Sermon Tone Analysis

Review & Bible Reading

Title comes from v. 14 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other:..”

In the beginning of this chapter you read of the reason of the parable of the unjust judge and the poor widow; namely, to encourage men to pray and faint not.

We should not grow weary the Lord’s return is near.

Psalm 12:5 “5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.”

Contrast between a merciless, uncaring judge and our loving, attentive heavenly Father.

As with that parable the lesson we have today is seen in the contrast.

In Luke 17:36 “36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Two men could appear to be doing the same work but one is taken and the other left.

What will be the determining factor, what makes a man justified.

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.

Luke 18:9–14 (KJV 1900)

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.

Sermon Introduction

Good news: The publican left different than he came.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other:

Through justification there is relief of those that lie under the load and burden of a guilty conscience.

This is what we celebrate on what I am calling “Faith Alone Sunday”

Expression regarding churches “Come as your are” We have no issue with this, but would like to add a message of hope to it “Come as you are and leave as only Jesus can make you to be.”

Brief Summary of Martin Luther & Protestant Reformation

As mentioned last week, as Baptists we are neither catholic nor protestant.

Today is Reformation Sunday, for many protestant churches.

It is a story worth knowing.

In the summer f 1505, while walking through the German countryside, a young Martin Luther was nearly struck by lightning.

He cried out in terror “Saint Anne, spare me and I will become a monk.”

(Catholic response, not recommended)

He spent the next decade consumed by the fear of divine judgement.

He tried earning God’s favor through good works and acts of penance.

Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of repentance for sins committed.

Based upon a true definition of repentance.

/ we will see today that it is declared not developed, forensic not formative, received not rewarded.

immediate not gradual, provided not progressive.

The more he worked the more frustrated he became, recognizing he could never be goof enough to appease divine wrath or atone for sins.

He came to hate the expression “the righteousness of God” because in it he saw nothing but his own condemnation.

Through the study of Psalms, Romans, and Galatians, this monk came to understand that the righteousness of God revealed in the Gospel speaks not only of God’s perfect standard but also of id righteous provision - in which the righteousness of Christ is reckoned to those who embrace Him in saving faith.

- Nathan Busenitz, The Substance of Sola Fide

He learned what we celebrated last week: 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.

History tells us that on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther approaches the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, and nails a piece of paper to it containing the 95 “revolutionary opinions” that would begin the Protestant Reformation.

He caused no small stir in the catholic church, around 1545 they organized an ecumenical council of Catholics and condemned this teaching as heresy.

Do you know the name of this council?

We have a picture of it.

[Slide]

At a later date we will look at how these truths were not revolutionary being that they were held by believers sense the time of Christ.

Today I want to focus on the fact that “Faith Alone” is not the opinion of a former catholic monk but it is the eternal truth revealed to us by God from His Word.

Two walked in, only one walked out justified.

Luke 18:10 “10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.”

Luke 18:14 “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.”

Justification by God: a declaration by God that you are righteous because of Christ.

Easy Definition: “Just-if-I-never sinned.”

More full definition: A declaration by God that you are righteous because of Christ.

There are are only two religions in this world.

grace and works

do and done

“something in my hand I bring” or “nothing in my hand I bring”

true and false

Fight began long before Luther

The message that the Apostle Paul preached to a congregation must be the message we share with everyone.

Acts 13:38-39 “38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

As loud and as long as people have been preaching this message their has been a false message out there.

Acts 15:1 “1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses (you can replace this whatever you want - baptised in the creek at the church you grandparents were baptized - the lie adapts), ye cannot be saved.”

Paul addresses this and says he is not putting up with this non-sense that brings us under bondage.

Gal 2:4-5 “4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”

Is this really worth fighting over? 2 Peter 2:1 “1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

Where do we look to have this same confidence?

As you know Paul was a student of Scripture.

But you would need to memorize the Torah or sit at Gamaliel, feet to see this truth in God’s Word.

God has made it so accessible that I am going to be able to show you.

Use of the word, justified, in Scripture

Spelling bee.

Can you use that word in a sentence?

It wouldn’t help me in spelling but seeing the word in Bible will help us develop a robust understanding of the meaning.

Introduced as a judicial term.

Though every culture would not have the same understanding of a courtroom we would all have an understanding a declared verdict.

Deut 25:1 “1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.”

Seen in contrast to condemnation

To condemn is to pronounce guilty or worthy of punishment.

To justify is to declare not guilty, or that justice does not demand punishment, or that the person concerned cannot justly be condemned.

We cannot condemn those that are just.

Job 34:17 “17 Shall even he that hateth right govern?

And wilt thou condemn him that is most just?”

Opposite of being justified is having charges layed at our feet.

Romans 8:33 “33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?

It is God that justifieth.”

Argument from equivalent forms of expression

Because the equivalent phrases, by which our justification is described.

such as not to come into judgment, John 5:24

not to be condemned John 3:18

to remit sins, to impute righteousness Rom. 4

to be reconciled Rom.

5:10-11

How would Jesus be justified if it does not mean declared righteous?

What are you talking about? 1 Timothy 3:16 “16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

This will not work if you believe that justify means to progressively make righteous.

The spirit declares that Jesus is righteous.

Much of Paul’s life is given to defending this truth

The justice of God of God is revealed to man so that they cannot deny it.