Lessons on humility

Getting to the point

This morning as we continue on a detailed account, a study of the gospel of Luke. May we start with getting to the points of the passage. Then the passage, then will pull some good points and applications from the passage.

The Parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Lk18:9-14)

Context: Jesus addresses those who trust in their own righteousness contrasting with a broken humble sinner.

Take away lesson: True justification comes from humility and repentance, not self-exaltation.

Take away application: Ask ourselves how are we approaching God, with pride or humility?

Jesus and the little children (Lk18:15-17)

Context: People bring the children to Jesus, the disciples try to stop them.

Take away lesson: Faith should be simple, trusting and dependent on God

Take away application: May we learn to approach God with childlike trust.

Jesus and the rich young ruler (Lk18:18-30)

Context: A wealthy young man asks Jesus how to earn entrance into kingdom of heaven, how to earn eternal life.

Take away lesson: Salvation is only possible through God’s grace, and wealth can be an obstacle.

Take away application: Examine our own personal attachments, priorities, what might be hindering us, or stumbling us in being fully devoted to the Lord?

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:9–10 NASB95

9 And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luke 18:11–12 NASB95

11 “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’

Luke 18:13–14 NASB95

13 “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Is there anything that sticks out to you in this passage?

In what form is this teaching (v.9)?

A parable

Who are our characters in this parable (v.10)?

A Pharisee and a tax collector

Who was the Pharisee praying to (v.11)?

Praying this to himself.

Who was the Tax Collector praying to (v.13)?

To God to be merciful

Who walked away justified (v.14)?

This man, the tax collector.

Why were people bringing babies to Jesus (v.15)?

So He would touch them (bless them).

How did Jesus respond to the apostles actions (v.15) in (v.16)?

Permit them, do not hinder them.

The kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

How must one receive the kingdom of God according to (v.17)?

Like a child

Parable of Pharisee and Tax Collector

Stop, look who is the audience that Jesus is speaking to (v.9)? Why is Jesus speaking in a parable to them?

He is speaking to people who are believing they were righteous by their actions and looking at others with contempt.

It is always important to know who, and why, we already talked about the where, and when in the introduction.

Don’t have a Pharisee attitude, prayer is about God, exalting God, pleading to God and not building yourself up.

The Pharisee was praying to himself, though says to God, and is comparing himself to others and judging others. Can we get like that? Can we compare ourselves to others?

The Pharisee also counted on his deeds (fasting, tithes). Do our deeds earn God’s favor? Or are our deeds in response to God’s favor?

Don’t count on your deeds to earn you favor with God, like the Pharisee did.

May we learn from the Tax Collector (Publican); be humble, knowing our station (sinner) seeking mercy.

What more can you tell me about the tax collector from (vv.13-14)?

Luke 18:13–14 NASB95

13 “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14 “I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Permit the children

You know the song, “Jesus loves the little children,” do you think it may be based on this passage?

Please keep in mind this is all part of same teaching, same audience, same reason. What are you putting your faith in, yourself or God’s work?

Children were thought of less than men, than women, so the disciples may not have been wrong, in theory to try to stop them, but Jesus is teaching about faith.

Jesus wants the children to come to Him, all His children, so He can bless them. That is why the parents were bringing the children to Him.

Jesus wants all people to come to Him, come to receive the blessings He has to offer to you when you do. You are asked to come by faith.

The Rich Young Ruler and eternal life

Luke 18:18–19 NASB95

18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

Luke 18:20–21 NASB95

20 “You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”

Luke 18:22–23 NASB95

22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Luke 18:24–25 NASB95

24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:26–28 NASB95

26 They who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But He said, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” 28 Peter said, “Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.”

Luke 18:29–30 NASB95

29 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, 30 who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Anything stand out to you in this passage?

What does the ruler ask of Jesus, do you see any significance in this (v.18)?

What shall I do to inherit eternal life.

How does Jesus respond to the ruler (vv.19-20)?

Luke 18:19–20 NASB95

19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 “You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ”

Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone

You know the commandments.

The ruler claims have done all these things since youth (v.21); then what does Jesus say (v.22)?

Sell all you possess and distribute to the poor.

Then you shall have treasures in heaven

How did the ruler respond, and why (v.23)?

He became very sad

Because he was extremely rich

Look closely, who is Jesus speaking to directly (V.24-25)?

The ruler

Now, who heard and brought up another good question (v.26)? and what was Jesus response (v.27)?

They heard, the people, the crowd

The question was “who can be saved?”

Jesus response that things are impossible with people are possible with God, in other words, only through God may men be saved.

Now Peter makes statement, we have left everything to follow you (v.28)

Jesus responds not to Peter directly but to them, the people, the crowd with what (vv.29-30)?

No one who has left things will receive many times as much in this time and the age to come; eternal life.

Eternal life is great value today and eternally. That is where this part of the passage started, what must I do to inherit eternal life and it ends with that.

The question (v.18) - what must I do

The man thought there was something he must do to enter eternal life.

The response (vv.19-20) - keep the commandments

Jesus reminds him you know the commandments, do them.

The rulers confidence (v.21) - claims to have kept law from youth

The ruler is confident in his status with God, that he has already earned eternal life by his deeds. The question was really to boost himself in the first place.

The cost of discipleship (vv.22-23) - sell, give, follow

Jesus shifts from doing, to being in relationship

That there is a cost of discipleship, everything. The man loved his possessions and his self righteousness. To follow Christ you must be willing to surrender all. Key word “willing.”

Now, wealth is not condemned, but clinging to it is spiritually dangerous.

Wealth and the kingdom (vv.24-27) It’s hard for rich to enter kingdom

Kingdom economics is different than worldly economics. Kingdom economics is dependance on God

Salvation, eternal life, is not humanly possible, it is a divine work.

Reward for sacrifice (vv.28-30) - Peters brings to attention sacrifice, Jesus brings to attention promises for now and eternity

Jesus affirms that sacrifices for His sake are not forgotten

The rewards are both present and eternal

God sees, God knows, God rewards.

Take away’s

Ask yourself if you approach God with pride or humility, we need to come to the Lord in humility

Come to Jesus, approach the Lord with child like trust.

Search yourself, examine yourself and your personal attachments. Are there things we are holding onto that may be hindering our full devotion to Christ?

(Prayer) (Exit)