1. Spring Teaching Series
“Parables”
Sunday, May 24
Pastor Chris

3. Sunday, May 24
Parable . . .
an earthly story with an underlying spiritual or moral teaching which is not always apparent immediately.
Used primarily by Jesus to . . .
Give light to the searching heart and darkness to the unrepentant
Reveal knowledge for the purpose of salvation
Conceal knowledge for the purpose of judgment

4. YOU CAN’T BE GOOD ENOUGH TO EARN YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN!
Sunday, May 24
Self-righteousness
of Man vs. Holiness of God
Jesus urged His hearers to understand their complete inability to be righteous enough to attain the kingdom of heaven. In essence, He’s saying to us all:
YOU CAN’T BE GOOD ENOUGH TO EARN YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN!

5. Divine Accomplishment
Sunday, May 24
The Debate
Divine Accomplishment
vs.
Human Achievement

6. Luke 18:9-14
NASB Pg. 1046
Espanol Pg. 1364

7. The Parable Contempt means to “despise, or count as nothing.”
Sunday, May 24
The Parable
While the parable is centered on two praying people, the THEME OF THE PARABLE is NOT about prayer It is a WARNING to those who “trusted in themselves.”
Contempt means to “despise, or count as nothing.”

8. Sunday, May 24
Pharisee
A religious sect, noted for their strict adherence to the Law (lawyers)
“separated ones”
Believed perfect obedience to the law of Moses would gain them entrance to Heaven
Religious focus on self-effort and self-righteousness

9. Publican Tax Collectors Extortioners: collected more than required
Sunday, May 24
Publican
Tax Collectors
Extortioners: collected more than required
Traitors: though a Jew, worked & helped an occupying power

10. Pharisee Attitude: Pride (high view of self)
Sunday, May 24
Pharisee
Attitude: Pride (high view of self)
Position: Stood proudly for all to see
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” (Matt. 6.5)
Audience: Man
Content: Degrading of others
Result: Condemnation

11. Publican Attitude: Humility (“some distance away”)
Sunday, May 24
Publican
Attitude: Humility (“some distance away”)
Position: Lowered eyes, beating his chest
Audience: God
“When you pray, pray in the secret place and your Father will reward you” (Matt.6.6)
Content: Plea for mercy; recognition of the enormity of his sin
Result: Justification (salvation)
made free from guilt; declared righteous

13. Sunday, May 24
“The Pharisee went to the temple to pray, but forgot his errand. He thought he had need of nothing, not of the favor and grace of God, which, it would seem, he did not think worth asking.”
“The publican (tax collector) owns himself a sinner by nature, by practice, guilty before God.”
Matthew Henry Commentary

14. Sunday, May 24
“Instead of comparing himself with God’s perfect standard and seeing how sinful he really was, he compared himself to others in the community and prided himself on being better.”
William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary

15. Sunday, May 24
Matthew 23.5
“(Pharisees) do all their deeds to be noticed by men.”
Matthew 5.20
“Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you WILL NOT ENTER the kingdom of heaven.”

16. Sunday, May 24
Romans 12.3
“I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
Galatians 6.3
“If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

17. Sunday, May 24
Ephesians 2.8-9
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Titus 3.5
“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

18. Sunday, May 24
Jesus says:
“You {Pharisees} are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.” Luke 16.15
“Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5.3

19. ‘O God, Have mercy on me.’ We come to God as
Sunday, May 24
We come to God as
“empty, impoverished, despised, bankrupt, pitiable, desperate BEGGARS!”
S. Michael Houdmann,
Our only hope?
‘O God,
Have mercy on me.’

20. Sunday, May 24
Ezra 9.6
“O, my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.”

21. Divine Accomplishment
Sunday, May 24
Contrast
Self-righteous, good works
Human Achievement
Humility, brokenness, trust in work of Christ
Divine Accomplishment

22. Sunday, May 24
Phil
If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

23. Sunday, May 24
1 Cor
God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised GOD HAS CHOSEN, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.

24. Sunday, May 24
Great Standard: Perfection “be holy for I am holy” Great Lie: “You can be good enough” Great Truth: “Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you WILL NOT ENTER the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5.20)