PORTRAITS OF THE KINGDOM: Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector Luke 18:9-14

SCRIPTURE: Luke 18:9-14

This Sunday, we faced yet another challenging parable. The message is clear: those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. The message is simple, but living it out is steep! Luke 18:9-14 challenges not merely Pharisees, but all of us who may practice Do-It-Yourself Spirituality. No matter how we focus on God’s grace and our call to be humble, we keep pushing ourselves, our self-righteousness, our self-defined morality, and our self-glorification into the equation.