It Takes One To Know One
Scripture Reference: Luke 18: 9 - 14 (KJV)
Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; ad he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
I would like to share a story that I recently received from an email. Please notice how the perfect people of church were so ready to administer judgement according to their rightousness.
THE BLOOD
One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at
her heart. She responded to God’s call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.
The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution.
But, the change in her was evident. As time went on she became a faithful member of the church.
She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children.
It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and
heart of the pastor’s son.
The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began.
You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor’s son.
The church began to argue and fight about the matter.
So they decided to have a meeting.
As the people made their arguments and tensions
increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand.
The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought
up about her past.
As she began to cry the pastor’s son stood to speak.
He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife to be.
He began to speak and his statement was this:
"My fiancee’s past is not what is on trial here.
What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to
wash away sin.
Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial.
So, does it wash away sin or not?"
The whole church began to weep as they realized that
they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a
weapon against our brothers and sisters.
Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person
completely then it cannot cleanse us completely.
If that is the case, then we are all in a lot of
trouble.
What can wash away my sins?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus! End of case!!!!
"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain
thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved."
Psalm 55:23
I pray that you enjoyed this passage. It is not intended to point fingers because you then point out your own shortcomings.
This sermon is for the saints who have it all together (or at least think that they do) and even can go as far as to tell the next person where they are going wrong with their life. These people normally feel so privileged from God that they go so far as to even thank God for not being a sinner like the person that may be going through the storms of life. Obviously forgetting about the trials and tribulations that they went through to get where they are and the grace that God has to constantly bathe them with to contain their great sin.
Truly God has done a marvelous work in blessing some of his saints of God. Some saints are blessed to the point that they feel that they have a special relationship with God. They feel that since God has shown special favor to them then they are somehow above everybody else.
Don’t get me wrong the bible says and I truly believe that God has blessed some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelist, and some pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;).
These people of God are essential to the word of God and should by all means continue in the work that God has set them out to do. However even in their glorious work to the Lord they must be careful that they do not began to replace what God has shown them with self righteousness.
Let’s look at some of the names that the Pharisee called the publican and compare his life to those names:
Extortion - The act of extorting; the act or practice of wresting any thing from a person by force, duress, menaces, authority, or by any undue exercise of power; illegal exaction; illegal compulsion to pay money, or to do some other act. Extortion is an offense punishable at common law.
If we look at verses like Matthew (22: 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?) we see that one of the main ways that Pharisees would gain power would be to use their knowledge of the word of God to trick people into thinking that they were powerful which is a form of extortion. In this passage of scripture they asked Jesus a question but it was not to get an answer from him but to tempt him and try to gain power if he were not to answer the question correctly.
The next thing that the Pharisee called the publican was an adulterer.
Adulterer - To corrupt, debase, or make impure by an admixture of baser materials; as, to adulterate liquors, or the coin of a country.
Again Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees in an obvious attempt of extortion and this time Jesus comes right out and calls them an evil and adulterous generation (Matthew 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: )
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Next we see them as part of the group in verse (Mark 3:6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.). They are are attempting to destroy Jesus Christ. Notice that their motives are not to just forth right kill him but they want to destroy him. They know that the best way to destroy him would be to put his integrity in question. This is a form of being an adulterer because they want to corrupt, debase or make impure the word of God.
The Pharisee at the temple also called the publican unjust.
Unjust – (Barnes) They who are not fair and honest in their dealings; who get the property of others by “fraud.” They are distinguished from “extortioners” because they who are unjust may have the “appearance” of honesty; in the other case there is not.
Truly the Pharisees were often shown in the bible using unjust practices. (Luke 11:37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.) Skip down to verse 53. (53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: 54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.) Shows the Pharisees using unjust practices to try an entice Jesus. They even go as far as to invite Jesus over to dinner.
We need to be careful who we eat with they may have hidden motives. Even though the Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him he never had any intentions of being friends. However with their words and actions they are giving the appearance of being true friends of Jesus. Saints this is unjust
Even if the publican were guilty of all of things that the Pharisee charged him with at least he was in the right place in the right spirit to get it right with God. Some of us now find ourselves in the right place often (just like the Pharisee) and that is the easy part. The hard part is whether or not we find ourselves in the right spirit.
These two men were in the temple which Jesus said was supposed to be treated like and called the house of prayer (Matthew 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.). It was a place of refuge where even the worst sinner could come and get it right with God.
Was the Pharisee being a hindrance or a help?
Are we a hindrance or help to the people of God?
CONCLUSION
It is amazing how all of the names that the Pharisee called the publican were exact descriptions of what he was himself. Blessed people of God we really have to be careful that we are not doing the same thing today. If God has given us a word to speak then we need to speak that word with confidence knowing that God is trying to deliver someone out of something that they may think that they are trapped in. On the other hand, when we have not heard from God and yet try to speak on his behalf we are probably exactly what we are telling everybody else that they are. I challenge you to look in the mirror the next time that you are calling someone out on their shortcomings and see if you are not suffering from the very ailments that you are calling them.
Let’s pray
Thank you. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.
