Featured Sermon for Today - by the Rev. Bryan Dabney (Mississippi)

Sermon Text for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity:

In our gospel lesson for today, our Lord rebuked those who trusted in

themselves that they were righteous, and despised others (St. Luke 18:9). In his

parable of the Pharisee and the publican, our Lord made plain God’s disdain for

those who lack humility in the presence of God. The particulars of this parable are

these: two men entered the temple to pray. The former was a Pharisee and the

latter was a publican, or tax collector. The Pharisee stood before God and recited a

litany of supposed good things he had done for the LORD; while the latter stood

afar off, having judged himself a sinner, and smote his chest as he sought God’s

pardon. Our Lord then closed the parable with his appraisal of these men and

identified the publican as having left the temple justified because he had humbled

himself before God while the Pharisee had not.

Article XII of our Articles of Religion states in part: “. . .that good works,

which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification, cannot put away our

sins, and endure the severity of God’s judgment. . . “ And Article XIV states:

“Voluntary works besides over and above, God’s commandments ... cannot be

taught without arrogancy ... for by them men do declare, that they do more for

[God’s] sake than of bounden duty is required: whereas Christ saith plainly ‘when

ye have done all that are commanded to you, say, We are unprofitable servants.’ “

Our Lord was often chided by the scribes and Pharisees for his teachings

because they conflicted with their understanding of God’s word written. These

gatekeepers of the truth had insulated themselves from the very thing they were

supposed to protect and espouse before men, and they did so via the traditions of

their fathers (see St. Matthew 23:1-39). Proverbs 16:5 states, Every one that is

proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD. Also Proverbs 20:6 says, Most

men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

And again in Proverbs 22:4 we learn that, By humility and fear of the LORD are

riches, and honour, and life. And our Lord said (St. Matthew 18:4), Whosoever

therefore will humble himself ... the same is the greatest in the in the kingdom of

heaven. And where was their humility? Clearly, they had none.

Today, we find that the plague of pharisaism has infected many souls who

claim to follow our Lord. These modernists may come to church thinking that

simple participation is enough. They may even offer up to God their so-to-speak

“accomplishments” never once realizing that all their works are as filthy rags

(Isaiah 64:6).

By contrast, the proper Bible Christian when presented with such thoughts

of self-sufficiency and self-aggrandizement will fall to his or her knees in humble

reverence acknowledging the very God who made such wealth possible. Sadly, the

numbers of those who might be termed “proper Bible Christians” are dwindling

daily.

Many Christians today hold that entertainment is more important than

humbleness in the presence of the Almighty. Truth be told, their worship is more

an elevation of themselves. So it should not be surprising that they are too busy

taking care of themselves to give God what he desires most: their undivided

attention. The Devil’s plan all along has been to utilize man’s senses to lure as

many souls as he can from a wholesome and true worship of the Godhead into a

state of sensuality and carnality. Just as God is not honored in the worship of any

pagan deity, so he is not honored by worship practices that do not give him all

glory, laud and honor he rightly deserves.

Without a doubt, the aforementioned points will have a direct impact on the

modern-day churchgoer’s understanding of the Christian doctrine. How can they

know the truth of the gospel when it is being withheld by ministers whose primary

purpose has been to lure the unsuspecting into their slaughterhouses of falsehood

and deceit? Their capacity for godly discernment has been rendered of no effect

and making them little different from the Pharisee who stood up and extolled

himself before God.

Juxtaposed to the Pharisee in our parable for today was the publican. He

sought and received forgiveness because he humbled himself before the LORD. It

is only when we come before God’s throne of grace pleading with him to take

away our sins that we are made fit to experience his love for us. As with the father

in the parable of the Prodigal Son, so will our heavenly Father graciously receive

and pardon all who come to him if, and only if, they come with a heart seeking his

forgiveness in the name of Christ. For only those who truly seek after God will be

made right with him through private confession and amendment of life. Only those

who offer him the true sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart will be forgiven.

Only those who worship him in spirit and in truth and without pretension or

assumption will have their prayers received and their worship accepted.

And so two men entered the temple to pray. The Pharisee came with pride,

while the publican came in humility and regret for his past actions. The Pharisee

came and extolled himself, while the publican came downtrodden and abased

himself before God. The Pharisee sought to justify himself, while the publican

sought justification. The Pharisee treated God as if he had done him a favor, while

the publican sought God’s favor through his act of self-judgment.

It is my prayer that each of you will seek a closer walk with the Godhead.

That you will ask the LORD to forgive you of your sins and trespasses. That you

will come before his throne of grace seeking his pardon with humble and contrite

hearts. There is no reason to lay before him in pridefulness those things we have

done in his service . So let us draw near desiring his forgiveness, and then seek his

guidance. Only afterward, are we to stand and rejoice for we know that he is just

and faithful to cleanse us in the name of his only begotten Son. May our good and

gracious God be pleased to send his most holy Spirit to comfort, guide and keep

you in Christ Jesus this day and forever more.

Let us pray,

Father, grant to us grace sufficient to bring ourselves: our souls and bodies,

into humble submission to thy will and pleasure; that we might have a more

perfect fellowship with thee in this life as well as for the life to come; for this we

ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Have a blessed week,

Bryan+