St Bart's Anglican Church

View Original

God's Kingdom: Faith in The King

The Rev'd Michael Calder

Sermon & Small Group Resources

This is the third sermon in our series on God’s Kingdom. This sermon is ‘Faith in the King’. Preacher: The Rev’d Michael Calder. Bible Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Download the Small Group Questions, Going Deeper, and Sermon Transcript (PDF).

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

God's Kingdom: Faith in the King The Rev'd Michael Calder

Next Steps this Week

BIBLE READING: Luke 18:1-8

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’ ”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 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? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Download in PDF format.

CONNECT: How can you keep your focus on the hope of the kingdom of God?

WARM-UP

  1. Have you ever been constantly and repeatedly asked for something? How did you react?

  2. In what context does Jesus tell this parable? What have the past two weeks been about?

READ Luke 18:1-5

  1. What is the purpose of parables in general? What is this parable about? What does Jesus want his disciples to do?

  2. How does the judge act? What is his character like?

  3. Read 2 Chr. 19:6-7. What were the requirements for the judges of Israel under king Jehoshaphat? How does this judge line up to these requirements?

  4. What was the status of widows in the first century? What did this widow have to do in order to receive any sort of justice or help?

  5. Why did the judge eventually act on the widow’s request?

  6. Where do we see similar judges or people in authority like this today? What is our hope even in the midst of great injustices?

READ Luke 18:6-8

  1. What is the shape of the argument of the parable? Why does Jesus want us to particularly note what the unjust judge says?

  2. What is the nature of the comments of the judge? How is God different to this?

  3. What are common worldly perceptions of justice? What are common worldly views of the judgement of God? What does the bible say about God’s justice?

  4. How is our status before God different to the status of that of the widow’s before the judge? How does God respond when we cry out to him?

  5. How should both the character of God and our status before God shape our prayer life? How is persistent prayer different to nagging or pestering?

  6. Read 2 Peter 3:8-9. What does Jesus mean by saying that justice will come quickly?

  7. What can cause you to become disheartened in your prayer life? What trends can you notice (if any!)? How could you reshape or refuel your prayer time and time with God?

APPLY: How could you (as a group) help each other pray and not give up?

PRAYER

eavenly Father, thank you that you are a loving and compassionate God. Thank you that you have made a way for us to be able to cry out to you, to pray to you, to cast all our cares on you with all thanksgiving. Please help us to continue to pray and not give up. Lift up our hearts, lift up our eyes, and help us to rely on you and trust in your goodness and justice. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen

GOING DEEPER

On Your Frontline This Week: How are you going to be available in the busyness of life for gospel conversations?

Listen, Watch, and Read:

Series Resources:

Some helpful resources for our Series:

  • OUTLINE: for Series with key verses, big ideas, and reflection questions:
    https://bit.ly/39w5Ggk

  • FOR FAMILIES: Download the St Bart’s Kids Lego Devotional Guide: https://bit.ly/2YrP3Mf

  • WEBSITE: “Gospel of the Kingdom of God” by the Bible Project: https://bit.ly/2NFP2SJ

  • BOOK: “Goldsworthy Trilogy: Gospel & Kingdom, Gospel & Wisdom, the Gospel in Revelation” by Graeme Goldsworthy

  • BOOK: “Luke for Everyone” by Tom Wright

  • Course: “The Bible Overview” as part of the Ridley Certificate (6-week online course).
    https://bit.ly/3pGDVH7 (We’ll also be offering this in Term 3 of 2021 at St Bart’s.)

WITH CHILDREN

Grow as Families

Each week St Bart’s Kids and CHARGE Youth provides resources for you to use at home. Join the livestream and then spend 30 minutes to work through these together.

Families: Read, Chat, Do, and Pray

High School: CHARGE Discussion Questions

Kids’ Talk: Watch the Kids Talk

eBook: Bible eBook

Bonus: Lego Devotional for Series