THE PENITENT GOSPEL: FAITH AND REDEEMING PRAYER
Luke 18:9-17: LIFEWAY SPRING QUARTERLY 2021 SESSION 3
We know from Covid-19 that no one is immune from calamity today. A friend once sent me this encouraging note:
If you have the inner strength to:
Start the day without caffeine
Be cheerful and ignore aches and pains
Resist complaining about your troubles
Understand when loved ones are too busy to give you time
Overlook the times when loved ones take things out on you
Take criticism and blame without resentment
Face the world without lies and deceit
And conquer tension without medication . . .
And make sure the whole world knows about it…
Then you are most likely the family dog.
I was in a doctor's office recently and found this note posted to his receptionist's desk: "Lord, so far I have been good. I haven't complained about anything or griped at anyone. I haven't lied, cheated, or stolen. I haven't had bad thoughts, or been guilty of greed, pride, or anger. But in a moment, I'm going to get out of bed, Lord, and I'm going to need all the help I can get."
I love this illustration because it shows us that sometimes there is a very thin line between being needy and being prideful. Our lesson today is from one of the 19 Parables that are unique to the Gospel of Luke. Again, Luke is focusing on the building of the Kingdom of God and re-emphasizing that the Kingdom is built solely on the righteousness of Christ our Solid Rock and in our trust in Him (take a look at the old hymn: The Solid Rock especially the first and last stanzas- “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”) The main spiritual points Luke wants us to know is that there is no room left for Faith when our lives are filled with self-centered pride in our own righteousness and self-reliance. Luke deftly weaves Jesus’ thematic parable of prayer, confession, petition and justification in 18:9-14 with the importance of Childlike Faith (18:15-17). Remembering our interpretive framework of Luke’s Gospel: Jesus and the Gospel are a gift from heaven, Jesus and the Gospel are a gift humbly received, and Jesus and the Gospel are a gift proclaimed; we will find that our spiritual justification before God is dependent upon our POSITION, and our POSTURE resulting in a PROCLAMATION of either a saving faith or a condemning ignorance as illustrated by the Tax Collector, the Pharisee, and the lessons of Faith for adults that comes from a small child. Let’s take a look…
The first thing we will notice in verse 9 is that this is a “teaching parable” Luke lets us know right away the POSITION AND POSTURE we are NOT to hold towards God and/or others and it is all revealed by this Pharisee’s “prayer life!” Again we see the absolute contrast and deep irony in the story’s characters- a “pious” Pharisee and a “sinful” Tax Collector. We expect the Pharisee to be at the Temple, but the Tax Collector (remember Tax Collectors in Judea at this time were considered traitors and charlatans) is not anyone we would expect to be at the Temple UNLESS there is something radical that is about to change or a life that is getting ready to be transformed. Let’s take a look at the Pharisee’s position and posture first beginning in verse 11…
The Pharisee’s deliberate positioning of himself (standing front and center) belays his misguided belief in his own self-importance and dependence upon a works righteousness. Luke gives us a close-angle illustration of the man’s spiritual foolishness by giving us the words of the Pharisee’s prayer in 11b-12. It isn’t a prayer at all- it’s a puffed up stuck up “I love me” declaration before God in a sacred place and time of worship! The question is who is this guy worshipping, God or himself? As a minister I’m always wanting to encourage people’s prayer life, but we must remember that prayer can be just as dangerous and revealing of our actual hearts and attitudes as it can be in redeeming us and glorifying God in its contriteness and this is an example. By invoking God’s name in prayer and then vainly speaking of his own goodness, depending upon his own efforts in keeping the law, and elevating himself spiritually over his neighbor the Pharisee is at the least dangerously close to breaking the First Three Commandments that he thinks he is keeping. The Pharisee’s prayer is revealing showing that he trusts in himself, is self-righteous before God and neighbor, and looks down on everyone else. Verses 11-12 show us that reminding God of our own goodness and righteousness in our keeping of His commands is as spiritually justifying for us as a broken clock reminding us that it is correct twice a day. We are all dependent and equal upon the need of God’s grace. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Ps 51:17).” Jesus warns us in Matthew 12:35-37 of the danger of careless words because God knows the revelations of our hearts. This is why we need to be extremely careful in our worship- repetition can breed contempt, carelessness, and vain ritual that is not pleasing to God. We need to be HONEST in our worship about God’s glory and our need- humility is our key to unlocking Faith’s door and God’s justification and redemption of our sinfulness. The Tax Collector is the contrast and positive example of correct spiritual POSITION, and POSTURE that results in Jesus’ PROCLAMATION of justification! Take a look…
The Tax Collector is no “Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, Sherlock Holmes, or Mary Poppins (“Practically Perfect in Every Way”). In his “revealing prayer” the man displays a contrite, trusting and broken spirit before God and he is justified. Unlike the “I know it all- do it all” declaration of the Pharisee; here we have simple, honest petition before the LORD and God HEARS HIM, justifies him and redeems him! Jesus proclaims this despised sinner’s justification while implying the condemnation of the Pharisee’s pride. Scripture is very clear that mercy is given to those who recognize their need and desire of it before God and display a broken, penitent, petitionary, and humble heart before Him (Matt 5:3-12, 6:5-15, 7:1-12). Luke ends the parable with one of his “reversal of fortune” statements: “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted (justified- made right with God). The beauty of Luke’s reversal of fortune statement here is that it shows the transforming and merciful power of God in love towards a repentant sinner. Whenever we see Luke’s “reversal” statements in scripture it should remind us that we have traded worldly lies of our own pride, and self-reliance for the Gospel Truth of our need and God’s redemption of us through Jesus Christ our LORD.
Therefore, when we pray we need to always keep the formation of our prayers in line with scripture: that God is KING and we are His subjects (He has given us the Kingdom of Heaven), that God is Master and we are His servants (Lk 17:1-10) (He has established His will over us and His Mission {Have you ever asked God: “What is your will for my life?” That question can be self-centered and it is not specific. A more humble petition would be: “God would you conform my life as your servant to your will in these specific areas, seasons, and circumstances- then name them see Rom 12:1-2}), and finally that God is our Father and we are His little children that He loves, parents and provides for eternally. Oftentimes we can be like the Pharisee in his prayer and put ourselves on the throne, in charge, and thinking we know what’s best for us like a rebellious child and then we wonder why God doesn’t answer our prayers?! Our redemption and justification comes through Faith not by works (Eph 2:1-10) and if we want to come to Jesus and desire sincere answers to our prayers then we need to look at Luke’s final illustration in this section- that of little children.
Matthew ties Jesus’ blessing of the children (see Matt 18) to Jesus’ teaching the disciples on forgiveness, Luke ties the blessing to Faith. I’ve heard many Bible teachers tie the idea of childlike Faith to the reckless abandon and trust of a child in their parents but I can’t go quite that far. I spent days and hours at a time before I could convince my three year old daughter to trust me enough to slide down the tall covered corkscrew slide at the playground. There she would sit at the top of the tube… “Carrmin, come down the slide Daddy will catch you!” “What if I get stuck?” “You won’t get stuck.” “What if I do?” “I will come up the slide and get you.” “No you won’t.” “Yes, I will!” “How do I KNOW that you’re my Daddy?” “I am your Father!” “I can’t see you. You could be a stranger that sounds like him!” Carrmin had a hard time trusting what she couldn’t see. It took me climbing halfway up the slide and showing my face around the first bend before she knew I was down there waiting for her and then down she came! Faith is often trusting the face and voice of God when you can’t see His hands. Even little children are fearful of life. Yet, where children truly display Faith is in trusting Mom or Dad’s availability- they trust that Mom or Dad is there.
Adults often have two interrelated problems with Faith. First, they have trusted in the availability of other people and been let down. I once heard a story of Cornelius Vanderbilt (the richest man in the world at the time) teaching a business lesson to his young son. He had him stand on a 6 foot wall and then Vanderbilt held out his arms and told the boy to jump into his arms- that he would catch him. The boy obeyed, but the father withdrew his arms at the last minute and let him hit the ground hard. The lesson dad taught his son? “Don’t ever trust anybody but yourself!” A lesson the younger Vanderbilt learned all too well as he burned through the largest material fortune in history in a single lifetime- nothing remains of it today. Secondly, adults have learned too well to be self-reliant and seek the blessings of their own hands over dependence upon anyone else let alone God. It is good to be confident, to work hard, and be self-sufficient but it is never good to be self-reliant- we need Jesus and we need each other and that need is met when we trust and have Faith in Him who is ALWAYS FAITHFUL- AS a good, good Father!
Like the little children coming to Jesus we don’t come to Him because “we are ready” we come to Him because “He is available”. The disciples shewed the children away because they didn’t see them as being important to Jesus (and they were and are important to Him). They felt the kids needed to “grow-up” before they could approach Jesus. How often do we feel the same way about ourselves and others? We need “to do some growing” before we approach God, we need to attempt to handle life on our own before we get God involved and ask for His help. “I’m an adult and I can handle this!” Nonsense! Jesus calls to us with His arms open wide to help, save and bless us and we run to Him with the reckless abandon- with the Faith of a little child. One thing we will most often find in ourselves when we are far from and skeptical of God, when we are blind, untrusting, and ignorant of His promises, commands, and workings in our lives is a misplaced over confidence- pride in ourselves. We will find either fear, pride/self-reliance or both hindering our Faith.Luke is telling us- let it go! Be like that honest and broken-hearted Tax Collector- be a repentant sinner so aware of your need that you cry for God’s mercy- scripture promises He hears you! Be like that little child who trusts in the availability and sustenance of the Father and with faithful abandon- runs into His arms! Are there areas in your life where you struggle with your Faith? Is there anything you need to stop depending upon yourself for and give over to the care of Christ and His LORDSHIP over your life as King, and Master, or God as your Father? Don’t let pride, hinder you. Be honest, be humble, and be gentle with yourself and with others as you approach God’s throne of grace! For it is only there that we will find healing, joy and our justification/salvation for an eternity with Him! Come as a little child to the Penitent Gospel through Faith and redeeming prayer- you are not alone!
Love in Christ, Darrin.