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The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.
The
Collect.
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O
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GOD,
who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity; Mercifully
grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy
commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy
heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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A
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nd he spake this parable unto certain which
trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one
a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 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. 12 I
fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 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. 14 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. (Luke 18:9-14)
Today’s text is an indictment of spiritual arrogance and pride, and a failure
of humility in the face of one’s personal sins. The Pharisee was as lost as a
door-nail, but did not know it. The publican, too, was just as lost; but the
publican KNEW of his unworthiness. Only when we realize our unworthiness can we
become worthy in the eyes of the Lord through His grace and mercy. More than
spiritual arrogance, the Pharisee felt that he was so much better than others,
that his heart was filled with hate for them.
This parable was spoken in the closing days of our Lord’s earthly ministry. The
lesson Jesus teaches is one that is hard for man to grasp when viewed through
the eyes of the flesh. If we can grasp the point of this parable, it must be
through the eyes of the Spirit and of the humble heart. The purpose of the
account is presented in its opening line: And he spake this parable unto
certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised
others. Do any here trust that they are righteous? If so, we are not
unlike the hypocritical Pharisee about whom Christ speaks. Before we can ever
be saved, we must first recognize that we are hopelessly lost and unable to
save ourselves – it is upon the Mercy Seat of God that we must cast our appeal
for deliverance. If we believe that the Scriptures are true – and we MUST –
there is none righteous. There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none
that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out
of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth
good, no, not one. (Romans 3:10-12) While it is true none under the condemnation of sin may enter
heaven, it is also true God has provided a means whereby we may be accounted
righteous – that is through the redeeming and atoning blood of Jesus Christ!
The PRIDEFUL will be the most difficult to understand that they can never earn
their salvation by doing good works since even GOOD WORKS are sin to the
unsaved.
All who do not know Christ are truly walking dead, or, as Boris Karloff would
claim – ZOMBIES! Have you ever been dead and required resuscitation? Have you
been dead and brought back to the land of the living? If you know Christ as
your Lord and Savior, surely, you were once dead and are now made alive. Read
these verses from Ephesians 2: And you hath he quickened, who were dead in
trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that
now worketh in the children of disobedience. (Eph 2:1-2) and But God, who is rich in mercy, for his
great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us
up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Eph
2:4-6) So now, the question I
asked earlier takes on a deeper and more significant meaning, doesn’t it? Have
you, friend, been dead and made alive? Pride makes it very hard to admit that
we were, indeed, dead in time past. A dead person can do nothing to help
themselves for they are DEAD. Only the revitalizing and life-giving Spirit of
God can make a DEAD person live! So, we can do nothing to save ourselves – it
is a work of Grace through Faith!
So we come to the example of two men who have come to the Temple for the same
reason – to pray. 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one
a Pharisee, and the other a publican. These two men represent the whole of the professing church today.
One of these men is a fancy-dresser and a hypocrite. The other is a sin-laden
and humble publican. They both have come to the RIGHT place for the RIGHT
purpose; but there is a difference that separates the two through which you
could drive Napoleon’s army. To all appearance, the Pharisee is a devout and
righteous fellow, but there is a darkness about him that lies unrevealed to the
observer – it is a heart that is ‘full of itself’ and not of Christ! Each man
prays, but the prayers are vastly different. Let us read on:
11 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. Though it is not stated specifically, the impression is that the
Pharisee stood with proud posture. His words reveal truly his self-pride. 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
6:5) Notice how the Pharisee
prays: “prayed thus with
himself.” His prayer never
got any higher than the pit of the heart from which it sprang. He prayed just
as many professed Christians pray today – to be heard of men, not to be heard
of God. And WHAT did the Pharisee pray? God, I thank thee. This is well and good. I believe if some of our prayers ended at
the salutation, they might be more Godly. But WHAT did the Pharisee thank God
for? . . . I am not as
other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. Oh, I see! “Thank God that we are so very good and pious!” It
would seem that God needs to forgive nothing in this Pharisee since he is so
righteous, but wait! There is none righteous but God! So, regardless of his
personal faith, something, in the eyes of the Pharisee, makes this publican,
and all men, less righteous than himself. What is it? It is a smug religious
self-righteousness that has prevailed in the prideful hearts of lost men from
Cain until our own day – especially, our own day! NO one is as good as pretty,
innocent, little-old ME! Just look at my clean washen hands and noble posture.
Unfortunately to his own soul, the Pharisee is not finished damning himself in
the eyes of God for he continues: “I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” Though this may be true, it is a false righteousness. He is
boasting of that false righteousness. Jesus has clearly counseled on the ways
in which we must fast: Moreover
when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they
disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head,
and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father
which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee
openly. (Matt
6:16-18) The moment we boast of
our righteous acts, they become egregious sins! This Pharisee, like many of his
fellows and Christians today, was a flaming hypocrite! But to those standing
by, it is perhaps true that he was regarded as more righteous in the eyes of
the crowd. Do you pray to the crowd or to God? Do you live unto Him, or unto
THEM? How long do you labor for the fancy words to impress the listening crowd?
Now comes the prayer of a man who knew he was unworthy of the mercies of God –
just as none of us are worthy! He came with a very pitiful opinion of himself,
but a mighty high opinion of God! He is a man hated by the people for his
perceived collusion with Rome as a tax collector. He is considered, along with
Zacchaeus, as the scum of the earth, before Christ! He does not dare come so
near the Temple as the ‘honorable’ Pharisee – And the publican, standing afar off. So, he
stands back at a respectful distance – not daring to set his foot upon the Holy
ground that he believes surrounds the Temple. May I suggest that all approach
God from a “far off” place for it is not our natures to be Holy? We return as
the Prodigal Son – from a far country into the loving arms of the Father. This
publican has missed the ‘self-esteem-building classes’ of our modern public
schools. He esteems himself as nothing, and he regards God as the All-in-All!
How can any sinner approach God in any other way? Would that the Pharisee could
have followed the example of the publican!
What was the outward attitude of the publican? Was it prideful and boastful?
Would any person, raised up in the pride of their persons, come to God as does
this publican? Observe his approach and plaintive cry: . . . . would not lift up so much as his
eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a
sinner. He makes no DEMAND of God as is so common in
the modern charismatic services. He was in deep mourning for his sins. He was
not good enough to look God in the eye. His sins had become an intolerable
burden from which he desperately sought relief. Our Lord had this poor man, and
you and me, in mind when He said: Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light.
(Matt 11:28-30)
Please note the object of the publican’s prayer as opposed to the prideful
boast of the Pharisee: God be
merciful to me a sinner. He asks for NOTHING more than MERCY and Grace!
Because he was humble and sincere, he uttered the very words which were
entirely in the Holy Will of the Lord to grant. A sincere prayer of repentance
is ALWAYS heard by the Lord and answered. It is the only prayer an unforgiven
sinner can utter that is heard in Heaven. If I regard iniquity in my heart,
the Lord will not hear me. (Psalm 66:18) Have you ever been so overburdened by your sin that this prayer
was evoked from a heart full of pain?
What is the effect of the two different prayers? Does God regard persons and
their social status in hearing prayer? What of the poor bum on skid row who,
slowly dying in his filth and misery suddenly sees a Light in Heaven and makes
humble and desperate appeal thereto? Will God save the wretched sinner in his
filth, and reject the dignified and proud boaster? See what Jesus says of the
two: 14 I
tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. So much for pomp and circumstance! The prayer
of the Pharisee was heard where it was sent with himself but not by God. The publican, being a
desperate sinner, had his prayer heard and answered. He was forgiven and
justified! “the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1
Sam 16:7) . . . every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Once more, we see that PRIDE is the mother of all sins.
Though there are many stark truths to inform us in this text, there is one that
stands out foremost – the proper means of prayer! We may pray
beautiful and sophisticated words, yet the pride that motivated them sink them
to the depths of the sea. We may pray with utter simplicity out of a sincere
heart, and these simple and unpolished jewels of prayer may rise to the ‘third
heaven.’ Attitude is everything. If the sentiment is not in the heart, it will
not find a genuine expression through the lips.
Are you resurrected in Christ today?
