Friend of Sinners, Pt. 6: "The Sinner's Prayer"

THE SINNER’S PRAYER (LUKE 18:9-14)
Famed Holocaust novelist Elie Wiesel tells the story of the great Rabbi Haim-Gedalia of Upshpitzin, who interceded fervently with God for an innkeeper who was notorious for his many sins.

“Very well, I forgive him,” said the Almighty. The rabbi was pleased with his success, and he began to look for sinners to defend in heaven. Only this time he could not make himself heard. The heavens were silent, and he was stumped. For his lofty ambition and effort, he did not feel closer to God or blessed by God.

Overcome with remorse, the Rabbi fasted six times for six days and asked heaven the reason for his disgrace. At the end of the week, a celestial voice told him “You were wrong to look for sinners. If God chooses to look away, you should do the same.” (Elie Wisel, The Fifth Son, quoted in Christianity Today 8/11/97)

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells of the parable of a self-righteous Pharisee who entered the temple at the same time with a self-conscious tax collector, but the manner, the content and the outcome of their prayer were different. The Pharisees were the ultra orthodox Jewish party that began about 200 B.C. as a reaction to Greek influence. They were the religious right of the time, the self-appointed legal watchdogs and a powerful political group. Tax collectors were the IRS agents of old, winners of lucrative tax licenses auctioned by Rome but losers in popular opinion polls throughout the country. They were easy targets, social outcasts and running dogs.

So, does God forgive sinners who come to Him in prayer? How should sinful man approach a holy God in prayer? Why has God given the worst sinners an opportunity to repent?

God Listens to Those Who are Helpless Before Him
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13”But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, `God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' (Lk 18: 9-13)

George Washington Carver, the brilliant inventor who made his name developing hundreds of useful agricultural products and is Time Magazine’s 20 most innovative people of the 20th century, told of his struggle to understand God when he was young.

Carver said to God, “God, tell me the mystery of the universe.” But God answered him, “That knowledge is reserved for me alone.” Carver then said, “God, tell me the mystery of the peanut.” God replied, “Well, George, that's more nearly your size.” (Adapted, “Humility” Sermonillustrations.com)

Helplessness before God is a strength and not a shame; it is not the end of the world but the beginning of knowledge, wisdom and growth. God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak (Isa 40:29). Paul says, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10).

The tax collector approached God in fear and trembling. His feet froze like lead, stone or iron. He stood there like a statue, a pole, a piece of wood, like he was bound, punished or immobilized, as if budging one inch, taking one step or shifting his feet would doom him. The thought of his flaws, failings and faults stopped him dead in his tracks. His feet were in the temple, but his heart was so heavy and his palms were so cold. So he stood from afar, away from the altar, away from the Pharisee and away from people. How far? The Greek word for “at a distance” is the distance the disciples safely kept from Jesus when he was arrested (Luke 23:49), is the divide between the rich man’s hellish residence and Lazarus’ heavenly presence (Luke 16:23) and the space the merchants wisely made between them and Babylon at her final destruction (Rev 18:10).

The tax collector’s eyes (v 13) performed as badly as his feet. He did not dare look up, look to heaven or look to the sky. Whether he looked straight, down or closed his eyes, we do not know. It is not explained what would possibly go wrong if he would raise his eyes. Would God look straight at him? Look down on him? Or worse, look inside his heart? Eye contact with the Almighty was unthinkable to him, communion with God was too much to ask of him and understanding from God for his occupation did not pass his mind. Maybe he was afraid that taxpayers, saints and angels in heaven would accuse him before God!

The tax collector’s breast suffered the most, more than his feet and eyes. He carried out the old practice of beating one’s breast to express grief. He pounded his chest with his palm, fist and knuckles. The word “beat” in Greek characterized the beating the wicked servant gave his fellow servants in Jesus’ parable (Matt 24:49), the force of the staff the soldiers inflicted on Jesus’ head (Matt 27:30), the beating Paul suffered at the hands of rioters (Acts 21:32) and, in another instance, the mouth slapping Paul received at the order of Ananias (Acts 23:2). Ouch, how painful!

God Listens to Those Who are Honest Before Him
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' (Luke 18:9-13)

There’s an interesting tradition about the unusual burial arrangement of the powerful Hapsburg royal family that presided over the Hungary-Austria Empire in the 19th century. When a royal family member died, the funeral procession went from castle to castle before reaching the basemen of the state church.

A knock on the door of the church was greeted by a priest inside who asked: “Who is it?” The first answer was, “His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Austria,” to which the priest would reply: “I do not know him.” A pause followed before a second knock on the door was heard. The priest would again ask, “Who is it?” Again, the same answer was given, “His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of Austria.” The priest reiterated, “I do not know him.” An awkward pause again ensued before the third and final knock on the door was heard. This time when the priest asked, “Who is it?” the right answer was given: “A poor sinner.” The priest would then open the door for the bearers of royalty.

Phillip Brooks said, “The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is.” (quoted in Burning out for God, E. Skoglund, p. 11, http://www.sermonillustrations.com/humility.htm)

Praying for mercy is asking God not to give us what we deserve, what is fair, due and impending. The tax collector, to his credit, clung to the terms of God’s covenant, which states that the LORD is a merciful God and that He will not abandon or destroy Israel or forget the covenant with their forefathers (Deut 4:31). Of the 12 occurrences of the Hebrew description of God as “merciful,” 10 times it is immediately preceded or followed by the word “gracious,” (Ex 34:6, 2 Chron 30:9, Neh 9:17, 33, Ps 86:15, 103:8, 111:4, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2), five times followed by the phrase “slow to anger” (Neh 9:17, Ps 103:8, 145:8, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2), and five times by the word “abundant” - “abounding in goodness and truth,” (Ex 34:6) “abounding in kindness,” (Neh 9:17, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2) “abounding in mercy and truth” (Ps 86:15) and “abounding in mercy” (Ps 103:8, Ps 145:8). The things God “did not do” to undeserving Israel because of His mercy include not abandoning or destroying them or forgetting the covenant with their forefathers (Deut 4:31), not turning his face from them if they return to him (2 Chron 30:9), not deserting them (Neh 9:17) and not putting an end to them (Neh 9:31).

The only other time the word “merciful” or “mercy” is used in the New Testament identical to the sinner’s prayer in Luke 18:13 alludes to the fact that Christ is a merciful and faithful high priest who has come to make atonement for the sins of the people (Heb 2:17).

Like the tax-collector, anyone who honestly confesses his or her sin to God receives His mercy, forgiveness and grace. In fact, only two people have confessed “I have sinned” in the Gospels - one to men and one to God. Judas confessed in vain to the chief priests and elders that he betrayed innocent blood (Mt 27:4). The prodigal son humbly confessed his wrongdoing to the Father he offended and meekly accepted forgiveness from He who was ready to forgive (Lk 15:21).

The Pharisee, on the other hand, knows little about confession and practiced plenty of profession. He repeated the word “I” shamelessly, smugly and superficially: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” The Pharisee wasted his breath, saliva and time. He did not raise himself to God’s standards; he merely raised himself above the tax collector’s level, and even then he was way off base and off the mark. Unlike the tax collector, the Pharisee never acknowledged or addressed his sinful nature, arrogant pride or errant ways. His issue was with others and not himself, his confidence was in himself and not God, and his mind was far from God and neighbor. The Pharisee was so near and yet so far, talked so much but said so little, sounded so high but brought so low.

God Listens to Those Who are Humble Before Him
14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Lk 18:14)

There were once two wicked brothers who lived a wild, unprofitable life, using their wealth to cover up the dark side of their lives. They also went to church almost every Sunday and contributed large sums to various church-related projects. And this church, one day, called a new pastor, and the church grew and needed a larger worship center.

Suddenly one of the brothers died, and the young pastor was asked to preach at his funeral. The day before the funeral, the surviving brother pulled the minister aside and handed him an envelope. “There's a check in here that is large enough to pay the entire amount you need for the new sanctuary,” he whispered. “All I ask is one favor. Tell the people at the funeral that he was a saint.” The minister gave the brother his word; he would do precisely what was asked.

The next day the young pastor spoke at the funeral service, and surprised the rich man: “This deceased man was an ungodly sinner, wicked to the core. He was unfaithful to his wife, hot-tempered with his children, ruthless in his business, and a hypocrite at church...but compared to his brother, he was a saint.” (Adapted and retold)

A church member said that in his culture pride means walking with shoulders raised to the ears.

Jesus said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Lk 18:14)

Humility is to have a high view of God in light of God’s majesty, to have a modest view of oneself in the light of God’s mercy and to have a thoughtful view of others in light of one’s selfishness and vanity (Phil 2:2-3).

M.R. De Haan, the founder of Daily Bread, said, “Humility is something we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have.”

Do not just act humbly; be humble. Do not exalt yourself; exaltation goes to God alone and comes from Him alone. Do not pray with eyes on others; pray with eyes on God. It's been said, “Three things matter in a speech: who says it, how he says it, and what he says...and the last matters the least” (Lord Morley, Quotable Quotations 363).

The tax collector’ eyes were not eyeing heaven, but his heart and mind certainly were. The Pharisee, on the other hand, looked up, looked around and looked superior, but God’s eyes and favor were not on him. Haddon Robinson said, “The proud Pharisee had a good eye on himself, a bad eye on his neighbor, and no eye on God.”

God cannot stand pride (Prov 16:5). He knows the proud from afar (Ps 138:6), mocks (Prov 3:34) and opposes them (Jas 4:6). Words and works mean little to Him.

Pride leads to a man’s downfall; he goes nowhere but downhill. Humility leads to honor (Prov 18:12) and grace (1 Pet 5:5). As God’s chosen people (Col 3:12-13), believers are to seek humility (Zech 2:3) and be humble toward one another in church (1 Peter 5:5) and all men (Titus 3:1-2).

Conclusion: Are you like the Pharisee with a chip on his shoulder? Are you sitting on your high horse? Preoccupied with self? Or would you be like Jesus who gave up His glory and came as a man, humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:8)? Do you show the meek and lowly Jesus in your life? May you pray every step of the way and every moment of the day the sinner’s prayer: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”