Sinners At Church
Luke 18:9-14 "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 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. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
It seems in the day of Jesus many people were trusting in their own imagined righteousness and religiosity to gain entry to heaven. This was a problem Jesus dealt with constantly all through His brief ministry. Members of the Jewish religious sect of the Pharisees were the prime religious offenders. Their religious self-righteousness was so extreme that some of them would routinely even cross the street to keep from meeting a Gentile face to face. Jesus had some very scathing remarks and severe indictments of such hypocrisy. His extended condemnation of their religious hypocrisy (Matt. 23:13-33) is summed up in two simple assertions: "[Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel......" " Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." (Matt. 23:24 & 28)
A few years later, Paul, who as Saul of Tarsus had been a leader among them, would give this analysis of their spiritually deadly religiosity: "Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Ro. 10:1-4)
Someone has commented upon the paradox of man’s consistent inconsistency with these words, "The more things change the more they stay the same." Just a few days ago I had a conversation with a lady at her door about what she might be trusting to make here right with God and get her into heaven when she died. The words of Jesus found here exactly sum up here response. She was, " . . . trusting in herself that she was righteous . ." Even after sharing clearly from the scriptures on the matter and giving my own testimony of salvation by grace through faith, she still seemed to feel that she had as good a chance as anyone to make to heaven through her own good works, righteousness and religions connections. Of course, she will not concede that no one has a chance to make it into heaven that way. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 10:43) But as I have shared recently, this remains a universal problem in our day. We receive the same sort of response from the overwhelming majority of those we try to share the gospel with as we go door to door in our community.
Isn’t it amazing that this simple parable Jesus spoke some 2000 years ago so uniquely fits our day as well? Perhaps some may think that since they are saved by the grace of God that such a story has not real contemporary personal application to their situation. I can understand that. But if you tend to think that way, I would simply ask you this question. "Are you familiar enough with the parable and what it really teaches that you could repeat the story and weave the lesson taught into a soul winning conversation? Could you personally lead someone to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their own Saviour by sharing the truths taught in this parable?”
But let me ask another question of us all. Just why did we come to church today? Did we come as sinners saved by grace, confessing our sins and failures of the week that is past and seeking God’s help and healing in our hearts and lives? Did we come as those who have been redeemed by His blood in order to focus upon the cross of Christ and praise and worship Him for the salvation He has given to us as a free gift? Did we come with a prayerful attitude that would welcome those who are yet lost in their sins among us to hear the message of the love of God? Are we praying that God’s Word and His Spirit might bring someone to the foot of the cross that they might be saved even today? Were we concerned enough this past week to try to reach out with the love of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ to some lost person God may have placed in path?
But what about those who go to church this weekend in our nation and around the world? The following information about the state of Christianity in Australia was in a brochure I received this week promoting the, "Year Of The Child," in 2003:
"In 1937, 1 million children out of a population of 9 million (11 %) attended Sunday School or a church related activity. In 2000, out of a population of 20 million only 200,000 children (1%) attended Sunday School or a church related activity. It is estimated that less than 5% of Australian children are connected with a church in any way." Similar surveys indicate that on any particular Sunday around 5% of our population may attend some sort of church. On the positive side, in the same mail out, I received the following information as well: "The Jesus Film has been used by more than 800 missions agencies and has been viewed by 4.85 billion people in 236 countries in 731 languages.."
It is sad that in many of the churches attended tradition and ritual will take centre stage and replace the truth of the gospel and the scriptures. In others, entertainment will replace real Biblical praise and worship and even the preaching of the Word of God. In all of this, the common thread will be a message that encourages church attenders to have faith in their own flesh and feelings rather than respond to the facts of the gospel and by faith receive the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
But even if all this is the case, if all the people who will go to church this weekend around the world could hear the true message of the gospel and then respond to it in the way they should, what a changed nation and world we would wake up to next week! It is clear in the parable under consideration that it is the desire of our Saviour that sinners go to church and that they who go to church hear and heed a gospel message and experience a spiritual life change.
Let us examine what our Savior shared with us about these two sinners at church one day. Everyone who attends any church in any place at any time in our world this weekend will leave church as one or the other of these sinners did. And since we all also have sinned and come short of the glory of God, our departure from the House of God today will also place us in one of the two categories described here.
This parable presents the simple story of two sinners at church. These two men were from radically different backgrounds. One was a rich and prosperous tax collector. In describing this particular sinner, Jesus presented a sinner who had come to personify the worst traits of the human character in the culture of his day. The publican was not only despised as a traitor to Israel because he collected taxes for the hated Roman Empire, but he was seen as a cruel and heartless crook who resorted to extortion, bribery and all sorts of unethical and dishonest means to squeeze every extra cent possible from his hapless victims. On the other hand, the Pharisee personified the ultimate self-righteous religions person of his day. These images would immediately come into the mind of the ordinary man in the street who heard this story in first century Palestine.
Let us examine these two different men who went to church one day. It is clear they both knew they were approaching the Holy God of this universe. They would have known His Spirit dwelt in the inner most part of the temple, behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies. I believe that although God is omnipresent in every place in His universe, He has promised His special presence in a sanctuary truly dedicated for the purpose of worshiping Him in Spirit and truth. (John 4:24, Matt. 18:20) We should approach Him and worship Him with great reverence and respect. This is one of the primary reasons I so strongly object to many of the excesses of entertainment that go under the guise of worship today. Frankly, I would be frightened to pretend to be worshipping the Holy God of Israel in the fleshly, flamboyant and flippant manner some do today.
We see some stark contrasts in their approach to God. It is clear they came with different attitudes and purposes. One came to glorify himself and the other came to glorify God. One seems to exude an arrogant and prideful spirit. The other demonstrates an humble and childlike spirit. We also see different foundations for their approach to God. One resorts to reciting a liturgy of his proud religious pedigree. The other simply says, "God be merciful to me, I am a sinner." One way was all right. The other way was all wrong.
Jesus had commented upon the two ways men try to approach God earlier in His ministry. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7:13-14) Solomon had mentioned this perennial religious problem nearly one thousand years earlier as well. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.: (Prov. 14:12)
THE PHARISEE HAD A PROBLEM WITH PRIDEFUL PRAYER. Jesus made it clear the Pharisee came to church disconnected from God. He had some barriers separating him from God. The first problem seems to be the focus of his prayer. He clearly was talking to himself rather than to God. We cannot be sure that he was not also talking to those who might have also been around him as well; perhaps other Pharisees. It is also apparent that the purpose of his prayer was to glorify himself, rather than God. He lists a long liturgy of the deeds he has done to deify himself before God. He boasts of his self-righteousness and self-importance. Notice the repetitive use of the first person personal pronoun.
Our Savior described the common practice of Pharisees with these words: "Therefore when thou doest [thine] alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." (Matt. 6:2-5)
The purpose of prayer is not to display ones imagined self-righteousness to God or man. Jesus’ critique of wrong-headed and wrong-hearted prayer indicates that acceptable prayer cannot issue from those who stand and proudly display their religiosity. He indicates that the problem may with proudly standing, rather than prostrating oneself before God in contrition and confession of sin. At least, we can safely say that those who stand proudly inside are not heard by God, no matter how eloquent and impressive their words may be. God is clearly not impressed with this approach.
THE PHARISEE HAD PROBLEM WITH RELIGION. It seems the Pharisee’s primary problem was religion. He was obviously very sincerely religious. It would seem the Pharisee did not see his need for the coming sacrifice of His Son on the cross in order to justify himself before God. After all, he had his own religion based upon his upright morality and good works, as he saw them. He seemed to be completely unaware that: " . . out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: . . (Mark 7:21-23) He appears to be oblivious to the fact that: ".. they that are in the flesh cannot please God..." (Ro. 8:8) He did not understand that: "..... we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousness [are] as filthy rags;..." (Isa. 64:6)
In effect the Pharisee seemed to be saying, "Don’t bother me with the gospel, I have my own religion!," Hardly a day passes in my door knocking endeavors without hearing words to that effect. Normally the statement is made in such a way as to dismiss any idea of further pursuit of the matter of how one really becomes a Christian. And as a rule, the sincerity of the statement cannot be called into question. But herein lies the real problem. The fervency and sincerity of the respondent does not negate the falsity of the underlying philosophy . In fact, I’m always reminded of the old cliche’, "Do you have a solution? Or are you a part of the problem!" Religion, the solution proposed by such a philosophy, is often the real problem.
The Pharisees, who constantly criticized and questioned the message and methodology of Jesus as he sought to share His message of repentance and faith with sinners, were perhaps the most religious people of all history. Paul did not question their deep sincerity and overwhelming religious zeal. He simply said none of this was of God. He correctly saw their religious rituals and liturgical litanies as merely thinly disguised attempts to establish their own righteousness.
The purpose of all their religious mumbo jumbo, do good philosophy and self-justification, was to enable them to personally avoid submitting themselves to the righteousness of God, as expressed in the person and purpose of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on the Cross. As long as they religiously maintained such a false facade, they would not have to swallow their false pride and humble themselves in simple childlike repentance and faith, trusting the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him alone, for salvation and eternal life.
PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH PRIDEFUL RELIGION TODAY. Things have not changed a great deal in this area as time has passed. The same philosophy still seems to be prevalent today. Such false teaching permeates the altars and is proclaimed from the pulpits of some of the most ornate cathedrals of our time. We hear the same sentiments espoused by the most modern of so-called theologians. We see such religion walking up and down our streets every weekend. I shudder to think of the greater condemnation modern-day Pharisees, who have led people to trust religious rituals and their own imagined good works, will face at the Judgment.
The sad fact of the matter, for those who "have their own religion", is that religion will not save. Religion is what we imagine we do for God. True Christianity is what God has done for us. Religion is man looking for and seeking God. Salvation is God seeking and finding man. Religion says do. Salvation says that Christ has done it all on the Cross long ago. It is finished. Religion says look at me. My good works. My form of godliness. My beautiful rituals. My piety. My holiness. My sacrifices. Salvation says look to the lifted-up Christ of Calvary and the judgment scorched earth all around. Let those of us who know The Way follow His example in pointing religious sinners to the only solution for their universal sin problem. A personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin.
THE PHARISEE LEFT CHURCH AS HE CAME. It is sad to say that it seems nothing positive happened to the Pharisee at church. He had seem himself in the best possible light. The barrier between Him and God was greater when he left than when he arrived. He had once more rejected God’s offer of mercy and forgiveness. He went away wrapped in the cloak of his self-importance. Perhaps he could not wait for the dismissal prayer in order to parade his self righteous religion up and down main street again.
If this is the end of his story, it is clear he would have been better off if he had not even gone to church. The Bible indicates that lost man will be accountable for the number of times he has heard and rejected God’s message. "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them..." (Mark 6:11a)
THE PUBLICAN’S PURPOSE IN GOING TO CHURCH. In this story, we have a clear contrast in the publican’s attitude and approach to church and to God. He demonstrates an humble and childlike spirit. He simply says, "God be merciful to me, a sinner." Perhaps there is something we who have been saved by the grace of God can all learn from his approach. It would seem that the true Israelite indeed would have approached the temple with a keen awareness of the sacrifices made there in order for his sins to be atoned, or covered, and rolled forward to the cross. It is essential that we approach the house of God with an equally keen awareness of the cross of Jesus Christ and its centrality in our faith.
Paul said, " But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." (Gal. 6:14) It is needful that we take up our cross and follow Him during the week if we are to approach Him properly in praise and worship upon the first day of the week. Paul also said, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal. 2:20) Sunday Christians who reluctantly attend God’s house through a mere sense of obligation and requirement, could not truly worship God in Spirit and in truth. After all, John said, " For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (I John 5:3)
The sacrifice of true worship and praise must come from a heart that is humbled by an acute personal awareness of the true nature of the cross. We must understand and humbly accept the enormity of our sins and the awesome atonement necessary that we might be made right with God Christ, before we can truly approach Him in acceptable worship. Peter recognized that our coming into the presence of the Holy God required the cross. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God," This acceptance should always precede our approach and attendance at God’s House. With this in mind, is it any wonder David said, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD."? (Psalm 22:1)
It is clear the publican did not approach God or His house in order to make a display of his own religiosity. He stood afar off. He evidently was not filled with pride or self-importance. He did not seem to view attending church as an opportunity to make a religious statement at all. He went along to seek that which he did not have and which only God could provide. It is clear that he went to church seeking spiritual help and healing.
We who are saved can also learn something as well from his approach and purpose. We should also realize that we are to approach God in praise and worship because we need spiritual help and healing. God’s house is not a museum or display center for self-righteous Christians who feel they have spiritually arrived, but a spiritual hospital for those who are wounded each week in the spiritual warfare that consistently and constantly rages around those who are soldiers of the cross. It is to be an edification center for those who need to be enlightened and encourage in the Word and the Way of the Lord. It is to be a place of loving friendship and fellowship for those who have struggled through the enmity of the evil world all week.
It is also clear the publican came to God’s house bowed down under the weight of his own personal sin. He knew his sin separated between him and His God. I’m afraid we may have allowed those who have made a ritual of confession, rob us of the blessings involved in approaching God’s house, individually and collectively, with a real attitude of contrition and confession. I do not believe the principle God enunciated to Israel through the prophet Isaiah has changed in our day, "Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear." (Isa. 59:1-2) Although it is true that we should daily and momentarily sincerely confess our sins and seek forgiveness, this does not negate the need to approach the worship of God with the attitude the Psalmists speaks of when he says, "The LORD [is] nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18) "The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Ps 51:17)
THE PUBLICAN LEFT THE HOUSE OF GOD A CHANGED MAN. Jesus emphasizes his sorrow and repentance for sin. His sin was so heavy upon his soul that he beat upon his breast, where his heart was. He obviously knew he had a heart problem. "The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9) In his choking and sobbing he cried out, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
This simple phrase has come down through history to us and is often called a form of, "the sinner’s prayer." Such prayers are common among those who are truly repentant and seeking God’s forgiveness. David cried out, "I have sinned.." The prodigal so also said, "I have sinned ..." Why are such prayers recorded as being common and essential in a sinner’s approach to God? Because it is the only real effective prayer a lost sinner can pray. Until such a prayer is sincerely prayed there is no communication line open between God and man. Paul made that clear when he said, "For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all..." (I Tim. 2:5-6) Later, John would attest to the same fact by saying, "And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:.." (I John 2:1)
Just what was the result of the publican’s approach to God? What was God’s response to this sinner’s sincere, heartfelt prayer? Jesus said, ". . .this man went down to his house justified . ." What a great thing! What a great blessing! Justified before God! He now stood in a position just as if he had never sinned at all! He had gone to church hurting, burdened and condemned before God. He left a changed man. His hurt was gone, his burden was lifted and he had peace with the God of this universe! "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Ro. 5:1) "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Ro. 8:1)
