Sunday Service for October 19th

Please join us for the Service on Sunday, October 19th at 10 am. There is Sunday School during the service and coffee and fellowship after.

Here are Rev. Marlene’s thoughts on the scripture reading for Sunday.

Marlene’s Rev. Notes:

“Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” Luke 18:1

Jesus reveals the key to true success in the very first story in this collection, a parable to illustrate why we “should always pray and not give up” (verse 1).  The persistent widow endures much frustration and apparent injustice before the judge finally grants her request.  Similarly, Jesus implies, we may go through desert periods when it looks as if God is ignoring our heartfelt requests.  In the end, God himself will settle accounts.  And all those whose faith holds firm, even in the hard times, will see justice done.

In the Gospel reading, Luke 18:1-8, Jesus focuses on the need for prayer in preparation for God’s coming kingdom and judgement, emphasizing the wisdom of constant prayer.  Like the second reading in which Paul exhorts us to persist in sharing the good news of our faith, Jesus teaches us here that we must persevere in prayer.  This persistence in prayer is a key theme in Luke’s Gospel.

In this week’s passage, the widow, representing the most vulnerable in society, has no recourse for justice other than to continually insist that the judge does what is right.  The judge, who does not fear God or respect people, fears what the constant petitioning of the widow might lead her to do to him.  This fear motivates him to do what is right. He is not converted, but rather he is choosing to do what he considers the most convenient solution.

Jesus concludes the parable by reminding us that God is everything the judge is not.  God is just, respects his creation and their free will, and cares for all, especially the vulnerable.  He will not be slow to respond; instead, God readily responds to those who persevere in prayer.  When we pray, we demonstrate our trust that God will remain faithful to God’s promises and respect our needs. Having this trust in God’s response is itself a sign of wisdom. Ultimately, how we pray reveals our relationship with God.