KICS talks

The Pharisee and the Publican, Pt9. 

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14.

Stream or download The Parables #101

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We continue our consideration of what we are told about the ‘publicans’ in the Gospels.
They not only associated with the Saviour, they obey Him.

We have already looked at Luke 15:1 as we studied the parable of the lost sheep. The first verse sets forth clearly the attitude of the publicans and those associated with them. “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.” The word hear means ‘to hearken’. That means more than just to listen to what is said but it means they responded to and obeyed the Saviour’s words. This is confirmed by the Saviour.

“Jesus saith unto them (the chief priests and the elders, verse 23, many of whom would have been Pharisees) Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you,” Matt 21:31. “Go into the kingdom” that is what you must do!!

They acknowledged God was right in calling them sinners.
“And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John,”  Luke 7/29.

The publicans were ready to acknowledge their sinfulness and were baptised as a confession of their sins. They said that God was ‘just’ in condemning them as sinners. Like the repentant thief of the cross, they acknowledged their guiltiness before God. “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss,” Luke 23:339-41.

Are you ready to admit your sinfulness before God?

We cannot be saved and go to heaven unless we do! “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:9.
Will you confess your sins before the Saviour today?

The Pharisee and the Publican, Pt8. 

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14.

One of them became an apostle and the author of the first gospel! I mentioned Zacchaeus  last Tuesday, that he was a publican. I said that there was one more well known publican mentioned in the Bible. Who got his name? Matthew 9:9.And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him,” Matthew 9:9. He is also the author of the first gospel! That surely must be seen as a great honour! 

Notice the publicans readiness to sit and be seen with the Saviour! “And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick,” Matt 9/10-12. “And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him,” Mark 2:15. (Already noted – Luke 15:1)

The Pharisee and the Publican, # 7. 

Scripture: Luke 18:10-14.

I would like to make one final comment on the subject of ‘the Pharisee’. It is a point of clarification.When I mentioned Paul being a Pharisee, we indicated that Paul claimed to be a Pharisee on a number of occasions. Now I would not like you to think that Paul gloried in his former links with that evil group of men.In Acts 23:6 Paul said: “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.” Now he made this claim, not because he was proud of that former association but he saw that making the claim would throw his opponents into confusion, see 7-10.He mentions his links with the Pharisees in Acts 26:5 and again he is advancing this fact as part of a ploy to confuse his enemies.Nowhere does Paul indicate more clearly what he thought of Pharisaism after his conversion than in Philippians 3:4-8. The word ‘dung’ means literally ‘a thing worthless and detestable.’ Today, we will make a start on considering just what sort of character the Publican was according to the record of the Bible.They had shown a readiness to heed John the Baptist.“Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you,” Luke 3:12-13. How wise to ask what to do! They showed a spirit of repentance, verse 3!