Getting to Know Jesus Even Better #19

 

In Luke 18, Jesus has just exhorted His disciples to a life of persistent prayer. He then goes on to give another lesson on prayer:

 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 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. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

The thing about Jesus' parables is not only how they were pictures of everyday life to those who heard them, but how it was very possible some of those who fit the characters may have been standing right there. We have seen that the Pharisees always seemed to pop us where Jesus was to criticize and collect evidence against Him.  And tax collectors often had roadside stands and Jesus was always  walking down the road somewhere. Jesus' point was that honest prayer requires humility; it is saying: "I need you, Lord!" Anything less is not true prayer. That is emphasized in the second paragraph above when Jesus talks about child-like faith. If you don't have the humility to enter God's presence in prayer, you don't have the humility it requires to enter His kingdom.