Which one are you?

Last week the religious leaders asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would arrive.

His answer was swift and he said the Kingdom is already here, it is near.

He then goes on to not answer the when or where,

but he says it will be everywhere, sudden, and unexpected.

It is important to not let ourselves put details into the text that are not there.

Instead, we are to live our life in faith, believing loyalty, until we are no longer here.

Today, we enter some less intense sections of scripture, but they are important.

Jesus is going to do some teaching about:

How do you pray

How do you give thanks to God

How do you approach God

Let’s jump right in.

Luke 18:1–5 BE:NT

Jesus told them a parable, about how they should always pray and not give up. ‘There was once a judge in a certain town,’ he said, ‘who didn’t fear God, and didn’t have any respect for people. There was a widow in that town, and she came to him and said, “Judge my case! Vindicate me against my enemy!” ‘For a long time he refused. But, in the end, he said to himself, “It’s true that I don’t fear God, and don’t have any respect for people. But because this widow is causing me a lot of trouble, I will put her case right and vindicate her, so that she doesn’t end up coming and giving me a black eye.”

******* FIRST SLIDE ******

What is the first thing we should notice about this passage?

What has the author told us?

It is a parable (made up story to teach something)

It is about prayer

It is about not giving up

Now, Jesus could have said, “All of you, pray relentlessly and never stop, don’t ever give up.”

But where is the fun in that!

There is a judge in a certain town - callback to the time of the Judges perhaps.

We learn this judge does not fear God and has no respect for people.

Sounds like some judges today!

There is a widow in that town who has a case and want’s judgment!

Who else is in this town?

Her enemy…Who is the enemy? (Trick question)

This is a core issue with God. Justice for those who are powerless, weaker, oppressed, etc.

******* NEXT SLIDE ********

The judge admits to himself that he does not fear God (like an atheist) and does not care about people.

But...

This widow is relentless, she won’t leave him alone, she absolutely will not stop until this judge does his job.

And what happens?

The judge gives in to save his own reputation because that is all he cares about.

He vindicates her.

What is the lesson?

Luke 18:6–8 BE:NT

‘Well,’ said the master, ‘did you hear what this unjust judge says? And don’t you think that God will see justice done for his chosen ones, who shout out to him day and night? Do you suppose he is deliberately delaying? Let me tell you, he will vindicate them very quickly. But—when the son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?’

Do you catch this?

Be a bother to God when justice is lacking.

Don’t give up on it.

Be the first one at court in the morning, keep rising through the day, be the last one there at night.

So much to unpack here...

The opposition of an unjust judge to God puts God in the just judge spot.

Do you think he delays on purpose?

No, sometimes you activate justice in your prayer.

Vindicate quickly…Yes, but it may not feel like that!

But when the son of man comes (remember last week)

He is throwing it back there for a moment...

****** NEXT SLIDE *****

…Will he find faith on the earth?...

Will there be anyone shouting to God day and night for justice?

Will there be any who fear God and respect people?

Jesus is not done yet...

Luke 18:9–14 BE:NT

He told this next parable against those who trusted in their own righteous standing and despised others. ‘Two men’, he said, ‘went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, the other was a tax-collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed in this way to himself: “God, I thank you that I am not like the other people—greedy, unjust, immoral, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.” ‘But the tax-collector stood a long way off, and didn’t even want to raise his eyes to heaven. He beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am.” Let me tell you, he was the one who went back to his house vindicated by God, not the other. Don’t you see? People who exalt themselves will be humbled, and people who humble themselves will be exalted.’

What is this parable about?

Watch for similar words...

****** NEXT SLIDE *******

Two men go to pray...

What was the topic of the last parable? Shouting out to God. We don’t think of that as prayer, but it is.

The first man is a pharisee, second a tax collector.

Watch the language: Stood and prayed TO HIMSELF.

The judge said TO HIMSELF.

Look at this prayer…Thank you God that I am not like that guy over there.

AND THEN THE PHARISEE PROCEEDS TO DO WHAT? JUDGE THE TAX COLLECTOR.

Greedy, unjust (like the judge), immoral, GET THIS, EVEN LIKE THIS TAX COLLECTOR.

He does not even lump the tax collector in the categories of GREEDY, UNJUST, IMMORAL.

THEY HAVE THEIR OWN CATEGORY.

Instead, I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.

When we compare to the previous parable, who is the Pharisee? THE JUDGE.

Did the judge fear God? No.

Did the judge care about people? No.

Do you see how these stories work together?

What about of friendly IRS agent...

******* SLIDE ******

But the tax collector...

How is the TAX COLLECTOR …LIKE… the WIDOW?

What is common between them?

THEY ARE BOTH BEFORE THE JUDGE.

One is asking for JUSTICE (Widow)

One is asking for MERCY (TAX COLLECTOR)

What happens in this case?

******** SLIDE *******

Let me tell you, he was the one who went back to his house vindicated by God, not the other.

Can you imagine how shocking this parable would be for the original hearers?

Why is this not as shocking to us?

Notice:

TAX COLLECTOR: VINDICATED

WIDOW: VINDICATED

****** SLIDE *******

Don’t you see? People who exalt themselves will be humbled, and people who humble themselves will be exalted.’

Did the widow humble herself? Yes! It was humiliating that she was not receiving justice. She was not worth his time. It was embarrassing.

Friends probably told her to just give up, it won’t happen.

They got tired of hearing about it.

(Jeremy, that is not in the text! ITS A PARABLE, IT IS MADE UP, WE CAN IMAGINE ALL WE WANT, THAT IS THE POINT)

Constantly she is humiliating herself in front of the judge.

WHAT ABOUT THE IRS AGENT?

He goes to the TEMPLE!

He is a Jewish man working for Rome to oppress his own people.

He is hated, despised, and probably wealthy.

Did you notice, HE DID NOT GIVE A THING!

LOOK, who is the worst villain in your mind? Thanos?

Imagine them walking into church, the looks, the whispers, the gossip.

And they sit way in the back, and cry out to God for mercy.

What would you think?

They are faking it, too late buddy, no mercy for you.

I have PRAYED AND PRAYED for God to Get you....and I am righteous, I give money, I follow the rules, and God has to answer my prayer and God will destroy you.

Have you exalted yourself in that scenario?

Are you the widow or the tax collector?

Are you the judge or the pharisee?

Most see themselves as the widow?

Did you catch the link?

The pharisee who is following the law is compared to the godless judge.

You can be following the rules and be godless.

In Jesus teaching, CATCH THIS, not caring for the poor and the sinner is equated to GODLESSNESS.

You are behaving like an atheist.

THOUGHT EXPERIMENT:

WHAT IF THE WIDOWS CASE IS WITH THE TAX COLLECTOR?

(Jeremy, you are adding to the TEXT. No, It is a parable, a made up story to teach something.)

Is it possible there was a time when a widow had a case with a tax collector?

I said most of us judge ourselves like the widow.

I have a case and the godless judge won’t hear it.

I tried to go to the church, but the leaders only care about themselves.

I pray and pray and pray and it never works.

That person that injured me is running around free. (you have judged them)

Do you see the problem?

I deserve God’s action because I have done all the right things...