A Parable of Opposites

A Parable of Opposites

Luke 18: 1-8

Proper 24 Year C

Hello. Today, let’s talk about A PARABLE OF OPPOSITES. The text before us is the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 18th chapter, verses 1 through 8. This is the Parable of the Unrighteous Judge.

INTRODUCTION: TEACHING BY CONTRAST

Often, we have seen Our Lord Jesus Teaching by Contrast. By that, I mean that Jesus may say something like this: 

If you, who are evil know how to give good gifts to Your children, HOW MUCH MORE (contrast) shall your Father who is in heaven, give what is good to those who ask Him.

That is a Teaching By Contrast, signaled by the phrase, “How Much More.”  

Here is another example, but a little different:

You have heard it said ‘You shall not commit Murder,” BUT I SAY TO YOU   (contrast) that whoever shall say, “You fool,” shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

That is a Teaching By Contrast too, this time signaled by the phrase, “But I Say To You.” 

Those who first heard Jesus were used to this Style of: TEACHING BY CONTRAST. THOUGH they were NOT USED TO the Message that Jesus was teaching. On many occasions, the teachings of the Lord were SHOCKING to His hearers.

Now this Gospel lesson for today, was A Different STYLE of Teaching, AND it had an even MORE SHOCKING MESSAGE. First of all, it was NOT a Teaching by Contrast, This was a TEACHING BY THE OPPOSITES. And, what it taught was not just SHOCKING, IT WAS ACTUALLY CONFUSING.

For that reason, it was not only difficult for Christ’s first hearers to understand, it is pretty difficult for us to understand as well.

Jesus began this parable by introducing a Judge. “There was IN a certain city a Judge: who DID NOT FEAR GOD, and DID NOT RESPECT MAN.”

In other words, because he did NOT Fear God and did NOT Respect persons, there was no reason for him to bridle his Egocentric heart or his Self-Indulgent actions. He did not need or want to REIN IN HIS passions and sinful desires, Because he had NO FEAR OF GOD. The 10 Commandments did not restrain him. He had no thought of God’s final judgment. 

And, Because he had no Respect for Any Person, the needs and fears of others, had no effect on him either. The Judge was NOT moved by the Commandments of God NOR by the Needs humanity.

Okay. You get the picture.

II. THE HELPLESS WIDOW

Next, Jesus introduces us to a widow in that city. She kept coming to the Judge saying, “Give me LEGAL PROTECTION from my opponent.” If the widow had had a husband, or a son, or even a brother, I suspect that we would have heard about him. But, evidently, she had none. She was left to fend FOR herself, BY herself. SO, she appeared before the Judge, and she appeared Repeatedly! 

Small Jewish towns in the first century might have had one such person in the office of judge, but probably not any more. It is doubtful that there were any other judges to whom she could appeal. 

OH! Notice, this widow was seeking “Legal Protection.”  Those were her words, “Legal Protection.”  What was going on? From what or from whom was she needing protection? Clearly, she was threatened, and she appears Helpless. Was someone trying to Take her property, or her home, her cattle or her crops? Jesus does not say.

But, the widow keeps coming back to the judge again and again and AGAIN AND AGAIN!! She certainly was RELENTLESS. Finally, the Judge decided that she was more TROUBLE than she was worth. In order to PROTECT HIMSELF  from her Continuous BADGERING, the selfish judge Gave her justice. Fine. Go Away!

In typical rabbinic fashion, Jesus says: “SHALL NOT GOD BRING ABOUT JUSTICE FOR HIS ELECT, WHO CRY TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT, AND WILL HE DELAY LONG OVER THEM? 

It appears that we have come to the meaning of the parable. If an Unrighteous Judge can be badgered into finally giving justice to a tiresome widow, HOW MUCH MORE will GOD, the Righteous Judge, PROVIDE JUSTICE FOR US WHO continuous pray TO HIM?

HMMM? IS THAT REALLY WHAT JESUS IS TEACHING HERE? 

I Think that there Must Be MORE, BECAUSE There Is THAT Final Enigmatic Phrase? Our Lord says:

I tell you that he (GOD) will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, WILL HE FIND FAITH UPON THE EARTH?

III. WILL THE SON OF MAN FIND FAITH?

What does this parable have to do with FAITH? IS this Parable about Faith? It seems that there is something that we are missing!

LET’S REVIEW A MOMENT: We know that the Jews at the time of Jesus often viewed God like an Unwilling Judge. The Jews were trying to keep 613 commandments in order to be counted righteous and faithful before God. 

At the same time, the Jews saw themselves as pitiful and helpless people, like the widow in the parable. They Could identify with her. She had to work out her own justice, By continuous and repeated efforts.

You know, I wonder if Christians in our generation don’t feel the same way. How many Christians do you know today, who think that they had better work really hard to be RIGHTEOUS and GOOD, Because,  They will have to make a Good Showing before God the Judge – at the end of the age???!!!

In THIS PARABLE, Jesus is teaching A completely DIFFERENT view of Justice, and an entirely NEW UNDERSTANDING of GOD’S HOLY JUDGEMENT. REMEMBER, THIS IS A PARABLE OF OPPOSITES!

GOD IS THE OPPOSITE OF an Indifferent or Unwilling Judge. In fact, God is Passionate and Effusive with His LOVE, pouring out His mercy and grace UPON HIS CHILDREN, making US Righteous and Justified BY GRACE, THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS, apart from any works of our own. Truly, it is  IMPOSSIBLE for us Ever to be RIGHTEOUS or JUSTIFIED by our own work. Now Remember, God is THE OPPOSITE of an Indifferent or Unwilling Judge.

AND WE, – WE are NOT like the Poor Persistent Widow, the helpless and hopeless one, who must badger and harangue THE JUDGE, GOD, with her persistent prayers or constant good works. We have NO truly good works to offer, and even our Persistent Prayers are often uttered in Selfishness and Fear.

THIS IS A PARABLE OF OPPOSITES. 

THE UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGE IS NOT GOD! THE UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGE actually IS MORE LIKE YOU AND ME. WE ARE, self-absorbed, uncaring, sin-sick. WE are the Un-Righteous Judge. And

THE PERSISTENT WIDOW IS NOT US; THE PERSISTENT WIDOW actually IS MORE LIKE GOD, UnRelenting in her PERSISTENCE: InDefatigable, CONSTANT, IN WORKS AND WORDS OF APPEAL AND ENTREATY.

This is a PARABLE OF OPPOSITES! We did not see it coming!

GOD is not Unwilling and Unresponsive like the Judge. He is more like the widow.

And We are Not Helpless, Working Out our Own Justice, like the widow. NO. We are more like the Unrighteous Judge.

THESE OPPOSITES ARE TRUE! DO YOU SEE?! 

CONCLUSION

THIS, BELOVED, IS A PARABLE OF OPPOSITES. 

BUT, THIS ALSO IS A PARABLE ABOUT FAITH! But, we probably did not see that coming either.

The Persistently loving Father has sent TO YOU, His own wonderful and Passionate Son, full of Grace and Truth. By His Word and Sacraments, He -JESUS- has SAVED YOU. HOW? HE HAS CREATED FAITH IN YOUR HEART BY HIS OWN WORD. YOU have been purchased by His blood, Washed in His baptismal waters, filled with the Holy Spirit, Cleansed, Forgiven, and Fed at His Table. You ARE SAVED by the FAITH that He Gave to YOU!!!

YOU may be hard-hearted or at least hard-headed. You may be self-absorbed, and sinful like an Unrighteous Judge. But that does NOT stop God from persistently and relentlessly approaching YOU with overtures of love and mercy. He has come to you countless times. Indeed! God comes to you again today, even RIGHT NOW!

GOD is YOUR TrustWorthy Heavenly Father. But Do You Trust Him?

JESUS is YOUR Loving and Faithful Savior. But Do You have Faith in Him?

“When the Son of Man comes will He find Faith – IN YOU?” That is Christ’s Question to YOU.  

NOW, Please do NOT Fret or Worry, “DO I HAVE ENOUGH FAITH?” You do Not Need to Work OR Try to Manufacture some little bit more  Faith. SAVING FAITH IN JESUS has been placed in your heart AS A GIFT, By THE  WORD and SACRAMENTS of CHRIST. 

Faith the size of a grain of mustard seed is More than enough. IT IS NOT THE SIZE OF YOUR FAITH, BUT THE GREATNESS OF THE ONE IN WHOM YOUR FAITH RESTS!

SO, Beloved UNRIGHTEOUS JUDGES, EVERYTHING that is Needful for Your life on this Earth, AND EVERYTHING NEEDFUL FOR YOUR ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN,  ALREADY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU, BY THE  PERSISTENT  and PERFECT  Work of Your PASSIONATE SAVIOR. 

WHAT IS NEEDFUL IS – FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST! 

This is a PARABLE OF OPPOSITES:This is a PARABLE ABOUT FAITH.

The Unrighteous Judge is like you, and the Persistent Widow is Like the Lord: A PARABLE OF OPPOSITES:

It is Not YOUR WORK TO GET JUSTICE FOR YOURSELF, BUT it is CHRIST’S WORK TO MAKE YOU RIGHTEOUS, EVEN THOUGH YOU SIN.

FAITH IS THE KEY TO YOU SALVATION, FAITH THAT HE HIMSELF  HAS GIVEN TO YOU.

FAITH IN JESUS – IS ALL THAT HE IS LOOKING FOR, 

AND FAITH IN JESUS IS ALL THAT YOU WILL EVER NEED!

AMEN.