WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.780 This morning, give your Bibles and invite you to turn to Luke chapter 18. 00:00:03.779 --> 00:00:06.939 If you're able to stand for the reading of God's Word, I ask that you would. 00:00:07.379 --> 00:00:10.199 If you don't have a copy, you can follow along on the screen there this morning. 00:00:10.619 --> 00:00:12.199 It's been a wonderful day in the Lord's house already. 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:12.900 Great singing. 00:00:13.500 --> 00:00:16.699 It's always an awesome thing to see the baptismal water stirred. 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:18.740 But I'm thankful we can open up the Word of God. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:20.160 And we're walking through the Gospel of Luke. 00:00:20.540 --> 00:00:22.040 Really, Luke's Gospel is about this. 00:00:22.100 --> 00:00:23.420 We have a Savior that seeks us. 00:00:24.040 --> 00:00:25.740 The Bible says in Luke 19.10, 00:00:26.020 --> 00:00:29.000 The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. 00:00:29.060 --> 00:00:33.640 And we're seeing that and we're looking here in the 18th chapter of this Gospel. 00:00:33.780 --> 00:00:38.520 And Jesus is giving some parables to really kind of help us to evaluate where our life is. 00:00:39.039 --> 00:00:41.340 And so sometimes we read the parable and we think, well, that's not me. 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:42.920 But I think we look a little bit deeper. 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:44.780 We can see some things that will apply to our life. 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:47.719 So you found your place there in Luke chapter 18, verse number 9. 00:00:48.100 --> 00:00:49.520 We're going to read down to verse number 14. 00:00:49.620 --> 00:00:50.480 The Bible says this, 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:56.980 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.859 So Luke once again tells us, hey, this is what this is about. 00:01:01.140 --> 00:01:01.880 Verse number 10, 00:01:01.980 --> 00:01:03.560 Two men went up into the temple to pray. 00:01:03.780 --> 00:01:05.920 The one a Pharisee and the other a publican. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:10.379 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus, notice this, with himself. 00:01:11.180 --> 00:01:14.140 He thinks God's listening, but he's just praying to himself basically. 00:01:14.780 --> 00:01:18.519 God, I thank thee that I'm not as other men are. 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.920 Extortioners, unjust, adulterers are even as this publican. 00:01:24.620 --> 00:01:28.140 I fast twice in a week and give tithes of all that I possess. 00:01:28.140 --> 00:01:30.040 Verse 13 says, 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:56.680 I want to preach a message this morning entitled this, Finding Mercy. 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:56.720 Mercy. 00:01:57.420 --> 00:01:58.460 I like mercy. 00:01:59.460 --> 00:02:05.780 You know, when the cop pulls you over because you were just going a little fast because Texans do, grace and mercy is what I'm looking for. 00:02:06.460 --> 00:02:08.400 Sometimes we look for it and we can't find it. 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:13.500 But listen, when Jesus shows up and we're seeking him, you know what you're going to find? 00:02:13.860 --> 00:02:14.159 Mercy. 00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:15.600 He loves us. 00:02:15.659 --> 00:02:16.300 He's merciful. 00:02:16.300 --> 00:02:19.640 The Bible says, God who is rich in mercy. 00:02:20.160 --> 00:02:22.280 Maybe you hear this morning and think, I'm not sure if he has enough for me. 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:23.140 He has plenty. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:27.820 And we're going to see how we can obtain it, how we can find it here in our text this morning. 00:02:27.880 --> 00:02:30.200 So let's go to the Lord today, ask him for help this morning. 00:02:30.320 --> 00:02:32.580 Thank you, Lord, for this time together. 00:02:32.700 --> 00:02:36.180 Lord, thank you for the songs that remind us of what you've done for us. 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:39.140 We are just in awe of your majesty. 00:02:39.300 --> 00:02:40.780 You're worthy of all of our worship. 00:02:41.100 --> 00:02:42.640 Lord, because of what you've done for us. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:46.539 Lord, that you came to this earth not to be served, but to serve. 00:02:46.679 --> 00:02:49.899 Lord, to minister, to lay down your life as a ransom for many. 00:02:50.559 --> 00:02:52.479 Lord, that's what the cross of Calvary is all about. 00:02:52.619 --> 00:02:54.319 And help us to see that today. 00:02:54.439 --> 00:02:57.559 Help us to realize that you came to give mercy. 00:02:57.659 --> 00:03:01.779 It's not hard to find, but we have to make sure we're trusting in the right things. 00:03:02.239 --> 00:03:05.339 Lord, I pray there's somebody here today that is trying to find it. 00:03:05.399 --> 00:03:06.599 Maybe looking in other areas. 00:03:06.699 --> 00:03:08.699 Lord, would you direct their gaze to you? 00:03:08.699 --> 00:03:14.579 And they would come to the realization that the only thing that's really going to change their life is knowing you personally. 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:16.519 And placing their faith in you. 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:17.699 Lord, I pray you'd be with me now. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:19.239 You would just help me, Lord. 00:03:19.339 --> 00:03:20.319 You would give me the words. 00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:21.299 You would guide my thoughts. 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:22.060 Empty me of self. 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:24.119 Lord, forgive me of sin in my life. 00:03:24.179 --> 00:03:25.739 Lord, that I can be a help to your people today. 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:26.839 And we ask it in Christ's name. 00:03:27.519 --> 00:03:27.799 Amen. 00:03:27.939 --> 00:03:28.679 Thank you so much for standing. 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:29.159 You may be seated. 00:03:32.359 --> 00:03:35.579 I'm sure you've noticed we live in a comparison culture. 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:37.399 We compare everything. 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:41.099 It doesn't matter if it's little kids or it's adults here today. 00:03:41.219 --> 00:03:45.719 We compare houses and vehicles and jobs and kids. 00:03:45.980 --> 00:03:47.700 And, you know, I tell my kids, why can't you be like them? 00:03:47.780 --> 00:03:48.740 You know, things like that. 00:03:48.840 --> 00:03:49.840 Compare our kids. 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:51.319 Compare vacations. 00:03:52.640 --> 00:04:00.159 And the interesting thing about comparison is the result usually depends on who you compare yourself to. 00:04:01.099 --> 00:04:03.939 You know, you've got to kind of make yourself feel a little bit better. 00:04:03.939 --> 00:04:10.740 I love playing golf and if I want to feel terrible about my golf game, I'm going to compare it to somebody like Scotty Scheffler. 00:04:10.900 --> 00:04:13.900 And you may not know who it is, but he's the number one golfer in the world. 00:04:14.020 --> 00:04:16.399 So if I compare myself to him, I'm terrible. 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:21.259 So what I do is I just compare myself to Brother Garrett and I'm basically Scotty Scheffler. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:23.159 And that's kind of what it is. 00:04:23.540 --> 00:04:24.399 I love you, Brother Garrett. 00:04:24.399 --> 00:04:28.239 I mean, why would I compare myself to Scotty Scheffler? 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.659 That's really unnecessary discouragement. 00:04:31.259 --> 00:04:32.739 I mean, that's what this man does for a living. 00:04:32.899 --> 00:04:34.139 And he's done it for his whole life. 00:04:34.179 --> 00:04:38.959 And he's got coaches and trainers and people that help him even just mentally think about golf. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:41.579 And we laugh at situations like that. 00:04:41.639 --> 00:04:46.099 But the reality is, as we come into our text, we can do the same thing spiritually in our life. 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:48.879 We can view life the same way. 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:52.980 And I would imagine most of us in here probably know that we're not perfect. 00:04:53.860 --> 00:04:56.420 There's probably areas in your life, you know, I'm doing pretty good. 00:04:56.459 --> 00:04:57.740 But you could think of a few things. 00:04:57.879 --> 00:04:59.839 I could probably grow a little bit in this area. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:01.300 You know, I could probably be a little nicer here. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:03.180 I could probably respond better in these situations. 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:09.180 But, you know, rather than looking at ourselves honestly before God sometimes, we just start looking around. 00:05:09.719 --> 00:05:15.740 Let me find somebody that in our mind, in our estimation, I'm just a little better than. 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:18.400 And we can judge ourselves on that. 00:05:18.579 --> 00:05:23.000 And once we find the right person to compare ourselves to, it's all gravy. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:24.780 We're feeling pretty good. 00:05:25.240 --> 00:05:28.379 Hey, we're not as bad as we initially thought we were. 00:05:29.240 --> 00:05:33.840 And that's really the heart that Jesus kind of confronts in our text today. 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:36.379 Because this isn't a 2026 problem. 00:05:36.540 --> 00:05:38.720 It was alive and well in the first century. 00:05:38.840 --> 00:05:42.180 And really it's been alive and well since there was people on the face of the earth. 00:05:42.180 --> 00:05:47.639 That we look around and we compare and we see here in verse 9 as we read the opening verse of our text. 00:05:48.040 --> 00:05:51.340 Just like the parable we looked at last week of the persistent widow. 00:05:52.019 --> 00:05:55.420 Luke doesn't leave us to guess why Jesus told this story. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:59.620 He's telling this story and there would have been his disciples are gathered around. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:01.660 But no doubt the Pharisees are there. 00:06:02.220 --> 00:06:04.980 Anytime Jesus starts gathering a crowd, the religious crowd comes. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:06.819 They want to see, hey, we got to catch this guy. 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:08.560 I mean, he's going to say something wrong. 00:06:08.660 --> 00:06:10.620 I mean, we got to get rid of this nuisance. 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:17.420 And so Jesus tells them, hey, I'm going to tell this parable because there's people that believe they're really good. 00:06:17.780 --> 00:06:20.079 And because of that, they look down on other people. 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:22.439 So he wanted to address that thought. 00:06:23.379 --> 00:06:25.660 And I don't want us to separate those two things. 00:06:26.540 --> 00:06:32.220 Because in our lives, when we become so impressed with our own righteousness, our own goodness, 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:38.240 when we kind of think, hey, I'm doing okay, inevitably we're going to begin to look down on other people. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:39.879 And think to ourselves. 00:06:39.980 --> 00:06:40.920 And we may not say it out loud. 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:41.939 We may not even know what we're thinking. 00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:43.620 But we're thinking, at least I'm not that. 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:45.560 Hey, I'm not perfect. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:47.240 But at least I'm not there. 00:06:47.780 --> 00:06:50.720 Hey, I would never do something like that. 00:06:51.740 --> 00:06:56.600 But there's also an interesting kind of connection with this parable and the one that we looked at last week. 00:06:57.139 --> 00:07:01.160 Because both parables, if you remember last week if you were here, they both deal with prayer. 00:07:01.160 --> 00:07:05.240 In verses 1 through 8, we see this persistent widow. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:08.400 And it shows us that we need to be persistent in prayer. 00:07:08.760 --> 00:07:10.840 And we come here, it's about prayer. 00:07:11.100 --> 00:07:13.220 But really what happens, the emphasis changes. 00:07:13.840 --> 00:07:15.860 Really the idea of what Jesus is pushing. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:20.480 The first eight verses, prayer really reveals what we believe about God. 00:07:21.200 --> 00:07:24.000 Who we think he is and how he loves us. 00:07:24.700 --> 00:07:28.780 But here in this second parable that we're going to look at this morning, here's what prayer does. 00:07:28.779 --> 00:07:31.059 It reveals what we believe about ourselves. 00:07:31.779 --> 00:07:36.199 What we need and how we view others around us. 00:07:37.179 --> 00:07:39.879 And so Jesus puts these two men side by side. 00:07:40.679 --> 00:07:42.879 He puts this Pharisee and this publican. 00:07:43.779 --> 00:07:46.779 He sends them to the same place for the same purpose. 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:47.939 They're going to the temple to pray. 00:07:48.739 --> 00:07:50.199 And this would have been very common. 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:51.639 This is what the Jewish people would have done. 00:07:51.719 --> 00:07:54.079 They would have went either in the morning around 9 or around 3. 00:07:54.159 --> 00:07:55.839 This was just what they did. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:08:03.959 But the Bible tells us, and Jesus leaves us in verse number 14, that when they leave, they both went to the same place, same thing, same prayers. 00:08:04.539 --> 00:08:06.339 Not the same prayers, but they both went to pray. 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:09.560 Only one of them goes home right with God. 00:08:10.479 --> 00:08:12.799 So how do we find mercy with God? 00:08:13.819 --> 00:08:17.539 What are we trusting in today to be right with God? 00:08:17.899 --> 00:08:20.219 Because the big idea I want us to see in this text is this. 00:08:20.220 --> 00:08:23.820 Is that we are not made right with God by trusting in our own righteousness. 00:08:24.420 --> 00:08:25.640 By trusting in our own goodness. 00:08:25.980 --> 00:08:28.840 But by humbly trusting in his mercy. 00:08:29.640 --> 00:08:32.759 And that's what Jesus is really pulling out in these few short verses. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:36.480 Which brings us to this question that I want us to answer this morning. 00:08:37.060 --> 00:08:40.320 What does Jesus teach us about being right with God? 00:08:40.759 --> 00:08:41.700 What does he teach us? 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:44.540 What can we learn from this short little parable? 00:08:44.539 --> 00:08:47.379 I think the first thing he shows us is found in verse number 12. 00:08:47.719 --> 00:08:50.419 That self-righteousness, it looks at other people. 00:08:51.219 --> 00:08:54.459 That self-righteousness, it looks at other people. 00:08:55.719 --> 00:08:56.379 Verse number 10. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.079 Two men went up into the temple to pray. 00:08:58.459 --> 00:09:01.959 The one a Pharisee and the other a publican. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:06.419 Now if you've been with us for a while in the Gospel of Luke and we're walking through this. 00:09:06.699 --> 00:09:08.179 When we hear this story. 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:10.819 When you read that verse right there. 00:09:10.820 --> 00:09:13.920 You immediately think, I know who the bad guy is in this story. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.700 That stinking Pharisee. 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:17.780 They're always causing a problem. 00:09:18.020 --> 00:09:19.960 Every time Jesus is teaching, they're showing up. 00:09:20.020 --> 00:09:21.040 And they're trying to trip him up. 00:09:21.140 --> 00:09:23.820 And they're coming up with all these riddles and all these tricks. 00:09:23.980 --> 00:09:28.000 And we know that the Pharisee is probably not a great guy. 00:09:28.680 --> 00:09:30.920 He doesn't care about the questions he asks. 00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:33.840 He's just looking for a way to get to Jesus. 00:09:34.980 --> 00:09:36.680 But what I want us to do. 00:09:36.800 --> 00:09:38.680 And we have to remind ourselves when we go to the Bible. 00:09:38.680 --> 00:09:40.760 We have to go to the original audience. 00:09:41.520 --> 00:09:43.460 The context in the Bible is king. 00:09:44.300 --> 00:09:47.260 That this parable wasn't written directly to us. 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:49.800 That Jesus is speaking this to them. 00:09:49.920 --> 00:09:54.460 And the original audience to them, this would have been a shocking comparison. 00:09:55.280 --> 00:09:57.300 A Pharisee and a publican. 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:01.860 Because on the one side, the Pharisees, they were known for their commitment to God. 00:10:02.560 --> 00:10:04.340 They were the cream of the crop. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.740 I mean, they looked like life was just gravy. 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:09.040 They had it all together. 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:15.959 They'd walk through town and walk real slow so everybody could see how beautiful they are and how religious they are. 00:10:16.059 --> 00:10:17.659 And they're really good at praying. 00:10:17.779 --> 00:10:22.379 And they pray real loud and use real big fancy words that they got off chat GBT. 00:10:22.379 --> 00:10:26.480 You know, it's kind of one of those things. 00:10:26.939 --> 00:10:28.039 But that's how they lived their life. 00:10:28.100 --> 00:10:28.740 And they lived. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:29.539 We've seen already. 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:31.340 They live for the applause of man. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:36.460 And if we were in the first century, we would have looked at them and said, wow. 00:10:36.460 --> 00:10:38.340 I could never be that good. 00:10:38.900 --> 00:10:40.400 I mean, I could never be that religious. 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:42.780 I mean, I can't even keep my life together. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:44.660 And they're tithing on everything that they have. 00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:50.980 And so in their minds, when a Pharisee would walk down the street, that was just the best of the best. 00:10:52.280 --> 00:10:56.920 And if you were looking for somebody who appeared serious about God, you didn't have to look any further. 00:10:56.919 --> 00:10:58.959 This was your man. 00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:03.899 But the Bible says there was also a publican. 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:07.899 See, a publican, another name for him would have been a tax collector. 00:11:07.959 --> 00:11:09.099 Anybody like tax collectors? 00:11:10.419 --> 00:11:12.139 Yeah, we don't really like them too much. 00:11:12.259 --> 00:11:15.279 But in this context, they were despised. 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:16.559 They were hated. 00:11:17.079 --> 00:11:19.559 Tax collectors were basically traitors. 00:11:20.479 --> 00:11:23.159 Kind of, I know history bores you, but you have to understand who they were. 00:11:23.159 --> 00:11:26.759 They were Jewish men who basically sold out to the Roman government. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.699 The Roman government would come in and they would set up tax booths or franchises. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:33.559 Kind of like, you know, you start a restaurant franchise. 00:11:33.799 --> 00:11:35.579 You know, we need to get some of those coming in here. 00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:36.299 Texas Roadhouse. 00:11:36.439 --> 00:11:37.599 Bring a Texas Roadhouse in here. 00:11:37.939 --> 00:11:38.740 It'll help Gainesville out. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:40.019 I just get that off my chest. 00:11:41.259 --> 00:11:42.740 Butter rolls and all those things. 00:11:42.819 --> 00:11:43.519 Man, it's good stuff. 00:11:44.439 --> 00:11:48.439 But they would apply for a franchise and they would become the manager of that. 00:11:48.699 --> 00:11:50.539 So basically, they're working for the Romans. 00:11:50.719 --> 00:11:54.480 They're Jewish people and they're ripping off their own countrymen. 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:59.180 Because the Romans would say, okay, you have to bring us this much money in taxes. 00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:00.659 Well, they would bring that much money. 00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:03.560 But anything above that, they just put in their pocket. 00:12:04.060 --> 00:12:06.200 So when they would show up to your business, they would show up to your house. 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:07.620 They'd say, you owe this tax. 00:12:07.800 --> 00:12:09.700 Well, they'd pay Rome and they'd line their own pockets. 00:12:10.159 --> 00:12:12.120 We're going to meet a man in a couple weeks named Zacchaeus. 00:12:12.560 --> 00:12:14.220 And he took a lot of money from a lot of people. 00:12:14.220 --> 00:12:16.060 But that's the kind of men that they were. 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:20.300 And they were notorious for enriching themselves at the expense of their own people. 00:12:20.299 --> 00:12:22.500 So they weren't just merely despised. 00:12:22.579 --> 00:12:23.219 They were traitors. 00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:26.000 Their testimony wasn't even allowed in court. 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:30.459 Because they were not believable in anything they did. 00:12:31.779 --> 00:12:37.519 So if Jesus would have stopped this parable right here in verse number 10 to the original audience and said, 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:40.719 Hey, which one of these men do you think is right with God? 00:12:41.099 --> 00:12:44.019 Without hesitation, they would have said, the Pharisee. 00:12:45.199 --> 00:12:48.359 Because, I mean, a tax collector, there's no way they're ever getting into heaven. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:50.659 There's no way that they love God. 00:12:51.379 --> 00:12:53.340 I mean, the Pharisee was the religious man. 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:54.259 He was the moral man. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:55.360 He was respectable. 00:12:55.779 --> 00:12:58.460 And the publican, another name for him, was just a sinner. 00:12:59.419 --> 00:13:00.659 I mean, they walk by, look at that sinner. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:02.680 Hey, that guy ripped me off last year. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:04.960 That guy bankrupt my business. 00:13:05.300 --> 00:13:07.120 That's the type of man that he was. 00:13:09.080 --> 00:13:10.300 But we know the rest of the story. 00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:11.100 We read it already. 00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:18.159 By the time Jesus is going to finish this text, he's going to turn their thinking on its head. 00:13:18.360 --> 00:13:23.539 See, at first, in verse number 11, it doesn't seem like the Pharisee is that bad a guy. 00:13:23.940 --> 00:13:25.740 I mean, the Pharisee stood and prayed. 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:28.600 Now, standing was an acceptable thing there in the temple. 00:13:28.680 --> 00:13:30.200 They would stand and they would pray. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:33.440 And he begins his prayer and he says, God, I thank thee. 00:13:34.180 --> 00:13:35.580 That seems like a good way to start a prayer. 00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:37.980 And it's okay to pray those things. 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:41.899 And there's nothing wrong to thank God for the grace he has in our lives. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:44.579 And he has some things that he's thankful for. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.059 But he said, I'm thankful I'm not like this and that. 00:13:47.419 --> 00:13:53.819 And if God has protected you from things in your life and a bad road you could have gone down, it's okay to thank God for that. 00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:56.279 God, thank you for protecting me from that, Lord. 00:13:56.439 --> 00:14:00.240 Thank you for, by your grace, that you changed the direction of my life. 00:14:00.439 --> 00:14:02.399 I'm thankful God changed the direction of my life. 00:14:03.079 --> 00:14:04.259 I hope that you are as well. 00:14:04.819 --> 00:14:07.700 I'm thankful that God is working in my life. 00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:10.080 The problem is not thanking him. 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:13.720 The problem is where this man's confidence lies. 00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:18.120 Because you notice that little phrase, he stood and prayed with himself. 00:14:19.340 --> 00:14:20.819 He's very proud of himself. 00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:24.080 You know, if you want to know what he thinks about himself, just ask him. 00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:24.559 He'll tell you. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:26.259 Anybody ever met somebody like that? 00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:27.939 You're like, I wonder what they think. 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:28.559 Well, just ask him. 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:29.519 They'll let you know what's going on. 00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:31.419 I mean, listen to that prayer again. 00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:32.620 Notice what he says. 00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:39.039 I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, adulterers, or even as this publican. 00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:41.060 I fast twice in a week. 00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:44.320 I give tithes of all that I possess. 00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:48.700 I don't know about you, but it seems very self-centered prayer. 00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:51.740 It doesn't seem like he's humbly coming to God. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.399 He's very proud of the life that he lives. 00:14:54.620 --> 00:15:00.740 See, his prayer begins to God, or so he thinks, but it quickly becomes a celebration of all his goodness, 00:15:00.740 --> 00:15:03.659 of all his accolades in life. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:05.200 There's no confession. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:06.399 There's no repentance. 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:08.539 There's no plea for mercy. 00:15:10.019 --> 00:15:11.259 And why would there be? 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:14.740 Because as far as he can tell in his life, he looks around. 00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:15.919 He sees this publican. 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:18.480 He sees other people and thinks, my life's good. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:20.120 I'm doing a lot better than him. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.039 I'm doing way better than him and obviously better than them. 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:24.899 So why would he need mercy? 00:15:25.439 --> 00:15:26.679 Why would he need grace? 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:32.599 And we know how he thinks that because he compares himself. 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:40.879 He says, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:43.719 or even as this publican. 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:46.699 This is a wild prayer to me. 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:49.299 Can you imagine seeing this? 00:15:50.019 --> 00:15:54.259 He's praying a prayer and he's looking around and like, Lord, I thank you that I'm not like him. 00:15:55.620 --> 00:15:56.539 That's crazy. 00:15:57.439 --> 00:15:58.539 But you know what he was using? 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:04.799 He was using kind of the dregs of society as his measuring stick. 00:16:05.579 --> 00:16:09.359 He's like, as long as I'm compared to them, man, I am perfect. 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:11.279 I mean, I don't do these things. 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:15.899 I'm definitely not ripping off my fellow Jews because I'm a tax collector. 00:16:15.899 --> 00:16:19.779 We think, well, how does this really apply to us? 00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:26.819 Well, I don't think, I really hope that all of us would never stand in church and say, God, 00:16:27.059 --> 00:16:29.500 I thank you that I'm better than everybody else here today. 00:16:30.319 --> 00:16:33.059 I sure hope that you wouldn't stand up in this church and pray that prayer. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.019 We know better than that. 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:40.639 But self-righteousness is usually a lot more subtle than that. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.799 We mentioned it already, but here's what it sounds like. 00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:46.839 I know I'm not perfect, but at least. 00:16:48.079 --> 00:16:53.279 And anything that comes after, but at least, is going to really reflect what's in our heart. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:56.359 That's kind of the idea that we see here. 00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.179 At least I don't do that. 00:16:59.799 --> 00:17:01.839 At least I come to church more than them. 00:17:02.059 --> 00:17:04.399 At least I'm not living the way that they are. 00:17:04.659 --> 00:17:07.440 And Jesus is telling us right now, that's not the comparison. 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:09.859 That's not the measuring stick. 00:17:09.859 --> 00:17:13.699 See, the problem wasn't that everything that the Pharisee did was wrong. 00:17:13.899 --> 00:17:15.240 He did some good things. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.599 I mean, he said this, I fast twice a week. 00:17:19.659 --> 00:17:21.000 That's pretty impressive. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:22.979 Some of y'all fast twice a day. 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:26.699 Between breakfast and lunch, and between lunch and dinner. 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:29.719 But this guy was serious about fasting. 00:17:30.179 --> 00:17:33.079 And Pharisees were known they would fast on Monday and generally Thursdays. 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:36.279 And, you know, when they fasted, they let everybody know they were fasting. 00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:39.099 You know, they would make their self look real bad. 00:17:39.159 --> 00:17:42.740 And they walk around and mope, you know, like when your kids are starving to death because they haven't had a snack in five minutes. 00:17:42.859 --> 00:17:43.599 It looks like that. 00:17:45.259 --> 00:17:47.519 I'm just fasting because I love the Lord so much. 00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:50.679 That's kind of the idea that they had in their life. 00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.559 The Bible says this. 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:56.759 He gave tithes of all that he possessed. 00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:59.079 And they took that literally. 00:17:59.779 --> 00:18:02.759 It wasn't just when the paycheck came in, he said, okay, I'll give a little bit of tithe. 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:03.839 I'll give it to the synagogue. 00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:09.799 No, if somebody gave him spices, if they gave him anything, they would take a tenth of everything. 00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:12.879 They would tithe on everything they had. 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:14.640 And they did it for a show. 00:18:15.220 --> 00:18:16.920 And let me just remind you, fasting's not wrong. 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:19.180 Jesus tells us there's some things we need to fast about. 00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:21.359 Because here's the reality of fasting. 00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:24.079 Fasting says, Lord, I need you more than I need this. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.379 It's to kind of put our focus on there's nothing wrong with fasting. 00:18:27.659 --> 00:18:28.759 There's nothing wrong with giving. 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:29.879 Living morally. 00:18:30.139 --> 00:18:32.019 He was a good man morally speaking. 00:18:32.339 --> 00:18:33.439 We should be moral people. 00:18:33.859 --> 00:18:35.199 There's nothing wrong with that. 00:18:35.439 --> 00:18:36.179 But here's the thing. 00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:37.960 Good things weren't the problem. 00:18:38.740 --> 00:18:44.000 The problem was is that good things were the basis of his confidence in God. 00:18:44.939 --> 00:18:46.279 He didn't need God. 00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:48.399 He said, God, look, you have me. 00:18:48.639 --> 00:18:49.599 How awesome am I? 00:18:50.439 --> 00:18:51.679 That's his mindset. 00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:56.460 He said, God, that he was God's gift to everybody else. 00:18:57.060 --> 00:19:02.840 That everybody could look at him and say, well, as long as I, if I could just get to his level, then God would really love me. 00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:06.740 And don't miss the warning that we see. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:10.240 Because it's easy to kind of run past us and say, well, that's definitely not me. 00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:16.080 And I think we would probably agree this morning that it's by the grace of God that we are what we are. 00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:23.339 The fact that we know the Lord is our Savior and the fact that you have blessings in your life, it's nothing you've done. 00:19:24.179 --> 00:19:26.119 No, it's what God has done in your life. 00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:32.980 But if we're not careful, we can slowly begin treating God's grace like our accomplishment. 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:35.139 Well, look what I did right here. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:36.059 And look at this. 00:19:36.139 --> 00:19:37.339 And look how God's blessed me here. 00:19:37.599 --> 00:19:40.859 And really we're saying, I did this and I bought that and I worked hard for that. 00:19:40.859 --> 00:19:44.439 Listen, that's the same mindset that this man was in. 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:52.699 See, we can look at someone whose struggle is a lot more visible than ours, that seems a lot more messier than ours. 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:57.879 And instead of seeing someone that desperately needs grace, we just look at somebody that makes us feel better about our own life. 00:19:58.919 --> 00:20:00.500 And Jesus says, that's wrong. 00:20:01.399 --> 00:20:02.699 That's not where you live. 00:20:02.979 --> 00:20:04.839 That's not what I've called you to do. 00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:05.819 Here's what that is. 00:20:06.119 --> 00:20:07.459 Self-righteousness. 00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:09.159 That's what that is. 00:20:09.160 --> 00:20:11.640 And Jesus says, that has no place in your life. 00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:18.880 Really, the entire Sermon on the Mount, when you read Matthew 5, 6, and 7, he's saying, get rid of self-righteousness and replace it with true righteousness. 00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:22.220 And that true righteousness comes from Christ and Christ alone. 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:28.720 See, the problem when we begin to be self-righteous and we look around at other people, the Pharisee didn't need to be perfect. 00:20:28.940 --> 00:20:31.019 He just needed to find somebody a little worse than him. 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:33.680 And that's real easy to do in life. 00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:35.460 We don't have to look real hard. 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:38.720 We can find somebody that we think in our mind is that one. 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:42.160 But the enormous problem with that line of thinking is this. 00:20:42.820 --> 00:20:44.279 Other people aren't the standard. 00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.240 God is. 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:47.420 That's the standard. 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:48.920 That's the mark. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.759 Because you go to Matthew 5. 00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:56.960 Jesus says, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees, you can't make it to heaven. 00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:59.720 He's saying, well, I thought we weren't supposed to be like him. 00:20:59.840 --> 00:21:00.660 Here's what Jesus is saying. 00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:01.680 They're not the bar. 00:21:01.840 --> 00:21:02.500 I am. 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:04.680 It's not about what you do. 00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:07.680 It's about what I'm going to do for you. 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:09.420 Because the Bible is still very clear. 00:21:10.099 --> 00:21:14.819 That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:17.680 Here's what this verse is saying. 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:19.599 The standard isn't the Pharisee. 00:21:20.240 --> 00:21:21.660 The standard isn't the publican. 00:21:21.880 --> 00:21:24.140 The standard isn't the person sitting next to you this morning. 00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:25.859 The standard isn't that co-worker. 00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:26.779 That co-worker. 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:27.799 Here's the standard. 00:21:28.059 --> 00:21:28.779 The glory of God. 00:21:29.859 --> 00:21:31.779 Does your life match up on that level? 00:21:32.839 --> 00:21:35.259 I think we would all agree here this morning, no, it does not. 00:21:36.139 --> 00:21:37.139 Because there's only one God. 00:21:37.619 --> 00:21:38.599 And it's not us. 00:21:39.479 --> 00:21:40.679 It's God alone. 00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:47.639 And when that's the standard, when the glory of God is the standard, all the comparisons that we have in life are going to crumble. 00:21:48.659 --> 00:21:50.199 They're going to turn to dust. 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:56.240 Because somebody else's sin may make yours look a little bit smaller. 00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:58.240 Well, I'm not that bad a sinner. 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:01.600 But their sin doesn't make you righteous. 00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:04.440 And that's what Jesus is exposing here. 00:22:05.140 --> 00:22:05.940 He already told us. 00:22:06.080 --> 00:22:13.980 Because in verse number 9, he told this parable because there was people that trusted in their righteousness and despised others. 00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:16.580 Because of the comparison, they thought, I'm good. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:18.559 I don't have to do anything else in life. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:22.559 See, self-righteousness, it doesn't just distort how we see ourselves. 00:22:23.539 --> 00:22:25.159 It distorts how we see other people. 00:22:25.859 --> 00:22:26.720 How we view them. 00:22:26.859 --> 00:22:28.759 How we interact with them. 00:22:29.919 --> 00:22:33.139 But here's kind of the irony of this first part of this text. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:39.119 Is the Pharisee was actually much closer to the publican than he ever realized. 00:22:40.119 --> 00:22:43.220 In fact, they have much more in common than anybody else. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:44.240 Why? 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:45.700 Because they were both sinners. 00:22:46.659 --> 00:22:47.779 They both needed mercy. 00:22:47.779 --> 00:22:52.579 They both needed righteousness that they could never produce themselves. 00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:54.700 But here's the difference. 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.960 Only one of them realized it. 00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:58.940 He didn't think he needed it. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:04.139 See, everything changes when Jesus turns our attention to this other man. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:09.899 See, this self-righteous Pharisee, he came to the temple with what he thought was a prayer. 00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:11.240 But really, it was a resume. 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:14.799 He's saying, here's my resume of why I'm better than everybody else. 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:17.879 The apostle Paul had a resume like that before he came to Christ. 00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:20.099 Read Philippians chapter 3, the first eight verses. 00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:21.680 Paul said, here's my resume. 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:23.039 This is why I was better than everybody else. 00:23:23.379 --> 00:23:24.519 But then Jesus showed up. 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:26.379 And my resume was worth nothing. 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:28.419 He came with a resume. 00:23:28.639 --> 00:23:30.940 But we see this publican in verse number 13. 00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:32.379 He just comes with a need. 00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:36.640 And while self-righteousness looks at others, number two, we see this. 00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:38.980 Humility looks to God. 00:23:40.020 --> 00:23:41.720 Humility looks to God. 00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:43.760 Let's read verse 13 again. 00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:52.539 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes into heaven, but smote upon his breast saying, 00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:56.900 God, be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:23:58.599 --> 00:23:59.799 What a contrast. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:03.539 I mean, the Pharisee had plenty to say. 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:07.339 Maybe this was just like a Cliff Notes version of his prayer. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:10.059 Maybe he would overemphasize all of it. 00:24:10.059 --> 00:24:14.220 But, I mean, he wanted everybody to hear, this publican can barely get a sentence out. 00:24:15.179 --> 00:24:18.899 I mean, this Pharisee is looking around while he's praying and thinking of all the things. 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:21.299 And it's just coming to him, oh, I'm not like him and I'm not like him. 00:24:21.419 --> 00:24:24.720 This publican won't even lift his eyes towards heaven. 00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:30.379 This Pharisee is thinking about everything that he's done right. 00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:35.240 And this publican just thinking of what he desperately needs. 00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:37.519 He knows who he is. 00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:41.139 And notice a couple things Jesus tells us about this publican. 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:43.799 He begins by telling us he was standing afar off. 00:24:45.339 --> 00:24:49.859 The idea is we don't know exactly where he's standing, but it's kind of like he just slipped into the synagogue. 00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.720 He just slipped into the temple. 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:54.559 He knew he probably wasn't welcome there. 00:24:54.619 --> 00:24:55.779 He was hoping nobody would see him. 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:58.700 And so he just kind of stood right there at maybe the very back. 00:24:58.980 --> 00:24:59.879 Kind of stood in the corner. 00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:01.720 You know, it wasn't probably well lit like this. 00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:04.539 And he's just trying to kind of maybe hide in the shadows a little bit. 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:06.019 That's not how the Pharisee rolled. 00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:09.099 He went right in the middle, probably brought his own spotlight with him. 00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:12.579 And, you know, had a little fog machine and all the things so everybody could see what he was. 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:13.879 That's not this man. 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:17.759 The idea we see in verse 13, he's trying not to be noticed. 00:25:18.819 --> 00:25:20.279 He doesn't want anybody to know he's there. 00:25:21.139 --> 00:25:22.819 Because he knows he's not liked by anybody. 00:25:23.639 --> 00:25:25.039 I mean, maybe his own mama doesn't like him. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:25.500 We don't know. 00:25:25.500 --> 00:25:32.039 But he's not walking into the temple thinking, God's probably pretty glad I'm here. 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:34.259 I mean, I'm pretty awesome. 00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:37.680 That's not the mindset that this man has. 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:40.259 That's not what he's thinking. 00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:42.140 He knows who he is. 00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:43.720 He knows why he came. 00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:44.839 And he also knows this. 00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:47.539 He has no grounds to have confidence in anything he's done. 00:25:48.059 --> 00:25:51.039 Because everything he's done is probably against the law. 00:25:51.619 --> 00:25:53.859 It's probably against what God would want him to do. 00:25:54.859 --> 00:25:55.700 That's what Jesus says. 00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:57.480 He wouldn't even lift his eyes up to heaven. 00:25:59.500 --> 00:26:04.740 See, his physical posture, it shows what he felt in his own heart. 00:26:04.740 --> 00:26:08.079 This idea of not even lifting up. 00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:12.319 You know, when you were in trouble when you were a kid, hypothetically speaking, none of us were probably ever in trouble. 00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:14.500 And my dad would say this, look at me. 00:26:15.039 --> 00:26:15.339 And I'll look. 00:26:17.599 --> 00:26:19.720 You know, maybe you have a dog like that. 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:20.920 You know, even dogs know this. 00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:22.339 You're like, what did you do? 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.220 Like, look at me in the eyes. 00:26:25.400 --> 00:26:26.900 And there's like chocolate all over their face. 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:27.680 You're like, oh, man. 00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:30.900 That's the idea here is there's a shame in his life. 00:26:31.779 --> 00:26:32.440 He knows. 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:33.420 He's broken. 00:26:34.360 --> 00:26:36.740 There's this awareness that he is guilty. 00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:40.560 He might be in the temple, but he's thinking, I'm not sure God can even love me. 00:26:41.300 --> 00:26:42.740 I know what I've done. 00:26:43.800 --> 00:26:46.820 And then Jesus says this, that he smote upon his breast. 00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:49.259 He was kind of hitting himself. 00:26:49.380 --> 00:26:50.980 This isn't some casual emotion. 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:55.140 No, this man is deeply grieved by his life. 00:26:55.640 --> 00:26:56.560 He wouldn't lift his eyes. 00:26:56.560 --> 00:26:59.100 He's saying, God, just be merciful to me. 00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:04.379 I hope you see the emotion that is there and the feelings that are in his life. 00:27:04.699 --> 00:27:05.199 And notice this. 00:27:05.379 --> 00:27:06.939 He never mentioned the Pharisee. 00:27:07.899 --> 00:27:10.319 He didn't look around and say, at least I'm not like that guy. 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:12.859 No, he doesn't compare. 00:27:13.559 --> 00:27:14.679 He doesn't make excuses. 00:27:14.859 --> 00:27:17.279 He doesn't feel the need to explain himself. 00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:20.339 He has stopped defending himself before God. 00:27:21.139 --> 00:27:21.959 You know what that is? 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.740 That's genuine repentance. 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:26.120 That's what that looks like. 00:27:26.600 --> 00:27:32.160 Repentance doesn't say, God, I know I was wrong, but you have to understand and start telling that. 00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:33.960 We've all been in that spot. 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:35.539 Maybe a boss said something. 00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:37.660 Maybe a parent said something to you or your kids. 00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:39.720 And you say, well, I know I shouldn't have done that, but. 00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:42.240 And we begin to give all the reasons why we did what we did. 00:27:42.819 --> 00:27:44.460 Here's what real repentance looks like. 00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:46.440 We come to God and say, I'm sorry, Lord. 00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:48.420 We have no excuses. 00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:51.120 This is repentance stops making excuses. 00:27:51.300 --> 00:27:51.840 And here's what it does. 00:27:52.080 --> 00:27:53.840 It agrees with God about your sin. 00:27:54.620 --> 00:27:55.640 God, I'm a sinner. 00:27:56.300 --> 00:27:59.440 That's why he said, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:28:00.100 --> 00:28:01.660 God, I know what your word says. 00:28:01.800 --> 00:28:03.180 I've heard it my whole life. 00:28:03.340 --> 00:28:04.160 That's what this man's saying. 00:28:04.380 --> 00:28:05.039 And you know what? 00:28:05.120 --> 00:28:05.800 That's me. 00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:08.180 And I'm tired of living this way. 00:28:08.580 --> 00:28:12.660 I'm tired of always trying to do things and trying to maybe, trying to be a better person. 00:28:12.800 --> 00:28:14.080 It's not working, Lord. 00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:17.300 What a prayer. 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:18.940 No resume. 00:28:19.940 --> 00:28:21.579 No list of accomplishments. 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:23.539 No comparisons. 00:28:24.700 --> 00:28:27.039 Just a man pleading for mercy. 00:28:28.180 --> 00:28:30.000 Coming to the Lord with a broken heart. 00:28:31.399 --> 00:28:36.000 And this idea of being merciful, it carries the thought of atonement. 00:28:36.839 --> 00:28:41.500 Of sin being dealt with so a sinner can stand right before God. 00:28:42.659 --> 00:28:44.819 The idea that we see in our text is this. 00:28:44.819 --> 00:28:47.379 This is not a one-time prayer like, Lord, forgive me. 00:28:47.399 --> 00:28:48.240 I won't ever do this again. 00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:49.119 And he's going to go live it that way. 00:28:49.299 --> 00:28:51.980 He's saying, Lord, I want you to change my life. 00:28:52.419 --> 00:28:54.559 I want you to do what I cannot do. 00:28:54.779 --> 00:28:56.879 I've tried and I failed and I failed. 00:28:56.939 --> 00:28:58.399 Lord, I need your mercy. 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:01.240 Remember where this man is. 00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:01.839 He's in the temple. 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:06.539 And in this time, the temple would have been the place where sacrifices were offered. 00:29:07.299 --> 00:29:08.619 Where blood was shed. 00:29:09.139 --> 00:29:11.419 Where the atonement for the people were made. 00:29:11.699 --> 00:29:17.299 And here stands a man guilty who knows he cannot fix the wrong between him and his God. 00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:23.139 And his prayer isn't saying, God, if you just be kind to me and overlook my sins, we'll be all good. 00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:24.220 No, it's a plea. 00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:27.200 God, can you do what I cannot do? 00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:28.620 That's the prayer. 00:29:29.580 --> 00:29:30.560 God, I need you. 00:29:31.860 --> 00:29:33.680 And see, that's the difference between these two men. 00:29:34.660 --> 00:29:40.040 The Pharisee came into the temple telling God all the good things he's done. 00:29:40.860 --> 00:29:41.860 And some of them were good. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:47.820 But this publican comes in depending on only what God could do. 00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:50.980 Now, that's where we have to live. 00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:58.059 See, humility isn't walking around saying, I'm terrible and I'm worse than everybody. 00:29:58.439 --> 00:30:01.659 God is not saying we all have to have the Eeyore syndrome. 00:30:02.919 --> 00:30:05.879 If you don't know what Eeyore is, go watch Winnie the Pooh. 00:30:06.939 --> 00:30:10.019 Eeyore just, everybody, you've seen him. 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:12.799 That's not what humility is. 00:30:13.539 --> 00:30:23.180 It's not saying that we have to have this syndrome and think, well, if we just beat ourselves up and we just remind God and ourselves every single day that we're worthless and we're terrible and we can't do anything. 00:30:23.419 --> 00:30:23.680 No, no. 00:30:23.940 --> 00:30:26.339 Humility is not thinking you're worse than everybody else. 00:30:27.099 --> 00:30:32.460 Humility, real biblical humility, realizes that comparing yourself to everybody is beside the point. 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:36.339 Your comparison is not around who you can find worse than you. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.779 It's when you come to God. 00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:43.700 And when you see God for who he is, you really see you for who you are. 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:51.259 And the fact that even when you see that and you come to this realization, God still loves me, that should humble you. 00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:53.039 That God cares for you. 00:30:53.319 --> 00:30:56.680 See, the publican isn't concerned whether he's better or worse than the Pharisee. 00:30:56.859 --> 00:30:59.339 No, he's standing before God and he knows this. 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:02.059 I have no chance unless he's merciful for me. 00:31:02.680 --> 00:31:05.019 And he says, God, be merciful. 00:31:05.660 --> 00:31:07.379 That's the only hope that he has. 00:31:08.019 --> 00:31:10.619 And may I remind us, that's where all of us stand. 00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:13.319 That we don't have anything to bring to God. 00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:15.119 That we're empty handed. 00:31:15.379 --> 00:31:18.480 Before we know Christ is our Savior, we are spiritually bankrupt. 00:31:19.519 --> 00:31:24.200 We don't bring anything to the table like, God, I'm going to bring this and if you bring that, then I'll make it to heaven. 00:31:24.819 --> 00:31:26.240 No, here's what you bring, sin. 00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:28.599 That's what we brought to the table. 00:31:29.140 --> 00:31:30.160 And here's what Jesus brought. 00:31:30.420 --> 00:31:31.839 He brought his own precious life. 00:31:32.359 --> 00:31:34.700 The sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 00:31:34.920 --> 00:31:37.579 And he laid down his life willingly for us. 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:42.339 And when we see somebody struggling in sin, our response shouldn't be, man, I'm glad I'm not like them. 00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:43.559 No, I think it should be this. 00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:45.680 They need the same mercy that I need. 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:51.319 Because let me remind you, if you know Christ is your Savior and that God saved you, he can save anybody. 00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:54.439 That's what humility looks like. 00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:56.619 That's how we view our own life. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.379 And that's where this story kind of reaches a shocking conclusion. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:01.779 God gives the verdict. 00:32:02.659 --> 00:32:05.599 So we see this number three as we come to a close here. 00:32:05.980 --> 00:32:08.899 That grace makes sinners right with God. 00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:12.839 That grace makes sinners right with God. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:21.299 Verse 14, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:28.039 Don't let our familiarity maybe with this story take the shock out of those words. 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:31.679 Remember at the very beginning we said, to us, we know who the bad guy is. 00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:35.539 But when Jesus says, I tell you, this man, which man? 00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:41.679 The publican, the tax collector, the sinner, the one that was hated by society. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:45.139 Jesus says, this man went home justified. 00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:48.819 That would have just blown their minds. 00:32:49.179 --> 00:32:53.139 I don't think they wore socks back then because they wore sandals too because that was a fashion faux pas. 00:32:53.639 --> 00:32:55.259 But if they had socks, they would have been knocked off. 00:32:56.220 --> 00:32:57.579 I mean, think about it. 00:32:57.819 --> 00:33:01.359 I don't know if we really grasp what he's saying in this context. 00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:04.819 And the Pharisee, they're thinking to themselves, the Pharisee? 00:33:05.099 --> 00:33:07.299 The religious, the moral, the praying man? 00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:09.019 He didn't go home justified? 00:33:09.019 --> 00:33:12.839 If he can't go home justified, who can be right with God? 00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.500 That's kind of their mindset. 00:33:15.599 --> 00:33:18.319 See, the man that everybody expected to be right wasn't. 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:24.279 And the one person they thought there's no chance on God's green earth that they're ever going to make it into heaven, 00:33:24.460 --> 00:33:26.200 that's the one that went home right with God. 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:27.740 Why? 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:29.599 How is this possible? 00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:34.859 Well, one trusted in his own righteousness and the other trusted in God's mercy. 00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:39.120 And I don't want us to run past that word justified. 00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:44.199 It doesn't mean that the publican went home feeling better about himself. 00:33:45.319 --> 00:33:49.759 Jesus isn't saying, well, he got it off his chest now and he just feels a little bit better about his life. 00:33:50.919 --> 00:33:52.539 No, here's what justified means. 00:33:52.679 --> 00:33:54.579 It's a deep theological term. 00:33:54.859 --> 00:33:57.699 It's to be declared righteous before God. 00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:01.659 See, he walked into that temple guilty. 00:34:02.339 --> 00:34:03.219 And he knew it. 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:04.719 He knew he was a sinner. 00:34:05.099 --> 00:34:06.619 He knew that he had to pay the price. 00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:09.880 But when he walked home, he was declared clear. 00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:12.900 Just as if he's never sinned. 00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:16.519 He came there knowing he had no righteousness to offer. 00:34:16.759 --> 00:34:18.279 There was no good in his life. 00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:24.199 And yet he left, robed in the righteousness of God and standing with God that he can come boldly before his throne. 00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:26.339 How is that possible? 00:34:26.639 --> 00:34:27.440 Here's how it's possible. 00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:29.559 Righteousness isn't achieved. 00:34:29.719 --> 00:34:31.259 It's only received. 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:33.319 That's what scripture teaches. 00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:36.119 You look at every great man and woman in the Bible. 00:34:36.119 --> 00:34:37.719 They didn't just earn it. 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:39.819 No, they received it from God. 00:34:40.319 --> 00:34:42.799 It's by his mercies that we're made new. 00:34:43.099 --> 00:34:45.239 That's the gospel of Jesus Christ. 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:48.799 The Pharisee asked God for nothing. 00:34:48.940 --> 00:34:49.619 And here's what he got. 00:34:50.099 --> 00:34:50.539 Nothing. 00:34:51.639 --> 00:34:53.519 It wasn't that God didn't want to offer it to him. 00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:55.359 But he didn't think he needed it. 00:34:55.739 --> 00:34:56.880 He didn't ask for it. 00:34:57.079 --> 00:34:58.819 And the publican asked God for mercy. 00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:01.159 And he received everything and more. 00:35:01.159 --> 00:35:01.239 Brother. 00:35:02.199 --> 00:35:03.819 That's what God wants for you. 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:04.960 That's why God came. 00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:07.119 That's why Jesus Christ died on the cross. 00:35:07.699 --> 00:35:09.079 We already said Romans 3.23. 00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:10.339 But listen to the very next verse. 00:35:10.759 --> 00:35:15.940 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. 00:35:16.519 --> 00:35:17.519 You cannot earn it. 00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.739 You do not deserve it. 00:35:18.859 --> 00:35:19.899 It cannot be achieved. 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:22.379 It is only by his grace. 00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:24.240 It's free to you. 00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:26.200 But it cost him his life on the cross of Calvary. 00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:27.519 That's why he came. 00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:32.940 See, we can look at the back to the cross and see exactly how God provided it. 00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:35.599 Jesus dying in the place of sinners. 00:35:36.720 --> 00:35:39.720 He bore in his body our sin. 00:35:40.200 --> 00:35:42.880 And the righteousness that we could never produce in ourselves. 00:35:43.059 --> 00:35:43.840 Here's what Jesus says. 00:35:44.180 --> 00:35:44.940 You can have mine. 00:35:45.900 --> 00:35:47.300 Why don't you come into the family? 00:35:47.900 --> 00:35:48.960 Hey, I did that for you. 00:35:49.019 --> 00:35:51.000 Every time you look at a cross, that's your cross. 00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:53.039 Yet Jesus took your place. 00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:58.599 And it really exposes the tragedy here in the life of the Pharisee. 00:35:59.380 --> 00:36:06.360 He stood in the temple in the place where sinners came seeking mercy and never even asked for it. 00:36:07.300 --> 00:36:09.239 What a sad, sad reality. 00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.880 It wasn't because mercy wasn't available. 00:36:13.800 --> 00:36:16.679 He was just convinced, I don't really need it. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:18.539 I got a pretty good life. 00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:20.179 I'm better than these people. 00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:26.420 And you'll never find mercy when you're busy proving you don't need it. 00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:29.059 That's what we see here in this text. 00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:30.920 That's what Jesus reminds us. 00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:36.420 And Jesus closes this out with an axiom there at the end of verse number 14. 00:36:36.420 --> 00:36:44.539 For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:49.139 You see, Jesus has moved from the Pharisee and the publican. 00:36:49.860 --> 00:36:51.059 Now he's talking to all of us. 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:52.900 Anybody that's reading this text. 00:36:53.460 --> 00:36:53.900 Everyone. 00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:57.340 That includes all of us here in this room this morning. 00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:59.980 The one who exalts himself, here's what's going to happen. 00:37:00.200 --> 00:37:00.920 They'll be brought low. 00:37:00.920 --> 00:37:04.500 But the one who humbles himself, here's what Jesus is going to do. 00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:05.360 Lift us up. 00:37:06.200 --> 00:37:07.700 He's going to take care of us. 00:37:07.920 --> 00:37:10.980 And we've seen this reversal throughout the Gospel of Luke. 00:37:11.200 --> 00:37:14.920 The kingdom of God does not operate according to the values of the world. 00:37:15.039 --> 00:37:16.659 It doesn't say, wow, he's successful. 00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:17.900 He's got it all together. 00:37:18.139 --> 00:37:19.059 He prays really good. 00:37:19.260 --> 00:37:20.599 He's automatically going to heaven. 00:37:20.780 --> 00:37:21.920 That's not how it works. 00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:23.780 No, you know who gets into heaven? 00:37:23.780 --> 00:37:27.160 People have said, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:37:27.220 --> 00:37:28.060 That's how you get there. 00:37:28.560 --> 00:37:31.000 When you realize who you are and what your sin did. 00:37:31.900 --> 00:37:36.400 See, the world says prove yourself, promote yourself, show all what you've accomplished. 00:37:36.680 --> 00:37:41.019 But grace says this, why don't you come empty-handed and let God fill your life up? 00:37:41.640 --> 00:37:42.720 Why don't you come with nothing? 00:37:43.140 --> 00:37:45.140 I don't know about you, but that's difficult to do. 00:37:45.940 --> 00:37:48.080 I like to have something to bring. 00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:50.960 I like to say that, man, I did that. 00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:54.019 Every time I do a honey-do list, man, I want her to know about it. 00:37:54.840 --> 00:37:55.840 I'm like, hey, you see that over there? 00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:57.440 This guy did that. 00:37:58.039 --> 00:37:59.579 Of course, it's wrong, and then she goes and fixes it. 00:37:59.599 --> 00:38:00.039 But it doesn't matter. 00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:01.000 I did it. 00:38:01.099 --> 00:38:02.420 I at least attempted to do it. 00:38:04.059 --> 00:38:07.360 I mean, we like to say things, you know, hey, God, this is why I'm worthy. 00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:11.199 You know, here's why I'm different than so-and-so. 00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:16.659 Here's why you should accept me, but you can't receive grace while you're insisting that you earned it. 00:38:17.380 --> 00:38:18.840 That's what we see here. 00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:27.420 And before we leave these two men at the temple, I want us to let Jesus' parable here examine us. 00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:37.059 Because sometimes it's really easy to hear a message like this or read a parable like this and think, man, I know somebody just like that Pharisee. 00:38:38.220 --> 00:38:39.420 It's probably the person in the mirror. 00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:43.619 God didn't give this parable for other people. 00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:48.340 He gave it for us to look at our own life and to see what we think about ourselves. 00:38:49.639 --> 00:38:55.599 See, we can become the Pharisee while congratulating ourselves that we're not the Pharisee. 00:38:56.480 --> 00:38:57.539 We don't want to live there. 00:38:58.180 --> 00:38:59.320 That's what God has called us to be. 00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:03.480 See, Jesus didn't give this parable so we can diagnose other people's problems. 00:39:03.480 --> 00:39:05.740 He gave it so we would examine our own heart. 00:39:07.099 --> 00:39:08.500 So let me ask you this question. 00:39:09.699 --> 00:39:15.059 When you think about your own standing before God right now, if you were to stand before the Lord today, and we could. 00:39:15.139 --> 00:39:15.579 We don't know. 00:39:16.380 --> 00:39:18.260 He could come back or, you know, our time. 00:39:18.380 --> 00:39:19.719 We don't know how much time we have. 00:39:21.179 --> 00:39:22.500 What is your confidence? 00:39:22.619 --> 00:39:26.860 What gives you confidence to stand before God Almighty, the creator of the universe? 00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:30.500 I ask people this all the time. 00:39:30.559 --> 00:39:31.360 Do you know the Lord as your Savior? 00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:31.900 Here's what they say. 00:39:32.200 --> 00:39:33.039 Well, I'm a good person. 00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:38.420 That's what you're going to go with for your confidence for all of eternity. 00:39:39.780 --> 00:39:40.920 I grew up in church. 00:39:41.660 --> 00:39:42.700 Hey, church is a good thing. 00:39:43.099 --> 00:39:43.860 I like church. 00:39:44.220 --> 00:39:44.980 I like being here. 00:39:45.700 --> 00:39:46.480 Well, I got baptized. 00:39:47.620 --> 00:39:49.920 I'm thankful Brother Cole got baptized today. 00:39:50.300 --> 00:39:51.640 But I said at the beginning, I'll remind us again. 00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:52.980 Baptism doesn't save you. 00:39:53.800 --> 00:39:55.760 It's just showing, hey, I was saved. 00:39:55.760 --> 00:39:57.800 Christ changed my life, and I want everybody to know about it. 00:39:59.220 --> 00:40:01.700 See, those all may be good things, but here's the problem. 00:40:02.040 --> 00:40:03.500 Good things make terrible saviors. 00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:06.540 What are you trusting in? 00:40:07.500 --> 00:40:08.540 Where's your confidence? 00:40:09.060 --> 00:40:11.980 If you were to stand face-to-face to God, what would you say? 00:40:13.380 --> 00:40:14.740 Two men walked into the temple. 00:40:15.620 --> 00:40:16.220 Same temple. 00:40:17.160 --> 00:40:17.820 Same God. 00:40:18.420 --> 00:40:19.480 Same stated purpose. 00:40:19.900 --> 00:40:20.520 Both prayed. 00:40:20.840 --> 00:40:21.520 Both walked home. 00:40:22.320 --> 00:40:24.160 But only one's life was changed. 00:40:26.080 --> 00:40:27.160 What made the difference? 00:40:27.800 --> 00:40:28.500 I mean, they're both sinners. 00:40:31.060 --> 00:40:33.340 The only difference was one of them knew they needed mercy. 00:40:35.200 --> 00:40:36.240 We're in the same place. 00:40:36.860 --> 00:40:37.880 You've heard the same songs. 00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:39.160 The same message. 00:40:40.440 --> 00:40:43.900 Don't walk out of this door saying, well, at least I'm doing better than so-and-so. 00:40:44.600 --> 00:40:46.340 Hey, I came today, so that's got to count for something. 00:40:47.100 --> 00:40:48.020 Listen, I'm thankful you're here. 00:40:48.100 --> 00:40:52.240 I'm thankful whether you've been a member for 40, 50 years or it's your first time. 00:40:52.239 --> 00:40:53.019 I'm thankful you're here. 00:40:53.899 --> 00:40:55.239 But being here doesn't save you. 00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:57.959 And it just keeps bringing us back to this question. 00:40:58.759 --> 00:41:01.419 What am I trusting to make me right with God? 00:41:03.219 --> 00:41:03.919 Your goodness? 00:41:04.879 --> 00:41:05.659 Your religion? 00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:08.719 Listen, religion doesn't get you into heaven. 00:41:09.139 --> 00:41:10.339 Religion's never saved anybody. 00:41:11.079 --> 00:41:13.419 Coming to a Baptist church, going to any other country, it doesn't save you. 00:41:13.500 --> 00:41:14.819 Here's what saves you, Jesus Christ. 00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:17.840 A relationship with him saves you. 00:41:18.700 --> 00:41:23.200 You trust in some good accomplishments, giving to some charity, doing some work for others. 00:41:23.380 --> 00:41:25.280 Those are good things, and God's not against us. 00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:26.100 Do those things. 00:41:28.300 --> 00:41:32.320 But see, the beauty of this parable is it teaches us you don't have to convince God that you're good enough. 00:41:33.200 --> 00:41:34.059 He knows who you are. 00:41:34.900 --> 00:41:36.760 You can just stop pretending. 00:41:37.720 --> 00:41:42.059 You can stop comparing yourselves, and you can just come honestly before God, 00:41:42.059 --> 00:41:44.340 and here's what you're going to find, mercy. 00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:47.480 It's not some weird hidden thing. 00:41:48.199 --> 00:41:50.239 Jesus says, come, I'll give it to you. 00:41:50.759 --> 00:41:57.039 But God, who is rich in mercy, he wants to give it to you today. 00:41:57.460 --> 00:41:58.299 I'll leave you with this thought. 00:41:58.900 --> 00:42:01.019 We don't come to God proving our goodness. 00:42:01.799 --> 00:42:05.679 We must come to him admitting our need for mercy. 00:42:06.659 --> 00:42:07.980 Would that be our life today? 00:42:08.860 --> 00:42:11.799 Are we looking at other people, or are we looking at God? 00:42:12.920 --> 00:42:14.119 Which one are, who are we? 00:42:14.179 --> 00:42:15.539 Are we the Pharisee, or are we the publican? 00:42:16.299 --> 00:42:17.079 Where we stand with our heads.