Who’s Justified:

Context:

• Jesus directed the next parable to a particular set of people.
• To those who trusted in themselves.
• To those who trusted in their righteousness.
• To those who treated others with contempt.

Luke 18:10-14 “...Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted...”

For what was the Pharisee thankful?

• That he was superior to the tax collector.

In what did the Pharisee pride himself?

• That he fasted and tithed.

For what was the tax collector thankful?

• Jesus doesn’t directly say, but the tax collector was looking for mercy. 
• What was the Pharisee looking for? [accolades]

In what did the tax collector pride himself?

• Pride did not appear to be present.
• He recognized his sinfulness.

Which attitude did Jesus say brought justification?

• The repentant tax collector was justified.
• The Pharisee was not.

What did Jesus describe as the underlying principle?

• Pride will be resisted.
• Humility is what God rewards.

How do most religious people carry themselves?

• Most are proud of their position and their discipline. 
• Most look down on those who aren’t embracing their lifestyle.

How do we carry ourselves?

Does becoming a Christian put a person in a superior position?

• Accepting the sacrifice of Jesus brings forgiveness, not superiority.

Does it matter how we think of others?

• Self righteous attitudes expose a person’s sinful pride.
• Pride is not acceptable to God.
• God humbles the proud.

Faith for Justice:

Context:

• Jesus just finished a discourse on the coming kingdom.
• It will be sudden.
• It will be a surprise to many.
• Now He encourages His follows to pray always, and to not lose heart.

Luke 18:2-8 “...He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?...”

Who were the characters in the parable?

• An unrighteous judge who didn’t fear God or respect mankind.
• A widow with an adversary.

Did the situation appear to be favorable for the widow’s needs to be met?

Was it easy for the widow to get justice?

What did it require of the widow?

• Persistence.

Name some situations in our world where there is an adversary and little justice.

What is Jesus suggesting as a course of action?

• Crying out to God day and night.

How does this differ from the course of action taken by most people?

• Most people spend minimal time talking to the God of the universe.
• Most people work in their own power to find justice.
• Most people end up despairing about the lack of justice in our world.

What role does faith have in the pursuit of justice?

• Galatians 5:5 “...For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness...”
• Romans 1:17 “...the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith...”
• Hebrews 11:1 “...faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen...”
  
• Romans 10:17 “...faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ...”
• Matthew 21:22 “...whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith...”
• Matthew 17:20 “...For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you...”
• 1 Corinthians 16:13 “...Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong...”
• 2 Corinthians 5:7 “...for we walk by faith, not by sight...”

Did Jesus find many people of faith at His first coming?

Are there many people of faith on the planet now?

Will Jesus find many people of faith at His second coming?

Summary:

• There is a great need for justice.
• There is a great need for relief from the adversary.
• There is a great need for convictions about things not yet seen.
• There is a great need for faith.
• There is a great need for people of faith to talk to the God who gives justice.

Now and Then:

Luke 17:22-25 “...And he said to the disciples, “The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation...”

How long was Jesus, the Son of Man, on the planet?

• Two methods have been used to estimate the year of birth of Jesus, one based on the accounts of his birth in the gospels, the other by working backwards from his stated age when he began preaching: most scholars, on this basis, assume a date of birth between 6 and 4 BC.
• Three details have been used to estimate the year when Jesus began preaching: a mention of his age during a specific year in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, another relating to the date of the building of the Jerusalem Temple, and the death of John the Baptist. Scholars generally estimate that Jesus began preaching, and gathering followers, around 27-29 AD and continued for at least one year, and perhaps as many as three.
• Two main approaches have been used to estimate the date of the crucifixion of Jesus. One uses non-Christian sources such as Josephus and Tacitus. Another works backwards from the historically well established trial of Apostle Paul in Achaea to estimate the date of his conversion. Scholars generally agree that Jesus was crucified between 30-36 AD.
• It would be reasonably accurate to say that Jesus started preaching at 30, and was crucified at 33.

NOW: What did Jesus say about His current situation?

• The days were coming when He would no longer be seen.
• He was going to suffer many things and be rejected.

THEN: What did Jesus say was the coming situation?

• There would be false reports of His presence.
• His coming day would be like the great illumination of lightning in the sky.

Luke 17:26-30 “...Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot - they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed...”

How were the Noah and Lot situations similar?

• People were not living in harmony with the intentions of God.
• People assumed things would continue in a uniform way.
• Destruction came suddenly, and there was no escaping the judgment.

How will the day of the Son of Man’s return be similar to the Noah and Lot situations?

• People will not be living in harmony with the intentions of God.
• People will assume things will continue in a uniform way.
• Destruction will come suddenly, and there will be no escaping the judgment.

Luke 17:31-35 “...On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left...”

What advice did Jesus give for the day of the Lord?

• Don’t attempt to salvage anything of the current existence.
• Turning back has negative consequences - loss of life.
• The current existence can’t be preserved.

Do all have the same future?

• Who is taken? The one who is willing to lose his life.
• Who is left? The one who seeks to preserve his current life.

Matthew 24:28 “...Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather...”

Luke 17:37 “...And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather...”

How would you explain this passage?

• Wherever there is a carcass (physical corruption), vultures will go there to eat it.
• Where there is spiritual corruption judgment will follow.

We will discuss Matthew 24 more extensively in the future.

The Kingdom Comes With Mercy: Luke 17:11-21

Context:

• Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.
• He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.
• He entered a village and was met by ten lepers.

Luke 17:13 “...lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us...”

What did the lepers want?

• Lepers were required by law to stay away from people.
• Does anyone want to be cut off from “normal” people?
• The lepers asked for mercy.
• Eleeo - unmerited favor.

Why did the lepers need unmerited favor?

• They were unclean, and couldn’t make themselves clean.

Why do all people need the unmerited favor of Jesus?

• All people are unclean, and can’t make themselves clean.

Was interfacing with the lepers on the agenda for the day?

• Not on the apparent agenda.
• Definitely on the opportunity agenda.

Luke 17:14 “...When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed...”

When were the lepers healed?

• As they followed the instructions of Jesus.

When do we receive the unmerited favor of Jesus?

• Every day, all day, all the time?

Is significant focused mercy received as we respond to His words?

Luke 17:17-19 “...Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well...”

What was the difference between the Samaritan and the other nine lepers?

• The Samaritan fell before the Lord in appreciation.
• The Samaritan fully comprehended the mercy that changed his life.
• The Samaritan gave credit where credit was due.
• The Samaritan glorified God with a loud voice.

What did Jesus proclaim about the Samaritan?

• Jesus celebrated the health giving result of a faith connection with God.

Luke 17:20-21 “...Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you...”

What mistakes do religious people make regarding the kingdom of God?

• They want to observe personal signs of its existence.
• They don’t recognize the reality of Jesus, and thus the kingdom, in their midst.
• They forget that God’s kingdom has always existed, will always exist, and is everywhere evident.

How does the kingdom manifest in our midst?

• Not in acts to parade power and authority.
• Not in acts for showmanship.
• The kingdom comes In acts of mercy.

The Kingdom of God:

• We are unclean and can’t make ourselves clean.
• We need mercy, the unmerited favor of God.
• When we ask for mercy, the Lord speaks to us.
• As we respond to His voice, we receive mercy.
• When we receive mercy, we are made clean.
• When we are made clean, we need to glorify God with a loud voice.
• Behold, the kingdom is in our midst.