God Hears a Humble HeartLuke 18: 9-14

"I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility. John Riskin

"Humility is something we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have." M.R. DeHaan

Recurring themes in the parables:• Stewardship, wealth, possessions• The Kingdom of God• Using our talents and gifts

Parables on Prayer:

1. The Friend in Need:

Luke 11:5-13 - Boldness in Prayer

Luke 11: 9 [NIV] - “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

2. The Persistent Widow:

Luke 18: 1-8 - Perseverance in Prayer

Luke 18:1 [NIV] – “always pray and never give up!”

3. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector:

Luke 18: 9-14 – Humility in Prayer

First Impressions:

The Pharisee:

The people of the community would have admired this Pharisee in Jesus’ story as an upstanding member of the community

The Tax Collector:

Tax collectors were despised by the community.

“Toll-collectors” were like modern day extortionists working for organized crime

The Setting:

The temple - a holy place – a place where God’s presence dwelt.

1. God Ignores Spiritual Performers

This Pharisee had a heart issue:

PRIDE

Luke 18:9 [NIV] – “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else.”

Pride leads to a self-righteous attitude

One of the symptoms of self-righteousness is a critical spirit.

2. God Hears Spiritual Paupers

The tax collector• stands off to the side• hangs his head low• beats his chest in sorrow and remorse

Luke 18:13 [NIV] “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Jesus surprises his listeners:

Luke 18:14 [NIV] – “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.

The tax collector’s cries for mercy reach the ears of God

Psalm 51: 16,17 [NKJV] – “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.”

God reached down with his mercy and grace

and forgives the tax collector

3. God Justifies the Spiritually Humble

Luke 18:14 [NIV] – “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus says the tax collector went home “JUSTIFIED before God.”

Justified “declared righteous.”

The tax collector recognized his sin and put his faith and trust in the mercy of God to forgive him.

One of the benefits of living in God’s presence is this: when you really see God, you see yourself; when you see yourself, you see your sin; when you see your sin, you cry out to God for grace and forgiveness, and you receive it. The saint is always more aware of his need for God than his success in God, always more aware of how far he has got to go than how far he has come. Haddon Robinson

The Main Point:

This parable is an illustration of “justification by faith”

A sinful person can be declared righteous before God through an act of simple faith

What a beautiful picture of the grace of God!

Ephesians 2: 8,9 [NIV] – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”

On whom does God look on with favor?

Those who are honest with themselves and understand the reality of their sinful condition in the presence of a holy God.

This honesty begins with a humble heart.

The Apostle Paul:

1 Timothy 1:15 [NIV] – “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”

1 Timothy 1:17 [NIV] – “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever.”

“Have you ever found yourself spending more time in prayer congratulating yourself than actually conversing with God?”

“Have you ever caught yourself spending more time highlighting the spiritual deficiencies in others rather than spending that time examining your own spiritual condition and the attitude of your own heart?”

Let’s stop looking around us and start looking within ourselves.

Isaiah 66:2 [NLT] – “My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken!“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.

Luke 18:14 [NIV] – “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”