Two Types of Men (people)    

     Luke   I8:9-14

Intro:
l. There are lots of stories in the Bible that describe personality traits of people. That is one of the appeals of the Bible because it describes people where they are. The point of these stories mainly is to inspire by way of example or contrast of character. The question that arises in all of this is: what kind of person do I want to be?

Let me tell you about a man named Tom Kent, a missionary to Paraguay. He wanted to be a missionary to Paraguay. He was a licensed M.D. in the states but to obtain a permanent license to keep practicing in Paraguay meant that he had to repeat medical school 20 years later in Spanish, after medical knowledge had doubled every five years. Kent flunked the first exam in biophysics. After that defeat he seriously considered calling it quits and returning to private practice in the states

  "I had no desire at all to submerge myself in a detailed study of biophysics  when there were so many people to care for”, he said, "but I felt God calling me to Paraguay, so I prayed that he would change my mind and give a strong desire to study."

Ken’s prayer was answer. For the next  four months he actually had "fun" studying facts that were only theories when he first encountered them. The anatomy exam was even worse. The anatomy professor told Kent that every American who’d taken his exam had failed it. For an entire year the missionary dissected cadavers with other medical students and struggled to memorize 7000 pages of the  French system of anatomy translated into Spanish.

At 5 a.m. on the morning of the anatomy exam, I was ready to  pack my bags and return to the U.S. But my wife prayed, "Lord. whatever they ask of him, let him be able to answer. Seven of the 3 subjects on that exams I had been over within the prior 24 hours, and the eighth within two weeks. My exam grade was 100.

But even his wife questioned it when, after a spiritual retreat in 1982  Kent claimed God had given him a vision that he would complete the remaining 23 exams in one year. It had taken him five years to get thru the first seven. But he did it.

There were anxious moments near the end. The professor in charge of Kent's 3rd and final exam refused four times to let the missionary take it. But a fellow professor who treated Kent as a colleague  intervened .   Even after  completing medical school, Kent faced a possible three-year wait for his license to be approved and signed by government authorities. But one day before his departure date for LA. the wait  came to a surprising end.

One of the key secretaries fainted while he was waiting in the Government office for my  papers  and Kent attended her. Her friend was the woman who was to type them .  So in appreciation for caring for her friend she typed them straight away.   He arrived at the Ministry of health to get them signed just as they were closing, but the secretary was a Christian and delighted that he had gotten  his title re-validated.  Ten minutes before the office closed he got his Paraguayan license number.

Tom Kent wanted to do ministry in a country he loved and God honored his commitment.  We can see something of the character of Tom.  There are two people in the story of Jesus that are opposite characters.  Here are two people and Jesus’ comments about their behavior.

II. What the Publican Said.
1. The tax collector was a grafter and a crook; his confession was sincere. The tax collector dared not lift his eyes to heaven, kept smiting on his breast and offered a cry rather than a prayer; he pleaded with God to cleanse a soul that was one dark blot.  He stood afar off from other men such as the Pharisee  because he felt himself unworthy of their friendship.
The translations do not even do justice to his humility for he actually prayed, “O God be merciful to me--the sinner, as if he was not merely a sinner, but the sinner par excellence.

2. The Publican confessed plainly that he was a sinner. This is the very basis  of saving Christianity. We never begin to be good till we can feel and say that we are bad. Unlike the Pharisee, it was a prayer in which mercy was the chief thing desired. Mercy is the first thing we must ask for in the day we begin to pray. Mercy and grace are the subjects of our daily prayers till the day we die.

3. The Publican spoke from his heart. He was deeply moved in uttering it. He smote upon his breast, like one who felt more than he could express. The Psalmist says, "A  broken and contrite heart he will not despise.”   (51:17)

4. The Publican presents himself in humility before God to find the things most important in his life. This kind of attitude is important to find forgiveness and God’s grace. It is also important in any ether area of life. Humility is miles ahead of arrogance.
I had a young couple come into my office once  and they had come from Western Kansas. He was 30 and they had been in the Agri-business for a number of years, but times were getting harder and he decided to try something else.  He thought about going back to school to teach. The man had a family--5 kids, but he and his wife were humble sorts of people.   He thought about teaching history. I inquired about his previous college work. He had a math facility and on learning this I suggested he take two areas—social science  and math. That would make him useful  in many areas. Then I talked to him about housing in Emporia, possibility of work--diesel-- and all of this came about on my part because of his attitude. He came humbly asking for information and I gave him everything I could.

5. The Publican came the same way and he got what he came for. The Pharisee had the reward of thinking well  about himself and that's all he got.

III.   What Jesus said about the other two.
1.  Jesus did not justify  the tax collector’s way of life, but hated  it. Jesus  did not condemn the Pharisees' charities, and  honor, but would have approved them had they been rooted in true motive. But the tax collector had a soul open toward God, while the Pharisee was locked in himself. So the Pharisees was a cold hill top  where no flowers grow, while the tax collector was a valley where the streams of God‘s  mercy could flow and enrich a blossoming  life.

2. Jesus gave high p raise to the publican's humility. In another place he said, "Everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall he exalted."  Humility is a leading  grace for Christians to follow. One may look at the lives of people in the Old Testament  and see the attitude of humility.  In spite of other character flaws, one can see the grace of humility in the lives of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Job, Isaiah and Daniel, to name a few. All the Lord's people have not gifts or money. All are not called to preach, write, or fill a prominent place in the church. But all are called  to be humble.

3. We have here a contrast of persons. In the one case, approval is given, in the other denial of the right actions. But there is a point that needs stressing--there is a lifestyle that Jesus approved. It does not make any difference what the Pharisee thought   about himself or how he may have hated the other  person, who did  Jesus approve.? There must be a consideration on our part. We live life--but will it receive the approval of Jesus?

4. It is not merely an issue of prayer, but the totality of life. When we come to the end of our days, what will be the pronouncement on our lives? We won't stand  in relation to our next door neighbor, or any other person. We will not be able to plead a comparison that I am better than another. The appraisal will  be on the basis of Jesus' evaluation. Will it be those famous words, "well, done, thou good  and faithful servant?  I hope so.