Sunday's Message: The Parables in the Gospel of Luke - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

During the months of October and November, we'll discuss the following parables unique to the Gospel of Luke:

• October 16 – The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)
• October 23 – The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32)
• October 30 – The Unrighteous Manager (Luke 16:1-9)
• November 6 – The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
• November 13 – The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

In the last service in this series, we looked at the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Below is the sermon and a recording of the sermon:

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Well, this morning we’ll be bringing the curtain down on this series we started four weeks ago, one that’s focused on some of the parables offered by Jesus that are only found in the Gospel of Luke. And to this point, we’ve looked at the Parable of the Good Samaritan and sort of came to the conclusion that the only way we can truly love our neighbors is to put ourselves into their shoes. And then, we talked about the Parable of the Lost or the Prodigal Son, a story that encourages us to ask ourselves if we’re willing to put aside our assumptions and to understand that God rejoices over the lost being found and to join the party ourselves. And after that, we talked about the Parable of the Unrighteous Manager, a story that may challenge us to use what we’ve been given as effectively as the crooked employee, but unlike him, to do it with honesty and with faith. And then last week, we considered the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, a story that reminds us that it’s important to use what we have in order to address the very real human needs that surround us. Now, that’s where we’ve been. And if you’re interested in hearing any of them again, just go to our Facebook page, under “videos,” our YouTube channel or our church blog. 

And this morning, we’re going to focus on the last parable in our series, namely the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. And as we’ll see, in just a little bit, I think it was offered to address something that’s as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago, an issue that’s the basis for a song that was recorded way before my time, all the way back to the 1980, and I’m talking about that Mac Davis classic Oh Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble. 

And if you don’t know the words, this is how it goes:

Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble

When you’re perfect in every way

I can’t wait to look in the mirror

Cause I get better lookin’ each day

To know me is to love me

I must be a hell of a man

Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble

But I’m doin’ the best that I can [Mac Davis, 1980]

Of course, that pretty much says it all, doesn’t it?

But like I mentioned a minute ago, I think it really reflects an issue within our society now-a-days. I mean, let’s face it, humility isn’t exactly a virtue we hold in high esteem, now do we? As a matter of fact, I think we tend to confuse arrogance with strength and reward those who bang their own drums the loudest with wealth and power and prestige. In a real sense, we kind of take the same view expressed by Mordred in that great musical Camelot:

I find humility means to be hurt

It’s not the earth the meek inherit, it’s the dirt [The Seven Deadly Virtues, Camelot]

Now, based on what I’ve seen, that sure seems to be what a lot of folks assume. 

And I’ll tell you, I think this attitude is not only shaping the world around us, it’s also affecting the church and Christians, and let me be clear, I think that applies to me just like it does to everyone else. For example, I think this devaluing of humility encourages us to focus a lot of attention on ourselves and in particular, on what we’re doing and not doing. And although it’s certainly in line with what’s happening all around us, I believe it tends to distort our relationship with God and with one another. And I’ll tell you, that really just makes sense. I mean, if I’m avoiding all those little naughty things that other people do while at the same time, I’m also saying all right words and making all the right promises, then I think it’s really easy to have an inflated view of myself and to assume that God and I are like two peas in a pod and to even think that he may actually be down right lucky that I’ve decided to play for his team. You see, this lack of personal humility, it’s got to affect my relationship with God. And I’ll tell you, I think this kind of attitude also messes with our relationship with others. I mean, give me a break, if spiritually I’m way up here; that probably means that, outside of the fortunate few, most folks are way down there. My gosh, how can I not look down on them, maybe with disgust but maybe with sympathy, hoping to raise them up to my exalted level, almost? I’ll tell you, I think that’s what a lot of Christians end up thinking and feeling. And so I’m not at all sure that humility is any more popular within the church than it is anywhere else.

And yet, again as we’ll see, that’s exactly what Jesus was talking about in the parable we’re going to look at today. And so, with that in mind, we’re going to approach it the same way we’ve done over the last four weeks; we’re going to look at the context and then the parable itself and then we’ll try to apply it ourselves. 

And I’ll tell you, as it relates to the context, I think we’re really in luck, because this was what Luke wrote right before Jesus told the parable:

Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else: [Luke 18:9, CEV]

Now, this was his audience, not just insiders or outsiders but anyone who had these two related characteristics. I mean, first, they were arrogantly confident, particularly in their relationship with God. Man, they were righteous and they knew it. That’s one. And second, I guess they used this sense of spiritual superiority to look down on everyone else. You see, the folks to whom Jesus was talking were those who did what is really easy and tempting for us to do, as we focus on how pleased God must be by what we’re doing and how disappointed he must be with everyone else. Now that’s the context. 

And as to the parable itself, well, I think the set up was really clear. According to what Jesus said,

Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [Luke 18:10, CEV]

Now, before saying anything else, I believe the contrast was pretty obvious. I mean, on one hand, there was a Pharisee, a man who was seen as a paragon of virtue and dedication and a guy who had every reason to see himself as the cream of the spiritual crop. That was on one hand. On the other hand, though, there was this tax collector, and I’ve got to tell you, in terms of righteousness, he was about as far from the Pharisee as you could get. Not only was he a traitor, because he worked for the Romans; he was also probably a liar, a cheat and a bully. If anyone needed to repent, man, it was a tax collector. And so, we’ve got these two very different men, both of whom went to the Temple in order to pray. 

And of course, that’s what they both did,  starting with the Pharisee. According to Jesus, 

The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.” [Luke 18:11-12, CEV]

Now that’s what he did; he prayed. And I’ll tell you, how he chose to do it, man, I think that’s important. You see, he didn’t pray in the middle of a crowd, you know, so his prayer could be heard. Instead he did what we’d expect any spiritual person to do, he went over by himself. As a matter of fact, the Greek even suggests that his prayer was silent, you know, within himself; therefore, we’re really not talking about a guy who’s putting on a show. And there was also no suggestion here that he was a hypocrite. In other words, on the surface, he probably looked very humble. But of course, the prayer he prayed was anything but. You see, according to what he said, as he approached God, he was focused on himself, you know, as he rattled off all the sinful temptations he’d avoided and then listed all the spiritual disciplines he followed. And I’ll tell you, both of these looked particularly good when compared to what other people, including the tax collector, were doing and not doing. Now that’s how he prayed, and remember, he was saying this by himself and not to be heard; therefore, it didn’t reflect what he wanted others to believe about him but rather how he saw himself. And you know what, in terms of the facts, he may have been right, right about what he’d avoided and right about what he was doing. But you know, even if it was all accurate and true, at least for me, his prayer still sounds pretty proud and judgmental. In other words, it was just the kind of prayer made by folks who “thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else.” [Luke 18:9b, CEV] Now that was the Pharisee. 

And then, after talking about him, Jesus pivoted to the other guy, you know, the tax collector. Luke wrote,

The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.” [Luke 18:13, CEV]

Now that was what Jesus said. And while both men physically prayed in about the same way, their approach was as different as their background and how they were perceived within their world. You see, before he’d prayed a single word, the attitude of the tax collector was clear. I mean, instead of focusing on what he’d done and not done and how all that showed just how much better he was than other people, he focused on who he was in relationship with God, you know, that he was someone who was actually unworthy even to look up to heaven and who, when he considered how he’d lived his life, felt intense shame and guilt. You see, unlike the Pharisee, when that tax collector looked at himself, he knew that he deserved nothing from God; therefore, everything he had was a gift. And so, with that attitude, the only thing he could possibly pray was “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.” [Luke 18:13b, CEV] You see, while the Pharisee focused on himself and others and sounded proud and judgmental, the tax collector focused on himself and God and prayed with simplicity and humility. Now that was the parable Jesus told to a bunch of people who would sure seem to have more in common with a self-righteous Pharisee than with a humble tax collector. 

And as to the application, well, I think Jesus was direct in the way he ended this story. In other words, he answered his riddle. I mean, instead of leaving it up to us, 

Then Jesus said, “When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.” [Luke 18:14, CEV]

Now, that was what he said. You see, in God sight, it was the humble tax collector who was pleasing and not the self-righteous Pharisee. And the reason, well, that really shouldn’t be surprising at all. Remember, as I said last week, in the song she sang to Elizabeth before Jesus was even born, Mary said, 

He always shows mercy

to everyone

    who worships him.

The Lord has used

    his powerful arm

to scatter those

    who are proud.

God drags strong rulers

    from their thrones

and puts humble people

    in places of power. [Luke 1:50-52, CEV]

And a little earlier, Jesus himself said, 

When you are invited to be a guest, go and sit in the worst place. Then the one who invited you may come and say, “My friend, take a better seat!” You will then be honored in front of all the other guests. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored. [Luke 14:10-11, CEV]

You see, in spite of what the world might say, God always favors simple humility over arrogant self-righteousness, at least that was what Jesus taught.

And I’ll tell you, I think that’s something we need to remember. I mean, even though we may always be tempted to feel a sense of pride as we look at ourselves and our relationship with God, I think this parable reminds us to resist this temptation. And to make the conscious and intentional decision to move away from focusing on ourselves, you know, on how strong we’ve been in avoiding the bad and on how dedicated we are in claiming the good. Man, we need to resist this kind of focus, and I’ll tell you why. Based on what Jesus taught, this attitude will nearly always cause us to approach God with pride and to look down on all those we don’t think measure up. I’m telling you, to be the kind of people God has called us to be, we might need to spend less time focusing on self. While at the same time, we can spend more energy and effort focusing on God: focusing on who we are in his sight and focusing on the grace that he freely gives and focusing on how pleased he is when we turn to him in humility, seeking his mercy and I’m talking about the same kind of mercy we might be willing to show others when we stop looking down and start reaching out. And doing this, man, I believe that’s the point of this parable.

And you know, in an interesting way, that really ties this whole series together. I mean, if we see ourselves as spiritual superior, we’re probably not going to even notice our inferior neighbor who might really need our help. And if we feel as though we’ve done everything right, we’re probably going to resent the joy the Father feels when the undeserving lost return home. And if our motivation never extends beyond ourselves, although we might use what we have effectively, we probably won’t be very honest or faithful. And if we believe that everything we have is a blessing to be used for ourselves, we’ll probably near see the suffering at our own gate. You see, without a humble view of ourselves, we’ll probably never understand the love of God and the opportunity we have to share that love with others. You see, humility would seem to be essential to pleasing God, and that’s something we can see in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.