“I am sure glad I am not like that person!”
Have you ever had that thought? Have you ever said those words? Maybe you looked at a poverty situation, and even with a heavy and broken heart, you deep down were thinking, “I sure am glad I am not them!”
The parable for this coming Sunday is a contrasting view of life between a well-put-together, humanly respected man (the Pharisee) and a person that had a broken life with layers and layers of issues (the tax collector). As we study this Sunday, it is important to realize that both of these characters were highly visible in their society. In highly religious first-century Israel, a Pharisee was looked upon as someone who had risen high in the ranks. A tax collector was one that the townspeople would have avoided like the plague, despised in every way. Yet in this parable of Jesus, it was the despised tax collector who developed a relationship with God. How is it possible that one who cheated, lied, and betrayed people had a better heart than the highly skilled religious leader?
That’s our study Sunday morning, along with some discussion questions centered on the issue of humility vs. arrogance.
How confident are you in your own accomplishments? How confident are you in your own status?
As you prepare for Sunday, read these passages:
- Luke 18:9-14 — This is the focused story for Sunday
- Luke 18:15-17 — How Jesus talked about the humble children
- Luke 18:18-30 — How Jesus talked about the confidence of the rich
- Luke 18:1-8 — The parable of the persistent widow that we studied together two weeks ago. Consider her humble state, but also her persistence in prayer.
- Psalm 51 — King David’s prayer of deep repentance after his acts of adultery and murder
First ask yourself: What do all of these stories have in common?
Then consider this haunting question: How do I measure my life? Do I understand how to live a repentant and humble life before the Almighty?
Don’t forget, every parable is a lesson that Jesus taught about what the Kingdom of God is really like. The real question to ask is, where have you put your confidence about your life—in your own righteousness, or the righteousness that comes from the grace of Jesus Christ?
See you Sunday.
