Luke 18:9-14

God, Have Mercy

Trinity 11

August 27, 2017

Zion Lutheran Church + Nampa, ID

In our Gospel reading for today, Jesus speaks a parable that is familiar to many, that of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Both were well known figures in Jesus’ day and so He uses this parable to teach about God’s mercy, to teach that Jesus comes only for sinners. This is a parable for those who trust in their own righteousness and treat others with contempt. It is a parable for the sinful heart that deludes itself into thinking it is not sick. This is a parable for those who would look down upon others because one sin appears worse than another.  This parable is for those who treat sin lightly, who say that all sin is the same and therefore use God’s grace as an excuse to live immorally.

And so Jesus present these two figures, the Pharisee who is righteous in the eyes of the world and the tax collector who was considered to be a thief and liar and a cheat, in other words, an unrighteous man in the eyes of the world. Both men go up to the temple to pray, but their prayers could not have been more different from each other.  These two symbolize the two ways that people approach God, one is a way of righteousness of faith, the other the way a righteousness of works.

The Pharisee standing by himself presents nothing but himself to God.  In this parable, there’s no need to describe the Pharisee’s outward appearance, for he has worn every kind of face except that of humility.  He thanks God for his virtues, or rather, for the lack of his vices. He recounts all the good things he has done. The nerve of the Pharisee.  What arrogance one must have to be in the presence of God and boast about how good one is! All is part of his prayer, but this is not prayer. He has no conception of any goodness that he himself does not possess. He has not because he asks not, he asks not because he wants not.

Something of the Pharisee is bound to find itself into our hearts, our churches, and our worship. Pride in what we do and are, the feeling that we are better than others, judging other. One of our greatest temptations when our sin is pointed out by someone is to try to turn it around on the other person, to point out their faults. Our ears can’t hear God when our mouths are too busy singing our own praises.  There is no place for boasting among God’s people, save that we boast in Christ.  There is no place for finger pointing, save to the cross of Christ.

Likewise, we need not describe the work of the tax collector, for he has worked in them all. In one thing alone he is ever the same: he is desperately in need. He is ashamed of his sinfulness, so much so that he cannot bear to lift up his eyes, for he knows the guilt that will be shown.  He is so humble toward God that he will not even lift up his eyes to heaven. His prayer is short, not recounting his deeds, but simply stating his reality. He is a sinner who desires mercy.

The tax collector comes seeking nothing but mercy. The God who forgives things of which our conscience is afraid, who gives  good things to those not worthy to ask, who poured out an abundance of mercy on him who would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat upon his breast, humbly saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” Such is the prayer of the needy, and such is the answer of grace. Knowing his inadequacy before God, he seeks a God who saves rather than condemns. It was this man, this “sinner,” who went down to his house justified, that is, declared righteous and therefore acceptable to God.

The point is this: St. Paul tells us that 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… This Jesus is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Him (Romans 3:23-24, 26).  There is a wrong and a right way to appear before God, of worshipping Him.  There is a wrong and a right kind of heart to bring into God’s house. There is a wrong and a right way to pray.  God is not indifferent to our hearts, our words, nor our actions in worship.  What you believe in your heart, what you confess with your mouth, and what you perform with your hands and feet and eyes and body actually matter. True worship of God is such an entrance into His presence, of casting oneself upon God’s love.  In and of yourselves, you have nothing to bring before God except a life of sin, of failures, of dark secrets in our hearts.  That is why we come here so often, yet maybe not often enough. We come not because we are righteous, but to beg and receive God’s mercy.   

We certainly have many sins to repent of.  But not the least of them is the gall to demand of the Lord that He looks at our works. For all our righteous works are as filthy rags, the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah.  But the Christian looks not at his own works and presents them not as something to earn God’s favor, but rather looks only to the grace and mercy of God found in Jesus, in His righteousness, in His work upon the cross. To live and walk in the humility of the Lord.

The arms of Christ outstretched on the cross reveal to us His mercy upon us sinners. Christians move from the mercy of God back to the mercy of God.  The Christian lives in the constant awareness that God’s mercy endures forever.  Faith looks at the cross.  Faith sees the goodness of the Lord. Lord, grant me humility. When pride would prevent my repentance, then strip my pride away. When pride would prevent me from turning to you, then humble me.

Jesus is only for sinners.  God’s mercy in Christ is only for those who know and confess their sin and their need for mercy.  The Lord enters into our world, taking human flesh upon Himself, and while without sin, takes the sin of the world upon Himself. He suffers in our place upon the cross and He dies there our death.  This is the Gospel. That Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God died in our place. That He was raised on the third day, never to die again.  That His righteousness opens up the doors of the kingdom of heaven.  And that through faith in Him, His righteousness becomes your own.  Leave here today, justified solely through faith in the righteousness of Christ.