8/17/19 

Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’¹³ 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!’ ¹⁴ 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.”

I heard the most helpful and encouraging sermon on this parable recently.  And thinking about the parable--a sermon and a title, I think a good title would be A Glorious Conversion and A Credible Profession.  This is what we see in this story.

The Pharisee is the good guy in the community.  There is no reason to think that he is not the guy you want as your neighbor.  He is honest, sober, respectful, and an officer in his church.  He knows himself well.  He has considered himself before man and in the eyes of God.  In his opinion he is certainly better than many, if not most, men.  But above all he has standing with God.  He stood and looked God in the eye and recounted his virtues and there is no reason to think he lied.

Now the Publican is different.  He might have been wealthy, or maybe only had enough.  But this is for sure, he was a thief, a liar, and self-indulgent.  He was hated by his fellow citizens and rightly so.  What can be said for him?   Only this: he repented.  And Christ witnesses this for him.  He went away justified.

There are really two questions for you.

1.       Which would you rather be?

2.      Are you willing to be that honest with God?