19OCT2025 - Bethel Ontario Live

Devotional

Day 1: Persistent Prayer and Unyielding Faith

Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow to show that prayer is not a passive or private act, but a courageous, ongoing engagement with God that refuses to lose heart even in the face of injustice. The widow, though vulnerable and without power, keeps returning to the unjust judge, demanding justice, embodying a faith that is active, resilient, and unwilling to give up. Her persistence is not just about her own needs but stands as a model for all who are dismissed, silenced, or ignored, reminding us that faith is a commitment to keep showing up, speaking out, and trusting that God hears and responds. This kind of faith is not about mere belief, but about a life that prays with its actions and refuses to surrender to despair. [20:02]

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV)
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel tempted to give up praying or acting for justice? What would it look like to persist one more time today?

Day 2: God’s Word as Light and Wisdom

God’s word is described as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, offering wisdom, guidance, and sweetness even in uncertain times. Meditating on God’s teachings shapes us into our truest selves, making us wiser and helping us discern the way forward when the world feels dark or confusing. This light is not just for personal comfort but equips us to walk faithfully and courageously, trusting that God’s wisdom will guide us through every challenge. [05:07]

Psalm 119:97-105 (ESV)
Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need God’s wisdom and light today? How can you intentionally seek guidance from Scripture in that area?

Day 3: God’s Faithfulness and Steadfast Presence

Even when the world feels unstable or when we are unsure, God remains faithful, watching over us and keeping faith with us. God neither slumbers nor sleeps, persistently guarding our coming and going, and standing with the vulnerable and those who cry out for justice. This assurance allows us to persist in hope and action, knowing that our efforts are rooted in God’s unwavering commitment to us and to the world. [22:26]

Psalm 121:3-8 (ESV)
He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

Reflection: When have you felt God’s faithful presence in a difficult season? How might remembering God’s steadfastness help you persist in hope today?

Day 4: Faith as Persistent Commitment to Justice

Faith is not simply agreeing to doctrines or holding private beliefs; it is a persistent trust in God that leads to courageous action for justice, even when the time is unfavorable. True faith stays in the struggle, refuses to surrender to cynicism, and continues to hope and work for God’s beloved community. This kind of faith is lived out by standing with the vulnerable, loving our neighbors, and building a world where justice and mercy have the final word. [28:02]

Micah 6:8 (ESV)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Reflection: Who in your community needs you to stand with them for justice today? What is one concrete step you can take to act on your faith?

Day 5: Our Persistence Is Rooted in God’s Persistence

Our ability to persist in prayer, justice, and love is grounded in the reality that God persists with us—God’s love has already triumphed over death and injustice, and God’s justice is still breaking into the world. Because of this, our persistence is never in vain; we are called to keep showing up, keep loving, and keep building God’s beloved community, trusting that justice and mercy will have the final word. [30:03]

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Reflection: What is one area where you feel weary in doing good? How can you remind yourself today that your persistence is rooted in God’s enduring love and faithfulness?

Sermon Summary

Today’s gathering centers on the call to persistent faith, justice, and prayer, drawing from Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. The story of the widow, who faces a corrupt judge with unwavering determination, becomes a living example for all who are vulnerable, dismissed, or silenced. Rather than being portrayed as an object of pity, the widow is lifted up as a model of agency and resistance—she refuses to be silent, to disappear, or to lose heart. Her persistence is not just about her own needs, but about standing up for what is right, even when the odds are stacked against her.

This parable is not a relic of the past; it speaks directly to our present moment, where injustice, abuse of power, and the silencing of the vulnerable are all too common. The widow’s courage is a call to every person and community who has ever cried out for justice and been met with silence. Jesus connects her persistence to the very heart of faith—not as passive belief or mere agreement with doctrine, but as a living, active trust in God that refuses to give up. Faith, in this sense, is not static; it is a commitment to stay in the struggle, to keep praying, to keep showing up, and to keep loving our neighbors, especially when the time is unfavorable.

Prayer, then, is not an escape from the world’s pain or injustice. It is an opening of ourselves to God’s life and love, so deeply that we are moved to act, to speak, and to persist—not only for ourselves, but for others. The widow’s persistence is her power, and Jesus assures us that if even an unjust judge can be moved by such persistence, how much more will God respond to the cries of those who seek justice. Our persistence is rooted in God’s own persistence—God who neither slumbers nor sleeps, who keeps faith with us even when the world is falling apart.

In a world where it is easy to lose heart, we are called to be found faithful: to refuse cynicism, to stand with the vulnerable, to pray with our lives, and to trust that justice and mercy will have the final word. Let us be the persistent widow for our neighbors, our children, our democracy, and for the world that God so loves.

Key Takeaways

1. Persistence in Faith Is Active, Not Passive Faith is not simply agreeing to a set of beliefs or doctrines; it is a living, breathing trust in God that compels us to stay engaged, especially when the world feels unjust or overwhelming. True faith is found in the refusal to give up, in the courage to keep showing up, and in the hope that God’s justice is still breaking in, even when we cannot see it. This kind of faith is forged in the struggle, not in comfort. [28:02]
2. The Power of the Vulnerable: Agency and Resistance The widow in Jesus’ parable is not a passive victim but a model of agency and resistance. She stands before a system rigged against her and refuses to be silenced or erased. Her persistence exposes the injustice of those in power and reminds us that even the most vulnerable can be powerful agents of change when they refuse to disappear. [24:10]
3. Prayer as Participation in God’s Justice Prayer is not a retreat from the world’s problems, but a way of opening ourselves to God’s life and love so deeply that we are moved to act. It is a form of participation in God’s justice, where our prayers become embodied in our actions, our voices, and our presence alongside the vulnerable. Prayer that persists is prayer that transforms both us and the world. [25:44]
4. God’s Persistence Grounds Our Own We are able to persist in the face of injustice because God persists with us. The psalmist reminds us that God neither slumbers nor sleeps, and Jesus assures us that God’s justice is not delayed forever. Our persistence is never in vain, because it is rooted in the faithfulness of a God who keeps faith with us, even when we falter. [22:26]
5. Refusing Cynicism: Building the Beloved Community In a world where cynicism and despair are tempting, we are called to resist by building God’s beloved community. Every act of showing up, every prayer with our lives, every stand with the vulnerable is a refusal to surrender to hopelessness. Justice and mercy will have the final word, and we are invited to be part of that unfolding story. [29:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:07] - Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
[06:08] - Hymn: Great is Your Faithfulness
[09:58] - Passing the Peace and Announcements
[12:37] - Children’s Cartoon
[20:02] - Gospel Reading: Luke 18:1-8
[21:29] - Context: Persistence and Justice
[22:26] - God’s Faithfulness and Our Struggles
[23:26] - The Widow’s Courage and Agency
[24:59] - The Parable’s Relevance Today
[25:44] - Justice, Prayer, and Action
[27:34] - Faith as Persistent Trust
[29:06] - Building the Beloved Community
[30:19] - Prayer of Yearning
[31:26] - Words of Assurance and Prayers of the People
[37:24] - Offering and Dedication
[39:36] - Closing Hymn: Be Now My Vision
[42:22] - Benediction and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 18:1-8 (ESV) — And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Observation Questions

What do we learn about the judge’s character in this parable? How does Jesus describe him? ([20:02])
How does the widow respond to the judge’s repeated refusals? What actions does she take? ([24:10])
According to Jesus, what is the main reason he tells this parable? ([20:02])
What question does Jesus ask at the end of the parable, and why do you think he asks it? ([27:34])

Interpretation Questions

The widow is described as having no power or status, yet she is persistent. What does her persistence reveal about faith and agency, especially for those who feel vulnerable or overlooked? ([24:10])
The sermon says that faith is not just agreeing to beliefs but is “staying in the struggle, even when the time is unfavorable.” How does this definition of faith challenge or encourage you? ([28:02])
The judge finally gives in, not because he cares about justice, but because the widow “keeps bothering” him. What does this say about the power of persistence, even in unjust systems? ([27:00])
The sermon connects prayer with action, saying that prayer is “opening ourselves to God’s life and love so deeply that we are moved to act.” How does this understanding of prayer differ from seeing prayer as just words or thoughts? ([25:44])

Application Questions

The widow refuses to be silent or to disappear, even when the system is against her. Is there a situation in your life or community where you are tempted to give up or stay silent? What would it look like to persist like the widow? ([24:10])
The sermon says, “Faith is staying in the struggle, even when the time is unfavorable.” Can you think of a time when you wanted to give up on something good or just because it was hard? What helped you keep going, or what might help you next time? ([28:02])
The sermon challenges us to “pray with our lives” and not just with our words. What is one practical way you can turn a prayer for justice or help into an action this week? ([25:44])
The widow’s persistence is described as her power. Where do you see persistence making a difference in the world around you? How can you support or join in that persistence? ([27:00])
The sermon warns against cynicism and encourages us to “keep building God’s beloved community.” What are some ways cynicism or despair show up in your life? How can you resist them and choose hope or action instead? ([29:06])
The sermon says our persistence is rooted in God’s persistence—God “neither slumbers nor sleeps.” How does knowing God is faithful help you keep going when you feel tired or discouraged? ([22:26])
Jesus asks, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” If Jesus looked at your life right now, what signs of persistent faith would he see? Are there areas where you want to grow in this kind of faith? ([27:34])

Sermon Clips

God who keeps faith with us even when the world is falling apart. And even when we're not sure. So when Jesus tells this parable of a widow facing down a corrupt judge, it feels like it could have been written yesterday? Huh? This week? Rarely does a Biblical story speak so very directly to the moment that we are living through. [00:22:44] (30 seconds) #TimelessCallForJustice

Imagine this widow, and it's actually not all that hard right now to imagine this, standing before a justice system rigged against her. She's gone. no power she has no status she has no one to defend her or protect her in jesus time widows were the very symbol of vulnerability which is why scripture repeats again and again the call to care for widows orphans and strangers but jesus he does something a little different this time he does not present her as an object of pity he lifts her up as a model of agency and resistance she keeps showing up she keeps raising her voice she keeps demanding give me justice against my oppressor she refuses to be silent she refuses to disappear and she refuses to lose heart and jesus says be like her [00:23:20] (74 seconds) #WidowAsModelOfResistance

Jesus' point is really clear. He says, even if an unjust judge can eventually relent, how much more will God, who is just, loving, and merciful, respond to the cries of God's people? Will we lose heart, or will we keep faith? [00:27:18] (21 seconds) #GodRespondsToPersistentFaith

After this part of the story, Jesus asks this haunting question, and it kind of echoes right now, and it really hit me. It says, He says, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? Faith in this parable is not about agreeing to doctrines and signing some sort of membership agreement. Faith is not passive belief. Faith is persistent trust in God and persistent commitment to justice. [00:27:38] (34 seconds) #FaithThatEnduresAndActs

It is prayer that doesn't quit. It is courage that does not shut down. It is hope that refuses. It is faith that continues to die. Faith is staying in the struggle, even when the time is unfavorable. [00:28:12] (15 seconds) #FaithThatPersistsInStruggle

It's not surprising that a lot of people are losing heart. It is good that many people feel encouraged after yesterday's events. We see injustice in our systems. We see leaders who abuse power. We see cruelty to the vulnerable. We see the rhetoric of division and dominance. And it is very tempting to just sigh and despair. But Jesus gives us this particular story so that we do not lose heart. [00:28:28] (35 seconds) #HopeInGodsJustice

God is not asleep. God is not absent. God's justice is still breaking in. The realm of God, the beloved community, is both within and among us, and it advances every time we refuse to surrender to God. We refuse to surrender to cynicism. Every time we show up. Every time we pray with our lives. Every time we stand with the widow, the stranger, the vulnerable, and the silenced. [00:29:02] (27 seconds) #KeepPrayingKeepShowingUp

So what do we do? We keep praying. We keep showing up. We keep demanding what is right. We keep loving our neighbor. We keep building God's beloved community. We trust that our persistence is rooted in God's persistence. [00:29:29] (20 seconds) #RootedInGodsPersistence

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