused to quit.

🔥 1. Little Chance of Success – Because of Who He Was

Desmond Doss was a Seventh-day Adventist and a conscientious objector. He believed in the war effort — but refused to carry a weapon or take a life.

When he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a medic, his own unit mocked him.

He wouldn’t train on Saturdays.

He wouldn’t handle a rifle.

Many soldiers wanted him court-martialed.

They thought he was a coward.

💪 2. Everyone Else Was Bigger, Stronger, More Equipped

When his unit hit the cliffs of Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa, the enemy overwhelmed the American troops with superior firepower and position.

Soldiers fell by the dozens.

Everyone — even the best trained, best armed, toughest fighters — retreated.

Everyone… except Doss.

🛡️ 3. He Succeeded Through Sheer Determination

Desmond Doss stayed behind — alone. Under constant fire, with no weapon to defend himself, he:

Crawled through carnage

Dragged the wounded to the edge of the cliff

Lowered them down one by one to safety

All night long he prayed:

“Lord, help me get just one more.”

When it was over, he had saved 75 men — singlehandedly. Men who had laughed at him. Men who had doubted him.

They didn’t laugh anymore.

Desmond Doss became the first conscientious objector in U.S. history to receive the Medal of Honor.

He had no hope but did not give up.

Lesson Widow

Widows are some of God’s most beloved people. God loves!

Girls married soon after womanhood. Sometimes as early as 11-12 years old. Almost always to an older man. Sometimes to a young man in the community 18ish. oftentimes to an older man that had lost his wife for some reason. Her status revolved around her husband. If her husband died, and her with small children or no children, she had no means of survival. She had no means of making a living except very meager means.

Look at frustrations of widow of Zerepeth to whom Elijah was sent. It was a time of drought and this woman had no means of survival. Elijah asked her for a piece of bread. 1 Kings 17:12 “12 And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

Often times they would be saddled with some sort of debt as their husband was trying to make it and would be trying to survive until disaster. Creditors were able to take the person and their family into servitude or sell them into servitude to collect on the money owed.

2 Kings 4:1 “1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”

and in the time of Jesus

Matthew 18:23–25 “23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.”

if a widow could not remarry or have some man provide for her, the widow’s only hope was to somehow survive until her sons could get old enough to take care of her. Imagine the feelings that were going through the widow of Nain. She had lost her ONLY son. Not only was she feeling the horrific emotions of her son passing away, but also her only means of survival.

Luke 7:12–15 “12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.”

Her only hope had been delivered back unto her by her only hope.

John 4:4 “4 And he must needs go through Samaria.”

When Jesus met the woman at the well, He reached across the prejudices of the time to a hurting person. A person in pain. Jesus spoke to her kindly John 4:14 “14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Jesus spoke to her directly about the pain that she experienced.

John 4:17–18 “17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.”

We preach that she is a harlot or worse. But the more likely story is that she had buried husbands or had some divorce her because of the way she made bread or something. It seems as if she had no children and thus she was with no way of survival. Most likely a man kin to her had taken her in to support her, an uncle, cousin, brother or something.

The widow was very vulnerable person. Jesus even warned against scribes that devoured widows houses. They along with fatherless children were some of the most vulnerable groups in all of Israel. And GOD LOVED THEM!

The last time Joseph is mentioned in scripture is when Jesus was 12. There is a good chance that Mary is a widow since Jesus is taking care of her and passes her care on to John at the cross. So Jesus mother is probably a widow.

Exodus 22:22–24 “22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. 23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.”

God provided communal support for several groups including for the widow Deuteronomy 14:28–29 “28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.”

In Jewish writings about the Torah there are the following statements

Widows must be treated with gentleness and honor, regardless of wealth.

Collateral may not be taken from a widow, even if she is wealthy.

A widow has the right to remain in her husband’s home and be supported by his estate until she remarries.

Isaiah 1:17 “17 Learn to do well; Seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, Judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”

James 1:27 “27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

God loves widows

Deuteronomy 10:17–18 “17 For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.”

Jeremiah 49:11 “11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; And let thy widows trust in me.”

Psalm 146:9 “9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth (surrounds, or embraces) the fatherless and widow: But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.”

Psalm 68:5 “5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation.”

God loves widows!

JUDGE-the second player

The Judge. Jesus drops some hints. Unjust is what Jesus says. why? The Jewish view of a magistrate possessed the highest concern for fairness and just judgment. The judge represented divine authority on earth and was required to make equitable decisions based upon all the evidence.

They were to be fair to all men! They were to Fear the LORD!

2 Chronicles 19:6–7 “6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. 7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.”

Jesus quotes this judge as stating that he didnt fear God or Man. This disqualifies him from being a Judge.

In Israel, there was a panel of 3 judges in a town that heard the case. They conferred together. In the mouth of 2 or 3 witness shall every word be established.

Minimum for Legal Validity: According to the Talmud and later halachic sources, a court must consist of at least three judges to be considered valid for most civil and religious cases. This ensures that no single individual has unilateral authority, and that decisions are made with deliberation and consensus.

:Symbolic and Practical Balance

One judge might be biased.

Two could deadlock.

Three allows for a majority decision and reflects the biblical emphasis on multiple voices confirming truth

Jesus states that the Judge made the statement all on his own. He doesnt confer with other judges.

These hints that Jesus plants lets us know that this Judge was most likely a Roman man appointed to be a judge in a town not overseen by the jewish rulership.

Meeting between two

SO The widow in the parable is at an extreme disadvantage because she possesses no influence standing in front of a judge that is appointed by a foreign power and most likely doesnt know her at all. She cries out, “Vindicate me against my adversary!” Her adversary apparently controls a corrupt court by his powerful influence with an unscrupulous magistrate. No one to advocate for her.

Tenacity was the only weapon the widow possessed. She exercised her firm resolve and was tireless in her persistent requests to the corrupt judge. “For a while he refused; but after this he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor regard man because this widow bothers me I will vindicate her or she will wear me out by her continual coming’ ” (Luke 18:9). she weary me. She wear me out. She gives me a black Eye.

The Only thing the widow has going for her is a brazen Tenacity. In biblical times, a widow was often a symbol of vulnerability and powerlessness. She had no husband to defend her in court, and unless she had a son or wealthy relatives, she had little legal or social standing. She had nothing.

But here’s what makes her remarkable:

🔥 1. She has no power — but refuses to be passive

She should have been silent, invisible, and easily dismissed in a patriarchal society.

Instead, she fights for justice.

She comes again and again to the judge, demanding:

“Give me justice against my adversary!” (Luke 18:3)

Her persistence is not quiet or polite—it’s almost confrontational. The judge finally gives in because he fears she'll "wear him out" or embarrass him.

Jesus says this was an Unjust Judge. IF he heard her and ruled for her. HOW MUCH MORE SO will a JUST GOD when his own elect called out people that he loves call out day and night.

Man-God

unjust-just

Could care less-loves so much he gave his life for us.

The widow could have given up. She had every reason to believe that nothing would happen. BUT SHE DID NOT GIVE UP>

Dont quit

This is the only parable that Jesus gives us the meaning before he told the parable. THE ONLY ONE> He did not want it to be misunderstood. He wanted to be sure that the meaning was understood by all.

Luke 18:1 “1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

1. Greek Word: ἐκκακέω (ekkakeō)

The Greek word translated “faint” is ἐκκακέω.

It literally means “to lose heart,” “to become discouraged,” or “to give up.”

Compound Breakdown of ἐκκακέω:

ἐκ (ek) = "out of" (intensifier or source)

κακός (kakos) = "bad, evil, worthless"

Together: “to act badly out of discouragement” → “to fall apart internally”

It implies losing inward resolve — becoming emotionally or spiritually depleted, leading to surrender or passivity.

I just cant take any more. I love God. But////

Daniel 7:25 (KJV)

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High…”

🔎 Hebrew Word: בְּלָא (bĕlāʾ)

Translated “wear out” in Daniel 7:25.

Meaning: to wear away, harass continually, mentally exhaust.

We can feel the grinding!

But there is a power! (vision being part of a strong pillar)

one person noted that the real issue of prayer is how one understands God

John 7:38 “38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

From inside. The area that is trying to be ground down. The wearing out.

When everything points to EKKAKEO (falling apart internally)

2 Corinthians 4:16 “16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

To Jesus, this is what faith looks like. When things come to make us weak,

When I am weak then am I strong!

To what God are we praying?

2 Timothy 1:12 “12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

Dont quit! Dont stop! Dont give up!

Its not about how weak, vulnerable, old, sad, torn, rejected, sick, harrassed, or exhausted we are. ITS ABOUT WHO WE SERVE! DO WE KNOW HIM!

It may appear to the those around us that our outward man is perishing but our inward man be being renewed by coming unto the one that cried. IF ANY MAN THIRST, LET HIM COME UNTO ME AND DRINK!

Because we serve a God of HOW MUCH MORE SO>

Ephesians 3:20 “20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,”

Jesus Christ is not barely enough — He is endlessly, abundantly, gloriously more than enough.

...and you can make it.

Keep praying and dont fall apart internally.

Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Keep working and dont fall apart internally

2 Corinthians 4:1 “1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;”

Keep ministering and dont fall apart internally

2 Corinthians 4:16 “16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

Luke 18:1 “1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

Keep praying and dont fall apart internally.