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Luke 18:1-8

¹ And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. ² He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. ³ And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” ⁶ And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. ⁷ And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? ⁸ I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today, Jesus tells you this parable for two simple reasons. First, He tells you this parable so that you would always pray, and second, so that you would not lose heart. That, right there, is enough to cause us to fall on our knees in repentance.

For us, prayer is reserved for when we lose heart and despair. When we have tried everything, when we don’t know what more we can do, when every other avenue has failed – then, we pray. What Jesus offers us is so much better. Pray always so that you don’t lose heart.

Prayer isn’t an easy thing because prayer is fighting against unbelief. Prayer and faith go together. When you pray, you are trusting in God that He is in control of everything, even the smallest thing. Cast all your cares and anxieties upon God because He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). Prayer is like Jacob wrestling with God in our Old Testament text (Gen. 32:22–30).

Fourteen years before, Jacob had stolen his brother, Esau’s, birthright. As Jacob traveled home, he learned that Esau was coming to meet him. Jacob was sure that his brother was out to kill him, and God shows up to meet him alone by the river. But God isn’t there to teach Jacob or comfort him. God is there to wrestle.

After a whole night of scrapping and grappling, God tries to get away, but Jacob holds on. Even after God touches Jacob’s hip socket and dislocates his hip – couldn’t have felt good – even still, Jacob won’t let God go until God blesses him.

This picture is also what Jesus puts forward in this parable. The widow in the parable is giving the unrighteous judge a serious beat down.

There once was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men. You could not reason with this judge. You cannot appeal to the fact that he will, one day, be accountable for his actions. And he’s like the honey badger, he doesn’t give a rip about anything. If you ever ended up before this judge, there is only one way to ensure a judgment in your favor. You have to out-bribe the other guy.

Enter into his courtroom, a widow. She has no one to speak on her behalf, and she has been wronged. According to the law, she has been swindled, and she is there to get justice, but the deck is stacked against her. Because she is a woman, she has little standing in society. She has no one to speak on her behalf. She has no money to bribe this judge who is as crooked as a dog’s hind leg. But this widow still has her voice. She can nag. The way Jesus tells the parable, you could almost imagine that nagging was what killed her husband.

She shows up day after day before the judge with her constant, persistent nagging. The judge’s response is despicable but hilarious, “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.” That is where we get the same picture of prayer as wrestling with God like Jacob did. The phrase beat me down means, “give me a black eye.”

Now, the judge isn’t worried that this widow would physically attack him, and he’s not worried about this widow ruining his reputation. He is like the parent who has been audibly beaten down by a child asking question after question. He is sick and tired of hearing this woman day after day, night after night crying out to him demanding justice.

This is the image of prayer that Jesus gives. The words of the unrighteous judge should teach you to not lose heart.

Like the widow, when you appear in God’s courtroom, you don’t have a case against your adversaries. The devil, the world, and your conscience all testify against you that you are guilty. Even God’s Law points out your guilt. You are sinful in thought, word, and deed.

Imagine that you are a wanted criminal with all sorts warrants are out for your arrest – murder, assault, fraud, perjury, etc. – but you go strolling into court trying to get out of a speeding ticket. The judge will take a look at you and have you arrested on the spot.

But that is why the parable should give us hope. The unrighteous judge doesn’t give the widow justice based on the law, he gives her justice to get rid of her. The judge, who is a mockery of justice, still ends up ruling justly. And if that is how things work in this world which is full of injustice, how much more will God, who is just, give justice to you, His elect? Will God do justly to you, elect believer as you cry out to Him? You can bet the farm on it!

Romans 8:31b–33, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.”

Believer, you are justified by God. God has made you, His elect, baptized children just. If God declares that you are just, who could dare say otherwise? And because God declares that you are just, you can have the boldness to cry out to God for justice.

Last week, ten lepers cried to Jesus for mercy. All ten were healed, but nine went on their merry little way and healing was all they got. One, a Samaritan, returned to Jesus and got so much more. Jesus told that Samaritan leper, “Your faith has saved you.” That man was saved declared just by Christ, elect by God. And so are you, believer.

Because of what God has done for you by sending Jesus to die for your sins and raise again for your justification, you can boldly pray to God asking Him for justice.

Pray. Wrestle with God. You can demand that God keep all of His promises to you. You can nag Him. You can take even swings at Him and try to give Him a black eye. Go ahead. He can handle it. In fact, that is what faith always does. Faith says, “God you have made a promise to me. You have promised to be my God. You have promised to deliver me from this world full of sin and disappointment. Do it.” And He will. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.