“A PARABLE”
Saint Luke 18: 9-14
11th Sunday after Trinity: 1 September Anno Domini 2019
Father Jay Watson SSP
Obviously Adam trusted in himself. So did Cain, and even Abraham, Moses, and King David. Sinners trust in themselves. This breaks the Greatest Commandment of The Lord—“Thou shalt have no other gods!” All self-same sinners also despise others. When the Spirit holds up the mirror of the Decalogue to your faces, you should, you must be able to see that inside your blackened heart you too despise others. If not, you are more pitiful than Herod, Caiaphas, and Judas. Or have you not heard the Scripture: “as it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.” [Rom. 3.10]. Paul was reiterating God clear word through David: “they are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” [Ps. 14.3] What part of none do you not understand.
When the Spirit takes these Divine Truths of He Who is The Truth, The Holy One, The Christ of God—Righteousness in the Flesh and places them in your ears, you fall upon your knees in confession.
Two men went to the LCMS church for The Divine Service, the one a “confessional” with a long pedigree of Walther and Pieper bona fides, and the other a new convert who works for the I.R.S.
The “confessional” before the Mass began stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘I thank Thee, that I am not as others are—thieves, gangbangers, faggots, socialists, illegal aliens, and CNN atheists…or even as that I.R.S. guy in the next pew. I fast every Friday as well as twice a week in Advent and Lent; I not only tithe but I give 13% of my net income to the church’s budget; I’ve read the entire Book of Concord, not just the Small Catechism (sniffs)!”
And the new convert, the “State-paid Parasite,” would not lift us so much as his eyes unto heaven—or the altar in the chancel, but smote upon his breast saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
Jesus tells you that the I.R.S. “newbie” went home that day justified rather than the other.
You know this parable. You’ve heard it dozens and dozens of times.
There are “pro-nomians,” lovers of the Law who do not understand Galatians/Christ’s total fulfillment and end of Torah, who now want me to preach (admonish, lecture, hector?) you to more obedient living and dutiful servanthood. No, ain’t gonna happen. You know you’re Pharisees even if I don’t take time in a sermon to go over each of the 10 Commandments—and their all inclusive “meanings” to illustrate your abject failures this week (this morning) in thought, word, and deed.
While it is true that you do exalt yourself too much and that you do not abase and humble yourself enough, i.e. repent, seek Holy absolution from Christ and not your conscience, and resolve by The Holy Ghost to amend and continue to fight to do better, the answer does not lie in you or your actions.
Every man and woman who has ever lived will be both Pharisee and Publican. Your old fallen nature is Pharisee. You are not excused for your sins but rather Jesus dies for them. Your new regenerated + Baptismal born- again new creation is Publican. When you act and speak and think from your ego, your superficial self-justifying rat-like residue, you need to be cleansed, and then cleansed some more, daily + cleansed and weekly (at least) fed and fortified Righteousness. Jesus is Righteousness. You need more Jesus. You need more Word. You need more Supper. You need to stop thinking that you need to do.
We do thank The Lord and sing His praise that He has dropped us to our knees; that He has placed our faces first in the dirt (Law), so that He can raise them for refreshment, cleansing, and His eternal kiss of peace and restoration. Oh, the blessed Gospel—your sins are forgiven! You are now at Peace! You are exalted, lifted up, and brought to the Feast. Eat and drink Righteousness.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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