Sermon Text
Luke 18:1 -8
Sermon Excerpt
In both the modern retelling and the original parable, you can’t miss the huge power difference between the judge and the widow. The widow has limited resources, limited mobility, and limited options. The judge is supposed to play by the rules but has decided he is above them.
The persistence of the marginalized widow is appealing. It is an admirable quality that resonates with readers and viewers alike. They want what she wants. We want what she wants. We all crave justice.
We want to be on the side of justice! We believe our God is just. We know that we are called to help make our world a more just realm.
There are so many ways we might endeavor to achieve this. Today, we focus our persistence on one of Jesus’ priorities: children are precious.
Lets return . . . (read the full manuscript)
So What?
The Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes Jr., Senior Minister Emeritus of The Riverside Church and president of the Healing of the Nations Foundation, preached about this parable last year. In that sermon he imagined that the persistent widow handed a note to the judge. Listen to the words he places on that note. Let them be your call to action, your prayer, and your reason to persist on behalf of children.
Justice is the air I breathe— I can’t live without it!
It’s not enough to complain and grieve,
I’ve got to do something about it!
I’m gonna strategize and organize—
I’m gonna vote and take a stand.
I’m gonna pray each day and agitate
until justice is the law of the land.
What will you do? What will your congregation do?