Daily Devotional For Sunday, August 4, 2024

It’s Sunday and let’s praise the Lord with all of our hearts, soul, mind and strength today. Cut loose in worship. Sing your heart out in praises to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Soak in the truth from His word like a sponge and then this week squeeze out some of the truth to share with others. Today in worship we learned from God’s word on how to deal with a hypocritical person. The truth is —every single person is hypocritical about something at different times in their lives. Worship is supposed to be one of those places where we take our masks off, are real before the Lord and each other, and apply His truth to our lives.

Please take a moment and read Luke 18:9-14:

“He (Jesus) also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: (10) “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) 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. (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ (13) 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!’ (14) 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’” (NLT).

Talk about an example of hypocrisy — this is definitely an example. We see it so well in this Pharisee and may wonder, why doesn’t he see it in himself? Why isn’t he, a religious teacher in Judaism, penitent and humble like the tax collector? Both men, the Pharisee and the tax collector represent the two basic beliefs about penitence, salvation, one’s standing before God and heaven. Unfortunately, there are many church-goers and Christians who are like the Pharisee. They are quick to point their finger at others but not at themselves. Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this in his commentary on Matthew:

“There have always been but two systems of religion in the world. One is God’s system of divine accomplishment, and the other is man’s system of human achievement. One is the religion of God’s grace, the other the religion of men’s works. One is the religion of faith, the other the religion of the flesh. One is the religion of the sincere heart and the internal, the other the religion of hypocrisy and the external. Within man’s system are thousands of religious forms and names, but they are all built on the achievements of man and the inspiration of satan. Christianity, on the other hand, is the religion of divine accomplishment, and it stands alone. . . .

Jesus repeatedly pointed out two things: the necessity of choosing whether to follow God or not, and the fact that the choices are two and only two. There are two gates, the narrow and the wide; two ways, the narrow and the broad; two destinations, life and destruction; two groups, the few and the many; two kinds of trees, the good and the bad, which produce two kinds of fruit, the good and the bad; two kinds of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ, the sincere and false; two kinds of builders, the wise and the foolish; two foundations, the rock and the sand, and two houses, the secure and the insecure” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” pp. 451-452).

God’s standard is absolute perfection: no sin ever. This story Jesus shares raises an important question: How can one be reconciled to God? Or, how can a sinner be acceptable to a holy, perfect God? Others in the Bible have raised this same question:

• Jeremiah 13:23, “Can an Ethiopian[a] change the color of his skin? Can a leopard take away its spots? Neither can you start doing good, for you have always done evil” (NLT).
• Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (ESV).
• Job 9:2b, “How can a man be in the right before God?”
• Isaiah 64:6, “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away” (ESV). 
• Psalm 143L2b, “No one is living righteous before You” (ESV).
• Proverbs 20:9, “Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? (ESV).
• Ecclesiastes 7:20, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (ESV).
• Romans 3:10, “No one is righteous (good)—not even one” (ESV).

Notice how this story began in Luke 18 — “Jesus also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (NLT). The Pharisees represent those who feel their own goodness is good enough for salvation. They believe that on Judgment Day, God will weigh our good against our bad, and if our good works outweigh our bad, we are good enough to enter heaven. It is the demonic belief that one’s self-righteousness and self-effort are sufficient enough. 

Such people today view others with contempt. The Greek New Testament word is [ἐξουθενέω, exoutheneo]. It means “to despise, to treat another as if they do not matter or count.” Notice in the story both men went up to pray at the Temple. In Jesus’ day, that would either be at two different times: 9:00 AM or 3:00 PM. Literally the Greek New Testament says, “The Pharisee prayed to himself” — meaning he was praying audibly so others could see him but he wasn’t even praying to God. Notice what was lacking in the Pharisees’ prayer: there was no praise to God, no recognition of who God is, no mercy, no grace, no forgiveness (asking for it or giving I) and no penitence. His prayer solely exalted himself and not God. He wanted to make sure that no one missed this point, including God.

To justify his own self-righteousness, he gave a list of some of the most horrible sinners he knew: swindlers (robbers), cheaters, dishonest people, adulterers (sexually immoral people) and seeing the tax collector at a distance, threw him in also — “tax collectors.” Then to prove his self-righteousness, lists his good works: he fasts twice a week (normally Mondays and Thursdays) and tithes faithfully on all that he gets. Nowhere does he promote God; instead he promotes himself. 

Years ago on an archaeological dig, a scroll was found dating from the time of Jesus. It is a prayer similar to this Pharisee:

“I thank thee, Jehovah my God, that thou hast assigned my lot with those who sit in the house of learning, and not with those who sit at street corners [i.e., moneychangers and traders]. For I rise early and they rise early: I rise early to study the words of the Torah, and they rise early to attend to things of no importance. I weary myself and they weary themselves: I weary myself and gain thereby, while they weary themselves without gaining anything. I run and they run: I run toward the life of the age to come, while they run toward the pit of destruction” (Source: William Hendricksen, New Testament Commentary: Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, p. 820).

Here is another Jewish prayer found on a scroll from the time of Jesus:

“I thank Thee, O Lord my God, that Thou hast put my part with those who sit in the Academy, and not with those who sit at the corners [money-changers and traders]. For, I rise early and they rise early: I rise early to the words of the Law, and they to vain things. I labour and they labour: I labour and receive a reward, they labour and receive no reward. I run and they run: I run to the life of the world to come, and they to the pit of destruction” (Source: Alfred Edersheim, The Life And Times Of Jesus The Messiah, p. 291, quoted from Talmudic Tractate, “Berakhoth 28b”).

When we look at the attitude of this tax collector, Jesus said he was standing far off — meaning he did not feel he was worthy to come even close to the Temple, which was a visible reminder of God’s presence. We see his humility in that he beat his chest, begging God to be merciful to him as a sinner. When a Jew was in extreme grief and sorrow, they would form fists and beat their chests. This tax collector knows he is a sinner because he says it in his prayer and acknowledges by beating his chest with his fists. He acknowledges who God is — the Forgiver of sins, he acknowledges who he is —a sinner. He is penitent and remorseful for his sin and thus, Jesus says, was justified before God — not the religious Pharisee or today, the self-righteous church-goer. Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this summary:

“Though they were poles apart in terms of their status in society, the tax collector and the Pharisee had a lot in common in their beliefs. Both understood the Old Testament to be God’s revelation; both believed in God as Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge, who is holy and righteous, and at the same time merciful, gracious, and compassionate. Both believed in the sacrificial system, the priesthood, atonement, and God’s forgiveness of sin. There was one crucial difference, however: the tax collector repented and sought forgiveness by faith, while the Pharisee did not repent, but sought his forgiveness through his good works” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Luke,” p. 20).

The tax collector asked God to be merciful to him. This is the Greek New Testament word [. ἱλάσκομαι, hilaskomai]. It means “to appease,” “to make propitiation,” and “to make satisfaction.” In its only other New Testament use, it describes Christ making propitiation for the sins of His people (Heb. 2:17). He was asking God to be propitious and appeased toward him. This was not a general plea for mercy, but rather that God would provide an atonement for him. That would come in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus.

This Greek word translated as merciful is the equivalent of the Hebrew word [כָּפַר kāp̱ar[. It is referencing Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement in the Old Testament. Jesus made it clear that the tax collector NOT the Pharisee when home justified before God. “Justified” is the Greek New Testament word [δικαιόω, dakaioo]. Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll writes this:

“Jesus applied the parable with special focus on the tax collector’s humility in contrast to the Pharisee’s pride. Both men left the temple for home, but only one arrived “justified” (dikaioō), which describes the legal status of a defendant before a judge—a legal standing that ultimately determines that person’s future. If a person is considered “just,” they will not receive punishment. If, on the other hand, a person is considered “unjust,” they face fines, imprisonment, or worse. In human courts, one must prove one’s innocence in order to be declared just by the judge; but in God’s courtroom, one may emerge justified only by grace” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, The Swindoll Living Insights New Testament Commentary, “Luke,” p. 470).

Besides comparing how the two men prayed, Jesus also compared their attitudes in His summary statement with the words “exalt” and “humble.” Exalt is the Greek New Testament word [ὑψόω, hupsoo]. It means “to fit up.” Though everyone stands unquestionably guilty before God, the Pharisee attempted “to fit up” or prove his own self-righteousness. Humble is the Greek New Testament word [ταπεινόω, tapeinoo]. It means “to make low, to make small or insignificant.” Let me clarify one point here before I close. Humility does not lead one to feel inferior or to doubt one’s own worth. Self-loathing is not the path to humility. Thinking too little of oneself can actually be a subtle form of pride. On the contrary, humility is seeing oneself as God does. The tax collector gave himself the one-word label that all people deserve to wear: “sinner.” When we come before God as the tax collector did, then God lifts us up here in a position to Him and then eventually He lifts us up to heaven.

Questions To Consider

1. Seeing ourselves as God does is not something many people do. When you are asked to describe yourself, do you list only positive traits or do you include something like this: “I am a sinner saved by the grace of God”?
2. When you compare yourself to other notorious sinners such as murderers, rapists, pedophiles, terrorists, do you tend to think you are better than them at times? Why or why not? When have you had the same attitude like the writers of the two found prayers from the time of Jesus?
   
3. Knowing what you may know about certain people you attend church with, when you see them, do you ever exalt yourself when comparing yourself to them? Why or why not? What is the proof? What do you think Jesus would say to your answer and why?
4. Self-righteousness goes both ways. There are people who call themselves Christians and are very self-righteous. And there are non-Christians who are turned off to the self-righteousness of those Christians. The truth is — those non-Christians are being self-righteous as well. Why do you think it is so easy to see self-righteousness in others but not see it in ourselves?
5. Those hearing Jesus tell this story would have been shocked by its ending. It wasn’t the self-righteous Pharisee who had all these good works that was justified by God, but this loathsome tax collecting sinner who was. What does this tell you about God and you?

Scripture To Meditate On: James 4:6, “But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, `God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (ESV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I have to admit. I am self-righteous at times. I can pat myself on my back and get the big head when I compare myself to other notorious sinners. Please forgive me for such pride, arrogance and conceit. Help me to humble myself as You state in Your word. Help me to see everyone as You see them and especially how You see me. Please forgive me when I am judge, jury and executioner of others spiritually. I do not want to exalt myself, but I want to exalt You. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!—Pastor Kelly