PHARISEE OR PUBLICAN-WHICH ARE YOU
Luke 18:9-14
There was a very lost, wicked, rebellious man who decided it would be good for business if he went down to the church and joined it. He was an erer, an alcoholic, and had never been a member of a church in his life.
But when he went down to the altar to join the church, he gave public testimony to the church that there was no sin in his life, and that he had grown up in the church, and they readily accepted him as a member.
When he went home he told his wife what he had done, and his wife, a very godly lady, exploded. She scolded him for being such a hypocrite, and demanded that he go back to the church the next week and confess what he really was. Well, God used his wife to really break him, and he took it to heart.
The next Sunday he went back to the church, walked down to the front again, and this time confessed to the church all of his sins. He told them he was dishonest, an alcoholic, an erer, and he was sorry. They revoked his membership on the spot. He walked out of the church that day scratching his head and muttered to himself: "These church folks are really strange. I told a lie and they took me in; and when I told the truth they kicked me out!"
The Lord Jesus told a story of two men in a similar situation who had totally different results. One man tried to talk himself into heaven, but he didn’t make it. One man tried to talk himself out of heaven, and he did make it.
Now Luke makes it plain who Jesus told this parable to. For he says in verse 9, "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others." Now if you want to know whether or not you are being addressed in this parable, let me ask you some questions:
Do you ever look at people who don’t go to church, and think you are better than they are because you do go to church? If so, Jesus is talking to you.
Do you ever look at people in prison, and think you are better than they are because you are not in prison? If so, Jesus is talking to you.
Do you ever look at people who are divorced, and think that you are better than they are because you are not? If so, then Jesus is talking to you.
Do you ever look down your nose at anyone for any reason, and think you might be better than them? If so, Jesus is talking to you.
I promise you, every one of you will find yourself somewhere in this story. Because at one time or another all of us are guilty of trying to impress God. You are going to learn, surprisingly, what does impress God, and what doesn’t.
I. I find RELIGION in this parable (10)
A. There are PLACES associated with religion.
The Pharisee and the Publican both came to the temple. Today the church is a place that is associated with religion. Religious people go to church.
Heathens are observers of temple-worship. Our Lord, and his apostles, went up to the temple; and we are commanded by the apostle, "not forsaking the assembling ourselves together, as the manner some is” in our days. Though our devotions may begin in our closets, they must not end there. If people never show their devotions to before others, I must suspect they have little or none at home. "Two men went up to the temple."
B. There are PRACTICES associated with religion
What went they to the temple for? Not to make the house of God a house of merchandise, or turn it into a den of thieves; not to criticize the preacher, or disturb the congregation; no, they came to the temple, says our Lord, "to pray."
"Two men went up to the temple to pray." I fear one of them forgot his errand. I am at a loss as to what to call the Pharisee’s address; it certainly does not deserve the name of a prayer. It may rather be said that he came to the temple to boast, than to pray; for I do not find one word of confession of his original guilt; not one single petition for pardon for his sins, ora request for grace to help in time of need. He only brings to God a reckoning of his performances. "The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself; God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, erers, or even as this Publican."
To thank God that we are not extortioners, unjust, erers, and as wicked in our practices as other men are, is certainly good if we are owing it all to God’s restraining, preventing, and assisting grace, but this was not what the Pharisee was doing.
The attitude of this Pharisee was one of self-trust, self-righteousness, and contempt for others. These are the very attitudes which Jesus underscored at the beginning of the parable (9).
The standard by which the Pharisee judged righteousness and unrighteousness was external, focusing only on outward deeds rather than on the heart. The Pharisee judged himself in terms of those sins which society found unacceptable, rather than in terms of what offends God. Put differently, the Pharisee thought in terms of “crimes” more than in terms of “sins.” Swindlers, unjust, erers, and tax-collectors were all looked upon as “crooks.” Once again, human standards are in view. The things which the Pharisee looks down upon as sin are those things which society shuns as unacceptable.
The standard which the Pharisee used was comparative, not absolute. The Pharisee did not use the Law as his standard of measuring righteousness; rather, he compared himself with the publican. He saw himself as righteous simply because he was, in his opinion, better than the publican. When we compare ourselves with others, we usually draw wrong conclusions
The Pharisee did not ask God for anything, because he did not believe that he lacked anything. The Pharisee was self-sufficient. He trusted only in himself, and he found himself sufficient; as a result, he asked nothing of God.
“I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." The Pharisee is not condemned for his fasting, for fasting is a Christian practice; "when ye fast," says our Lord, taking it for granted that His disciples would fast. "In fastings often," says the apostle Paul.
"I give tithes of all that I possess" again a religious practice.
II. I find REJECTION in this parable
A. The assurance that is displayed by the Pharisee
He thought he was just fine. I fear this parable is spoken against many today: for are there not many, who go up to the church to pray, with no better spirit than this Pharisee. Because you fast and tithe, and do no body any harm to others, think that you are safe, but you are foolishly mistaken.
The Pharisee had convinced himself that he was righteous because of the way he lived. Now, there was nothing wrong with how he lived and what he did. What was wrong is that he was trusting in those things to save him. It does not matter if you are the best man in town and fast many times a week and give 50% of your income to the Church, those things can not saved you.
The point at issue in this parable was not that this man was bad, but that good as he was, he was not good enough.
B. The acceptance that is denied to the Pharisee
When Jesus finished giving the parable, He described the two men leaving and going to their houses. They both left the Temple and went home, but just as they were different in who they were and how they prayed, they both went home differently. Jesus said in verse 14, "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” “The other” is the Pharisee. The Pharisee did not go home acquitted, pardoned, and accepted by God
III. I find REDEPMTION in this parable
Let us now look at the publican. "And the Publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner."
A. Observes his request
"The publican, standing afar off." Perhaps in the outward court of the temple he stood conscious that he was not worthy to approach the Holy of holies; so conscious and so weighed down with a sense of his own unworthiness, that he would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven, which he knew was God’s throne. Poor heart! what did he feel at this time! none but returning publicans, like himself, can tell.
His heart was full of holy self-resentment that he smote upon his breast- he layS the blame upon none but his own wicked heart. He smites upon his breast, his treacherous, ungrateful, desperately wicked breast; a breast now ready to burst and at last cries out, "God be merciful to me a sinner." God be merciful to me, even to me a sinner, a sinner by birth, a sinner in thought, word, and deed; a sinner as to my person, a sinner as to all my performances; a sinner in whom is no hope, in whom dwelleth no good thing, a sinner, poor, miserable, and blind. "God be merciful to me a sinner."
There is no confidence in his flesh. Here is no plea based on his fasting, tithing, or the performance of any other duty; here is no boasting that he was not an extortioner, unjust, or an erer. Perhaps he had been guilty of all these crimes; at least he knew he would have been guilty of all these, had he been left to follow the devices and desires of his own heart; and therefore, with a broken and contrite spirit, he cries out, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
This man came up to the temple to pray, and he prayed indeed.
B. Observe his return
A broken and contrite heart God will not despise. "I tell you," says our Lord, "this man," this Publican, this despised, sinful, but broken-hearted man, "went down to his house justified (acquitted, and looked upon as righteous in the sight of God) rather than the other."
"For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
"Every one," without exception, young or old, high or low, rich or poor (for God is no respecter of persons) "every one," whosoever he be, that exalteth himself, “every one” that trusteth in himself that he is righteous, that rests in his practices or performances for justification in the sight of God will not stand justified.
However, he that humbles himself, whoever he be: if, instead of fasting twice in the week, you have been drunk twice in the week; if, instead of giving tithes of all that you possess, you have cheated the church of your tithes will just humble yourself and trust in the work of Christ on Calvary you can be justified from all sins by the of Jesus.
Conclusion:
The publican, bad as he undoubtedly was, had not fallen too low to be lifted again by the mercy of God. The one that commends himself, God condemns. The one that condemns himself, God justifies. The man that confesses he deserves to go to hell will never go there
There is nobody too bad for Jesus Christ to save, but there are millions who think themselves too good for Jesus Christ to save.
