Embracing Humility and God's Expansive Grace

Devotional

Day 1: The Complexity of Righteousness and Humility

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector challenges us to examine our own attitudes towards righteousness and humility. The Pharisee's prayer can be seen in two ways: as a proud declaration of his own righteousness or as a genuine thanksgiving for God's grace in his life. This duality forces us to reflect on our own prayers and attitudes. Are we truly thankful for God's grace, or are we subtly boasting about our own righteousness? This introspection is crucial for spiritual growth and helps us to develop a more authentic relationship with God. [41:51]

Luke 18:11-12 (ESV): "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.’"

Reflection: Think about your recent prayers. Are there moments where you might have been more focused on your own righteousness rather than genuinely thanking God for His grace? How can you shift your focus to be more humble and grateful?

Day 2: The Expansive Reach of God's Grace

The parable suggests that God's grace might extend beyond our conventional understanding. Jesus concludes that the tax collector, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified before God. This challenges us to reconsider the limits we place on God's mercy. Is it possible that both the Pharisee and the tax collector went home justified? This idea opens up a discussion about the communal nature of righteousness and the expansive reach of God's grace. It calls us to embrace a more inclusive and expansive view of God's grace, recognizing that it is likely bigger and wider than we expect. [50:54]

Romans 11:32 (ESV): "For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt someone was beyond the reach of God's grace. How can you change your perspective to see God's grace as more inclusive and expansive?

Day 3: Modern-Day Parallels

Reimagining the parable with modern-day equivalents helps us see its relevance today. Whether it's a rich man and a poor man, a black man and a white man, or a straight man and a gay man, these comparisons challenge us to extend grace and mercy to those we might otherwise judge. This exercise reminds us that God's grace is for everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. It calls us to break down barriers and extend the same grace and mercy that we have received from God to others. [01:09:50]

James 2:1-4 (ESV): "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, 'You sit here in a good place,' while you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there,' or, 'Sit down at my feet,' have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"

Reflection: Think of someone you might have judged based on their background or circumstances. How can you extend grace and mercy to them today?

Day 4: The Communal Nature of Righteousness

The idea that the Pharisee's righteousness could extend to the tax collector opens up a discussion about the communal aspects of faith. Just as our bad deeds can affect others, so can our good deeds. This communal perspective encourages us to live righteously, not just for our own sake, but for the benefit of the community. It reminds us that our actions have a ripple effect and that we are all interconnected in the body of Christ. [01:05:52]

1 Corinthians 12:26 (ESV): "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together."

Reflection: Consider how your actions, both good and bad, impact your community. What is one way you can live more righteously for the benefit of those around you?

Day 5: Joining God's Mission

The parable calls us to join God in His mission to recruit worshipers from all backgrounds. This involves building bridges of grace and extending mercy to those who are different from us. It's a call to be active participants in God's redemptive work in the world. By doing so, we become part of God's mission to bring people from every kindred, tribe, people, and language into His kingdom. This requires us to step out of our comfort zones and actively seek to include and love those who are different from us. [01:26:29]

Revelation 7:9 (ESV): "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands."

Reflection: Think about someone who is different from you in background, culture, or belief. How can you build a bridge of grace and extend mercy to them today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector from Luke. This parable is a profound story that Jesus used to challenge the self-righteousness of His audience. The Pharisee, a respected religious leader, prays a prayer of thanksgiving, listing his good deeds and moral superiority. In contrast, the tax collector, a despised collaborator with the Roman government, stands at a distance, humbly asking for God's mercy. The parable forces us to confront our own attitudes towards righteousness and humility.

The Pharisee's prayer can be interpreted in multiple ways: as a proud declaration of his own righteousness, or as a genuine thanksgiving for God's grace in his life. The tax collector's prayer is straightforward, a plea for mercy from a sinner. Jesus concludes that the tax collector, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified before God. This challenges the conventional understanding of righteousness and forces us to reconsider our own judgments and attitudes.

The parable also invites us to think about the broader implications of God's grace. Is it possible that both the Pharisee and the tax collector went home justified? Could the Pharisee's righteousness extend to the tax collector? This opens up a discussion about the communal nature of righteousness and the expansive reach of God's grace.

In reimagining this parable for today, we considered various modern-day equivalents: a rich man and a poor man, a black man and a white man, a straight man and a gay man. These comparisons help us to see the parable's relevance in our own context and challenge us to extend grace and mercy to those we might otherwise judge.

Ultimately, the parable teaches us that God's grace and mercy are likely bigger and wider than we expect, possibly even more than we are comfortable with. It calls us to be humble, to recognize our own need for God's mercy, and to join Him in His mission to recruit worshipers from every kindred, tribe, people, and language.

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Key Takeaways

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2. The Expansive Reach of God's Grace: The parable suggests that God's grace might extend beyond our conventional understanding. The idea that both the Pharisee and the tax collector could be justified challenges us to reconsider the limits we place on God's mercy. This is a call to embrace a more inclusive and expansive view of God's grace.

3. Modern-Day Parallels: Reimagining the parable with modern-day equivalents like a rich man and a poor man, or a straight man and a gay man, helps us see its relevance today. It challenges us to extend grace and mercy to those we might otherwise judge, reminding us that God's grace is for everyone.

4. The Communal Nature of Righteousness: The idea that the Pharisee's righteousness could extend to the tax collector opens up a discussion about the communal aspects of faith. Just as our bad deeds can affect others, so can our good deeds. This communal perspective encourages us to live righteously, not just for our own sake, but for the benefit of the community.

5. Joining God's Mission: The parable calls us to join God in His mission to recruit worshipers from all backgrounds. This involves building bridges of grace and extending mercy to those who are different from us. It's a call to be active participants in God's redemptive work in the world.

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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:48] - Introduction and Shout Outs
[30:49] - Series Overview: Once Upon a Time
[34:19] - The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
[37:08] - Interpreting the Pharisee's Prayer
[41:51] - The Complexity of Righteousness and Humility
[50:54] - The Expansive Reach of God's Grace
[65:52] - The Communal Nature of Righteousness
[69:50] - Modern-Day Parallels
[86:29] - Joining God's Mission
[87:22] - Closing Remarks and Worship

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 18:9-14 (NIV) — > "To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get." But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.'"

2. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
> "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."

3. James 4:6 (NIV)
> "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'"

Observation Questions

What are the key differences between the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14?
According to Ephesians 2:8-9, what is the basis of our salvation, and why is it important that it is not by works?
How does James 4:6 describe God's attitude towards the proud and the humble?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus chose a Pharisee and a tax collector to illustrate His point about righteousness and humility? [34:19]
How does the concept of grace in Ephesians 2:8-9 challenge the Pharisee's attitude in the parable? [50:54]
In what ways does the tax collector's prayer reflect the humility that James 4:6 says God favors? [35:34]

Application Questions

Reflect on your own prayers. Do you find yourself more often thanking God for your own righteousness or asking for His mercy? How can you cultivate a more humble attitude in your prayers? [41:51]
The sermon suggested that God's grace might extend beyond our conventional understanding. How can you practice extending grace to those you might otherwise judge? [50:54]
Think of a modern-day equivalent to the Pharisee and the tax collector. How can you apply the lessons from this parable to your interactions with people from different backgrounds or lifestyles? [01:09:50]
The sermon mentioned the communal nature of righteousness. How can your good deeds positively impact your community, and how can you be more mindful of this in your daily life? [01:05:52]
How can you actively join God in His mission to recruit worshipers from all backgrounds? What specific steps can you take this week to build bridges of grace and extend mercy to those who are different from you? [01:26:29]
Reflect on a time when you might have judged others for not living up to certain standards. How can you shift your perspective to be more inclusive and understanding of their circumstances? [44:28]
How can you ensure that you are not taking the role of determining who should receive God's grace and mercy? What practical steps can you take to leave judgment to God and focus on your own spiritual growth? [01:15:37]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "When you enter wherever, it is unlikely that he will call you on your mobile. Thank you for turning off your phones. If you want to talk to God, enter, choose a quiet place, and talk to him. If you want to see him, send him a text while driving." [29:21] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Jesus was a master storyteller. He, I'm guessing in Aramaic, it didn't come out as once upon a time, but he told these made-up stories. We call them parables. Several of them, several of them, they're called parables. They're called parables. Several of them have been written down for us in the Bible." [30:49] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The self-righteous thought that he was justified and he was not. And it was the sinner who was justified. The self-righteous, as Jesus said in other places, the self-righteous had the praise of man, he already got his reward. And so, our application is, be careful, of pride or self-righteousness. Works cannot save us. Humble yourself, recognize your sinfulness compared to God, and then and only then will you be justified." [01:03:17] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "God's grace and mercy is likely bigger and wider than we expect, possibly even more than we are comfortable with. And so for those of you who look at, on a Sunday, look at people dressed differently, maybe you're a casual dresser and you look at the suits or you're a suit and you're looking at the casual dressers and there's this feeling of disdain. Or more likely, together we are the good and we look at those people, we create the us and the them, and they are the problem." [01:16:09] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If you happen to be in a place where, whether externally or internally, things are falling apart, you know, your prayer is simple. God, be merciful to me, a sinner. There's mercies that are new every morning. There's grace that is greater than all our sin. When we are faithless, he is faithful. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Anchor yourself in the grace and the mercy of God." [01:25:49] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "When you have a master storyteller, they can tell a story that when you move it to a new time or a new context, it lands differently because of who you are or how you're reading it. An example we used a little while ago, we did the story of the man who has two sons, or we also often call the prodigal son. And how when different contexts hear that story, they say that the major issue is something different." [31:55] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "If the Pharisee made any mistake, in his prayer, it was when he basically pushed God aside. And again, I'm assuming here, I'm not ready to say that's what he did, but it is one interpretation. And he said, I thank you that I, now he sits in the judge's seat, I don't sin. I don't commit adultery. I don't, I'm not like that tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give you a tenth of everything I have. Like, look at, look at me and look at all those people who don't, who don't measure up." [44:28] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "The Pharisee is aware of God's goodness, and it is evident in his life. He is thankful to God for these things, and so he appropriately celebrates the good things God has brought into his life and allowed him to do. Just like we did today in our prayer, just like we did last week in our sermon, totally normal, totally acceptable. If he is to be faulted, it is because he judged others who, for whatever reason, have not lived a similar life." [01:07:20] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Perhaps we need to benefit from other people's goodness such as Jesus, the gospel. More likely since we're in church, God is doing good things in our life, we might simply need to be thankful for mercy and grace and not take the role of determining who should get it and who shouldn't. And why. That's God's seat. That's God's role. Do your best. Trust God with the rest. He is on a mission to reconcile worshipers from everywhere." [01:15:37] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If God's grace is evident in your life and really, like, it's going fairly well, all things considered, thank him. Thank him that you are able to live in such a way. It's his grace. we know the opposite. There but for the grace of God go I." [01:25:49] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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