Gospel of Luke 18:1-34

Are you ready?

Gospel of Luke
Paul J. Bucknell

Handling Hopelessness (Luke 18:1-8) | Facing Self-righteousness (Luke 18:9-14) | Caring for the Neglected (Luke 18:15-17)

False Confidence (Luke 18:18-27) | The Reward of Faithfulness (Luke 18:28-30) | Lesson to Remember (Luke 18:31-34)

Personal preparations that make an eternal difference!

What kind of preparations did the disciples need to face the sufferings of Christ?

How can we get ready now for what we yet need to face in the future?
An Introduction to the Gospel of Luke 18:1-34.

Facing Self-Righteousness

The parable of the Pharisee and the tax-collector

Luke 18:9-14


The Bible Text (Luke 18:9-14)

Getting readyAnd He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. “The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. ‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ “But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14, NASB).

An Introduction (Luke 18:9-14)

This parable targets those that think they do not need help. If in the first parable (18:1-8) Jesus addressed those in great need and about to give up hope, here, Jesus faces those who do not think that they are in any special need. They think that they have it altogether. They would be considered 'good' or 'righteous' by those around them, but they fall far short of God's standards. They will be in for a great surprise.

Jesus seemed to be speaking to the disciples themselves. They had the tinge of pride about how they followed Jesus while others didn't. Is it possible that they too could learn from Jesus? Was Jesus trying to warn them but they didn't notice?

Notice how each parable is prefaced by its purpose (see Luke 18:1,9). The Lord did not want the storytelling overpower the message!

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Bible Study Questions (Luke 18:9-14)

How is man saved? Is a man justified (seen as righteous) by his ways or by his faith in Jesus Christ? Compare Romans 2-3 and James 2:14-26.

• Who did Jesus target this parable’s teaching towards (18:9)?

• Do you think this problem of self-righteous people is as much a problem today as back then? Explain.

• Jesus says that because they trusted themselves, they had two problems. What were they (18:1)?

• How does each of these views affect one’s relationship with God and others?

• How does the parable go (Luke 18:10-13?

• Who were the prime actors? Who does each person stand for?

• What did each man do and what was his reward?

• What was the rule Jesus used from which He judged these men (Luke 18:14)?

“Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and (but)
he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11; 18:14).

The Application Questions

In what areas of life do you ‘have confidence in yourself?’ Is this good or bad in light of Luke 18:9?

Is it okay to be better than others? How can we grow in righteousness without becoming self-righteous?

We are called to humble ourselves. Name seven ways to humble yourself and do them! After you make your list, check here!

Many people who have a religion or philosophy are self-righteous. They think their ways are better than others and so as a result ignore God and despise others. This is also true sometimes of those who profess to be a Christian. Do you know of any such people? How do you know you are not like this?

Reflect on the supposedly 'tolerant' people out there. Why are they so intolerant to people who disagree with them? (eg. Humanists simply despise creationists). Do you think this is because they despise others who are not as good as them (i.e. according to their standards)?

A Summary (Luke 18:9-14)

People tend to have two extremes.

We can easily fall into the helpless category where we do not trust the Lord (Luke 19:1-8) or have a lot of confidence but in the wrong place–in this case it was by comparing the things he did with others. In the first case, God does not get glory because we do not ask to see His great works. He does not do them. In the later, we are so focused on ourselves that we cannot even think about His glory.


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Personal preparations that make an eternal difference!

Hopelessness Self-righteousness Caring False-confidence Faithfulness Reminders

Biblical Foundations for Freedom - Resources on the Gospel of Luke

INTRODUCTION TO CHRIST
(Luke 1-3)

Luke Introduction pdf
Luke Teaching Outline pdf
Luke 1:26-38 Christmas Lights pdf
Luke 1:45-55 Christmas Prayer pdf
Luke 1:56-75 Notes pdf
Luke 1:57-80 John's Birth pdf
Luke 2:1-20 Jesus' Birth pdf
Luke 2:8-20 Good News pdf
Luke 3:1-38 Jesus & John pdf
Luke 3:21-38 Genealogy pdf

THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST
(Luke 4-9:36)

Luke 5:27-32 Needy pdf
Luke 5:33-35 Fasting Discipline pdf
Luke 5:36-39 New-Wineskins pdf
Luke 6:1-11 Sabbath pdf
Luke 6:11-19 Character & Calling pdf
Luke 7:1-10 Faith html
Luke 7:11-17 Widow & Son html
Luke 7:18-35 John the Baptist html
Luke 7:36-50 Two-debtors html
Luke 7:1-50 Faith pdf
Luke 8:22-25 Storm-Stilled pdf
Luke 8:26-39 Demoniac pdf
Luke 8:40-56 Power-Death pdf

Luke 9:1-36 Handout Questions pdf
Luke 9:1-10 Sending out Twelve html
Luke 9:11-17 Feeding of 5000 html
Luke 9:18-26 Life of Denial - Questions html
Luke 9:27-36 Glory of Christ html
Luke 9:37-48 Greatness pdf
Luke 9:45-55 Pride & Leadership pdf
Luke 9:57-62 Discipleship html | pdf | Questions html | pdf
Luke 9:57-10:2 Mission Ready html | pdf {See NT Library for more}
Luke 10:1 Mission Involvement html
Luke 10:2a Mission Worldview html
Luke 10:2b Prayer & missions html
Luke 11:1-5 Content of Prayer pdf
Luke 11:14-26 Participating in Prayer pdf
Luke 11:14-28 Prayer Strategy pdf
Luke 11:5-13 Persistent in Prayer pdf

INSTRUCTION IN VIEW OF CHRIST'S REJECTION
(Luke 12-19:27)

Luke 12:25-26 A Perspective on Worry html
Luke 13:1-5 Understanding Disasters html | pdf
Luke 13:18-19 Mustard Seed pdf
Luke 13:20-30 Leaven & Decisions pdf
Luke 13:31-35 Mission Growth pdf
Luke 14:1-14 Teaching html | pdf
Luke 14:15-35 Commitment html | pdf
Luke 15:1-2 Lost pdf
Luke 15:3-10 Lost Sheep pdf
Luke 15:11-32 Lost Son pdf
Luke 16:19-31 Lazarus pdf
Luke 17:11-19 Perfect Response pdf
Luke 18:1-34 Being Prepared pdf
Luke 18:1-8 Hopelessness html
Luke 18:9-14 Self-righteous html
Luke 18:15-17 Neglected html
Luke 18:18-27 False-Confidence html
Luke 18:28-30 Faithfulness html
Luke 18:31-34 Remember html
Luke 18:35-43 Blind Man pdf
Luke 19:1-10 Tax Collector pdf
Luke 19:11-27 Ten Minas pdf

PASSION OF CHRIST & BEYOND
LUKE 19:28-24)

Luke 19:28-40 Palm Sunday pdf
Luke 19:35-38 Entry html
Luke 19:41-44 Weep Lost pdf
Luke 19:45 20-47 Preach pdf
Luke 20:26-40 Eternity pdf
Luke 22:1-06 The-Plot html
Luke 22:1-30 Introduction html
Luke 22:7-13 The Preparation html
Luke 22:14-23 The Passover html
Luke 22:24-30 Leadership html
Luke 22:1-30 Lord's Supper pdf
Luke 22:29-36 Temptation pdf
Luke 22:31-65 Temptation Handout pdf
Luke 24:13-35 Questions pdf
Luke 24:13-53 Resurrection pdf

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