Announcements
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Lectio Divina Thursday evenings at 8pm via Zoom. If you would like to take part contact Rev. Faith to receive a Zoom invitation.
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Thank you for your continued support!
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Scripture
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Luke 18:1-14 The Parable of the Persistent Widow
18 Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone 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 by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—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.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
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Message
“Something Worth Thinking About”
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“Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Jesus gives his audience something to think about, which is, of course, His intention. To encourage us to think.
If you have accepted my recent challenge to read one of the Gospels, you may have noticed Jesus used a lot of one-liners - short, easy to remember statements – in his parables and conversations. These are often referred to as pithy sayings, which are short sayings full of substance and meaning. They are not a quick easy answer; but rather, they are meant to make us think.
These sayings are timeless and can be used as easily today as they were at the time they were spoken. They are meant for us to apply to our own lives, and should never be used for finger pointing. They are meant to bless, encourage and guide us, and they are helpful to us as we mature in our faith.
The Gospel writers tell us that Jesus taught with wisdom – “the people were amazed at His wisdom and wondered where He received such knowledge.” We know from the Gospel accounts that Jesus knew the Old Testament, or the books of the Laws and the Prophets, because He often quoted and referred to them. Pithy sayings are considered wisdom literature and can be found throughout the book of Proverbs, so Jesus would have been familiar with these as a method of teaching. Here are a few Proverbs that may ring a bell:
 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (1:7)
 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (16:18)
 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. (27:19)
 Those who pursue righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honour. (21:21)
 The one who guards their mouth and tongue keeps themselves from calamity. (21:23)
 The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place. (15:25)
Short statements – easy to remember – meant to guide us in our thinking. Notice how the last one resembles Jesus’ statement regarding the Pharisee and the tax collector.
“…those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
“The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.”
Most people who approached Jesus, came with closed questions – yes or no – can I or can’t I? It is something I notice in ministry: many questions are formed around the question, ‘what does the Bible say about this or that? Can I or can’t I? I personally believe we must always consider our motive in asking the question. Some who asked questions of Jesus were more concerned with tripping Him up or incriminating Him than they were with understanding the truth. They were looking for an argument – something they could use to reject Him and His teaching.
Consider the religious leaders who asked Jesus a question over paying taxes, saying “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar or not? (Observe they first use flattery and then they bring out the yes or no question – should we or shouldn’t we pay taxes?)
Jesus see’s their hypocrisy – they don’t care about the taxes, they don’t care about honouring Caesar, they want Jesus to oppose Caesar so they can point the finger at Him and get rid of Him. So Jesus uses two teaching methods: First He asks them a question, “whose picture is on the coin?,” and when they answer, “Caesar,” Jesus uses a pithy saying, “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s.”
The ministry of Jesus is a teaching ministry. He always gives us something to think about. Something you may have noted as you read through the Gospel is that Jesus teaches us to use our hearts and minds – to think for ourselves based on God’s nature and God’s Laws and the situation before us. He challenges us to consider our reason or motive in the questions we ask, and He challenges us to give heartfelt consideration in seeking the truth, beginning with the Bible – the inspired Word of God.
It is important that we think for ourselves, that we understand in our heart and soul what we believe and why – that our words and actions reflect our beliefs, for when the day comes that I stand before God I simply cannot say, “so and so told me it was okay,” for God will respond, “but what did I say?”
Jesus taught using parables, such as the two parables we heard this morning, The Persistent Widow and The Pharisee and the Tax Collector. The persistent widow eventually receives what she asks for. Perhaps a modernized pithy saying for this parable is “the squeeky wheel gets the grease.”
In the second parable the arrogance of the Pharisee is called into question, while the humility of the tax-collector is credited as justified. “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Jesus also used questions in His teaching to engage people directly in the issue. Posing questions can awaken consciences, shift the direction of a conversation, catch people’s interest, and draw them into the teaching and learning. Questioning can also silence those who have no true interest in knowing the truth.
Of course, Jesus also taught the crowds through sermons, discourse and debate. He used images and symbols that made sense to people in their context: sheep, fish, fig trees, Pharisees and tax collectors. His goal was to help us to know God and to teach us how to live in relationship with God and with one another. Jesus wants us to know truth, to live truth and to help others find the truth in their lives.
This was a big part of the Reformation – calling people to take responsibility for their own faith – to ask the real questions and honestly seek out answers through Scripture and prayer, and through their active participation in worship and the sacraments.
Friends, I encourage you to continue reading through a Gospel. If you have finished one, read another, considering the similarities and the differences. Pay attention to how Jesus taught and how He conducted His ministry. Listen as He speaks into your life. Read a few Proverbs each day and consider how they might speak into your situation. Join a study group or a prayer group, or some other form of ministry. Take part in a ministry that gives you something to think about.
We don’t have all the answers, and we are not meant to. We do have God’s Word, the teachings of Jesus and the Holy Spirit at our side, and when we engage one another in truth, love and Christian kindness we assume the roles of both teacher and student. That is something to think about.
I close with this pithy saying for you to consider:
“when the student is ready, the teacher will come.”
Please bow your heads and pray with me.
Jesus, we give you thanks for coming into this world to teach us about God and how we might live in harmony with one another. You have laid the foundation for us to continue Your ministry and You have called us to reach out and share Your teachings. Bless us with eyes that see Your presence in the world around us, ears that listen for Your truth, and hearts that love unconditionally. Jesus, we pray this in Your perfect name. AMEN