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This is a section from a sermon by Norman Nagel from his book Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel.
Then, so we do not think of faith as some virtue or quality or achievement that we can claim credit for, Jesus tells of a woman, destitute, but who keeps pounding the judge until he gives judgment. So we are to keep on praying to the Judge to give judgment on us. We may shudder at that judgment when we look at what we have done with what God has given us already at how we block His gifts, want only little gifts, won’t let His gifts have their way with us, treat Him as a paymaster, or even as an enemy. That is unfaith, unfaith that denies God, unfaith that will not be given to, that seeks its own life despite God. “Whoever seeks to gain His life will lose it” Luke 17:33. Of all such unfaith we are called on to repent and to claim God’s judgment. We are in His hands. There is no escape. We cannot pull ourselves away from him to commandeer and secure our lives away from Him. Our lives are lost to God, and how will He deal with us, how will He judge?
Not the way of the judge who did not want to be troubled. The one who is our judge is so troubled that He goes to Calvary for us. The judgment on our sin was done at Calvary. It can no more bring us to condemnation. Thence forgiveness, thence how God is toward us. The one who was on the cross will be our judge. He is the Son of Man. “When the Son of Man comes.”
Then, so we do not think of faith as some virtue or quality or achievement that we can claim credit for, Jesus tells of a woman, destitute, but who keeps pounding the judge until he gives judgment. So we are to keep on praying to the Judge to give judgment on us. We may shudder at that judgment when we look at what we have done with what God has given us already at how we block His gifts, want only little gifts, won’t let His gifts have their way with us, treat Him as a paymaster, or even as an enemy. That is unfaith, unfaith that denies God, unfaith that will not be given to, that seeks its own life despite God. “Whoever seeks to gain His life will lose it” Luke 17:33. Of all such unfaith we are called on to repent and to claim God’s judgment. We are in His hands. There is no escape. We cannot pull ourselves away from him to commandeer and secure our lives away from Him. Our lives are lost to God, and how will He deal with us, how will He judge?
Not the way of the judge who did not want to be troubled. The one who is our judge is so troubled that He goes to Calvary for us. The judgment on our sin was done at Calvary. It can no more bring us to condemnation. Thence forgiveness, thence how God is toward us. The one who was on the cross will be our judge. He is the Son of Man. “When the Son of Man comes.”