Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost

Twenty Second Sunday after Pentecost
10/24/10
Luke 18-9-17
Bror Erickson

[9] He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: [10] "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. [11] 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. [12] I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' [13] 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!' [14] 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."
[15] Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. [16] But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. [17] Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." Luke 18:9-17 (ESV)


Truly I say to you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

When I first looked at the lesson for this morning I was a bit puzzled. It is curious that these two stories are placed together. This story of a Pharisee and a Tax collector in the temple and then Children being blessed by Jesus. On the surface they don’t seem to have much in common. Especially if you take the first one to be a lesson on humility.
Playing humble has become the pass time of modern day Pharisees thanks to this parable. I mean this is the one that hits home for me. I like to play humble. But my wife will tell you I’m pretty cocky. Ah, you know me. You know how cocky I can be. There is a story of Thomas Jefferson talking to a Quaker friend and listing all the virtues and how he had mastered them, the Quaker said you missed one. Thomas asked him what it was, and the Quaker said humility. Now that must have stung. As Jefferson is bragging about virtues the Quaker reminds him of humility. Later in life Thomas would say he had been successful in giving a show of humility, but not in actually being humble. I suspect that is true of most people. We read this parable and we begin to think, of humility. We want to be humble.
Now to be sure there is nothing wrong with being humble. Neither is there anything wrong with giving ten percent to the church, or not committing adultery, or not extorting money from people. The problem is righteousness. None of these things make us righteous before God, not even our humility. Our repentance? True repentance is the product of the righteousness given by God, the product of faith that receives God’s righteousness on account of his atonement.
Now, today the Pharisee would walk in to the temple and merely think about all these other things, but pray out loud, thank you Lord for humility and not making me like those Pharisees over there. As if God is some how more pleased with you for being a sinner.
Oh well. It is just plain futility to try stand on our own as this Pharisee does. That is the real sense of what he is trying to do. He is trying to stand on his own. Stand in front of God and approach him on the basis of his own righteousness.
The tax collector in this story isn’t concerned with the Pharisee in the Temple. He is feeling guilty and reproved. He leads a down right sinful life. A life that none of us would care to see our children living. He is a traitor to his people. I find it curious that when Jesus feasts with tax collectors there always seem to be prostitutes hanging about. I think it is an indication of the typical lifestyle of a tax collector in that day. And on another note, I’m betting this touch of humility in the tax collector was not all that typical of him either. But he is feeling it now. It leads him to the realization that his only hope is the mercy of God.
And that is why this bit about children and infants is brought in. Righteousness, true righteousness can only be a gift given on account of Christ’s mercy, His atonement. It can’t be earned not by anything we do.
Brephes, infants. What can they do? Can they be humble? I’m not sure that humble is the best way to describe one who demands someone else wipe their butt for them. Helpless I suppose. You could say they are trusting. Well in reality they have little choice but to trust you. But they are quite demanding in that trust. Again they are helpless.
I think that is just it, here. They don’t do anything. They are incapable of humility, just as they are incapable of adultery. And Jesus says they receive the kingdom of God.
The Kingdom of God is righteousness.
[17] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 (ESV)

The kingdom of God is a matter of righteousness. It is received by faith. The text brings home that you and I need to receive the kingdom just like little infants nursing babes receive it if we are to receive it at all, if we are to enter it at all. It must be given to us. We cannot do anything for it. Neither the stuck up righteousness of the Pharisee, nor the humility of the tax collector earn it. But God gives it to us all by faith. And then, only then do we realize what it means to be humbled. Humility is the act of being humbled. It really isn’t anything that can be manufactured with in us. It is the product of the law working in us, and faith and love growing in us all the work of the Holy Spirit. But then it is this faith in the Mercy of God, on account of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that cries out Lord have mercy on me a sinner, and that same faith that receives the righteousness of God and lives in the forgiveness of sins.

Now the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord Amen.