Pharisee and Tax Collector (2005)

The Most Important Question: How to Be Right with God

0:12 Now I invite you to turn with me to Luke and the 18th chapter, the gospel according to Luke and the 18th chapter.

0:23 And I shall read in your hearing verses 9 through 14. The first pronoun, he, is referring to the Lord Jesus. And he spoke also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and set all others at naught. Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican or a tax collector.

1:02 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you. God, I thank you that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I get.

1:27 But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God. God, be merciful to me, the sinner.

1:46 I say unto you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other. For every one that exalts himself shall be humbled, but he that humbles himself shall be exalted. Let us again pray and ask God by the Holy Spirit to come and give the needy, the committed aid to preacher and to listener alike.

2:18 Holy Father, as we come to consider these words of our Lord Jesus, we pray that he, by his Spirit, will be present, opening up his own words to our understanding, to our conviction, to our confirmation in truth. Oh Lord, where we are ignorant, teach us. Where we are right in our understanding, confirm us where we are wrong correct us but oh lord speak to us for our good and for your glory

2:55 amen the most important question ever raised by sinful men and women and boys and girls is the question how can sinful men and women be made right with the living holy god of the bible to make the matter more personal there is no more important haunting or weighty question which

3:34 you will ever ask than this question how can i how can i as a sinful man sinful woman sinful boy or woman be made right with the living holy god of the bible sinful girl how can i be made right with the living god before whom i must stand in the day of judgment and in that day either be welcomed into heaven or consigned to everlasting hell i say there is no more important question you can ever ask as a human being and it is just a question how can i be made right with the living holy god of the bible

4:17 just such an issue which is addressed by our lord in this parable read in your hearing that this question how can sinful man be made right with god is a central issue in this parable is clearly indicated in our lord's conclusion in verse 14 he says of this publican this tax collector this man went down to his house justified that is this man went down to his house with all of his sins forgiven credited with a perfect record in

4:55 the court of heaven that had he died the moment he left the temple and went down to his house he would have been ready to die and go to judgment whereas this pharisee the lord says justified rather than the other the other the pharisee he went up to the temple under the wrath of god still charged with his sins and no forgiveness and in spite of all of his religious rituals and all of his religious talk he went down to his

5:32 house in the same condition in which he went up to the temple and by means of two contrasting portraits our lord sets before us how sinful men may and may not be made right with god in these two specimens our lord masterfully paints the picture of how all men seek to get right with god either the right way or the wrong way and i want us to consider this parable with that great personal concern uppermost in our minds

The Specific Occasion and Audience of the Parable

6:13 let's take a moment first of all to consider the specific occasion in which this parable is made what precipitated our lord speaking this parable well as a wise preacher jesus was always sensitive to the various mental and spiritual perspectives of his listeners and on this occasion he noticed that there were some among his hearers who were marked by a spiritual perspective which had two dominant elements look at the text he spoke also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and

6:58 set all others at naught our lord was conscious that before him were standing men and possibly women as well who had a perspective marked by these two things number one a delusive self trust for acceptance with god a delusive self trust for acceptance with god he spoke this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous they had a delusive confidence that in the court of heaven they were declared righteous sins forgiven

7:41 accepted with god but based upon things in themselves they trusted in themselves that they were righteous and the tense of the verb trusting points to a standing condition this was the prevailing disposition of their souls it was one of a settled delusive self trust for their acceptance with god and secondly they had a demeaning disposition to others who did not measure up to their standing condition it was a measure of their state of mind for their family they wereера to be in the place with their parents

8:25 and the the it was a high rank and a humble family which was their standard of what they thought would give others acceptance with god Where Herod and his soldiers set Jesus at naught and mocked him. They treated him contemptuously. They treated him like the scum of the earth. It's the very word used in Acts 4.11.

9:01 The stone which the builders rejected. Here's the picture of a builder picking out stones and looking for one that would be a suitable cornerstone. And he throws this one away and that one away and this one away while looking for the appropriate stone. And it is said this is what they did to Jesus, God's chief cornerstone.

9:22 They treated him contemptuously. They set him at naught. So the prevailing disposition of these who are in our Lord's audience is broken down into two facets. They had a delusive self-trust for acceptance with God.

9:39 And a demeaning disposition to others who did not measure up to their standard. Now it's noteworthy that the parable was framed and spoken towards them. Look at the text again. He spoke also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves.

10:00 He spoke the parable towards them. In other words, he was conscious they were there. And he deliberately. He aimed his words and particularly this parable at their situation.

10:16 Seeking to get inside their consciences that they might see themselves mirrored in this parable. Everything was calculated to lead to the issue of how does one find acceptance with God. He discerns that among his hearers are those who are utterly deluded. About how one finds acceptance with God.

10:43 And he goes after them directly. Just as Nathan told his parable to David. And there was no congregation but David himself. But he went after David's conscience with a parable.

10:59 So our Lord did the same thing. Now he did not do it to embarrass these people. He did not do it in order to be obnoxious. Or pugnacious.

11:10 He did it out of love that desired that they would see themselves for what they really were. And in this passage and many others we have the precedent for close pointed applicatory preaching. That grows out of a preacher's knowledge of his hearers. In other words, this was sanctified picking on people with preaching.

11:37 And there are people who don't like to be picked on. They want truth to float by them. But they don't want any arrows coming out of the truth shot into their hearts. Well in God's name why bother to sit under preaching that has no arrows that goes to your own heart.

11:56 And our Lord Jesus out of love for these people in their delusive spiritual state. Goes directly to their consciences by means of this parable that I am calling. The contrasting portraits. And so we come having spent just a few moments about the setting of the parable.

Portrait 1: The Self-Righteous Pharisee

12:16 In the second place the contrasting portraits in the parable. I want you to think in terms of that imagery. We'll have two portraits and the only thing in common is the frame. The two portraits have a common frame.

12:30 And that common frame is the place in which these two portraits are set before us. The text says, Two men, verse 10, went up into the temple to pray.

12:45 The common ground was the physical surrounding of the temple. Both men went up to the place of God's special presence, the temple. The place where sacrifices were offered. The place where the priest carried out their official God determined functions on behalf of the worshipers.

13:07 Both of them went up with a view. A view to having intimate, special dealings with God. The text says they both went up into the temple to pray. Not to offer a sacrifice.

13:20 Not to engage in any other activity but that of prayer. That's the common frame. Two men in the same place engaged in a similar activity. But there the similarity ends.

13:35 And we have these two distinct portraits. And I want us to look at them. First of all, the portrait of the self-righteous Pharisee. And we're going to look at four facets of that portrait.

13:49 His position in the temple. His prayer. His true condition. And his fundamental problem.

13:58 First of all, what was his position? Jesus felt it was important to include this in this parable. Look at the text. Two men went up into the temple to pray.

14:09 The one a Pharisee. The other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. The Pharisee stood.

14:19 And there's a hint in the use of that verb. That he stood. That is, put himself in a place of prominence. Most likely got as near to that next place where only the priest was allowed to go.

14:35 A place of prominence in his eyes perhaps. Perhaps a place that he thought. He deserved. He stands.

14:44 With all the symbols of God's holiness and majesty all around him. In the sacrificial system. And all that it said of the fact that the God who dwells behind the curtain. The God who dwells above the mercy seat and between the cherubim.

15:01 Says in that whole Old Testament sacrificial system. Stay away. Stay away. I am holy.

15:09 I am holy. Stay away. And only when the priest enters with blood. Does God say you can draw near in the person of your representative.

15:21 The priest. Stay away. But this man in the midst of all of those symbols of the burning holiness of God. That can only be approached by means of the sacrificial system.

15:33 By means of the blood of an innocent victim. Apparently he has no problem. Standing in a place of prominence. That's his position.

15:44 Now let's look at his prayer. And here there is a textual variant. It could be read the way I've read it from the old American standard. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself.

15:58 God I thank you that I am not as the rest of men extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican. Or it could be he prayed standing prayed towards himself in other words the text could be saying that standing where he was staying standing there was really no prayer God word he prayed towards him self in other words his prayer was nothing but an exercise in self-congratulation but be that as it may notice. The elements of his quote.

16:42 Prayer first of all there's a self-righteous declaration of what he thought he was in relationship to other men. What he thought he was in relationship to other men. He sets all others at naught. He trusts in himself and in that frame of mind he says I thank you that I am not as the rest.

17:08 Of men. Of men. Of men. Of men.

17:09 Of men. Of men. Of men. Now, a true child of God who has been rescued from the horrible pit of that which was native to him in Adam and in his own sins, surely can say in earnest gratitude to God, Oh God, I thank you I'm not like the rest of Adamic humanity as I once was and as I would be apart from your grace.

17:38 Remember Paul said, I am what I am by the grace of God. But that's not the spirit that is in this man. This man is not giving true thankfulness to God that God in grace and mercy has rescued him from the mass of lost Adamic humanity. He is preening himself. He is spreading his own tail feathers like a peacock in the presence of God saying, I thank you I am not what other men.

18:08 I am what other men are. That's his general statement. Then he gets very specific. And he says, and in thanking you I'm not like other men, I'm thanking you that I am not an extortioner.

18:20 That is one who uses a position of influence to wheedle money unjustly out of others, generally unjust or an adulterer or even, and you can just imagine him at that point, looking down his Pharisaic snoot. This. Publican. He saw the publican there in the temple with him, off at a distance. But as he is preening himself and as he is parading his own self-righteousness, he declares what he thought he was in relationship to other men.

18:57 And then secondly, there is a self-deluding rehearsal of what he thought his religious activities meant to God. Look at the text. He not only says, I thank you that I'm not. That is the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, even as his publican. I fast twice in the week. God had only required one annual fast.

19:19 The Pharisees had a system where they fasted twice a week for at least half a day. And he obviously was very faithful to that system. So it's as though he's saying, now God, if there is any defect in what I am not, I am not as the rest of men. I am not unjust.

19:38 I'm not an extortioner. I'm not an adulterer. I am not like this publican. And if in all of that there is anything lacking to give me your perfect smile and to earn for me absolute acceptance before the court of heaven, now God, take notice of what I do.

19:59 I fast twice in the week. And furthermore, I not only engage in that which shows. I have my bodily appetites and passion under control. I fast twice in the week.

20:15 Furthermore, I'm very generous. I give tithes of all that I get. So in his so-called prayer, there's not only a self-righteous declaration of what he thought he was in relationship to other men. There's a self-deluding rehearsal of what he thought his religious activities meant to God.

20:37 As though God would not. As though God would not. As though God would not. As though God would not.

20:39 As though God would not. His prayer is one in which he sets before God what he is in himself as the ground of his acceptance. And if there are any deficiencies in what he is in himself, he offers what he does to make up the balance and the difference. I came across this statement that some people in a self-help support group seeking to deal with the problems of gluttony, were taught to memorize and say to themselves and to one another when they gathered for their mutual encouragement.

21:20 I am a ten. I am a person of worth, of value, of dignity. I am special, and I have a special destiny. I am important.

21:32 I am interesting. I am precious and beautiful. I am priceless. I am the salt of the earth.

21:39 I am the light of the world. I can do many things well. I'm a good person. Nothing is wrong with me and nothing ever was wrong with me.

21:48 I am a ten. I see myself a ten. And one of the great joys I have is to help the people around me see their own worth and value as a ten.

22:01 You say, ludicrous. No more ludicrous than this man in the presence of God saying, I'm a ten. I'm not his other man. I'm a creature of great value and worth.

22:14 Oh, God, when I think of the question, how shall I find acceptance with you? God, I've got lots of stuff to parade before your eyes. I am not like other men. Generic, then specific.

22:30 I am not, and then he names the specifics. And furthermore, if there's any defect in my standing before you based on what I am not, then, Lord, look upon. Look upon the things that I do. But now notice, thirdly, his true condition.

22:49 We've noticed his posture, his prayer. Now, what was his true condition?

22:54 Look at verse 14b.

22:58 I say unto you, this man, that is, the publican, went down to his house justified rather than the other. The other, the Pharisee, went down to his house not justified and the opposite of justified. His true condition was one of a lost, condemned man still in Adam. His sin still charged to him by the court of heaven.

23:27 His uncleanness still clinging to him. He went up to the temple lost, condemned in Adam. He went back to his house lost, condemned in Adam. In spite of it.

23:43 His performance in which he declares what he is and what he does. He goes down to his house exactly as he went up to the temple. And what was the cause of his condition? That was his true condition.

23:56 What was the cause? 14b.

24:00 For everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled. Everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled. All that we read of him in the parable was selfless. Self-exaltation.

24:17 He was saying the mantra of this self-help group. There is nothing wrong with me.

24:26 I am a ten. And if you don't believe it, God, I'll tell you why you ought to believe it. And so he rehearses all of the reasons why God ought to regard him as he regards himself. And the cause of his condition was his unmortified, unbroken, heart of pride.

24:49 He lifted up himself. That's how Jesus describes him. For everyone that exalts himself lifts up himself. Who with respect to the great question, how can I find acceptance with God?

25:06 He puts himself on the platform and says, I should have acceptance on the basis of who and what I am and what I do and don't do. That's the first portrait of the Pharisee. Now we look at the second portrait. The portrait of the self-deprecating publican.

Portrait 2: The Self-Deprecating Publican

25:28 And we're going to consider four things about him as well. His position, his posture, his prayer, and his true condition. What was his position? Look at the text.

25:40 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. But now we come to verse 13. But the publican, the self-deprecating publican, was not a self-deprecating publican. Standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner.

26:06 What is his position? Having taken his stand afar off, perhaps just inside the court of the males, afar off, afar off from that most sacred place where only the priest would go. He stands afar off. His very position as he places himself in the temple is indicative of a disposition of heart.

26:38 He knows that the symbol of God's intense, concentrated, burning, holy presence is near to the holy place. He feels himself unworthy to be near. He stands afar off. His very physical position, taken up deliberately by him, was indicative of the disposition of his heart.

27:06 And then what was his posture? Here the Lord gives us a very detailed description. He would not lift up so much as his eyes unto him. He would not lift up so much as his eyes unto him.

27:16 He would not lift up so much as his eyes unto him. He would not lift up so much as his eyes unto him. heaven would not so much as lift up his eyes let alone turn his face upward as though he were in a position to have immediate unashamed access to the god of heaven he does not so much as even lift up his eyes to heaven his head is bowed down his eyes are downward all indicative long before we had the term body language our lord is describing his body language and he is saying that there's something very significant in his body language these details are not given just for filler

28:01 not only is the disposition of his heart indicated by the fact that he's standing afar off but as he stands the very posture of his shoulders in his head and his eyes are indicative of something that's something that's going on in his heart but then we move from his position and his posture to his prayer look at his prayer standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven but smote his breast saying god be merciful to me a sinner as he begins to pray

28:44 the lord jesus describes something else he's doing and the verb is in a tense that means it wasn't just one thumb in the position far off his eyes not so much as lifted up to heaven he is in this process of beating upon his breast while he prays indicating that his prayer was not something stuck on to who he was his prayer was being wrung out of a heart that felt such a state of anguish and anguish and anguish and anguish and anguish and anguish and anguish and grief concerning who he was and what he had done there was such inward pain and agitation that he

29:27 beats upon his breast and then he prays and notice his prayer it is made directly to god his first word is god god god be merciful he's not talking to himself he's not praying to the saints he's not praying to mary he's not praying to the saints he's not praying to the saints he's not praying to a prayer put into his mouth by some preacher or personal worker in an inquiry room he's not praying to be seen by the tv camera that is is taping this evangelistic endeavor of our lord no

30:07 no he's having direct dealings with the great god of heaven the god whom he knows in this peculiar way dwells in the temple the god who can only be approached by sacrifice the god who says stay away in your sin i am holy stay away lest i consume you in my burning holiness approach me only in the person of the priest and on the basis of the sacrifice of an innocent victim his prayer is made directly to god and it was made with respect to the need for a righteous pardon of all

30:51 his sins god be merciful to me the sinner now there is a standard word for mercy in the new testament it's found often in the gospels as well as the epistles but that's not the word that he uses in his prayer that word for mercy means show pity join to an appropriate action he doesn't use that you have others in the gospels using it have mercy upon me son of david cries the blind beggar but this man jesus does not put the standard word for mercy in his mouth in this parable but rather he puts in his mouth a word that is in the family of words that

31:36 has to do with propitiation that is the turning away of the wrath of god on the basis of a sacrifice that has satisfied the wrath of god christ is called our propitiation in first john 2 2 the scripture says christ has made propitiation he has turned away the wrath of god by the sacrifice of himself so in his prayer he is saying god be propitious to me grant me forgiveness and pardon and acceptance on the basis of the turning

32:16 away of your wrath by means of sacrifice and could it be that he understood what few worshipers understood in that day that if god were to extend mercy to him the god who says in his holiness stay away is the god who says you may draw near on the basis of an acceptable sacrifice and how much he understood in saul we do not know but it is not without purpose that our lord puts into his

32:53 mouth this word god be merciful that is god be propitious to me extend mercy and forgiveness and acceptance on the basis of a proper sacrifice a substitute i deserve your wrath i deserve to be consumed by your anger but oh god on the basis of an acceptable sacrifice turn away your wrath turn away your anger from me and he feels so acutely his own state that he does not say god be merciful to me a sinner

33:33 but jesus puts in his mouth a prayer with the definite article be propitious to me the sinner the sinner you see he stands before god and whenever a sinner stands before god as god is dealing with a sinner to bring him to himself there's only two people in the universe god and the sinner there's no making comparisons there is no evaluating on a scale of good sinner not so good sinner bad awful terrible sinner no he sees himself as the sinner he is the one who

34:14 has broken the law of god he is the one who has gone astray like a lost sheep he is the one who has violated the standards of god's holy law he sees himself as the sinner the same way the apostle paul could say faithful is the same worthy of all acceptance that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom i am chief the sinner his prayer directly to god his prayer asking for a righteous pardon of all his sins his prayer coming out of the crucible Of this most intense individuality.

34:59 Of the sense of his spiritual state. The sinner. That's who I am. No extenuating words.

35:07 No effort to cover it over. No effort to gloss it over. To neutralize some of the horrible reality of identifying oneself as the sinner. No.

35:19 God be propitious to me. The sinner. And then what was his true condition? We have our Lord's word.

35:27 Verse 14a. I say unto you. This man went down to his house justified. He went down to his house.

35:39 With all of his sins forgiven. With a declaration from the court of heaven. That his standing is one who fully completely kept the law of God for justification. Has not only the negative dimensions.

35:55 Of pardon. It has the positive dimension. Of a positive attribution of righteousness. Before the law.

36:04 And he goes down. To his house justified. This Lord Jesus who told the parable. Will soon.

36:13 Go to Jerusalem for the last time. And there will put himself into the hands of wicked men. He will submit himself to all of those influences. That will result.

36:24 In his. Being impaled upon that instrument of Roman execution. Reserved for slaves and outcasts. And undergo the wrath of God.

36:34 That will turn away that wrath from all. Who will believe upon his son. And whether this man saw and understood all of that is irrelevant. What we know is.

36:45 That he went down to his house justified. On the basis of the fact that Jesus is called the lamb. Slain from the foundation of the world. And wherever the spirit of God worked.

36:58 True penitence and faith in the heart. Of any sinner Jew or Gentile. That sinner was justified in the old. As well as in the New Testament.

37:08 On the basis of the work of Christ. For that work of Christ was before the eye of God. From eternity. And so whenever any of the sons of Adam.

37:18 Come to repentance and faith. In the Old Testament. God justified them on the basis. Of what the lamb was.

37:25 Would accomplish. As surely as since he came. Lived and died and rose. And went back to heaven.

37:32 We are justified upon believing. Based upon what he has accomplished. Retroactive. Prospective.

37:41 It is Christ. Who is the lamb of God. Who bears away. The sin of the world.

37:47 And what was the cause of his condition? Our Lord tells us. Look at verse 14b. He that humbles himself.

37:56 Shall be exalted.

37:59 Our Lord does not focus on the ground. Of his condition. Justified. He went down to his house justified.

38:06 Why? Because he that humbles himself. Shall be exalted. The purpose is to identify the way.

38:15 In which we come. Into the blessed experience. Of being justified. And it is the way of being humbled.

38:23 Accepting God's declaration. Concerning what we are. As sinners. Accepting God's provision for sinners.

38:32 In the appointed sacrifice. By which he turns away. His wrath. Not preening ourselves.

38:39 Not trying to bring to God. Brownie points. Which will somehow count. In the court of heaven.

38:46 This man experienced the first two beatitudes. Blessed. Are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of God.

38:56 Blessed. Are those who mourn. For they shall be comforted. That's the poverty of spirit.

39:02 Essential. To bring us to saving faith. Where we go utterly out of ourselves. Into the provision God has made.

39:11 That we might be accepted. With God. Well those are the two portraits. The portrait.

Critical Lesson 1: Awareness of True Condition

39:18 Of the deluded. Self-righteous Pharisee. And then the portrait our Lord paints. Of this.

39:26 Believing. Broken hearted. Publican. Now thirdly.

39:30 What are the critical lessons from the parable? What are we to learn from this parable? Well first of all this.

39:39 We must note. That the fundamental difference in these men. Was not in their natural condition. But in their awareness.

39:50 Of their condition. The fundamental difference in these two men. Was not in their natural condition. But in their awareness.

39:59 Of their true condition. We'd look at a Pharisee. The separated religious one. And then we'd look at the publican.

40:07 The man who had entered into an agreement with Rome. And was a collector of taxes. And many times excommunicated. From a local synagogue.

40:16 Hated by the Jews. Despised because of that association with Rome. And often because of their underhanded dealings. Two shekels for Rome.

40:25 And one for me. Beyond their contracted price agreement. With the Roman authorities. Outward we say.

40:31 Oh there's a world of difference between the two of them. No. No. The fundamental difference in these men.

40:38 Was not in their natural condition. But in their awareness. Of their true condition. Well one man.

40:47 Was a member of the strictest religious parties. And the other. Would be on the other end of the spectrum. Those differences were cosmetic.

40:56 Because the things that really matter. They stood on the same ground. By nature. They were both lost and condemned in Adam.

41:05 As in Adam all die. Pharisees. And publicans. Naturally they both had hearts.

41:13 That were deceitful. And desperately wicked. Naturally and in terms of what they were. In their essential being.

41:21 They were lost. Condemned. Outcasts. But the difference was in their awareness.

41:28 Of their true condition. The Pharisee. Had no awareness of his true condition. He dares to draw as close as he can.

41:36 To the place. Where an ordinary layman could draw. In the temple precincts. And there he dares to be bragging out loud.

41:45 In the special presence of God. About all the things he didn't do. And all the things he did. He was absolutely in the dark.

41:55 About his true condition. Whereas that publican standing afar off. He's not indulging. In rhetorical overkill.

42:04 Trying to impress God. Well I'm really humble. I'll just take. No.

42:08 He was echoing. The consciousness of what he really was. The fundamental difference. Fundamental difference.

42:15 Was their awareness of their true condition. And my friends sitting here this morning. That's the real difference. That separates everyone in this room.

42:24 The real differences are not. Where we come in the economic scale. Not where we come in educational background. Not where we fall.

42:31 Not where we fall out in terms of our background. Religiously. Socially. No.

42:35 No. No. The fundamental difference is. Some of you know who and what you are.

42:43 And some of you are in the land of the blind.

42:47 You've never seen yourself for what you really are. You've heard about sin. You've heard about lostness and depravity. And a devious wicked deceptive heart.

43:01 But you have never known. What this. Public and new. So that though you may not have outwardly beat your breast.

43:11 And dared not lift so much of your eyes to heaven. When you read the description of that public. And you say oh God. I know what he was feeling.

43:21 Been there. Done that. That's me.

43:29 That's me. That's me. The first indication. That the spirit of God is doing a saving work in the heart.

43:38 Is to let you know. What you really are.

43:43 What you really are.

43:46 You kids. Wonderfully preserved. From a lot of the grosser sins that you see. In the kids down the street.

43:55 And I fear that for some of you. Your disposition is. Oh I thank God. I'm not like those pot smoking.

44:02 Foul mouth. Cursing kids on the block.

44:09 You've got the heart of a perfect little Pharisee. Perfect little Pharisee. And oh God. If that's not enough.

44:17 I have my devotions regularly. I can even tell you God where I read last week.

44:23 Perfect little Pharisees. I fear for some of you.

44:29 You've never been humbled. To see that in spite of all of the marvelous privileges God has given you. And the wonderful hedges that have been set up around you. That you are exactly what that pot smoking.

44:43 Foul mouth. Pain in the neck down the street is. You're a sinner in Adam. And but for God's restraining grace.

44:54 Through your parents discipline and structure in your home. You'd be doing far more. Than that pain in the neck down the street.

45:04 And you know it. So when you see that kid on the block. That's known for the foul mouth. When they get a little older.

45:12 The girl is known for her reputation of being loose. And easy to be had with any guy. That's got the hots for her. Instead of looking down your nose.

45:21 I'm going to get you. I thank you I'm not like her. You go into your bedroom and fall on your knees. And say oh God.

45:29 Thank you for putting influences around me. That hedged me up. And thank you for your grace that has changed me. Oh God.

45:37 I'd be ten times worse than she is. And you'd mean it. Because you knew yourself.

45:47 Where are you kids? Perfect little Pharisees? Or have you taken your place as a publican? God.

45:56 God. Mercy to me. I'm the sinner Lord. Oh yes.

46:01 My parental restraints and the barriers put around me. I've not touched any pot. And my mouth has not been stained with foul language. And you can say all those things.

46:13 But say oh God. I've seen what's in me.

46:19 Be merciful to me the sinner. Of all people. The sinner. With all those restraints.

46:25 And all of those benefits. Oh God you know. And I know. Where my heart's gone.

46:31 And where my heart is roamed. And what my heart has desired.

46:38 The fundamental difference in these men was not in their natural condition. But in their awareness of their condition. And I remind you of the words of Jesus. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

46:52 They that are whole have no need of a doctor. As long as you're whole in your own eyes you're never going to go to Dr. Jesus. It's when you see what you are.

Critical Lesson 2: How They Sought Acceptance

47:02 That you're going to go to him and say Lord Jesus have mercy upon me. Secondly. Note that the fundamental difference in these men was not in what they desired. But in how they sought to attain it.

47:20 The fundamental difference is not in what they desired. But how they sought to attain it. What did they both desire when they went up to pray? They both desired God's smile and God's acceptance.

47:32 That's what they both desired. How'd they go about it? Well portrait number one is the Pharisee. He went about it by saying oh God look at who I am.

47:45 What I don't do and what I do and on the basis of that. Oh God accept me as righteous in your sight. Never understanding that all our righteousnesses are as polluted garments. Not to speak of our unrighteousnesses.

48:02 Whereas that. Republican who went up to the temple to pray. He also wanted acceptance with God. And how did he seek it?

48:11 By taking the posture of an undone sinner. Who went out of himself saying God be propitious to me. The sinner turn away your wrath on the basis of what you have done. In the provision of a sacrifice of your own appointment.

48:31 They both wanted the same thing. But. The way they sought to attain it was as different as night and day. And so it is with everyone here.

48:43 I doubt there's anyone who sits here. I pray God there's no one sitting here today. So frighteningly hardened in sin. That you don't want acceptance with God in the last day.

48:57 Is there someone sitting here. So brazenly abandoned to your sin. That you really say in your heart. I don't care.

49:05 What God does to me in the day of judgment. I don't care if he throws me into hell. Is there any such prayer? I pray God there's not.

49:14 If I were to start right here at the front with Tim. And go right through every row and ask you. Do you want God's approbation? And God's declaration of righteous in the last day?

49:25 I hope you'd say yes that's what I desire.

49:29 Well if that's what you desire. How do you expect to get it? Only one of two ways.

49:38 You can. Try to get it like this poor deluded Pharisee. Oh you may not be trying to get it by bragging to God. About what you don't do and what you do.

49:51 But listen to me now. You may say well if I could only get a little more conviction. Then I feel I could go to.

49:59 If I could only be a little more faithful in my devotion. What are you doing? What are you doing? You're trying to pile up some brownie points.

50:06 Stop it. Stop it. You go to God as and what you are. A sinner.

50:14 And as a sinner. With little bit of conviction. With a very spotty history of faithfulness in your devotions. And with a host of other things.

50:25 Say Lord I bring to you the sinner and all that I am is a sinner. Oh God for Jesus sake. Be propitious to me. Have mercy upon me.

50:36 Forgive my sins and give me the perfect righteousness. Of your dear son. You've got to go out of yourself and into Christ.

50:48 Don't be a Pharisee. Looking for something in you. Something you can bring to God. That gives you some worth.

50:56 Some merit in his presence. The very essence of saving faith is. That we go out of ourself. And into Christ.

51:06 Nothing. Nothing. Nothing in my hands I bring. Simply.

Critical Lesson 3: Their Conception of God

51:11 To thy. Cross. I cling. And in the third place note that the fundamental difference.

51:17 In these two men was not the fact that they believed in God. But in their conception of who God is. They both believed in God. They both begin their words with God.

51:29 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. God. And even though he may have been praying to himself. Towards himself.

51:36 At least the word God is on his lips. The first word of his prayer is exactly the same. As the first word. Of the Pharisee.

51:43 Of the publicans prayer. God. They both believed in God. But oh what a difference.

51:50 In what they believed about that God. The God of the Pharisee is one who can be satisfied with trivialities. Who can trade off sin and failure with good behavior. And religious brownie points.

52:05 What a puny God this Pharisee is. He thinks the God of heaven. Can be impressed. With his outward behavior.

52:13 He thinks the God of heaven. Can somehow be bought off. With his fasting. And with his tithing.

52:20 What a silly stupid view of God.

52:25 Where's that publican his view of God is. That he is the high and the lofty one. That inhabits eternity. Whose name is holy.

52:32 The God before whom seraphim. Cherubim veil face and feet. And cry one to another. Holy.

52:41 Holy. Holy. Is the Lord God the almighty. He is the God of a purer eyes.

52:47 Than to look upon iniquity. He's a God that can't be bribed. Can't be impressed. With little brownie points.

52:54 So what does he do? He does not so much as lift up his eyes to this God. But he cries. God be propitious to me.

53:02 The sinner. He's a God who can only be impressed. With his own provision of a sacrifice. He's the God.

53:11 Who cannot be bought off. Who cannot be impressed. With our performance. He is the just.

53:18 The holy one. He is the God. Who has given his only begotten son. And in him.

53:26 And in him alone. There is salvation. One hymn writer has captured the essence of his cry.

53:35 The publicans cry so beautifully in this hymn. Hear gracious God a sinner's cry. For I have nowhere else to fly. My hope.

53:48 My only hopes in thee. Oh God. Be merciful to me. To thee I come.

53:56 A sinner poor. And wait for mercy at thy door. Indeed I've nowhere else to flee. Oh God.

54:05 Be merciful to me. To thee I come. A sinner weak. And scarce know how to pray or speak.

54:13 From fear and weakness set me free. Oh God. Be merciful to me. To thee I come.

54:20 A sinner vile. Upon me Lord vouchsafe to smile. Mercy alone I make my plea. Oh God.

54:28 Be merciful to me. To thee I come. A sinner great. And well thou knowest all my state.

54:36 Yet full forgiveness is with thee. Oh God. Be merciful to me. To thee I come.

54:44 A sinner great. I come a sinner lost. Nor have I ought wherein to trust. But where thou art Lord I would be.

54:54 Oh God. Be merciful to me. That's it. That's it.

55:03 You see little views of God. Views that God can be impressed with trivialities or nonsense. The only thing that impresses God when a sinner cries is all that Jesus is. And that Jesus is done.

55:18 And when you come with all the motions of your soul going out to Jesus. That's the only thing that impresses the God of heaven. And that gets him. When a sinner comes.

55:34 Pleading only the righteousness of his well beloved son. You have the heart. You have the promise. You have the whole soul of God towards you in mercy.

55:46 Seeking God outside of Christ. Only disgust him and increases your damnation. Seeking God in Christ assures your acceptance. So we come around full circle to where we began.

Conclusion: Which Mirror Reflects You?

56:01 And I said the most important question with which your mind young or old can ever be exercised. Is how can I. A sinful man. A sinful woman.

56:12 Sinful boy. Sinful girl. Find acceptance with God. And our Lord Jesus gives us.

56:18 These two portraits. Got a common frame. They're in the temple praying. There is the deluded Pharisee.

56:26 There is the self deprecating publican. Now suppose. By some kind of alchemy. I could change the portrait.

56:35 Into mirrors. And it's going to show your face. Where is your face? Pharisee.

56:47 Publican. Which side of the frame do you fit? Which one? One or the other?

56:58 One or the other? Self deluded. Thinking that something you are. Something you've done.

57:08 Something you can do. Impresses God. And will give you acceptance with him. That's delusion.

57:16 No. That's exalting yourself. And you will be humbled. When the judge of the universe says.

57:22 Depart from me you cursed. I never knew you. Or are you like that self deprecating publican. Owning what you are.

57:31 Not in any way excusing it. Not in any way trying to deny the reality. And inwardly though not necessarily outwardly. You know the contrite heart.

57:44 That goes out of itself saying. Oh God be propitious to me. The sinner. You take that posture.

57:55 And God in Jesus Christ. Has promised his mercy. I close by quoting the concluding paragraph. In one of the popular commentaries on Luke.

58:07 That I found so precise. Listen to these words. The tax collector went home. His relationship with God restored.

58:16 That is justification. The Pharisee came to the temple. Imagining that his relationship was already intact. The one received righteousness from God as a gift.

58:29 The other thought to bring it to God as an achievement. One came to the temple a self confessed sinner. And went home justified. The other came up to the temple virtuous.

58:41 And went home condemned. Get it? That is the heart of the issue. One came to the temple a self confessed sinner.

58:51 Went home justified. The other came up to the temple virtuous. And went home condemned. Jesus here teaches the principle of righteousness.

59:00 By faith in God alone through grace. Paul describes and defends this principle in his letters to the Romans and Galatians. If people hold on to the belief that they are good enough for God. Then they receive nothing.

59:14 If people face their faults and failures. And confess to God. They receive everything. He that humbles himself.

59:25 And there is nothing more humbling. Than repentance and faith. I am owning what I am. Going out of myself.

59:34 And looking only to another. For acceptance with God. He that humbles himself shall be exalted. He that exalts himself shall be humbled.

59:45 Let us pray. Our Father how we thank you for this parable. Spoken by our blessed Lord Jesus. And we pray that the parable spoken 2000 years ago.

60:04 Will come with freshness and power. And that our Lord Jesus will speak it with incisiveness. To our hearts in this place today. We pray for those who have never, never.

60:16 Owned what they are. And gone out of themselves to Christ alone. For mercy and for forgiveness. May this be the day Lord.

60:27 When your voice finds them and draws them. And for those of us who by your grace. Perhaps many years ago. Were brought to take the place of the publican.

60:39 Lord may we never forget. That's where we are today. We stand before you acknowledging. That we have no righteousness of our own.

60:48 And that we desire to be found in Christ. Not having a righteousness of our own. But that which is by faith. That righteousness which he is.

60:59 And he has provided. Seal then your word to our hearts we pray. In his worthy name. Amen.