WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.560 We'll see it here, but we're going to do the first eight verses of Luke chapter number 18. 00:00:04.060 --> 00:00:05.060 ! The Bible says this, 00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:12.620 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not faint. 00:00:12.980 --> 00:00:17.679 So right off the get-go, Luke reminds us, this is what he means in this parable. 00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:18.460 So here's the parable. 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:19.460 Verse 2, 00:00:19.460 --> 00:00:24.400 There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man. 00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:27.560 And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, 00:00:27.559 --> 00:00:33.839 Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 00:00:34.019 --> 00:00:40.219 Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, 00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:43.379 lest by her continual coming she weary me. 00:00:44.099 --> 00:00:47.359 He said, this lady is wearing me out, is basically what he's saying. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:51.439 And he's like, I don't care about her or her problem, but I just don't want to see her again, 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:52.739 so I'm going to take care of it. 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:54.159 Verse 6, 00:00:54.159 --> 00:01:19.120 So we're going to dive into this little parable, and I'm entitled to the message this, 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:23.160 Don't lose heart. Jesus understands life is difficult. 00:01:23.740 --> 00:01:25.040 He talked last week about, 00:01:25.340 --> 00:01:27.200 He's come, we know Christ has come, 00:01:27.240 --> 00:01:28.080 but He's coming again. 00:01:28.700 --> 00:01:31.040 And we're living in this already, not yet. 00:01:31.300 --> 00:01:32.880 We're living kind of in this in-between, 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:34.060 and there's tension there. 00:01:34.600 --> 00:01:37.920 And Jesus understands that life sometimes is going to wear you down. 00:01:38.320 --> 00:01:39.420 And here's what He wants us to know, 00:01:39.540 --> 00:01:40.240 Don't lose heart. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.460 And He's going to show us exactly how we do that. 00:01:42.520 --> 00:01:44.560 So let's go to Him, ask Him for help this morning, 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:45.760 and then we'll jump right into the message. 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:47.140 Father, thank You for this time together. 00:01:47.660 --> 00:01:52.320 Lord, thank You for the wonderful songs that remind us of who You are and what You've done for us, Lord. 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:57.580 What I'm so thankful is a special reminder to us that You laid down Your life for mine. 00:01:58.320 --> 00:02:00.200 That when we look at the cross, we don't see other people. 00:02:00.300 --> 00:02:02.040 Lord, that was my sin that You died for. 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:06.340 And I pray that everybody here under the sound of my voice knows that to be true in their own life. 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:09.360 But maybe they've never made that personal decision, Lord, 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:12.159 that trusting You as their Savior would today be that day. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:15.479 Lord, I pray for those here that do know You. 00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:21.019 And many of us are walking through things in life and carry difficulties and burdens and heartaches. 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:25.659 And I'm so thankful for a passage like this that reminds us that You hear us, Lord. 00:02:26.079 --> 00:02:30.379 You really command us to keep coming to You time and again with our prayers. 00:02:30.979 --> 00:02:32.419 Lord, I pray You would help us not to lose heart. 00:02:32.500 --> 00:02:33.319 I pray You'd be with me. 00:02:33.659 --> 00:02:35.159 Lord, I desperately need You this morning. 00:02:35.259 --> 00:02:38.479 I pray You would give me the words to say that it would be a help to the hearer this morning. 00:02:38.539 --> 00:02:39.759 We ask this in Christ's name. 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:40.599 Amen. 00:02:40.599 --> 00:02:41.500 Thank you so much for standing. 00:02:41.579 --> 00:02:41.960 You may be seated. 00:02:45.699 --> 00:02:50.579 I won't speak for you, but I'll just say for myself, I'm not good at waiting. 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:53.039 Anybody else here? 00:02:53.699 --> 00:02:54.019 Okay. 00:02:54.699 --> 00:02:57.719 I don't like waiting in traffic at all. 00:02:58.659 --> 00:03:01.680 Like, I mean, I know where I'm going most of the time, but if you go to Denton, 00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:06.939 I always turn my GPS on both ways because I'm not going to sit on I-35 for five minutes. 00:03:06.939 --> 00:03:08.300 I'm going to drive 40 minutes. 00:03:08.300 --> 00:03:12.180 As long as I'm actually moving in a vehicle, I'm going to drive around there. 00:03:12.659 --> 00:03:14.359 I don't like waiting at the doctor's office. 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:18.379 You know, I was sick a few weeks back, and you go in there, and you have an appointment, 00:03:18.500 --> 00:03:19.939 and you wait two hours for your appointment. 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:21.840 Then you go in the room, and you wait 30 more minutes. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:23.200 I'm just not a fan of waiting. 00:03:23.920 --> 00:03:25.780 You know, some of you are going to go today to the restaurant. 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:26.840 You're going to wait on your food. 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:31.480 That is a good thing, but sometimes it's annoying when the table next to you orders after you 00:03:31.480 --> 00:03:32.699 and gets their food before you. 00:03:33.400 --> 00:03:33.719 Okay. 00:03:33.740 --> 00:03:34.759 I'm making sure I'm not the only person. 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:36.319 I'm like, we ordered first. 00:03:36.340 --> 00:03:37.300 What's going on back there? 00:03:38.539 --> 00:03:41.360 You know, I don't like, you know, sometimes you text somebody, and you're sitting there, 00:03:41.379 --> 00:03:41.860 and you're waiting on it. 00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:42.699 You see the three little dots. 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:44.219 They disappear, and you're like, what's the deal? 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:48.159 And you kind of, we're just not built to wait, and you know, our culture isn't. 00:03:48.379 --> 00:03:52.039 You know, we've gotten to the point where if a web page on the internet takes more than 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:54.139 five seconds to load, we think the internet's broken. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:58.159 And some of us live through dial-up and AOL disk that came in the mail. 00:03:58.900 --> 00:04:00.979 You know, it took five minutes just to get onto the internet. 00:04:02.139 --> 00:04:05.860 I mean, the idea is we're simply just not good at waiting, and that's with things that 00:04:05.860 --> 00:04:07.139 really just don't matter at all. 00:04:07.719 --> 00:04:10.579 I mean, yeah, traffic stinks, and waiting here, and at a doctor's office. 00:04:10.580 --> 00:04:14.740 Those things really don't matter in the grand scheme of life. 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:21.060 But waiting becomes so much harder when it involves something that really does matter. 00:04:22.280 --> 00:04:25.319 And I would imagine there's things that are heavy on your heart and in your life, and 00:04:25.319 --> 00:04:28.879 things you're dealing with right now, and you wish you just had an answer. 00:04:29.300 --> 00:04:34.040 You wish you just had a plan, and what's going on, and Lord, I've been praying about this, 00:04:34.139 --> 00:04:35.360 and what do I need to do? 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.400 Because when difficulties come in our life, or really anything comes in our life, somebody 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:41.219 says, hey, would you pray about this with me? 00:04:41.579 --> 00:04:44.439 And there are things in life that are just easy to pray about one time. 00:04:44.539 --> 00:04:48.779 You hear about it, you bow your head, you ask God to do something, and then you just 00:04:48.779 --> 00:04:49.560 move on with life. 00:04:50.719 --> 00:04:55.479 But I would imagine most of us have understood that there are prayers we have prayed over 00:04:55.479 --> 00:04:56.259 and over again. 00:04:57.419 --> 00:05:00.839 I mean, there's prayers that you probably have prayed so many times in your life, you know 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:02.319 the words before you even say them. 00:05:03.139 --> 00:05:05.000 It could be a child maybe you're praying for. 00:05:05.060 --> 00:05:07.219 It could be a prodigal that you're praying to come home. 00:05:07.220 --> 00:05:08.440 It could be your marriage. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:09.920 It could be a health situation. 00:05:10.200 --> 00:05:14.100 It could be a friend that you desperately want to see come to Jesus Christ. 00:05:15.100 --> 00:05:16.160 You may have prayed it this morning. 00:05:16.940 --> 00:05:22.220 You may have prayed it yesterday, last week, last year, and it seems like nothing has changed. 00:05:23.180 --> 00:05:24.380 That's where waiting gets hard. 00:05:25.260 --> 00:05:28.800 That's where we begin to wonder, Lord, are you even listening? 00:05:29.440 --> 00:05:34.040 And I think we would all agree it's one thing to pray when we really believe an answer is just 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:34.860 right around the corner. 00:05:35.200 --> 00:05:38.319 We can maybe see things moving in our life, and we know, okay, it's coming. 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:39.000 I know it is. 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:45.319 But it's a totally different thing to keep praying when heaven seems silent, and life is 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:46.580 getting harder by the moment. 00:05:48.200 --> 00:05:49.760 But Jesus knew that would happen. 00:05:50.580 --> 00:05:53.400 He knew what his disciples were going to go through. 00:05:53.900 --> 00:05:55.700 He knows he's on the road to Jerusalem. 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:57.300 He knows the cross is coming. 00:05:57.300 --> 00:05:59.759 He knows that he will ascend back to his father. 00:06:00.060 --> 00:06:05.220 He knows they're going to be alone, and he wants them to understand, hey, don't lose heart. 00:06:05.939 --> 00:06:10.340 There's a reason to keep praying, and that's exactly why Jesus gives this parable. 00:06:11.540 --> 00:06:16.680 The last time we were together last Sunday in the Gospel of Luke in chapter number 17, 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:21.639 Jesus has been talking about his coming kingdom and his eventual return. 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:27.620 And there in Luke chapter 17, verse 22, he says, the days will come when you shall desire to see 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:30.860 one of the days of the Son of Man, and you shall see it not. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.240 He's teaching his disciples, listen, I'm going to not be here one day with you. 00:06:36.719 --> 00:06:39.360 He's going to send the Holy Spirit and praise the Lord we have the Holy Spirit. 00:06:40.039 --> 00:06:42.599 But he's just saying, listen, there's going to be days that are hard. 00:06:43.219 --> 00:06:44.500 There's going to be days that are difficult. 00:06:44.979 --> 00:06:48.759 There's going to be days where you lose, well, it seems like you're losing heart. 00:06:48.759 --> 00:06:51.699 And I just want you to know, I love you still. 00:06:52.219 --> 00:06:55.800 And I'm coming again, but there is a way to make it through. 00:06:57.519 --> 00:06:59.939 And his disciples would live in this tension. 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:04.420 I mean, you study the Gospels, you come to the book of Acts and the early church, 00:07:04.459 --> 00:07:08.939 and you read the New Testament, and you're going to see that these men hearing Jesus speak this, 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:15.719 they would experience some great injustice just for living for Christ, just for preaching the Word. 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:22.980 They would suffer greatly at the hands of the Roman government and different things, 00:07:23.180 --> 00:07:26.260 and people that were just against Christianity completely in these days. 00:07:26.440 --> 00:07:30.940 They would watch a world continue in rebellion against God. 00:07:32.180 --> 00:07:36.060 And just like they did, sometimes we look up and we think, how long, Lord? 00:07:36.920 --> 00:07:38.660 Lord, how long is this going to go on? 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:42.940 Lord, I've been praying about this, and Lord, have you seen what's going on in our world? 00:07:42.939 --> 00:07:44.959 And we know that same tension. 00:07:46.379 --> 00:07:48.040 We know Christ has won the victory. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:49.819 The Bible makes it very clear. 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.060 On the cross of Calvary, Jesus said, 00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:54.240 Tetelestai, it's finished. 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:59.800 We know the victory is won, but we still live in a world that is filled with pain and loss. 00:08:01.159 --> 00:08:02.339 We know God's good. 00:08:03.159 --> 00:08:06.519 We say it, and you know, God is good, and everybody says all the time God is good. 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:11.620 And it's not just to say, we know this to be true, we've experienced in our life, but let's just be real. 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:13.620 Sometimes we don't understand what He's doing. 00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:16.399 Sometimes that's our prayer. 00:08:16.979 --> 00:08:19.459 Lord, I know You're good, but I just, I don't understand this. 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:26.519 We know God hears our prayers, but sometimes the answer seems a long time coming. 00:08:27.939 --> 00:08:30.399 And Jesus knew what waiting could do to us. 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:34.100 When we're waiting for that answer, when we just need a little bit of hope. 00:08:34.100 --> 00:08:38.879 And in Luke, in verse number one, Luke doesn't make us guess what this parable is about. 00:08:39.680 --> 00:08:44.420 Jesus tells us right off the bat that He knew His people would be tempted to faint. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:46.399 Doesn't mean physically pass out. 00:08:46.460 --> 00:08:47.279 Any fainters in here? 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:50.480 We just need to know in case you faint, we'll just keep moving on. 00:08:50.940 --> 00:08:52.540 Like, oh, they just fainted, we're good. 00:08:53.300 --> 00:08:57.820 He's not talking about passing out because of exhaustion or because of a health situation. 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.060 No, the idea to faint not is to lose heart. 00:09:01.700 --> 00:09:03.180 To become discouraged. 00:09:04.100 --> 00:09:06.600 To grow weary in our lives. 00:09:07.220 --> 00:09:10.519 To reach the place where we begin to think, what's the use? 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:14.300 I've prayed and prayed and prayed, what's the use anymore, Lord? 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:17.540 And maybe you're here this morning like that. 00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:20.340 You haven't stopped believing God. 00:09:20.899 --> 00:09:22.500 You haven't walked away from your faith. 00:09:22.580 --> 00:09:23.700 I mean, you're here on a Sunday morning. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:26.019 But here's the thing, you're just tired. 00:09:27.300 --> 00:09:29.700 Lord, I'm praying and I really just need something. 00:09:29.700 --> 00:09:32.100 You prayed and you waited. 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:33.080 You prayed and you waited. 00:09:34.020 --> 00:09:37.160 I'm so thankful Jesus gave an account like this for people like us. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:40.320 So we knew how to walk through the difficulties of life. 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:45.600 Because here's kind of the big idea that we're going to look at this morning in these first eight verses of Luke 18. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:53.519 Is that when waiting makes us want to give up, Jesus is teaching us to keep praying because we can trust the God who hears us. 00:09:54.259 --> 00:09:57.159 We're not praying to somebody that can't hear what we're saying. 00:09:57.399 --> 00:09:59.360 And that brings us to the question I want us to answer. 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:02.279 Why should I keep praying when I feel like giving up? 00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.699 So Jesus gives us some great truths in these short verses. 00:10:05.860 --> 00:10:07.259 And the first thing that we see is this. 00:10:07.519 --> 00:10:10.699 We should keep praying because waiting can wear you down. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.000 I mean, sometimes we're just tired of waiting. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:15.799 Like physically tired. 00:10:15.959 --> 00:10:18.519 You think, Lord, I don't know how much longer I can do this. 00:10:19.100 --> 00:10:21.639 And so in order to illustrate this, Jesus gives us this parable. 00:10:22.500 --> 00:10:26.519 In verse number two, with just a few words, he introduces us to a judge. 00:10:27.199 --> 00:10:29.059 And he tells us everything we need to know about him. 00:10:29.059 --> 00:10:30.220 Here's what we know about the judge. 00:10:30.220 --> 00:10:36.639 I mean, what an awful person. 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:38.740 Especially for a judge. 00:10:39.759 --> 00:10:41.800 The idea is he had no reverence for God. 00:10:42.460 --> 00:10:45.460 He had no concern for answering to him. 00:10:46.340 --> 00:10:52.560 He had nobody in his life, especially, that was of a higher authority when governing his decisions. 00:10:53.320 --> 00:10:56.600 He basically lived his life for himself. 00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:58.519 He would use his position. 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:02.480 He would use situations like that to just kind of make his life better. 00:11:02.980 --> 00:11:04.100 But Jesus goes even further. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:06.139 He didn't just fear not God. 00:11:06.379 --> 00:11:08.199 He neither regarded man. 00:11:09.220 --> 00:11:12.899 I mean, this is not a great combo for anybody, but especially a judge. 00:11:13.319 --> 00:11:14.799 He didn't fear God. 00:11:15.199 --> 00:11:17.079 And he didn't care about what anybody thought about him. 00:11:17.620 --> 00:11:19.919 I mean, he's just kind of this rogue judge. 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:23.779 And we know that a judge is supposed to care about justice. 00:11:24.419 --> 00:11:30.679 A judge makes a commitment to defend what is right, to protect those that are vulnerable. 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:33.299 And this man cared about none of that. 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:35.039 And he admits it himself. 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:36.740 This wasn't just something that people said about him. 00:11:37.059 --> 00:11:41.000 Verse number four, he says, hey, I don't fear God or man, but this lady's wearing me out. 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:44.000 I mean, that was his own testimony of his own life. 00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:49.360 The idea that I want us to see is this is not a good man having a bad day. 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:55.779 This is a hard man with a hard heart that lives for himself, that's selfish in every decision that he has. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:01.580 And in verse number three, we see somebody walks into his courtroom who desperately needs justice. 00:12:01.580 --> 00:12:05.720 And there was a widow in that city. 00:12:06.780 --> 00:12:10.400 Now, we might just read that and kind of move right on and say, okay, it's a widow. 00:12:11.680 --> 00:12:16.200 But we understand in the first century, especially in this culture, in this society, 00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:20.379 a widow would have been one of the most vulnerable people in all the society. 00:12:21.680 --> 00:12:25.259 There was no indication of someone influential standing with her. 00:12:25.480 --> 00:12:26.879 She didn't have some friends around her. 00:12:27.060 --> 00:12:28.540 She was kind of by herself. 00:12:28.539 --> 00:12:32.639 And she doesn't appear to have anything to offer the judge. 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:34.919 She had nothing to bribe with. 00:12:34.980 --> 00:12:37.679 She was probably barely making it by in her own life. 00:12:37.860 --> 00:12:40.000 And all she had was her case. 00:12:40.419 --> 00:12:41.360 And here was her case. 00:12:41.579 --> 00:12:42.519 She'd been wronged. 00:12:43.299 --> 00:12:45.559 The Bible doesn't necessarily tell us what was happening. 00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:49.740 But she comes and she says, avenge me of mine adversary. 00:12:50.659 --> 00:12:52.740 Now, she's not looking for revenge. 00:12:53.699 --> 00:12:55.719 She's not trying to just make somebody pay. 00:12:55.720 --> 00:13:00.379 She's not looking for a situation where she spills coffee on herself and then sues the people because the coffee's hot. 00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:02.600 This is not what this is. 00:13:03.019 --> 00:13:05.399 It's not one of these weird things where she's just trying to find some money. 00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:07.259 No, here's what she's saying. 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:08.759 I need you to make this right. 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:13.019 I need you to protect me from this person who has wronged me. 00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:17.240 Because Jesus called the Pharisees out. 00:13:17.299 --> 00:13:19.740 He said, many of them have devoured widows' houses. 00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:25.460 That they would take advantage of these people and kind of take everything they had, the little that they did have. 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:26.639 We don't know if that's the situation. 00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:30.299 But she was in a spot where somebody had wronged her greatly. 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:35.519 And the Bible says there in the middle of verse number three, and she came unto him. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:40.879 The idea, really, when you study it out in the original, is she kept coming. 00:13:41.439 --> 00:13:43.319 And we see that, that he later says that. 00:13:43.899 --> 00:13:45.179 This wasn't a one-time thing. 00:13:45.240 --> 00:13:46.720 Hey, I need some help. 00:13:47.220 --> 00:13:48.919 No, this was a continual coming. 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:56.019 I mean, every day, I bet, when he was walking to the office and he got out of his brand-new chariot to walk into the courtroom, there she was. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:57.899 He's thinking, you've got to be kidding me. 00:13:58.460 --> 00:13:59.120 Every time I go. 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.399 I mean, he probably went to the grocery store. 00:14:00.439 --> 00:14:02.419 She's like, hey, have you looked at my case yet? 00:14:02.419 --> 00:14:03.699 I mean, she's that kind of person. 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:07.120 Everywhere he goes in the city, she just seems to be there. 00:14:07.819 --> 00:14:08.219 Why? 00:14:08.419 --> 00:14:10.179 Why was she coming again and again and again? 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:12.120 Because he wasn't doing anything about it. 00:14:13.079 --> 00:14:15.039 Her situation remained the same. 00:14:15.819 --> 00:14:19.199 Whatever it was, she needed some justice there. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:22.939 And I think that's kind of where the story begins to intersect with our lives here. 00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:26.099 That sometimes the hardest part isn't hearing no when we pray. 00:14:26.339 --> 00:14:28.579 Sometimes the hardest part is when we just seem to hear nothing. 00:14:29.419 --> 00:14:31.339 It seems like the situation goes unchanged. 00:14:31.340 --> 00:14:35.840 I would imagine if you're like me, we can handle a lot as long as we know it's not going to last forever. 00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:38.720 Like, okay, I can deal with this. 00:14:39.060 --> 00:14:40.639 Like for the kids, they all started school this week. 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:43.540 They can handle it because they know next May they're going to be out of it. 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:45.460 Yeah. 00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:48.420 I mean, yeah, it's got an expiration date. 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:51.139 Hopefully, unless you go to summer school. 00:14:53.680 --> 00:14:57.060 But what wears on us is not knowing when. 00:14:57.940 --> 00:14:59.180 And that's what's wearing on her. 00:14:59.179 --> 00:15:01.339 That's where she lived. 00:15:02.179 --> 00:15:04.799 All that she knows is yesterday she needed justice. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:06.759 And today she needs the same thing. 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:09.500 So what she does is she just keeps coming back. 00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:11.000 She comes back again. 00:15:11.479 --> 00:15:12.479 She's going to come back tomorrow. 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:14.959 She's going to come back until something changes in her life. 00:15:15.179 --> 00:15:19.579 And that's exactly where Jesus is taking his disciples here as he gathered them together. 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:23.500 Because in Luke chapter 17, he reminded them the Son of Man is coming. 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:26.120 And he's going to ultimately make everything right. 00:15:26.340 --> 00:15:29.560 And his kingdom is going to come with all his fullness and all his glory. 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:31.300 But until then, there's waiting. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.840 And it's going to wear you down. 00:15:34.700 --> 00:15:38.220 There's going to be times where you think that the Lord is not listening to our prayer. 00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:42.779 And see, sometimes the greatest threat to our prayer life isn't unbelief. 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:44.740 It's just the weariness of it. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:48.000 That you're just tired of saying the same thing. 00:15:49.040 --> 00:15:53.120 Sometimes I tell my kids, like, I'm just tired of telling you the same thing over and over again. 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:55.200 Okay, just making sure. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:00.080 And it's like, you know, as a parent, sometimes you're like, well, I don't want to say anything because I'm tired of saying it. 00:16:00.080 --> 00:16:00.660 I said it yesterday. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:01.460 I just don't want to say it today. 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:02.399 I'll say it tomorrow. 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:04.360 I've got to recoup my energy to say it. 00:16:04.740 --> 00:16:05.560 Make your bed again. 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:10.279 See, I think we still believe God can. 00:16:11.459 --> 00:16:13.339 We're just tired of wondering when he will. 00:16:14.839 --> 00:16:16.199 That's kind of where he's bringing us. 00:16:17.359 --> 00:16:23.339 I think we can be in this spot where we still, we know God hears us, but we're just tired of carrying the burden all the time. 00:16:24.219 --> 00:16:25.659 It's kind of weighing our life down. 00:16:27.359 --> 00:16:31.279 And slowly that disappointment, if we allow it, can turn into discouragement. 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:34.479 And this discouragement really can turn into silence on our part. 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:37.439 Well, if heaven's not going to answer, then what's the point of praying? 00:16:37.979 --> 00:16:42.699 If God's not going to listen and give me what I need, then I'm just going to kind of, you know, I'll just move on then. 00:16:43.579 --> 00:16:47.000 And it's not that we consciously decide, well, I'm never praying again. 00:16:47.119 --> 00:16:49.559 It's just we pray a little bit, a little less about it. 00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:51.579 And then a little less about it. 00:16:51.859 --> 00:16:54.459 Until we've eventually just stopped asking altogether. 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:56.239 That isn't what this widow did. 00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.859 She didn't say, well, I'm not getting an answer, so I'm just going to stop doing anything. 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:01.219 No, she kept coming. 00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:03.639 She kept coming over and over. 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.480 And here's the result, verse number five. 00:17:06.619 --> 00:17:13.339 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.200 I mean, I love it. 00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:17.440 I mean, it's kind of humorous, the language that Jesus uses. 00:17:17.779 --> 00:17:20.680 And this woman has just completely worn this judge out. 00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:27.359 That weary me, it has the idea of being struck or beaten down, having a black eye. 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:30.220 It is just a nuisance in his life. 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:34.299 Like, maybe every time that he showed up and he was walking around town, that lady was yelling at him. 00:17:34.339 --> 00:17:35.259 And they're like, who's that lady? 00:17:35.339 --> 00:17:35.980 Like, I don't know. 00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:36.839 She won't leave me alone. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:40.259 I mean, it was just a constant nagging. 00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:44.660 And he just simply comes to the place where he said, I had enough of her. 00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:48.700 I don't want to do something, but if I don't do anything, she's just going to keep doing this. 00:17:50.059 --> 00:17:51.460 And so he finally acts. 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:54.920 Not because he suddenly becomes compassionate. 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:57.740 Not because he developed a fear of God. 00:17:58.379 --> 00:18:01.759 Not because justice just overnight began to matter to him. 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:03.900 No, he acts because of her persistence. 00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:08.440 Now, I don't want us to walk away with the wrong lesson. 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:11.619 Because this parable is not a comparison. 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:12.920 It's a contrast. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:20.700 Jesus is not saying, God is like this judge, so if you bother him long enough, he'll give you whatever you want. 00:18:21.420 --> 00:18:22.740 That is not the point. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:25.240 That is not what Jesus is saying. 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:28.319 The judge does not care, but God does. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:32.859 See, this judge has to be worn down. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:34.079 God doesn't. 00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:38.279 This judge is reluctant to hear this widow. 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:40.220 God invites us to come. 00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:42.419 He commands us to come. 00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:46.379 He gives an open invitation that we can come boldly into the throne room. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:50.179 That we can cast our cares on him, as Peter says, because he cares for us. 00:18:50.179 --> 00:18:54.079 So why does Jesus tell about this widow who just keeps coming and coming and coming? 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:57.740 Because he knows that we're all probably going to walk through seasons of life 00:18:57.740 --> 00:18:59.380 where we feel just like her. 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.039 That we're still waiting. 00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.779 And we're still hurting. 00:19:04.620 --> 00:19:05.819 We're still asking. 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:08.880 We're still wondering if something's going to change. 00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:14.620 And Jesus just gently reminds us here, don't let the waiting make you quit praying. 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:17.640 He hasn't forgotten you. 00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:21.839 Listen, waiting is not evidence that God has stopped working. 00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:24.400 It feels like that sometimes. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:28.200 Because sometimes maybe something's going in your life and you feel like God's maybe moving some things around. 00:19:28.440 --> 00:19:30.160 And then it's just like I-35 construction. 00:19:30.280 --> 00:19:32.380 It's just never going to get better. 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:36.780 And it's just like, well, it's what it is. 00:19:38.840 --> 00:19:42.540 No, sometimes we simply cannot see what he's doing. 00:19:43.840 --> 00:19:44.900 He's always at work. 00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:46.440 He's not on vacation. 00:19:47.040 --> 00:19:48.080 He knows where you are. 00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:49.540 He knows the need. 00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:53.659 Listen, don't mistake God's timing for God's absence. 00:19:54.619 --> 00:19:56.099 His timing is much different. 00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:59.539 The book of Isaiah reminds us that his ways are higher than our ways. 00:19:59.779 --> 00:20:01.299 That his thoughts are higher than ours. 00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.579 That God knows what he's doing. 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:05.480 He knows that sometimes in the waiting, we're growing. 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:09.920 I know in my own life looking back, and I have to remind myself every time a waiting period comes, 00:20:10.159 --> 00:20:12.680 that God used that time in my life to grow me. 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:14.319 To stretch me. 00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:16.940 To bring my dependence back on him. 00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:19.820 Because I don't know if you're like me, sometimes I'm pretty dependent on myself. 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:22.059 I'm going to get things done. 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:25.200 And if the answer doesn't come in prayer, then I'll just make it happen. 00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:27.400 Sometimes God says, that's not a great idea. 00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:29.220 Why don't you just trust me? 00:20:29.860 --> 00:20:31.720 Why don't you be still and know that I'm God? 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:38.120 So Jesus reminds us we should keep praying because waiting can wear us down, 00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:39.759 and it keeps us connected to the Father. 00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:42.279 But that raises an important question. 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:46.380 If God isn't like the judge, then why should we keep coming? 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:49.920 If we're not going to get what we need eventually, if we're not going to wear him down, 00:20:50.180 --> 00:20:54.039 what's going to give us this confidence to pray again tomorrow if nothing has changed? 00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:59.279 I think we should keep praying, number two, because God can be trusted in the waiting. 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:03.380 Verse number six, Jesus says, 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:07.320 Hear what the unjust judge saith. 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:12.599 He's saying, listen, think about what made him move. 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:15.519 It wasn't compassion or righteousness. 00:21:15.679 --> 00:21:17.599 It wasn't the fear of God or the concern for justice. 00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:19.539 He acted because of the persistence. 00:21:21.159 --> 00:21:23.500 That's what got him to move. 00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:29.159 And what Jesus does there in verse number seven is he takes that and he contrasts it. 00:21:29.160 --> 00:21:34.940 He says, if he's willing to do that because of this widow's nagging, 00:21:36.040 --> 00:21:42.100 how much more is your heavenly Father who loves you, who gave his life for you, 00:21:42.259 --> 00:21:48.420 how much more is he willing to hear and to answer and to remind you that he's on your side, 00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:50.880 that he has your best interests at heart? 00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:54.200 See, that widow, she had to wear the judge down to get his attention. 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:56.460 We already have God's attention. 00:21:57.620 --> 00:21:59.299 That God's ear is towards his people. 00:21:59.620 --> 00:22:01.059 He wants to hear from us. 00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.880 He wants to hear us cry out. 00:22:03.100 --> 00:22:05.160 We don't have to keep praying because God's reluctant. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:08.519 No, we get to keep praying because God is good to us. 00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:11.059 That's what he's teaching here. 00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:16.259 See, I know it's easy to begin to interpret God's character through our circumstances. 00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:18.120 We've all been there. 00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:19.799 You know, something happens in our life. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:21.360 Well, God, I thought you loved me. 00:22:21.880 --> 00:22:23.559 I don't know if you've seen what's going on over here. 00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:26.360 This bill and this health and this, that. 00:22:26.600 --> 00:22:30.160 And we begin to determine God loves us by what's going on in our life. 00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:31.920 That's not true. 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:34.840 We've seen that as we've walked through Luke's gospel. 00:22:35.080 --> 00:22:37.700 Every time somebody has an ailment or a sickness or something happens, 00:22:37.900 --> 00:22:40.960 they think, well, the only reason that can be happy is because they did something bad. 00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.840 And they're a horrible, wicked sinner. 00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:47.000 Jesus says that's not how we should interpret things. 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:50.640 I mean, we begin to think when our circumstances don't change, 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:52.680 well, maybe he's not hearing me. 00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:55.820 Maybe, maybe he just doesn't care about this. 00:22:55.920 --> 00:22:58.039 Maybe I'm, maybe I'm putting too much thought into that. 00:22:58.100 --> 00:22:58.680 No, he cares. 00:23:00.100 --> 00:23:01.900 Maybe this just doesn't matter to him. 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:04.940 But we see in verse number seven, 00:23:05.940 --> 00:23:10.320 and shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him? 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:16.339 Jesus is saying, just like this widow kept coming, we should keep coming. 00:23:17.159 --> 00:23:21.619 Because when we look at that phrase, which cry day and night, that doesn't seem like casual prayer to me. 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:25.339 Like, hey, Lord, it's me again, just checking in. 00:23:25.939 --> 00:23:28.119 No, the idea is, Lord, I need you. 00:23:28.980 --> 00:23:32.639 I mean, we come with that, with our heart, and we lay it out before him. 00:23:32.740 --> 00:23:33.639 He already knows it. 00:23:34.139 --> 00:23:35.879 He knows what we need before we even ask. 00:23:36.580 --> 00:23:39.180 But prayer is not trying to change the mind of God. 00:23:39.340 --> 00:23:40.300 Here's what prayer is doing. 00:23:40.540 --> 00:23:42.560 It's positioning us in dependence on him. 00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:45.040 And it's reminding us, not for him to get on our page, 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:47.020 no, that our will will be linked with his. 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:49.260 And we keep coming to him constantly. 00:23:49.580 --> 00:23:52.940 The idea, crying day and night, is there is desperation there. 00:23:54.020 --> 00:23:57.560 Listen, you may be walking through something difficult, your family, or whatever it may be. 00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:59.000 Are you desperate about it? 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:02.120 That's the idea that Jesus is saying. 00:24:02.119 --> 00:24:05.359 He doesn't rebuke us for continuing to ask. 00:24:06.239 --> 00:24:09.819 I'm so thankful the Lord doesn't say, hey, you already asked about that yesterday. 00:24:10.939 --> 00:24:12.059 Because I do that with my kids. 00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:15.639 I'm like, listen, I already told you yesterday, if I change my mind, I'll let you know. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:18.559 That's how we kind of have earthly relationships. 00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:22.819 I'm so thankful that I can go every single day and ask the Lord the same thing. 00:24:23.979 --> 00:24:27.099 If it's heavy on my heart, he wants me to bring it before him. 00:24:27.199 --> 00:24:29.379 He doesn't say, why are you bringing this to me again? 00:24:29.380 --> 00:24:36.920 I mean, there's something beautiful about knowing that God is never irritated by the dependent cries of his own children. 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:39.980 I'm so thankful for that. 00:24:41.640 --> 00:24:46.560 See, the goal of persistent prayer is not about bending God's will to ours. 00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:50.300 It's about God shaping our will to his. 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:54.120 And that's the importance of coming over and over and over. 00:24:54.119 --> 00:25:01.259 But we have to understand that we have to trust him even if the answer we receive isn't the answer we really wanted. 00:25:02.639 --> 00:25:04.019 That's where it gets tough. 00:25:05.459 --> 00:25:07.319 Maybe you've heard of the Apostle Paul. 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:12.639 I mean, you talk about one of the greatest followers of Christ that's ever walked on this planet. 00:25:13.399 --> 00:25:15.219 In my opinion, probably one of the greatest. 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.939 But you know what? 00:25:16.939 --> 00:25:18.099 The Apostle Paul had a problem. 00:25:18.859 --> 00:25:21.619 2 Corinthians chapter 12 tells us he had a thorn in the flesh. 00:25:21.619 --> 00:25:29.119 And really, Paul's idea was, Lord, if you get rid of this problem, man, I could do a lot more for you. 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:32.859 Lord, if you, I mean, I'm going to serve you. 00:25:32.899 --> 00:25:33.399 I'm going to love you. 00:25:33.479 --> 00:25:34.099 Thank you for everything you do. 00:25:34.239 --> 00:25:37.039 But man, I could really do something for you now, Lord. 00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:39.959 We don't know what the thorn in the flesh was, by the way. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:41.599 There's all kinds of things. 00:25:41.639 --> 00:25:42.259 It doesn't matter. 00:25:42.859 --> 00:25:43.939 That's really not the point. 00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:45.779 But we know this. 00:25:45.939 --> 00:25:47.059 Paul wanted it gone. 00:25:48.059 --> 00:25:49.179 It was probably annoying. 00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:50.419 It could have been a health situation. 00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:56.200 It could have been something like that where he just felt like it was really hindering his mission's work. 00:25:57.180 --> 00:26:00.240 And the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 12 that he prayed three times. 00:26:00.340 --> 00:26:01.900 He besought the Lord. 00:26:02.860 --> 00:26:04.039 This wasn't a casual prayer. 00:26:04.700 --> 00:26:05.759 It was three times that we know of. 00:26:05.920 --> 00:26:07.039 He begged the Lord. 00:26:07.340 --> 00:26:10.240 And he said, Lord, remove this thorn. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:21.400 See, God answered Paul. 00:26:22.940 --> 00:26:24.240 Just not how he wanted. 00:26:26.259 --> 00:26:28.180 But God gave him exactly what he needed. 00:26:29.279 --> 00:26:31.180 And sometimes we need to be okay with that. 00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:35.480 Sometimes persistent prayer doesn't mean that he's going to answer it every time like we wanted to. 00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:39.700 It means I'm going to keep asking. 00:26:40.120 --> 00:26:43.140 Persistent prayer doesn't mean I'm going to keep asking until God gives me what we want. 00:26:43.400 --> 00:26:44.960 Sometimes God changes the situation. 00:26:46.360 --> 00:26:48.380 Sometimes God changes us in the situation. 00:26:48.380 --> 00:26:54.140 Sometimes he removes the burden, but often he gives the grace to carry it. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:58.480 But whatever God does, whatever happens, here's what he reminds us. 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:01.300 Keep praying because you can trust that God knows what he's doing. 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:04.860 That thorn in the flesh, here's what it did. 00:27:05.040 --> 00:27:06.920 And Paul tells us it kept him humble. 00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:12.560 Because if Paul had all the ability and he had all this success and he could look at his life and say, 00:27:12.660 --> 00:27:15.980 Well, I started these churches and look at all my preacher boys and look at all the things I've done. 00:27:16.180 --> 00:27:18.980 No, the only reason he did that is because God did it in him. 00:27:19.640 --> 00:27:23.640 And that thorn in the flesh kept him dependent on the one that was giving him the strength. 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:27.620 And then we come to the end of verse number 7 and the beginning of verse number 8, 00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:28.920 and it doesn't seem to make sense. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.380 He says, 00:27:30.560 --> 00:27:36.120 Though he bear long with them, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. 00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:40.840 So we keep praying, we keep crying out, we keep wanting God to answer our prayers. 00:27:41.060 --> 00:27:42.900 And we look at these two verses, it says, 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:45.940 He bears long and he acts speedily when we pray. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.340 Which one is it? 00:27:48.360 --> 00:27:48.840 Yes. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.380 That's the answer. 00:27:54.060 --> 00:27:55.500 See, the idea is this. 00:27:56.500 --> 00:28:00.120 Is that when God acts, he's going to act speedily. 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:05.560 He's not promising that God will answer every prayer immediately according to our timetable. 00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:07.759 But here's the thought. 00:28:08.599 --> 00:28:11.960 Is that when God's appointed time comes, he will act. 00:28:12.700 --> 00:28:13.759 He will not forget. 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.379 He will not hesitate. 00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:16.839 He will not fail. 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:22.039 I don't want to stand here and pretend like I can explain why God makes us wait. 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.899 I don't know. 00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:26.019 I don't know in my own life. 00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:27.639 I don't know in your life. 00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:31.259 Many of the issues that I do know in this room, I'm praying for it. 00:28:31.360 --> 00:28:33.160 And I'm praying, Lord, would you give them an answer, Lord? 00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:33.840 Would you give them peace? 00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:34.480 Would you give them wisdom? 00:28:34.660 --> 00:28:37.040 But I don't know sometimes why the waiting happens. 00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:42.379 But Jesus gives us something better than an explanation. 00:28:42.920 --> 00:28:45.759 He gives us the assurance of the character of God. 00:28:46.920 --> 00:28:48.079 That's what verse 8 is. 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:51.740 He said, let me just remind you who you're praying to. 00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:56.079 You're not praying to somebody that has a little bit of authority and can kind of do some things. 00:28:56.139 --> 00:28:57.619 He's a little bit of a mover and shaker here. 00:28:57.859 --> 00:28:58.079 No, no. 00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:59.339 You're praying to God. 00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:03.559 That he's going to avenge you speedily. 00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:09.899 When God moves, when God acts, when it's the right time, he will do it. 00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:11.279 One commentator said it this way. 00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:15.220 His character can be trusted even when his timing cannot be understood. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:18.299 That's what Jesus is saying. 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.679 That's what he's reminding us in this verse. 00:29:20.959 --> 00:29:24.819 So I just want to ask you, what's the prayer that you've grown tired of praying? 00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:33.919 Jesus isn't promising this morning, if you'll pray it one more time, you'll be a little more persistent. 00:29:34.059 --> 00:29:35.299 Tomorrow everything's going to change. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:39.279 But he is reminding you, keep praying that prayer. 00:29:40.139 --> 00:29:41.879 Because your father hears you. 00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:43.559 And he sees you. 00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:45.000 And he cares. 00:29:45.399 --> 00:29:46.319 And he's just. 00:29:46.679 --> 00:29:47.659 And he can be trusted. 00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:50.279 So keep coming to him. 00:29:51.139 --> 00:29:53.019 Keep trusting him. 00:29:53.019 --> 00:29:58.720 See, at first glance, Jesus ends this parable in a very interesting way. 00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:04.440 But I think he wants us to see something and understand something about persistent prayer. 00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:06.839 It's much bigger than just getting an answer. 00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:09.220 Look at the end of verse number eight. 00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:15.720 Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? 00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:19.079 You know what persistent prayer really helps us do? 00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:22.160 It helps us to remain faithful while we wait. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:25.200 So why should I keep praying when I feel like giving up? 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:28.000 Because real faith keeps looking for the king. 00:30:29.860 --> 00:30:35.120 See, Jesus began this parable by saying, men ought always to pray and not to faint. 00:30:36.120 --> 00:30:38.120 But then he ends it by asking a question. 00:30:38.580 --> 00:30:41.580 Not saying, hey, when I come back, am I going to find people praying? 00:30:42.580 --> 00:30:46.560 No, he said, hey, when I come back, will I find faith? 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.159 Why? 00:30:47.159 --> 00:30:47.559 Why? 00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:51.220 Why does he give both of these situations? 00:30:51.599 --> 00:30:53.579 Because these two belong together. 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:00.079 Persistent prayer is an expression of persevering faith. 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:04.460 Because we keep coming to him knowing that he is good. 00:31:05.139 --> 00:31:05.980 That he is just. 00:31:06.500 --> 00:31:07.619 That he does hear us. 00:31:08.259 --> 00:31:11.299 See, we keep coming to God because we believe all of these things are true. 00:31:11.419 --> 00:31:13.000 That he keeps his promises. 00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:13.919 That he cares. 00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:14.960 That he listens. 00:31:15.419 --> 00:31:19.319 And this is the connection that we see from our text last week in Luke chapter 17. 00:31:19.679 --> 00:31:21.480 Jesus said, hey, the king is coming. 00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:22.559 I'm coming again. 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:26.700 But between those two realities, you're going to have a difficult time. 00:31:26.779 --> 00:31:29.700 There's going to be situations in your life where you're just going to be waiting. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:32.000 And he begins to tell this parable. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:35.119 Because he's not teaching his disciples how to get their prayers answered. 00:31:35.339 --> 00:31:36.960 No, he wants them to understand. 00:31:37.159 --> 00:31:41.859 And he wants us to understand how to remain faithful while we wait for him to come again. 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:44.319 That's what he wants us to see. 00:31:44.659 --> 00:31:45.200 Because you know what? 00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:47.039 You're going to experience in your life just like they did. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:49.359 There's going to be days when justice seems delayed. 00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:53.440 There's going to be days in your life when evil seems to be winning. 00:31:53.619 --> 00:31:55.500 When prayers seem to be unanswered. 00:31:55.579 --> 00:31:57.599 And you cry out, how long, Lord? 00:31:58.559 --> 00:32:00.319 How long is this going to go on in my life? 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:01.779 And here's what Jesus is saying. 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:03.740 Don't lose heart. 00:32:04.839 --> 00:32:05.519 Keep praying. 00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:08.559 How can we do that? 00:32:09.779 --> 00:32:11.119 Because the story's not over. 00:32:12.700 --> 00:32:16.599 Sometimes we walk through circumstances in life and we feel like this is the end. 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:18.720 This is the end of the story right here. 00:32:19.279 --> 00:32:21.279 I don't know how I'm going to get up off the mat on this one. 00:32:22.879 --> 00:32:24.059 It's not the end of the story. 00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.839 No, Jesus is coming. 00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:28.579 The King is coming. 00:32:29.159 --> 00:32:30.740 And when he comes, you know what he's going to do? 00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:31.819 He's going to make everything right. 00:32:33.379 --> 00:32:34.220 All those things. 00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:37.059 And I'm not trying to belittle anybody's issues, anybody's problems. 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:37.819 I have them too. 00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:38.899 But you know what? 00:32:38.900 --> 00:32:46.100 When we see him, when he comes again, all of the difficulties of life, they're going to be gone. 00:32:48.280 --> 00:32:55.080 I'm so thankful that every trial, every situation, every difficult thing you're walking through right now has an expiration date. 00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:57.439 We don't know when it is. 00:32:57.899 --> 00:32:58.539 But we know this. 00:32:58.619 --> 00:33:02.500 When he comes, we shall see him, the Bible says, and we shall be like him. 00:33:02.779 --> 00:33:05.439 And so shall we ever be with the Lord. 00:33:05.939 --> 00:33:08.919 And he reminds us, yes, that we're living in this in-between. 00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:10.799 We're living in the already and the not yet. 00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:14.240 But Jesus wants us to understand, hey, keep faith. 00:33:14.419 --> 00:33:15.339 Don't lose heart. 00:33:15.500 --> 00:33:16.319 I'm coming. 00:33:17.079 --> 00:33:19.460 And so he puts it into this question to remind us. 00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:21.899 He doesn't want us to question God's faithfulness. 00:33:22.259 --> 00:33:23.000 That's settled. 00:33:24.059 --> 00:33:25.379 He's not saying, am I going to find faith? 00:33:25.460 --> 00:33:26.139 Is God still faithful? 00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:26.519 No. 00:33:26.639 --> 00:33:27.579 Here's what he wants to know. 00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:29.220 Will he find faith with us? 00:33:30.039 --> 00:33:31.939 Will he find us persevering? 00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:35.200 When the king comes, will he still find me trusting? 00:33:36.279 --> 00:33:40.259 Will he still find me even in the waiting that I am following him? 00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:42.179 That's the kind of faith that he's looking for. 00:33:42.179 --> 00:33:43.119 Where do you get that? 00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:45.319 With constant communication with your heavenly father. 00:33:45.319 --> 00:33:47.460 By running to him all the time. 00:33:47.659 --> 00:33:50.579 See, faith isn't merely trusting God when you can see what he's doing. 00:33:50.779 --> 00:33:53.240 It's trusting him when you can't see what he's doing. 00:33:53.939 --> 00:33:55.019 Knowing that he loves you. 00:33:55.339 --> 00:33:56.419 Knowing that he cares for you. 00:33:56.659 --> 00:33:59.200 Faith says, I don't understand this, but I know God. 00:33:59.939 --> 00:34:00.740 You know what faith says? 00:34:00.859 --> 00:34:04.460 I don't know how long and why God hadn't answered, but I know him. 00:34:05.359 --> 00:34:07.240 I don't know how long I'm going to have to wait, 00:34:07.480 --> 00:34:09.119 but I'm going to keep trusting him. 00:34:09.719 --> 00:34:10.759 Because he loves me. 00:34:12.719 --> 00:34:14.519 And maybe that's exactly where you are this morning. 00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:17.000 You've been waiting. 00:34:18.240 --> 00:34:19.900 And the waiting's just worn you down. 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:24.019 Maybe you've prayed about something for so long, 00:34:24.080 --> 00:34:25.539 you don't even know what else to say about it. 00:34:26.820 --> 00:34:29.080 You've said every iteration you can think of. 00:34:29.079 --> 00:34:35.059 Maybe you once prayed about it every single day, but now you hardly mention it. 00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:38.360 Jesus told this parable for you. 00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:39.759 For me. 00:34:40.579 --> 00:34:41.279 And here's what he said. 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.219 Don't lose heart. 00:34:42.219 --> 00:34:49.199 I may not know where you are, but Jesus this morning knows exactly where you are. 00:34:50.259 --> 00:34:51.679 He knows what's weighing on you. 00:34:52.259 --> 00:34:53.659 He knows it's difficult in the waiting. 00:34:53.659 --> 00:35:00.319 And he just says, I want to remind you that God you're praying to can be trusted. 00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:04.019 Remember the contrast. 00:35:04.399 --> 00:35:07.359 You're not a widow standing before an uncaring judge. 00:35:07.500 --> 00:35:12.119 If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are a child standing before your Heavenly Father. 00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:15.179 And how much more does your Heavenly Father love you? 00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:17.259 That he's willing to listen. 00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.059 That he's there. 00:35:18.259 --> 00:35:20.000 You're not trying to convince him to listen. 00:35:20.219 --> 00:35:21.579 No, God hears you. 00:35:22.699 --> 00:35:25.059 You're not trying to come to him and say the right words so he cares. 00:35:25.300 --> 00:35:26.739 No, look at the cross of Calvary. 00:35:26.960 --> 00:35:27.579 He cares. 00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:31.019 He laid down his life so that you might have a relationship. 00:35:31.300 --> 00:35:32.460 And you might have a home in heaven. 00:35:32.460 --> 00:35:36.480 And you might have peace and joy walking through the most difficult thing in your life. 00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:39.400 So maybe the question isn't this. 00:35:39.639 --> 00:35:41.119 Why hasn't God answered me? 00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:43.380 Maybe God's saying this. 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:46.320 Will you keep trusting me until I come? 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:48.980 Will you keep trusting me in the waiting? 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:52.599 I'll leave you with this thought this morning. 00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:57.059 When you don't understand God's timing, keep trusting his character. 00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:01.800 And because you trust him, keep praying. 00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:06.280 And he spake a parable unto them saying to this end, 00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:10.380 that men ought always to pray and not faint. 00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:12.460 Listen, church. 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:13.860 Jesus says this. 00:36:14.099 --> 00:36:16.500 Don't lose heart. 00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:18.619 Would you stand with your heads bowed? 00:36:18.619 --> 00:36:48.599 Thank you.