Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
We find three parables in this chapter:
· The parable of the lost sheep.
· The parable of the lost coin. and
· The parable of the prodigal son.
All three are in response to what we see in verses 1 and 2.
· Publicans and sinners came to hear Him.
· Pharisees and scribes came to murmur against Him.
The publicans and sinners knew they needed what Jesus offered. The Pharisees and scribes believed they had already gotten it. Virtually everyone knows there is something wrong with us. We’re broken. We have ideals and standards; morals we know ought to be held. Yet none of us can attain to them perfectly.
· Philosophy attempts to explain it.
· Religion attempts to redeem it.
· Government attempts to contain it.
Only Jesus heals it.
The difference between the publicans and the sinners and the Pharisees and the scribes is that the former knew the problem was not solved while the latter had been inoculated. They no longer saw the sin problem in themselves. They had convinced themselves that their religion had gotten them over it.
Very often I have comments and responses to my sermons from such religious people. Their attitude demonstrates that they view themselves as superior to me or at least superior to whoever my audience is.
The sin problem exists in us all. Those whom the Father receives are the ones who confess it.
#LostandFound #RepentanceandRedemption #ParablesofGrace #RecognizingOurBrokenness #ConfessionandForgiveness
Publicans, Sinners, Pharisees: Contrasting Reactions
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