Reflections...

A sermon preached at Kowloon Union Church on 16 October 2022, by Rev. Phyllis Wong. The scripture readings that day were Psalm 121, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, Luke 18:1-8.

Persistence Through Faith

Dear God,

 

Thank you for the Word you have given us. Thank you for your love revealed in Jesus Christ. Thank you for the Spirit to empower us.

 

Open our heart to receive your Word of Life and Love. May you transform us to be more like Christ. Amen!  

 

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Tong just shared with our children the importance of persistence. Persistence to learn and practice with hard work make success possible. 

 

The parable on the unjust judge and persistent widow demonstrated the importance of persistence. 

 

But is it true that if people persist they will get what they want and demand like the widow in the parable?

 

Apparently, in the world we are living in does not always work in this way.

 

Some people who prayed hard for healing and tried many different ways to cure their illness and yet still suffered and died at the end. 

 

There have been people persistently pursuing democracy, social justice and human rights all their lives who were arrested and jailed in their old age.

 

On persistence, I have a point to make -  a person who persists to approach and date someone he or she wishes to develop a relationship but if that behaviour is considered as unwelcome, it could be a nuisance and regarded as sexual harassment.  

 

Persistence therefore as a good quality is not just about what you are doing and practicing to achieve some skills and a goal in life. 

 

In the scripture reading today - the parable of an unjust judge and widow from Luke 18, was mentioned as a kind of encouragement to the followers of Jesus and early church community. And yet we have to be very careful and mindful to read the text with good understanding of the context.  We cannot use and interpret the scriptures to our convenience or simply use them to justify our behaviour and actions for our own personal interests and for our own ego without awareness. 

 

How do we then reconcile God promises to grant justice but on earth we have witnessed so many injustices and senseless violence against the innocent and people of righteousness? 

 

Before Jesus shared the parable about the unjust judge and the persistent widow, right at the beginning 18:1 “Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart.” 

Jesus was using the parable to illustrate his teaching and encouragement to his followers.

 

Jesus was in fact very aware of the sentiment of the people and his followers in his time.

 

Before we read the parable in Luke 18, we need to first of all be clear what had been mentioned in Luke 17 that leads Jesus to say all these in chapter 18. 

 

From Luke 17, the Kingdom of God was shared:

 

·      17:20 Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming

·      17: 25 He foretold his suffering “But first he must endure much suffering and be rejected by this generation.”

·      Jesus was giving them warning about suffering and uncertainty in life, not only he himself going was to suffer but also those who had decided to follow him and seek the Kingdom of God.  

 

Jesus knew that following his footsteps and advancing the Kingdom of God is never an easy path. The parable Jesus told his disciples was used to encourage those who were truly following him the importance of praying and not to lose heart.

 

After Jesus finished the parable on the unjust judge granting the widow justice because the judge did not want to be bothered anymore by this woman, he concluded with these in 18: 7 & 8 and here I read : 18:7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?

18:8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

 

Jesus was in a way comparing God with the unjust judge. Even the unjust judge granted the persistent widow justice, the God that loved his chosen ones who were crying to him day and night for justice would definitely help them.

 

But in his last sentence, Jesus put it in a question by asking -  “and yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” The key message here is God has promised to offer justice to his chosen people, his followers. And yet, do they believe? Do they have this faith? Will they keep praying without losing their hearts? 

 

Persistence through faith is the key message from the parable.

 

What is the faith Jesus is referring to?

 

Suffering is part of life in the world we are living. Jesus encouraged us to overcome fear, pains and sorrow of rejections. And to accept suffering and pains in life. We all agree suffering is not pleasant at all. Therefore, we should never justify suffering especially unjust suffering due to corrupt power.   But if it comes in our life and in certain circumstances, we just take it without resistance. Like Jesus, he did not want to die on the cross and yet he surrendered to God. He took up the cup of suffering and sacrificed for God’s sake to bring salvation to the world out of love.

 

Jesus died and yet he rose again from the death revealed the Truth of even though there is suffering, pain, and even death, those who believe in God the eternal and follow Jesus Christ who has revealed God’s presence on earth, do not lose their hearts to persist in seeking Life, Freedom, Justice and Peace, all these qualities are found in the Kingdom of God. 

 

Persistence through faith requires of us to accept all things that happened, good or bad. 

 

St Paul through his letter to early church - 2 Timothy 4,  another lectionary reading of this morning shared words of encouragement:

4:2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.

 

St Paul reminded Christ followers and early church community to say yes to all life circumstances. He encouraged believers to be equipped for every good work in the presence of God and in the Kingdom brought by Jesus Christ to proclaim the message – the gospel message of God.

 

Persistence through faith – it requires of us to affirm our faith and trust in Christ Jesus who has given the righteous spiritual power and strength to overcome everything. 

 

Jesus Christ, Godself came to the world in human flesh to fully identify with humanity and experience life, suffering and death to the fullest! This has been the most remarkable, powerful and beautiful element in Christian faith. 

 

While the Word from the ancient texts have given us some insights on persistence through faith in Christ, I would like to share what I see from our contemporary world, that have inspired me to understand what persistence through faith in seeking the Kingdom of God.

 

The parable of the unjust judge and the widow had led me to remember many civil rights advocates who have been jailed in prisons. I can imagine lives in prisons are very difficult. And yet I heard news like a few became Christians and received baptism. Faith in Christ has helped them a lot. Trust in God and faith in Christ have kept many of them strong in spirit and instill in them hope. One former LegCo member did a lot of reflection by writing when he was in prison. His faith and personal experience have kept him continue to devote his time to serve those in prisons even after he was released from jail. He identifies himself as a channel to connect friends in prisons and the world outside. He said his mere presence means something. He said the biblical verse of Matthew 25:36 served as his core faith for his action - “I need clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me.” When this former LegCo member is doing this humble service out of compassionate love and solidarity with the lonely and the persecuted, God’s blessing and the light of Christ is shined upon the righteous through him. 

 

I have also heard touching story like these civil rights advocates tried to do meaningful things inside the prisons like teaching some innates English or simply listening to their story and demonstrating care. You know there are many very well-educated professionals and intellectuals put in prisons right now in HK. 

 

A few months ago, Carl has presented a documentary he made related to migrant workers from the Philippines who have been persistently seeking human rights for the people in their country. In Burma, in Russia, in Iran and in many different parts of the world, we have witnessed thousands and thousands of courageous people continue to seek for justice, freedom and common good by paying great personal cost. On the one hand I feel very sad. On the other hand, these people have demonstrated what persistence through faith all about. 

 

That is the source of our hope and strength! In their persistence with strong faith to serve others and for common good, I see Christ in them. I see God’s Kingdom in them.

 

Yes, on earth there is injustice. Yes, on earth there are unjust people in influential positions like the unjust judge.

 

For common good, it is indeed important to preserve justice by taking concrete actions creatively according to the social-political circumstance of the society we are living in. However, as people of faith, our ultimate goal is not to seek justice from earthly unjust system and unjust people. It is because justice cannot be found there. 

 

For people of faith, we are here on earth to live out the Kingdom of God.  

 

When Jesus was asked where is the Kingdom of God? 

 

He answered – “It is right here in our heart and amongst us!” (Luke 17:20) 

 

In Beatitudes, taken from Matthew 5:10. It also tells us - Where and what is the Kingdom of God?

 

 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”

 

The persecuted for the sake of righteousness have revealed to us what is the Kingdom of God and what is persistence through faith all about.

 

Glory be to God and all who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Amen!