Trinity 11, 2023
Sermon preached by Rev. Dr. Joseph Omolo, Archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kenya (ELCK) at St. John Lutheran Church in Center Point, Iowa for Trinity 11. Archbishop Omolo used this manuscript as an outline.
Luke 18:9-14
Humility vs Exalting (Righteous and Justified: Humbled and Exalt:
1) Between the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, where do you belong?
This is a popular parable that draws a clear line between depending on God for his mercy and depending on good works for justification.
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector seem to represent the two sides of of religious beliefs, namely Christianity (forensic favor)and Judaism (religious moralism). This fits in very well with our reading of our last week’s texts, in which the Jews thought that the observation of the Law would make them to win the Lord’s favor, on the one hand, and Paul’s teaching on God’s grace that is given freely to a sinner through faith on the account of the works of Christ, on the other hand.
The two went to the temple to pray. One prays telling God the good things he has been doing, and comparing himself with the other. The other one humbled himself, repented of his sins asking God to forgive him.
Jesus finishes the parable saying: the tax collector went home justified while the pharisee not. What sin did the pharisee commit, or ommit that caused him to miss the favor of God? Is staying out of those sins (stealing, adultery etc.., mentioned bad? Is giving tithes and fasting bad/sin? What did he do wrong? Jesus finished the parable saying: Those who humble themselves will be exalted and those who exalt themlselves will be humbled.
Missing the Mark: These two people in the text today are all found in us, namely in the human religiosity. Sometimes we can be very boastful while some other times we can be so humble. Luther used this term to describe a chirstian: Simultaneously a sinner and a saint.
What the pharisee did not realize is that salvation comes from outside of him and is not attached to his good works. Human religiosity makes him think he can please God by his works. All the religions of the world (ATR, Islamic, Budhistic, Judaistic, thinks that God accepts humanity through good works. That is why people would go to sacrifice, pilgrimage, fast excessively, etc. They are seeking a God who always wants… Are good works needed and necessary in Christian life? Of course yes: but as a fruit of faith.
The Tax Collector: What the tax collector realized is that, our God is more gracious than how we might think of him. The tax collector not only knew who and how he was a sinner, but also accepted that he is a human being, poor in spirit and weak: sinful as he was, therefore needs God’s forgiveness. So he repented of his sins. Whenever we repent God grants forgiveness on the account of Christ’s work on the cross. Because of His grace, God creates faith (a saving faith) in us through the Gospel preached.
2) Saving Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit with which one clings to his/her savior. This faith comes when a person hears the Gospel and believes. Paul reminds us that Jesus forgives and saves sinners who believe in him. In his race, Paul sometimes could fall, for no one is perfect, and whenever he wanted to do good, he found himself not succeeding; but he believed in one thing: Jesus forgives a repentant sinner.
The Devil hides behind Culture even to mislead the faithful: It’s very important to remain strong and steadfast in faith. In Shakaola in Kenya, some self-proclaimed pastors/prophets, commanded their flocks to fast to death in order to meet Jesus. So pathetic! Some churches even today wants to support non biblical teaching: e., women ministry in the armpit of social justice and equality: killing even the unborn babies in the context of human right and freedom of choice, etc. The devil is real and strong. The Church is commissioned to preach the Gospel of Christ crucified in and out of season.
Paul did not preach Gospels. He preached The Gospel. He told the Galatians that even if an angel preached to them another Gospel, let that person be accursed: Paul reminds us that God in his Son Jesus Christ saves a poor miserable sinner freely by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.
3) The Mission of the Church: Go home Justified: In our text today, Jesus commends the Tax collector after his confession that he went home justified. This a missiological statement. As he was going, he had peace with with God. Repentance and forgiveness belong together and bring peace in the heart of a believer. Knowing that I am forgiven makes me ready want to go to heaven. That is because I know my Lord has peace with me. That’s why Job would cry: I know my redeamer lives even when disease destroys my body…I know I will see my Lord.
Went Home Justified: The word justified is connected and properly understood in the context of God’s righteousness. For God who is righteous justifies a sinner on the account of Jesus Christ’s works. When Paul talks about righteousness, he makes it clear that God is righteous and that he gives to a sinner that righteousness because of Christ. It is God’s righteousness which he gives to those whom by faith, he has reckoned as righteous.
We are beggers: When Luther first read this word righteousness, he was so much disturbed, and wondered how sure can this be, since only God is righteous. Like the tax collector in our text today, Luther knew that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. To Luther, the righteousness of God was “the formal or active righteousness according to which God is righteous and punishes sinners and the unjust”
However, reading Rom. 1:16-17, Luther realized that Paul is not talking about the righteousness by which God Himself is righteous in that context, but a righteousness that God gives freely by His grace to people who don't have righteousness of their own. Those who are reckones as righteous are the one who are justified on the account of Jesus’ death on the cross.
Keep the Faith to the End: When Luther was at some minutes to finish his race, his friend, Justus Jonas asked him: “Do you want to die standing firm on Christ and the doctrine you have taught?” Luther answered emphatically, “Yes!” Then he said : “We are beggars. This is true.” In faith we have nothing to offer to please God, but only that we are poor in spirit, begging God of his mercies and grace.
Crown of righteousness is for the whole World: Go tell it:, it is a crown, which is bestowed on a believer by faith alone, on the account of Christ’s work who is the Life, the Way and the Truth. This is eternal life which Christ has earned for the believers – the repentant tax collector –you and me in this context.. God must be pleased, because he is pleased with his own Son’s righteousness. And now, the crown of life awaits all believers, with Paul and all who shall have run the race successfully, we shall receive it in the name of Jesus. 2Tim 4.8
God wants his church to go proclaim this good news to the Jews and Gentiles, to the Pharisees and tax collectors namely; the whole world.
In the Name of Jesus: Amen
