Pharisee and Tax Collector
This Week We’re Reading:
We are so glad you are joining us as we read through multiple parables that Jesus shared throughout this series! This week we are reading Luke 18:9-14. Click the button below to go straight there!
“I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:14
This Week We’re Asking:
This parable is so important for us to really wrestle with. Many times, we end up looking at our life compared to someone else’s and say, “Well, at least I’m not as bad as that guy!” We might have grown up in church, known the right things to do, and behaved as a good human being in general. The problem is that many times we end up putting our trust in our own righteousness and not completely in Christ’s. Here’s a few conversation starters to dive into the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector!
Why do you think the Pharisee compared himself to the tax collector when he was praying?
Have you ever compared yourself to someone else?
Why do you think it is so important to keep our eyes on Jesus and His grace instead of comparing ourselves to others?
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
Colossians 3:1-4 NLT
This Week We’re Watching:
So you've heard the parables before, huh? In this video Pastor Nathan walks us through a great strategy to use when reading the parables of Jesus for the first time, or the one thousandth time! Click the image above to watch the video now!
This Week We’re Doing:
As we wrestle with this parable it is important to see the true and unfathomable holiness of God. His holiness is so much greater than the best of our efforts. As we look at our own lives it is important for us to not compare to others, rather to see the unattainable distance that our sin has brought between us and the holiness of God. This week, our focus is to thank Christ for His forgiveness and the righteousness that can only come through Him. At some point this week, take time as a family to write a “thank you” card to Jesus. Use this as an opportunity to share with your family the importance of keeping our eyes on Christ and thanking Him for His forgiveness.
This Week We’re Memorizing:
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.”
Hebrews 4:12-13 NLT
BONUS!
Jesus was a master storyteller, and many of his most well-known teachings were told as parables. But these stories were designed to do much more than simply "teach." Jesus said the parables were designed to both reveal and conceal his message about the arrival of God's Kingdom. In this video, we explore the main themes in Jesus' parables and ask why he used them as the primary vehicle for his message. Check it out right here!