Sunday Worship Sermon Manuscript (October 19)

Luke 18:1–8

"Unwavering Faith"

Today's passage centers on prayer, yet I chose the title "Faith." Why? Because as we explore this text, we discover the profound connection between prayer and faith.

I recently returned safely from a two-week trip to Korea. With medical appointments scheduled in advance, I spent much of my time traveling between clinics—for dental work, health screenings, and follow-up visits.

While receiving treatment, I was deeply impressed by the excellence of Korea's national health insurance system. At the same time, I wondered whether such convenience might lead people to seek medical care too readily—sometimes unnecessarily.

When we catch a cold in the U.S., we simply pick up medicine at Walgreens. But in Korea, even minor symptoms often prompt a hospital visit—which made me question whether this is truly beneficial.

What left the deepest impression, however, was my mother's refrigerator. Not its contents, but the photographs covering it—images of me as a child, my siblings, my sister-in-law, and her grandchildren. In those pictures, my mother's entire life seemed captured at a glance.

At the Kyobo Bookstore building in Gwanghwamun, I encountered a line from poet Choi Seung-ja's poem "To Myself Twenty Years Later" inscribed on the wall: "Isn't it strange? To be alive is such a precariously beautiful thing." Reading those words, I wondered whether I had ever grasped life with such depth.

During the Chuseok holidays, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace for the first time since elementary school. After years of restoration, the entire palace was now visible. It was expansive, beautiful, and majestic—and within the heart of the city, the view of Inwang Mountain alongside the ancient palace stirred something new and profound within me.

Though I had seen and known these things before, experiencing them anew felt like discovering a secret of life. Looking at my childhood photo on my mother's refrigerator, I couldn't help but smile—perhaps because, as I reflected on the passing years, I felt both awkwardness and tender regret, as though I had finally grown more fully human.

I'm grateful to our church for this precious gift of time. I didn't spend every moment at hospitals or with family—I also reconnected with former ministry colleagues with whom I could share my deeper pastoral struggles. Some were pastors I first met over a decade ago in the U.S., now serving in significant roles in Korea. The empathy and shared reflection we exchanged were truly invaluable.

Beyond the joy of reunion, we engaged in deeper conversations—about how the church, and Christianity more broadly, should proclaim the gospel in today's world. We shared our hopes, our concerns, and even our regrets.

The time passed quickly, yet what I carried back in my heart felt weighty and enduring. In this context, today's passage from Luke 18:1–8, though familiar and important, reveals clearly the understanding and attitude we should bring to prayer.

I sincerely hope that today's message will not pass fleetingly but remain deeply engraved in your hearts, helping us grasp the true depth of prayer.

First, we should remember that Luke's Gospel contains numerous teachings on prayer. Luke records how both Jesus and His disciples prayed, and how their prayers led to being filled with the Holy Spirit. Through this fullness, the disciples were transformed and empowered to proclaim the gospel.

Therefore, prayer must not remain merely prayer itself. It must lead us into deeper spiritual guidance and concrete, practical living. In other words, prayer is not static—it is dynamic. It transforms people and becomes the spiritual sustenance that enables the seemingly impossible to occur.

We often focus on how we pray—whether aloud or in silence—but that's not what truly matters. What matters is how prayer transforms our lives.

Jesus begins today's parable by teaching that prayer is something we must always practice, and through prayer, we must not lose heart.

Verse 1 states: "Jesus told them a parable to show that they should always pray and not give up." Prayer must be continual—and we pray so that we do not lose heart. Remember this: prayer is not occasional; it is continual. Prayer keeps us from losing heart.

In verse 2, Jesus introduces a judge—one "who neither feared God nor cared what people thought." This judge lived as though nothing in heaven or on earth could trouble him, trusting only in himself.

Then Jesus introduces a widow—a lone woman—who persistently approached this arrogant judge. Verse 3 tells us she "kept coming to him." That single phrase reveals how she faced the judge's indifference and dismissiveness without surrendering.

Despite his repeated refusals, the widow "kept coming" and "pleaded with him to grant her justice against her adversary." The Greek verb used here, ekdikeo, means not merely "to beg," but "to demand a just and lawful judgment."

Recently, I witnessed three lawsuits firsthand—one involving our church property and two involving people close to me.

Thankfully, our church case appears to be resolving favorably. But observing the others, I saw how complex the law can be—the procedures, the interpretations, the delays—and how we often expect swift and clear justice, yet reality frequently disappoints.

From this, I learned that the law we hope will protect us can sometimes feel distant—almost like an instrument turned against us.

From this perspective, today's description of the unjust judge rings true: someone who wielded the law in the most cruel and self-serving manner.

In verse 4, we read that the judge "refused for some time," once again revealing a heart that defied all expectations of fairness.

But eventually, he says to himself, "Even though I don't fear God or care about people, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice."

The widow's decisive strategy was her persistence—her relentless "bothering." Some translations render this phrase as "she may finally come and attack me," suggesting the original text implies potential public humiliation or loss of reputation.

Her persistence struck at the judge's pride—threatening his standing. Though he feared neither God nor people, he clearly valued his reputation.

Verse 5 states: "So that she won't eventually come and attack me!" In other words, "If I don't act, I might end up humiliated."

After telling the parable, Jesus says in verse 6, "Listen to what the unjust judge says." Then, in verse 7, He delivers the lesson:

"And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?"

At first glance, we might interpret this as: "If even an unjust judge responds to a persistent widow, how much more will God listen when we cry out day and night?" Thus we conclude, "If we simply pray fervently and persistently, God will surely answer."

This leads to a common understanding of prayer: "If we pray continually and persistently, God will answer us."

This is how most people understand prayer. But then an important question emerges:

Really? If we pray without ceasing, does God always answer? Experience tells us otherwise.

Sometimes we pray for extended periods, yet prayers seem unanswered. Or we wonder, "Can prayer alone truly accomplish this?"

If every prayer were answered exactly as requested, wouldn't all Christians live happy, trouble-free lives?

Here, we must recall verse 1—Jesus' opening words: "Always pray and do not give up."

Jesus' emphasis is not simply on answered prayer but on living a life that does not lose heart through prayer. That is prayer's true power.

In other words, what Jesus teaches through this passage concerns not fulfilled prayers, but unfailing perseverance through prayer.

I recently asked a pastor friend about a bright, energetic young member from his congregation. He sighed, explaining that one day, this person suddenly stopped attending—and even when they crossed paths on the street, the person ignored him completely.

He still doesn't understand why. He wishes he could ask, but there's no way to reach out.

I've experienced something similar—a member who once faithfully attended worship suddenly disappeared, calls unanswered, texts unreturned. The connection simply vanished.

When that happens—after investing so much time and energy—the emptiness is indescribable.

Some say that in such moments, we need "spiritual refilling." I've heard this often, yet I still wonder—what exactly does that mean? Is it one-on-one discipleship? Prayer? Personal attention?

People often say that without such "refilling," spiritual relationships naturally deteriorate.

As I studied today's text, I thought that perhaps Jesus Himself once experienced this kind of sudden disconnection—people who once followed Him crying "Lord, Lord," then vanishing.

One person involved in the lawsuits I mentioned is a devout Christian. Facing hardship, he repeatedly asks, "Why me? God promises a way out—so why not now?"

Hearing this, I sensed his deep frustration. And I kept returning to Jesus' words from today's passage:

"Always pray and do not give up."

The widow must have faced constant disappointment. She undoubtedly resented the judge who ignored her pleas. Yet she never surrendered—she kept returning again and again.

Most people in that situation would make one of two choices: either give up or seek someone else to solve the problem.

But this widow did neither. She went directly to the one who could resolve her case, refused to avoid him, and kept presenting her plea. Though ignored and dismissed, she persisted—believing this was the only path to justice.

Her persistence was not mere stubbornness—it was faith in action. In the face of despair and injustice, she refused to surrender, believing instead, "God will surely bring justice." Her persistence was a form of resistance rooted in faith.

And here we discover the clear direction of true faith: to live expectantly, trusting that God's justice will prevail.

Jesus tells us to "pray always" precisely so that we may not lose heart in living such a life.

But the parable doesn't end there. In verse 8, Jesus affirms that God will indeed bring justice—but then asks, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

In other words, prayer is not about escaping hardship or finding a way out—it is the journey of maintaining faith without losing heart until Christ returns.

Prayer is the spiritual nourishment that sustains our faith and prevents despair until the day Jesus comes again.

For some, prayer feels difficult or unfamiliar. But prayer is something we must always practice, for through it, we find the strength to endure and keep our faith.

Though this message sounds simple, it carries profound weight. Now we can understand why a sermon about prayer bears the title "Faith." The greatest challenge in the life of faith is not losing heart—not in people, not in neighbors, not in brothers or friends, not in the church, and not in our walk with God.

Let us remember: it is through prayer that we do not lose heart. May we, therefore, live lives of prayer—lives of constant, steadfast prayer.