Notes from a sermon heard on 25 April 2016
Luke 18 verses 9 - 14
I want tonight to turn your attention to 2 men. They set off with a very specific purpose in mind. They went up into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, a religious leader, a man well accustomed to the house of God, to the reading of God`s word, to lifting up his voice in prayer. The other man was a Publican, a tax collector, a sinner. This man lifted up his voice to God in prayer "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." That is a great place to come to. Acknowledge what is going on in your heart, in your inner most being. He realised and recognised he had come short of God`s glory and was now crying out to God for mercy. This prayer was heard in the realms of heaven. If you read this text of scripture (verse 13) it was to those who trusted in themselves. Jesus was speaking to those who had the attitude "I don`t need a Saviour, I don`t need this religiousity you are talking of, I am on my way to heaven, on my own way home." When we preach from the word of God we preach there is only one way to heaven - Jesus is the way. There will be no soul in heaven that never began that journey at the foot of the cross, that cried to God "be merciful to me a sinner." Here was a man who didn`t need a Saviour. You might say "I am not like anyone else, I have never been in the depth of sin like this man". His prayer was heard in heaven. If you have never prayed a prayer like that you can lift your voice to God. He will come in a mighty mighty way. Let`s look tonight at the Publican`s prayer.
The sinner`s company. He went with this man. We are not told he went shoulder to shoulder with the Pharisee. He probably took 2 or 3 steps ahead of him. They were both heading to the house of God, knew where the presence of God was. The presence of God is here tonight. Jesus is passing this way tonight. All you have to do is reach out and touch him as he goes by. It wasn`t like the days of Elijah when he told the prophets of Baal to call out to their God. They were lifting up their voices to gods who had no ears. When Elijah lifted up his prayer God heard him. Fire fell from heaven and he swallowed up the offering on the altar. Romans 10 verse 13 "for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." This Pharisee cried out. They were going into the house of God. There was a desire to come into the house of God. If you have the desire to come to this house tonight that is the Holy Spirit drawing you, not the preacher or the congregation. That is the God of heaven drawing you, to save your soul. Maybe in his mind remembered what Solomon said in 2 Chronicles 6 verse 40 "Now my God let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open and let thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place." Maybe the old publican heard that the Lord would have his eyes and ears open to the simple prayer. That is what was working in his heart. Maybe God is drawing you to himself, drawing you in to be saved. The temple was the place where God said he would meet with his people, there were God gave the instructions. God has promised to meet with you at the cross of Calvary. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. He had come unto his own, took on himself the form of a servant - why - that he might reconcile lost mankind unto himself. That is where we come to - the foot of the old rugged cross. To make our way there by childlike faith. Look unto the Saviour who suffered and died and took our place. That is where heaven meets sinful man. God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself. We are not told how many others were there that day. You and I need to get our eyes off others. Don`t get our eyes onto someone else. He lifted his eyes off the Pharisee and placed them onto the Saviour. It is easy to get our eyes on someone who can lead astray. Maybe do live up to a certain standard but you need to get your eyes on the Lord. In the book of Mark 1 verse 23 whenever Jesus was in the synagogue and the people were all gathered together the leader would open up the book and pass it to the one who would preach. The congregation that day, some came out of habit or duty, some came to be seen but there were those who wanted to worship the God of heaven. Jesus opened up the word of God and there was in their midst a man with an unclean spirit. This man was dabbling in the occult and allowed the spirit of the devil to indwell him. He was sitting in the house of God. When we imagine the devil we think of him in the dens of iniquity, pubs and clubs. He was however in the house of God when the preaching started. He cried out. The devil is there to distract and to take the good seed of the word of God. The devil has you in his mind in any meeting. He wants to disturb you in such a manner. It could be because someone else moves beside you.
The sinner`s conviction. Notice as comes into the house of God he says "Lord be merciful to me a sinner." The Publican was a tax collector and it was not unknown for them to charge more than was required. He knew in his heart he was doing things untrue. When he came face to face with God he realised very quickly he was a sinner, he had come short of the glory of God. He was so caught up with the presence of God. Have you ever had that conviction of heart? Somehow God has gripped you so much, caught up with the word of God. That is God`s Holy Spirit, the one who takes the word of God and settles it far beyond the reach of man. He feels his own unworthiness, cannot even come near to the altar. The Pharisee was standing as far up as he could. He wanted everyone to see him but the Publican crawled into the most obscure spot where he wouldn`t be seen. God was opening his heart and he was ready to hear his prayer. Remember the centurion who came to ask for his servant. The Lord said he would come but the centurion told him he was not worthy of that. Such was his conviction of heart. Peter said "depart from me for I am a sinful man." Luke 5 verse 8) If you are feeling in your heart the wrongs you have done, that you are not right with God, that is the Holy Spirit. Don`t close the door on that because God wants to save you, reconcile you. Unless there is conviction of sin, salvation cannot take place. If God is doing a work in your heart it doesn`t take a man to draw it out.
The sinner`s confession. The Publican owned up to the things he felt in his heart. He was wrong, had wronged God and could not be reconciled. Don`t mistake conviction for conversion, there has to be confession. Somewhere along the way this man poured out his heart before others. The Psalmist saiid "I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight." (Psalm 51 verses 3 and 4) Achan tried to cover up his sin when he took the gold and robe. He hid them in his tent and waited for the dust to settle. There was one watching him though - God. He never slumbers or sleeps.
The sinner`s conversion. This man went to his house justified. Why? Because he cried out for help. "If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1 verse 8) The Pharisee didn`t open up to his sin. A right relationship with God because of the Lord is what we need tonight. God took every sin on the cross and placed them on the Lord. There the Lord dying on the cross was dying for every sin yet you haven`t claimed it tonight. This old Publican was`t going to make God a liar, he was willing to own up to his sin in his heart. Have you got that day of conversion? Are you depending on something that is not there tonight. Are you truly born of the Spirit of God, saved by his grace?
The sinner`s confidence - justified in the eyes of God, had been set free, no sin to answer for. "It is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9 verse 27) Now the Lord wants to justify you tonight. There is one thing you must do - come. You have to come as this Publican did and cry for God`s mercy. Will you come to the cross tonight? Will you trust him as Saviour and Lord?
No comments:
Post a Comment