Pastor
Jim Kniseley presented this sermon at Resurrection on October 24, 2010, the 22nd
Sunday after Pentecost. The sermon text
is Luke 18:9-14, The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector at Prayer in
the Temple.
Dear Friends at Christ here at Resurrection,
Last Sunday I preached at
Bethel Lutheran Church in Winchester for their Consecration Sunday. Bethel is a congregation about our same size
and they have had a challenging year.
The economy and the reactions to the ELCA have taken their toll. Some members have left and their offerings
have dropped. Their two beloved pastors
accepted new calls out of state. Now
they have new pastors, a husband-wife team.
This Consecration Sunday in which people were indicating their financial
commitments is still a new idea for them.
The leadership is greatly concerned.
Will they receive enough in pledges to do the ministry that is needed at
Bethel? The initial report I received
after the service is encouraging. Last
year was the first time in many years that they received pledges. The total number of pledges last year from
about 225 families was 70 pledges. Last
Sunday they received 80 pledges and expect to receive 10 to 15 more. There was a 21% increase in pledges among the
80. As I left them last Sunday, they are
certainly joyful and greatly encouraged.
Last Sunday I also participated
in the adult forum at Bethel and heard
again Dr. Mark Allen Powell’s lecture on “How Lutherans Interpret the
Bible.” He made a point that is so true: How we hear and understand a Bible passage or
story is greatly influenced by our own situation in life.
I tell you this because it’s
true today for me as I read the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
in preparation for this sermon. I’ve
read that parable lots of times, but this time I found a whole new
meaning. The story did not change,
but my life and your life has shifted enough that now new truths leap out that
I never saw before.
In
the parable, two men are at prayer in the Temple. Both are presenting themselves and what they
have to offer in order to be acceptable to God. One is so self-righteous and
the other is understandably humble. It would be so easy to dismiss the Pharisee
because of his attitude problem. He
lifts up all his virtues and good deeds.
Here’s the “twist” that Jesus puts in this parable” that lets this
be a story for all generations: this
Pharisee represents what we encourage and promote here at Resurrection and most
Christian congregations as being good and faithful members. Listen to what he says he does: I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my
income. I am not a thief, I am faithful
to my wife, and I support our people and try to be just and fair with them.”
The Tax Collector everyone
knows even before he enters the Temple is corrupt. He collects taxes on behalf of the Roman
occupiers and often takes more than his share.
He does not lift up any virtue to God and simply prays, “God, be
merciful to me, a sinner!”
Jesus then does what he
often does; he upends the world’s measure of value. He says, “I tell you, this Tax Collector went
down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee; for all who exalt
themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” So, dear friends, how do you feel about
Jesus’ teaching today? Feeling a bit
humbled by life? This just might give
you hope. Feeling like you have
everything under control and you are really being a faithful Christian? This should give you reason to pause and ask
the standard Lutheran question, “What does this mean?”
Several of the Bible
commentators point out that this parable of Jesus is a wonderful seal of
approval by Jesus on what we call The Doctrine of Justification by Faith. This doctrine is a "biggy" for Lutherans; it is the key
insight that Martin Luther received that touched off the Reformation and
continues to be a hallmark of what we teach and believe today. Luther said he was absolutely overcome when
he read these words of St. Paul in Romans:
“But now righteousness from God apart from law has been made known, to
which the Law and the Prophets testify.
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all
who believe.” (3:21-22)
“Where, then, is
boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that observing the Law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by
faith apart from observing the law.” (3:27-28)
Where did St. Paul gain his insight? This parable of the Pharisee and the Tax
Collector from Jesus surely was an inspiration.
Luke’s introduction to Jesus’ parable says this: “He also told this
parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded
others with contempt.”
Regarded
others with contempt. I
think that is a most important point in the parable. It might have been understandable if the
Pharisee had simply expressed to God what he was doing to show he was trying to
be faithful. He did something else that we often are tempted to do: he lifts
himself up by putting down someone else.
In his prayer he makes it a point to say, “God, I thank you that I am
not like other people: thieves, adulterers, or even like this tax
collector.”
What we take away from this
parable is this: God deserves all the credit.
We strive to live a good, just and honorable life, but that is not what
gets us to heaven or closer to God’s favor. Our neighbor who cannot boast of
his own righteousness has equal standing before God. Attitude makes a big difference in how we
understand and worship God. I think it
sends a strong message to the world too:
Not our righteousness but wholly
that of God because of the loving sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.
Now we come to the part of the
sermon that I promised: Please
take out your cell phone or i-pads or anything you have to electronically
communicate with. The slogan of our
congregation is “the inviting church.”
Let’s practice what we preach by actually inviting folks to come to worship
with us next Sunday, October 31, Reformation Sunday. We are putting our best foot forward by
having wonderful music, the color all around will be red, we’ll do our best to
have a fine sermon, we’ll have a good reception after each service, and we have
something to present to all our guests. If
someone says, “I already have a church, you could respond by saying that you
will attend worship at their church sometime.”
You might also invite them to our Health Fair this Saturday. Please take the next 3 or 4 minutes to give
your invitation…