{"id":375,"date":"2024-09-04T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/?p=375&2024"},"modified":"2024-09-02T18:00:08","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T00:00:08","slug":"looking-down-or-stepping-down-luke-18-9-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/looking-down-or-stepping-down-luke-18-9-14\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking Down or Stepping Down: Luke 18:9-14"},"content":{"rendered":"
Focus Passage: Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)<\/div>
\r\n

9\u00a0<\/sup>To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cTwo men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11\u00a0<\/sup>The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: \u2018God, I thank you that I am not like other people\u2014robbers, evildoers, adulterers\u2014or even like this tax collector. 12\u00a0<\/sup>I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.\u2019<\/p>

13\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cBut the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, \u2018God, have mercy on me, a sinner.\u2019<\/p>

14\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cI 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.\u201d<\/p>

Read Luke 18:9-14<\/a> in context and\/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n

If you have ever been used as an illustration in someone\u2019s sermon\/presentation, or if you feel as though someone based their sermon on something you did or something you said, you are not alone.<\/p>\r\n

Prior to studying this entry\u2019s passage, I had not ever noticed verse 9, which sets up this entire teaching: \u201cTo some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\r\n

I wonder if those in the audience did something that prompted Jesus to conclude this, or if this was simply another time when the Holy Spirit shared people\u2019s thoughts with Jesus. We may never know, but we do know that this verse clearly sets up the theme and foundation for Jesus\u2019 upcoming parable.<\/p>\r\n

\u00a0Jesus parable has two characters: one who represented a person who was overly confident in his righteousness, and one who was humble and who acknowledged his need for forgiveness.<\/p>\r\n

The opening verse clearly draws a parallel between the confident people in the crowd and the confident man praying in the temple within the parable. Without saying it directly, Jesus pulls back the curtain on how God views our actions and what He thinks of our attitude.<\/p>\r\n

When I read this verse, the idea of \u201cconfidence\u201d challenges me. I don\u2019t think confidence in itself is the problem. After all, we can be confident in many positive things.<\/p>\r\n

What I think is the root problem is these people\u2019s attitude: they believe they have arrived and have achieved a \u201cGod-like\u201d righteousness, and they look down on all those who haven\u2019t made it here.<\/p>\r\n

These two ideas stand in contrast with each other because God doesn\u2019t \u201clook down\u201d \u2013 He steps down<\/strong>. The confident people in the crowd may have been really close to \u201cGod-like\u201d standard, but without the love necessary in their lives to step down to help those in need, they failed.<\/p>\r\n

However, God\u2019s goal for us is not to live to the standard. History has made it very clear that this is impossible for a sinful race. Instead, God sent Jesus to live that life for us, but that brings with it a second challenge \u2013 we must accept God\u2019s gift by acknowledging that we need Jesus\u2019 life to replace ours.<\/p>\r\n

The second man who prayed \u2013 the one who humbled himself and asked God for forgiveness and help \u2013 received the approval He asked for.<\/p>\r\n

This leads to Jesus\u2019 big idea in verse 14: \u201cFor all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\r\n

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus<\/strong> \u201cReflective Bible Study\u201d package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here<\/a> and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!<\/em><\/p>

Subscribe<\/a> to this blog and never miss an insight.<\/em><\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you have ever been used as an illustration in someone\u2019s sermon\/presentation, or if you feel as though someone based their sermon on something you did or something you said, you are not alone. Prior to studying this entry\u2019s passage, I had not ever noticed verse 9, which sets up this entire teaching: \u201cTo some […]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-text"],"nelio_content":{"autoShareEndMode":"never","automationSources":{"useCustomSentences":false,"customSentences":[]},"efiAlt":"","efiUrl":"","followers":[2],"highlights":[],"isAutoShareEnabled":false,"networkImageIds":[],"permalinkQueryArgs":[],"series":[],"suggestedReferences":[]},"yoast_head":"\nLooking Down or Stepping Down: Luke 18:9-14 - Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/looking-down-or-stepping-down-luke-18-9-14\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Looking Down or Stepping Down: Luke 18:9-14 - Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you have ever been used as an illustration in someone\u2019s sermon\/presentation, or if you feel as though someone based their sermon on something you did or something you said, you are not alone. 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