Sermon Tone Analysis
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In everyday life we are confronted with a variety of issues: some are easy to deal with and other are difficult.
When we have a decision to make sometimes we conclude that the easy path is the best course of action.
However, have you ever considered that the more challenging, the more difficult is really the best choice?
Solution: God’s Word reminds us that we are constantly in need of his grace, which he supplies abundantly in his Son.
This moves us to pray for help, in every situation.
The Gospel also assures us that God takes delight in showing love and mercy to his chosen ones as they entreat him.
This moves us to pray with persistence, confident of his timely response.
Today all three of our readings deals something difficult, never giving up or losing heart.
In the OT reading Jacob wrestles with “a man” who is really God, and prevails.
As a result, God changes Jacob’s name to “Israel”, because “he wrestled with God and prevailed.”
In the Epistle Reading St. Paul encourages Timothy never to give up, especially at the time when people will no longer tolerate sound doctrinal teaching, and where Timothy will have to endure hardships because of the Gospel.
And our Gospel reading also encourages us never to give up when we pray, because, you see, our persistence in prayer is evidence of faith and trust in God.
The Psalm deals with the assurance we have that God will watch over us.
The psalmist was absolutely convinced that God would watch over him and would bless him.
In the Old Testament Reading, Jacob wrestles a man who turns out to be God.
He is persistent in this encounter with God.
He does not give up.
He keeps wrestling, even with a wrenched hip.
Persistence is a theme that also runs through the Epistle.
Paul’s charge to Timothy is to be persistent in carrying out his ministry.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching” and instruction ().
The charge to Timothy is that he should not give up.
The truth is, God wants us to grow in faith, to place greater trust and confidence in our Him, who promises always to listen to us and answer our prayers when we call upon him.
So today Jesus uses a parable to: (1).
Teach Us About Prayer; Shows us how He (2).
Longs to answer our Prayer; and finally we will learn how we can (3).
Pray with confidence.
Rather Than Lose Heart,
We Can Pray with Confidence for God’s Righteousness.
Pray Continually and Never Give Up or Lose Heart.
Anxiety concerning the end can cause us to lose heart (vv 1–3).
Jesus Teaches about Prayer
3. Oftentimes, we are like the unjust judge.
“It’s not my problem.”
This parable addresses a specific question and a specific concern about the end.
In OT times the gate area of an Israelite city was the central place for commerce and the dispensing of law.
Their judges—often the wise elders of the community, had many civic responsibilities—would hear cases and administer justice fairly ().
The question, posed by some Pharisees: “When will the kingdom of God come?” (17:20).
1.
The question, posed by some Pharisees: “When will the kingdom of God come?” (17:20).
The concern Jesus shares with his disciples is that “you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it” (17:22).
2. The concern Jesus shares with his disciples is that “you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it” (17:22).
5. Jesus shows us that God longs to bring about justice by the power of his love and grace, and that grace is for all who will receive it.
Jesus speaks of a judge who cared only for himself.
He did not fear God, nor did he care about people.
Could it be that he was a con artist or wealthy landowner who exploited the poor?
His sin of callousness is especially serious because judges were to represent God (cf. the judges in the book of Judges).
In fact, the Hebrew word ’elohim, “God, gods” is sometimes used for judges as God’s agents (; , ; Jud 5:8; , ).
B. But this one does not fear God or care about people (v 2).
Jesus speaks of a judge who cared only for himself.
He did not fear God, nor did he care about people.
Maybe he was a con-artist or wealthy landowner who exploited the poor.
His sin of callousness is especially serious because judges were to represent God.
In fact, the Hebrew word ’elohim, “God, gods” is sometimes used for judges as God’s agents (; , ; ; , ).
B. Our apparently unfulfilled desire for the end time coming of the kingdom of God is a cause of temptation to “lose heart.”
6.
Now that we are the redeemed children of God, we are able to approach our Father with all confidence “as dear children ask their dear father” (Luther’s Small Catechism, p. 19).
Our apparently unfulfilled desire for the end time coming of the kingdom of God is a cause of temptation to “lose heart.”
C.
He resents being bothered continually by the widow (v 4).
Selfishness can cause a callous disregard for justice.
For example, Judas perverted justice by betraying his Master.
When Judas returned the money, selfishness caused the priests to declare, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility” ().
Selfishness can cause a callous disregard for justice.
For example, Judas perverted justice by betraying his Master.
When Judas returned the money, selfishness caused the priests to declare, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility” ().
“Signs” of the coming end continue: “wars and rumors of wars,” nation rising against nation, “famines and earthquakes” ().
Pray Continually and Do Not Lose Heart.
1. “Signs” of the coming end continue: “wars and rumors of wars,” nation rising against nation, “famines and earthquakes” ().
Sermon
2. We know about plenty of each of those!
(Give current examples.)
We know about plenty of each of those!
(Give current examples.)
In such traumas we continue to pray as taught, “Thy kingdom come”—yet, apparently, to no avail.
Every once in a while you hear about it in the news.
Someone is arrested and convicted of a crime he didn’t commit.
Then years later some new piece of evidence comes to light, and a judge exonerates him after he’s served years behind bars.
When we hear a story like this, we often think of how the system failed.
Just look at how many years that person spent behind bars, and all along he was innocent!
3.
In such traumas we continue to pray as taught, “Thy kingdom come”—yet, apparently, to no avail.
Injustice as we wait for Christ to come and set all things right will further tempt us to cease praying and to lose heart.
C. Injustice as we wait for Christ to come and set all things right will further tempt us to cease praying and to lose heart.
What if you had to look to a judge like the one in today’s parable?
A widow comes to him for help, and over and over again, he refuses.
The widow then is forced to inundate the judge with requests until he does the right thing and listens to her.
The text makes clear that he does the right thing in the end.
However, he does the right thing not because he’s had a change of heart, but simply to get rid of the woman.
1. “Give me justice!” (v 3b).
(Give specific examples of injustices we see and experience.)
What if you had to look to a judge like the judge in today’s parable?
A widow comes to him for help, and over and over again, he refuses.
The widow then is forced to inundate the judge with requests until he does the right thing and listens to her.
The text makes clear that he does the right thing in the end.
However, he does the right thing not because he’s had a change of heart, but simply to get rid of the woman.
“Give me justice!” (v 3b).
(Give specific examples of injustices we see and experience.)
This widow in our text is a lot like our children when they want something.
You know the routine.
“C’mon, Mom, Dad, please!
Please let me go! What’ll my friends think if I’m not at the party?
My friends won’t think I’m cool anymore if I’m not there.
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