Luke 18,1-8 5422
Vorletzter Sonntag des Kirchenjahr (26. Trinitatis) 73
Briccius, Bishop of Tours, France. † 444
Louis Brighton, † 2015
13. November 2022
1. ℣ Save me, O God, by Thy Name:
℟ And judge me by Thy strength not His Voice (Psalm 54,1).
O Christ, who gives us Your Scriptures out of great mercy; help us to live according to Your Word and make ourselves ready for Your return, so that we await Your advent prepared and with joy. Amen. (Wacht auf, ihr Christen alle elkg 497,4 2021, Christian Adolf 1540).
2. »And Jesus told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said: „In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Vindicate against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not keep coming until the end and give me a black eye [blacken my reputation].’“ And the Lord said: „Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and be long-suffering to them? I tell you, He will give justice to them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man arrives, will He even find the faith on the earth?“«
3. It’s common to hear the phrase uttered or texted: Thoughts and prayers. It has become a simple, quick statement to evoke when a tragedy occurs, a serious illness is revealed or a death is announced. It is a generic statement of empathy and support that is often used by devoutly religious people and also those not so religious but who want to express solidarity with the afflicted person.
4. The purpose of the parable in Luke 18 is to encourage us to always pray and not lose heart. It follows the Parable of the Coming Kingdom of God (Luke 17,20-37). The implication is that there will be a delay between the first and second advents of Jesus. While Jesus was present among them, teaching forgiving and performing miracles, the kingdom of God was in their midst. But He would be leaving them shortly, and with His ascension there will be a delay before His return.
5. The Early Church believed this delay would not be too terribly long. They expected the second advent to be in their lifetimes. Perhaps a generation or so, roughly 40 or 50 years, following Jesus’ ascension. But the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed in ad 70, and still no return. One by one the apostles were martyred, and still no return. In ad 100 John is the last of the apostles, he dies and yet no return return of Jesus. Nearly 2000 years after Jesus’ ascension and we are still waiting for His return.
6. Jesus has prepared us for this. Though the delay is long, do not lose hope; pray for the advent of Jesus. The Apostle Peter addressed the delay of Christ’ advent in his 2. Epistle: »Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say: „Where is the promise of his advent? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.“ For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance« (2. Peter 3,3-9).
7. As we await the second advent of Jesus we are to be diligent in prayer. Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we pray the petition: Thy kingdom come. And we know God answers our prayers and vindicates us.
8. This vindication happened at the cross, where the kingdom of God is visible for all to behold. Jesus’ ministry was fulfilled at the cross. The sinner has been judged, mercy is poured out, redemption is paid in full; Christ has vindicated us. Jesus cried out Psalm 22,1: »My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?« (Matthew 27,46). As you read Psalm 22 you discover that Jesus was directing us to the following verses: »O God, in You our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them. To You they cried and were rescued; in You they trusted and were not put to shame« (Psalm 22,4-5). God will vindicate the elect who cry to Him day and night in their sufferings, not because of their persistent prayers and cries, but because He is merciful and compassionate (Just 674-75). Jesus shows us His Father’s mercy and compassion on the cross. God vindicated Jesus on the cross; He will vindicate us in our suffering. Jesus was vindicated quickly, and so we will be too.
9. Our God is long-suffering, and He wants His people to pray constantly and confidentially (Just 675). Jesus’ final question is an exhortation for His Church to be steadfast in the faith. Remember Paul’s final instructions in 1. Corinthians: »Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, … be strong. Let all that you do be done in love« (1. Corinthians 16,13-14). »Marana tha. Our Lord has come. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you« (1. Corinthians 16,22-23).
1o. Let Thy grace, like morning dew
Falling soft on barren places,
Comfort, quicken and renew
Our dry souls and dying graces;
Bless Thy flock from Thy rich store
Evermore (Come, Thou Bright and Morning Star lsb 872,2 Christian Knorr von Rosenroth 1636-89).
This is most certainly true.
12. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.
13. Let us pray. O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds by Thy Holy Spirit that, being ever mindful of the end of all things and the day of Thy just judgment, we may be stirred up to holiness of living here and dwell with Thee forever hereafter. Amen. (26. Trinity, Vespers Collect 1. The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.)
To God alone be the Glory
Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm
✠
All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover.
Just, Arthur A., Jr. Luke 9:51––24:53. Copyright © 1997 Concordia Publishing House.
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