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“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!  I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14 NLT

WHAT JESUS KNOWS ABOUT ALL OF US:

  • All of us are looking for ways to find a sense of approval and self-worth
  • All of us are looking for something to remove our guilt and shame
  • All of us are looking for a sense of “Right-ness” or righteousness in our lives

Jesus wants us to find this sense of righteousness through learning how to live from the inside out rather than from the outside in.

TWO MEN:

  • A Pharisee: Literally “Separate ones”. These were the religious elite.
  • A Tax Collector: Jews who collected taxes from the Jews on behalf of the Romans and extorted more than required to get rich.

TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE:

  • Proud
  • Humble

TWO PRAYERS:

“The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself…” Vs 11

“…the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” Vs. 14

TWO PATHS TO RIGHT-NESS:

  • Performance

“to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.” Vs. 9

  • Justification

“I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.” Vs. 14

TWO CHOICES:

  • Will I choose to live from the outside in like the prideful Pharisee?
  • Will I choose to live from the inside out like the humble tax collector?