Following Jesus' resurrection, he made a bold claim ""I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth."" Matthew 28:18 That phrase should get our attention. It should cause us to go back and put a filter over everything we have recorded that Jesus ever said. Every word out of his mouth is like a truth sledgehammer. Every sermon, every illustration, every story that Jesus told has more weight than we've probably ever given it. His stories are not folksy. His parables are not quaint. And they aren't just rhetorically brilliant. They are mammoth. And they are desperately crucial to right living. We better know them and live them. Our preaching team has chosen 4 of Jesus stories that we find intriguing and complicated and stunning.

This week, we looked at the story of the persistent widow and the unjust judge. What Jesus is saying is counter-cultural - it goes against what society tells us - if it's too hard then give up, throw in the towel, it's not worth the fight. Faith and faithfulness are contrary to what the world values. Yet Jesus says it is worth it, persist, pray, have faith, don't give up, don't lose heart. God hears you and loves you and wants what is best for you.

Stay with God and persist in your faith, don't lose heart, have faith in Him because He will be faithful to you.