"More to Fasting than Meets the Eye" - The Pharisee and Publican
BBC THERE IS MORE TO FASTING THAN MEETS THE EYE LUKE 18:9-14 DEC2, 2007
9 THEN JESUS TOLD THIS STORY TO SOME WHO HAD GREAT SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SCORNED EVERYONE ELSE: 10 "TWO MEN WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY. ONE WAS A PHARISEE, AND THE OTHER WAS A DISHONEST TAX COLLECTOR. 11 THE PROUD PHARISEE STOOD BY HIMSELF AND PRAYED THIS PRAYER: 'I THANK YOU, GOD, THAT I AM NOT A SINNER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT TAX COLLECTOR OVER THERE! FOR I NEVER CHEAT, I DON'T SIN, I DON'T COMMIT ADULTERY, 12 I FAST TWICE A WEEK, AND I GIVE YOU A TENTH OF MY INCOME.' 13 "BUT THE TAX COLLECTOR STOOD AT A DISTANCE AND DARED NOT EVEN LIFT HIS EYES TO HEAVEN AS HE PRAYED. INSTEAD, HE BEAT HIS CHEST IN SORROW, SAYING, 'O GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME, FOR I AM A SINNER.' 14 I TELL YOU, THIS SINNER, NOT THE PHARISEE, RETURNED HOME JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD. FOR THE PROUD WILL BE HUMBLED, BUT THE HUMBLE WILL BE HONORED."
INTRO: THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE. CONSIDER SOME LACKLUSTER PAINTING FOUND AT SOME GARAGE SALE OR FLEA MARKET; WHEN SEEN BY AN EXPERT...IT MAY SELL FOR MILLIONS. CONSIDER MEN RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE LINED FIELD; CARRYING THE BALL, THROWING AND CATCHING THE BALL, KICKING THE BALL, DROPPING AND FUMBLING THE BALL. CONSIDER THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT THE PIANO, IVORY KEYS, AND A WOODEN FRAME AND A WOODEN BENCH; CONSIDER THE MIDNIGHT SKY AND THE EARLY MORNING DAWN, THE TELESCOPES ALLOWS US TO SEE INTO THE UNIVERSE AND THE MICRO SCOPE ALLOWS US TO SEE THE PARTICLES IN A DROP OF THE MORNING DEW. CONSIDER OUR BODIES, THERE IS A HEART BEATING, BLOOD FLOWING, SYNAPSES FIRING AND OVER 100 TRILLION CELLS FUNCTIONING. CONSIDER THIS BOOK, THE BIBLE IT IS MORE THAN A STORY, MORE THAN TWO HALVES OF A PROMISE..BUT THE WORD OF GOD THAT WILL LAST AN ETERNITY. YES, THERE MORE TO PRAYING....AND THERE IS MORE TO FASTING THAN MEETS THE EYE.
FASTING IS THE SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE OF “TURNING SOMETHING DOWN, SO GOD WILL SHOW UP.” IT IS A DISCIPLINE OF SELF- DENIAL THAT IS MEANS TO MAKE US SENSITIVE TO GOD AND THE WAYS OF GOD. HOWEVER EVERYONE WHO PRACTICES FASTING, OR ANY OTHER CHRISTIANS PRACTICE, MAY NOT BE MOTIVATED TO LIVE FOR AND PLEASE GOD. IT MAY BE AN ACT TO PLEASE ONESELF AND LOOK GOOD BEFORE OTHERS. THEREFORE, JUST BECAUSE ONE FAST, TITHES, OR COMES TO CHURCH THERE IS MORE TO THOSE ACTIONS THAN MEETS THE EYE. THE QUESTION ARISES, “WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO?” WHAT ARE MY MOTIVATIONS?
EXPL: IN THE CHAPTER, WE SEE VARIETY OF PEOPLE, A WIDOW, PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN, A PHARISEE, A PUBLICAN, A RULER AND A BLIND MAN. EACH OF THEM AS A SET OF CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS AND ALL RESPOND TO THEM IN AN DIFFERENT ASPECT OF PRAYER.
THE WIDOW WOMAN WHO HAS AN ADVERSARY
THE PUBLICAN WHO IS NOT ACCEPTED BY ANY
THE CHILDREN AND THE DISCIPLES TRIED TO ALIENATE THEM.
THE YOUNG RULER WHO WANTED EASY AFFIRMATION
THE BLIND MAN WHO AN EYE AFFLICTION.
IN THE TEXT, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PHARISEE ..THE PRECISE THEOLOGICAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE DAY AND THE UNPOPULAR PUBLICAN OR THE TAX MAN. THE PHARISEE WHO HAD ZEAL WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE, OUTSTANDING BY ALL CULTURAL MARKERS BUT THREATENED BY JESUS. THEN THE PUBLICAN, ONE WHO FARMED THE TAXES” LEVIED FROM A TOWN, CITY OR DISTRICT. THEY HIRED SUBORDINATES TO COLLECT THE TAX, AND SOME...AND WERE OFTEN GUILTY OF EXTORTION AND CORRUPTION IN ORDER TO MAKE A PROFIT. ROME APPLIED THE BURDEN, USED JEWS TO COLLECT THE TAX AND WERE BASICALLY HATED BY ALL. JESUS IS EVEN ACCUSED OF BEING A “FRIEND OF PUBLICANS AND SINNERS ( LU 7:34)
FROM EACH WE LEARN THAT THERE IS MORE TO PRAYER THAN MEETS THE EYE. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THESE PEOPLE IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A POWERFUL PRAYER LIFE?
I. WE MUST RELY ON THE LORD. V.9. THEN JESUS TOLD THIS STORY TO SOME WHO HAD GREAT SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SCORNED EVERYONE ELSE:
SELF-CONFIDENCE – THE PARABLE IS INTRODUCED TO THOSE WHO “TRUSTED IN THEMSELVES.” THEY CONVINCED THEMSELVES, PERSUADED THEMSELVES, AND SEDUCED THEMSELVES TO BELIEVE THEIR OWN “SUBSTANCE”. THE WARRIOR RELIES ON HIS ARMOR, THE RICH ON THEIR WEALTH AND THE PHARISEE ON HIS POSITION. AND IT IS MORE THAN MEAN SELF- CONFIDENCE BUT IT SITS WELL WITHIN THE BOARDS OF “BOASTING.” I AM THE MAN OR I AM THE WOMAN AND YOU ARE NOT....
SCORN – TO LOOK DOWN ON, TO REJECT, TO TREAT WITH DISDAIN...LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH. TO LOOK DOWN YOUR NOSE AT ANOTHER. TO DISHONOR. AND TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE.
SPIRITUAL LESSON - IMP- OUR PRAYER LIVES MUST RESONATE WITH “TRUST IN THE LORD.” AS INDIVIDUALS WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH, AND THE IS “THINGS” OF LIFE CAN ONLY CARRY US SO FAR. THEREFORE, WE MUST DECIDE WHO WE WILL TRUST IN; WILL WE TRUST IN OURSELVES, OUR POSITION, OUR POSSESSIONS OR WILL WE TRUST IN THE LORD.
THE PSALMIST SAID, PSALM 2:1-3 WHY DO THE 1 HEATHEN RAGE, AND THE PEOPLE IMAGINE A VAIN THING? 2 THE KINGS OF THE EARTH SET THEMSELVES, AND THE RULERS TAKE COUNSEL TOGETHER, AGAINST THE LORD, AND AGAINST HIS ANOINTED, SAYING, 3 1 LET US BREAK THEIR BANDS ASUNDER, AND CAST AWAY THEIR CORDS FROM US.
PSALM 20:7 SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS, SOME IN HORSES, BUT WE WILL REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD.
PSALM 118-9 SAYS, IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN MAN. IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN PRINCES.
PSALM 125:1 “THEY THAT TRUST IN THE LORD SHALL BE AS MOUNT ZION, WHICH CANNOT BE REMOVED BUT ABIDETH FOR EVER.
PROV. 3:5 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART, LEAN NOT TO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING, IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS
APP: CONFIDENCE MEANS I UNDERSTAND MY STRENGTHS AS WELL AS MY WEAKNESSES
I UNDERSTAND WHERE I EXCEL AS WELL AS WHERE I HAVE DEFICIENCIES. AND BEWARE OF THE MINDSET OF IT’S ALL ABOUT ME, I CAN HANDLE IT MYSELF, DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO,
PRIDE LIMITS POWER AND “DOING THINGS “MY WAY” WILL LEAD TO PERIL AND PAIN.
OK TO BE CONFIDENT BUT UNDERSTAND OVERCONFIDENCE AND ARROGANCE AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER IS A TERRIBLE COMBINATION. IN FACT, THE AMOUR BEARER OF SIN IS SELF CONFIDENCE.
OUR CONFIDENCE SHOULD BE IN CHRIST.
ILL: FIRST THERE WAS LIFE,
THEN IT NARROWED TO PEOPLE.
THEN US (WHICH KEEPS WE, BUT EXCLUDES THE THEM).
SELF WAS THE NEXT HIT.
ANY MINUTE NOW I'M EXPECTING THE NARCISSISM TO CONTRACT THE CIRCLE YET FURTHER TO ME.
ILL; CENTER OF THE WORLD - "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN," SAYS ROBERT FULGHAM'S POPULAR ESSAY AND BOOK. IN TRUTH, ONE OF LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT AND HARDEST LESSONS COMES TO US LONG BEFORE KINDERGARTEN. THIS LESSON IS PAINFUL AND UPSETTING TO LEARN, AND IT GOES AGAINST WHAT WE WANT TO THINK IS TRUE. BUT IT IS VITAL THAT WE LEARN IT. MANY PEOPLE NEVER DO. THE LESSON IS THIS: YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF YOUR UNIVERSE. YOU MIGHT AS WELL FACE IT. ONCE, A LONG TIME AGO, NICOLAUS COPERNICUS STUDIED THE SKY AND DECLARED, "IF MAN IS TO KNOW THE TRUTH, HE MUST CHANGE HIS THINKING! DESPITE WHAT WE HAVE SAID FOR YEARS, OUR EARTH IS NOT THE CENTER OF THE COSMOS-BUT JUST ONE CELESTIAL BODY AMONG MANY. THE SUN DOES NOT MOVE AROUND US; WE MOVE AROUND THE SUN." THAT WAS A RADICAL ADJUSTMENT-A REVOLUTION IN THOUGHT. YEARS LATER, JEAN PIAGET STUDIED CHILDREN AND DECLARED, "EACH CHILD MUST EXPERIENCE HIS OR HER OWN 'COPERNICAN REVOLUTION.’ THEY MUST LEARN THAT THEY ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THEIR WORLD." THIS IS A PRIVATE, RADICAL ADJUSTMENT FOR EVERY ONE. "AFTER ALL," EACH INFANT THINKS, "MY WANTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MET. LET LIFE CONTINUE THAT WAY!" "WALLS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE I RUN INTO THEM. THE FLOOR SHOULD BECOME SOFT JUST AS I FALL. EVERYONE SHOULD GIVE ME THEIR TOYS IF I WANT THEM. THE RULES OF GAMES SHOULD CHANGE SO I CAN ALWAYS WIN. AND BIG THINGS LIKE CARS SHOULD NEVER DRIVE WHERE I MIGHT WANT TO RUN OR PLAY." SOONER OR LATER, LIFE DOES NOT COOPERATE AND THE CHILD IS SHOCKED. WHAT ABOUT US ADULTS? HAVE WE LEARNED THE LESSON? MOST OF US LEARN IT. BUT SATAN URGES US TO PUT OURSELVES BACK IN THE CENTER. AND WE OFTEN DO, EVEN WHEN WE KNOW BETTER. JESUS CHRIST STUDIED HIS AUDIENCE AND DECLARED, "IF YOU WANT TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR THINKING! DESPITE WHAT YOUR SINFUL NATURE TELLS YOU, YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF YOUR WORLD. TO FIND LIFE, YOU MUST KNOW THE TRUTH. ACCOMMODATE YOURSELF TO THAT; IT WILL SET YOU FREE!" THAT IS THE MOST RADICAL ADJUSTMENT OF ALL. A HARD LESSON. THE ILLUSION IS EASIER. IT JUSTIFIES SELFISHNESS. AND WE ALL LIKE BEING SELFISH. TOO BAD THAT THE SELFISH WAY IS NOT TRUE. TOO BAD THAT IT DOES NOT BRING SATISFACTION OR LIFE. A HARD LESSON. BUT AN IMPORTANT ONE. LIFE GOES MUCH BETTER ONCE YOU HAVE GOT IT.
II. WE MUST HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. 10 "TWO MEN WENT TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY. ONE WAS A PHARISEE, AND THE OTHER WAS A DISHONEST TAX COLLECTOR. 11 THE PROUD PHARISEE STOOD BY HIMSELF AND PRAYED THIS PRAYER: 'I THANK YOU, GOD, THAT I AM NOT A SINNER LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT TAX COLLECTOR OVER THERE! FOR I NEVER CHEAT, I DON'T SIN, I DON'T COMMIT ADULTERY, 12 I FAST TWICE A WEEK, AND I GIVE YOU A TENTH OF MY INCOME.' 13 "BUT THE TAX COLLECTOR STOOD AT A DISTANCE AND DARED NOT EVEN LIFT HIS EYES TO HEAVEN AS HE PRAYED. INSTEAD, HE BEAT HIS CHEST IN SORROW, SAYING, 'O GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME, FOR I AM A SINNER
THE BIBLE IS FULL OF “TWO’S” ...
TWO LIGHT, THE SUN AND THE MOON
TWO BROTHERS, CAIN AND ABEL; JACOB AND ESAU
TWO WIVES, RACHEL AND LEAH
TWO WAYS AND PATHS; GOOD AND BAD
TWO BUILDERS; WISE AND FOOLISH
TWO HOUSES, ONE BUILD ON THE ROCK THE OTHER BUILT ON THE SAND
TWO STEWARDS; ONE WHO GOT INTEREST AND ONE WHO BURIED THE TALENT
TWO PEOPLE WHO WENT UP TO PRAY
PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN - TWO MEN WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY, HE PHARISEE AND FARMER OF TAXES...THE PHARISEE STOOD TOWARD HIMSELF..
POSITION OF PROMINENCE - .HE TOOK A POSITION OF WHERE HE SET HIMSELF UP; TO PLACE ON A SCALE...TO ARISE TO STAND UP ...TO SEE AND BE SEEN AS A VIP WITH AN AIR OF SELF – CONFIDENCE.
PROCLAMATION OF PRIDE- GIVE GOOD FAVOR TO YOU (WHO?), I AM ONE OF A FEW GOOD MEN...I DO FAST AND TITHE (APODEKATO...USED 4X) .STOP.....NOT DEKATO....WHICH MEANS TITHE...BUT KEEP BACK THAT WHICH DOES NOT BELONG TO ONESELF.....IT’S LIKE TITHING ON THE NET VS. THE GROSS.....IN A LEGALISTIC MANNER......AND ...I DON’T, XYZ, I DON’T ABC...LIKE THE OTHERS AND NO DOUBT THAT TAX FARMER.
CONTRASTED WITH THE PUBLICAN POSITION OF STANDING A FAR OFF....IN A FAR CORNER...OUT OF THE WAY, HE KEPT HIS DISTANCE FROM GOD ..FAR FROM THE ALTAR AND OTHER WORSHIPPERS....AND DID NOT LIFT UP HIS EYES...AND HE BEAT HIS BREAST.
PRAYER OF PETITION – LORD HAVE MERCY ON ME.
IMP: CHOICES MUST BE MADE - WE MUST DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WE WILL HAVE WITH THE LORD. WILL IT BE A SUPERFICIAL RELATIONSHIP FILLED WITH TRADITION AND RITUAL OR WILL IT BE A SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WHERE ONE REALIZES THAT WE ARE NOT WORTHY OF ALL HIS BLESSINGS. OUR DECISION MUST BE BASED ON WHO WE ARE A FALLEN CREATURES OR ..SINNER SAVED BY GRACE; NOT OUR PEDIGREE, NOT OUR POSITION AND NOT OUR POSSESSIONS. TRUTH BE TOLD...THE PUBLICAN MAY HAVE MORE POSSESSION THAN THE PHARISEE...BUT WHAT IS IMP. TO HAVING A RELATIONSHIP IS HOW EACH OF THEM SAW THEMSELVES:
COME LET US REASON – IS. 1:18 SAYS, COME NOW, AND LET US REASON TOGETHER, SAITH THE LORD: THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, THEY SHALL BE WHITE AS SNOW; THOROUGH THEY BE RED LIKE CRIMSON, THEY SHALL BE AS WOOL.
BEAM OUT YOU WON EYE, THE SPECK OUT OF OTHER EYE – LU 6:41 :AND WHY BEHOLD THE MOTE THAT IS IN THY BROTHER’S EYE, BUT PERCEIVE NOT THE BEAM THAT IS IN THINE OWN EYE?
DON’T THINK MORE HIGHLY OF YOURSELF THAN YOU REALLY ARE..- ROMANS 12: 3 AFTER PAUL SAYS TO PRESENT OUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, V.3 SAYS...FOR I SAY, THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN UNTO ME TO EVERY MAN THAT IS AMONG YOU...NOT TO THINK OF HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK; BUT TO THINK SOBERLY, ACCORDING AS GOD HAS DEALT TO EVERY MAN THE MEASURE OF FAITH.
1 PETER 5:6 SAYS HUMBLE YOURSELVES THEREFORE UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD, THAT HE MAY EXALT YOU IN DUE TIME.
PHIL 2:FF 5 1 LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU, WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS: 6 WHO, BEING IN THE 1 FORM OF GOD, 2, THOUGHT IT NOT ROBBERY TO BE 3 EQUAL WITH GOD: 7 BUT MADE HIMSELF OF 1 NO REPUTATION, AND TOOK UPON HIM THE 2 FORM OF A SERVANT, AND WAS MADE IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN: 8 AND BEING FOUND IN FASHION AS A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF, AND BECAME OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH, EVEN THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. 9 1 WHEREFORE GOD ALSO HATH HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, AND GIVEN HIM A 2 NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME: 10 THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS 1 EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, OF THINGS IN HEAVEN, AND THINGS IN EARTH, AND THINGS UNDER THE EARTH; 11 AND THAT 1 EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. 12
WILL WE PRAY JUST TO HEAR OURSELVES PRAY OR WILL WE PRAY TO CONFESS OUR SHORTCOMINGS AND OUR NEED FOR THE LORD. WILL WE BE HAUGHTY OR WILL WE BE HUMBLE. HUMILITY USHERS US INTO THE HALL OF GRACE BEFORE HIS THRONE OF MERCY.
APP: CONFESS YOUR SHORTCOMINGS...AND WATCH YOUR CRITICISM..-
ILL: BE CAREFUL AND CAUTIOUS HOW YOU CRITICIZE. THE MAN WHO HAD A GOOD OPINION OF HIMSELF AND HIS OWN VIRTUES AND THOUGHT HE WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE, STOPPED IN FRONT OF A TAXIDERMIST’S WINDOW, IN WHICH THERE WAS AN OWL WHICH HAD ATTRACTED QUITE A CROWD OF SIGHTSEERS. SO SURE HE WAS FAR SUPERIOR IN HIS KNOWLEDGE OF BIRDS, HE REMARKED, “WELL, IF I COULDN’T STUFF AN OWL BETTER THAN THAT, I WOULD QUIT THE BUSINESS. THE HEAD IS NOT RIGHT; THE POSE OF THE BODY IS AWKWARD; THE FEATHERS ARE NOT RIGHT; AND THE FEET ARE NOT UNDER IT RIGHT.” JUST THEN THE OWL TURNED ITS HEAD AND GAVE HIM A QUICK WINK OR TWO. THE CROWD ROARED. THEY TURNED TO COMMENT TO HIM; BUT HE SLUNK AWAY AS FAST AS HE COULD GO.
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III. WE MUST BE REDEEMED BY THE LORD. , 'O GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME, FOR I AM A SINNER.' 14 I TELL YOU, THIS SINNER, NOT THE PHARISEE, RETURNED HOME JUSTIFIED BEFORE GOD. FOR THE PROUD WILL BE HUMBLED, BUT THE HUMBLE WILL BE HONORED."
THE PUBLICAN’S PRAYER WAS LORD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER. MERCY...
MERCY IMITATES GOD AND DISAPPOINTS SATAN
MERCY IS GOD’S GOODNESS IN CONFRONTING HUMAN MISERY AND GUILT
MERCY IS BOUNDLESS, FREE AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.
JESUS SAID, BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY
THE PUBLICAN WASN’T JUST ASKING FOR MERCY, FOR PITY AND COMPASSION....THAT THE GENERAL WORD FOR MERCY CALLED ELEEOS.....IT’S THE COMMON WORD USED LATER ON BY THE BLIND MAN AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER. ...BUT HIS WORD IS DIFFERENT...IT MEANS RECONCILE, PLEASE, APPEASE, TAKE AWAY, (HILASKOMAI) IT’S USED AS A VERB IN THE VERSE....BUT ELSEWHERE USED AS A NOUN.
THE WORD MERCY, REMINDS US OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND THE ARK. THE LID OF THE ARK WAS CALLED THE MERCY SEAT AND IT WAS SPRINKLED WITH THE BLOOD OF THE SACRIFICE AND THEN PRIEST WOULD TAKE THE SAME BLOOD AND SPRINKLE IT ON THE PEOPLE. THE LAW IS PRESERVED BY THE BLOOD AND THE PEOPLE ARE PRESERVED BY THE BLOOD, NOT THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS, BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS. THE WORD USED HERE FOR MERCY ...MEANS AND REFERS TO THE “ATONEMENT SACRIFICE”..
IMP. THE PUBLICAN IS AWARE OF HIS OWN SIN AND HIS UNWORTHINESS..HE HAS NO MERIT...AND IN FAITH WE SEE THE PARADOX..THE CHAPTER STARTS OUT MENTIONING THE PHARISEE FIRST. AND NOW THE TAX COLLECTOR IS MENTIONED FIRST. HE WAS JUSTIFIED IN GOD’S PRESENCE. THE PHARISEE WAS JUST WASTING HIS TIME.
ILL: THE OLD TESTAMENT HEBREW WORD THAT WE TRANSLATE ATONEMENT MEANS LITERALLY "TO COVER UP." THE ANIMAL SACRIFICES WERE INTENDED TO "COVER" A MAN'S SINS. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, HOWEVER; THE MEANING OF ATONING SACRIFICE IS CONVEYED BY THE WORD EXPIATE, WHICH MEANS "TO PUT AWAY." THE BLOOD THAT JESUS SHED IN OUR BEHALF ON THE CROSS AT CALVARY DOES NOT MERELY COVER UP OUR SIN, IT PUTS AWAY OUR SIN AS THOUGH IT HAD NEVER BEEN COMMITTED.
T. W. WILSON
APPLI:
INSURANCE VS ASSURANCE
DON’T JUST GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS......DON’T BE LIKE THE LIKE THE PHARISEE ...ACTING OUT IN RITUAL TRADITION....CEREMONIAL INSURANCE.....
BUT BE LIKE THE PUBLICAN...WHO WENT TO GOD’S HOUSE AND RECEIVED ASSURANCE OF GOD....
ILL: There is a wonderful story about a young family moving into a new house. The move had been scheduled weeks in advance, but when the day approached the husband announced that an important meeting had been called at the office, and he would be unable to help. Consequently, the wife had to handle the move by herself. After the moving van had pulled away, the wife found herself standing in the living room of the new house surrounded by boxes to be unpacked, appliances to be hooked up, a screaming baby, and a five-year-old who decided to throw one of his metal toys through the picture window. Fortunately, the child wasn't hurt, but the jagged glass was scattered everywhere and a brisk wind was blowing through the opening. The wife was now so upset that she simply had to tell her husband what was happening. When she called him on the telephone, a secretary informed her that he was tied up in the meeting and could not be disturbed. The secretary asked, "Would you like to leave a message?" This didn't help her at all because from past experience the wife knew that he could be extremely lax about returning telephone calls home. So she figured out a way to get to him. She replied, "Just tell him the insurance will cover it. Call home for details."
The moment he got the message, he called home.
JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO CAME TO TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD. HE DIED TO REDEEM US, BUY US BACK FROM THE SLAVE MARKET OF SIN IN A HUMBLE ACT OF OBEDIENCE THAT PLEASED GOD AND WASHED MY SINS AWAY.
CLOSE: THERE IS MORE TO FASTING THAN MEETS THE EYE.....
THERE IS MORE TO PRAYER THAN MEETS THE EYE..
THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN MEETS THE EYE...
THERE IS MORE TO FAITH THAN MEETS THE EYE....
AS A RESULT OF ..
PERSISTENT FAITH
HUMBLE FAITH
CHILDLIKE FAITH
BOLD FAITH
THERE IS MORE TO JESUS THAN MEETS THE EYE
THERE IS MORE TO CALVARY THAN MEETS THE EYE
THERE IS THE PHARISEE
THERE IS THE PUBLICAN
BUT THERE IS ALSO THE PRIEST
PROBLEMS THAT ARE DEALT WITH BY FAITH
ALWAYS FIND THEIR SOLUTION IN OUR SAVIOR...
OUR POSITION IS CHANGED AS A RESULT OF PRAYER.
I am Redeemed
Chorus:
I am redeemed, bought with a price
Jesus has changed my whole life
If anybody asks you just who I am
Tell them I am redeemed.
Verse:
For where there was hatred, love now abounds
Where there once was confusion, peace now reigns
I am walking with my Jesus; I'm a child of the King
And it's all because I am redeemed
Verse II:
I'll tell of his favor
I'll tell of His love
I'll tell of His goodness
He purchased my redemption ,
with His own precious blood
I have been set free
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[1] AMG Bible Illustrations. electronic ed. Chattanooga : AMG Publishers, 2000 (Logos Library System; Bible Illustrations Series)