Sunday’s Gospel

Master and Servant: A Revolutionary Gospel Message

The meaning of the parable of the cold atheist judge caving in to the humble widow: Luke 18:1-8 explained

The Parable of the Unjust Judge by Pieter de Grebber ( 1600–1652). Also called the Parable of the Importunate Widow or the Parable of the Persistent Widow) from Luke 18:1-8. Image courtesy of Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Budapest and the Web Gallery of Art.

We made our master our slave: Our creator and king became a mere man — we killed him.

We might sacrifice ourselves on crosses to save our family, but would you become a mere maggot to save a messed-up world of maggots?

God became a mere man so we might learn to be a little more like him.

For years, I resisted Christian calls to “servant leadership” and “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39). Who could do that?

Then, I learned that Jesus turning the other cheek was actually daring us to be defiant. It changed everything.

Jesus Christ is somehow both a mighty hero and a humble slave.

Nearly all religions regard God as the all-powerful master of the Universe. So non-Christians bristle at the notion that Christians believe we’re children of God — and servants?

Jesus Christ “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” (Philippians 2:6-8, NIV). He calls us to follow his ways:

“Whoever wants to be first must be a slave to…