Prayers of Kingdom Faith
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Learning the profound relationship between our prayers, the delay of the Second Coming, the persecution of the elect, and faith.
Text: Luke 18:1-8
Date: 11/10/2024, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 169
Description:
After impressing on His disciples the reality of the "day of destruction" and how that reality should govern how they live, Jesus tells a parable about a poor widow and a corrupt judge. The widow cries out to the unresponsive judge day after day for justice until he finally relents just to keep her quiet. We will first analyze their relationship and the details of the parable in the context of Middle Eastern culture. We will then very carefully apply the principle of the parable to the relationship Christians have with God when they pray, making sure to note the profound distinction between the shameless behavior of the judge and the infinite goodness and justness of God-- and how that distinction should govern our prayers. We will then analyze Christ's own commentary on the parable, keeping in mind both the reality and extended delay of His Second Coming, the persecution of the church in the meantime, the parable's concentration on persistent prayer, and the importance of the faith of the elect in the Kingdom of God. When we bring these great themes together, we will realize why Jesus expresses concern that His church is ever-diligent to cry out to God continually with the prayers of Kingdom faith.
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I. Introduction, James 1:5-8; Luke 11:13; Matt. 6:9-10.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 18:1-8.
A. Context, Luke 17:30.
B. The parable of the widow and the shameless judge, vs. 1-5.
1. Setting the scene, vs. 1.
a. A parable for His disciples.
i. Identifying "them", Luke 17:22,37.
ii. Describing the parable.
b. The meaning of the parable.
2. The nature of the unjust judge, vs. 2.
a. Identifying the judge.
i. The location.
ii. The office, 2Chr. 19:6-7.
b. Identifying the demeanor.
i. No fear of God, Prov. 1:7; Psa. 14:1.
ii. No respect for man.
3. The poor widow, vs. 3.
a. Identifying the widow, Ex. 22:22; Isa. 1:15-17.
b. The persistence of the widow.
c. The cry of the widow.
i. Women were respected in public.
ii. A case of oppression.
d. Summary of the plight of the widow.
4. The judge's admission, vs. 4.
a. Refusing the request.
b. Talking to himself, Luke 12:19.
c. Affirming his shamelessness.
5. The judge's surrender, vs. 5.
a. The reason for the surrender.
i. A high stress level.
ii. A blow to the face.
iii. Relentless persistence.
b. The judge relents.
C. Jesus' commentary, vs. 6-8.
1. Affirming the judge's character, vs. 6.
2. Turning the attention to God, vs. 7-8a.
a. Probing the difference in relationships, vs. 7.
i. Between God and the judge.
ii. Between God and the elect, Rom. 8:28; Gen. 18:25; 1Pet. 2:23; 1John 1:5.
b. Probing the principle concerning prayer, Matt. 6:7-8; Luke 11:11-13.
c. The vindication of the elect.
i. The elect are like the widow, James 2:5-6; 1Cor. 1:27; John 17:14.
ii. The elect cry out, Luke 17:22; 1Cor. 16:22.
iii. God will vindicate.
d. God's mercy and wrath.
i. Probing the meaning of "delay", Num. 14:18; Psa. 103:8; Joel 2:13.
ii. Wrath over who?
iii. Summary, Matt. 24:14.
e. The vindication of the righteous, vs. 8a.
i. God's timing, 2Pet. 3:8-9.
ii. The vindication of the Cross, John 18:38.
iii. Providing justice.
1) How justice was won.
2) How Jesus was vindicated.
3) The final vindication.
3. Jesus' concern for Kingdom faith, vs. 8b.
a. The shift of "nevertheless".
b. The fact of the Parousia, Luke 17:30.
c. The prayers of faith, Luke 12:35-38.
III. Conclusion
