
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other, for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.” —Luke 18:10-13
Week 1: Jesus
There’s nothing “too” about you; you are “
If you’ve been poor, rich, rejected, dejected, sick or humiliated, God
Week 2: Being truly seen and noticed makes us come
Followers of Jesus affirm, honor, and
Being seen by Jesus means we can be fully who we were
Today: Jesus taught in
The word parable comes from the Greek words “para” and “ballo,” meaning “to throw
Jesus’ parables often challenge our
These stories draw us in and invite us to
The Setup (Luke 18:9)
Jesus speaks to a group that may have included both Pharisees and
Pharisees were
Tax collectors got rich by exploiting their own people for the enemy,
The most surprising thing is that a tax collector would even
“Were Jesus to have told this parable to a group of Jews, they would have begun with the impression that the Pharisee was pious and righteous and the tax collector sinful and self-interested.” — Dr. Amy-Jill Levine
The Twist
When they arrive, the Pharisee and tax collector begin to
The Pharisee’s piety went far
Despite all of his merit, the Pharisee falls into the trap of self-righteous
“The problem is that religious people are blind to their own sin but are far too willing to communicate their judgment of the sins of others.” — Rev. Adam Hamilton
While the Pharisee is blind to his judgment, the tax collector
The Trap
As soon as we identify people who are like the Pharisee, we have fallen into the
Jesus loves, accepts, and forgives us as we
Condemnation is a sign that we feel
The Key (Luke 8:14)
Jesus wants to save
Once we accept that Jesus accepts us as we are, we can be set free from
The more we grow, the greater our awareness of our need for grace, and the greater our
“Grace is unfair. None of us deserve it. That’s what makes it grace.” — Adam Hamilton
Action Steps
Pray the
When you notice yourself judging others, thank God for the gift of grace, and