Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9-14

Merit or Mercy?

I. Only trusting in God’s great mercy can save us from sin, so we must not assume we’re righteous according to our own works

a. Jesus begins His parable by addressing it all who trust in themselves that they’re righteous, and so consequently also look down on others with contempt. These two traits are inextricably linked together. Jesus illustrates this truth through the story of a Pharisee and a tax collector who go to the temple to pray. Pharisees were experts in the law and excelled above all others at living according to it. They were considered the righteous of the righteous, and held in the highest regard by society. This Pharisee was very confident in his prayer, he stood where he could be noticed, and prayed to himself. He proclaimed himself to be morally great; honest in business, fair with people, faithful in his marriage, and a spiritual overachiever; fasting twice a week instead of just the required once a year, and tithing on all his possessions, not just his income. He proclaimed himself to be nothing like this filthy tax collector, for whom he made no attempt to hide his disdain. The Pharisee’s self-righteousness and religiousness is on full display in his prayer. But he’s only able to poke his chest out in pride because he avoids comparing himself to God, and compares himself to others instead. He’s able to place himself on his own self-righteous pedestal and judgment throne to look down in disdain at the tax collector. But Jesus declared the Pharisee’s works didn’t justify him; his impressive appearance, prayers, and self-righteousness was completely powerless to turn away God’s just wrath. He wasn’t truly thankful to God; he was praying a prayer of congratulations to himself for being so good. True thanksgiving must begin with being thankful for who God is, because He does what He does because He is who He is; but that requires facing the reality of our own depravity. (Vv. 9-12, 14; Ps. 66:18; Isa. 64:6; 65:5; Matt. 7:21-23; 23:23-28; Rom. 3:10-20)

b. The knowledge of who God is and the knowledge of who we are inextricably linked together, and both are reflected in how we view other people. Too high of opinion of ourselves is consequence of too low an opinion of God, and will produce too low an opinion of others. What are our first thought when we see people who have obviously fallen into sin, who don’t attend church, who come from different backgrounds, or are a different race? If our first thoughts center around their efforts to change themselves, or especially what they need to do to become more like us; we’re looking out and down and not up. Our first inclination towards all people must be to see how we share their fallen nature and desperate need for a Savior. Our heart must be for them to be reconciled to God in Christ.

II. Only trusting in God’s great mercy can save us from sin, so we must assure ourselves we’re justified according to God’s grace through Christ Jesus

a. Tax collectors were considered traitors, thieves, liars, and sellouts. They worked for the Romans, collected whatever amount of taxes they wanted, and kept the excess for themselves. They were unclean, despised, and distrusted. But this tax collector had come face to face with the Holy and Living God of the Universe, and with the reality of his sinful nature. Where the Pharisee took his stand for all to see, the tax collector stood off to the side, in the shadows, not wanting to be seen by people, but knowing he was squarely in the gaze of God. He was so humbled in the presence and power of God that he couldn’t even bring himself to lift his eyes towards heaven, much less scan his world for someone worse than him to make himself feel better about who he was. His heart was broken by the knowledge of sinful nature and how it offended and transgressed the perfect and righteous God who created him. In his pain, he could only beat his aching chest and cry out to God for mercy. He didn’t call himself “a” sinner, he felt as though he was “the” only and worst sinner alive. But God is merciful, gracious, and quick to save when come to Him with a broken heart and cast ourselves on His mercy! His cry is the humble cry for God’s mercy and Jesus declares him justified, not guilty; not by trusting in his own righteousness, but by trusting in the shed blood of Christ. This man walked into the temple that day as sinner separated from God, but he left justified and reconciled. He walked into the temple dirty and despicable, and he left shiny and brand new. He walked into the temple that day spiritually dead, and he left alive forever in Christ, and raised up with Him! That same mercy and grace is available today and everyday to all who will humble themselves in repentant faith in Christ. (Vv. 13-14; Gen. 3:7-10; Job 40:4; 42:6; Ps. 51:1-12, 16-17; Prov. 3:5-8, 34; 28:26; Isa. 6:1-5; 57:15; Jer. 17:5-10; Hab. 3:16; Matt. 21:44; Luke 5:8, 31-32; 23:39-43; John 20:26-31; Acts 9:3-9; 2 Cor. 5:17, 21; Eph. 2:1-9; Phil. 3:7-11; 1 Tim. 1:15; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 5:6-10; Rev. 1:17)