Luke 18_9_14 Publican and Pharisee

Text: Luke 18:9-14

Title: Who are you trusting in?

Intro: Can you recall the Crucifixion of Jesus…Nailed to the cross as a ransom for the sin of the world? What about the thief who was crucified beside Jesus, condemned for his crime yet he found salvation even while nailed to a cross.

The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation; and yet Christ offered him the gift of God, and he took it. Jesus threw him a passport, and took him with Him into Paradise.

In Jesus’ day the world was not void of people who trusted in themselves and their good efforts to have the right relationship with God. Two thousand years later not much has changed.

We are taught, you can only trust in yourself, “if you want something done right, do it yourself.”

Now you can trust in yourself for many things… at the top of that list is condemnation.

CPS: If you trust in your goodness, your religious activities. If you trust in yourself for being in the right relationship with God then you are trusting in the wrong person.

18th Century evangelist George Whitfield traveled across this country preaching. “Repent of your sins and repent of your goodness.” He understood standing correctly before God is not of your doing but it is of God… True righteousness is found in God’s mercy not human action. This is Wonderfully illustrated by the thief who was crucified beside Jesus… He could physically do nothing… yet He trusted Jesus to be merciful and to bring him into God’s bosom.

Jesus teaches this very lesson in this parable… as He contrast the two men.

3 things to look at in this text

The Pharisee who trusted in his own goodness for his righteous standing before God Vs. 11-12

Explanation: Here is a religious man a Jewish pharisee, a member of the conservative religious establishment. He strictly held to the Law of God as though it was a checklist, in addition he held strict adherence to the oral law of his ancestors. Perhaps he was blameless in regards to the Law as Paul once described himself.

Judaism was transformed through the pharisees, once a religion of sacrifice for the atonement of sin now a religion according to works of the Law. They saw obedience to the Law as the way to God. They missed the grace of what the Law was, a revelation of sin… something to compare oneself to in order to reveal their need for God to intervene on their behalf.

This Pharisee kept the Law, he even added to it and now in the Temple he tells God how just good he really is and anyone else who would listen.

His Prayer

The devout Jew would pray at least twice a day in the temple during the times of the morning and evening sacrifice.

He prayed with Himself – He is giving a testimonial of his goodness… This is a prayer of thanksgiving of his own goodness!!!

He addresses God – He is thankful that he is not like other people… He is religious and full of good works.

His witness

I am not greedy; I do not cheat people all my business transactions are honest.

I am not a sinner, I am the opposite… a righteous man… I only strive to do good things

I am not sexually immoral but, faithful to my wife… I live a life of physical purity

I am loyal to my nation and my people not as this traitor publican who stands beside me

I fast twice a week, every Monday and Thursday I abstain from all food and water when the Law only mandates to fast once a year! I go above and beyond!

I give a tenth all I have – I even tithe the herbs of my garden … if you calculated my giving it could be closer to 20%

The Pharisee had plenty of good works... we would look at this man and say he is good indeed…

The question is, is he good enough

He thought He was good enough… he exalted himself before God.

Transition: The Pharisee did not really go to pray; he went to inform God how good he was.

The Publican who threw himself at the mercy of God for his righteous standing before God.Vs. 13

Explanation: Beside the self-righteous Pharisee was a traitor to the nation of Israel, a Publican “tax-collector.” He was tasked with collecting taxes for the Roman government. These people were often corrupt, they received their jobs by bids, who pledged the largest amounts of taxes collected got the job. They made their living by collecting more than necessary and pocketing the extra for themselves. They would often use threats and violence to collect from their victims.

In Greco Roman times a Jewish tax collector was considered to be Roman sympathizers. The Publicans were held in the lowest esteem being placed in the same category as harlots. They were hated and despised sinners.

His Prayer

A prayer of humble repentance – He understood his sin and knew that God would reject him due to his rebellious nature.

A sinner τῳ ἁμαρτωλῳ Greek refers not a sinner but the sinner

His posture was not the customary standing with your eyes lifted to the heavens, he couldn’t even look towards God because of the guilt of his sin.

Illustration: Have you ever done someone wrong and could not look the person in the eye when you told them, you just hung your head?

[Ezra the scribe’s prayer of confession] And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Ezra 9:6

He beats his breast… this was a sign of great mourning and grief…His grief on account of his sins was like the grief of those who mourn the dead.

He makes a profession of repentance (double turn) and cast himself before the mercy of God to save him.

Unlike the Religious Pharisee… The publican was trusting in the mercy of God to forgive sin for his right standing before God.

Illustration: Reminded of King David… After his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah… David repents after the prophet Nathan confronts him.

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Ps 51:1.

The hated and despised Publican brought his case before God and handed his sin over to Him.

Transition: So, which one is righteous? The one who works hard doing the right things going above and beyond or the filthy sinner who pleads with God to show him mercy?

The pronouncement of the righteous judge Vs. 14

Explanation: To catch the impact of this parable today one might think of these characters as the most active deacon in a church or Sunday-school teacher versus a drug dealer, gay activist or crooked politician.

Jesus the only begotten Son of God, the glory of God the Father, the Judge of humanity pronounces which of these two men are in righteous standing.

Jesus declares the one who admits he is a sinner and repents of his sin… he will go home justified while the religious man is condemned in his self-goodness

Justified = Means to be declared righteous before God. It’s a declaration by Jesus not an action by man.

2 Cor. 5:21

Illustration: Picture a courtroom and the Judge is about to pass down sentence… the prosecutor reminds the judge of all the wicked deeds Johnny has committed in his life. “Your honor. On June 23rd 1988 Johnny killed a man in cold blood then sexually assaulted his wife before killing her, on Dec 15th 2016 Johnny used your name in vain while cursing a lady in the check line at Walmart ” etc. etc.

But Jesus says “on Feb. 23rd 2010 my blood covered those sins when Johnny called out to me in repentance and threw himself at my mercy for forgiveness of sin, and this court no longer sees Johnny the sinner but Johnny the righteousness of Christ.

NB) Can I tell you that for those who trust in the Lord for mercy, through repentant faith has Jesus as judge and defense attorney. They will be declared righteous by Jesus!

Those who trust in themselves will be humiliated: they rise themselves over God and seat themselves as God.

Abased = to humiliate (in condition or heart): abase, bring low, humble (self). to be brought low. Ultimately what awaits this person is lake of burning sulfur.

To declare yourself righteous is no good, you will be humbled. But if Christ declares you righteous you are righteous indeed and you are able to stand upright before God.

Application: Your goodness is not good enough. Your goodness leads to death because it is like filth before God.

You are not good enough to stand before God.

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 2 Cor. 1:9

The Pharisee trusted in his good works, he kept the Law. People could look at this man and say “he is a righteous man, deserving of the kingdom of God.”

No human on earth deserves the kingdom of God,

Before God, the Pharisee is a hypocrite… an actor under an assumed character of righteousness. He is a Stegeman who may fool humans but he is unable to fool God.

Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15

God looks beyond your external appearance and views the condition of your heart.

The only way for your heart to be right is by the faith in the Gospel.

Gospel – Jesus died for you and you cannot raise even a finger in the process of your salvation, it is an act of God. You can only throw yourself before mercy seat of God by faith in Jesus

You deserve hell but mercy keeps you from what you deserve.

What are you trusting in?

Is it yourself? You will get what you deserve… Condemnation!

Only those who trust in Jesus are saved, being made right before God.

Conclusion: The good actions of man is filth before the standard of God.

Righteousness before God is found at the mercy of God… He graciously imputes His righteousness to you.

The thief on the cross could not lift a finger towards his salvation.

The publican couldn’t lift his face before God, they could only count on the mercy of God to save them.