30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 18 9-14 The journey of humility 05 The covering of Jesus upon us
📖 Luke 18:9-14
13Sep2020 - *The covering of Jesus upon us* - _Luke 18:9-14_ - THE JOURNEY OF HUMILITY 5 – Bible reading: _Romans 10:2-4_
We have embarked on this journey of humility and yesterday we learnt a crucial lesson, the lesson of repenting of the self in us. The lesson that our Lord wants us to learn is not to trust in ourselves but to place our trust in Him.
_Luke 18:9-12 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: (10) “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'_
The next lesson that we must learn from the Pharisee in this parable is that he was establishing his own righteousness before God. The Lord addresses this serious concern by saying, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…”
_Matthew 9:10-13 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. (11) And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (12) When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (13) But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."_
There is no one, who can consider themselves, well. There is no one righteous, no not one. _Romans 3:10 As it is written: "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE;_ All of us stand in the need of His mercy and His grace
_Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance_ The ninety-nine, who need no repentance is a paradox, for we know that all we like sheep have gone astray. _Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all._ All of us require to repent before God.
This was what John the Baptist communicated to the religious leaders. _Matthew 3:7-10 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, (9) and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. (10) And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire._
John the Baptist did not spare the religious leaders, who considered themselves righteous. He called them a brood of vipers. Why was John so strong with them? They did not bear the fruits of repentance, instead, they saw themselves as children of Abraham and therefore children of God. They considered themselves as righteous and justified before God because of being the seed of Abraham. They did not think that they needed to repent. John made it clear to them that if they would not repent then they would be cut down and thrown into the fire.
_Romans 10:2-4 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. (3) For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. (4) For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes._
Christ is the end of the law for righteousness before God. Man needs to submit, surrender and be covered with the righteousness of Jesus. _II Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him._
To be humble is to be covered with the righteousness of Jesus.
*Thought to ponder*
```The covering of the righteousness of Jesus is what gives us worth before God and man.```