REASON OR REWARD

1. FAITH: REASON OR REWARD?

2. STORY: ON THE WINGS OF FAITH DIVINE RESPONSE • TECHNICAL PROBLEM • SPIRITUAL PROBLEM AM 8:11-13 PRO 24:10 ISA 40:31

3. WIDOW—HOSTILE ENVIRONLK 18:1-8 SHE NEVER QUITS! SECULAR PERSPECTIVE • JUDGE—JURISDICTION: COURT • WIDOW—HUSBAND DIED • ADVERSARY—AGAINST/CONTRARY • LORD—NOBLE PERSON—AUTHORITY • RULING: FACT? • VERDICT: JURY

4. SECULAR PERSPECTIVE 1 COR 2:14

5. SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE 1 COR 2:15 & LK 18:3, 7, 8 SHE NEVER QUITS! REV 6:9, 10 • JUDGE—AC 17:30, 31; REV 19:11 • WIDOW—EPH 5:23-25 • ADVERSARY—1 PET 5:8 • LORD—JOS 5:13-15; ROM 8:38, 39 • RULING: ROM 2:13; REV 14:12 • VERDICT: ECCL 12:13, 14; REV 11:18

6. COL, pp. 66, 67 The judge knew that her cause was righteous, and he could have relieved her at once, but he would not. He wanted to show his arbitrary power, and it gratified him to let her ask and plead and entreat in vain. But she would not fail nor become discouraged...To save his reputation, to avoid giving publicity to his partial, one-sided judgment, he avenged the persevering woman…The judge yielded to the widow's request merely through selfishness, that he might be relieved of her importunity. He felt for her no pity or compassion; her misery was nothing to him. How different is the attitude of God toward those who seek Him. The appeals of the needy and distressed are considered by Him with infinite compassion. The woman who entreated the judge for justice had lost her husband by death. Poor and friendless, she had no means of retrieving her ruined fortunes. So by sin, man lost his connection with God. Of himself he has no means of salvation.

7. IN PILATE’S HALL JN 5:42; JN 18:31; JN 19:10, 15 PILATE—JUDGE—VERDICT PILATE—SENTENCE—LEADER—THE CHURCH ADVERSARY—DEVIL CAESAR—LORD JN 15:18-26; REV 12:9; 20:2

8. 2SM p. 371.2 With his eyes upon the church, the Lord has again and again allowed matters to come to crisis that in their extremity his people should look alone for his help.

9. SECULAR PERSPECTIVE IN AN EARTHLY COURTROOM 3 THINGS—ESSENTIALS—CASE • SOLID EVIDENCE/PROOF • GOOD ATTORNEY—NOT LOST A CASE • WITNESS—TESTIMONY: CREDIBLE

10. SPRITUAL PERSPECTIVEHEAVENLY COURTROOM 3 THINGS—ESSENTIALS—CASE • SOLID EVIDENCE: ECCL 12:14; HEB 11:1; PS 119:105 • GREAT ATTORNEY: 1JN 2:1; HEB 5:5, 6 3. WITNESS—TESTIMONY: CREDIBLE AC 1:3, 8; 2:32; 5:31, 32; 2 COR 3:2, 3

11. WIDOW—APPEARS BEFORE THE JUDGE… UNJUST JUDGE: FEARS NEITHER MAN NOR GOD ANTAGONISTIC VS. SYMPATHETIC LK 12:11-12 & ISA 33:16 WHO DOES THIS WIDOW REPRESENT…? MATT 24:22, 24, 31; ROM 8:33, 34; 1 PET 2:1-6 LK 18:7

12. COL, pp. 66, 67 The widow's prayer, "Avenge me"--"do me justice" (R.V.)--"of mine adversary," represents the prayer of God's children.

13. 3 STAGES—TRIBULATIONGOD’S ELECT MUST PASS THROUGH LOUIS PASTEUR…? • RAW STAGE—1 PET 2:1-3 • HOMOGENIZED STAGE—1 PET 2:4, 5 • PASTEURIZED STAGE—1 PET 2:6

14. 5T CHAP. 24—THE SEAL OF GOD The earnest prayer of the faithful few will not be in vain. When the lord comes as an avenger, he will also come as protector of all those who have preserved the faith in its purity, and kept themselves unspotted from the world. It is at that time that God has promised to avenge his own elect.

15. MATT 24:13 2 TIM 4:6-8 & 1 PET 3:15 DISCIPLES: FAITH NOT FACT • REASON NOT REWARD • IMPRESS NOT IMPULSE • EARTHLY JUDGE/HEAVENLY JUDGE LK 13:34, 35; DAN 12:1