Luke 18:1-8

Pentecost 19 | October 16, 2022 | Luke 18:1-8 | David H. Brooks |

18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justiceagainst my adversary.’

⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

[Sermon Text: Luke 18:1-8]

Since today is about persistence, let’s begin with a story of persistence: An elderly grandmother named Cha Sa-soon lived alone in the tiny mountain village of Sinchon in South Korea. She always wanted to learn to drive but didn’t begin the process of trying to get a license until she was in her 60s. Mrs. Cha failed the written portion, consisting of 40 multiple choice questions 949 times; as she had only learned to read at an elementary level, the concept of many of the questions such as ‘traffic regulations’ or ‘right of way’ were confusing to her. Finally, on the 950th attempt she got a passing grade of 60 and moved on to the actual driver’s test which she only failed 4 times before getting passing marks. To celebrate her success, the Hyundai-Kia company gave her a car, and helped spread the legend of the South Korean grandmother who embodied the Korean national character of sajeonogi—if you’re knocked down to the mat four times, get back up a fifth time!

Our unnamed widow is Mrs. Cha’s spirit sister. To understand the parable, we must realize that widows were among the most vulnerable in the ancient world, simultaneously deeply regarded (such as Isaiah’s admonition to defend the widow’s cause) and yet constantly tossed aside. The fact that a widow would have to plead her case could well mean that there was no one left—no male relative or friend that would protect her. To have to go before a judge meant that the web of family and community relationships that might give her a place of safety and security are gone. But in the parable, faced with an unjust judge, this widow refuses to stay down, rising again and again to demand justice. In the face of her unflagging persistence, the judge finally capitulates and vindicates her.

Like Mrs. Cha, an example of perseverance.

On the other hand, we might be glad that the judge was not in Mrs. Cha’s family. This person, described by Jesus as neither fearing God nor regarding his neighbor, was the one who wore down. He went down to the mat and finally did not get back up, but rather cried out no more! Intransigence fell before tenacity.

Which…when you think about it, is a good thing.

It is important, like with all the parables, to not allegorize the characters in this short story. It is clear, both from the way Jesus tells the story that the judge of the parable is not God. “If an unjust judge can be moved to the right thing via persistence, how much more will God (who is just) move to do right for those in his care.”

For those who are pushing their case before God, being persistent in prayer, know that God hears and is at work in your life. God does not need to be browbeaten into submission before he hears your prayers. The circumstances of our lives are the building blocks for God to shape and guide us that we might resemble our Lord Jesus. Our suffering has meaning and purpose in God’s love.

But what about the intransigent, narrow-minded ones? The ones who have no regard for God, who couldn’t care less, who can’t be bothered, who don’t see the point of looking beyond themselves? What of the ones who sneer at others, can’t see where injustice is being done, regard themselves as the ones put upon—what of those powerful ones in our society and our world who are to this day eating up widows’ houses and families and then condemning them for their perseverance?

What of us? It’s hard to have true regard for God, our hearts and minds filled as they are with the slogans, the values, the beliefs of the world. We have lots of love in our hearts for the things we choose, and maybe not so much for the One who has chosen us. Do we, should we really take seriously the idea that God has a claim on us, and that all the things of this world—all its theories and cultures and activities and goals—will be judged by the just God? It’s hard to truly notice our neighbors, those others who always interfere, make demands, say and do stupid things, and well…are in need. We know that injustice arises from the brokenness that is sin—we are estranged, strangers to God and one another—and that justice arises when right relationship is restored. Do we, should we really take seriously the idea that all our calls for justice will never be answer by “forcing those people” to do the right thing, but rather by our willingness to do the right thing—move toward them and restore relationship? We would rather judge God and others wrongly than abandon our ways.

But God is persistent, and he seems confident that if he comes to us enough, if he seeks us enough, if he calls to us enough our intransigence can be overcome. “I will send my beloved son,” he says. “Listen to him!” he says. Jesus has come, to seek those who have wandered, to find those who have dropped through the cracks, to lift up those who have been laid low in the dust, to preach good news to those who hear only woe and despair, to set free every prisoner of his or her own intransigence.

We tried to lay him low. But Jesus is full of sajeonogi–so he got up after the first time. Which is a very, very good thing. Amen.

Pastor David H. Brooks

Durham, NC USA

Pr.Dave.Brooks@zoho.com