Pastor’s Table Blog

“I’m Better Than You”

Yesterday we continued our sermon series on the Gospel of Luke. Our focus was the “Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector” in Luke 18:9-14. This parable has some unique features. First, it is one of the only parables where Jesus tells us the lesson up front. “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt (18:9) …” The word trusted would be better translated as “convinced.” He tells this parable for those who are convinced of their “right—eousness,” then he applies it to a Pharisee and tax collector.

Have you ever thought you were better than someone else? If so, you have something in common with the Pharisee. Let me offer a modern example. Many will separate colleges and universities into different “tiers.” The website, collegevine.com, explains the college tier conundrum this way: “The concept of college tiers is a way to categorize and evaluate colleges and universities based on selectivity, reputation, resources, graduation rates, and other factors.”

Accordingly, this website (although others would agree) establishes four tiers: (1) TIER ONE: The most “prestigious” schools. These are the elite colleges and universities—your Ivy League schools, Stanford, MIT … other “Top” colleges. (2) TIER TWO: These colleges and universities are “highly respected” … but not prestigious. They have strong resources but are not as well-known as your tier one schools. These are your fall back schools. (3) TIER THREE: These are regional schools and small colleges. You attend these schools because of they are “close to home” and less expensive. (4) TIER FOUR: Finally, tier four—these are your community colleges, vocational schools, and online universities. They have “high acceptance rates.” (5) The website only had four tiers … but I’ll add a TIER FIVE: You don’t go to college … maybe you start working … or you take a gap year.

So … there you go. The five tiers college. Now, I’ll ask again … have you ever thought you were better than someone else?

Examine What You Exalt

What did the Pharisee get wrong? Of course, the answer lies in our first point: EXAMINE WHAT YOU EXALT. I would ask all of us today—what are you exalting? Graduates, this is a crucial question to ask. Who is getting the glory for your life, actions, and accomplishments? Is it about you … or Jesus?

Let me bring this home. You might say, “Pastor Bob … don’t you see how spiritual I am? I attend not one, but THREE Small Group Bible studies at MBC. The person next to me … they don’t attend any! Pastor Bob … I give more than 10% of my income. In fact, I don’t tithe just on my income but on my net worth—that’s a lot of money! Pastor Bob … I serve every opportunity I get! When it comes to church … I get an “A++!” I would get 110% on the test. This person behind me … I barely see them attend SERVICE once a month. I am wondering if they should be under church discipline. In fact, I was thinking I should stand up and call them out right now …”

Now, let me offer a caveat here. These are all good things. Of course, we want you in small groups. Of course, we want to see you grow in generosity. Of course, we want you to serve. And, of course, we don’t want to see you excited about church discipline.  But … never let those actions make you think you are a TIER ONE Christian who is better than everyone else. Our heart posture must be this: I am a sinner saved by grace. Apart from Jesus, I can do nothing. We didn’t get to cover Luke 17 from the platform, but Jesus offers some convicting words in Luke 17:10,

So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:10, ESV)

“We are unworthy servants … we have simply done our duty.”I am being extreme to make a point … Jesus’ point, which is to say examine what you exalt. Who is getting the glory in all of those actions? Through the Pharisee’s prayer, we catch a glimpse of at least three heart issues:

First, it reflects Self-Absorption. It was all about him … he wanted the glory and the praise and the “likes” for his actions. To be fair, we live in a culture rampant with self-absorption. Everyone wants a platform on the internet. Many people are ANXIOUS if they don’t receive a “like” on their post, or if their friend does not text back in 5 seconds. Don’t you think this translates in to our spiritual life?

Second, the Pharisee had a Bad Attitude about his piety. He earned a “B.A” But not the right one! If you are calling out people in your prayer life … especially if you are thanking God you are not like them … it’s a bad attitude. It doesn’t reflect Jesus’ heart for the lost of this world—the ones he came to save. Our heart posture must be different.

Finally, this Pharisee had Holy Amnesia. Despite all his wonderful accomplishments, he was going hungry for the wrong reasons. What do I mean by Holy Amnesia? I mean he forgot where his power came from. His prayer reflected on what he did … and it never recognized what God did.

In fact, one wonders when this Pharisee needed God at all. You might think that this Pharisee would stand before God one day and say … “Your Welcome.” God did you see all those things I did for your kingdom? “Your Welcome.” God, did you see how many people I led to Jesus? Oh baby … I was on FIRE! No one’s getting away from me without praying the sinners prayer … “Your Welcome!” Jesus, did you see how much time I gave … did you see how many church meetings I attended which, by the way, I had perfect attendance. “Your Welcome! High five!” The Pharisee did all this but did he ever really trust God?

Instead, he looks down at the other people in his life, who are always saying they need God’s help, with contempt. When something amazing happens in your life … do you say, “Look at what I did?” Or do you say, “Look at what God did?”

Andrew Murray warns us against counterfeit holiness.

The chief mark of counterfeit holiness is its lack of humility. Every seeker after holiness needs to be on his guard, lest unconsciously what was begun in the spirit be perfected in the flesh, and pride creep in where its presence is least expected.

Stay Low Before The Lord

Now, let’s contrast this with the Tax Collector. He makes no COMPARISON to others. In fact, he makes one comparison … to God. When it comes to his worth and status, he is not concerned with his collegiate TIER. He only compares himself to a HOLY GOD and he confesses he is a SINNER. Unworthy. This is the mistake that so many of us make; we compare ourselves to others far too often. I am not as gifted as this person. My sanctification is slower that this person. The only person we should compare ourselves to is Jesus—he is holy we are not. And we must depend upon his power and trust him.

The third book of the Chronicles of Narnia, The Horse and His Boy, has a poignant scene with one of the main characters, Aravis, and Aslan the Great Lion. After a long journey, the arrive in Narnia, and Aravis begins to ask Aslan about the fate of another character. Aslan, gently responds, “Child … I am telling you your story, not hers. No one is told any story but their own.” In other words, focus on yourself, and the task laid out before you. What is God uniquely calling you to do? The tax collector makes the only comparison we should ever make.

Where does he place his INVESTMENT? If you are a graduate here today, you have your whole life in front of you … where will you invest your time, talents and treasure? Where will you place your trust? The Pharisee took some time to share about all the money he gave and all the fasting he did. He appealed to his own work. What did the tax collector do? He appealed to God’s mercy. He says, “I am UNABLE” to justify myself. I need you, Jesus. He invested everything in God’s mercy. Perhaps David’s words were on his mind in Psalm 51 …

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! (Psalm 51:1-2, ESV)

“YHWH … have mercy on me … a sinner.” This was the prayer of the Tax Collector. He trusted, not in himself and his good works, but in the mercy of the God of the universe. What did the Tax Collector get right? He examined his exaltation … and he chose to stay low before the Lord.

Church, at this point, I must ask, where are you placing your trust? Where are you in this story? I think most resonate with the tax collector … but live like the Pharisee. In our modern, self-obsessed world, it is so hard to battle our inwardly curved heart, as Martin Luther said. How do we stop exalting ourselves … and start exalting Jesus? It begins with a ruthless examination of our hearts … and a radical grasp of the Gospel. This is what the tax collector shows us. Look back at Luke 18:13. Look at that last phrase, “Have mercy of me, a sinner.” While that points to the truth we must believe, the translation misses a crucial picture. The Greek verb that is used is better translated, “Make atonement for me!” Related nouns are used in places like 1 John 2:2 where we read that Jesus himself is …

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 (John 2:2, NIV)

Church, don’t miss the irony of the message that is exploding off the page in Luke 18. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, is SPEAKING. He is TELLING THIS STORY … and Luke in recording this section, chooses to use the word that points specifically to Jesus. The one telling the story is the one who would become the atoning sacrifice for us. It is only because of his work on the cross we can be made right with God. It is only because of his shed blood that our sins can be washed away. It is because of his humility, he love, his grace, his mercy that we have anything … even life itself!

Don’t you see? This tax collector, this “worst of sinners,” is not simply asking for mercy, he is saying, “Make atonement for me!” I cannot save myself, I am unworthy of your presence. In fact, you would be just in condemning me to hell. Just like we learned in Luke 16, true followers of Jesus know they deserve justice, but they are amazed at God’s grace!

Embrace The Reversal

What is the theme of Luke’s Gospel? Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost. In many cases, he runs after, he chases down those who do not know him. One sheep out of 100 goes astray, he leaves the 99 to chase them down. For us, God’s goodness and grace are running after us too. When we meet Jesus, he turns our lives upside down. He reverses, not just our eternal destiny, but our very outlook on life. He invites us into his upside down kingdom. This is what we see in Luke. He reverses our expectations for the rich and poor. He reverses the conventional wisdom on insiders and outsiders. He challenges the religious elites, the Pharisees … and he dines with “sinners.” SCANDLOUS! Here, in Luke 18, he challenges our hearts. I want to read the second half v. 14 to close. Jesus, the storyteller, the judge, the atoning sacrifice, shows us another reversal:

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14b, ESV)

I said earlier, many of us resonate with the tax collector, but we live like the Pharisee. Here, at the end, Jesus is calling us to embrace the reversal. The one you thought was righteous was not. The one you thought was condemned was saved. It was reversed. How do we embrace the reversal?

Examine what you exalt. What are you exalting in your life? And if it is not Jesus, allow the Holy Spirit to change your heart.

Stay low before the Lord. Do you regularly allow the mercy of God to humble you? And if not, fix your eyes on Jesus and embrace the goodness of God in the Gospel.