God's Last Words

“HE IS THE JUDGE”
Luke 18: 1-8 (NRSV)

A defendant in a lawsuit involving large sums of money was talking to his lawyer. "If I lose this case, I'll be ruined." "It's in the judge's hands now," said the lawyer.

"Would it help if I sent the judge a box of cigars?" "No, don’t do it! This judge is a stickler or ethical behavior. A stunt like that would prejudice him against you. He might even hold you in contempt of court. In fact, don’t even smile at the judge."

Within the course of time, the judge rendered a decision in favor of the defendant.

As the defendant left the courthouse, he said to his lawyer, "Thanks for the tip about the cigars. It worked!" "I'm sure we would have lost the case if you'd sent them." "But, I did send them." "What? You did?" said the lawyer, incredulously.

"Yes. That's how we won the case." "I don't understand," said the lawyer. "It's easy. I sent the cigars to the judge, but enclosed the plaintiff's business card."

Taking his seat in his chambers, the judge faced the opposing lawyers. “So,” he said, “I have been presented with a bribe by both of you.” Both lawyers squirmed uncomfortably. “You, attorney Leon, gave me $15,000. And you, attorney Campos, gave me $10,000.” The judge reached into his pocket and pulled out a check. He handed it to Leon. “Now then, I’m returning $5,000, and we’re going to decide this case solely on its merits.”

At the height of a political corruption trial, the prosecuting attorney attacked a witness. "Isn't it true," he bellowed, "that you accepted $ 5,000 dollars to compromise this case?" The witness stared out the window, as though he hadn't heard the question.

"Isn't it true that you accepted $ 5,000 dollars to compromise this case?" the lawyer repeated. The witness still did not respond. Finally, the judge leaned over and said, "Sir, please answer the question." "Oh," the startled witness said, "I thought he was talking to you."

No matter who is the judge human nature can’t be suppressed enough to make an unbiased decision. It is in our nature to make judgments based on what we see, what we know, who we know, and what we want. Listen to Jesus talk about judges:

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.

²He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. ³In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’

⁴For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”

⁶And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? ⁸I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

There are three parts to this scripture passage I want to address.

First, there is the part about the perseverance of the widow that has been interpreted to mean how important persistence in prayer is. Second, Jesus tells us that we are His chosen ones if we develop an ongoing relationship with Him. Third, we need to be concerned that when Jesus returns He will find us faithful.

Jesus is the only judge we need worry about.

Let’s talk about the third part. Jesus will return and part of the reason He will be returning is to judge the world. He’s earned that right by overcoming sin.  

The Bible tells us very clearly, in words spoken by Christ himself in Matthew 24, that He will come again. There will be nothing secret about it; it will be the greatest event the world has ever seen. Revelation 1: 7 tells us "Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him."

 
1 Thessalonians 4: 16-17: "For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air."

These are scary words for those who don’t know Jesus or are afraid that they haven’t done what they need to do to earn eternal salvation.

Jesus has told us to repent of our sins, become as little Children in learning a new way of life, and believe in Him. Jesus says if we do this persistently, like the widow, and honestly place Him in our heart, we are His people.

We don’t earn salvation by works, we receive it by asking for it! Yet many of us have a fear of possible rejection from God, it’s normal. But we will not suffer the same fate of the person in the following story:

3 men, a Rabbi, a Hindu, and a politician, were travelling and their car breaks down out on a lonely stretch of highway late at night.

They climb out and begin walking. Several miles down the road they see a dim light. They see that it is a farmhouse so they knock at the door. The farmer answers the door and the men ask for shelter for the night with the promise they’ll be on their way the next morning.

The farmer agrees but says he has enough room for 2 of them in the house, the other must sleep in the barn. They agree and the Hindu man agrees to sleep in the barn.

10 minutes later there’s a knock on the door and the Hindu man says he can not sleep in the barn out of respect for the cow he found there. The Rabbi then agrees to sleep in the barn.

10 minutes later, another knock. It’s the Rabbi who says he can not sleep in the barn either because there’s a pig in there. So the politician goes out to the barn to sleep.

Everyone is settling in to sleep when sure enough, another knock at the door. The farmer opens the door to find the cow and pig at the door claiming they can’t sleep with the politician.

Friends take heart and do not let the promise of Jesus’ return scare you. Remember the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John 14: 1-3:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Yet in the waiting for His return it will be the hardest thing we have ever done, but we can take courage in Matthew 24: 13 “But he who endures to the end will be saved,” and Hebrews 13: 5, “For He Himself has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Also Matthew 28: 20, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

Friends, take heart, take part, and do not depart from the way path to Heaven!

 Amen