* PLAY: The Parable of the Widow Who Wouldn’t Give Up–Luke 18:1-8
Bible Memory Verse
"Have faith in God…" Mark 11:22
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 14-15
Plea–begging, asking
Adversary–person against her
Luke 18:1-8
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. (2 He said, ‘In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. (3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, “grant me justice against my adversary.”
(4 For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, “Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, (5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!”’
(6 And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. (7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? (8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
1. What did the widow want the judge to do for her? (Grant her justice with her adversary–person against her)
2. Why wouldn’t the judge help the widow at first? (neither feared God nor cared about men)
3. Why did the judge finally help the widow? (if he didn’t she would eventually wear him out with her coming)
4. Jesus is not saying God is like this judge. God loves to answer our prayers. What do you think Jesus is trying to teach by telling this parable?
Jesus is teaching that if a mean judge would finally help the widow because she always bothered him, how much more would God help us if we always pray to Him. Jesus is teaching that we should always pray and not give up. When we pray and don’t give up, it shows that we have faith in God. Faith means that we believe God; we believe that what God says is true. If we ask Him for something that He wants to do, then He will do it. He loves us so He will always do for us what we ask if what we ask will be good for us or for others.
* PLAY: The Parable of the Widow Who Wouldn’t Give Up–Luke 18:1-8
CHARACTERS: Narrator, Judge (mean person), Widow (poor, old lady)
PRODCUTION NOTES: The widow should wear a long dress or skirt, wear a shawl on her head and carry a shabby bag. She could also carry a cane. The judge can wear a black robe and maybe a curly white wig. He carries a gavel and has a newspaper.
Place a high-backed chair and table or desk at center stage for the judge. You could also use a pulpit with a stool behind it to give him more elevation. In the skit, the widow will mime knocking at and using a door. This is done so the audience can see her changing attitude as she approaches and knocks on the door. The person playing the widow should take care to mime in such a way that the door and its handle stay in the same place. Taping the floor makes it easier. You may want to read the parable to the audience before you perform the skit.
(Narrator enters right & stands to one side of the performing place.)
NARRATOR: Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Here’s how it went: In a certain town there was a mean judge who didn’t believe in God and didn’t care about people.
(Judge enters with a gavel, looking mean. He sits & pounds the gavel on his table)
JUDGE: (to audience): I’m a mean ol’, tough ol’, gruff ol’ judge. You mess with me and I hold a grudge.
NARRATOR: Not a real popular guy. There was a widow in the same town who didn’t have much money or power, and someone had ripped her off. She went to the judge and asked him to get justice done for her.
(Widow enters left, mimes knocking at a door & entering timidly.)
WIDOW: (quietly, with respect): Sorry to bother Your Excellency, but I need you to bring down some justice for me.
NARRATOR: A reasonable request to make of a judge. But the judge said:
JUDGE: (waving her away) I have more important things to do, than worry ’bout a little ol’ widow like you.
(Widow looks disappointed, wrings her hands & leaves, remembering to open & shut the invisible door. As the narrator continues, the judge gets a paper & reads it; possibly one of those sensational weeklies.)
NARRATOR: So, the widow went away, disappointed, but she couldn’t let it rest, and pretty son she decided to try again.
(Widow reenters, knocks more confidently & enters sooner. This time she speaks louder. She’s nervous, but determined.)
WIDOW: I don’t mean to pester Your Excellency. but if you don’t defend us, who else will it be?
NARRATOR: But the judge still didn’t pay much attention.
JUDGE: (looking over his paper, cold & rude) Just go and take yourself on home. Leave us superior folks alone!
(Widow looks displeased. She fixes her gaze on the judge for a few seconds & puts her hand on her hip.)
JUDGE: (rising out of his seat): Go on now!
(Widow shakes her head & reluctantly exits. During the following narration, the judge sits & mutters, then gets up & paces back & forth.)
NARRATOR: So the widow left, but she knew she was being done wrong, and she couldn’t let it go. She wasn’t really excited about dealing with that judge again, but she got up her courage anyway, and marched back there.
(Widow reenters; looking determined, knocks confidently, takes a deep breath & enters.)
WIDOW: I must hold my ground here, Your Excellency, I will pound on this door till I get what I need!
NARRATOR: Well, this time the judge really blew up.
(The judge stomps over to the widow & glares down at her.)
JUDGE: (yelling): Read my lips and hear me shout, You’re not gonna change my mind–Get Out!
(Widow glares back at him, not flinching.)
NARRATOR: But the widow didn’t back down.
WIDOW: You haven’t seen the last of me–Your Excellency! (She turns her heel & marches out, slamming the imaginary door.)
NARRATOR: After the widow left, the judge got to thinking.
(Judge paces a few seconds, scratching his chin. Then he stops & talks to himself.)
JUDGE: (pacing & thinking between his lines): That widow bothers me. She disturbs my peace…If that woman keeps pounding on my door, getting more uppity with every visit, it’s gonna make my life into a misery…She’ll wake me up from my naps. She’ll embarrass me in front of my politically significant friends. She might even get me to feeling guilty, which would be the worst of all…Well, I guess there’s only one thing to do. Even though I don’t believe in God or care about people, I’m gonna have to give her what she needs, because if I don’t, she’ll wear me out!
(He exits through the invisible door.)
NARRATOR: After Jesus told that story, He explained that God is nothing like that judge because He loves us so much. Jesus said that if a mean person who doesn’t care about people can be convinced into giving justice, then how much more will God give His children what they need when they keep crying out to Him. The point of the story is, keep praying and never give up.