Read Luke 18-20

“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’” Luke 18:13

This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible, and also, the 1st passage I ever preached on. In it, we have Two Characters. The first one we are told was a Pharisee, and if you’ve read the New Testament, you know about them. The other one is a Tax Collector, who also is mentioned throughout the NT, and for the most part, was a Very Despised Character.

But we are also told at the beginning “Why” Jesus told this Parable. Jesus directed it “to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt”. In it, Jesus pulls back the curtain and reveals “the inner character” of both of these men! And as a Parable, it had a Purposeful Teaching. Essentially, that what WE think and what GOD thinks may differ drastically.

At its heart, it represents how a Christian MUST come before God. What do we bring to God? Anything? Unless we see God as He truly is, and become “undone” like Isaiah was (Is 6:5) or like this sinful Publican, we have no right to appear before Him. It is Only because of what Jesus has been, and done, that even allows us into His presence. We need to emulate this Tax Collector much more than we do and learn from his posture before the Thrice Holy God!!!