Sometimes it is labeled The Parable Of The Unjust Judge. I prefer what it is called at other times....The Parable Of The Persistent Widow. A widow went up to a judge with a grievance against an "adversary." The judge admitted that he cares nothing about God or even man. Does that sound familiar? It should in this day and age where judges are too often political.
The 1973 movie was so popular that they made a television series on it that ran for four years in the late 70s and early 80s....The Paper Chase. It probably would have lasted longer but it revolved around a group of 1L....first year law students....and followed them to graduation and then a half season to figure out what to do in life. I have it on DVD....we watch an episode about once a week....and it is really quite good.
Did that movie or television series have any effect on the thinking of the current Supreme Court justices? Clarence Thomas would have been in his second year of law school when the movie came out. Samuel Alito would have seen The Paper Chase as a 1L. John Roberts and Sonia Sotomayor would have watched the television show as 1Ls. Elena Kagan would have been in high school. Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson and Neil Gorsuch may have watched reruns somehow.
The unjust judge from the parable simply did not want to be nagged anymore. Jesus made a point of thinking of the judge's excuse for finally hearing the widow's complaint. That point is for us to keep praying....keep praying....keep praying!
That is not the end of the message....for Jesus then said God will answer prayers....and avenge those who...."cry out night and day to Him".....but then Jesus says this...."Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
John Gill....of whom Charles Spurgeon spoke so highly of said of Luke 18:8...."There will then be little of the doctrine of faith, and less of the grace of faith, and still less of the exercise of faith, particularly in prayer, and especially about the coming of Christ; it will be little thought of, and expected, or faith little exercised about it."
Spurgeon himself preached...."Will any of you persevere? If Jesus came tonight, would He find faith in your house? Would He find it in your life?"
J. C. Ryle wrote...."Where is the use, after all, of ignoring facts under our own eyes....facts on the world....facts in the churches....facts in the congregations we belong to....facts by our own doors and firesides? Where is faith to be seen? How many around us really believe what the Bible contains? How many live as if they believed that Christ died for them, and that there is a judgment, a heaven, and a hell....these are most painful and serious inquiries....but they demand and deserve an answer."
Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasized that the gospel would be accomplishing everything God designed for it but reminded his congregation that it was their salvation that mattered....not the condition of the world.
Did that movie or television series have any effect on the thinking of the current Supreme Court justices? Clarence Thomas would have been in his second year of law school when the movie came out. Samuel Alito would have seen The Paper Chase as a 1L. John Roberts and Sonia Sotomayor would have watched the television show as 1Ls. Elena Kagan would have been in high school. Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson and Neil Gorsuch may have watched reruns somehow.
The unjust judge from the parable simply did not want to be nagged anymore. Jesus made a point of thinking of the judge's excuse for finally hearing the widow's complaint. That point is for us to keep praying....keep praying....keep praying!
That is not the end of the message....for Jesus then said God will answer prayers....and avenge those who...."cry out night and day to Him".....but then Jesus says this...."Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"
John Gill....of whom Charles Spurgeon spoke so highly of said of Luke 18:8...."There will then be little of the doctrine of faith, and less of the grace of faith, and still less of the exercise of faith, particularly in prayer, and especially about the coming of Christ; it will be little thought of, and expected, or faith little exercised about it."
Spurgeon himself preached...."Will any of you persevere? If Jesus came tonight, would He find faith in your house? Would He find it in your life?"
J. C. Ryle wrote...."Where is the use, after all, of ignoring facts under our own eyes....facts on the world....facts in the churches....facts in the congregations we belong to....facts by our own doors and firesides? Where is faith to be seen? How many around us really believe what the Bible contains? How many live as if they believed that Christ died for them, and that there is a judgment, a heaven, and a hell....these are most painful and serious inquiries....but they demand and deserve an answer."
Martyn Lloyd-Jones emphasized that the gospel would be accomplishing everything God designed for it but reminded his congregation that it was their salvation that mattered....not the condition of the world.
This is from a sermon transcript of John MacArthur...."I kind of think that if He [Jesus] were to come, and He will, will He find a whole lot of people who call themselves Christians with very little interest in that. Genuine Christianity never loses its grip on God, never loses its trust in Christ, never loses its hope. But we get easily distracted, don't we? And the Lord is trying to nail this down in a practical way. When Jesus comes....will He find His people still crying day and night eagerly waiting for His return? Will we love His appearing? Well we be crying out....'Maranatha....or will it be like in Noah's day with just a few, or Lot today with just a few?"
I would ask Christian men to ask themselves this question....how much time on average do they put in on what the next Steeler season would be like....(and this is but one example of many)....compared to time spent meditating and studying God's Word on when Jesus will return? I would then recommend they ponder that a while....and try to come up with an excuse for their answer....but logically there would be none. We care more about our entertainments and our future and our freedoms then we do for the glorious return in righteous legal judgment of Jesus Christ....where all tears will be dried....and all pain done away with for those who believe in....and trust in....and even cry out for that return.....'Maranatha....Lord Jesus Come!'
I would ask Christian men to ask themselves this question....how much time on average do they put in on what the next Steeler season would be like....(and this is but one example of many)....compared to time spent meditating and studying God's Word on when Jesus will return? I would then recommend they ponder that a while....and try to come up with an excuse for their answer....but logically there would be none. We care more about our entertainments and our future and our freedoms then we do for the glorious return in righteous legal judgment of Jesus Christ....where all tears will be dried....and all pain done away with for those who believe in....and trust in....and even cry out for that return.....'Maranatha....Lord Jesus Come!'
Revelation 20:15....NKJV...."And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."
Revelation 21:4......NKJV...."And God will wipe away every year from their eyes; there will be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Revelation 22:20....NKJV...."He who testifies to these things says 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Even so, come, Lord Jesus.'
Note: I don't like going too many posts without recommending a sermon from either....a preacher from the past....or a preacher today who preaches like preachers from the past. So I would like to recommend an 1887 sermon from Charles Spurgeon....The Holy Spirit And The Need Of The Age.....which can easily be Googled.
