July 15: The Widow and the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-9)

To begin the session:

Download the “Who’s Afraid of . . . ?” activity here. Make a copy for each class member. Give them a minute or two to complete it according to the instructions on the page. Allow class members to share and explain their responses. Discuss the activity briefly with the two questions on the sheet.

Lead into Bible study by saying, “The world can be a scary place. We have real fears. When Jesus spoke of God’s judgment of the world, he used some images that inspire fear—many of which are listed on your worksheet! He followed that by explaining how his followers can look forward to the coming kingdom of God with faith, not fear.”

To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:

Divide your class into these three groups, giving each group a specific assignment:

Art group—On a poster board or other large sheet of paper, use markers to illustrate the frightening images Jesus uses to describe his coming to judge the world (Luke 17:24-37).

Writing group—Rewrite Jesus’ command about how to face justice fearlessly as a doctor’s prescription (Luke 18:1, 7b). Remember a prescription describes the medication needed and how often it is taken.

Drama group—Imagine that two different judges are hearing the case of an innocent person crying out for justice. One is the worst possible type of judge (Luke 18:2-5) and the other is the best possible type of judge (Luke 18:6-8). Conduct an interview of both judges, asking them to explain their actions and the reason they took them.

Give groups 10–15 minutes to complete their assignments. Then have them share and explain their work. Summarize the activity by making these points:

1. The idea of God bringing justice to those who are unjust is frightening. Images of lightening, destructive flooding, fire and brimstone, and vultures circling dead bodies give us pause!
2. Instead of fearing that justice will not come or that evil will win in the end, Jesus’ followers were given a prescription for prayer. They should pray constantly and with confidence that all injustices be made right.
3. Jesus’ parable seems strange, but it makes an interesting point. Regardless of whether the judge was good or bad, justice was done in the end! The unjust judge decided for justice because of constant pleas for justice. God, the just judge, will decide for justice because he is faithful to those faithful to him.