路加福音18:9-17

恩惠、怜悯和平安从父神和救主耶稣基督归于你们——像小孩子一样，带着谦卑的心来寻求他的人。阿们。

今天的福音经文是主耶稣向“那些仗着自己是义人”的人讲的，也是向我们信徒讲的，因为我们里面也有这个自义。自义，自我为义，自我称义是人或者说堕落败坏的人性最根本的问题。每年的十月底我们教会都纪念500多年前的宗教改革——主要由马丁路德在教会内部发起的改革呼声，后来产生了新教，就是我们华人所熟悉的基督教，其实新教只是基督教的一部分。宗教改革的口号我们都熟悉，“因信称义”。但你知道吗？因信称义这一圣经教导的反面就是人的自我为义。什么是因信称义？我们再复习一下，因信称义就是不靠着自己的行为，而是唯独凭着信靠基督的恩典称义，罗马书4:5“惟有不做工的，只信称罪人为义的神，他的信就算为义。”称义所带来的是罪得赦免，与神和好，良心的洁净与平安，得神的祝福和恩惠，算为神的儿女，承受应许的产业等等。

普遍来说，自义，自我为义让人远离神，或者说人为了表明自己不需要神就能做到良心平安，所以想尽一切办法自我称义。我们传福音给人的时候，得到的第一个回应就是，“我又没有犯法，怎么说我是罪人呢？”“我也没有得罪谁，怎么可以说是不义的呢？”言外之意，虽然称不上高尚或崇高，但我基本上是好人，我是清白的，我是有义的。稍微剖析一下，我们就知道，人这样说的时候心里想的是那个道德败坏的张三李四，那个谁谁，甚至你们教会的那一位所谓的基督徒做的事还不如我这个不信的人呢。

自义在生活中还有个名字，叫“自我辩解，狡辩”。你看多少时候，人都是为自己糟糕的行为或者言语找借口推脱：你不配我尊重，你不配爱，我骂你是你该受的，我说你坏话那是因为你做的不好，我说的都是事实。我干活打酱油、摸鱼，那不还是因为你给的工资不给力，该给的福利比那个谁谁家公司差多了。我想办法避税，甚至偷税漏税，那是物价通胀没法活了，看你们修的这个路，坑坑洼洼的。谁不是为自己活，尽量为自己攫取利益，又不是我一个人这样等等。这种自义和自我狡辩在生活中比比皆是。

这是不信瞎眼的世界中常见的事，见怪不怪。然而，今天主耶稣要斥责的是信徒这种自义。我们先看主耶稣讲的一位法利赛人，去教会祷告。法利赛人祷告说：“神啊，我感谢你，我不像别人勒索、不义、奸淫。”还有，还有，我身边这个税吏，讹诈百姓的民族败类，中国人说汉奸，“我不像他。”还有，还有，“我一个礼拜禁食两次，凡我所得的都捐上十分之一。”我们看到其中夸张的画面吗？换作通俗的话，再说一遍：神啊，我感谢你，我不勒索人；神啊，我感谢你，我是正人君子；神啊，我感谢你，我没有犯奸淫的罪，我婚姻圣洁美满，爱妻子爱儿女；神啊，我感谢你，我常常禁食；神啊，我感谢你，我十一奉献。

弟兄姐妹们，你们看到了吗？信徒的自义要比不信的人自义更可怕，主耶稣怎么描述这位法利赛人？“自言自语地祷告。”他的祷告不是对着神说的，而是自言自语，他并没有把神当做审判人的，他自己才是自己的主，自己的审判者，而且他的审判不是按照神对义的要求——就是十诫所要求的，他一切的判断都是建立在与其他人的比较上。我比这个人好，我比那个人强。你看人是不是这样，基督徒的心思有时候是不是这样，我不需要完美，我只需要有几个比我差，供我垫底的就好了，这样神就会高看我了。

这不是祷告，这是在神面前炫耀自己的善行，不仅仅是炫耀自己，他这样祷告甚至不是为了神奖赏他，他是为了什么？为了“藐视别人”，“控告旁边的那个人”——“我不像他”。这是多么地邪恶，你们看到没有，这只能是出于撒但，而不是信心和恩典。难道他不知道神鉴察人是看人心，不是看外表吗？难道他不知道，即使这些都做到了，也应该说自己是不配无用的仆人，所行的是当做的事吗？有什么可自夸的呢？他虽然口头上说，神啊，我感谢你，其实我们看出来了，他是要神感谢他来着。这种假冒的宗教情操都是嘴皮子功夫，也是做给人看的。主耶稣说了，他是“自言自语”，法利赛人去圣殿祷告，都是作秀，让人夸奖他多么敬虔。神是不会垂听、不会悦纳的。既然你这么有义，你也是不需要来圣殿祷告的，你不知道神的殿是为了施恩给人，那一切献祭的制度不就是告诉人，来这里是罪人要赎罪，蒙怜恤和赦免吗？

在座的各位，你们是带着什么心态和动机来教会朝见神呢？若也是带着自义，若仍然错误地认为，我是好人所以我敢来见神，我是好人，所以我有资格信主，那还是回家睡懒觉吧，坐在这儿跟神一点关系都没有，你已经自满自足，完全不需要神了，你来这都是作秀表演，都是人前的功夫。

我们应该带着什么态度来朝见神？我们的主耶稣指出的第二位去圣殿祷告。这个人是税吏，被法利赛人点名批评的。但是，我们看到完全不一样的画面。“那税吏远远地站着，连举目望天也不敢，只捶着胸说：‘神啊，开恩可怜我这个罪人！’”税吏知道自己名声不好，他知道自己是罪人，在众人眼里是不干净的人，他知道跟罗马政权勾搭上，替他们干活不光彩，所以，他远远地站着，而且不敢抬头。他带着自卑的心来见主——在神面前自卑没什么不好的，我们的本相就是卑微的。保罗不是也说：“你们依着神的意思忧愁，从此就生出何等的殷勤、自诉、自恨、恐惧、想念、热心、责罚。”（哥林多后书7:11）他的祷告文没有那么多啰里啰嗦，没有半句废话，只有一句祈祷：“神啊，开恩可怜我这个罪人。”

结果呢？可想而知。这个罪人带着空手来朝见神，是满载而归；法利赛人带着几麻袋善行来见神，却要赤裸而去。主耶稣怎么说：“我告诉你们，这人回家去比那人倒算为义了。”这是和合本的翻译，听起来法利赛人也算为义，只是少了一点。不，你们听下英文是，rather than,意思就是，这个，而不是那个算为义。当代译本中文圣经是这样翻译的：“我告诉你们，二人回家后，被上帝算为义人的是税吏而不是法利赛人。”你们明白了吗？法利赛人已经得到了人面前的奖赏，人的称赞，神这里就没有什么给他了。耶稣进一步说，“凡自高的，必降为卑；自卑的，必升为高。”

弟兄姐妹们，我们若带着光鲜靓丽的功德簿来，他要给我们的就是掩耳不听我们祷告，让我们降卑到本来的地位——因着罪性该受的刑罚和地狱。我们若带着有罪的本性坦承地来到神面前，赤裸敞开着朝见神的面，他要给我们赦免、生命和救赎，给我们披戴基督的义袍。他要在基督里高举我们，因为基督已经为我们降卑、舍己，被高举在十字架上。我们在基督里被高举，高举到天上，被神称为义——他的义在福音中白白赐给了我们信靠他恩典怜悯的人。

而这一切都是要我们凭着信心领受的。提到信心，谁最有信心？小小孩子，你看哪个小孩会怀疑爸爸妈妈的，饿了渴了立马就知道找爸爸妈妈要，毫不犹豫，不给就哭个不停，因为他们知道你会给的。但是啊，成年人的世界就不一样，好多人不都感叹，希望不要长大嘛。成人的世界复杂多了，经历多了，包袱也重了，心思也就不纯净，可以说成年人都是怀疑论者，怀疑一切，处处防备人。年龄越大，信任越少，最后没办法，只能靠自己了，只能更加自义、自我辩护了。

有人带小孩子来找耶稣摸他们，祝福他们，成年人的门徒们，立刻想到的是什么？小孩别来添乱，信仰都是大人的事，神的国那都是成年人的事。他们想的还是世界的逻辑，世上的国度。耶稣刚好藉着这个机会给门徒们上课。“让小孩子到我这里来……因为在神国的正是这样的人。我实在告诉你们，凡要承受神国的，若不像小孩子，断不能进去。”（路加福音18:16-17）变成小孩子，心灵的蜕变，单纯地信靠、依靠神。小孩子是什么样子？是没那么害羞的，现在都穿尿片了，我们那个小时候，农村哪有纸尿裤，那就是开裆裤，不怕羞，到处跑着玩。我们从中学到什么？要想得到神的祝福，神的恩惠和怜悯，就不要遮遮掩掩，要向神完全敞开自己。我们也遮掩不住，神啥事儿不知道，你再深藏不露，他都知道，你肚子里那个算盘怎么打的，神都知道。第二点，单纯地信靠，不要怀疑，去掉一切的杂念，去掉人的比较，去掉人的智慧，去掉人的自义，去掉人的伪装和虚荣，去掉人的自言自语。

感谢上帝，我们今日一起带着敞开的心来亲近神。他是信实的，赦免我们的过犯，兴起我们，赐给我们清洁的灵。更是让我们披戴基督的义袍，来亲近主，祂邀请我们来到这圣餐桌前，吃主的身体和血，与神相交。我们也从中学习基督的谦卑以至于死在十字架上，这份大爱激励我们去爱身边的人，让我们谦卑自己，常常抬举他人，不要看自己过于自己当看的，各人看别人比自己强（腓立比书2:3）。奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名。阿们。

 Gemini translation:

The sermon is based on Luke 18:9-17, by Liu Futao.

Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ—to those who seek Him with a humble heart, like little children. Amen.

Today's Gospel text is spoken by the Lord Jesus to those “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous,” and it is also spoken to us believers, because this self-righteousness exists within us as well. Self-righteousness, being righteous in oneself, self-justification is the most fundamental problem of man, or rather, of fallen and corrupt human nature. Every year at the end of October, our church commemorates the Reformation over 500 years ago—the call for reform primarily initiated by Martin Luther within the church, which later gave rise to Protestantism, known to us Chinese as Christianity (though Protestantism is only a part of Christianity).

We are all familiar with the slogan of the Reformation, “Justification by Faith.” But did you know? The opposite of this biblical teaching, justification by faith, is man's self-righteousness, i.e., man's self-justification. What is justification by faith? Let us review it again: Justification by faith means being justified not by one’s own works, but solely by trusting the grace of Christ. Romans 4:5 (ESV) says, “And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.” Justification brings about the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, a clean and peaceful conscience, the reception of God's blessing and grace, being accounted as children of God, inheriting the promised inheritance, and so on.

Generally speaking, self-righteousness causes people to distance themselves from God, or rather, people try every possible way to justify themselves in order to demonstrate that they can achieve peace of conscience without needing God. When we preach the Gospel to others, the first response we receive is, “I haven't broken the law, so how can you say I am a sinner?” “I haven't wronged anyone, so how can you say I am unrighteous?” The implication is that, while perhaps not noble or sublime, I am basically a good person; I am innocent, and I am righteous. With a little analysis, we know that when a person says this, what they are thinking of is that morally corrupt person, that Zhang San or Li Si, that guy, or that one so-called Christian in your church whose actions are even worse than mine, even though I am an unbeliever.

Self-righteousness has another name in life: “self-justification.” Look how often people make excuses and shift blame for their bad behavior or speech: You are not worthy of my respect, you are not worthy of love; I cursed you because you deserved it; I spoke ill of you because you did poorly, and what I said is all true. I slack off at work, but that’s because the salary you give is weak, and the benefits are much worse than in that other company. I find ways to avoid or even evade taxes, but that’s because of inflation; I can’t do otherwise, and look at the roads you’ve built, full of potholes. Who doesn’t live for themselves and try to seize benefits? I'm not the only one doing this, and so on. This kind of self-righteousness and self-justification is everywhere in life.

This is common in the blind world of unbelief, nothing surprising. However, today the Lord Jesus is rebuking this self-righteousness in believers. Let’s first look at the Pharisee Jesus spoke of, who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers." And, and, this tax collector beside me, this national disgrace who cheats the people—a traitor—"I am not like him." And, and, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” Do we see the exaggeration in this picture? In plain language, let me repeat: God, I thank you that I don't extort people; God, I thank you that I am a decent gentleman; God, I thank you that I have not committed adultery, my marriage is holy and beautiful, and I love my wife and children; God, I thank you that I fast often; God, I thank you that I tithe.

Brothers and sisters, do you see? The self-righteousness of a believer is more frightening than the self-righteousness of an unbeliever. How does the Lord Jesus describe this Pharisee? He “prayed to himself.” ("standing by faith, prayed thus," ESV bible) His prayer was not directed to God but was self-talk; he did not regard God as the one who judges; he himself was his own master and judge. Moreover, his judgment was not based on God's requirement for righteousness—the requirement of the Ten Commandments—but all his judgments were based on comparison with others. I am better than this person; I am stronger than that person. Do you see that people are like this, and the thoughts of a Christian are sometimes like this? I don’t need to be perfect; I just need to have a few people worse than me to serve as my bottom, and then God will look highly upon me.

This is not prayer; this is showing off his good deeds before God. Not only is he showing off himself, but this prayer is not even for God to reward him. What is it for? It is for “despising others,” for “accusing the person next to him”—“I am not like him.” How evil this is! Do you not see that this can only come from Satan, not from faith and grace? Does he not know that God examines people by looking at the heart, not the outward appearance? Does he not know that even if all these things were accomplished, he should still say that he is an unworthy and useless servant, who has only done what was his duty to do? What is there to boast about? Although he verbally said, “God, I thank you,” we can see that he actually wanted God to thank him. This kind of false religious sentiment is merely lip service, and it is done for others to see. The Lord Jesus said he “prayed to himself.” The Pharisee went to the temple to pray as a show, to be praised by people for how pious he was. God will not hear or be pleased with this. Since you are so righteous, you don't even need to come to the temple to pray. Don't you know that the temple of God is for granting grace to people? Wasn't the whole system of sacrifices meant to tell people that those who come here are sinners in need of atonement, mercy, and forgiveness?

What mindset and motivation do you have, those of you present here, when you come to church to meet with God? If you also come with self-righteousness, if you still mistakenly believe, “I am a good person, so I dare to come to see God; I am a good person, so I am qualified to believe in the Lord,” then you might as well stay home and sleep in. Sitting here has nothing to do with God; you are already complacent and completely self-sufficient; your coming here is all just a show, all human effort.

With what attitude should we come to meet with God? Our Lord Jesus pointed out the second person who went to the temple to pray. This person was the tax collector, whom the Pharisee singled out for criticism. However, we see a completely different picture. Luke 18:13 (ESV): “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!’” The tax collector knew his reputation was bad. He knew he was a sinner, an unclean person in the eyes of the public. He knew that collaborating with the Roman government and working for them was disgraceful. Therefore, he stood far off and did not even dare to lift up his eyes. He came to the Lord with a humble heart—there is nothing wrong with being humble before God; our true nature is indeed lowly. Did not Paul also say, “For behold what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment!” (2 Corinthians 7:11, ESV) His prayer was not full of rambling; there was no half-word of nonsense, only one plea: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

The result? This sinner who came to God empty-handed returned full; the Pharisee who came to God with sacks of good deeds would leave naked. What did the Lord Jesus say? The Chinese Union Version translation is, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified more than the other.” This sounds like the Pharisee was also justified, only a little less so. No, listen to the English: rather than, meaning, this one, and not that one, was justified. The Chinese Contemporary Bible translates it this way: “I tell you, the tax collector, not the Pharisee, was the one declared righteous by God when he went home.” Do you understand? The Pharisee had already received the reward before men and the praise of men, so there was nothing left for God to give him. Jesus further said, “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, if we come with a bright and beautiful record of merits, what He will give us is to cover His ears and not hear our prayers, letting us be humbled to our original position—the punishment and hell that our sinful nature deserves. If we come to God with our sinful nature, honestly, openly, and nakedly to meet His face, He will give us forgiveness, life, and salvation, clothing us with the robe of Christ’s righteousness. He will exalt us in Christ, because Christ has humbled Himself for us, gave Himself up, and was exalted on the cross. We are exalted in Christ, exalted to heaven, and declared righteous by God—His righteousness is freely given in the Gospel to those of us who trust in His grace and mercy.

And all this is to be received by faith. Speaking of faith, who has the most faith? Little children. Look, which babies would doubt their father and mother? When they are hungry or thirsty, they immediately know to ask their father and mother, without hesitation. If they don't get it, they cry incessantly, because they know you will give it. But the adult world is different; many people lament, wishing they would not grow up. The adult world is much more complex, they have experienced more, the burdens are heavier, and their minds are no longer pure. It can be said that adults are all skeptics, doubting everything and guarding against everyone. The older they are, the less trust they have, and finally, they have no choice but to rely on themselves, becoming more self-righteous and self-justifying.

When people brought little children to Jesus for Him to touch and bless them, what was the immediate thought of the adult disciples? Don't let the children bother us; faith is for adults, and the Kingdom of God is for adults. They were still thinking with the logic of the world, the kingdoms of this world. Jesus took this opportunity to teach the disciples. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18:16-17, ESV) Becoming like a little child means a transformation of the soul, a simple trust and reliance on God. What are little children like? They are not so shy. Now they all wear diapers. When we were little, there were no disposable diapers in the countryside; it was split-crotch pants, not afraid of shame, running around everywhere playing. What do we learn from this? To receive God's blessing, grace, and mercy, we must not cover up, but be completely open to God. We cannot hide anyway; what does God not know? No matter how well you hide, He knows everything; He knows how you are calculating things in your heart. The second point is simple trust, without doubt, removing all distractions, removing human comparisons, removing human wisdom, removing human self-righteousness, removing human pretense and vanity, and removing human self-talk.

Thank God that today we come together to draw near to God with open hearts. He is faithful, forgiving our trespasses and raising us up, granting us a clean spirit. Moreover, He has clothed us with the robe of Christ's righteousness to approach the Lord. He invites us to this communion table to eat the body and blood of the Lord and to commune with God. We also learn from the humility of Christ, even to the point of death on the cross. This great love motivates us to love the people around us, to humble ourselves, and to often lift up others, not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but considering others more significant than ourselves (Philippians 2:3, ESV). In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.