SESSION 5 The Pharisee and the Tax Collector Summary and Goal In Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, we see the danger of self-righteousness, our human need for mercy, and what it means to be justified by faith. God calls us to recognize our sinfulness and our need for His mercy and in humility to proclaim the gospel of grace to those who trust in themselves. Main Passage Luke 18:9-14 Session Outline 1. Trying to justify yourself leads you to look down on others (Luke 18:9). 2. Self-righteousness can be disguised by words of gratitude (Luke 18:10-12). 3. Humble pleading for mercy is the mark of divine grace (Luke 18:13-14). Theological Theme God exalts the humble and humbles the exalted. Christ Connection The tax collector’s cry was for God to turn away His wrath from a sinner. Through His sacrificial death as our substitute, Jesus took the wrath of God that our sins deserved. Like the tax collector, we too can cry out to God to have mercy on us and put aside His wrath because Christ has absorbed the wrath in our place. Missional Application God calls us not to look down on others but to look up to Him for salvation so that our humility and grace would be attractive to those who are still trusting in themselves. Date of My Bible Study: ______________________ 55 © 2017 LifeWay Christian Resources. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute within the license agreement with purchaser. Session Plan The Pharisee and the Tax Collector Session 5 Introduction Introduction Option Open with a discussion about what makes a good teacher—they give you Recruit someone from your understanding rather than abstract knowledge (leader p. 58; PSG p. 46). group or church who has dedicated his or her life to teaching people. This Who was the best teacher you had in school? Who was the person could be a pastor, worst? What was the difference? Sunday School teacher, public school teacher, or someone who teaches Call attention to the “Essential Christian Doctrine” Justification by Faith, regularly in another context. Allow a few minutes for and state that Jesus taught the doctrine by showing it through a story. Then this person to speak about summarize the session (leader pp. 58-59; PSG pp. 46-47). the role that other teachers played in cultivating a desire within him or her to 1. Trying to justify yourself leads you to look pursue teaching and what down on others (Luke 18:9). stood out about these other teachers. Connect Read Luke 18:9. Point out how Jesus targeted people who did two things: what is shared with the Introduction. (1) they trusted in themselves, and (2) they looked down on everyone else. Articulate how these two elements reinforce each other (leader pp. 59-60; PSG p. 47). What are two or three signs that someone is trusting in themselves that they are righteous? Affirm that a lack of self-awareness about your own sin is what leads to a posture and cycle of self-righteousness (leader p. 60; PSG p. 48). What are two or three signs that someone is looking down on others? When have you found yourself falling into this trap? 2. Self-righteousness can be disguised by words of gratitude (Luke 18:10-12). Ask a volunteer to read Luke 18:10-12. Explain how self-righteousness is evident from the Pharisee’s actions and words (leader pp. 61-62; PSG p. 49). 56 Leader Guide If someone had accused the Pharisee of being self- righteous in that moment, how do you think he would Point 2 Option have responded? Ask groups of 2-3 to write out a modern-day prayer What are some ways we can be self-righteous without equivalent to that of the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. knowing it? After a few moments, reconvene and call on at least two groups to share Point out how easy it is for us to fall into the trap of self-justification, judging their “mock self-righteous others more harshly than we would ourselves (leader p. 62; PSG p. 50). prayers.” Then ask the following questions: Why is it easier to judge other people more harshly than we What beliefs about God are judge ourselves? displayed in such “prayers”? What would the person praying like this believe 3. Humble pleading for mercy is the mark of about himself or herself? divine grace (Luke 18:13-14). Ask another volunteer to read Luke 18:13-14. Ask groups of 2-3 to contrast the Pharisee and the tax collector, noting the differences in the table in the PSG. Then reconvene and allow time for responses, supplementing from the table in the For Further Leader Guide as needed. Call attention to how remorseful the tax collector Discussion was, as indicated by how he beat his chest (leader p. 63; PSG p. 51). How does Christianity provide a consistent basis for being humble? What do the differences between the prayer of the How does Christianity Pharisee and the prayer of the tax collector tell us about compare with other their attitudes? religions or worldviews on this point? Focus on the tax collector’s prayer as distinct from the Pharisee’s. Then explain the shocking nature of Jesus’ application of the parable. Connect this to the shocking truth of justification by faith alone (leader pp. 64-65; PSG p. 52). (Note on Pack Item 4: Parables of the Kingdom that humility before God is a Christ Connection: The tax collector’s cry was for God characteristic of those who are associated with the kingdom of God.) to turn away His wrath from a sinner. Through What are the marks of someone who knows their need His sacrificial death as for grace? our substitute, Jesus took the wrath of God that our sins deserved. Like the tax How do these marks differ from people who trust collector, we too can cry in themselves? out to God to have mercy on us and put aside His wrath because Christ has Conclusion absorbed the wrath in our place. Close by emphasizing the parable’s comparison of pride versus humility, of ......................................................... justification by works versus justification by faith. Express that we should Missional Application: God long for our churches to be marked by grace that scandalizes the Pharisee and calls us not to look down that welcomes in the tax collector (leader p. 65; PSG p. 53). Apply the truths of on others but to look up to Him for salvation so that this session with “His Mission, Your Mission” (PSG p. 54). our humility and grace would be attractive to those who are still trusting Pass out cards from Pack Item 6: Humble for Mercy to help group members in themselves. remember that we don’t compare ourselves to others but to God, and He gives mercy. Session 5 57 Expanded Session Content The Pharisee and the Tax Collector Session 5 Introduction Voices from Whenever someone asks me about quality teaching, two teachers from the Church my past come to mind, one terrible and one terrific. The terrible teacher “Good deeds and spiritual focused on transferring information from his brain to ours, from the lingo can’t heal a human textbook to our mind. The entire experience was geared toward us heart suffocated by evil. Only grace can.” 1 learning to give rote answers. We got a good grade simply by spouting out –Preston Sprinkle the right responses, even if we didn’t truly understand what we were saying. The terrific teacher was much more focused on helping us understand the subject matter. He told lots of stories, gave us examples, made Essential 99 analogies, and encouraged thought experiments. The good teacher gave us Christian Doctrines a lot of the same information as the bad teacher. The main difference was 72. Justification by Faith in his heartfelt attempt to illustrate the truth so we would understand it Justification refers to the moment when a deep down and not merely at a superficial level. person is objectively The best teachers do more than give you knowledge in the abstract. declared righteous before God based on They want to make sure you understand what is being discussed. That’s the righteousness of why good teachers give you examples, tell stories, draw pictures; they do Christ’s atoning death (Rom. 8:33-34). This whatever it takes to make sure you “get it”—that you’re not just reciting a act of declaration takes definition or an answer for an exam but that you understand the concept. place through faith in Christ and not as a result of human works or effort Who was the best teacher you had in school? Who was the (Eph. 2:8-9). Through worst? What was the difference? justification, a person is made to be in right standing before God, One of the defining doctrines of the Christian faith is “justification changing what was once an estranged and hostile by faith alone”—the teaching that we are declared righteous before God relationship to one of through our faith in Christ and His work, not our own efforts. This adoption into the family of God. “essential Christian doctrine” is vital for our faith. Take a look at the sidebar and you’ll find a good definition of what this doctrine is and why it matters. Jesus taught this doctrine of justification by faith. But He didn’t teach it by explaining it; He taught it by showing it, by way of analogy.