Right standing before God Luke 18_9_14

Title: Right Standing before God

Text: Luke 18:9-14

Intro: I recall the story of missionaries Steve and Marla Cole in a remote village in the Czech Republic, ministering to a group of college students. One day during a break, they were walking around the village when they met a friendly local man, who took them on a nice hike and showed them around town. They told him what we were doing there.

The next day, while in the middle of a question and answer time with the students, someone ushered in this man. He raised his hand and asked, “How can I be right with God?” Or, more specifically: How can a sinner such as I be right with God, who is absolutely righteous?

Perhaps you are here today asking this same question and this morning I want to tell you what Jesus said about this to group of people who thought they were in right standing before God.

1st lets define Right Standing – it’s your position before God. Right relationship with God.

Parable - Stories, especially those of Jesus, told to provide a vision of life. Parable means a putting alongside for purposes of comparison and new understanding. Parables utilize pictures such as metaphors or similes and frequently extend them into a brief story to make a point or disclosure. Word Pictures!

CPS: One’s right standing before God is not based on personal merit but on by the mercy of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Right standing before God is not based on personal merit Vs. 9-12

Pharisee - Largest and most influential religious-political party during NT times. The term “Pharisee” means “separated ones.” Perhaps it means that they separated themselves from the masses or that they separated themselves to the study and interpretation of the law. A common assumption is that they developed from the Hasidim, the ultra-orthodox loyal freedom fighters in the time of Judas Maccabeus. They apparently were responsible for the transformation of Judaism from a religion of sacrifice to one of law. They were the developers of the oral tradition, the teachers of the two-fold law: written and oral. They saw the way to God as being through obedience to the law. They were the progressives of the day, willing to adopt new ideas and adapt the law to new situations.

The strict religious Pharisee came into the temple to pray as he does twice every day, once during the morning sacrifice and again during the evening sacrifice (tradition says). He finds a place where he can stand (standing was the common Jewish posture while praying) so that everyone will see and hear him> The Pharisee recites all of his own virtues and merits. Jesus says this is a prayer to himself not fellowship with God. He thanks God for his own virtues, not for God’s mercy to Him. Yet in the backdrop I can picture the daily sacrifices taking place, the lamb cries as its throat is slit as it is given up for a sin offering. This man needs no sin offering, his virtues are legit. He lists them, “Lord I’m not a thief, I am a just man NOT A SINNER, I am a faithful husband to my wife and I am faithful to you.” His virtues climax as he says Im not like this publican over here having to pray to you because of his wickedness. What the Pharisee is saying is, I AM THE STANDARD!

The publican then lists all of his merits for everyone to hear. I go above and beyond what the Law requires. The Law requires me to fast once a year on the day of atonement, but the 2nd and 5th day of each week, no food no water you see I am so righteous I that don’t need atonement. God your Law requires that each Israelite give you a tenth of their income I do that yet I give you a tenth of all my possessions (according to tradition), I go above and beyond that I give ten percent of even the smallest herbs that grow in my garden.

If ever there was a self-righteous man it was this one Jesus portrays, the Pharisee. But do you know what Jesus says about this man, that when He met the Lord God his Judge that he was abased not lifted up. He was made humble by force his knee was bent to the Lord and cast out of His presence into the great abys of gnashing of teeth.

This man saw righteousness before God as strict obedience to the Law but was never able to see the grace of God in the Law. The Law was given as a measuring stick, something to compare yourself to revealing your desperate need for God to intervene on their behalf. The Law reveals to you God’s standard and mankind falling short yet the Pharisee could not see his sinfulness and need for God because he made himself the standard.

If you base your right standing before God by your own virtues and merits then you to will be humbled before God and cast out into the eternal pits of hell.

Transition: Right standing before God is not based on personal merit. Personal merit is a death sentence. 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

Right standing before God is based on God’s mercy Vs. 13

Publican - Political office created by the Romans to help collect taxes in the provinces. Actually, the title “tax collector” is more correct than the older term “publican” in referring to the lowest rank in the structure. Zacchaeus is called a “chief tax collector” (Luke 19:2 HCSB), probably indicating one who contracted with the government to collect taxes, and who in turn hired others to do the actual work. In NT times people bid for the job of chief tax collector and then extracted the tax plus a profit from the citizens. Most of the offices were filled by Romans, although some natives got the bids. Publicans were held in the lowest esteem because of their excessive profits, being placed in the same category as harlots (Matt. 21:32). Jesus was accused of eating with and befriending them (Matt. 9:11).

In contrast, this publican walks into the temple broken in spirit, unlike the Pharisee he draws away from the crowd, Standing afar – the idea of being unworthy to draw near. Yet this is the way to get near to God. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 His posture was different from the Pharisee who stood with His head, hands, and arms raised towards heaven, instead he couldn’t even lift his eye to heaven, he was to ashamed to even look in the direction of God’s dwelling place. He Smote his breast as a sign of remorse and heart felt anguish, he smites himself as one mourns the death of a loved one as he realizes his standing before God as condemned.

The publican pleads with God to be merciful to him. Merciful -hilaskŏmai (Propitiate) used twice in NT Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Heb. 2:17). As the daily sacrifice was taking place and cries of the lambs in the background the publican understood in his heart that it should be him being slaughtered. He was aware of His sin, it was personal to Him in fact a sinner—hamartōlŏs literally, “the sinner”; that is, “If ever there was one, I am he.” He understands his need for God’s intervention for his life. He cried out to God in repentance and faith and Jesus says this man received what he did not deserve, salvation.

Application/Conclusion: I have met many people who believe if they could just be good enough then God will receive them. But the truth is no one can stand upright before God based on their merits, only those who bow before Him on earth pleading through faith for His mercy will stand up straight in His presence.

Imputed through Christ Jesus.

Are you trusting in your goodness today or are you trusting in Christ Jesus today?