Element Christian Church
Week 7: Parables - The Persistent Widow & Unjust Judge
Locations & Times
Element Christian Church
4890 Bethany Ln, Santa Maria, CA 93455, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:45 AM
Welcome to Element
We strive to ensure the biggest thing people think when they hear about Element is Jesus! We aim to glorify God by teaching and living out the Scriptures, transform community in Gospel Community, and planting churches.
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https://ourelement.churchcenter.com/setupThis week's song list
Interested in looking for some of the songs we sang this week? Here's the titles and original artists:
Joyful (The One Who Saves) – Brenton Brown
One Thing Remains – Passion & Kristian Stanfill
Jesus Paid It All – Passion & Kristian Stanfill
Graves Into Gardens – Brandon Lake
Living Hope – Phil Wickham
Joyful (The One Who Saves) – Brenton Brown
One Thing Remains – Passion & Kristian Stanfill
Jesus Paid It All – Passion & Kristian Stanfill
Graves Into Gardens – Brandon Lake
Living Hope – Phil Wickham
Parables
Week 7 - The Persistent Widow and Unjust Judge
Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge and a persistent widow to teach His disciples about prayer and persistence. The judge, who neither fears God nor cares about people, repeatedly ignores a widow’s plea for justice. However, due to her relentless persistence, he eventually grants her request to avoid being bothered further.
Week 7 - The Persistent Widow and Unjust Judge
Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge and a persistent widow to teach His disciples about prayer and persistence. The judge, who neither fears God nor cares about people, repeatedly ignores a widow’s plea for justice. However, due to her relentless persistence, he eventually grants her request to avoid being bothered further.
Jesus uses this parable to illustrate God’s character in contrast to the unjust judge. If even an uncaring judge eventually yields to persistence, how much more will God - who is just, loving, and attentive - respond to the prayers of His people? Jesus encourages His followers to pray continually and not give up, especially when praying for justice and the coming of God’s Kingdom.
The parable emphasizes several key points:
1. The value of persistent prayer, even when prayers go unanswered.
2. God as a just and caring judge, unlike the one in the parable.
3. The assurance that God will bring about justice for His people.
4. The need for faith and perseverance while waiting for God’s timing.
The truths of this parable can be applied to various life situations, from personal injustices to broader societal issues. As Jesus-followers, we have a strong and assured hope that justice will be done. This encourages us to:
• Trust in God’s perfect justice and timing.
• Pursue justice in practical ways as a reflection of God’s character.
• Maintain faith and continue praying even when answers are delayed.
• Remember God’s mercy towards us as sinners when dealing with injustice.
Jesus concludes with a challenging question: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” This prompts reflection on whether we’re living with assurance in God’s justice and future Kingdom. Ultimately, Jesus calls us to persistent prayer and unwavering faith, knowing that God is faithful and will bring about His justice and Kingdom in His perfect time.
The parable emphasizes several key points:
1. The value of persistent prayer, even when prayers go unanswered.
2. God as a just and caring judge, unlike the one in the parable.
3. The assurance that God will bring about justice for His people.
4. The need for faith and perseverance while waiting for God’s timing.
The truths of this parable can be applied to various life situations, from personal injustices to broader societal issues. As Jesus-followers, we have a strong and assured hope that justice will be done. This encourages us to:
• Trust in God’s perfect justice and timing.
• Pursue justice in practical ways as a reflection of God’s character.
• Maintain faith and continue praying even when answers are delayed.
• Remember God’s mercy towards us as sinners when dealing with injustice.
Jesus concludes with a challenging question: “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” This prompts reflection on whether we’re living with assurance in God’s justice and future Kingdom. Ultimately, Jesus calls us to persistent prayer and unwavering faith, knowing that God is faithful and will bring about His justice and Kingdom in His perfect time.
Discussion Questions:
Describe a situation when you waited a long time for God to answer your prayers. Was waiting for an answer easy or a
challenge for you? Why?
Share a time when your persistence paid off in an unexpected way.
What the Text Says:
How does Jesus describe the judge and the widow in this parable?
What reason does the judge give for finally granting the widow’s
request?
Understanding:
How does Jesus use this parable to teach about God’s character?
Why do you think Jesus concludes the parable with the question about finding faith on earth?
Application:
In what areas of your life do you find it challenging to persist in prayer?
How can remembering God’s justice and mercy shape how we respond to personal injustices?
Next Steps:
What is one specific situation in your life or in the world where you need to persist in prayer for justice/mercy?
How can you practically pursue justice in your community this week?
Missional Living:
How might our persistence in prayer and pursuit of justice serve as a witness to non-believers?
In what ways can we balance praying for justice with actively working towards it in our everyday lives?
Finally, what did this parable leave you to think about?
Describe a situation when you waited a long time for God to answer your prayers. Was waiting for an answer easy or a
challenge for you? Why?
Share a time when your persistence paid off in an unexpected way.
What the Text Says:
How does Jesus describe the judge and the widow in this parable?
What reason does the judge give for finally granting the widow’s
request?
Understanding:
How does Jesus use this parable to teach about God’s character?
Why do you think Jesus concludes the parable with the question about finding faith on earth?
Application:
In what areas of your life do you find it challenging to persist in prayer?
How can remembering God’s justice and mercy shape how we respond to personal injustices?
Next Steps:
What is one specific situation in your life or in the world where you need to persist in prayer for justice/mercy?
How can you practically pursue justice in your community this week?
Missional Living:
How might our persistence in prayer and pursuit of justice serve as a witness to non-believers?
In what ways can we balance praying for justice with actively working towards it in our everyday lives?
Finally, what did this parable leave you to think about?