The Gospel of Luke: When God Hears the Sinner - Audio

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayedthus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭9‬-‭14‬ ‭ In this parable we have two men with two postures, two prayers, and they leave with two different positions before God. Through this parable, Jesus outlines what genuine faith looks like. Contempt towards others is a primary fruit of self-righteousness. When we, like the Pharisee, have built our own pillars upon which we stand, we will look down on others and elevate ourselves. We will not possess the humility necessary for justification. Two people - a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisees were the powerful and religious elite (socially well-connected and the "really good church folks of the day). The tax collector would have been the social outcast and seen as a traitor. Both of these individuals went up the hill to seek after God. Two postures - The Pharisee prays about himself. He sees himself above and beyond the people who cannot reach his position. God is an accessory to this man’s prayer. The main character is himself. The prayer expresses no need. Two positions: The Tax collector is completely mournful, standing away, head down and beating his breast. He sees the gap between himself and God and knows that there is nothing in him that can close that gap. His prayer expresses His need and His desperation. Begging God to turn His judgment from him. In the end, the tax collector’s heart allows him to go home justified. But the Pharisee is not justified. There is no room in the kingdom of Heaven for those who think they are there because of themselves.