Luke 18:1–8 NKJV

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” 6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Radical Faith

Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Introduction

There are two words connected to faith

Faith

++Denotes confidence or trust

++Speaks of an expressed belief

Acts 6:7 NKJV

7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Obedient to _The Faith_

The Faith was

++The gospel content

++The way of salvation

Mark 11:22 NKJV

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.

We cannot walk in the faith of God without faith in God.

Faith in God

This faith

++Is the foundation

++Declares we believe

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV

6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Everyone has a belief system

Beliefs determine

++Our Actions

++Our Attitude

Opinions Matter

Mark 8:27–29 NKJV

27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?” 28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

Jesus had no issue with His identity

Man’s opinion will shape

++What they believe

++How they respond

Belief is a matter of the Heart

Romans 10:10 NKJV

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

How do we get faith?

Romans 10:17 NKJV

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith doesn’t come by

++What you heard

++What you read

++How you feel

++What you are hearing

Matthew 9:21 NKJV

21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”

Radical faith is the expression of the heart.

Luke 6:45 NKJV

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

The Power of the Word

What is in your heart?

Psalm 119:11 NKJV

11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

Psalm 119:161 NKJV

161 Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word.

Faith is the

++Overflow of what we receive

++Declaration of the heart

According to thy word

1 Kings 18:36 NKJV

36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

Radical faith is expressed in prayer

The text includes two statements and a story

The first statement provides the purpose of the story

Luke 18:1 NKJV

1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

The text implies a human

++Resistance to pray.

++Desire to go it alone

++Unwillingness to not consider God

Prayer seems to

++Admit human weakness

++Say I am not in control

Prayer is a reminder

++We are not our own

++We exist for God’s purpose & glory

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 NKJV

11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Radical faith can be expressed in every story.

Luke 18:2–5 NKJV

2 saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ 4 And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

Jesus was a master story teller

A good story invites the listener

++to visualize

++to connect emotionally

The principle characters

++The judge

++The widow

Jesus draw a cultural distinction

Jesus uses the extremes

++One of great authority and power

++One considered frail and weak

Radical faith knows that God is working

Even when I don’t see it, feel it or perceive it

The story is call the parable of the unjust judge

The judge ruled without fear

++No fear of God

++No regard for man

++Yet was troubled by he widow

Luke 18:5 NKJV

5 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

The widow

++Had a need

++Recognize the authority of the judge

++Came to the Judge

++Kept coming

The widow received her request

++Not because the Judge cared

++Because she never stopped asking

God is better than the Judge

Luke 18:6–7 NKJV

6 Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. 7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

God cares about us

His people (own elect)

++Cry out to him day and night

++Are carried by him

Acts 17:28 NKJV

28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

2 Chronicles 7:13–14 NKJV

13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

The last statement

Luke 18:8 NKJV

8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Will he find faith in the earth?

Will we pray

++when we feel left out?

++when we think God doesn’t care?

++When we feel we got this?

Prayer is

++Not just about provision

++Not just about favor

++Not just about getting what you want

++About a relationship of faith

Matthew 7:7 NKJV

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.