Ash Wednesday

Introduction

Ash Wednesday Sermon: Do We Measure Up?

Autumn and I met (officially) while working as Ride Operators for a small amusement park called Bland’s Park (Now DelGrosso’s). As teenagers, it was a fun summer job in which we got to share in some great adventures. As we gained experience and training, we moved from the more nominal rides to the more exciting ones. One might say we began to realize that having supervision of the higher-risk rides always gave a sense of power.

Stan Lee, in iconic fashion, wrote, “With great power comes great responsibility.” With these new rides came new rules that had to be enforced for the customer’s safety. The most controversial, of course, being the minimum height requirement. We rarely got pushback on having to wear shoes and normal park-acceptable clothing. But the conflict created by a parent whose child was just not tall enough was exceptionally dramatic. Many parents would stuff tissues or paper to get their kid that extra bit of height. They could fool the measuring tool, but the reality was they didn’t measure up.

What the parent nor the child seemed to understand was that their height was below the minimum safety level for the ride and therefore created a risk of injury. If all parameters of safety were not met, it opened the rider up to the possibility of injury. If the supervisor of the ride did not enforce the safety standards of the ride, the park was found at risk of negligence, and insurance coverage was at risk should an incident arise.

What Then? A Reality Check

As representatives of the park, we had to be real with our customers when they didn’t measure up. And tonight, as we come to Ash Wednesday, we are asked to take a hard look at ourselves and ask: Do we measure up? Or have we been stuffing the tissues into our shoes, trying to fool ourselves and God into believing we meet the standard?

The context of Luke 18 is clear. Jesus is engaged in answering many questions. In the opening verse of chapter 18, Jesus emphasizes the importance of prayer and that the heart of the Father is, in fact, movable. Beginning at verse nine, Jesus turns his attention to those who are awfully impressed with themselves.

It is important to note that Jesus is not being cruel but naming reality. Awareness of our true condition promotes responsible action. It is unclear exactly who Jesus is talking to in this pericope, but we can reasonably infer that it is likely the same group (which includes some Pharisees) and is likely pointed toward the religious zealots of the Pharisee class.

Pharisees prided themselves on following not only the Law of Moses but also a host of oral purity laws provided to help keep the Law in its entirety. This "Tradition of the Elders," later compiled in the Mishnah and Talmud, created a hedge of protection around the Law of Moses. They prided themselves in their ability to live into the “holiness code” of the Israelite people.

A Tale of Two Israelites: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

A parable is a story that teaches a lesson. Jesus uses the context of the Temple and two individuals who have come to offer prayer and praise. But prayer and praise to whom?

The Pharisee prays with his eyes open, looking to heaven, praising God that he is not like others who do not do the righteous things he does, including the tax collector beside him.

The tax collector, standing in the same Temple, cannot even bear to lift his eyes to heaven. He prays out of his shame, his sinfulness, his unworthiness. The only thing he can plead for is mercy from God.

Where Do We Stand?

The Pharisees:

Stood on their own righteousness, boasting about fasting and tithing.

Held to their ego, looking down on sinners, especially the tax collector, believing themselves morally superior.

Prayed to exalt themselves rather than seek transformation.

Focused on outward observance rather than inner renewal.

The Tax Collector:

Social Status: Despised as a traitor, working for the Roman Empire and often accused of corruption.

Acknowledgment of Sin: Unlike the Pharisee, he recognized his unworthiness before God.

Plea for Mercy: Instead of boasting, he beat his chest and prayed, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

True Justification: Jesus said the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified before God because of his humility.

Our Reality Check: Do We Measure Up?

The Pharisees placed their confidence in their righteous actions. Their works became the platform from which they looked at the world and thought about how wonderful they were.

Jesus points out that all the knowledge in the world can’t save us. All the church attendance, Bible studies, fundraisers, volunteer hours, or covered dish dinners mean nothing if we are not real about the sin in our lives.

It is not an activity problem but a heart problem.

The Pharisee prayed to God and praised himself for all his opportunity to do the good works required by the Law of Moses and the elders.

The Tax Collector did not stand on his works but grieved his unrighteousness. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

The Pharisee was unwilling to acknowledge his need for God but rather praised himself for his righteousness.

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

True Justification Through Christ

Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Philippians 3:4-11 – Paul, once the ultimate Pharisee, counted all his religious credentials as loss compared to knowing Christ.

Faith without works is meaningless, but works without faith—the intimacy of God—will not substitute for conversion.

The Ash Wednesday Invitation

We come this Ash Wednesday to remember our great need for the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ and the cross. The wages of sin is death. The ashes on our forehead are not a badge of righteousness but a confession of our mortality and need for grace.

The Tax Collector left the Temple justified not because of his works but because of his humility.

Tonight, as we receive the ashes, may we pray with the same words on our lips: “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

We do not measure up. But in Christ, we are lifted up. Amen.