Church Voices

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18.13-14 NLT

This has always been one of my favorite pieces of scriptures. What makes it so incredible is the gospel colliding with real life (or at least as real as a parable is). Its one thing to dispassionately state that even the most wretched sinner on earth goes away justified solely on the mercy of God. Whenever I meditate on this passage I always ask myself this question: When I pray do I approach the throne of grace with the humility of someone who does so only because of the mercy of God?

Because that question is the difference between praying in the way of Jesus or not.

Here’s the sermon that came out of studying this passage of scripture.