Putting Himself Down to Lift Us Up :: Luke 18:9-14
If you had to list the most serious problems of the world today, what would it be? Crime? Drug abuse? Abortion? Greed? Climate change? How about this one: Putting others down. ... It’s amazing how many people do this. Putting others down has a devastating effect on all of us ... in our marriages, family life, friendships. It has national and global implications.
Our text today from the 18th chapter of the Gospel according to Luke is about a man who put others down and another who lifted another up. It’s about those who think too highly of themselves and who look down upon everyone else. It’s about those who think they are good Christians. It’s about those who boast that I am not like that other guy ... I’m better than him.
The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector, as we have come to call today’s reading, is a parable about a good guy and a bad guy. For a twist, Jesus described the good guy as one who put others down, and the so-called bad guy, a tax collector, who put himself down instead, thereby lifting another up.
As Luke writes, this parable is directed to those who had persuaded themselves that they were righteous and who were treating others with contempt (v9). In other words, this parable is for anyone who thinks they don’t need forgiveness. This parable is for anyone who thinks they don’t have forgiveness. This parable is for all who cannot by their own reason or strength believe in Jesus. Therefore, this parable really is directed to everyone.
1.
In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were seemingly model citizens, worthy of emulation. They were shining examples of religious devotion and holy living. They didn’t think they despised preaching or God’s word ... in fact, they thought they adored it. They absolutely tried to obey every jot and tittle of the law. They diligently observed the Sabbath. They actually gave 10 percent of their firstfruits to the Lord.
Tax collectors, on the other hand, were despised. They were put down as thoroughly dishonest men and unprincipled collaborators with the Romans, the enemies of the people. They probably thought of themselves as back-row Christians. The part of the temple where they went to worship would have been the court of the gentiles.
Then Jesus spoke this parable: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, having taken a stand by himself, began to pray this: God, I thank you that I’m not just like the other men, ravenous, unjust, adulterers, or even this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I give the tenth of all that I acquire (vv 10-12).
Isn’t that special? The Pharisee took his stand alright ... one of prominence and pride. Seeing how Jews don’t pray silently, Jesus is describing a fellow who was praying loud enough so that others could hear what he had to say. He lifted himself up to be heard for his many words. It’s clear he wants to be recognized. He wants others to observe his piety.
While his first words are, God, I thank you ... that’s about where this prayer ends. He never asks for anything. He doesn’t really praise and acknowledge God. You could argue from the Greek text that he is actually praying to himself. His words are all self-congratulatory. He enumerates his virtues, declaring, Look at me. I’m not greedy or unjust or cheating on my wife. Look at me. I’m a standup guy. Look at me. I’m one of the chosen ones. Look at me. I’m self-sufficient. Look at me, God: Thanks for letting me be me.
Now I realize you Lutherans aren’t going to talk like that. But remember who Jesus is directing this parable toward: Those who have persuaded themselves they are good Christians.
So let’s ask ourselves, have you come today to worship God on his terms? Or on your own?
Have you come out of habit? Or need?
Do you actually believe you need the forgiveness of sins?
Do your habits actually convey that belief?
Maybe your sin isn’t greed, injustice, or adultery. Maybe it’s convincing yourself that God will refuse to forgive you. Maybe your sin isn’t gluttony or gossip. Maybe it’s impure thoughts. Maybe your sin isn’t ignoring the poor and widows and orphans. Maybe it’s taking advantage of people for selfish gain. And maybe your sin is something much different ... maybe it’s keeping others down ... while thinking that you don’t need God to serve you today.
2.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, if we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. So ... repent! Mourn your sin and trust God to do something about it. This is a major point of the parable. Recognize what you have done and left undone. Recognize what you have said and left unsaid. Confess your sin and then believe the Gospel that, Chief of sinners though I be, Jesus actually shed his blood for me.
With all due respect to our very faithful English Standard Version, as the tax collector stood at a distance, not even lifting his eyes, he isn’t just saying God, be merciful to me a sinner (v13). He isn’t praying for just a word of forgiveness. He is literally asking God to do something that he can’t do for himself. His word is God, make atonement for me, the sinner!
He wasn’t declared righteous because of his posture, because he was hiding his eyes, because he’s acting like he isn’t worthy. He wasn’t declared righteous because he beat his chest. The tax collector was declared righteous precisely because he believed that ... God would hear his prayer to make atonement for me, the sinner! This is true faith.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, the forgiveness of sins is yours precisely because ...
GOD HAS PUT HIMSELF DOWN TO LIFT UP EVERYONE WHO HAS FAITH IN JESUS
This is the point of the parable. This is our theme.
3.
The tax collector knew that’s exactly what the Lord would do for him.
In his mercy and love for us, our Lord has made known to us this gospel that he has been preaching to you, the gospel which you have received and continue to receive, the gospel in which we now stand, and through which we are being saved. To continue borrowing Saint Paul’s words from our epistle, For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ put himself down on behalf of our sins according to the Scriptures. He died and was buried, and he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:1-6). And we have seen his glory, full of grace and truth.
Jesus has given us the atonement that we tax collectors plead for. The Lord of heaven and earth, our maker and redeemer, humbled himself by taking on flesh. Jesus was the one ... the only one ... who lived righteously all of his life. He then humbled himself, taking your sin from you. He humbled himself and carried your sin to the cross. He ensured that your sin was nailed to the cross. He then died there for you. He shed his blood there for you ... the blood that now covers you. And because death could not hold the author of life, he rose victorious. And in the resurrection, he gives us real hope that we too will have eternal life. We have forgiveness.
4.
And now the last sentence of our reading makes more sense. Jesus says, Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled but the one who humbles himself will be exalted (v 14).
The world declares they aren’t sinners ... and that therefore, they don’t need forgiveness of sins. In that way they exalt themselves and they will be humbled on the day of judgment. So too will those who attempt to impress God with their supposed piety or goodness or accomplishments. For by grace you are being saved by means of faith, and this is not of your own; it is a gift of God, not out of works, so that no one can boast (Eph 2:8-9).
This gift is the eternal Gospel being proclaimed to all peoples. That proclamation is not only to be the message of what God has done in the past and what he will do in the future, but what he is doing for us now. This is why we should have the complete Divine Service every time we meet. God celebrates the atonement through his Divine Service to us.
In the Divine Service, God exalts those of us who were humbled and recognized our sin and our need for a savior, delivering to us his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Here he gives us confidence to enter the holy places with hearts that have been sprinkled clean. Here He opens our ears to hear and receive the full Gospel ... of all that Jesus began to do and teach and all that he continues to do for you. Here, he uses his means of grace to nourish and nurture you with living waters, and his life-giving body and blood. Blood, water, forgiveness, faith, and confession belong together.
On account of his sacraments, after bowing our heads, he enables us to lift them to hear absolution. After drowning us in baptism, he enables us to rise up to the new life that celebrates the Feast of Forgiveness with all the saints of heaven, who join us thanking the Lord and singing his praise. The humble will be exalted in these ways.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, may our heavenly Father grant us such an attitude of penitence and trust that enables us daily to place our confidence in his atonement, to deal with people as he deals with us, and to be concerned about our fellowmen in their relationship to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, who put himself down to lift all of us up!