Chosen, Cleaned, and Lighted: Living in God’s Mercy

Devotional

Day 1: True Righteousness Comes from God, Not Ourselves

Righteousness is not something we can achieve by our own efforts or good deeds, but is a gift that comes from God alone. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector reminds us that even our most pious actions cannot earn us favor with God; instead, it is the humble heart that recognizes its need for mercy that is justified. We are invited to lay aside our lists of accomplishments and come before God with empty hands, trusting in His grace rather than our own merit. [41:08]

Luke 18:9-14 (ESV)
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself relying on your own good works or religious habits to feel accepted by God, and how can you intentionally shift your trust to His grace today?

Day 2: God’s Mercy and Grace Are Free Gifts

God’s mercy is His loving kindness that withholds the punishment we deserve, and His grace is the unearned favor He pours out on us—both are freely given, not earned. When we come to God honestly, acknowledging our failures and need, He responds not with condemnation but with forgiveness and acceptance. This truth can be hard to accept, especially when we are tempted to believe we must contribute something to our salvation, but God’s love is not for sale—it is a gift to be received with gratitude and humility. [44:11]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you are struggling to accept God’s mercy or grace as a free gift? What would it look like to receive it with open hands today?

Day 3: Humility Opens the Door to God’s Forgiveness

Approaching God with humility—like the tax collector who could not even lift his eyes—opens the way for God’s forgiveness and transformation in our lives. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but recognizing our true need for God and our inability to fix ourselves. When we come before God honestly, without pretense or self-justification, we find that He meets us with compassion and lifts us up, restoring us to right relationship with Him. [42:39]

James 4:6-7 (ESV)
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Reflection: When was the last time you came to God in complete honesty and humility? What is one thing you need to bring to Him today without excuses or self-defense?

Day 4: We All Fall Short and Need God’s Cleansing

No one is exempt from the need for God’s forgiveness; all have sinned and fall short of His glory, and only Jesus can cleanse us and fill us with His light. Like the pumpkin that must be cleaned out before it can shine, our hearts need the cleansing that only Christ can provide, removing the “yucky stuff” and filling us with joy, hope, and love. This is not something we can do for ourselves—it is the work of Jesus, who makes us new and enables us to shine His light in the world. [55:01]

Romans 3:23-24 (ESV)
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: What “yucky stuff” do you sense God wants to clean out of your heart today, and how can you invite Him to do that work in you?

Day 5: God’s Mercy Transforms Us to Show Compassion

Receiving God’s mercy is not the end of the story—it changes us, enabling us to show the same compassion and mercy to others that we have received. As we are humbled by God’s generous heart, we are called to extend that same grace to those around us, refusing to look down on others or exalt ourselves. Our lives become a testimony to God’s love when we walk in humility, serve with joy, and offer forgiveness and kindness to all, just as Christ has done for us. [56:42]

Colossians 3:12-13 (ESV)
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Reflection: Who is one person you can show unexpected compassion or forgiveness to this week, reflecting the mercy God has shown you?

Sermon Summary

Today’s gathering was a celebration of God’s grace, mercy, and the transforming power of humility. As we reflected on the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we were invited to examine our own hearts and the ways we approach God. The story reminds us that God’s acceptance is not based on our achievements or religious performance, but on His abundant mercy and grace. Like the children’s pumpkin illustration, we are chosen by God, cleansed from the inside out, and filled with the light of Christ so that we might shine in the world.

We considered the temptation to trust in our own goodness, to compare ourselves to others, and to seek God’s favor through our own efforts. The Pharisee’s prayer was a warning against self-righteousness, while the tax collector’s humble plea for mercy was held up as the posture that truly moves the heart of God. We acknowledged that, at different times, we have all played both roles—sometimes exalting ourselves, sometimes coming before God in honest need.

The heart of the gospel is that we cannot earn God’s love or forgiveness. Our standing before God is not a reward for our good deeds, but a gift made possible by Jesus’ sacrifice. This is grace: God’s kindness given to us when we do not deserve it. This is mercy: God withholding the punishment we do deserve. The parable challenges us to let go of our pride and to receive God’s mercy with open hands and humble hearts.

We also recognized the subtle danger of pride even in our humility—how easy it is to look down on others for not “getting it” or for not being as humble as we think we are. True humility is a continual turning to God, remembering that all we have and all we are is by His grace alone. As we go out into the world, we are called to reflect this mercy and compassion to others, to be people who shine with the light of Christ, and to serve with joy, humility, and gratitude.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s acceptance is not earned by our religious performance or good deeds, but is a free gift of grace and mercy. The Pharisee’s self-congratulation and the tax collector’s humble plea reveal that only those who come to God with empty hands and honest hearts are truly justified. Our hope rests not in what we do, but in what Christ has done for us. [41:08]
2. Grace and mercy are distinct but inseparable gifts from God. Grace is God’s kindness given to us when we do not deserve it, while mercy is God withholding the punishment we do deserve. Both are at the heart of God’s response to our brokenness, and both invite us to live in gratitude rather than striving. [43:19]
3. The temptation to compare ourselves to others and to seek validation through our own efforts is ever-present. Even in our best intentions, we can fall into the trap of self-righteousness, subtly exalting ourselves by putting others down. True humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less, and focusing on God’s mercy. [47:20]
4. Transformation begins with surrender. Like the pumpkin that must be chosen, cleaned, and filled with light, we are invited to let God do the work of cleansing our hearts and filling us with Christ’s presence. Our role is to yield, to allow God to remove what is unclean, and to let His light shine through us into the world. [28:37]
5. Even our humility can become a source of pride if we are not careful. The parable warns us against the subtlety of spiritual pride—being thankful that we are not like “those people” who don’t understand grace. Continual self-examination and reliance on God’s grace keep us grounded, reminding us that all we have is a gift, and that we are all in need of mercy. [54:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[12:16] - The Call to Worship and Confession
[16:54] - Opening Prayer and Seeking God’s Presence
[17:38] - Confession and Assurance of Forgiveness
[21:28] - Children’s Time: The Pumpkin Parable
[24:12] - Choosing and Preparing the Pumpkin
[26:26] - Lighting the Jack-o’-Lantern: Shining Christ’s Light
[28:37] - The Christian Life Illustrated
[30:15] - Prayer for the Children
[35:55] - Introducing the Parable: Pharisee and Tax Collector
[39:03] - Understanding the Pharisee and Tax Collector
[41:08] - The Heart of the Parable: Self-Righteousness vs. Humility
[43:19] - Grace, Mercy, and Justification
[48:52] - The Walking Stick Story: The Gospel in Everyday Life
[54:08] - The Trap of Spiritual Pride
[55:33] - Transformation and the Focus on God’s Mercy
[56:27] - Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession
[72:10] - Offering and Closing Blessing
[75:53] - Benediction and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 18:9-14 (ESV) — > He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Romans 3:23-24 (ESV) — > For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Observation Questions

In the parable, what are the main differences between the Pharisee’s prayer and the tax collector’s prayer? ([41:08])
According to the sermon, what does the Pharisee believe about his own standing before God, and how does he express this? ([41:52])
What does the tax collector do physically and verbally that shows his attitude before God? ([42:39])
What does Jesus say is the result for each man after they leave the temple? ([45:28])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus chose a Pharisee and a tax collector as the two characters in this parable? What might these two figures have represented to his original audience? ([38:16])
The sermon mentions that “we have all played both roles—sometimes exalting ourselves, sometimes coming before God in honest need.” Why is it important to recognize ourselves in both characters? ([46:42])
The pastor explained the difference between grace and mercy. How does understanding both help us approach God differently? ([43:19])
The sermon warns about the “subtle danger of pride even in our humility.” What does this mean, and how can it show up in our lives? ([54:08])

Application Questions

The Pharisee compared himself to others and listed his good deeds. When are you tempted to compare your spiritual life or actions to someone else’s? How does this affect your relationship with God and others? ([41:08])
The tax collector simply asked for mercy and admitted his need. Is there an area in your life right now where you need to come to God with empty hands and ask for mercy? What would it look like to do that this week? ([42:39])
The children’s pumpkin illustration showed that God chooses us, cleans us from the inside, and fills us with Christ’s light. What “yucky stuff” (habits, attitudes, or sins) do you sense God wants to clean out of your life? ([28:37])
The sermon said, “Even our humility can become a source of pride if we are not careful.” Can you think of a time when you felt proud of your own humility or looked down on someone for not “getting it”? How can you guard against this? ([54:08])
The heart of the gospel is that we cannot earn God’s love or forgiveness. Are there ways you still try to “earn” God’s acceptance through your actions? How can you remind yourself this week that your hope rests in what Christ has done? ([52:35])
The pastor encouraged us to “shine with the light of Christ” in the world. What is one practical way you can show mercy or compassion to someone in your life this week? ([29:02])
Transformation begins with surrender. Is there something you need to surrender to God so that His light can shine more brightly through you? What step could you take toward that surrender? ([28:37])

Sermon Clips

The Pharisee, we can see, is trusting in himself for his righteousness. His prayer starts out pretty good. Thank you, God. That's a humble prayer. He should have quit while he was ahead. But he continues because he's come to the temple with a list. Thank you, God, that I'm not like those other people, robbers, evildoers, adulterers. I'm not like them. Or even this tax collector over here. I fast twice a week and I give a tenth of all I get. This Pharisee, he is exalting himself, lifting himself up to make himself look good before God. [00:40:54] (53 seconds) #SelfRighteousnessExposed

On the other, the tax collector is trusting in God for his righteousness. He obviously recognizes his sin and he seems mortified just thinking about it. He can't even look up. His eyes look down. He beats his breast. God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Have mercy on me. This man is basically asking for forgiveness. [00:42:10] (30 seconds) #GraceBeyondDeserving

This little parable is just jam-packed with these big theological words. Justification is just simply how God sees us. So he went home justified. So God sees him righteous, forgiven. In this parable, God hears this prayer of this humble guy and and just forgives him and declares him righteous so now god sees him as just as if he never sinned. [00:45:19] (39 seconds) #UnexpectedAcceptance

Our righteousness, our good standing with God is solely dependent on what Jesus did on the cross, taking the sin of the whole world upon his own body, nailing it to the cross. This is God's grace and mercy. [00:52:37] (16 seconds) #HopeInGraceAndMercy

``But if ever we should ever be asked this, or... Think about it. The answer would probably be something like, you shouldn't let me in, Lord. I've done nothing to deserve to be in your presence. My only hope lies in what you did for me on the cross, cleansing me of my sin and making me fit for heaven. My only hope lies in your amazing grace and abundant mercy that saved a wretch like me. [00:53:22] (35 seconds) #HiddenTrapOfPride

But I realized as I was writing this story, there's kind of a hidden trap in this parable. Because just when you think that we're more like the humble tax collector, then we're thankful that we're not the Pharisee. And then we are the Pharisee, looking down on others. [00:54:05] (21 seconds) #GraceEnablesHumility

But thankfully, Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans that we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. And we just need to remember that we can't fix our own sin problem ourselves. Like the pumpkin in the pumpkin patch, it takes someone from the outside to clean us up, put a smile on our face, and a light in our heart, and that someone is Jesus. [00:55:01] (27 seconds) #TransformationThroughMercy

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does humility in prayer reveal about God's mercy?

How does Jesus' parable challenge self-righteousness among believers?

In what ways are grace and mercy demonstrated through Christian transformation?