Living Waters Christian Fellowship - Lake Nacimiento - California

_18:1 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?

Introduction Jesus is encouraging us to have enough faith in God to be persistent in prayer, and see wrongs of life in this world corrected, even though it may take some time.

1. The One Prayed To - the Lord, God, the Son of Man

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?

No one else can answer prayer. The foolish Medo-Persian king in Daniel. What were you thinking?

2. The Ones Who Pray - Men, the elect

18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

Men sounds more general, His own elect is much more specific. Everyone should pray, and not give up. But especially those in a close, personal relationship with Him, whose
hearts are like His, whose plans and purposes are as one with His - His own elect.

3. Adversaries

3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

Adversary = antidikos - the anti-righteous ones. Not just an opponent, but the ones who are actually against the right, those doing the wrong things to other people, the ones
making justice, righteousness and peace difficult in the world. Adversaries.

How many of these have there been? On a personal level as in this parable, or even on a national or international scale. How many are there now? Know any?

Beyond the human adversaries, 1 Peter 5:8 says our adversary is the devil, the main anti-righteous one. How much had he done to hurt people?

What has he done to try to hurt us, to cause thing to happen in our lives which are just wrong - even to our kids. He is the antidikos - against whatever is good and right,
comes to steal, kill and destroy, and is against love, joy and peace in our lives.

There are many adversaries - those who take love, joy and peace from our lives, from the Earth.

4. Injustice

3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

She says, get justice because she was not experiencing justice. Injustice was going on. Someone had gained the advantage over a vulnerable widow to treat her wrongfully.

How much injustice is there in the world? How many people being treated wrongfully? Where is the Department of Justice? Where is a cop when you need one?

Get justice literally = speak for me, as a judge, rule on my behalf, force this evil person to stop wrongfully abusing me.

5. Prayer - The answer for injustice is to Pray, to come before the Judge

18:1 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.’

When wrong things are going on, when there is injustice and abuse, whether it be personally, among family or friends, at work, in a criminal or civil case, in the government,
or internationally, the answer is to pray, to come before the Judge of all the Earth.

If there is anything going on in someone’s life which is just wrong, we need to pray. If the devil has gained power and advantage and is diminishing or even destroying
someone’s life, marriage or family, we need to pray. Sickness or disease - pray.

To right the wrongs in the world, we need to pray, to come before the Judge of all the Earth.

6. Persistence in Prayer

18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’

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

7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

Notice the indications of persistence: always, not lose heart, coming to Him, troubling the Judge, continual coming, wearying the Judge, crying out day and night.

Why does God respond to persistence, continual coming?

Which present do you buy? The one barely mentioned, or the one begged for incessantly?

The power of evil is not easily broken. The unjust systems of this world are entrenched and not easily changed. We need to be persistent, consistent, determined, passionate
in prayer.

7. Delayed Response - Not for a while, He bears long with them

4 And he would not for a while

7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

While = chronos - time as it goes by

Bears long = makrothumeo - extended passion - God’s intense feelings for us and for our needs are not waning

Even though some answers to prayer may take time, don’t think God has forgotten or does not care. He has makrothumeo, extended passion for our plight.

8. Justice Carried Out - Avenge in v 5, 7 and 8

a. Out of Righteousness - ekdikaios v5

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

b. Perform for Them - poieo v7

7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

c. Out of Righteousness - ekdikaios v8

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?

When wrong things are going on, and we faithfully pray, out of righteousness God will perform for us, avenge us.

9. Speedily v8

8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.

Speedily = tachos - suddenly

10. The Challenge v8

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 still find those faithfully praying, Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven?

This is the challenge. We live in this troubled world. In this world there are devils and evil people, adversaries, those who do wrong to others, and sometimes it’s us. We
pray, we pray faithfully, and sometimes it seems it takes forever. When Jesus comes, will He find us still faithful, still trusting Him, still praying, Your Kingdom come,
your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven? Will our faith still be that strong? Or will we be worn down, too tired, overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable evil, too
discouraged to pray?

When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

Son of Man = the final King. When He comes, it will be the end of all wrong and those who wrongfully abuse other people. That day is coming and will happen. But He says,
Occupy until I come. Do business until I come, be about your Father’s business until I come.

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?

11. The Fulfillment Revelation 8:1-6

The fulfillment of all prayers against injustice and for righteousness:

8:1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the
golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

These 7 Trumpets announce the end of the current unjust world system, and they announce the coming of the Kingdom of God, the reign of Christ upon the Earth. Our prayers will
bring that to pass.

Conclusions

Application to My Life Let’s take some time in Prayer

18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

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?