Message for THE LORD'S DAY MORNING, July 9, 2017 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister TOPIC: God's Mercy, Forgiveness God Be Merciful To Me A Sinner Luke 18:9-14 (NKJV) Please turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke, chapter eighteen. And follow along with me as I read verses 9-14. Luke 18:9-14 (NKJV) 9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise hiseyes to heaven, but beat 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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Prayer *****************
Introduction How many of you blew it this week...i mean really blew it? There is not one solitary soul here this morning, myself included, who didn't say something we shouldn't have said, done something we shouldn't have done, thought something we shouldn't have thought, or failed to do something we should have done...not A SINGLE ONE OF US! Romans 3:10 (NKJV) There is none righteous,, no, not one. Jesus says in Mark 10:18 (NKJV)... Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One,, that is GOD. Romans 3:23 (NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of GOD. Many in today's Churches don't want to hear the truth about their sinfulness. They want the preacher to tell them how good they are. They don't want to be reminded of their sins, their guilt, and their shame; but... I John 1:8 (NKJV) says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. I John 1:10 (NKJV) goes on to say, If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. The truth is I am a sinner...you are a sinner...we all are sinners. We all have trespassed...and violated...and broken God's commandments. The truth is every single one of us stand in need of God's mercy every single day! Lamentations 3:22,23 (New Living Translation) The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.
Now let me explain what God's mercy means, because sometimes we confuse God's mercy with God's grace. God's grace is God's unmerited favor towards us. God's grace means God gives us what we do not deserve. God's mercy on the other hand means God DOESN'T give us what we deserve. When we sin and deserve to be punished, God doesn't punish us. That is God's mercy. God has every right to keep meticulous records of every sin we have ever committed and to use our sins against us, but instead He God forgives our sins and remembers them no more. That is God's mercy. Mercy means God withholds just condemnation and just punishment. The woman caught in adultery deserved punishment. In fact, according to Old Testament law, she was deserving of death. But Jesus offered her mercy instead. After her accusers walked away, Jesus said to the woman, Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, No one Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. (John 8:10b, 11 NKJV) Zacchaeus the tax collector deserved punishment. He was the most hated man in all of Jericho. He had cheated every tax payer in town by over-charging them what they owed. He deserved to be run out of town. But Jesus offered him mercy instead. Jesus went to Zacchaeus' house and brought salvation to him and all his household.
Illustration My dad was always a model of God's grace and mercy. When I was a teenager, dad had two vehicles. He had a 1968 Plymouth Fury and a brand new bright red Opal Cadet. Typically I drove the older Plymouth Fury to school and to ball practice. Well one day I was running late for ball practice. I ran out the door, threw my gym bag in the backseat of the Plymouth...jumped in the driver's seat...turned on the ignition and threw it in reverse...and soon I felt this sudden jolt and the awful sound of metal on metal. I had T-boned the passenger side door of Dad's brand new Opal Cadet. Now it would have been bad enough to have just wrecked one of dad's cars, but I had wrecked both of his cars at one time. That takes real talent! Oh, how I dreaded going in the house to tell my dad what I had done. Well I never even made it to the front door. Dad had actually heard the loud crash and came flying out the door to see what had happened. He looked at the damage to the Opal and the rear bumper of the Plymouth Fury; and he just stood there and shook his head. I kept waiting on him to yell at me or to say those dreaded words, Let the beatings begin. But instead, dad calmly said, Well, I'll just file it on my insurance. No lecture...no screaming and hollering...no beating...not even a month's grounding. I deserved all those things and more, but instead my dad showed me mercy. In one simple act, my Dad taught me a valuable lesson about God's mercy. ****************************** In His Parable of The Pharisee and The Tax Collector Jesus teaches us some valuable lessons regarding our attitude towards our own sins and the mercy of God. Each of us is represented in this parable. You are either trusting in your own good works and your own goodness to save you, or you are trusting in the Lord's mercy and grace to save you.
First of all, let's look at... I. The Self-Righteous Pharisee (verses 9-12) 9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. 1. In Jesus' time, there were four religious sects or religious groups. There were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Zealots. By far, the Pharisees were the most numerous and wealthy of these four religious sects. 2. The Pharisees followed very strict, legalistic practices. They prided themselves on obeying every letter of the law, and separated themselves from those they deemed religiously inferior to themselves. Because of their very outward display of their religious rituals such as public prayers and the giving of alms to the poor the Pharisees were perceived by the general public as being the most religious people around. But beneath their glossy religious exterior lay a gross, hideous self-righteousness, such as is displayed by the Pharisee in Jesus' parable.
3. There are three things to note about this Pharisee. (A) First of all note THE PHARISEES' ATTENDANCE. (v. 10) Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. It was no surprise that the Pharisee was in attendance that day at the Temple, he was probably there every time the Temple doors were open. If they gave out perfect attendance awards this guy probably had a string of pins as long as his arm pinned to his brightly colored decorative robe. Chances are he probably arrived right at the last minute to make sure everybody saw him make his entrance. But you see, here's the problem. While it was a good thing he went up to the temple that day, it is very doubtful he was there for the right reason. He wasn't there because of his desire to worship. He wasn't there because of his deep love and passion for God. He was there for show. He was there because he was concerned with what people would think of him if he didn't show up for the Temple worship services.
Now, don't misunderstand me. It is vitally important that we be in the House of The Lord on the first day of the week. But we need to examine our motive for being here. We need to ask ourselves, Am I here to worship? Am I here because I love the LORD? Or am I here because I'm afraid people will talk about me if I don't show up? You see, we can be just like this Pharisee and never miss Church, but still have no relationship with the One whom we come to worship. (B) Secondly notice THE PHARISEES' ATTITUDE (v. 11) 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. This man was going through the motions of worship, but there was no true worship in his worship. He was going through the motions of praying, but he wasn't praying to God, he was praying to impress everyone around him, and I might add, I think he was praying to impress himself. He thanks God that he hasn't engaged in the sins others have engaged in. He thanks God that he has a squeaky clean reputation. Notice not once does He thank God for His mercy, His grace, or His forgiveness, or His salvation. He simply thanks GOD that he's not like those low-down rotten sinners!
It is a very dangerous thing to compare ourselves to others. When we use the unrighteousness of others to measure our own righteousness we get a false reading. In the eyes of the LORD, the Pharisees' pride and self-righteousness, and his boastfulness were just as great a sins as those committed by the extortioners, the unjust, the adulterers, and the tax collector. Just because you or I haven't committed some of the sins others have committed doesn't change the truth that we are still sinners. If you want a true measurement of your own righteousness compare your righteousness with the righteousness of Christ. (C) Thirdly, notice HIS ASSUMPTION (v. 12) 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess. Here the Pharisee is reminding GOD of all the good deeds he has faithfully kept. This man trusts in his own works to save him. He is keeping track of all his eloquent prayers, and how much money he has tithed, and how many times he has fasted, and how many times he has gone to the temple, and how much money he has given to the poor.
This Pharisee feels good about the condition of his soul. He feels he has placed himself in good standing before GOD and when it comes time for him to die that GOD will have no choice but to let him into heaven because of all the good he has done. By outward appearances it looked as though all was well with this Pharisees' soul, but he was as spiritually bankrupt as could be. Sadly, I believe a lot of people in today's Churches have the same misconception about salvation that this Pharisee had. I believe there are a lot of professing Christians who are trying to earn their way into heaven by their good works. Listen carefully! SALVATION is not based upon our good works! No amount of good works can save us! Salvation can only be attained by throwing ourselves upon the mercy of GOD and repenting of our sins and placing all of our faith and trust in Him to save us! The Lord looks beyond our outward displays of religion. He sees what is in our heart! Well let's turn out thoughts now to...
II The Sorrowful Publican (vs. 10, 13, 14) 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat 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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. 1. Publicans were the exact opposite of the Pharisees. Publicans were neither respected or liked. Publicans were Jewish citizens hired by the Roman government to secure tax money for Rome. They were perceived as traitors to Israel. Most Publicans were thieves who over-charged the tax-payers so they could glean extra money for themselves off the top. 2. Let me point out three things about this tax collector in Jesus' parable. (A) First of all I would have you to notice THE PUBLICAN'S ATTENDANCE.. (v.10) 10 Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. I would imagine this tax collector felt quite awkward that day. He probably wasn't familiar with any of the Temple rituals or customs. He wasn't used to being in Church.
It is possible this publican had never even had a desire to go to the temple up to this point in his life. He doesn't have on any fancy Temple clothes like the Pharisee. He doesn't know all the religious sounding prayer lingo like the Pharisee. He hasn't come to the temple to be seen. In fact, from what we read in verse 13, it seems as though this publican didn't want to be seen at all. Why did he go to the temple that day? Maybe his life has hit rock bottom. Maybe he is feeling guilty for cheating his own fellow Jews out of their hard-earned money. Or maybe, someone has told him about the mercy, and forgiveness, and love of GOD. Whatever the reason, it is obvious he has come in search of what GOD and GOD alone can give him. Perhaps some of you here today are deeply troubled down in the depths of your soul. Perhaps you are hurting, and empty, and you are longing desperately for God's mercy and forgiveness, and His love. If so, you have come to the right place. Unlike the Pharisee who was at the Temple for all the wrong reasons, the Publican was there for all the right reasons.
(B) Secondly, I would have you to notice THE PUBLICAN'S ATTITUDE (v.13a) v.13a And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven... This publican has not come with a proud heart like that Pharisee did. He has come with shame in his heart...he is ashamed of his sins...he is ashamed of the things he has done to hurt people...he is ashamed of his whole life. This publican sees no good in himself. He sees nothing to boast or brag about. He has not lived a very righteous life, in fact quite the opposite. His life has been filled with sin and he is so fully conscious of his sinfulness he can't even bring himself to look upward towards heaven. Oh brothers and sisters, this is the attitude the LORD looks for in us. We should never ever boast about our righteousness no matter how good we think we are or how good others may think we are. We ought to be overwhelmed with a deep, intense sense of shamefulness over our sins...those sins which nailed Christ to a cross...those sins which cost Jesus Christ His very life...those sins which cost GOD THE FATHER the life of His only begotten Son. You see, you and I can never truly be saved until we come to that point where we realize just how lost we are without Jesus Christ.
(C) Thirdly, I would have you to notice THE PUBLICAN'S ASSURANCE (v.14) 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Here is the defining moment in this Parable. The Pharisee left the temple that day thinking all was well with his soul. But the Publican left with something far greater. He left with the assurance that he had been justified by a loving...forgiving...merciful GOD. The Pharisee left the temple that day trusting in his own religious works to save him. The Publican left the temple that day trusting in the finished work of Calvary to save him. Remember I told you at the outset of the message that these two men represent us. Are you like the Pharisee? Are you trusting in your own goodness and your own works to save you? Or are you like that Publican? Are you trusting completely in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross to save you?
C O N C L U S I O N A certain king invited a young talented musician to sing and play at a royal dinner celebrating their nation's birthday. Dignitaries from all across the country assembled in the ball room that night. The minstrel played the sweetest music on his harp that night, but the words he sang were entirely to bring glory to himself. He sang one ballad after another celebrating his many travels...his handsome appearance...his great talents...and his numerous exploits. When the feast was over that evening, the minstrel said to the King, Please give me my pay for tonight's performance. The King replied, Young man, you have sung to yourself tonight. You did not sing of your great country...you did not sing of our great people, nor did you sing of your great king. You sang of your own greatness. You are your own paymaster. The Pharisee sang of his own greatness in the Temple that day. He was his own paymaster. If you and I will truly search our hearts and examine our lives we will see nothing good, nothing worthy to boast about. Instead, we will humbly bow our heads before GOD and cry out, Be merciful to me a sinner!