Pharisee Archives – Sonshine's Journal

November 8, 2018

Who Am I? Who Are You?

Proverbs 26 “Who Am I? Who Are You?”

Jesus told a parable of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee, in his boasting, left his time of worship just as he came, unforgiven and unloved by God. The publican in his humility left his time of worship full of joy because the Father God saw his heart. This is where the intellectually wise and the simple fool part ways. If truth be told, sometimes we find ourselves wearing the shoes of one or the other.

We need discernment to decide the character of each before us. There is the Pharisee; loud, prideful and pushy who can’t see beyond their noses; speaking gracious words that belie what they really think. They are only wise in their own opinion. It is certain that there is more hope for a fool than them.

There is the publican graciously waiting his turn in the line of the faithful as Esther did. She waited patiently to seek the ear of the king and see the scepter extended her way.

The Father God sees it all.

He sees through the Pharisees words as evil deceit from a lying tongue and a flattering mouth—all of which will bring down their ruin. Beware of them. Like the rich man in Luke 16, their earthly pomposity will lead them to the eternal pit of hell where they will look over and see the humble, basking in Paradise.

Who Am I? Who are you? One day we will stand before the wisest king who will hand down his judgments. Ask God now to:

“Examine me O Lord and test me!

Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives.” Ps 26:2

August 13, 2016

Judging—yes or no?

romans 2 mercy of god2 How often have we heard this phrase: you are judging. Yet, if truth be known we all judge. We judge which foods we want to eat based on likes and dislikes. We judge ideas by choosing truth from error. But, to judge another’s heart is for God alone for He is impartial. God knows which of the two kinds of people will stand before him one day: self-righteous sinner or repentant saved (saint) and he doesn’t really care if they are Jew or Gentile!

God sees the self-righteous person whose attitude is reflected in their judging of others while ignoring self-judgment first. The saved has a righteous attitude that recognizes one thing: it was God’s kindness that led him/her to repentance and therefore he has no need to judge for that is God’s prerogative . The sinner has failed to realize that he/she is without excuse when they judge someone else. For on whatever grounds they judge another, they condemn themselves, because they who judge practice the same things. [Rom 2:2 paraphrase]. Paul in writing to the Romans reminds them of this when he writes about their attitude: “you have contempt for the wealth of [God’s] kindness, forbearance, and patience,”

Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and a publican reveals this mindset. One day two men went up to the temple to pray. A confident Pharisee stood praying, thanking God for his accumulation of good works all the while judging others. In sharp contrast, the publican would not even look up to heaven and sought the mercy of God. Only one went home justified and it was NOT the Pharisee. He who has ears to hear learn this: “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” [Luke 18]

Like the publican we should be entreating God’s mercy so we can sing “thank you Lord for saving my soul, thank you Lord for making me whole
” for salvation is His work alone.

October 16, 2013

Holy Halo or Humble Thorn? 2Cor 12

Have you ever met or heard of someone who seems to wear a holy halo? They are known by their superfluous adjectives or with a long drawn out face about their recent God encounter. Jesus warned the disciples to beware of these Pharisees who roam about in long robes and utter long drawn out prayers on the city street corners not for street evangelism but so that others would think they were the holiest men of all.

It is not the encounter but their boasting about it publicly for the world to see that is so counter to how Paul felt about sharing his. In his humility, meekness and gentleness in Christ Paul finally broke down and wrote about the one vision that so changed his life that we read about in chapter 12. In fact, Paul only shared the briefest of details of this encounter and only after 14 yrs had passed and further only because of the false teachers who were casting aspersions about Paul. You can almost hear Paul saying under his breath “enough is enough!” And so in this chapter Paul shared not only his God encounter but the afflictions that he received as a direct result.

Principle: Paul wants his audience to realize that God allowed afflictions require dependence upon God alone so that He alone gets the glory.

As the Corinthians read this chapter they could visualize in their minds Paul’s thorn. It was something that touched his very person, it was a messenger of Satan, and it was troubling. As Jesus prayed three times in the Garden for the cup to be removed so Paul prayed three times for the thorn to be removed. God did not remove the cup from Jesus and He did not remove the thorn from Paul.

Principle: “The man who is being most blessed of God is being the most buffeted by the devil” [Redpath].

Through this thorn we learn of his ability through supernatural power and wisdom to experience and be successful in the trial that lay before him. What was this thorn? Paul does not tell us therefore where the scriptures are silent we are as well. What we do know is that it was “something which frustrates and causes trouble in the lives of those afflicted.” (Kruse) Paul lived by taking his own advice: “Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God.” [Phil 4]

What we do know is that Paul had an insight from the Lord “My grace is sufficient/enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Note the progression:

My = It is the grace of God, not ours.

Grace = The favor and love of God in action.

Is = Present tense; it is on going.

Sufficient = It is complete and fully adequate for the need at the moment.

For you = This means for not just Paul but for you and me!

“This sufficiency is declared without any limiting words, and therefore I understand the passage to mean that the grace of our Lord Jesus is sufficient to uphold thee, sufficient to strengthen thee, sufficient to comfort thee, sufficient to make thy trouble useful to thee, sufficient to enable thee to triumph over it, sufficient to bring thee out of it, sufficient to bring thee out of ten thousand like it, sufficient to bring thee home to heaven . . .” [Spurgeon]

Are you being buffeted today? Take heart and claim this promise from God “My grace is sufficient for you”

September 22, 2013

Heart Issues…1Cor 11

In all of life there is an order to be followed. God designed order so that there would be peace and tranquility. He even asked Job where he was when He laid the foundation of the earth for that is when He instituted order in creation. In chapter 10 Paul reminded the Corinthians that orderly public worship brings glory to God. Later Paul will remind the Corinthians: 1Co 14:33 for God is not characterized by disorder but by peace. Thus the principle is this: without order there is disorder and confusion, without order we cannot glorify God, without humility before God we bring dishonor and confusion to our public worship.

Now in the Corinthian church there seems to have been some disorder and confusion and it related to praying and prophesying and the Lord ’s Supper. To set the stage Paul writes: “But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.” Further on Paul remarks: “I hear that there are divisions among you and in part I believe it.” Paul notes that this has occurred due to their misunderstanding regarding headship, specifically noted with the issue of head coverings in public worship and their confusion as they take the Lord’s Supper. From this premise Paul speaks to both men and women that they know, understand, and follow this order for one reason; OUR PURPOSE IS TO GLORIFY GOD.

What does this entire section have to do with understanding? What is the bottom line issue that we need to grasp? To help us understand we might look at the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee in Luke 18. Jesus used this parable to teach a principle: God looks at the heart and that is the important issue. In this parable the Pharisee stood and prayed about himself. The Publican stood far off and would not even look up to heaven. One was proud and one was humble. The issue the Corinthians were facing was a problem with pride and arrogance as we have been discussing and this parable reflects where they were spiritually. Paul is saying not only is order needed in the church during public worship but also there must be humility for Jesus taught that it was the Publican that went home justified not the Pharisee.

The relevant issue is this: When we pray or prophesy, when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we are to be humble before God and before men that God is glorified. The Lord spoke to Samuel “God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

July 24, 2013

What Lap Are You On?

We all know that when the Lord teaches us a lesson and we oft forget it, He sends us around the wilderness, so to speak, to re-learn it. Some of us “get it” and others are still out there wandering like the Pharisees and Sadducees who are blind and leading the blind into the pit. Maybe that is why they are “sad you see.” They came seeking a sign, but this time they wanted a sign from heaven. It is hardly any different today as I can readily attest as I have spent the last 4 yrs discussing biblical truth with an atheist or a family member who says I will read the Bible when I find the true one. Like the Pharisees, they are seeking a heavenly sign when it is right in front of their noses! Friend, these are traps set by the enemy. Jesus rightly pronounced that it is a wicked and adulterous generation that seeks for a heavenly sign.

Moving on, Matthew now gives us a glimpse into the disciples thinking and Jesus irritation with them. Imagine His frustration with them. It is as if Jesus, after listening to their arguing, finally says to them “Hello!! Where have you been? You have such little faith! You saw the miracles and yet you are bickering about bread?” And then came the “aha” moment when the light bulb came on and they “got it.” How often are we like that as well. We hear the truth, we see the truth, but we get caught up in the nitpicky mundane extras rather than seeing the jewel of truth before us. Or how often have we experienced God’s truth only to forget it when we face a similar experience or read and then re-read and then finally it dawns on us what He is saying. No wonder we have to do laps!

It is time now for Jesus to see what is really within the disciples thinking. Who is He to the crowds? Who is he to them? He is asking us the same question. Who am I to you? Am I just a prophet like Elijah or Jeremiah? Am I just a man who was a good teacher as the rich young ruler said? Or am I the Son of God? Peter rightly answered You are the Son of the living God. Where are you in your thinking? The Father in heaven will reveal Jesus to you if you do not know—just ask. He is who He said He was.

Go and read the entire Matt 16 chapter to get the context.