Luke 18:9 - 14 early and ugly draft any illustrations?
Posted by: pastorbob <pastorbob@...>
June 4th, 2017 Be humble or Be humbled' Luke 18:9 - 14
Luke 18:9-14 "He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get. But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Are you righteous?
Based on WHAT STANDARD? Yours or Gods?
So many of think we "have it all figured out" or "have a good bead on things" so we have nothing to worry about except pointing our fingers at those around us we view as sinners who need help.
"I sure am glad I am not like THAT person!"
"I am glad I am better…better off…that those other people around me."
"I do this and I do that and I do the other thing so I KNOW I am better!"
We rely on OUR WORKS and our SUPERIORITY to determine our relationship with God.
"God, see how good I am?"
"God, look at me!"
This type of self promotion and self assurance may work well in a business hierarchy or in a community organization to get promoted, elected or lifted above others for whatever reason.
But God has different standards and our list of self accomplishment really does not impress Him very much.
God has higher standards.
Thankfully, He lets us know those standards.
- Faith, Hope and Love
- Humility and thankfulness
- Patience, Kindness, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things
- No envy, no boasting, n insisting on our own way, not irritable and not resentful
- Love God with everything He has given you
- Love others as you love yourself
- God's Top Ten
The member of the Temple Elite got everything in his "prayer" wrong. It was not a prayer to God, it was a self assurance talk with himself.
The tax Collector got things right.
Fear
Humility
Repentance
He knew who God is
He knew his need for God
Only one of these men communicated with God and reaped the fruits of repentance.
It was NOT the one who worked in the temple.
The Pharisee TOLD God how "good" he was.
The Tax Collector sought God's mercy
HUGE difference!
It is important that we see ourselves more like the tax Collector that the Pharisee!
Isaiah 64:5-9 "Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment (filthy rags). We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities. But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people." ESV
Are you SEEKING God or TELLING God?
--
To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: pastormail-unsubscribe@welovegod.org