Good morning and welcome back to our second Anchored in the Word morning reflection. And the topic that we're addressing this week is the importance of prayer in the last days. And today we're going to dig into the illustration that Jesus uses and that illustration is an unjust ruler. And it's a fascinating parable that it gives because it gives us a lot of insight into a contrast that Jesus is presenting. But before we get into that contrast, we're going to talk a little bit about how God deals with authorities and how he works through authority. So let's go ahead and dig into our text that is Luke chapter 18. We're reading verses 1 through 8 together and then we're going to look at how God works in and through and despite authorities. Luke chapter 18 verse 1. And he speak a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint saying there was in a city a judge which feared not God neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while. But afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect? which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth." The passage in front of us gives an illustration. And the illustration is dealing with a judge who is unjust. And it's a fascinating parable because what Jesus is demonstrating in this parable is that even unjust judges, people who do not fear God, people who do not regard other people, even those kinds of people have a pragmatic nature to them and God works through that and God works despite their sometimes evil and very self-centered desires and their inclinations. And so in verses 2 to 5 he says, there was in a city a judge who feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city and she came to him saying, avenge me of my adversary. He would not for a while, but afterwards he said within himself, though I fear not God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. What is this showing us? This is showing us that this is a man, though he was not a good man, who was willing to give this woman what she wanted. The question is, why does Jesus use such an interesting illustration? Well, there's probably two reasons that he uses this illustration. One is he's highlighting the pragmatic nature of human rulers. And if you want to get a picture of this, think about political season in a country like ours. people are saying and promising things and saying they won't do certain things, that's really not what's probably their strongest inclination. Their strongest inclination in those cities or situations is to tell people what they want to hear so that they can get elected. And there is a side where a person's values are shaping some of the things that they're willing to commit to, some of the things they're unwilling to do. But a lot of what they're doing is tailored towards people who they're hoping will be their base to elect them. And so he's highlighting that pragmatic tendency in human rulers. We said in verse two where he says he did not fear God. He did not regard man. There was a widow. This is a person who is very vulnerable and has no power nor leverage to put on this man. She doesn't have financial means. She doesn't have people that can back her and go to him for her. No, she's a very, very destitute person. We also see in verse four, It says that for a while he wouldn't do that. But in verse 5, because she troubled him, he decided that he would go ahead and deal with it because she was wearying him. So what is Jesus doing? He's showing us the pragmatic nature of rulers like this man in his illustration. But he's also providing a contrast, a contrast between how God relates to people and how pragmatic rulers relate to people. And that contrast is meant to commend the goodness of God and to show how great his goodness is compared to the pragmatism of ordinary people. But there's another piece to this, and that is that it reminds us that God actively works through human authorities. Who came up with the idea of government? Well, the answer is it's God. Think of Romans chapter 13, where he calls the person in the government God's minister to you for good. The reason that the scripture uses terms like that is to tell us that God works through people who he puts into power. In Proverbs 21 he says that the king's heart is in the hands of the Lord and as the rivers of water he turneth it withersoever he will. Another Psalm, another proverb, Proverbs 16 verse 9 says that a man's heart divides his way but the Lord directs his steps. These verses remind us that it is true that people make choices and they make those choices based on what they think is best or what is most advantageous. But what they don't realize is that God is still active and personally involved in the lives of people. So we wouldn't just say that a man does whatever he wants and that God doesn't have any influence on the person. In fact, God works through the people. And I'd like to supply you with some fascinating examples that we find in scripture. And there's far more examples than just the ones that I'm going to supply you. But these are some of the most powerful and influential people of their times in human history. We think of the Pharaoh during the time of the Exodus. In Exodus 9, God says, for this cause I have raised thee up to show in thee my power that my name may be declared throughout all the people." Here is this proud man who thinks he can do whatever he wants. And what does God say to him through Moses? He says, I put you in this position because I'm going to use you to demonstrate my power so that all the world knows who I am. Or think of a second example, Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter four, verse 25, he says, they shall drive you from men, till thou hast known that the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men, and he giveth it to whomsoever he will." Now, what is God saying to Nebuchadnezzar? He's saying, listen, Nebuchadnezzar, I can take away your kingdom and I can give it back to you. I can control this situation in ways that are far different than you realize. You think you're in control, but I'm actually the one in control, and I'm going to demonstrate that. And that's exactly what he did. Or think of another example of Cyrus the Great. In Isaiah 44, 28, this is a long time before Cyrus even came into the world. We're talking like 150, 200 years before. He says, Cyrus is my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be built, and to the temple thy foundations shall be laid. What's amazing about this statement Isaiah writes this while Jerusalem has a walled city, they have a temple. And the question is, how is this man Cyrus, who we don't even know who he is? We don't even know who the people group is that he's going to rule and dominate by. How is he going to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, which is not destroyed? The answer is a lot of history was going to take place between the writing of this prophecy and then Cyrus coming to power. point is God's in charge. He's the ultimate ruler. We then fast forward some hundred years, some several hundred years later. And we have Ezra in Ezra chapter 1 writing, Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. So we have Isaiah writing about this, many, many years before Cyrus's life. Jeremiah writing this still many, many years before Cyrus comes to place. And what does this show you? It shows you that God is sovereign ruler over all things. And then we come to another example, Ahasuerus. This one I think is so fascinating. And as Esther chapter six and here, the Jewish people are about to be annihilated and God's still going to preserve his people. And the question is, well, how is he going to do that? Well, here is Ahasuerus one night he can't sleep. And it says on that night, The king could not sleep, and he commanded that they bring the Book of Records of the Chronicles, and they were to be read before the king. And it was found that Mordecai, who told of two of the king's chamberlains who sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus, and the king said, what honor and dignity hath been done to Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, there's nothing that's been done to him. Well, this is a key component to the story of God preserving his people. And it goes down to a man who can't sleep at night. Last example I'm going to give you is Caesar Augustus. In Luke chapter 2, verses 1 and 2, it says, It came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. This taxing was first made when Serenius was governor of Syria. Now this story, this detail, a part of history, is a very important component in Jesus being born not in Nazareth, where Mary was from, her hometown, but rather Bethlehem, which was the house of David's region where those people would have come from. And the question is, what is it that caused Jesus to be born in Bethlehem rather than in Nazareth? The answer is, well, it was the hand of God. And the question is, well, how did he do it? He did it through Caesar Augustus deciding to register to people so that he could tax them. The reason that I bring up these illustrations is to shed light on the fact that the heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord. And God rules and reigns over this world. And the reason that that's so important is because it reminds us that we need to pray for those who are in leadership. Even those who are unworkably selfish, very arrogant, people that you would never think God could work through and despite. Yet that's what he does. And so we're reminded in 1 Timothy 2 that we are exhorted to give supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks for all men. for kings and all in authority, so that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. May God help us not to fret and get frustrated when we see things going on around us that we can't see how they can return for good. We serve a God who's able to accomplish his purposes despite the challenges we face. I'd like to leave you with that this morning. I hope that you have a great rest of your morning as you think through this passage of scripture. You think through the passage examples that we gave. My encouragement to you is to think about them and then to live in the light of them and remind yourself the same God who worked in all those situations is the same God who is working in yours today. Have a blessed morning and Lord willing, we will meet again tomorrow. Bye now.