In this message from Luke 18, Pastor Kit shows how Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector cuts through our assumptions about righteousness. The Pharisee stands confident in his religious performance, measuring himself against others and convinced he has earned God’s approval. But Jesus reveals that self-righteousness doesn’t draw us closer to God — it blinds us to our need for Him.
The tax collector, meanwhile, comes with nothing to offer except honesty and a plea for mercy. He doesn’t defend himself or compare himself; he simply admits his sin and asks God to make atonement for him. And it’s this posture of humility, not the Pharisee’s resume, that Jesus says leads to justification.
The sermon calls us to embrace that same honesty before God. Our identity isn’t secured by what we do but by the mercy we receive. When we stop clinging to our own goodness and admit our need, we discover the grace that lifts us up — the grace only Jesus can give.
