THE WORLD IS CATERING TO “SELF.” THE WORLD IS WORKING HARD TO ERODE AND DISINTEGRATE THE FAMILY. THERE IS A SHIFT TO FIND WAYS TO SEGREGATE, SPLINTER, AND POLARIZE OTHERS TO DESTROY THEIR DESIRE TO FELLOWSHIP AND HAVE RELATIONSHIP.
ANYONE WHO DOES ANY FORM OF SHOPPING CAN NOW EASILY USE THE “SELF-CHECKOUT” LANE, AND IF YOU WANT TO CAPTURE YOURSELF IN A PICTURE AT A MEMORABLE LOCATION, YOU SIMPLY FLIP THE CAMERA LENS AROUND AND TAKE A “SELFIE.”
SOCIETY IS SLOWLY PUSHING AN IDEOLOGY THAT IS WORKING TO ELEVATE “SELF” TO A LEVEL OF “INDIVIDUAL IMPORTANCE” THAT IS ALARMING. IT GOES BEYOND JUST “SELF-HELP” BOOKS OR “DO-IT-YOURSELF” PROJECTS, BUT A SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT AND SUPERIORITY THAT CREATES CONFLICT, HOSTILITY, AND HATRED.
THIS IS WHY PAUL TAUGHT US “NOT TO BE CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD,” BUT TO BE TRANSFORMED, SO THAT WE, AS HE LATER SAID IN ROMANS 12:3, “…DON’T THINK [WE] ARE BETTER THAN [WE]REALLY ARE. BE HONEST IN [OUR] EVALUATION OF [OURSELVES], MEASURING [OURSELVES] BY THE FAITH GOD HAS GIVEN US.”
GOD CREATED US IN HIS IMAGE WHICH MAKES US ALL EQUAL IN WORTH AND VALUE. WHEN WE EVALUATE OURSELVES, WE KNOW WE ARE NOT GREATER OR LESS THAN ANY OTHER PERSON. WE CAN BE ASSURED OF BEING UNCONDITIONALLY LOVED BY GOD.
THAT IS WHY THE WORDS OF PETER ARE VALUABLE TO US TODAY IN ACTS 10:34-35, “I SEE VERY CLEARLY THAT GOD SHOWS NO FAVORITISM. IN EVERY NATION HE ACCEPTS THOSE WHO FEAR HIM AND DO WHAT IS RIGHT.”
BELIEVERS ARE ONE AND EQUAL WITH EACH OTHER! WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US IS THAT ALL OUR HUMAN DINSTINCTIONS HAVE LOST THEIR SIGNIFICANCE. NOBODY IS SPIRITUALLY SUPERIOR OVER ANOTHER OR MORE PRIVILEGED. BELIEVERS DO NOT RANK HIGHERTHAN OTHERS NOR DO THEY BOW IN SUBORDINATION.
GALATIANS 3:27-28, “AND ALL WHO HAVE BEEN UNITED WITH CHRIST IN BAPTISM HAVE PUT ON CHRIST, LIKE PUTTING ON NEW CLOTHES. THERE IS NO LONGER JEW OR GENTILE, SLAVE OR FREE, MALE AND FEMALE. FOR YOU ARE ALL ONE IN CHRIST JESUS.”
IF WE ARE HUMBLE, AS THE TAX COLLECTOR, WE WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE SINNERS AND NEED TO BE GRATEFUL FOR GOD’S MERCY. 1 PETER 5:5-6, “AND ALL OF YOU, DRESS YOURSELVES IN HUMILITY AS YOU RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER, FOR ‘GOD OPPOSES THE PROUD BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.’ SO HUMBLE YOURSELVES UNDER THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD, AND AT THE RIGHT TIME HE WILL LIFT YOU UP IN HONOR.”
WE LEARN THIS VALUABLE LESSON TODAY AS THE PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND TAX COLLECTOR SHOWS OUR NEED FOR A HUMBLE AND REPENTANT HEART BEFORE GOD.
WE SEE FROM THIS STORY THAT FORGIVENESS DID NOT COME TO THE PROUD AND SELF-RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE, WHO THINKS THAT HIS GOOD DEEDS, WORKS, AND SERVIC HAVE EARNED HIM A RIGHT STANDING BEFORE GOD, BUT TO THE TAX COLLECTOR, WHO RECOGNIZES HIS OWN SINFULNESS AND PRAYS FOR MERCY.
THIS PARABLE MOST LIKELY SHOCKED MANY LISTENING TO JESUS, BECAUSE THEY CONSIDERED THE PHARISEES’ RELIGIOUS AND UPRIGHT STANDING IN SOCIETY AS HONORABLE, BUT THE TAX COLLECTOR WAS A DESPISED, WICKED AND UNCLEAN “SINNER.”
I AM SURE MANY WERE DEEPLY OFFENDED JUST DUE TO THE FACT THAT JESUS SAID THE TAX COLLECTOR WAS IN THE TEMPLE, THE HOUSE OF GOD, WHICH WAS VIEWED AN ACT OF DEFILEMENT.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARABLE REMINDS US NOT TO BE “OVERCONFIDENT” IN GAUGING OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS. WE MUST GUARD AGAINST TRUSTING IN OUR OWN ABILITIES AND RESOURCES WHILE VIEWING OTHERS WITH CONTEMPT.
THE PHARISEE SEEMS TO COME BEFORE GOD BOLDLY, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. THE GREEK PHRASE “THE PHARISEE STOOD AND PRAYED” MEANS HE ACTUALLY WENT UP TO A PROMINENT LOCATION IN THE FRONT OF THE TEMPLE. IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM TO BE HEARD BY OTHERS THAN BY GOD, HIMSELF!
SO, STANDING WHERE EVERYONE COULD BOTH SEE AND HEAR HIM, THE PHARISEE BEGINS WHAT LOOKS LIKE A PRAISE PSALM: "I THANK YOU, GOD." THIS TYPE OF PSALM, THE PETITIONER, IS HEARD USUALLY THANKING GOD FOR SOMETHING GOD HAS DONE OR FOR SOME BLESSING THAT GOD HAS PROVIDED.
BUT THIS PHARISEE GOES IN A DIFFERENNT DIRECTION. HE IS NOT ONLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL HIS OWN GOOD QUALITIES THAT HELPS HIM TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIS RELIGIOUS DUTIES, BUT THAT HE HAS REMAINED LEGALLY AND RITUALLY PURE.
SO LEGAL AND SO PURE THAT HE IMMEDIATELY TURNS THE ATTENTION TO HIMSELF BY BRAGGING ABOUT HOW HE IS NOT LIKE OTHER SINNERS, SUCH AS ROBBERS, EVIL DOERS, ADULTERERS, OR EVEN A TAX COLLECTOR.
HE WAS BASICALLY SAYING THAT “THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE” ARE NOT ONLY UNRIGHTEOUS, BUT PEOPLE WHOSE LIFESTYLES ARE BREAKING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.
HE GOES AS FAR AS TO BRAG ABOUT HOW HE HONORS GOD BY FASTING VOLUNTARILY TWICE A WEEK AND BY TITHING. WHAT HE IS ACCTUALLY SAYING IS THAT HE GOES “ABOVE AND BEYOND” THE BARE MINIMIMUM OF WHAT IS REQUIRED OF HIM.
HE IS BOLDY ANNOUNCING THESE ACTS OF RELIGION AS IF HE WERE PINNING MEDALS OF ACHIEVEMENT ON HIS CHEST FOR GOD TO SEE AND GRANT HIM FAVOR.
BUT LITTLE DID HE REALIZE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY SAYING, "I THANK YOU GOD, THAT I AM SO GREAT!" THIS IS A PRAYER THAT IMPLIES THAT GOD SHOULD BE HONORED THAT HE IS ON GOD'S TEAM.WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE THE PHARISEE USES FIRST PERSON SINGULAR PRONOUNS FIVE TIMES! “I THANK; I AM NOT; I FAST; I GIVE; I POSSESS.” HE MAKES HIMSELF THE MAJOR SUBJECT OF HIS OWN PRAYER! SO, REALLY, THIS DOESN’T DESERVE TO EVEN BE CALLED A PRAYER! IT IS MORE LIKE A EULOGY!
THE TAX COLLECTOR, ON THE OTHER HAND, STANDS AT A DISTANCE AND DOESN’T EVEN COME INTO THE TEMPLE. HE CAN’T EVEN LOOK UP TO HEAVEN, BUT SIMPLY BEATS HIS CHEST AND PRAYS "GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER."
THE GREEK TRANSLATION IS LITERALLY “THE SINNER” AND NOT JUST “A SINNER.” WHAT THIS SHOWS US IS THAT HE WAS DEEPLY CONSCIOUS OF HIS SINS, AND HE WAS NEARLY OVERWHELMED BY THE SENSE OF HIS OWN UNWORTHINESS.
HE HAD NOTHINNG TO SAY IN HIS FAVOR OR DEFENSE; THERE IS NO SENSE THAT GOD OUGHT TO FEEL HONORED OR OBLIGATED TO HIM IN ANY WAY. HIS ONE, AND ONLY PLEA, WAS FOR GOD’S MERCY.
HIS REQUEST FOR MERCY USES A GREEK FORM OF THE HEBREW WORD MEANING "TO COVER." BY USING THIS FORM OF THE WORD HE IS LITERALLY CONFESSING THAT THERE ISN'T ANYTHING HE CAN DO TO EARN GOD'S FORGIVENESS. THE TAX COLLECTOR SIMPLY MAKES AN APPEAL FOR GOD'S FORGIVING COMPASSION. HE COMES INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD DESIRING ONLY TO IMPROVE AND DEEPEN HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
JESUS DECLARED THAT THE TAX COLLECTOR “WENT DOWN TO HIS HOUSE JUSTIFIED.” THE WORD “JUSTIFY” MEANS “TO DECLARE OR TREAT AS RIGHTEOUS.” THE TAX COLLECTOR WAS BOTH FORGIVEN AND APPROVED OF GOD FOR ACKNOWLEDGING HIS SINS.
THE PRIVILEGE IS OURS, AS WELL, TO KNOW GOD AS FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST, THE SON, AS SAVIOR. THAT IS WHY JESUS ENDS THE PARABLE IN LUKE 18:14, "…FOR THE PROUD WILL BE HUMBLED, BUT THE HUMBLE WILL BE HONORED.
THESE WORDS OF EZEKIEL 21:26 THAT JESUS QUOTES MEANS THAT SELF-EXALTATION IS EVIL AS IT CAN’T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN VIEW OTHERS WITH CONTEMPT. SELF-CENTERDNESS AND SPIRITUAL ARROGANCE ARE AT THE HEART OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH GOD WILL BRING DOWN AND JUDGE.
WE MUST COMPARE AND MEASURE OURSELVES AGAINST ONLY ONE STANDARD: GOD HIMSELF! 1 PETER 1:16, “FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY.” WE MUST RISE TO LIVING AT THE LEVEL OF A SANCTIFIED, SACRIFICIAL AND HOLY LIFE THAT IS SEPARATED AND FAR DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD.
THE VALUES GOD HONORS ARE THOSE WHEREBY WE LOOK AT OURSELVES IN LIGHT OF WHO HE IS, NOT THROUGH THE DISTORTION THAT COMES FROM THE WORLD BY COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHERS AND JUDGING THEM BY SIGHT, SOCIAL STANDINGS, ECONOMIC STATUS, OR ANY OTHER DESCRIPTIVE TERM.
THE PHARISEE ONLY HAD ENOUGH RELIGION TO BE VIRTUOUS, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO BE HUMBLE. AS A RESULT, HIS RELIGION AND SELF-IMPOSED RIGHTEOUSNESS DROVE HIM AWAY FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR RATHER THAN TOWARD HIM.
LET US NOT BE OVERCONFIDENT IN OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSESS, BUT LIVING HUMBLY IN REPENTANCE AND FULLY SURRENDERED TO GOD TO LOVE, LIVE, AND BE JUST LIKE JESUS. AMEN.
