Sermon for October 19, 2025, Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 18:1-8 (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost/Proper 24—Series C)

“While We Wait, We Pray”

Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, Enfield, CT

October 19, 2025

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Our text is the Gospel Reading recorded in Luke 18:

¹And [Jesus] told a parable to them to show that they must always pray and not give up, ²saying, “There was a certain judge in a certain city who did not fear God and who did not respect man. ³And there was a widow in that village, and she kept coming to him saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ ⁴And he was not willing for a long time. But later on, he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, ⁵yet on account of the trouble this widow causes me, I will give her justice, so that she will not wear me out with her continual coming.’” ⁶And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judges says. ⁷But will not God do justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He be patient to them? ⁸I say to you that He will do justice for them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

          For centuries, the Church has been praying, as taught by our Lord, “Thy kingdom come.” And God’s kingdom does come to us “when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead godly lives here in time and there in eternity” (Small Catechism, Second Petition). Jesus has made clear to His followers that there will be a period of time between the inbreaking of the reign and rule of God from His earthly life, sacrificial death, resurrection, and ascension until the full coming of the kingdom at the Last Day. So, Jesus “told a parable to them to show that they must always pray and not give up.” With His parable, Jesus encourages us to continue in prayer and not lose hope since the delay in His return seems long.

           “There was a certain judge in a certain city who did not fear God and who did not respect man. And there was a widow in that village, and she kept coming to him saying, ‘Give me justice against my opponent.’ And he was not willing for a long time. But later on, he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet on account of the trouble this widow causes me, I will give her justice, so that she will not wear me out with her continual coming.’”

          The judge holds all the cards. He is in control. He alone is the deciding factor in whether this widow is vindicated with justice against her opponent or not. This judge did not fear God. This judge also did not respect people. What kind of results do you think a widow is going to get from a judge like this? Both society and God in His Law required that he take notice and help this widow. Exodus 22:22, “You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.” But this judge was not ashamed to ignore her and her need for justice.

          As we heard last week regarding Naomi, this widow, in ancient society, was helpless. She had no intrinsic standing in the community. The fact that she found herself before the judge pleading her case tells us that she had no male relative to bring her case to court. Nevertheless, in the culture, a woman could act as she does, pestering the judge. According to Kenneth Bailey in his book, Through Peasant Eyes, “In traditional society in the Middle East women are generally powerless in [a] man’s world. But at the same time, they are respected and honored. Men can be mistreated in public, but not women. Women can scream at a public figure and nothing will happen to them.” So, this pestering widow demonstrated unusual, but not unheard-of, behavior. She was so desperate for justice that she publicly badgered the judge to defend her interests! And she won!

In Jesus’ story, the judge waited a long time before he did anything. This judge who didn’t fear God and didn’t respect people finally decided to give the widow justice because of her annoying persistence: “On account of the trouble this widow causes me, I will give her justice, so that she will not wear me out with her continual coming.” This powerful, macho judge who neither feared the Lord nor respected his fellow man was cornered and defeated by the least powerful in society! The widow won her victory in court! But it was not because the judge cared about doing right or that he was concerned about the widow or justice. He was tired of her pestering him and causing him trouble. What motivated the judge to give the widow vindication and justice was that, when it came down to it, his reputation was at stake.

          And that’s the point of Jesus’ comparison. The judge, believe it or not, is the God-figure in His parable! The comparison is that character trait that motivates eventual justice because someone’s reputation is at stake. The judge who didn’t care about God or other people did care about something—his reputation. In a similar way, God also cares about His reputation and His reputation, too, is at stake.

          God must be true to Himself and to His Word. As promised, He will vindicate—give justice—to His people with faith in Jesus. Even though it might seem as though it is delayed, His justice will come because God is merciful and compassionate. If the human judge in Jesus’ parable finally succumbs to the widow’s persistence and gives her justice, how much more will God the Father, whose reputation is one of mercy and compassion, give justice to His elect! The judge finally gave justice because he was harassed. God, on the other hand, will give vindication and justice because He has promised it to those with faith who cry out to Him day and night.

          God our Father is compassionate and merciful toward His people. Jesus captures these characteristics of God that are at the heart of His parable with His question, “But will not God do justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night, and will He be patient to them?” God will indeed do justice for His people who cry to Him in their suffering. He will give justice to them, not because of their persistent prayers and cries, but because He is merciful and compassionate and has so promised. And His reputation is on the line!

          Now, according to God’s holiness and justice, He should punish sinful people who break His commandments. At times, we are so very much like the unrighteous judge in Jesus’ parable. We don’t always fear God nor show respect to people. By rights, you and I should face God’s judgment and condemnation for our lack of fear, love, and trust in Him and for our failure to show mercy to our neighbors. God, however, is patient with us as we journey from Baptism to the day of our physical death or the day of our Lord’s return. Sin still dwells in us and produces transgressions, but we have been declared holy and righteous in Jesus Christ. We have received God’s mercy and compassion instead of the punishment we deserve.

          What then of God’s justice? Has He let sin slide? Are we getting off without real vindication, without true justice being served? Absolutely not! Remember, God’s reputation is at stake! God’s holiness and justice don’t allow for sin to go unpunished. You can be sure that the world’s sin has been punished. Your sin has faced the wrath and condemnation of God. Yet, you and I and the people of the world didn’t receive that punishment ourselves. Jesus Christ did, in your place and in mine.

          In His earthly life, Jesus stood in our place. He identified Himself at His baptism with the sinners He came to rescue and save from sin and death. He took our place under God’s Law, fulfilling God’s commandments perfectly because we are unable to. Jesus then  took upon Himself the judgement against our sins. He took all our sins and failures to fear God and respect people into Himself and then faced the rage, anger, and justice God poured out upon Him while dying on a cross. Now, all our sins and the sins of the world are paid for in full. The blood of Jesus cleanses all from sin and makes us right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. God’s justice has been served—all sin stands atoned for; death stands defeated.

          Still, we live in the tension of the “now” and the “not yet.” We are forgiven in Christ now. But sin has not yet been fully removed. We have eternal life in Christ now. But we are still looking forward to a new creation. We suffer now, but we will have no suffering, pain, or sorrow then. As we await the fullness and the consummation of the Lord’s saving work at the Last Day, Jesus wants us to pray constantly and confidently, ever more firmly trusting in the Father’s reputation of being compassionate, merciful, and patient to us because of Christ. On the surface, that’s what Jesus’ parable is about—the persistent prayers of God’s people of faith in Christ who cry out to God in the midst of their troubles, suffering, guilt, and pain, while trusting in Him for forgiveness of sins, life, and strength. But underlying this is the reality that God is merciful and compassionate to us. He will ultimately deliver us from sin, death, hell, suffering, grief, pain, and trouble at the glorious return of His Son on the Last Day.

          Because God is merciful and compassionate to us through Jesus Christ, God’s justice has been served. You and I are declared not guilty of sin because Jesus’ shed blood and resurrection victory paid the penalty in full. Now, as we await the Lord’s coming again, we are empowered to “always pray and not give up,” asking that His kingdom come to relieve us of our suffering from the present consequences of sin and the temptations of the devil and to bring us to be with Him face to face in glory. This faith-filled prayer is our response to the compassionate character of God the Father who has saved us in His Son, Jesus Christ, and has given us His faithful promises. By faith, we trust His mercy and compassion and therefore know that He will make good on all His promises to us when He brings us to resurrection life in a new heaven and a new earth.

          Calbraith Perry Rogers is the little-known aviator who, in 1911, completed the first coast to coast crossing of the United States in an airplane. Roger’s plane was a Wright Ex Biplane. He took off from Sheepshead Bay, Long Island, NY, on September 17, 1911, and landed in Pasadena, CA, on November 5, 1911. He made his ultimate goal of Long Beach, CA, one month later. It took 49 days to make the trip. His time in the air was 3 days, 10 hours, and 14 minutes. Along the way, he crashed 39 times and made 30 other unscheduled stops. The only parts of the original plane that were left and completed his venture were a vertical rudder and the drip pan. All he had for the trip was himself and the ability to fly. Perhaps this is a good analogy for us as we await Jesus’ return. All we really have (and need) is our faithful, compassionate, and merciful heavenly Father and His promises to us in Jesus. Since His reputation is at stake, we are confident that He will make good on all His promises to us in Jesus, even as we pray, “Thy Kingdom come.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.