September 22, 1991
Danger lies down the road of religious self-assurance. Alistair Begg warns us against this peril by comparing the Pharisee and tax collector from Jesus’ parable in Luke 18. The Pharisee prayed for self-glory and received condemnation; the tax collector, meanwhile, prayed for mercy and received justification. His example displays how we must approach God: empty of self-righteousness so that we might be filled with His mercy.
9He also told this parable to some cwho trusted din themselves that they were righteous, eand treated others with contempt: 10“Two men fwent up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee, gstanding by himself, prayed1 hthus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12iI fast twice a week; jI give tithes of all that I get.’ 13But the tax collector, gstanding far off, kwould not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but lbeat his breast, saying, ‘God, mbe merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For neveryone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15oNow they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they prebuked them. 16But Jesus called them to him, saying, q“Let the children come to me, and rdo not hinder them, qfor to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17sTruly, I say to you, whoever does not treceive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
18uAnd a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to vinherit eternal life?” 19And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20You know the commandments: w‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21And he said, x“All these I have kept from my youth.” 22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. ySell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have ztreasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23aBut when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, b“How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter cthe kingdom of God! 25For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter cthe kingdom of God.” 26Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27But he said, d“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28And Peter said, “See, ewe have left our homes and followed you.” 29And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, fthere is no one who has left house or wife or brothers2 or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30who will not receive gmany times more hin this time, and in ithe age to come eternal life.”
31jAnd taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, kwe are going up to Jerusalem, and leverything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32For he will be mdelivered over to the Gentiles and will be nmocked and shamefully treated and ospit upon. 33And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on pthe third day he will rise.” 34qBut they understood none of these things. rThis saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
35sAs he drew near to Jericho, ta blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. 37They told him, u“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38And he cried out, “Jesus, vSon of David, have mercy on me!” 39And those who were in front wrebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, 41x“What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” 42And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; yyour faith has zmade you well.” 43And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, aglorifying God. And ball the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
1cHe entered Jericho and was passing through. 2And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3And dhe was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4So he ran on ahead and climbed up into ea sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for fI must stay at your house today.” 6So he hurried and came down and greceived him joyfully. 7And when they saw it, they all hgrumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods iI give to the poor. And if I have jdefrauded anyone of anything, I restore it kfourfold.” 9And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since lhe also is a son of Abraham. 10For mthe Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
11As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because nthey supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12He said therefore, o“A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13Calling pten of his servants,1 he gave them ten minas,2 and said to them, ‘Engage in business quntil I come.’ 14But rhis citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’
Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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