Untitled Sermon (2)

Intro

When reading this passage we come across two different people mentioned, the first being the Pharisee and the second being the tax collector. Some of you out there might be thinking that this sound similar to what Steve preached on two Sunday nights ago, and it might have some similarities. But we didn’t plan this out together at all. I had my sermon text picked out before I knew Steve was going to preach it. Sometimes the Lord just does things like that.

Pharisees

With that being let me get back to the text. So the first person we are introduced to is the Pharisee. Most of us are aware of who the Pharisees are, they are the ones who aren’t fair you see. But we get that saying from the idea that the Pharisees thought it was a necessity to keep every single law to become saved. Growing up when we were required to do something we would often respond with these three words, “this isn’t fair.”

The Pharisees found it a necessity to obey all the Law’s and would often enforce those beliefs onto others. Which may not seem very fair. Now we know there is nothing wrong with keeping the Law, in fact Jesus even said himself that, “Unless your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”

Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven

Augustine of Hippo. (1886). Letters of St. Augustin. In P. Schaff (Ed.), J. G. Cunningham (Trans.), The Confessions and Letters of St. Augustin with a Sketch of His Life and Work (Vol. 1, p. 267). Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Company.