Sermons on Pharisee Rules:

Too Full Of Yourself? Or Weighed Down By Shame?

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Feb 21, 2013

A short talk given at a baptism service. If we’re too full of ourselves then God desires humility. If we’re weighed down by sin, by shame, by guilt, and if we can pray, "God have mercy on me a sinner", God will restore us and lift us up.

Jesus told lots of challenging stories; and in the Church we tend to calls his stories parables. But why did Jesus use stories, parables, to communicate truth to his 1st century audience? Well, he used parables to paint a picture with a punchy, poignant, pertinent point. His pithy parables packed a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Anglican

Not To Be Called Rabbi, Father Or Teacher? How's That? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 25, 2020

Not only did the Son of Man come to serve, not to be served, He insisted that the ones who follow Him take that as the pattern of life.

Tuesday of the 3rd Week in Course 2020 St. Thomas Aquinas This Gospel from a late chapter in St. Matthew’s Gospel has caused a great deal of ink to be spilled, especially in the dialogue or dispute between Catholics and Protestants. Catholics call priests “Father,” and the pope the “Holy Father.” ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 23:8-12

Denomination: Catholic

The Christian And Fasting Series

Contributed by Grant Adams on Nov 26, 2019

Perhaps, the most misunderstood and most misapplied teaching in the Bible is the teaching of fasting.

The Christian and Fasting Matthew 6:16-18 Perhaps, the most misunderstood and most misapplied teaching in the Bible is the teaching of fasting. Down through the ages, it has been a method of displaying something on the outside that was supposed to be prevalent on the inside. It supposedly used to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 6:16-18

Denomination: Baptist

Jesus Is The Better Shepherd (John 10:1-21) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Feb 10, 2022

John's readers who have chosen to hear Jesus, and follow him, and become part of his flock, have upgraded their shepherd. Jesus is a better shepherd than the Pharisees.

Let's start today by simply reading John 10:1: (1) Truly, truly, I say to you, the one not entering through the gate/door into the inner courtyard of the sheep, but going up from some other place-- that one, a thief, he is, and a robber. When we read this, we should notice something, ...read more

Scripture: John 10:1-21, John 9:24-41

The Danger Of Comparative Righteousness Series

Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on Jun 6, 2021

Thank God I Am NOT LIKE............

February 06, 2021 The Context: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told a story”: The Parable {Luke 18:10-14}: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

Easter Preparations - Part 3

Contributed by Todd Blair on Apr 16, 2022

Palm Sunday Sermon

Have you ever done anything that you knew was going to be painful but would ultimately be for your benefit? Maybe you started an exercise program and you knew it would be difficult but you needed to get back in shape or lose some weight. Or maybe you underwent some surgery you knew you needed even ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Marks Of Sinful Criticism. Series

Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Mar 4, 2024

May we use our speech to edify and save, rather than tearing down and destroying. Let us strive to be constructive critics, speaking truth in love, for the glory of God.

we are going to explore the marks of sinful criticism, which are contrasted with the characteristics of constructive counsel. Sinful criticism, also known as faultfinding, is a behavior that we must be aware of and avoid in our Christian walk. Firstly, let us examine the motives behind our words ...read more

Scripture: Romans 13:10, Genesis 37:4, Job 12:1-3, 1 Corinthians 14:3

Hard To Be Humble

Contributed by Gaither Bailey on Oct 20, 2022

Humility before the Lord should always be our focus.

Hard To Be Humble – Luke 18: 9 - 14 Intro: Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble When you’re perfect in every way I can’t wait to look in the mirror Cause I get better lookin’ each day To know me is to love me I must be a heck of a man Oh Lord, it’s hard to be ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

The Prayer Of The Humble Pierces The Clouds

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 21, 2022

Paul had prayed all his life, as we should. “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds.” God always hears our prayers.

Thirtieth Sunday in Course 2022 It’s helpful for us, two thousand years since the events, to consider some background on this story, this parable, of Jesus about the Pharisee and the tax-collector, sometimes called the “publican.” The word “Pharisee” comes directly from the Greek. It means ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:6-18, Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Catholic

God’s Great Love For Humble Sinners Series

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 23, 2023

Working through the Gospel of Luke using consecutive expository preaching. Teaching sheet included at end of text.

“God’s Great Love for Humble Sinners” Luke 18:9-14 Pastor John Bright Luke 18 “9 Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14, Matthew 6:5

Denomination: Methodist

Out Of Sight...

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Jul 4, 2023

God can see us all the time, whether we acknowledge him or not.

How many of you have played peek-a-boo with a baby? Fun, isn’t it? But eventually they figure out that you can see them even when they can’t see you, and the thrill goes away. It’s a control thing, I think... they’re learning that what they do has an effect on their environment, and sometimes it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:33-46

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

"Be On Your Guard, Don’t Be Fooled”

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Nov 13, 2024

What a year we have experienced! People worried. Will there be a peace transition of power? It seems the world is on fire...wars and rumors of war. Will there be peace? In Mark 13 Jesus tells about the future destruction of Jerusalem.

In Jesus Holy Name November 17, 2024 Text: Mark 13:1-2 Pentecost XXVI Redeemer “Be On Your Guard, Don’t Be Fooled” What a week it’s been for all of us! This has been one of those rare ...read more

Scripture: Mark 13:1-8, Matthew 24:1-14, Luke 21:5-36

Denomination: Lutheran

Who’s In Charge Here!? Premium Sermon

Contributed by PRO Premium on Oct 9, 2023

This sermon explores the authority of Jesus as the Messiah, the pride and blindness of the Pharisees, and the call for humility and inclusivity in faith.

Welcome church! Today we’ve got an interesting passage about the authority of Jesus and the inability of the Pharisees to see Jesus for who He is. And, smack dab in the middle of it all there is a parable about 2 sons. How are these things related? Why is authority important and what role does ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 21:23-32

Topics: Jesus' Authority, Pharisees' Pride, Redemption

"They Both Came Too Pray"

Contributed by Clarence Eisberg on Oct 21, 2010

The parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector.... one represents all people through history who seek to find "their" own "way" to justify themselves.... and one represents the one who finds Jesus and knows that by faith God sees him/her "just as if I

In Jesus Holy Name October 24, 2010 Text: Luke 18:9-14 Redeemer “They Both Came to Pray” During the past Sundays our Sunday morning Gospel lessons have been moving us through the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 14 Jesus told his disciples about the “cost of being a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Lutheran

The Exalted And The Justified

Contributed by Jeff Hatos on Aug 11, 2018

An examination of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector

The Exalted and the Justified Luke 18:9-14 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 18:9-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational