You probably heard the saying, Don't judge a book by its cover. It warns us about making assumptions based on external factors. Today on Truth for Life we'll learn how this is true within the church as well. Alastair Begg is examining Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. Found in Luke chapter 18.
I found somebody who has been able to contemporize the story for me in such a way that it kind of drives it home. Because after all, none of us are familiar with Pharisees that engage in life as is described here.
So we're reading a story that is from another time and another place. Doesn't make it any less relevant. It's just more challenging in finding that we're confronted by its impact. One of my friends rewrote the story in this way, and I want to read it for you. You can sit and relax now.
And uh listen. He addressed it in this way. Jack And Joel went to church one evening. Jack knew his way around. He'd been brought up in the place.
He'd gone to Sunday school since the age of three. And all that. He knew too that his parents would be there, sitting in one of the other pews, watching him proudly. He wanted to make sure that they saw him.
So he walked right up to the front and sat in the front row. He bowed his head, he shut his eyes for a few moments. He'd seen his dad do that, and he knew that it looked holy. Jack, you see, he took his religion very seriously. He carried a big Bible and he knew all the latest songs.
He liked the image of being a highly principled young man, too. Unlike many of his peers, he never consumed alcohol, never smoked, did no drugs. He was also extremely self-righteous about sex. No messing around behind the school bike sheds for him. He and his girlfriend had intellectual conversations about vegetarianism and the nuclear issue.
Instead of going to discos, they went to prayer meetings at the youth leader's house. As Jack reflected on his life in those few moments before the service began, he glowed with inward satisfaction. How reassuring it was to know. Then you were a good Christian. Nothing to confess.
Nothing to feel ashamed about. Nothing. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't be. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a familiar figure, Had just entered the church behind him.
It's Joe, he thought incredulously. What on earth is he doing here? He's no right to come to church, old hypocrite. But if he'd been able to read Joe's mind, he would have realized that precisely the same thoughts were going through his head, too. What right, Joe thought, did he have to be in church?
He hadn't been in church for years. In fact, He felt thoroughly uncomfortable in the place. He kept looking around nervously as if he expected somebody in authority to appear at any moment and tell him he had no business to be there. He was unsure where to sit. Or if there was some special ritual he should observe before committing himself to stay.
Didn't Christians cross themselves before they sat down? Or was it Muslims who did that? He didn't know, he couldn't remember. In the end, he slid cautiously into the very back row. Oh no, he wailed inwardly as he looked forward.
There's There's Jack in front of me. He's seen me. I'll never live this down in the neighbourhood. He crumpled up. Tucked his legs under the pew, his head sagging down between his knees.
Trying his best to hide. As you may have guessed, Joe was not the religious sort. In fact, he had a reputation as being a bit of a lad. If there was trouble in his neighborhood with the police, they usually came to his door. His fingers bore testimony to his involvement with nicotine and drugs.
There was a distinct smell of beer on his breath. In fact, he'd been down the pub just 15 minutes before the service began. Why on earth did he come to church? Was it because of the row that he'd had that morning? At home?
Thrown out by his mother because he'd been stealing from her purse again. Or was it the sense of humiliation he was feeling as a result of Julie slapping him around the face last night and telling him in unambiguous four letter words to get out of her life, just because she discovered he was also sleeping with Karen? Yes. It was both of those things and neither of them.
Somehow, as he tried unsuccessfully to drown his sorrows in the pub, he'd just been overcome with a sense of how dirty he was. And what a mess he'd made of things. And suddenly Sitting in the back row. Guilt and shame brought tears to his eyes. A blush to his cheek.
A lump to his throat. Oh, God he sighed quietly into his clenched fists. Oh god. I tell you. It was Joel.
who went home a believer that night. Not Jack.
Well, here they are. Two men? Two prayers. Two destinies. For some, says Jesus, Who were confident in their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else actually says, Look, Jesus told them this parable.
In other words, we're in no doubt as to why he tells the parable. He tells the parable because he is surrounded by many people who are absolutely convinced that they're fine. Absolutely convinced that their religious orthodoxy prevents them from any sense of need at all. Indeed, the kind of people That are so Frequently represented In the church services, of contemporary American life. And because these individuals face the distinct challenge.
of being religious hypocrites. Jesus, in order to stir them out of their potential lethargy, in order to confront them with the gravity of their situation, he tells a story about two individuals in order that they might find a place of identification. First of all, he introduces us to the Pharisee. Two men went up to the temple to pray, he says, one was a Pharisee.
Now, immediately, that is a problem for most of us because when we think Pharisee, we think of it in negative terms. But in the minds of the listeners to Jesus' initial telling of the story, there would have been no such reaction. The listeners would have listened with these ears. There is a Pharisee. Who or what was the Pharisee?
Oh, the Pharisee. Was a church man. A regular church attender. He was scrupulous when it came to the matters of the law. He was the first guy out with his checkbook to help in the community.
He was the kind of person who would have been well known for his willingness to participate in all these different things. And he was at the same time a model of holiness. He had developed for himself a religious lifestyle that was apparent to all. And praying where you could be seen. was a hobby for him.
There was nothing I liked better. When the people said, aha. There he is. To the Pharisees, Shoes fit you at all, sir? Madam?
Are you telling me you don't like it if people think that you're holy, religious? Committed? Bible reading. Fundamentalist stalwart? The other character is referred to as a tax collector.
He was a crook. He was a collaborator. He was a collaborator with the Roman authorities. He was fulfilling a responsibility in such a way that he was able to line his own nest. He was.
in every sense, the kind of individual that people love to spit upon. They curse the ground he walks on. And he would have lynched him. on any occasion. that they had the opportunity.
So what you have really in these two individuals are two men who constitute the extremes within Judaism. One man representing the pinnacle of religion. and the other the epitome of wickedness. Which of the two do you think will go to heaven? A lot of people say, well, there's no that's that's an easy question.
Religious people go to heaven. Therefore, if this is the religious man, then presumably he's the one that's going to heaven. This chap hasn't got a hope in the world of going to heaven. If you like, the Pharisee. went up to the temple to feel good about himself.
People tell me all the time I like to go to church, it makes me feel good about myself. That scares me. Not that we desire that people would feel bad about themselves, but that just it is so possible to use the mechanisms of religious formalism as a mechanism for somehow or another simply assuring ourselves of the fact that we're absolutely fine. And what reveals the real condition of the hearts of these men is of course the prayers that they offer.
So look at the prayers. First of all, the prayer of the Pharisee. The Pharisee in verse 11 stood up and he prayed about himself. May equally be translated, he prayed to himself. His prayer is so loaded with self-congratulation.
That it doesn't actually ever get off the ground. The phraseology at the opening part of verse 11, the Pharisee stood up, may equally be translated, the Pharisee took a stand. Probably right up front.
Next to the stone balustrade that separated the court of the laity from the court of the clergy. In order that he might receive the adulation that would come from the people looking up at him and saying, My, my, there is a wonderful example of humanity, there is a tremendous man. And he prayed to himself.
Now, in the way in which he prays, you will notice. Or perhaps you will notice, you will once I point it out to you. That he majors on three elements of obedience. Number one, he majors on negative obedience. I thank you that I am not.
Okay? Also to a legalistic obedience. Notice how he is prepared to enumerate these things, and presumably, Jesus is using this simply as an illustration. He could have gone on. There's 12.
I fast twice a week. And I give a tenth of all that I get. And I go up to the temple routinely to pray, and so on. Here is another classic method of avoiding guilt within our lives.
Some of us have developed A kind of obsessive behavior pattern. Which is actually a cover for our own guilt-ridden lives. And we have developed patterns of existence that are ritualistic. They are marked by extreme discipline. Perhaps by self-denial.
Definitely by paying attention to petty rules that have often been developed by man. And as a result of the doing of all of these things, it helps us then to feel better about ourselves and to avoid being confronted by the issues that God is speaking to us about in our lives. A negative obedience, a legalistic obedience, and also. A comparative obedience. I thank you.
That I am not like other men. You see how subtle this is? A strategy of self-justification. The issue, first of all, for the Pharisee and the tax collector was not whether they were like each other. But it was what they wear before the gaze of God.
The issue this morning is not whether you are better than the person next to you or like the guy far in front of you. The issue is before the all-seeing eye of God, what does your life look like? He felt all right. But his feelings did not reflect the condition of his soul. You see what I mean about coming to church to feel all right?
He comes Sunday after Sunday and you feel all right. What if the way you feel does not represent how you are? Then everything that you and I are employing to make us feel all right, legalistic obedience, comparative obedience, negative obedience, all of these things are actually preventing us from the very confrontation we require if we are ever to deal with the guilt that is at the core of our lives. The Pharisee says, Hey, God. I'm fine.
I'm here. I'm always here. You know me. I'm at the 11 o'clock service every Sunday. You can see my checkbook.
You know the things I'm doing. good guy in this group.
Now look at the prayer. of the tax collector. But the tax collector stood at a distance. Wouldn't even look up to the heavens and he beat his breast and he said, God. Have mercy on me, a sinner.
So would you And you see, it's in the context, remember, of the temple worship. He would be able to look up to the altar, he would see at least the bloodstains of the sacrifice, he would be reminded of the fact that as blood speaks of death, so sin demands death. And the man is essentially looking away and he's saying, I see the blood, and I understand the cost. And I'm asking you. to have mercy on me.
He's not appealing to God's better nature. He's laying claim to God's own remedy. for the sinner's predicament. There's all the difference in the world, you see.
Well, I go to church regularly and I just I just You know, I I I feel better about everything after I've been there and uh I'm just I'm just banking on God's good side, you know. I know I'm a bit of this and a bit of that, but I'm sure when he sees the notes that I have in my Bible, I'm sure that. you know, when he he remembers that uh I've been doing that. Junior Sunday school class for some time. I have no doubt that when he recognizes all the contributions that I've made, everything that I have here in the hold all of my life that I'm just putting together so that when finally I stand before the bar of his judgment, I may be able to bring it and take it all out and present it to him and say, See here, there's every reason in the world why you should welcome me into your heaven.
Unlike old Fred here, who doesn't even have a hold all, and if he had a hold all, he would have nothing in it. What is he going to do? Just go up to the gate of heaven and say, God, be merciful to me. I mean, is that what he's going to try and do? You mean like the thief on the cross, Lord, remember me when you come into your heaven?
I think you get the point. Let me finish by asking you a question. Because there's two men, there's two prayers, and there's two destinations. Have you ever asked God to pardon you? The way the tax man did.
Through the merciful provision of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Or Are you seeking a righteousness Like the Pharisees, Build on your religious reputation. and your moral achievements. Essentially, Upon what are you hanging your hat as you think of the reality of eternity? Have you ever asked God to pardon you?
The way the tax man did. I don't think there is any doubt, loved ones, this morning, that there are many who attend churches regularly, and perhaps even at Parkside, this is true. Many who attend regularly. who have never made this discovery. Deep down inside they know that they're guilty.
But instead of resolving it in God's way, They bury it. The only attempt that they make to deal with the sense of guilt is by trying to overlay it with these religious observances.
So that even church itself becomes a mechanism whereby not that I discover the reality of my need of a Saviour, but where I find a nice group of people who make me feel good about myself. Who make me feel that everything's okay. Listen. Listen carefully. You go to the doctor telling him everything's okay.
He puts his hand on one area of your body, and what you feel is different from the reality. You understand that. The same is true concerning our souls. The issue is not first today or any Sunday. that you go from here feeling okay.
The real issue is that you realize by the work of the Spirit of God that He puts His hand upon your life and He says, Listen, the reason you feel guilty is because you should. Because you're a mess. Because you've done this, because you've done that, because you've broken God's law, and when you take all of that, the worst of all is that you do not believe in God.
Now, the way to deal with that is not to say, oh, well, I love the singing, you know, and it was terrific, and let's get off to lunch as quickly as we can. You can do that, many do. And I'll tell you what they're like. The individual who's doing that, he may call himself a Christian, she may call herself a Christian, there are symptoms throughout the totality of their lives. These are not all the symptoms, but these are some.
Such an individual Constantly feels that they are no good at all at being a Christian. I'm no good at being a Christian. Who cares if you're any good at being a Christian? That is not the first question. The tax collector is not put in a right with God because of how good he feels about what he's been doing.
He feels that everything that he's been doing stinks. But when that individual doesn't understand the reality of guilt and the experience of genuine liberation from it, then they've got nowhere to go.
So they don't feel good. They don't feel excited about being a Christian. It's false to them. They have no assurance of salvation. They seldom have any joy in worship.
They have no enthusiasm. In witnessing And you wonder why it is. And when they're confronted by it. They may say to themselves, and how do I get out of my predicament? The answer is here in the text.
Stand. where the tax man stood. Bow, if you like, where the tax man bowed. He doesn't even lift up his eyes to heaven. He beats his chest as an expression of his contrition.
And he says, God, be merciful to me.
Now, look at what Jesus says. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified. Declared righteous in God's sight, acquitted. Set free? Why?
Because of the amazing mercy of God. Where was he looking? He was looking away from himself. He was looking to the altar of sacrifice. All of his illusions of moral respectability had been shattered.
All of his pretense of self-righteousness had been abandoned. He knew that he had nothing to say. Have you ever Ask God to pardon you the way the tax. Collector did? Have you ever bowed where he bowed?
Have you ever looked where he looked? Have you ever heard what he heard? This man is justified.
So that when we sing, It Is Well With My Soul, and you come to the verse, My sin. Oh the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin. Not in part, but the whole is nailed to his cross, and I bear it no more. What are we saying there?
We're not saying anything about ourselves and our feelings. We're saying everything about who Jesus is and what Jesus has done, and about the fact that we are resting in Him alone.
Well, how are you planning on dealing with your guild? For guilty you are. And guilty I am. Are you going to keep going for a little bit of religious therapy? Sunday by Sunday, week by week, just enabling me to feel better about myself.
Or do you want to go for a radical cleansing of the real guilt that lies at the core of your being. Karl Barth, the great theologian. He said, We dislike eating that we are saved by grace alone. We don't really appreciate that God doesn't owe us anything. That we are bound to live from his goodness alone, that we are left with nothing but the great humility of a child presented with many gifts, to put it bluntly.
We do not like to believe. We would much rather Do you The doing comes after the believing. The doing. Cannot take the place. of believing.
And Jack. Had every reason to be there. He knew the songs. His Bible was marked. His parents were involved in the church.
Joe, of course. He knew he shouldn't be there. And Joe went home. A believer. And Jack went home.
Stuck. in the self-congratulatory nature. of his own. Religious. Divising.
You're listening to Alistair Begg on Truth for Life. I hope you are benefiting from our current study in the book of Luke. If you've missed any of the messages in this series, you can catch up online. All of Alistair's teaching can be streamed for free using our mobile app or on our website at truthforlife.org. We're currently in volume 10 of this series, which is titled, simply enough, A Study in Luke.
Now it is never too early to start thinking about your next vacation.
So let me invite you to travel with Alastair On the Deeper Faith Norwegian Fjord Cruise. This is scheduled to sail September 5th through the 12th in 2026, a year from now. The trip will be an opportunity to experience one of the most scenic parts of the world while you enjoy fellowship with other believers. If you'd like to find out more, call 855-5555. Five six five.
5519 or visit deeperfaithcruise.com. I'm Bob LePine. Thanks for joining us this week. Hope you have a great weekend and can worship with your local church. Monday, we'll learn why our humble surrender is essential.
if we're going to enter God's kingdom. The Bible teaching of Alastair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life. Where the Learning is for Living.
