Nothing in My Hand I Bring

In one paragraph

The pastor opened in Luke 18, picking up at verse 9 where Jesus tells a parable about two men who go to the temple to pray. The parable was aimed at people who trusted in their own righteousness and looked down on others, and the sermon pressed that question onto everyone in the room. Jesus told this parable to a specific audience: people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and...

Read together

1. Luke 18:9-14 the main text of the sermon, the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector
2. 1 John 1:9 if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness
3. 1 Peter 5:6-11 humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you at the proper time, resist the devil, the God of all grace will perfect confirm strengthen and establish you

Talk about it

1. The pastor described how he gradually started believing his own press during the deputation phase, convincing himself that God needed him rather than the other way around. Can you think of a time when you caught yourself, or someone close to you caught you, slipping into that same kind of thinking?
2. Luke tells us Jesus aimed this parable specifically at people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt. The pastor said that description does not require someone to be a religious person. Who do you think Jesus might be directing this parable toward today, and does any part of it land on you personally?
3. The Pharisee listed real, impressive religious accomplishments, fasting twice a week and tithing on everything, yet Jesus said he did not go home justified. What is the difference between doing good things and trusting in those good things, and how do you tell the difference in your own life?
4. The tax collector beat his chest, would not look up, and prayed only seven words: 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner.' The pastor said the man felt like the sinner, not just a sinner. What does it take for a person to get to that kind of honesty before God, and what tends to get in the way?
5. First Peter 5 says to humble yourselves under God's mighty hand and cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. The pastor connected humility directly to how we handle worry and suffering. How do pride and anxiety feed each other in your experience, and what does it look like practically to resist that?