Prayers of Kingdom Faith; Luke 18:1-8

Delivered during the Sunday Morning Worship Service, 11/10/2024. 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.