I am indebted to the Rev. William Weedon's sermon on this text.
Bethel Lutheran Church
Du Quoin, Illinois
August 11, 2013
Trinity 11
Luke 18:9-14
Worship Acceptable to God
“13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his
eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a
sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than
the other.” (Luke 18:13-14 ESV)
Dear Fellow Redeemed,
Two men went to the appointed place to offer their sacrifices. One, a
worker of the ground, offered the fruit of his labor, “the fruit of the
ground.” The other, a keeper of sheep, offered “of the firstborn of his flock
and of their fat portions.” One was regarded by God. The other wasn’t. So,
what’s the difference? There’s nothing specifically mentioned that would give
an indication of why one was accepted and the other not. Was produce a less
acceptable offering than a sheep? At this point, we’re not told. And later, God
did provide for grain offerings, so that in itself probably isn’t it. So what
accounts for the difference? Let’s see what follows.
We’re told, “Cain was very angry, and his face fell” when his brother’s
offering was accepted by God and his wasn’t. Perhaps this gives a clue to what
was going on. You see, God doesn’t look only at the outward action, but He
looks at the heart. In this case, Cain’s reaction reflected what he believed.
Evidently, Cain thought he was doing something good for God and should merit a
positive response. When he didn’t get it, he became angry. And even when God in
His mercy warned him to beware of sin crouching at the door desiring to consume
him, he rejected the warning. He couldn’t do anything to God, so he killed his
own brother in a jealous rage. And God drove him away from the ground. He went
down to his house unjustified.
So, what was it about Abel’s offering that God accepted it? First of all
it’s that he offered the first and the best and didn’t hold anything back. Even
then, there’s more to it than that. For his offering reflected what was in his
heart. The author to the Hebrews writes, “By faith Abel offered to God a more
acceptable sacrifice than Cain.” (Heb. 11:4). You see, we can’t see into
someone’s heart. We can’t discern what a person really believes. But God can .
. . and does. Thus He knew that Abel’s heart was right with Him and trusted in
Him for all things. Likewise, we’re told, “without the shedding of blood there
is no forgiveness of sins.” (Heb. 9:22). Though the divinely wrought
sacrificial system had not yet been established, God’s Word still holds true.
So, perhaps, there’s something about the offering of a firstborn lamb that has
a bearing on Abel’s offering being regarded by God.
In the Gospel, we hear of two men who went to the Temple to pray, and they
aren’t much different from Cain and Abel. The Pharisee expects his worship to
be accepted. After all, he had given so much to God and done so many good
works. He certainly lived a holier life and done more for God than others did.
He took the Law seriously, not like others, “extortioners, unjust, adulterers”
and especially “this tax collector.” So the Pharisee stands apart. He prays,
sort of. He doesn't really ask anything. Instead he chatters on about how good
he is and claims that God should be grateful to have him as a follower. He
hadn’t really come to pray, but to boast – before God and before others.
But the tax-collector is very different. He stands far off, not daring to
lift up his eyes, because he knows he is unworthy to be in the presence of the
holy God, much less to approach Him and ask for anything. Beating his breast,
he cries out: "God be merciful to me, a sinner!"
Now the Greek word used here for “merciful” is not the same word we are
familiar with as when we sing, “Kyrie eleison, Lord, have mercy!” Instead Jesus
puts in this man’s mouth a bloody word. "God be gracious to me, forgive me, on
account of the sacrifice." He was not appealing for mercy on the basis of God's
attributes - that He is merciful and loving and so on. He appealed for mercy on
the basis of a death, a bloody substitute for his own forfeited life. He knew
he wasn't due that mercy, but he asked for it anyway.
Then Jesus says something rather remarkable. He says that THIS man went
down to his home "justified" rather than the Pharisee. What shocking words
those were for those “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
treated others with contempt.” It shot them down where they stood, even as it
does us. And that’s because God rejects the proud man who stands before Him and
presumes to offer his own doings; but He accepts the humble man who stands
before Him and pleads for mercy because of a bloody sacrifice.
And what was that sacrifice? Think of the One telling the parable. Think of
Jesus, who alone of the whole human race stood before the Father and offered to
Him deeds that were wholly acceptable - and they were so because they were all
love. There was no self-interested motivation behind a single act of His life.
He was the man who lived for others, for you. He is the One who came into the
flesh born of the Virgin Mary to be their ransom and yours. His life of love
was a fragrant and acceptable sacrifice to the Father. And it was in love that
He consented also to become the bloody sacrifice, for you.
His righteous life is the only one acceptable to God. Like the Pharisee we
want God to accept us because of our works. Yet Jesus is the only One whose
works are regarded by God. His is the only Life lived in perfect obedience. His
is the only death that atones for sin. His is the only sacrifice that forgives
sin. His is the only blood able to wash your sins away and make you clean. He
came not to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many. He is
the One who alone offers true and acceptable worship to God.
That’s why we are more often like Cain and the Pharisee that we want to
admit. Though we are God’s children by grace, our sinful nature still clings to
us. And that nature leads us to hate Jesus because the light of love that shone
from His life as He offered endless worship to God the Father exposes the sham
of our lives and makes us realize that we are all counterfeits and that none of
us can dare to stand before His Father and plead for justice on our own merits.
We are all infected with Adam’s sin. So if we stand before God at all, it’s
only to ask for bloody mercy.
And He gives it to us! He gave His Son over to shed His blood and die on
our behalf. But behold! Life, not death, is offered through that deed, for His
death is the death of death. By His bloodshed is the blotting of sin. For our
hatred, He gives love. For our murder, He gives life. This is the shocking news
of His resurrection: He did not show Himself to the Eleven after His
resurrection to condemn them, but to bring His blood bought peace to them and
to all who would receive their message and their absolution. So He brings that
peace to you too.
That’s why we rejoice with St. Paul that it is by grace we are saved
through faith, and not even faith is our doing, but it is the gift of God, not
of works so that no one can boast. Instead of works we offer to God, God offers
us His works, even His works in us, so that we get to be His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for the good works He has prepared for us to walk in.
Thus we confess with St. Paul, “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives
in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God
who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20).
Beloved, the point of worship is not our doing, but God’s doing. The
highest worship of God is to receive from Him the gifts He gives us in great
abundance, especially the gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. And these
gifts are all wrapped up in His Son, our Lord Jesus who is hidden in the Gospel
and the Sacraments. As we receive Him, we mature in His grace and mercy, and we
will be raised to the full stature of Christ. After all, the Father gave His
Beloved Son as a suitable sacrifice for sin, and His Son willingly lay down His
life for us, only to take it up again. True God-pleasing worship is to receive
the life that is in His blood. This is why the Church’s worship doesn’t focus
on us and our works, but on God's great work in Christ, the death and
resurrection of the Son of God for us. This is what’s given in the Gospel and
the Sacraments, and which is received through faith.
So rejoice and humbly join in the worship where the Lamb of God gives
Himself for you, to you. This is the Church’s true worship. Receive from Him
the bloody mercy given for you. And as that bloody mercy covers you, you are
joined to the Lamb that was slain and is alive forevermore. And so you are made
acceptable in the Beloved. Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
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