Trusted in Themselves

Service Notes

Baptism at the beginning of the service, after announcement video.

Reminder we stat Lamentations and GriefShare tonight

Vote to add Interns at $100 a month [Slide]

Bible Reading

Introduce Next Weeks Sermon: Faith Alone

Story of being in the church Ian Paisleys pastors and saying “baptists are not protestants”. Though it was true I did not know what I was talking about.

Next Sunday for many churches is Reformation Sunday. I saw a friend preaching a sermon called “Why we are not Catholic” I briefly considered a sermon on “Why we are not Catholic or Protestant” but I plan to stay in this text.

We will look at the eternal truth that we are saved by Faith Alone.

Review from last week

Coming out of a strong story where Jesus is telling his disciples that their understanding of His return is going to keep them from despair.

We have been reminded of the “kingdom to come” over the last few weeks.

We were told (1) we would not miss it (2) and that if we cling to the world we are not ready — then shown that our prayer life is indicative of our desire for His return

This is a foundational story for understanding the Gospel

Reminder that the original audience would have an upside down understanding of who the good guy was in the story.

The Pharisee would have been considered part of a “back-to-God” movement that had been going on in Israel for five hundred years.

In our day it might be similar to saying “a Gideon, Shriner, or Kiwanis Club Member, or a nun and a Casino owner”

Luke 18:9-14 “9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon 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 every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

“9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 1

Summary Statement: Jesus told this shocking story to drive home a hugely important truth that God's mercy, [Slide] God's mercy, demonstrated by the death and resurrection of Jesus, is the only basis on which we can be forgiven, accepted, and declared righteous.

Sermon Introduction

Not accustomed to everyone prayer out loud when I moved to GA. Grown to really enjoy it. At first I thought it was sounding like we were auditioning to preach.

The Prayed Resume of the Pharisee

The Pharisee wanted them to know he was a moral man

Luke 18:11 “11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.”

Behavior based on a flawed view of God is not pleasing to the Lord.

Always thought this verse was so extreme. Isaiah 64:6 “6 But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

Morality has to flow out of a true view of God, and to reject Jesus Christ is to have an absolutely flawed view of God.

Do not raise your kids to have a Judeo-Christian ethic. Raise them to know thy are sinners who need forgiveness and teach them to have behavior that reflects that truth.

The New Testament is written to say that those who do not honor the Son do not honor the Father.

No good behavior motivated by self-interest is glorifying to God. 1 Cor 13:3 “3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

“Sinful Goodness”

Are the actions of our unbelieving family, friends, and neighbors actually morally good? How do we say they are bad when they are good. How do we say they are good when they aren’t glorifying to God?

Seen online a friend wrote about how a marriage cannot be as it should be without Christ at the center. In the comments there were objections. Do you not believe non-Christians can have good marriages?

They may appear virtuously beautiful when seen from a limited perspective.

Jonathan Edwards gives this example.

Bring up two piano players. Let one play a little bit of a song. Then have the other play another song on top of it.

“As a few notes in a tune, taken only by themselves, and in their relation to one another, may be harmonious; which, when considered with respect to all the notes in the tune, or the entire series of sounds they are connected with, may be very discordant and disagreeable.” Edwwards

When the action or person’s character is seen in light of all the desires, intentions, and desire outcomes it might be that it is not of the nature of true virtue after all.

“All that is truly good and beautiful testifies to the reality of the Good and the Beautiful.”

The Pharisee wanted them to know he was a religious man

Luke 18:12 “12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

The Pharisees didn't just fast on certain special occasions on the Jewish calendar. They fasted on Tuesday and Thursdays and their fasts were more dramatic than the fasts that many other people in Israel did.

Remember when they even argued over giving of the tithe of wild herbs that grew in their yards.

Morality & religion without Jesus condemns us.

Paul expresses this so clearly. Phil 3:4-7 “4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.”

Glorying in Jesus is the only way to not trust in our own accomplishments.

Recognizing we are not or will never be enough doesn’t lead to despair but rejoicing. Phil 3:3 “3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

The safe place to be is not trusting in self but in Him! Phil 3:1 “1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.”

Next week we see how Christ became the replacement for all of Paul’s achievements. Phil 3:9 “9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

The Pharisee wanted them to know he was humble about it all

Luke 18:11 “11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.”

Notice what is missing from the prayer: No sense of need.

Jesus lovingly will always highlight this in his conversation with those who come to him believing they have done all that is required of them “sell all that you have” “be born again”

Seeing lost people become saved people is not the difficulty in life. It is seeing “good people” realize they are lost people that keeps so many destined for hell.

He was a self justified man.

The basis of the peace of his conscience rests squarely on the fact that he is a good person

Luke 18:11-12 “11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

The story of our justification is what Jesus has done not what I do.

The heartfelt plea of the publican

Luke 18:13 “13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”

He comes to God with His brokenness

Luke 6:20 “20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.”

It is what we mean we say we have “no confidence in the flesh.”

He does not ground his hope for acceptance with God on anything in him.

As seen in David in Psalm 51:1 “1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.”

Transitional Statement: What's Jesus’ point? His point is that nothing that we do is the basis for God's acceptance of us.

Does it really matter? I heard my mom ask me this often as a kid and now I hear Stephanie asked Thatcher this almost daily. Yes, I have wasted a good portion of my life arguing over trivial matters. I just have a deep conviction that boneless chicken wings aren’t really chicken wings at all. However, though I may need reforming in some areas I do not believe I am to back down in this area. Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus Christ.

Jesus and Jesus alone is the basis for God's acceptance of us

According to v.8 this is the purpose of this passage Luke 18:9 “9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:”

Many people who appear to have such full and good lives will have such empty and sad funerals.

If you think the thing that separates you from other people is that there is some goodness in you that is not in them, you will be prideful

Moral Men still need a Savior

The religious and the outwardly moral man rejected the counsel of God

Form a portion of the Bible discussing the ministry of John the Baptist Luke 7:29-30 “29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”

Luke showed deep division in the thinking of the people who listened to Jesus’ words.

Those who had been baptized by John, that is, had repented of their sins and had been baptized to show their sincerity, agreed with Jesus and acknowledged that God’s way was right.

In contrast, the Pharisees and experts in the Law rejected God’s purpose for themselves. By refusing to be baptized by John they showed that they did not accept his message of repentance or accept the kingdom.

You need a new life, not a new religion

Isn’t this at the heart of what Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:3 “3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

We have seen Jesus has a category for the living dead

Let the living dead bury the dead dead. Luke 9:59-60 “59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.”

The prodigal died before returning home. Luke 15:24 “24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

Conclusion

Today is the day to recognize you can be moral, religious, but spiritual dead.

We often sing this truth. I pray you believe this. “Nothing in my hands I bring; simply to Your cross I cling.” or Christ alone who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save Till on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live

Today we will sing Complete in Thee

Complete in Thee! no work of mine

May take, dear Lord, the place of Thine;

Thy blood hath pardon bought for me,

And I am now complete in Thee.

[Slide] God's mercy, demonstrated by the death and resurrection of Jesus, is the basis on which we can be forgiven, accepted, and declared righteous.