The Unjust Judge and Palm Sunday
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Scriptures: Luke 18:1-8 , Luke 19:28-44 , Zechariah 9:9
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In this Palm Sunday message, Jeremy walked us through the parable of the Unjust Judge. When looking at the reluctant justice of the unjust judge, Jermey pointed out two storytelling devices used in the parable. One is humour - the unjust judge is afraid of the small widow’s uppercuts. And the second one is contrast, where God’s grace and justice are “much greater” than the reluctant justice of the judge.
This grace that God is ready to quickly offer is on display in the events of the holy week, which begin on Palm Sunday with Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. However, there’s confusion.
The crowds welcome Jesus as king, but they misinterpret his arrival, seeing it as a Roman-style military parade(parousia), expecting to find in Jesus a certain type of leader who will lead them to victory, while Jesus intentionally rides a colt to symbolize a kingdom of peace, and the end of all wars. Often times what we dream about is not what God dreams for us, yet God still moves toward us to save us.
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Community is shaped by the conversations we share. These questions and reflections are a tool to help you meaningfully engage with the themes of this week's teaching.
Connect: When you think about "justice" being fought for and served in the world today, what is the first image that comes to your mind?
Share: Luke frames the Unjust Judge parable for us as a story about prayer and about not giving up. Jeremy mentioned that he has been praying for peace across God's creation, but there hasn't been a single day of peace across the globe in the 48 years of his life. His argument was that even when we do not see the results of our prayer, not giving up does something to shape our imagination, and our heart, and our posture toward the world around us. “Prayer is primarily about shaping us, not convincing God to act.”
What is something you are not giving up praying for, and how has that persistence changed or shaped you?
Reflect: Reflect on the insight behind Jesus’ use of humour in this parable - a macho judge afraid of an uppercut from a little old lady.
Jeremy suggested that our “bravado" or combative behaviour is often a cover for fear or insecurity.
Would you agree with that? When have you seen "combative" behaviour in yourself or the world as a result of deep insecurity or a fear? How do you resist this type of behaviour in yourself?
Engage: Engage with the idea of God as the unjust judge, and how it links to the expectations of justice that people had on that first Palm Sunday.
Linking the parable to the holy week, Jeremy talked about how messy the imagery of that first Palm Sunday is.
“The crowd chooses symbols of sovereignty and national pride drawn from Roman imperial ambitions. They chant songs that goad their oppressors into conflict. They wave palm branches that hint at ambitions of war.
While at the same time Jesus sits atop a symbol of peace drawn from the prophets. A lowly humble entrance that signals the time for war has passed. A statement that his justice may not look like the judgment they want.
…Jesus stands in the middle of it all weeping, saying, I couldn't quiet them if I wanted to. The unjust judge has arrived with peace for those that don't deserve it, but he has not found faith on the earth for this type of grace…”
“Palm Sunday today is the celebration of the beginning of holy week, the story that will lead to the salvation of all things.
But the first Palm Sunday is the conflicted image of a crowd that thinks Jesus is coming to face down Caesar, to conquer their enemies, to put his boot on the throat of Rome, the way it has been done to them. It is the celebration of all the ways we think one more war will final bring us peace.
And Jesus weeps because he knows that not only will that end badly for everyone, which it does in Bar Kokhba revolt which leads to the decimation of the Jewish population within a generation of Jesus death.
But he also knows that by the end of the week the crowd will decide that he is the one who is unjust for refusing to lead their war.”
What do you think about this understanding of justice and grace? Does it feel right to you, or does it feel like a lack of justice?
And what do you think about Jesus’ question, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” What do you think are some of the characteristics of the faith Jesus wants to find?
Takeaway: What is one thing that you're taking with you into your week, either from the sermon or our conversation?
Benedictionfromthesermon:
This is how Holy Week begins,
With God offering peace
With us calling it is unjust and taking things into our own hands.
And yet — God moves to save us.Not at a distance
Not at arms length
But by entering it into the city with us
Into the very heart of our confusion and frustration.
And this is why we celebrate palm Sunday.Because even the moments where we get everything wrong
These become the moments where the unassailable grace of God
Moves forward through death and into resurrection.May we know on this day what will bring peace.
May we recognize the time of God’s coming to us this week.Amen.
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CALL TO WORSHIP John 12
MUSIC Curated by Becca Kessler-Santos
Hillsong Worship - Cornerstone
Brooke Ligertwood - Greatness
Hillsong Worship - Hosanna
SERIES BUMPER
Palm Sunday
