Lessons from the Temple

As I've been preaching a series on Luke's parables over the last months, one in particular has shone the spotlight on my heart.  The question I am asked is: am I a Pharisee, or a Tax Collector?

As human beings we seem to have an amazing ability to justify our actions and pretend we are innocent.  The statements made by Carl Williams in a letter to his mother before his death where he claimed he was right to murder his enemies is a great example.  It is to this attitude that Jesus told his story about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18.  The Pharisee walks into the temple filled with self righteous pride.  As far as he is concerned, he has no sin.  His law observance means that he is right with God.  His prayer reflects his attitude: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ (Luke 18.11-12).  Jesus gives him to us as an example of how not to approach God.  He has at least three problems in his prayer:

1. He compares himself to others.  He slips into thinking that focuses on other people’s faults as a way of making himself feel better.  

2. He is unaware of his own sinfulness.  There is no confession in his prayer, just a boasting of how good he is.

3. He is self righteous, which leads from his lack of awareness of his sin.  He prays about himself.  In fact, we’d be hard pressed to call this a prayer at all.  It is simply a boast.  

Because of these elements to his approach, the Pharisee remains unaccepted by God.

The tax collector, however, is the example of the only way to approach God: “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ (Luke 18.13).  There are three elements of his prayer that we do well to emulate:

1. He is real and humble before God.  There is a very deep awareness of his sin.

2. He asks for mercy.  Unlike the Pharisee, he knows he doesn’t deserve God’s favor.  The only way he can be right with God is to throw himself on his grace.

3. His plea is heart felt.  It is personal and deeply felt as he beats his chest.

In looking over the parable I’m confronted with how easily I can slip into Pharisee mode.  I came to God originally like the Tax Collector - in deep awareness of my sin and asking for mercy.  However I catch myself sometimes making the same mistakes as the Pharisee.  I am great at focusing on other’s faults as a way of making myself feel better.  I have been guilty of looking down on pentecostals, for example, thanking God that I have a superior theological grounding.  Years ago I was guilty of the opposite - looking down on evangelicals because of a perceived lack of passion.  Of course, I am not great at focusing on my own sinfulness.  I prefer to focus on my strong points instead.  I will replay parts of a sermon that went well in my head over and over again after preaching.  However, if I preached a dud, I will do all that I can to get it out of my head. 

Of all of Jesus’ parables, this one may actually hold the greatest challenge to me.  How do you compare to the Pharisee and the Tax Collector?  Let’s pray for humility.