Both People Needed God's Mercy, Only One Realized It!

5 Minute Lessons on the Kingdom of God

Read time: 2 minutes

Downloads

Audio Lesson

00:00

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.

"⁹Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else:
¹⁰Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed, 'God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people. And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. ¹²I go without eating for two days a week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.'
¹³But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!
¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9‑14 CEV; AMP)

In this story that Jesus told, we see two kinds of people:

A religious person (a good person).
A sinful person (a tax collector).

Both people needed God's mercy and forgiveness, but only one realized it. Only one asked for it.

Don't let your self-righteousness (a righteousness that belongs to you) deceive you into thinking, "I am a good person, of course I will go to heaven."

We have all sinned (Romans 3:23) and we all need mercy, forgiveness and the Savior.

I read this story that Jesus taught, to a young lady one time and then I asked her, "If you humbled yourself like this tax collector and got down on your knees and cried out 'God be merciful to me, I am a sinner!' (Luke 8:13), would God treat you the same way He treated the tax-collector that day?" She thought a moment and then broke out in tears. Revelation came, "Yes, God would treat me the same as the tax-collector. I can go home forgiven and cleansed because God is merciful!"

Both people in this story needed God's mercy, God's forgiveness. One accepted it, one didn't think he needed it. Which person are you?

"But anyone who asks for mercy from the Lord shall have it and shall be saved." (Acts 2:21 The Living Bible)

Questions

Do you see your need for the Savior?
Answer

"¹⁷When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2:17 KJV)
If you cried out to God for mercy and forgiveness, how would God respond to your request?
Answer

"¹³But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!
¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his home justified (forgiven and made upright and in right standing with God), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:13‑14 Amplified Bible)

We want to hear from you!

We would love to hear your feedback on these lessons and how you use them in your own study or in discipling others. If you have any thoughts, stories, testimonies, comments, or questions we would love to hear them!

Next Lesson:

Physical Things Express Spiritual Truth