Depending On Him -- 12/28/08

Sunday, December 28, 2008

DEPENDING ON HIM

It was seven or eight years ago that some of us heard a man say something like this: “If we don’t pray, then we are depending on ourselves.” I didn’t much care for that attitude. I don’t depend on myself; I depend on the Lord. He is my rock and my salvation. He is my strength. He is the One I trust and depend upon. I dare him say that if I don’t pray, then I am depending upon myself. But the more I thought about what he said, the more I knew he was right, absolutely right. We might put it like this: “To the degree that I don’t pray, to that same degree I am trusting myself.”

With that in mind, I want to ask you a simple question: Upon whom are you depending? If you say you are depending upon the Lord, how are you demonstrating your dependence upon Him? We must acknowledge that this is one of those areas where we can easily be deceived. We can think we are depending upon God, when in reality we are depending upon self. This is a theme that I desperately need. I can never be told often enough that I need to depend upon Him. And I suspect the same is true for you.

This morning we are going to mainly read from the Word. It is the Word of God that
must show us our need to depend upon Him and must convict us when we don’t. So without apology, we are going to read large portions of scripture this morning.

I. For What Do We Depend upon the Lord?

When we speak of dependence, there is no better illustration than the child depending upon his parents, especially a young child. That young child depends upon his parents for protection, for food and shelter, for guidance day by day, and dozens of other critical needs. Should we depend upon the Lord in that way? We tend to think not. After all, when we grow up, we achieve our independence. Independence is a curse. Talk about independence all you want, but if in any area I am independent of the Lord, it is a curse.

Consider one of the best know passages in the Bible. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). How can I say that I shall not want, that I lack nothing, that I am in need of nothing? I can only say that, when the Lord is truly my Shepherd. And what does it mean for a sheep to have a shepherd? It means absolute dependence. A sheep cannot make it on its own. The sheep looks to the shepherd for food and drink (He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters). It looks to the shepherd for protection and guidance. If the sheep doesn’t depend upon the shepherd, it will perish from starvation or be eaten by the wolves. Its welfare depends upon its dependence upon the shepherd.

So it is with us. Our spiritual welfare is determined by our dependence upon our Shepherd. As a physical sheep is helpless, so we are helpless. As Jesus put it, “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn. 15:5). So what is it we are depending upon Him for? Certainly, we could say that it is the same for us as for the sheep. We need Him to give us spiritual food, to protect us, to guide us. I don’t want to minimize those things, but I want to explore some critical needs that are related.

1. For an attitude of humility and repentance

If we depend upon ourselves, we will not be able to maintain such an attitude. It is impossible. We may keep up the outward appearance of that attitude, but not the reality. An attitude of true humility and repentance comes only from the Lord.

Ps. 51:1-17… A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth thy praise. 16. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Ps. 34:11-22… Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. 15. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 16. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17. The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 20. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 21. Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 22. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Ps. 131… LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. 2. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. 3. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

Ps. 138:6… Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

1 Pet 5:5-6… Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Matt. 5:3-5… Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Peter tells us, “Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.” It is only when we look at the mighty God that we will be able to humble ourselves. It will never happen by determination. Only when we continually look to the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity will we be truly humble and repentant.

2. For fellowship

1 John 1:1-4… That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2. (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

Because of what Jesus did at the cross, we have fellowship with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Praise God! How amazing it is that we could have fellowship with the living God. Ps. 65:4, "Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple." Those of us who have been enabled to approach unto Him are blessed indeed. There is no greater blessing.

Nevertheless, we need Him to maintain this fellowship. That is not to say that the Lord does not hold up His end of fellowship. It is to say that we are weak, and we must depend upon Him to make us willing and eager to have fellowship with Him. Of course, that doesn’t seem to make sense. How could anyone ever lack a passionate zeal to be near the One who created him and redeemed him? We find what the songwriter found, when he wrote, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” It makes no sense, but we find that tendency.

Ps. 27 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2. When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. 3. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. 4. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. 5. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. 7. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. 9. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. 11. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. 12. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. 13. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Ps. 73:25-28… Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 27. For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

Matt. 12:46-50… While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Luke 24:32… And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

John 6:51-58… I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

John 15:1-5… I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Col. 3:1-3… If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

1 John 1:5-10… This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 2:1-6… My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

3. For an effective testimony

May God deliver us from the professionalism which teaches us that only the leaders of the church and a few super-Christians are capable of living and sharing the gospel of Christ. If the devil wanted to handicap the church so that it would be ineffective in sharing Christ, what better way than to make a rule that only a small percentage of Christians can tell others about Jesus. That unwritten rule spread by Satan himself has greatly hindered the church of Jesus Christ. God has called every believer to live and share the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, part of the problem is that many who profess to be a part of the church have never truly been converted to become children of God. Charles Spurgeon puts it bluntly: “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that.”

Brothers and sisters, we must depend upon Him for an effective testimony. No special method or seminar can make us an effective witness for Christ. We must depend upon our Lord. That is not to say that we cannot make good use of training and tools, but we don’t depend upon those things; we depend upon the Lord.

Let me ask you a question. We went over this not long ago. Why did Jesus choose the apostles? Let me put it another way. What was the very first thing He wanted them to do? We find the answer in Mark 3:13-15, "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15. And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:" So what is the answer? What was the first thing Jesus wanted them to do? To be with Him. That’s it. Out of that close contact they would then minister in His name.

We find the exact same thing with Peter and John. You will remember that they had healed the lame man in Jesus’ name, as recorded in Acts 3. When a crowd gathered, they explained that they had not done this by some power of their own; they had done it through the power of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. They were arrested. The next day when they stood before the council to be examined, Peter spoke these words… (Acts 4:8-12)

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

What a testimony! But now read verse 13, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." That doesn’t mean they were dumb, only that they weren’t officially trained. They hadn’t been to Bible school or seminary, and yet they spoke with such boldness and clarity about Jesus. Those men who examined them had to acknowledge that the secret of these men was that they had been with Jesus. No doubt, those men were referring to all the time they had spent with Jesus while He walked on the earth, but that wasn’t it. When Peter walked with Jesus on the earth, what did he do? He denied Jesus three times. While that time with Jesus was important, that isn’t the key. The key is in the fact that they had been with Jesus that very morning. They were drawing their strength from Him moment by moment.

The secret to an effective testimony is depending upon Him, being with Him continually. What did Jesus say? “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (Jn. 7:37-38). Those rivers of living water will flow when we keep on coming to Jesus, keep on drinking from Him, and keep on believing Him.

Yes, we must depend upon our Lord in order to maintain an attitude of humility and repentance, in order to have fellowship with Him, and in order to bear an effective testimony for His glory. Now let’s take just a few minutes to consider the question…

II. How Do We Depend upon the Lord?

1. Through His Word

We talk about this all the time, so I will be brief. However, it must be stated that if we think we are depending upon Him while not being in the Word, we are deceiving ourselves. And I’m not talking about biblical knowledge that we have acquired over the years; I’m talking about a steady diet of His Word day in and day out – not in the past, but now.

Luke 10:38-42… Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. 40. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

This is one of the great passages about the need to depend upon the Lord, but notice also how it was that Mary depended upon Him. She sat at His feet and heard His Word. She put aside other things, even very important things, in order to simply hear what her Lord had to say. We must depend upon Him in the same way.

Let’s read one other passage…

Ps. 119:9-16… Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12. Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes. 13. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. 16. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

How can a young man (or anyone else) cleanse his way? By paying attention to how he lives in light of the Word of God. The Word is critical in our walk with the Lord.

2. Through Prayer

Now we come back to our opening statement: “If we do not pray, then we are depending upon ourselves.” To the degree that we do not pray, to that same degree we are depending upon ourselves. It is through prayer that we depend upon our Lord, acknowledging that we can do nothing apart from Him. Jesus said it very concisely, “Apart from me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Consider Hannah. She was a faithful wife to her husband Elkanah, but she had never been able to bear children, because the Lord had shut up her womb. Listen to I Sam 1:9-11,18-21…
So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD. 10. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 11. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head… So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. 19. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her. 20. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Out of desperation, she cried out to the Lord. Notice that it was out of bitterness of soul that she prayed to the Lord. Too often, we don’t pray because we don’t truly know how desperately we need Him. If we could only realize that what we can accomplish apart from the Lord is worth nothing. But we argue: “I don’t do things apart from the Lord; He is always with me.” If we are not asking Him, upon whom are we depending?

Listen to David’s opening words in Psalm 5 (1-3)…
Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. 2. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Surely for David it was more than just a routine. Though a man after God’s own heart, he knew how much he needed the Lord and He called upon the Lord in all kinds of situations.

I remind you of the words of James: “You have not because you ask not” (James 4:2). Isn’t that simple? If a small child needs something to eat, he asks his mom or dad. If he doesn’t have anything to eat, it’s simply because he doesn’t ask. So it is with the child of God. “You have not because you ask not.” But, Lord, we do ask. James then continues, “You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts” (James 4:3). Motive is extremely important. We must not ask so that we can receive things for our own lust, comfort, prestige, power, or entertainment. So what is our motive to be? Jesus put it like this: “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). Yes, there are many other motives that line up under this one, but the great motive is the glory of God. That is the goal of life and that is the goal of prayer as well.

What promises we neglect when we fail to pray. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matt. 7:7-8). “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (Jn. 14:14). “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).

Many of us are in danger of talking more about prayer than actually praying. God gives us knowledge of prayer for one reason – that we might pray! May God give us grace to pray.

3. Through the Ministry of the Spirit

We all know that God works in and through us by His Spirit. No one will deny that. However, we have a great tendency to accept that truth and then give it very little thought. Our reasoning often goes something like this: Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would glorify Him. Isn’t that right? It certainly is. “He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you” (Jn. 16:14). So if we are seeking to glorify the Lord Jesus, then we don’t need to be concerned about the Holy Spirit. He simply does His work. It is not important that we understand how or why. Our entire focus is on the Lord Jesus.

While there is some truth in that thinking, there is also danger in this approach. If the Lord took that same approach, there would be no reason to tell us anything about the Spirit. But on the contrary, He has told us much about His Holy Spirit, beginning with Jesus’ own words in John 14:16-18…
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17. Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

That same evening Jesus continued to tell His apostles about the Spirit whom He would send… (John 16:7-14)
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9. Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

Then when we come to Acts, we read about the coming of the Spirit upon those who believed. It was the presence of the Spirit that transformed the boastful but weak Peter into the man who told thousands that they had crucified the Lord and their Messiah.

Don’t forget that we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, to allow the Spirit to direct our lives (Eph. 5:18). The Spirit is not someone we can ignore and expect to be filled by Him. When Paul prayed for the Ephesians, he prayed that they might be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man (Eph. 3:16). Remember that when the life of Jesus Christ flows through us to others, it is the work of the Spirit. John 7:37-39…
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

Praise God that we have the presence of God within us through the Spirit!

Conclusion

We began this morning by noting that when we fail to pray, we are demonstrating that we depend upon ourselves. But praise God that we don’t have to depend upon ourselves! God has made Himself available to us and has given us the means by which we can seek Him and find Him.

Most everyone of us can say, “I need to depend upon Him.” The great danger is that with that knowledge we go right on depending upon ourselves. May God deliver us from doing that.

I would ask you to specifically pray for me in that area. Lord willing, we are going to be stepping up the pace, as we go through Genesis. I sense the Lord wants me to preach through the rest of Genesis, but to take it in much larger chunks. My temptation is to steer away from that because I don’t feel like I do it very well. I seem to do better just taking a few verses. Do you see the problem? I am inclined to depend upon myself. Surely if the Lord wants you or me to do something, He will enable us to do it, as we depend upon Him.

In the weeks and months ahead, we will face challenges. We will face challenges as a church. Praise God that we don’t have to depend upon ourselves. We can depend upon Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or thing, according to the power that worketh in us (Eph. 3:20).

Glory in the Cross -- 12/21/08

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Glory in the Cross

John 1:1-14………………………… Joe
“God Loves Kids”…………………. Young Ones
Prayer……………… ……………… Ron
Intro / Theme: Glory in the Cross…. Ron
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”. Lee
Introducing the Cross (Mt. 16:24)…..Rob
“Down from His Glory”…………….Lee & Michelle
Cross: Gal. 6:14…………………….Fred & Barbara
“Joy to the World” (117)…………...Jim
Cross: Luke 2:34-35………………..Joe & Alisa
“Angels We Have Heard on High” (136)..Jim
Read: Luke 2:1-14…………………... Barb
Cross: Matt. 10:32-34………………. Allan & Monette
“Go Tell It on the Mountain”……….. Rita, Rachel, Kathy
Cross: Matt. 16:13-26………………. Justin & Rachel
“Blessed Redeemer” (149)………….. Lee
Offering (No Children’s Church)
“He Paid a Debt”……………………. Young Ones
Cross: I Cor. 2:2……………………. John & John
“Jesus Paid It All” (146)……………..Norman
“Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know”.Norman
Justin & Alex…
… O Come Let Us Adore Him /
For He Alone Is Worthy /
We Give Him All the Glory
… He Is Lord
… Thou Art Worthy
Cross: Gal. 6:14 …..…………………Brian & Lynn
Brief Message: “Glory in the Cross”.. Ron
Benediction: “Lord, We Lift Your Name on High”

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Rob brings the cross in and sets it in a prominent place. He quotes Matt. 16:24 and continues to support the cross. Throughout the service, the cross will remain there. Various people will take turns holding it up, two at a time. Two people will come up together. One of them will stop at the microphone and recite a verse. Then they will take over the supporting of the cross. When Ron delivers the brief message, he will continue to hold the cross.

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Paul says in I Cor. 1:31, “He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” Our joy, praise, glorying, and boasting is to be in the Lord Jesus Christ. How can it be otherwise for the true child of God? “We are not our own; we are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:20). But Paul becomes even more specific than that. Two verses later he says, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (I Cor. 2:2). And finally, “But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14).

Let me suggest three reasons why we have sustained such a singular focus this morning upon glorying in the cross…

1. Because It Is Biblical

Praise God that He sent His Son to be born as a babe in Bethlehem, but we are to glory in the cross. The incarnation is wonderful, but it finds its meaning in the cross and resurrection. The cross is glorious, for it is the end. Though Jesus was born into this world, He was sent by the Father to die. We rejoice in the incarnation, but our rejoicing will always be incomplete until we glory in the cross. An incarnation that doesn’t rush to the cross is an insult to the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world.

2. Because Its Truth is Veiled in This Present World

Don’t expect the world to glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It will never happen, because the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them who are perishing. Christ crucified is a stumblingblock to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks, but to us who are called it is the power of God and the wisdom of God. When we glory in the cross, we identify with Him who died on the cross and distinguish ourselves from the the world which is offended by that cross

3. Because of the Increased Deception in Our Present Society

Nothing confuses the issue of who Jesus really is like Christmas in this country. It is the time when Jesus is mentioned the most, but when He is revered the least. No matter how we may try to redeem Christmas in our society, the Jesus of the American Christmas is not the Jesus who died on the cross. In general, the American Christmas is the twisting of the incarnation and a denial of the cross. We emphasize glorying in the cross this morning because you won’t find that emphasis in the world, including most of the religious world. As a matter of fact, you will generally find just the opposite.

I am aware that my words are rather few, blunt, and to the point this morning. But if Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the temple and accused them of making His Father’s house a house of merchandise in His day, what would He say, if He walked among us today? Am I saying it is wrong to celebrate Christmas? No. Am I saying it is right to celebrate Christmas? No. I’ll let you decide that. But there are some questions I must put before us this morning. Does your celebration glory in the cross? This past week, have you been glorying in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ? Paul said, “But God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). That is the Christian attitude for all seasons. And that glorying in the cross yields more love, joy, and peace than all the festivities of a lifetime.

Praise God for the incarnation, that God became man. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (I John 3:16). That was the beginning of the execution of God’s plan, but it was only the beginning. How did the sending of His Son rescue those who were bound for destruction and hell? 1 John 4:9-10, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

God becoming man in Jesus has no meaning until we come to the cross. It was at the cross that Jesus became the propitiation for our sins. It was there, as He took our sins upon Himself, that He turned away God’s wrath from us by receiving the full weight of that wrath. God’s punishment came to rest upon His Son Jesus.

Do you see why the manger is always incomplete and even deceptive, if there isn’t a cross rising out of it? Jesus apart from His crucifixion and resurrection has no value. But praise God He can never be separated from the cross and the empty tomb. The real Jesus is the One who really died and rose and ascended back to heaven and is coming again for His own. Praise God!

The world celebrates Christmas every year. Listen to me. Whenever we glory in the cross, we are rejoicing in the incarnation in a way that the world can never celebrate the birth of Christ, and the time of year has nothing to do with it. We glory in the cross every day, and by doing so we praise God that He became man in Christ.

You may ask, “So how do we glory in the cross?” I’m not sure I have all the answers to that question, but it begins with rejoicing that we have been crucified with Christ, that we are not our own. We have been spoiled to the world, and we praise God for that truth. We are not of this world, but our citizenship is in heaven. We died with Christ and our life is hid with Christ in God. These are the truths that bring us joy and peace.

If all of this glorying in the cross is foreign to you, I suggest that it is likely because the cross has not done its work in you; you are dead in your trespasses and sins, without hope in this world or the next. After the service, one of us would love to talk with you about what Jesus did on that cross.

Baptism: John Fanta -- 12/14/08

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Baptism: John Fanta

*** Below is an Order of Service. Following that are the things that I (Ron) shared.

The testimony from John was in the form of a brief question-and-answer session (on the tape).

In addition, four men (Justin, Tracy, Alex, and Jake) who grew up in this church shared briefly with John and the congregation. I would urge you to get a copy of the tape and listen.

“Thank You, Lord…” ……. Norman
Introduce Service/Pray.......... Norman
Scr… I Cor. 1:17-2:5……... Dan
I Cor. 4:7 + ………. Ron
“Amazing Grace” (200)….. Jim
“Trust and Obey” (196)…… Jim
Testimony………………… John
A Word about Baptism…… Ron
“O For a Thousand…” (45). Lee
Baptism
Offering
Encouragement…
…Justin….. The Blessing of the Word of God and Prayer
…Tracy….. The Importance of Faith and Obedience
……. Joe: Read Romans 5:1-11,19-21
…Alex…… The Value of Our Friend "Affliction"
…Jake…… The Joy of Fellowship in the Body of Christ
“I’m a New Creation”
Announcements
Benediction
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Read I Cor. 4:7…

Even salvation is what God has given. No one can boast that he was wiser than another, because he chose to follow Jesus. What was the conclusion of the passage we just read? “That no flesh should glory in his presence.” That is, that no one could ever boast about his salvation, his relationship to Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith, and even that is a gift from God. As Jesus put it, “You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you…”

For anyone to become a child of God, to be forgiven of his sin, to become a new creature in Christ… requires a great miracle from God. A great and mighty miracle is required to raise the dead to life, and that is what must happen for anyone to be reconciled to God, for we were dead in our trespasses and sins. But praise God that He is capable of performing that miracle.

In a moment we are going to sing Amazing Grace. I remind you of the history behind that song. It was written by John Newton. He was a wonderful pastor and song writer, but that isn’t the whole story. At the age of 11, John Newton went to sea and began to live a rough and immoral life. Finally, he became a slave trader. He captured natives from West Africa, put them on a ship, and eventually sold them as slaves for profit. When you read the details of his life, you might be tempted to say, “That man is too far gone. He has done things for which there is no forgiveness. Just leave him alone and let him go on to hell; that’s what he deserves.” Yes, that’s what John Newton deserved, but no more than each one of us.

Take John. He has never done the things that John Newton did. Compared to Newton, John looks like an angel. Nevertheless, it took no less a miracle to save John Fanta than it did John Newton. The same mighty miracle was required. John Fanta was just as dead and hellbound as was John Newton. May we never forget that. When anyone is given new life in Christ, it is a miracle of Amazing Grace.

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We recently baptized Lou and Trey, so we will not do a detailed study of baptism this morning. Let me read a couple of scriptures and give a summary explanation. Matt. 28:18-20…
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Baptizing, along with teaching, is closely associated with the making of disciples. We find this not only in the words of Jesus, but also in the historical passages of Acts. For example, let’s read Acts 2:38-41…
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Baptism is indeed an act of obedience in the life of the person who has come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. If a person is going to follow Jesus, he begins with baptism. But baptism is not just a ritual that we perform. If we did it only because Jesus told us to do it, that would be enough, but we can praise God that there is a rich meaning associated with baptism. Let’s read Rom. 6:1-5…
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Baptism pictures first of all the death and resurrection of Jesus. John, when I put you down into the water, you will be demonstrating the truth that Jesus died and was buried. When I raise you up, you will be showing that Jesus rose from the grave to die no more. But that is only half of the picture. We are baptizing John this morning because he is testifying the truth that he died together with Jesus and has been buried. When I raise him up out of the water, he is testifying that he has been raised to live a new kind of life, the very life of Jesus.

John, you are young and God has blessed you. He has given you Christian parents and your young life has been very stable. But I must remind you that life will not always be easy for you. How do I know that? Because God has made you a disciple of Jesus Christ. We are told in the Word of God that “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). “Yes, all who want to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (II Tim. 3:12).

Let’s read the story of Jesus’ baptism. Matt. 3:13-18…
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15. And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

The voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son.” Those words are taken directly from Psalm 2, the royal Psalm. God’s people recognized that David was talking about the Messiah. Jesus would indeed be recognized as the Messiah, as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The voice reminded Jesus of that truth. But then Jesus heard the words, “In whom I am well pleased.” Those words are from Isaiah 42, one of the Suffering Servant passages. Jesus would indeed by the King of Kings, but the road to royalty would lead through great suffering. By submitting to baptism, Jesus was welcoming the path His Father had for Him. It would not be easy, but His deepest desire was to please the Father.

John, as you are baptized this morning, you are testifying to your faith in Jesus Christ. You are painting a picture, testifying that what happened to Jesus has happened to you, that you have been identified with Jesus in His death and in His resurrection. But you are also acknowledging that the path to glory will not be a smooth one, but it will lead through suffering. You are saying to your heavenly Father, “Nevertheless, your will be done in my life.”

Tale of Two Opposites -- Publican 12/7/08

Sunday, December 7, 2008

THE TALE OF TWO OPPOSITES -- THE PUBLICAN
Luke 18:9-14

You believe in God. You know that He is the Creator and that He sent His Son into this world to die on the cross. But now I want to ask you a simple question. What is it that you want from God? What do your desire from the Almighty? Before you answer, ask God to search your heart. It is difficult for some of us to answer such a question honestly. Am I giving the answer I know I should give? Or, am I truly communicating the deepest desire of my heart? So what is it that you want from God?

If you were here last week, you know that we are considering the parable of the Pharisee and the publican. We might describe it as “The Tale of Two Opposites.” Let’s read it again this morning. Read Luke 18:9-14…
And 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.

Two men went up to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. Last week we looked at the Pharisee. Perhaps we could sum up the attitude of the Pharisee something like this…

1. He was proud. We see this especially in the fact that he didn’t seem to need to ask God for anything. His attitude was the attitude Jesus identified with the church of Laodicea in Rev 3:17, "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"

2. He justified himself. Remember that Jesus spoke this parable to those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous. Two chapters earlier Jesus said specifically to the Pharisees, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men” (Luke 16:15). They believed that they themselves had attained a right standing before God by their own efforts.

3. They were ungrateful. It certainly doesn’t appear that way on the surface, because we hear the Pharisee begin by saying, “God, I thank you…” But when we begin to examine his overall attitude, we see that the Pharisee was congratulating himself rather than thanking God. Remember that verse we read last week from 1 Cor 4:7, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?"

This week we want to look at the other man who prayed, the publican, the tax collector. But the best way to view the tax collector is to compare him with the Pharisee. That seems to be Jesus’ intent in choosing these two men as the subject of His parable. So last week, we looked at the Pharisee, the man who had it all. This week we will look at…

II. The Publican – The Man Who Had Nothing

A. In Contrast to the Pharisee; He Was Humble

Let’s begin by acknowledging that these two men had much in common. Of course, there is the obvious. They were both created by God. They were both descendants of Adam, which means they came into this world dead in their trespasses and sins, separated from God. Not even the Pharisee would claim to be an exception to that rule.

The likeness doesn’t end there. In reality, these two men agreed on many things. Their belief system was basically the same. John MacArthur emphasizes this point…

They both understood the Old Testament to be the revelation of God. They were committed to Judaism. They believed in the God of the Old Testament, the Creator-God of the Old Testament, the God who drowned the world in the days of Noah. They believed in the God who revealed His Law on Mount Sinai to Moses, they believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and then the God of Moses and they believed in the God of David. And they believed in the God of the prophets. They believed in the God of the psalmists. They believed in the God of the Old Testament. They believed in the God that had revealed Himself to Moses as gracious, merciful, compassionate, tender-hearted. They believed in the God who was merciful, the God who was righteous and holy. They had believed in the Scripture. They believed in the religious system that had been revealed in the Old Testament, the system of sacrifice, of priesthood… Essentially they believed the same thing, the same God, the same authoritative Scripture.
Both of these men believed many of the truths that we also believe. They both understood that God is both righteous and merciful. They knew well that no man can stand in His sight unless he is righteous. And they understood that the sacrificial system had a role in enabling a man to stand before God.

Both of these men came out of the same background – culturally and biblically. And yet they took different paths in life. As a result, the Pharisee was highly respected and the publican was despised. We talked last week about how the Pharisees devoted themselves to keeping the law of God, at least outwardly. They longed for the praise of men, and they received it. But it was very different with the tax collectors. The tax collectors were despised by Jewish society for two basic reasons. First of all, they were willing to work for the Romans, whose authority the Jews were under. Most Jews resented the fact that these tax collectors were willing to be used by the Romans to collect taxes from their own fellow-Jews. They were viewed as traitors. Not only did they collect the taxes for the Romans, but they generally collected more than needed so they could line their own pockets. You will recall that Zacchaeus was a tax collector and it is recorded that he was rich (Luke 19:2). No wonder they people despised the publicans.

Perhaps it was this separation that made it easy for them to lower their standards morally and religiously, and that is the second reason they were despised. For the most part, the tax collectors had a reputation for hanging around with the undesirables. The word “publican” occurs 23 times in the New Testament. In 9 out of those 23 cases it is “publicans and sinners.” Both Matthew and Mark record that the publicans and sinners came and sat down with Jesus (Matt. 9:10; Mark 2:15). Then Luke joins them in recording the question of the Pharisees, “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” (Matt. 9:11; Mark 2:16; Luke 5:30). Jesus acknowledged that He was known as a friend of publicans and sinners (Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:34). But don’t miss the fact that Jesus Himself recognized and confirmed the reputation of these tax collectors. Matt. 5:46-47, “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so?” Even stronger are the words of Jesus in Matthew 18. Jesus is giving instructions concerning how to deal with a brother in sin. In that context, He says in Matt. 18:17, "And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." Jesus Himself lumps the tax collectors in with the pagans.

So while the Pharisee and the publican came out of the same background and had the same basic beliefs, they were very different in both their behavior and how they were viewed by the people around them. But now we back to the parable of Jesus here in Luke 18. They were alike in that they both went up to pray, but how different they were in their approach to God. Look again at what Jesus says about this tax collector in verse 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.”

If there is one thing that stands out about the tax collector, what is it? Humility. His humility stands out brightly against the dark background of the Pharisee’s pride. First of all, notice that he stood afar off. While the Pharisee always wanted to be in the center, the Pharisee stood afar off. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for loving to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they might be seen of men (Matt. 6:5), but this tax collector stood afar off. Furthermore, he would not so much as lift his eyes unto heaven. Why? Humility. It wasn’t a false humility. He saw things clearly. He understood that God was righteous and holy, while he was completely undone. Remember that it was after Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and holy that he confessed his own unworthiness (Is. 6:1-5). So it was with this tax collector.

Earlier we stated that the Pharisee was not only proud, but he justified himself, saying, “I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess” (verse 12). There is nothing of that attitude in the publican. Rather than boasting of his accomplishments, he beat upon his breast. According to Alfred Edersheim, the crossing of the hands over the chest and the bowing of the eyes was a posture of humility. But this tax collector goes beyond that; he beats on his chest. This was highly unusual. There is no mention of such a thing in all of the Old Testament. Edersheim says the Jews sometimes did this in the most solemn part of their confessions on the Day of Atonement. This was an expression of extreme sorrow and anguish. The only other mention of this practice in the whole Bible is found in Luke 23:47-48… “Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned." So we see the sorrow and desperation of this man. Rather than justifying himself, he despairs of himself.

The Pharisee asked nothing from God, but the publican did make one request: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” That is his entire prayer. I’m not sure why the King James and some other translations don’t bring it out, but it is literally “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (as the NASV renders it). The Amplified gets at the idea: “to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am.” He sees himself as being sinful above all other men. While the Pharisee saw himself above all others, the publican saw himself as worse than all others. He was so overwhelmed by his own sin, he had nothing left with which to view the sins of others.

Edersheim sums up his attitude in these words…
Not only… does he not think of anyone else, while the Pharisee had thought of everyone else; but, as he had taken a position not in front of, but behind everyone else, so in contrast to the Pharisee, who had regarded everyone but himself as a sinner, the Publican regarded everyone else as righteous compared with him, “the sinner.” And while the Pharisee felt no need and uttered no petition, the Publican felt only need and uttered only petition. The one appealed to himself for justice, the other appealed to God for mercy. (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, by Alfred Edersheim, p. 292)

B. An Attitude of Repentance

Tied closely to humility is an attitude of repentance. As I remind you again and again, we come to God through repentance and faith, even as we read of Paul in Acts 20:21, "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." With regard to the Pharisee, we said nothing about repentance. The term isn’t used in connection with either the Pharisee or the publican. However, if I were to ask you which of them demonstrated an attitude of repentance, which would it be? The publican. There is absolutely no question about it.

Repentance speaks of a change of mind, a change of mind about sin, about self, about the need for the Lord. The Pharisee didn’t repent because he saw nothing to repent of. He was like the rich young ruler down in verse 21, who said of God’s commandments, “All these have I kept from my youth up” (Lk. 18:21). The Pharisee couldn’t think of anything for which he needed to repent. He could only think of things of which he could boast.

How different it was with the publican. Though he doesn’t say, “O God, I repent before you,” that is the attitude that is written all over him, both in his actions and his words. If there is one thing above everything else that distinguishes the publican from the Pharisee, this is it. We find this distinction not only here, but throughout the gospels. You will remember that one of Jesus’ own apostles had been a tax collector. Who was it? It was Matthew (also called Levi). After he called Matthew to follow Him, this tax collector threw a big party and invited all his friends. And guess who most of his friends were; they were tax collectors. This is when the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners?” Jesus replied like this: "…They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:30-32). The Pharisee saw himself as righteous. Therefore, there was need for repentance. But the publican saw himself as “the sinner,” and through his repentance he became a candidate for God’s mercy.

This attitude of repentance is extremely important, and let me tell you why. There is a sense in which both the Pharisee and the publican believed. We have already discussed how their belief system was basically the same. That’s how it is in our day. Ask people if they believe in God, and you will find that they do. Asked them if they believe in Jesus, and most will tell you they do. Ask them if they believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the grave, and many will assure you they believe those things. But remember that in John (often called “the Gospel of Belief” because the word “believe” occurs about 100 times) “belief” is used in different ways. Many who saw the miracles Jesus did believed on His name, but Jesus did not commit Himself to them because He knew all men, and He knew what was in man (John 2:23-25).

So if even in the Bible itself there is a belief that saves and another that doesn’t, how can we hope to understand what is the difference? A key is an attitude of repentance. There are multitudes who say they believe but who basically don’t see anything to repent of. While they may say they are sinners, just a casual intellectual confession of that sin will do. How different was the Pharisee, who stood afar off and beat upon his breast. It is this attitude of repentance that is emphasized throughout the Bible. “The Lord is nigh unto those of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18). “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise” (Ps. 51:17). The high and lofty One who inhabits eternity and whose name is holy says, “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Is. 57:15).

C. A Bold Petition

Let’s look a bit more closely at the petition of the publican. “God, be merciful to me, the sinner.” I have a parallel New Testament, which gives seven English translations side by side. Every single one of them says, “Be merciful to me.” However, the word that is used here is not the normal word for “mercy.” Look down further in this same chapter to verse 38, “And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.” There we find the normal word that means “to have mercy” (eleew). That is not the word that is used here in verse 13. I did find one older English version that translates it very literally: “God, be propitious to me – the sinner!” (Young’s Literal Translation). And what does that word “propitious” sound like? Yes, it is a form of the word “propitiation.” The same is true in the original language.

So now I need some help. From time to time we use the word “propitiation,” and we use it without apology. It is a word that is rarely used in our day, but it ought to be used more, because it is a biblical term and it carries a rich meaning that no other word carries. So what does “propitiation” mean? A propitiation is a sacrifice that turns away the wrath of God. And who is our propitiation? “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins…” (I John 1:1-2a). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10). God the Father sent His Son to the cross to be the sacrifice that would turn away His own wrath. Jesus turned God’s wrath away from us by taking that wrath upon Himself. That is why He cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” He was bearing the wrath of His Father. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor. 5:21). Don’t ever be afraid of the term “propitiation,” and don’t ever apologize for using it. People will tell us that we shouldn’t use biblical words that the world doesn’t understand. That seems logical, but there is a great danger in that logic. We see that danger when we realize that not only has the term “propitiation” been avoided, but the truth it represents is being denied more and more by those who call themselves Christian. We need the word to remind us of the truth.

So the publican literally prays, “God, be propitious to me.” That is, “God, let your wrath be turned away from me.” No, I don’t believe that tax collector understood exactly how God’s wrath would be turned away, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. Jesus had not yet offered Himself as the sacrifice that would turn away the wrath of God. So this publican can be excused for not having perfect understanding. He was not looking from this side of the cross, as we are. He was not able to see things as clearly as we can. We have the God-given, Spirit-inspired record of what Jesus did at the cross and how He rose from the grave.

Now if the publican didn’t understand all this, then what did he understand? He understood that he was under the wrath of God. He understood that he deserved God’s punishment. He recognized that his sin stood between him and a holy and righteous God. This tax collector was well aware that something had to be done about his sin. Fruthermore, he knew that there was nothing he himself could do about it. He didn’t pray, “God, I’m working on my life. Help me, Lord, because I’m doing my best to follow you.” Think about it. He was likely tempted to take that route. After all, there was much to improve. If he was typical of the publicans of his day, that would have left him lots of room for change. He could have promised not to cheat the people any more. He could have examined his relationships and determined to change his set of friends. He might have even considered changing his occupation, but he mentioned none of these things. This publican understood that there was nothing he could do to make himself good enough for God. His only plea was, “O God, let your wrath be turned away from me.”

He trusted God for the details. No doubt, he was well aware that the sacrificial system prescribed by the scriptures had something to do with God’s wrath being turned away, but he didn’t know the details. He must have understood that while it was right to offer these sacrifices, without a proper attitude of heart, they meant nothing. Earlier we read what Isaiah said about how Israel was offering sacrifices, but God did not accept them. The problem wasn’t with the sacrifices; the problem was with the people who were offering them. Their heart wasn’t right with God. That is why he said, “Come, let us reason together, saith the Lord” (Is. 1:18).

This is where the publican differs so greatly from the Pharisee. The Pharisee certainly believed in the sacrificial system. Nevertheless, he didn’t see himself as being in need of anything. I believe the Pharisee could have looked you square in the eye and said, “Yes, I believe that salvation is by grace.” But how can that be? When you finally get down to the bottom line, the Pharisee believed something like this: “Isn’t God gracious that He allows us to earn our salvation.” But that’s not where the publican was at all. The publican gave up on trusting anything of himself and threw himself on the mercy of God. If God didn’t do something to appease His own wrath, then the publican had no hope.

Praise God that He did something not only to turn away His wrath from the publican, but from all those who trust in His Son. Yes, God sent His own Son to the cross. The Jesus who told this parable is the same Jesus who humbled Himself even to the point of death, who bore our sins in His own body on the tree, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Praise His holy name! “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”

D. A Man Justified Before God

Now we come to the Jesus’ evaluation of these two men. We have hinted at it many times already, but let’s allow Jesus Himself to give us the results of the prayers of these two men. We find it in verse 14, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” The Pharisee justified Himself; God justified the publican. While the Pharisee convinced himself that he was right with God, it was the tax collector who was really right with God.

Why does Jesus begin verse 14 with the words, “I tell you”? It is obvious that He wants to emphasize what He is saying here, but why? Because this is hard for people to accept. To the casual observer, it certainly looked like the Pharisee was the one who was right with God. And so it is today. Things are not always the way they appear. It may appear like that moral man who goes to church services all the time and reads his Bible is right with God, but the justified one is the man who has nothing to claim to his credit but who comes to himself, repents of his sin, and throws himself on the crucified and risen Christ.

When we were looking at some of what the New Testament said about tax collectors, there is one that I didn’t mention. Let’s not leave it out. On this occasion Jesus was dealing with some other religious authorities – the chief priests and the elders of the people. After telling them a little parable, He made this blunt statement: “Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you” (Matt. 21:31). Is that not amazing? How could Jesus say such a thing? Didn’t he realize that the tax collectors and prostitutes were living terribly sinful lives? Was he saying that God didn’t mind them living like that? No, that is not what He was saying. Jesus was simply stating the fact that it was far more likely a lowly tax collector or prostitute would repent and trust the Lord than one of the religious leaders would do so. And why was that? Because Jesus didn’t come to call the righteous to repentance, and the religious leaders thought they were righteous because of the way they lived. Only the person who is willing to admit that he is totally undone will come to the Lord in an attitude of repentance.

That is how Jesus closes His comments concerning the Pharisee and the publican. We read at the end of verse 14, “For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Who exalted himself? The Pharisee. Who humbled himself? The publican. But the time would come when the Pharisee would be brought low and the publican would be lifted up. While men might never see it, the time would come would God would make things right.

Conclusion

Let me conclude by making three clear statements which I hope will prevent misunderstanding.

1. Justified Publicans Change

There are those who will take Jesus’ parable and twist it to fit their own purposes. Let me explain what I mean. Some will say something like this: “We don’t need religion. We don’t need the church and religious services. Even morality isn’t that important in the end. We just need to remember that God is merciful to the one who cries out to Him. It doesn’t matter how we live. It is a soft heart that makes the difference.”

While there is truth in that statement, it is also filled with lies. While it is true that God is merciful, that does not mean that He will wink at sin. And it does make a difference how we live. We must never get the idea from this parable that the publican left the temple that day to go back to a life of cheating and immorality. The best illustration of this comes in the very next chapter, where we read the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus, who also was a tax collector. After his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus made this statement: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold” (Luke 19:8). Though we are not given the details, we know that Zacchaeus had the same attitude that the publican in this parable, for only those who humble themselves will be exalted. He did not say he would give away his goods and restore what he had taken wrongly in order to make himself right with God. Because he had been made right with God, his heart was changed. Justification came first, but it was followed by a definite change. Justified publicans are raised to live a new kind of life, the life of Jesus Christ.

2. Justified Publicans Are Tempted to Become Self-Righteous Pharisees

One of the big questions we have is this: “We know that a person must humble himself to be justified with God, but what about after He is right with God? Does he still cry out, ‘God, be merciful to me the sinner?’” No and Yes. Once a person is justified, he is not the same. Though he still commits sins, his primary identify is not “sinner,” but “saint.” Paul regularly addressed common Christians as saints, as those who had been set apart to God.

We can argue over whether we should say, “God, be merciful to me the sinner,” but what is most important is the attitude of the heart. Without qualification, I can tell you that there is never a time in this life when it is right for us to exalt ourselves. The need to humble ourselves never changes. The danger is that we will forget, that we will lose sight of the fact that we were saved by grace, that we came to God with nothing to offer. God forbid that we should ever think that we are righteous because of something we have done or because we haven’t done certain things.

You will notice that the verse we read last week has become our verse for memory and meditation this month. If we can keep this truth before us, it will go far in preventing us from becoming self-righteous like the Pharisees. "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" (I Cor. 4:7). Memorize it and meditate on it for a life time.

3. Both the Pharisee and the Publican Received Exactly What They Desired

You may say, “No, the Pharisee wanted to be justified before God, but he was not.” If the Pharisee had wanted to be right with God, he could have been. His problem was in his unwillingness to humble himself. As we read in Matthew 6, his main desire was to be seen by men. Let’s read from John 12:42-43, "Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." Not only did the Pharisees miss Jesus, but they made it difficult for others to truly come to Him. The Pharisees set the standard of religion, and the standard is stated in those words: “For they loved the praise (literally, “glory”) of men more than the praise of God.” The Pharisees wanted to be respected, valued, and praised by the people around them, and that is exactly what they achieved.

The publican, on the other hand, cried out, “God, be propitious to me, the sinner.” And that is exactly what he received. God was indeed propitious to him, applying to him the death and resurrection of His Son. That is why he went home justified.

What do you want? Get beyond the exterior. Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. What do you really want? Do you want others to think you are righteous? Or do you want to be right before God, regardless of what other people think?

Let me give the classic example. A woman is 50 years old. She has professed Christ for over 25 years. Everyone around her sees her as the model Christian. You’ve never met a nicer person. She is faithful in her church attendance, Bible reading, etc. Nevertheless, she comes to realize that she has never been born again. The Lord has convicted her that she isn’t really His child. Now she is in a dilemma. She wants to be right with God, but at the same time, to admit that she hasn’t been a Christian all these years will be really hard. What will people think? The question becomes: What does she want more – the praise of men or the praise of God?

What do you want?

Tale of Two Opposites -- 11/30/08

Sunday, November 30, 2008

THE TALE OF TWO OPPOSITES
Luke 9:11-14

We just celebrated Thanksgiving. Of course, for the Christian that is really only a half-truth. While it is true we celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday, an even greater truth is that we celebrate with thanksgiving every day. Our daily attitude is, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we shall be glad and rejoice in it” (Ps. 118:24). Praise God for special seasons of thanksgiving, but praise Him a thousand times more that we can give Him thanks every day, no matter what the circumstances.

This morning I want us to consider a prayer of thanksgiving which we find in the Bible, even in the New Testament. It is a very familiar prayer. I must also say that it is a prayer the Lord hates. Do you know the prayer I am talking about? That’s right – it is the prayer of the Pharisee in the 18th chapter of Luke. At least on the surface, it appears to be a prayer of thanksgiving, but the Lord certainly wasn’t pleased with that prayer.
Let’s read that familiar passage this morning. Read Luke 18:9-14…
And 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.

Let’s briefly look at the context of Jesus’ little parable. By the way, a parable is basically a little story that conveys spiritual truth. Back in 17:20, Jesus began to speak about the kingdom of God, in response to a question from the Pharisees. That theme continued down through the end of chapter 17. And it hasn’t faded from view even here in chapter 18, for we read in 18:8, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” With this idea of the kingdom in the background, there is a question that is bound to surface pretty quickly. The key question is: “Who will be in the kingdom? Who is qualified to be in the kingdom?” This little parable about the Pharisee and the publican deals very specifically with that question and gives a definite answer.

On the other hand, if we look at the verses immediately preceding this parable, we find another theme. Let’s take time to read it in Luke 18:1-8a…
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.

In that parable Jesus emphasizes the need for persistence in prayer. He tells us that clearly in the very first verse: “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.” Clearly this parable about the Pharisee and publican also deals with prayer. Jesus begins with the words, “Two men went up into the temple to pray…” While the parable of the first eight verses focused on persistence in prayer, this parable emphasizes the proper attitude of prayer.

So in this parable we will find the answer to the question: “Who can be a part of God’s kingdom?” We are back to that issue of who can be made right with God? Who will be saved? Put it in any terms you like, but the answer is put forth very clearly in this little story. In this same parable Jesus reveals the proper attitude of prayer. In the Pharisee and the publican we see two absolutely opposite attitudes. We will focus on the concept of what makes a person right with God, but we will also gain insight into a proper attitude in prayer.

I. The Pharisee – The Man Who Had It All

Let’s put this just about as simply as can be put. We are going to talk about three things with regard to this Pharisee…
1. A general description
2. What he didn’t do
3. What he did do
That’s pretty simple, and surely one feature of this parable is its simplicity.

A. The General Description

Let’s read again verse 9, “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” Jesus had something to say to these type people. Our knowledge of the Pharisees from other scriptures makes it very clear that the Pharisees fit this description. Whoever else Jesus was addressing, He was certainly speaking to the Pharisees.

They trusted in themselves that they were righteous. As some translations put it, “[They] were confident of their own righteousness” (NIV). Why shouldn’t they be confident of their own righteousness? They lived a life that was different than those around them. These men were serious about the Word of God and about serving God. They devoted their entire lives to keeping God’s law and making that law known to others. They prayed; they attended all religious services; they taught others; the applied themselves to the law of God. No wonder they believed they were righteous before God.

Not only did they believe they were righteous, but they had pretty well convinced everyone else that they were righteous. When we hear the word “Pharisees,” we think of them as the bad guys. That wasn’t the case in that day. They were highly respected by the people. These were the religious leaders. If a person had a question about the scriptures, there was no better place to go than to a Pharisee. They knew the answers. When Jesus healed the man who was born blind, as recorded in John 9, the people were amazed. His neighbors asked him how his eyes had been opened. He told them about a man called Jesus who had anointed his eyes with moist clay and told him to go wash, and then he was able to see. When they asked him where this Jesus was, he told them he didn’t know. They didn’t know what to make of the situation. So what did they do? They took him to the Pharisees (John 9:13). Why? Because the Pharisees were the respected religious authorities. Surely they would know how to handle the situation. And they certainly handled it.

So where did the Pharisees get this righteousness which they believed they possessed? They trusted in themselves. They believed that they had attained this righteousness, that they had earned the favor of God. We must acknowledge that the Pharisees had grasped much truth. They knew well that God was holy and said, “Be holy, because I am holy.” That was the basic message of Leviticus. They understood than no man could stand in the presence of God unless he was holy and righteous. They understood the problem, which was summarized by Job, “How then can a man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman” (Job 25:4). How could a man attain a righteousness that would allow him to stand in God’s presence? They knew it was necessary that a person become right with God. The Pharisees came to the conclusion that they themselves had earned this righteousness. From the prayer of this Pharisee, we will soon see how he thought he earned this righteousness.

Not only did the Pharisees trust in themselves that they were righteous, but they despised others. They treated others with contempt. Literally, they despised “the rest.” The Pharisees saw themselves as above all other people in society. There were the Pharisees, and then there was everybody else. The word translated “despise” is very interesting. It is made up of two Greek words – ek and ouqenew. One meant “out of,” while the other meant “not, not even, nothing.” In short, the Pharisees viewed the rest as if they didn’t exist, as if they were nobodies. Even the term “Pharisee” itself means “the separated ones.” That is a fitting description of these men who were so self-righteous.

Now come to the prayer of the Pharisee. Verse 11, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself…” We are still looking at the general attitude of this man. The Pharisee stood. That was an acceptable posture for prayer. By the way, it is not certain that the words “with himself” are to be taken with “prayed.” There are those who would link those words with “stand,” and that is a legitimate way to understand the grammar here (NRSV). It may be that the Pharisee stood by himself. Whether he did or not, it is likely that Jesus included his posture for a reason. We will read later that the publican stood far off. It is likely that the Pharisee stood in the most prominent place he could find. Remember what Jesus said about the Pharisees (though not mentioned by name, Jesus was certainly speaking about them) in Matt. 6:5, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men…” Wherever this Pharisee was standing, I suspect it was the place where he would draw the most attention.

“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself…” Now if the words “with himself” do indeed go with “prayed,” then what is the point Jesus is making? It’s possible it could mean that he was praying to himself, in the sense that he was not praying aloud, but to himself. However, it was very common for the Jews to pray aloud. It seems out of character for a Pharisee to not pray aloud, as they were always trying to impress people with their piety. It seems more likely that this Pharisee was really talking to himself and about himself (NIV has “about himself”). I love what George Whitefield said about this. He writes…
Two men went up to the temple to pray." I fear one of them forgot his errand. I have often been at a loss what to call the Pharisee's address; it certainly does not deserve the name of a prayer: he may rather be said to come to the temple to boast, than to pray… (Sermon, “The Pharisee and the Publican,” by George Whitefield)
As we read the prayer, we find that what he says has far more to do with himself than with God.

B. What the Pharisee DIDN’T Do

As he begins to pray, the Pharisee reveals what he does not do. His righteousness will consist of two things: those bad things he does not do, and those good things he does do. He begins with the negative. “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” The Pharisee could say that he didn’t try to take things that weren’t his. He did the right things. And he certainly didn’t commit adultery. Paul, who was also a Pharisee, would later say, “…touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Phil. 3:6). When viewed from the outside, the life of the Pharisee was indeed blameless. Who could accuse him of anything? To drive his point home, he used the publican as the perfect illustration. “God, I think you that I am not like this filthy tax collector.

Now let’s stop for just a moment. What’s wrong with what the Pharisee was saying? Are you thankful that you are not an adulterer? Can you give God thanks that you are not a murderer? Can you thank God that you are not like those who have no hope in this world? The problem is still with the attitude of this Pharisee. The key is in answering this question: “Why am I not like swindlers, the unrighteous, and adulterers?” The Christian can say, “Father, I praise your name that I am not like that any more. You delivered me from the power of darkness and have translated me into the kingdom of your dear Son (Col. 1:13). There was a time when I was guilty of some of those very things, but you washed me, sanctified me, and justified me in the name of your Son (I Cor. 6:9-11). That was not the attitude of the Pharisee. Rather, he believed that he deserved the credit for rising above such terrible sins. That’s why he despised men like the publican. If they wanted to do, they could do better.

No one will be right with God because of the things he does not do. I think all of us here have a certain knowledge of that truth, but let us beware lest we fall into that subtle trap. Are you greater in God’s eyes because you don’t do certain things? Do you find yourself impatient and intolerant with those who do the things you do not? Are there certain sins that in your mind put a person beyond God’s reach? Years ago, I encountered a woman who confessed Christ but who didn’t believe God could forgive a man who had committed a certain sin. That was her open belief. What he did was just too bad. That is something of what we see in this Pharisee. Don’t think for one minute that you are above having that kind of attitude.

C. What the Pharisee DID Do

Now the Pharisee moves to the positive side of his righteousness. He is righteous in his own eyes not only because he had not done certain evil things, but also because he has done certain good things. Listen to him in verse 12, “I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess.” Not only did the Pharisee abstain from the things forbidden by the law, but he went above and beyond what the law required. The law of God required a man to fast one day of the year, on the Day of Atonement. But the Pharisees fasted two days a week. Of course, Jesus reveals why they did it; they did it to be seen of men (Matt. 6:16). Don’t misunderstand. Our Lord expects His people to fast. Let me say that again in case you missed it; the Lord expects His people to fast. That is why in Matthew 6 He says, “When you fast,” not “If you fast.” Nevertheless, fasting is not a way to earn God’s favor, to make one’s self righteous in His sight.

Not only did this Pharisee fast, but he gave tithes of all that he possessed (or “acquired”). The best commentary on this verse is found in Matt. 23:23, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Again, the Pharisees went above and beyond what the law required, but they were blind to their omission of the weightier matters of the law.

So there stands the Pharisee. If there was ever a man who could attain God’s righteousness, it was surely the Pharisee. People of that day would have told you that if there was anyone righteous before God, it was the Pharisees. Do you see the problem? “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart” (I Sam. 16:7). As Jesus would say later, they cleaned the outside of the cup, but they were corrupt on the inside. Earlier in Luke 16:15, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Though they appeared to be righteous on the outside, God hated the attitude of their hearts.

This is not just a cute little story that Jesus told. This is the way people try to become right with God. Not doing the bad and wicked things + doing good things = righteous before God. That equation has sent countless people to hell and will continue to do so. Just because most people aren’t as blatant as the Pharisees, don’t think that people aren’t using this equation as a way to try to earn God’s favor. I would be very surprised if there aren’t people here this morning who are banking on that very equation. But if anyone wants to go that route, don’t miss the words of Jesus, “Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). It is impossible to attain God’s righteousness. Perhaps no statement would summarize the Pharisee better than what Paul said of his fellow-Jews in Rom. 10:3, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

Now please listen to me. Our tendency is to think of the Pharisees as those bad buys in the New Testament. And because of that, we become blind to the Pharisaism that is all around us and sometimes within us. The Pharisees of the New Testament might as well have worn a sign with four-inch letters which said, “I AM A PHARISEE.” It was that obvious. They made broad their phylacteries and enlarged the borders of their garments. You can identify them at any feast because they always took the highest seats. On the street, they were the ones who received the extended and flattering greetings. They loved to be called by special honorific titles. Everyone knew who the Pharisees were.

In our day, the attitude of the Pharisee has outdone itself. Today Pharisees don’t dress in a special way, don’t sit in a separate seat, don’t always have special titles attached to their names. Why not? Because they know those things would make them look bad in the eyes of men. Do you see it? That is the Pharisaic attitude, but it has become much more sophisticated than in Jesus’ day. I’m not talking so much about Pharisees, as about the attitude of the Pharisee. That attitude is no respecter of persons. It can knock on the door of anyone. It can craftily influence your thinking and you will hardly know it.

Conclusion

Let me suggest three areas where we need to watch for it…

1. Watch for it in your attitude toward people.

If I asked you, “Do you despise others? Do you look down on others, as if they were less than you?” all of you would say that you don’t. Why do we answer that way? Because we know it is a bad thing to despise others, and we don’t want anyone to think that we would do that. And perhaps we truly don’t want to look down on others. But I remind you that God looks on the heart. When He looks deep inside your heart, what does He see?

A man comes to the service one Sunday morning. You find out that he was once convicted of spying for a foreign nation. He actually sold United States of America government secrets to another country. Furthermore, he hangs out with some really shady characters. You might question both their national loyalty and their general morality. You become aware that this man is not welcomed in many circles. Can you pray with this man? Can you accept the idea
that he is here to seek the Lord?

A woman comes to service one Sunday morning. She is 40, but she looks 70. You don’t have to ask questions to know what kind of life she has lived. Hundreds of men could tell you. She has no manners; she is rude and crude. But she has come here to seek the Lord. Could you get down on your knees beside her and pray with her?

Make no mistake about it, we are more than capable of deceiving ourselves when it comes to our attitude toward others. If you don’t know this verse, you need to know it. It is 1 Cor. 4:7, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" Whenever you are tempted to elevate yourself above another because of something you know or something you do, remember that it is only because of what God has given you. May we never forget that. Had God not given it to us, we would be just like that person we are tempted to despise.

2. Watch for it in your attitude toward God.

What did this Pharisee think of God? We learn the answer to that question by looking at his prayer. Notice now he begins: “God, I thank you…” Do you see the way he addresses the Almighty? Just “God.” There is nothing like, “Our Father, which art in heaven; hallowed by thy name.” The problem isn’t that the Pharisee doesn’t say those exact words; the problem is that he has none of that attitude. When we look at this prayer, we might get the idea that the Pharisee is addressing an equal, a peer, one of his associates.

He does say, “I thank you,” but that is the last acknowledgment of God. The rest of the prayer is about the big “I.” I am not as other men… I fast twice in the week… I give tithes of all that I possess. After one passing reference to God, he uses “I” no less than five times. No wonder Luke tells us that the Pharisee “prayed thus with himself.”

But wait a minute. Didn’t the Pharisee give thanks? Yes, but for what? He does not thank God for His wonderful creation. He does not thank God for giving him life, for sustaining him day by day, for blessing him with His Word. No, all the Pharisee can thank God for is the fact that he isn’t like other men. The Pharisee is well described by the words Jesus addressed to the church at Laodicea… "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev. 3:17). The Pharisee demonstrated his inner attitude, an attitude which said, “I have need of nothing.”

This man did not walk humbly with his God. Though he knew what the scriptures said, he had certainly forgotten the truth of Ps. 138:6, "Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off." Later, both James and Peter would state this same truth very forcefully: “God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble” (James 4:6; I Pet. 5:5). How proud this man was. Let us all beware of pride and its ability to penetrate our lives.

3. Watch for it in your attitude toward self.

In reality, we can hardly separate our attitude toward God from our attitude toward self. They are vitally connected. How we view God will always influence how we view self, and vice versa. It has well been said, “Anyone who takes a high view of God will take a low view of self. And anyone who takes a low view of God will take a high view of self.” How true it is.

From the very beginning, one of the greatest problems of man is his tendency to elevate himself – from the garden of Eden in Genesis to those stubborn rebels of Revelation who refused to repent. Apart from God and His grace, man will always elevate self. That’s part of what it means to be in Adam. Don’t think you are immune from this destructive disease. I remind you of King Uzziah. Let’s read about him in 2 Chron. 26:3-4, "Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 4. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did." Then in verses 5-15 we are told of all his wonderful accomplishments. But now let’s read verses 15-16…
And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong. 16. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

He was greatly helped by the Lord until he became powerful, but when he had become powerful, his heart was lifted up. That is, he became proud, so proud that he had the audacity to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense on the altar. That was forbidden by anyone except the priests. Not even a king was permitted to do such a thing. But Uzziah, in his pride, was not afraid to disobey the Lord. He started so well, but he became proud and was destroyed.

So how do we avoid becoming proud? A great place to start is by lifting up the Lord. We once had a sign out here, “It’s hard to stumble, when you’re on your knees.” Make much of the greatness and majesty of Almighty God. Surely that isn’t hard to do, because that is who He is. To do anything else is to lose touch with reality. God is King and deserves our worship and praise. If you want to walk humbly with your God, lift Him high.

There was another man who came on the heels of Uzziah. His name was Isaiah, and he spoke these familiar words…
In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. 2. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. 3. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. 5. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

When we truly see our Lord high and lifted up, we will be content to fall at His feet and worship Him.

Next week, Lord willing, we will take a look at the man who did just that. That man was the publican in this parable.