He (Jesus) spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee (religious) and the other a tax collector (despised sinner).
“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men” extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,
‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
The above prayer is one of the most popular prayers in the Bible and the world. It is simple, yet profound.
It is also one of the most important prayers in the Bible because Jesus gave the parable. This is Jesus teaching about prayer. It is not the prayer of a real tax collector (sinner) but a parable or made-up story by Jesus to teach a point.
This prayer was created by Jesus to show us how to pray in order to be declared righteous by Jesus! Since Jesus created the prayer then it is Important!
Jesus says the prayer is heard and answered and the one that prays it is Justified in the eyes of God!
‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
Now let’s look at this.
The one man was:
“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself,
‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men’”
extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’
Here we see pride, self-righteousness, and judgment of others. It sounds very similar to the prayers of many today with an attitude of superiority over others. We are not like the wicked sinners loose in the world. We are not adulterers, abortionists, homosexuals, terrorists, etc. We support the church with our tithes, we fast and pray and we are not like this wicked world of sinners. I obey the Law and the Commandments and I can stand before God as clean.
Then we see the sinner man:
“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,
“And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying,
‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
This man was humble, standing far off as he did not feel worthy of even being close to the place of prayer. He did not even feel worthy to look up toward heaven but beat his chest saying: ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’
This shows the way Jesus wants us to pray in order to find grace in the eyes of God.
Let’s look at the prayer and the response of Jesus.
God!
The sinner acknowledged God. He called upon the Lord of Hosts, maker of heaven and earth. Jesus is one with the Father so we call upon the Name of Jesus. God is the Divine Trinity’¦Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We are to call upon the Name that is above every name’¦the Name of Jesus.
Be merciful !
Dear sinner (and we are all sinners) we need mercy from God. All your goodness will not wash away one sin from your soul. Only the Blood of Jesus can cleanse and loose you from sin and the result of sin’¦Hell. We plead for the Mercy of God. Not that we deserve it but that God is not willing than any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
To Me!
This is personal. I am a sinner. You are a sinner. We are to acknowledge to God our true condition. The first man looked at his works to find favor with God. The second man trusted in the mercy of God. Many people will do anything to avoid being identified with the worst sinners in this world. But should that be your attitude you are only condemning yourself in the eyes of God.
A sinner!
Lost, hopeless, in sin, on the way to hell!
God help me!
Admit you are a sinner and come to God today as the man did in this story.
Now let’s look at the response of Jesus to his own story (parable).
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Who was Justified in the eyes of God?
The Humble Sinner! Wow!
All the money you have given to your church or ministry or TV preacher or missionary; all the time you have spent in church praising God and shouting, all the good works you have done to help the poor, needy and homeless, all the hours you have spent in prayer is worthless in the Eyes of God should you be exalting yourself above others and should you not have a humble heart in the Eyes of God acknowledging that you are but a sinner before God!
Now I know this is a hard statement but should you have a problem with it then go back and read the above parable again!
I may write this column and sound very good but God Almighty knows me Arthur Owen Blessitt and He knows my heart and attitude. Jesus is my Judge and yours.
From this prayer comes the Jesus Prayer.
“Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner’
I pray this prayer every day with my wife Denise and my daughter Sophia. For me it is the path to the Heart of God. Through Jesus we have a mediator with the Father and through His Blood and Mercy we are cleansed and forgiven and saved.
I know some believers that do not think it right for a saved person to call themselves sinners. I now that I am righteous in Christ etc. But I tell you and God that I am not perfect as Jesus in my life, heart and mind and action. I, Arthur Blessitt am a sinner and I need the constant mercy of God in my life. I ask for forgiveness for my sins every day and often many times a day. Even in the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ we are to ask for forgiveness.
So I invite you all to pray now and “Be justified’ in the Eyes of God.
God bless you. I have felt an awesome anointing as I have been writing this! I know Jesus wants you to know Him. You may be a pastor or church leader or member but you have never truly known Jesus and been right with God. Pray now and be at peace with God.
I love you all and am praying for you.
The way I am feeling is that this could be the best column I have ever done. Feel free to e-mail me your comments.
Pilgrim followers of Jesus,
Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1