The Gospel Removes Self-Reliance

Well, y'all just sang a mighty song full of truth.

! Let me just remind you of a verse of the song we just sang.

! It says this,

No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven.

The future sure, the price it has been paid.

For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon,

and he was raised to overthrow the grave.

To this I hold.

My sin has been defeated.

Jesus now and ever is my plea.

Oh, the chains are released, I can sing.

I am free, yet not I, but through Christ in me.

What does that truth do for those of us

who have embraced that truth and placed our faith in Christ

and enjoy the benefits of salvation?

What would you expect the life of those who have been truly saved to look like?

Those who have experienced God's answer to the biggest problems of life,

the biggest problem of life, I should say,

and that is our sin that leads to death and condemnation,

separation from God,

and through Jesus who took our sin on himself,

on the cross,

made a way for us to enjoy life with God

through salvation and forgiveness of Christ.

What should all of that do for us

in this life

as we come to terms with that reality?

If Jesus has taken care

of the biggest problem of life,

what would we expect him to do with the lesser things?

And if he has done that for us,

what would you expect the life of believers to look like?

Wouldn't you expect it to look like

a life of confidence,

a life of peace,

a life of joy,

a life of rest,

a life of dependence on God

and not self-reliance?

This morning, Jesus is going to confront us

in that very space.

He's going to confront that very thing in us

that, by the way,

is natural to all of us.

It is this mantra that we hear

in our culture,

in our society,

trust yourself,

do it yourself,

make it happen,

you can pull this off.

And it shows up in the little things,

it shows up in the big things,

and so, you know,

I wonder,

if you're honest with yourself,

like me,

how many of us wake up

breathless?

We anticipate

the things that are going to happen

in the day,

or maybe we collapse

into bed at night

and we are just exhausted

and we wake up,

we're still exhausted

because as we anticipate

what's coming,

we know we have to pull this off

another day.

At least that's what we're taught.

There is built in

to the rhythms

of life

this sense

that we need

to make it happen.

Even this morning,

I took my shower,

I was standing

there at the mirror

and this deep sigh

that I gave

and my wife says,

how you doing?

I'm like,

you know,

this morning,

I'm supposed to be preaching

on how the gospel

destroys

and removes

self-reliance

and here I am,

I'm feeling

the weight

of having to

carry this

on my own.

And so,

your pastor

needs this text

as much as anybody

in this room

because this is what

we've been taught.

This is what we've been

told to do.

It's built in

to the philosophers

of this world.

It's inescapable.

Like,

for example,

the slogan,

just do it.

That's our philosopher.

Nike.

Or,

how about

even our

even our

hardware stores

that are

that are

that are named

do it best?

Or,

how about

Home Depot

which is

doers

get more done?

Or,

Lowe's

that says

never stop improving?

Or,

Burger King

that says

have it your way.

This is what

we've been fed.

This is how we

are supposed to live.

And this is

the pressure

that we feel

we have to carry.

It's built in.

It seeps

in

to every

part of life

wherever you go.

This idea

that you have to

pull it off

another day.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

in his book

all the way back

in the 1800s

and his philosophy

is carried on

into today.

His book

called

Self-Reliance.

And in this book

he says

trust yourself.

He also says

insist

on yourself.

Never imitate.

Or his contemporary

Henry David Thoreau

which he says

go confidently

in the direction

of your dreams.

Live the life

you have imagined.

Or even

Nietzsche

the German philosopher

in the 1800s

says

no one can build

you the bridge

on which you

and only you

must cross

the river

of life.

If you want to

live this life

it depends

on you.

You've got

to make it happen.

And this has been

this has been

the history

of the world

since the very

beginning.

You can be like

God's.

You can

make it happen.

You can be

just like God.

Just eat that fruit.

It can

make you

just like him.

You can pull it off.

You don't need

God anyway.

These self-help books

according to

a study

the self-help

industry

has exploded

in recent years

so that

from 2013

to 2019

it grew

by 11%.

And then

in just

one year

from 2020

to 2021

it grew

20%.

This self-help

book

this self-help

era

that we're living in.

The do-it-yourself

culture

that permeates

every part

of life

and that's

exactly

what Jesus

is confronting

in our passage

today.

This idea

that we can

do it ourself.

You can pull it off.

You can make it happen.

So I'd encourage you

if you would

please turn

in your Bibles

to Luke chapter

Luke 18 · chapter mention

18.

Luke chapter 18

Luke 18 · chapter mention

we're going to be

starting in verse 9

we're moving our way

to verse 17.

If you're using

the Pew Bible

in front of you

it's on page

I think

877

Luke chapter 18

Luke 18 · chapter mention

Here we're going

to find

through

through this passage

especially the first

group of verses

that Jesus

is going to

confront

a heart

of self-reliance.

Jesus

confronts

a heart

of self-reliance.

And so

my guess is

that everybody

in this room

this is

a message

for you.

It's a message

for you.

Look with me

in verse 9

I'm going to

read through

verse 14

as we jump

into our study

today.

It said

he also told

this parable

to some

who trusted

in themselves

that they were

righteous

and treated

others with

contempt.

Two men

went up

into the temple

to pray

one a Pharisee

the other

a tax collector

the Pharisee

standing by himself

prayed thus

God I thank you

that I am not

like other men

extortioners

unjust

adulterers

or even like

this tax collector

I fast

twice a week

I give tithes

of all that I get

but the tax collector

standing far off

would not even

lift up his eyes

to heaven

but beat his breast

saying God

be merciful

to me

a sinner

I tell you

that this man

went down

to his house

justified

rather than

the other

for everyone

who exalts

himself

will be humbled

but the one

who humbles

himself

will be

exalted

right at the

very beginning

of this

parable

this section

of scripture

Jesus

is helping

to address

a particular

issue

that Luke

brings out

into the

forefront

for us

so there's

no mystery

as to why

Jesus is

providing

this parable

he says

right there

at the beginning

he told

this parable

to some

who trusted

in themselves

Jesus is

going to

confront

this heart

of self

reliance

and he's

going to

begin

with a Pharisee

the self

reliant

Pharisee

is who

stands out

at the

very beginning

of our

view

he told

this parable

to those

who trusted

in themselves

the NIV

puts it

this way

to some

who were

confident

of their

own

righteousness

maybe that's

a better

rendition

a better

translation

because the

word trusted

here is not

the word

pistuo

which is the

word for

faith

that we

find

throughout

the New

Testament

but it's

the word

patho

which is

the word

persuade

to be

persuaded

or to be

convinced

the reality

that's occurred

in the past

that has

continuing

effects

of persuading

them

of stirring

up within

them

this confidence

that they've

arrived

they're persuaded

by their own

righteousness

and of course

the Pharisees

as we've been

looking at

the Pharisees

throughout

the past

several chapters

and throughout

this year

we've come

to see

time and

time again

that they

were the

model keepers

of righteousness

in their minds

they felt like

they embodied

all the standard

that God

had set

and so

they

commended

that kind

of lifestyle

to those

who lived

in first

century Israel

if you want

to be a

kingdom goer

if you want

to enter

into the

kingdom

your life

needs to

look like

ours

we are

the standard

we are

the ones

who set

the precedent

as it were

and so

here is

this Pharisee

who believes

that he's

arrived

and so

Jesus is

going to

address

this group

of individuals

who feel

convinced

of their

own

self-reliance

the problem

of course

is that

this Pharisee

was comparing

himself

with

others

rather than

understanding

and appreciating

the standard

that had been

set from

the scripture

he is

looking around

he's evaluating

himself

based upon

others that

he sees

and he spotted

somebody

in the temple

he knows

he's better

than

and so

he begins

to compare

himself

with him

of course

from an

external point

of view

he was

head and

shoulders

above this

tax collector

and that's

why Jesus

uses

this Pharisee

and this

tax collector

as examples

in his

parable

to help

direct

attention

to what

true

dependence

on God

true faith

in God

will look

like

so he uses

this Pharisee

who

because

of his

own

self-reliance

it turns

his heart

not only

against God

as it were

but especially

reflected in

how he

sees others

notice

he trusted

in himself

at the end

of verse

9

that they

were

righteous

and he

treated

others

with

contempt

this is

perhaps

the first

clue

that

something

was

gravely

out of

step

in his

life

he treated

others

with

contempt

this

word for

contempt

is to

despise

to look

down on

to ridicule

it's

to treat

somebody

as if

they had

no account

to consider

them as

worthless

individuals

this is

the same

word that

was used

to describe

the mocking

treatment

that Jesus

received

on the cross

at the hands

of the soldiers

that kind

of ridicule

that kind

of mocking

the faulty

comparison

produced in

their own

heart

an inflated

view

of themselves

and a

diminished

view

of everyone

else around

them

and by the way

also a

diminished

view

of God

himself

bringing

God

down

and that's

what Jesus

is addressing

here

that's

what Jesus

is confronting

Jesus

begins

with this

Pharisee

to help

draw

attention

to what

true faith

in God

really looks

like

he says

in verse

10

two men

went up

into the

temple

to pray

one a

Pharisee

and the

other

a tax

collector

the very

nature

of the

fact

that

in

physicality

they needed

to go

up to

the

temple

in a

physical

way

was an

illustration

or a

demonstration

as it

were

of their

position

before

God

and that

should

have been

enough

and of

course

in going

to the

temple

nothing

that

happened

in the

temple

was

something

that they

could take

credit

for

the

temple

itself

that had

been

given

to them

by God

the

priests

who were

the agents

of God

to usher

them

into

God's

presence

the

sacrifices

and the

altar

that was

there

making

atonement

a

demonstration

a visible

representation

of that

atonement

that was

going to

take place

for them

through

Jesus

none of

which

they could

take credit

for

and so

that should

have been

enough

for this

self-reliant

Pharisee

to know

that he

needs to

turn his

heart

towards God

but it

didn't

accomplish

that purpose

this Pharisee

was completely

oblivious

to the

provisions

that were

outside of

himself

so

Jesus

now

describes

his

posture

notice

that

in

verse

11

the

Pharisee

standing

by

himself

prayed

here he is

standing by

himself

here he is

separated

from others

here he is

getting

maximum

exposure

perhaps

standing as

close to

the sanctuary

as he

could

he's

standing

in a

place

so that

everyone

could

see

he's

speaking

out loud

so that

everyone

can hear

and notice

how he's

praying

the

Pharisee

in the

ESV

says he's

standing

by

himself

but we

find in

other versions

the

translation

is

they

trusted

in

themselves

or that

they

were

praying

about

themselves

this

Pharisee

wasn't

praying

to God

at all

this

Pharisee

was

dependent

upon

his

own

self

righteousness

here he

is

standing

by

himself

praying

out

loud

this

was

their

practice

so we

find

throughout

the

duration

of

Christ's

ministry

Matthew

Matthew 6:5

chapter 6

verse 5

and when you

pray

you must not be

like the

hypocrites

for they

love to

stand and

pray in

the

synagogues

and at

the street

corners

that they

may be

seen

by others

truly

I say

to you

they have

received

their

reward

and then

it's

prayer

notice

in the

middle

of verse

11

he prayed

thus

God

I thank

you

that I

am not

like other

men

extortioners

unjust

adulterers

or even

like this

tax

collector

I fast

twice a

week

I give

tithes

of all

that I

get

one could

argue

that this

man wasn't

even praying

at all

he was just

drawing attention

to his own

self

righteousness

he was

applauding

himself

before

others

there is

no

reflection

of his

heart

that

demonstrates

any

reverence

or devotion

to God

at all

just a

devotion

to himself

he prays

this self

congratulatory

prayer

calling attention

to his own

distinct life

he's not a

robber

he's not an

evildoer

he's not an

adulterer

so he's

listing off

several of the

commands

that we find

throughout

the mosaic

law

he's been

a law

keeper

he hasn't

done those

things

and now

he directs

attention

not only

to things

he's not

but now

the things

that he's

doing

which are

above and

beyond what

was expected

in the law

he fasts

twice a week

fasting was

only expected

from the people

of Israel

once a year

but they

in their

religiosity

are fasting

twice a week

which would have

happened on

Monday

and Thursday

and here they

are

tithing all

that they get

not just

of the

income

that they

receive

but everything

that they

receive

they are

tithing to

the Lord

externally

he has it

all together

he has every

reason to be

confident in

his own

spirituality

he has

cause to

rejoice

and from

an external

perspective

one could

argue that

he doesn't

even need

God

at all

he's arrived

himself

but of

course

all of

this

is

self

serving

it

demonstrates

his

self

reliance

it shows

his

dependence

and confidence

in his

own

merit

and now

Jesus

provides

a contrast

to the

Pharisee

in verses

13 and

14

we see

now

the

dependence

or the

dependent

tax collector

no longer

the self

righteousness

that's

reflected

in the

Pharisee

but now

this

dependence

that's

reflected

in this

tax collector

notice

but the

tax collector

standing

far off

would not

even lift

up his

eyes

to heaven

but beat

his breast

saying

God

be merciful

to me

a sinner

of course

the tax collector

represents

all that is

anti-Pharisee

all that is

anti-righteousness

he knew

himself

that he did

not measure

up to

God's

standard

he's

in

this

temple

and he

comes to

terms

with who

he is

in relation

to God

and he

directs

his

attention

to two

parts

first

the

character

of God

and then

the nature

of himself

he comes

to know

that

that God

is

truly

righteous

and it's

reflected

in his

posture

it's

reflected

in the

way

that he

approaches

God

notice

how he

comes

and postures

himself

before the

Lord

he's

standing

but not

as one

who is

setting

himself

apart

drawing

attention

to

himself

but over

to the

side

he's

standing

in reverence

he's

standing

as one

who seeks

to honor

God

himself

standing

in the

corner

he's not

interested

in drawing

attention

to himself

but he's

there

to worship

God

and to

plead

for God's

mercy

on his

life

he is

humble

not willing

to

even lift

his eyes

to heaven

he's

come

to

terms

with

his

sin

he's

beating

his

breast

which is

an expression

of sorrow

and great

pain

over the

sin that

he has

that he has

sinned against

the Lord

and then

his prayer

the tone

of his

request

of course

is different

than that

of the

Pharisee

there is

no

self

focus

this is

a prayer

of penitence

a prayer

for mercy

a prayer

of repentance

it's

simple

it's

desperate

just a few

words in the

Greek

God

be merciful

to me

a sinner

he comes

to terms

with who

God is

in his

character

a God

who is

full

of mercy

this

word

for mercy

in the

Greek

isn't

the

normal

word

for mercy

but it's

actually

the word

propitiation

which is

the word

that means

to appease

to

satisfy

it's a

word

that speaks

of forgiveness

or to

make

atonement

for

to be

a sacrifice

and here

whether this

was during

the time

of morning

sacrifice

or the

time

of evening

sacrifice

all of

the reminders

of what

God has

done

through

sacrifice

in making

a way

for him

to approach

God

himself

he has

come to

terms

with the

fact

that he

can only

approach

God

if

and only

if

there's

an atonement

for sin

and of

course

Christ

is the

ultimate

and complete

atonement

for sin

he's come

to plead

for mercy

because he

knows

that God

delights

in mercy

God

delights

in mercy

and so

this could

be better

translated

God

make

atonement

for me

a sinner

salvation

and forgiveness

he understands

are outside

of him

they're offered

to him

through

Christ

and through

Christ

alone

second

he

acknowledges

himself

as a

sinner

not only

understands

that atonement

only comes

through God

but that he

himself is

unworthy

and not just

a sinner

but in the

Greek

it uses

the definite

article

the sinner

the ultimate

sinner

the chief

of sinners

you might say

the representation

of all

that one

might think

of when they

think about

the sinner

here he

is

so perhaps

even

willing

to receive

and admit

that all

that the

Pharisee

had said

about him

was true

but there

he is

pleading

for the

mercy

of God

forgiveness

of God

that comes

through those

who ask

and then

Jesus'

commentary

in verse 14

notice

I tell you

this man

went down

to his house

justified

rather than

the other

for everyone

who exalts

himself

will be

humbled

but the

one who

humbles

himself

will be

exalted

this phrase

he went

down to

his house

justified

is an

expression

that points

to the fact

that he

was made

right

declared

righteous

it's not

that he

went into

the temple

a sinner

and out

of the

temple

not a

sinner

no

he was

a sinner

both ways

but he

went into

the temple

condemned

he came

out of

the temple

justified

exonerated

the condemnation

lifted

from him

because of

the forgiveness

that comes

through Christ

and his

sacrifice

of course

not because

of his own

actions

not because

he wasn't

a sinner

in the most

vile of

sinners

he was

the sinner

in his

very words

but yet

he still

came out

of the

temple

justified

forgiven

atoned

for

the tax

collector's

prayer

was accepted

God

found

favor

in this

humble

prayer

in the

understanding

and recognition

of dependence

on God

and on God

alone

for forgiveness

as we

now apply

this to

ourselves

we ask

ourselves

this question

what is

the test

of your

self

reliance

what is

the test

of whether

or not

you fit

into

this

category

of

personal

self

reliance

and what

would you

expect

to see

of those

who are

learning

to trust

in God

because we

understand

from the

apostle Paul

that the

just

will live

by faith

the righteous

will live

by faith

in God

how does

that show

up

day to

day

how do

you

demonstrate

how do

I

demonstrate

my

faith

in

God

how do

I

how do

I

represent

or

commit

myself

moment

by moment

day

by day

to

place

myself

into

the

hands

of the

Lord

and to

express

my

dependence

on

him

just

as

if

I

was

depending

on

him

like

the

oxygen

that

fills

my

lungs

every

time

I

take

a

breath

of

course

there

are

very

simple

ways

for us

to

express

this

things

that

you

have

heard

from

the

time

that

you

are

a

believer

things

like

Psalm

Psalms 40:8

40

verse

8

where

the

psalmist

says

I

delight

to

do

your

will

oh

my

God

your

law

is

within

my

heart

are

we

those

who

pursue

the

word

of

God

every

moment

every

day

are

we

those

who

demonstrate

our

dependence

on

God

so

that

God

is

first

he

gets

our

first

fruits

and

maybe

your

first

fruits

are

in

the

morning

or

maybe

your

first

fruits

are

in

the

evening

depending

upon

how

God

wired

you

but

you're

giving

God

the

best

free

of

destruction

just

you

and

him

just

like

Jesus

does

can

you

even

begin

to

get

your

head

around

this

Jesus

as

God

demonstrated

his

confidence

in

the

father

and

not

self

reliance

by

moving

out

into

the

desolate

places

and

communing

with

God

one

on

one

demonstrating

his

dependence

on

the

father

he

was

God

and

so

if

Jesus

reflected

and

demonstrated

his

dependence

on

the

father

this

way

how

much

more

should

those

of

us

who

call

God

our

father

demonstrate

a

commitment

to

God

through

devotion

and

love

for

the

word

of

God

itself

and