Luke 18

Life on Life

Luke 18:1–8 (ESV)

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’

For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’ ”

And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

We can trust in God and His goodness while we live in the “not yet”

What is one area you find it hard to trust in God’s goodness?

What is one thing you have been praying for and waiting on God for a long time?

Luke Chapter 18 challenges us to look at ourselves in the mirror and evaluate how do we see ourselves?

We are going to pick up today at vs 19 where Jesus tells another parable (Made up story to teach a real lesson)

I. How Do you See Yourself?

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Luke 18:9–14 (ESV)

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 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.

1. Who does the Pharisee compare himself to? Other people (who are “worse” than him)

setting up a 12inch high jump and proclaiming myself a champion

I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’

Who is being praised in the prayer? Who is the one honored? Who is the one who is worthy? The Pharisee

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!’

2. Who does the tax collector compare himself to? God.

Who is the one who is in the position of honor? God.

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.”

The Pharisee came and left unchanged

The tax collector came low and was transformed. He came humbly and was exalted.

“Justified” aquitted, freed, to be declared righteous

HUMILITY leads to JUSTIFICATION which leads to EXALTATION

In the next few verses we see 2 examples. 1 of humility and 1 of pride

II. An Example of Humility Required to Enter the Kingdom

Luke 18:15–17 ESV

Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Jesus holds the children up as an example NOT of innocence or perfection but of lowly, humble and powerless. unable to provide even basic care for themselves and YET fully human and valuable, worthy of honor and attention

To be like these children is not to be childish or immature but it is to OWN our humility and neediness.

Babies are not self-conscience about their needs

I need you, oh I need you every hour I need you.

That brings us to our bad example

III. An Example of Pride Keeping Someone from Entering the Kingdom

Luke 18:18–30 (ESV)

And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“I have secured a good position, I have amassed possessions and wealth. Let me just square away this one last piece. What do I need to do?”

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

including you good buddy

Jesus is also subtly claiming his deity because he does not deny his Goodness

You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”

Yet again, people don’t learn Jesus sets him up.

These commandments are “easy” for a person in his position to keep

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Jesus does not require this of all people, he is using it to show the man that he is holding on to the idol of wealth.

“Love the lord your God”

Jesus was not saying that it was possible to earn salvation by taking everything to Goodwill. He was illustrating to this young man that he held something more precious than the true God.

Money and possessions can make people:

care more about money than about their role in God’s kingdom.

worry more about comfort than about their neighbor’s needs. •

shop more for possessions to make them happy; search less for answers to life’s big questions. •

anchor happiness in their accomplishments, not in God’s Word.

cling more to the tangibly immediate, less to the promised future.

Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Though it might be costly to follow Jesus - Your reward will be great.

(we’re all in this together! Disciples understand disciple’s sacrifice better than people of the world every can so we need to be family to each other because our FAMILY may not always understand)

IV. How then can I be saved?

Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

How is it possible? Lets look at the next section of luke 18 to see:

Luke 18:31–34 (ESV)

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.

This is the third time he has tried to tell the disciples this in Luke.

Back in Luke 9 he tried twice:

English Standard Version Chapter 9

21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

English Standard Version Chapter 9

But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

We are not getting closer and closer to the end of Jesus life, every step is brining him closer to the cross, so he makes the plan known to them again:

For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

They missed it - but This is the message:

Jesus came to the world as God in human form. He lived a perfect life. Preached and taught about His kingdom.

Ultimately he gave himself up to be unjustly sentenced to die.

HE BECAME SIN who knew no sin to pay the price we could not pay ourselves.

Then on the third day he rose from the dead to prove that he is God and that he is greater than death AND to prove that he can give new life.

So How can a RICH man enter the kingdom of God?

How can a poor man enter the kingdom of God?

How can a regular Guy enter the kingdom of God?

Be humble

So What?

1. Sit with the reality of the Evil of pride.

Think of the people who have hurt you over the years

Think of how you have hurt other people over the years

Look at the pain in the world

It comes from Pride

Pride is ANTITHETICAL to being a follower of Jesus.

Pride is insidious though as soon as you THINK you have it whipped you are losing.

Is pride making you do something?

Is pride keeping you from doing something?