Approach the throne with humility
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Intro
Intro
title - Approach the throne with humility
Humility is not thinking less of yourself
Humility is thinking of yourself less
Humility
Humility can refer to a state of being—generally lowness in status rank or economic means. In this sense, humility is the opposite of importance or wealth. It can also refer to a virtue that involves a modest self-perception. In this sense, it is the opposite of pride and arrogance.
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
This is how we should approach the throne of God in prayer
yet in the flesh we are prone to being proud and self important.
today We will hear about a story of two men
and their very different approach to God in prayer.
Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus points parable to people who
trusted in self that they were righteous —
danger —trusting in good morals to make you right with God
why most unbelievers think they are going to heaven.
example of evangelism.... if you were to die today heaven or hell.... heaven ..why..because im a good person....
also looked down on others with less moral achievement.
Jesus starts into parable of two types of men
both go to temple to pray
1st-pharisee- most prominent religious jews.
considered Gods most favored people.
2nd tax collector- most hated of jewish people.
hired by romans to collect taxes and would allow them to keep an extra taxes they could collect.
extortioners ---like gang members making business pay them to operate
Pharisee- Stood and loudly prayed-
(approached the throne of God)
Thank you im not like other men, Extortioners, unjust,adulterers, or even this tax collector.
I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’
What is he doing???? comparing
He started comparing His life with someone elses.
Dont compare yourself with others
Dont compare yourself with others
How many of you do this?
goes two different ways
you compare yourself with someone you percieve that is better than you.
seem to have it all together
leads you to depression, and a feeling of being less than.
not living up to imaginary standard
you compare yourself with someone who seems to be less than you.
this is what pharisee is doing.
gives you an ego boost.
now you feel good about yourself because your better than somebody else.
comparing yourself with others is a pointless excercise because
A. we are all at different places in our walk with Christ.
do you expect someone who picks up a guitar for the first time to be able to play a song on the first try?
Story:When I came to Christ I started putting away sin…drinking, cussing, smoking, listening to sinful music, porn, anger....
started feeling good about my self and getting prideful
started judging other christians who were struggling to put away outward sin.
realized even though I do not do those outward sins,
my pride made me just as bad a sinner as the people I was judging.
The closer I got to Jesus, the more sinful I realized I was.
The only person we should compare ourselves with is Jesus
When we do this we can understand that we have no room to boast in our self.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
So when you compare yourself to someone, your judging yourself based on their “goodness”,,
using them as the benchmark to judge yourself
no imagine if you were to judge your IQ by using a 5 year old as the benchmark.
thats what the pharisee is doing.
comparing himself with someone who is coming to the Lord for the first time.
He is morally better than the tax collector yet eons away from the righteous standard set by God.
God is not impressed with your morality
God is not impressed with your morality
Pharisee used I 5 times in his prayer
totally self absorbed, with self righteousness
morally better person - leaves the temple unjust before God.
understand- that peace with God depends on moral perfection.
Because God is holy.
God cant be in the presance of sin
therefore good deeds from sinful men are not acceptable to God for righteousness.
But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
pharisee trusted in His good morals to please God.
but compared to the perfection of Jesus He was just as filthy as the tax collector.
The only person in history who has lived up to the righteous standards of God is Jesus Christ.
This is because He was God who took on human flesh.
point- that He came to live a life you couldnt
and become the payment for your sin on the cross.
you cant be good enough for God,
but God doesnt expect you to be.
He sent His son to be good enough for you.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
all are plauged with sin ----justified by grace
and He is looking for you to respond like the tax collector.
in Humility
How many of you trust that your right with God because your a good kid?
Being a good kid does not make you right with God.
humbly trusting in Jesus does.
Humble are justified by faith alone
Humble are justified by faith alone
Cant earn Gods favor through good moral behavior.
Abraham gave his wife over to egyptian king
david commited murder and adultery
Peter denied Christ...
we See this with the parable in vs 14 and 15
The tax collector admiting he is a sinner
in repentance asking God for mercy.
Jesus says He was justified before God
justification = to be made righteous (good) before God.
justification by faith alone ..
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Those who are right with God are those who trust in Jesus alone for mercy and salvation.
Jesus does not love you because of your performance
He loves you because you are His child on the basis of faith alone.
You dont have to earn His love
Its yours in Christ.
Story: My mom invited all fam to wedding reception when we asked invited a few people.....
I was irritated…but my mom didnt need to earn my love back…
I never stopped loving her.
Bradley doesnt need to be potty trained for me to love Him.
I didnt need to Get a hit every game in baseball for my mom to love me.
She actually loved me more when I was in a slump and did bad.
We need to see God the father and God the son as members of our family.
we can then stop trying to justify ourselves by our good works.
knowing that Jesus is all that we can bring to the table, will leave us in humility.
Knowing that Hes all we need will lead us to freedom!!!
He is the one who Justifies the sinner as holy before God.
so when we get judged ---God doesnt see your life plauged by sin....He sees the perfect life of Jesus.
So The prideful man who boasts in himself will be humbled—punishment or discipline
but the humble will will be exalted by Christ
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
are you like the pharisee or the tax collector
Ive been both
may God give you grace to repent and not think so highly of yourself
look around and ask yourself
do I think im better than anyone else here..
Am I trusting in my good works to make me right with God
or am I trusting in Jesus to make me right with God?
today is the day to humble yourself
and to re establish your faith in him alone.
outro
outro
The only thing you bring to your salvation is your sin.
the life of Jesus is the only thing standing between you and Hell
all your good works and obedience
is meant to be a reflection of Christ in you
When you know that your good works dont make you right with God
and that it is your faith in Jesus that pleases God
you can approach the throne of God with humility.
lets pray
If you have never recieved Gods gift of salvation
we can take care of that now.
If you want to be saved, today is the day.