God Have Mercy on Me, a Sinner

Luke 18:9-17

Key Verse 18:13

1. Verse 9 describes the problems of some people. Why is it a problem for anyone to be “confident of one’s own righteousness”? Verse 9 also indicates that confidence of one’s own righteousness will most likely lead one to looking down on everybody else. Why is it a problem for a man to look down on anyone?    

2. Verse 10 says that the two men went up “to the temple” to pray. What is the purpose of the temple? (1Ki 8:27-61; Isaiah 56:7)

3. Think about the Pharisee’s prayer in verses 11-12. What do the following words tell us about the man? 1) [he] prayed about himself; 2) I am not like other men – robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector; and 3) I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. 

4. Verses 13 describes the way a tax collector prayed. What do the following expressions show us about him? 1) He stood at a distance; 2) He would not even look up to heaven; 3) beat his breast; and 4) God have mercy on me, a sinner. 

5. Think about Jesus’ comments on the two men’s prayers in verse 14a. What does it mean to be “justified” before God?

6. Verse 14b says that it was because the tax collector humbled himself that the Lord God exalted him. Why is this so? 

7. Verse 17 includes the phrase, “like a little child”. How does a little child receive the kingdom of God? How is “receiving” (the kingdom of God) related to “entering” it?