Mission: Possible
Radical Faith for Ridiculous Times
“Respond Humbly”
(Luke 18:9-14)
INTRO: Humility. It seems to be a distant
character trait in our world today, doesn’t it?
Even in our circle of churches, pride can creep
in and become way too evident in our midst.
Sometimes when I look around at our Christian
culture, it reminds of this video…
[Show “It’s All About Me” Video]
Most of us are just way too consumed with
themselves, aren’t we?
That video illustrates the attitude of one of the
characters in our text today – Luke 18:9-14.
And though the stories are centuries apart, the
attitudes underneath them both are the same:
Pride vs. Humility. Yes, the story in Luke 18
teaches us much about these two words and
cuts to the core of our deepest attitudes. So
©First Family Church 2006
would you take your Bible and turn to Luke 18
and let your eyes rest on 18:9? Let’s see what
it means to respond humbly in a world of pride
of self-confidence.
BODY TEXT: The context indicates Christ is
about to teach a lesson to people who were
trusting in themselves...to people who had self-
confidence about their own spiritual
status/value apart from the merits of Jesus
Christ. And so he describes two people:
1. The Pharisee (18:10-12)
His physical posture is packed with
pride. This was not uncommon for
Pharisees, however, because
visibility was an important element
in their religious practices.
His verbal words are riddled with
arrogance, even superiority. It is

amazing how much he brags about
how he goes above and beyond the
law’s legal expectations. Comparison
plagues him and his efforts to be
good enough. How sad!
Perhaps you’re wondering, “Does this
Pharisee represent anything?” Yes – the
nation of Israel. Allow me to explain.
For some time, Christ had been preaching the
gospel, calling men and women everywhere,
especially the Jewish nation – his own! – to
repentance. Many responded, but not the
Pharisees, religious leaders, or teachers of the
law. Instead, they continued to take pride in
themselves and have confidence in their own
ability to be righteous before God. In fact, the
Pharisee in the story is representative of the
nation of Israel – proud, stubborn, blind, yet
lost. That attitude of pride – and subsequent
denial of Jesus as their Messiah – is what kept
© First Family Church 2006
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them from justification. They heard the call
and responded proudly. Yes, their refusal to
simply repent and believe was the reason they
were on a road to spiritual failure and
destruction.
2. The Tax Collector (18:13)
• His physical posture indicates
humility, even self-loathing (“beat
his chest”).
• His verbal words resonate with
desperation, even degradation about
his own status and position (“mercy”
is definite in the original, meaning
the one and only mercy of God for
him whom he calls a “sinner”).
Additionally, the word for mercy is
also the word for propitiation (used
later in the NT), which indicates he
knew needed …

I’m sure you are wondering, “Who or what
does the tax collector represent?” Good
question. I believe he represents all those who,
though not officially “on the inside” to begin
with (Jews), still found a place within the
family of God by responding to the message of
repentance and faith. Think about it – many
others, less fortunate spiritually and physically
– bankrupt! – were doing exactly what Christ
was proclaiming: repenting and believing.
Guess what? They were the ones finding
justification – membership into the family of
God even without the pedigree! No doubt this
tax collector represents those who, though
physically and religiously were not really
qualified, simply fell on the mercy of God and
begged for his forgiveness. They heard the call
and responded humbly. And in return they
found God exalting them to a place of spiritual
success. They were finally right with God!
Wow!
© First Family Church 2006
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Interesting, isn’t it? Common to both were the
elements of physical posture and verbal words
– it’s how their inner attitude showed up on the
outside. Yet, both ended up with completely
different results. One was justified, the other
condemned. Why? Luke 18:14b sums it up –
would you read it with me?
“…everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and he who humbles himself will be
exalted.”
Here’s the simple principle:
“Responding humbly to the call of God is the
beginning of true success.”
By the way, our response can be seen and
heard, can’t it? You bet! Both of these
responses – the proud one and humble one –
were seen physically in their posture and heard

verbally in their words. WOW! Yes, true inner
attitudes do come out, and we should not be
afraid to be honest with ourselves and others
when we sense duplicity and hypocrisy, or to
affirm true repentance when we see it through
tears and brokenness. Yes, words and actions
reveal what is really going on inside our
hearts!
You see, this statement begins ringing true,
doesn’t it? Would you read it with me once
more?
“Responding humbly to the call of God is the
beginning of true success.”
TRANS: It is not only true about the people in
the text, it is true about us today. This principle
holds great application for us.
BODY APPLICATION:
© First Family Church 2006
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This application starts with a simple question:
When God calls, how do you respond –
proudly or humbly?
First, consider the first call God makes to us
and ask yourself this question:
Q#1: Have I responded humbly to God’s
initial call to justification?
Remember – justification is not about
behavior, but belief. How good we are or how
bad we are is not the question. That’s already
settled – we’re bad!☺ And that’s true, not
because we act that way, but because we are
born that way (Romans 5:12,19). In fact, we
don’t need to be saved from our sinful actions;
we need to be saved from our sinful nature.
ILL – I had the privilege this week of sitting
and talking with a young man who kept
thinking his actions were the problem. I

explained his nature was the problem, and that
is what God wants to change. God desire to
plant within us his seed (1 John)…then and
only then can we start living the life of truly
successful discipleship.
Have you been hearing the call of God to
simply repent and believe? Have you
responded humbly? The man in the story knew
that he needed the mercy of God, and that only
that mercy could ‘make him right’ (i.e., justify
or propitiate) with God.
[GIVE GOSPEL…]
TRANS: There’s another application I want to
make here regarding God’s call to us – it is that
call towards obedience. Let’s ask ourselves…
Q#2: Am I responding humbly to God’s
progressive call to sanctification?
© First Family Church 2006
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That’s right – God is in a continuous mode of
sanctifying us and making us more like his
Son. In fact, this is clearly spelled out in
Romans 8:29 – look at this verse:
“…whom he did foreknow he predestined to be
conformed to the image of his Son…”
How does he do this? He does this, I believe,
by calling us to acts of obedience. And how we
respond to his call upon us at those times will
greatly affect our spiritual success. Make no
mistake – our eventual and complete
sanctification is guaranteed in this passage.
What is in question is the pace of our
progressive sanctification while we’re here on
earth. It will culminate when we see Christ;
But how much of it will commence while I’m
still on the earth? That is directly tied to my
obedience.

Now I want you to notice something about
God’s sanctification of us as described here in
Romans 8:29 – it is connected to a passage
about difficulties and trials. That’s right –
tough times are God’s best tool for spiritual
and physical development. Yet, what is our
most common response in tough times? “Not
me, Lord!”
I have a better suggestion for you today –
respond humbly and watch God start exalting
you and lifting you above the trials and
tragedies. Do what Romans 8:28 says – Love
him and let him works all things for your good!
This is true whether you are undergoing a trial
of your own making or whether it is simply a
curveball from life. Regardless, how we
respond really makes a massive difference in
our spiritual growth and success.
© First Family Church 2006
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ILL – Our response as a church to our recent
location dilemma has been very revealing and
very defining. And not just to the actual
process of moving, but also to the people
involved. The principal at Parkview…the
Community Education office…God wants us
to respond humbly to adversity! In this way we
model our Savior. Can we still be persistent?
Yes! Can we still be disciplined and proactive?
Yes! But even in our kingdom aggressiveness
we need to be humble as well, what Jesus
described as being “wise as serpents and
harmless as doves.”
And the same is true for you – how are you
responding to difficult times?
Have you found yourself spiritually
exposed? Things suddenly came out in the
open and you were left trying to “save
face”? The best way to respond is in
humility – fall on the mercy of God!

Perhaps you feel like a watermelon seed
between the fingers of the evil one –
squeezed and pressured? Not sure if you
can take one more day of this trial? The
best response is a humble one – let God
lift you up, not yourself.
Our response to God’s call is one of the best
measuring sticks of our true spiritual condition.
If we continually respond in pride and
arrogance, it indicates a distance from God and
a separation from him that will lead us to ruin
and destruction. But a humble response is the
beginning point of true spiritual success. For
Christ taught us in this text that – would you
read this with me one last time –
“Responding humbly to the call of God is the
beginning of true success.”
TRANS:
© First Family Church 2006
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CLOSING ILL:
INV: Let’s respond to God this morning, shall
we?
I want to open up the altar and let’s bombard
God with people who posture themselves in
humility and verbalize our own spiritual
bankruptness…let’s respond humbly to God.
Perhaps you want to write on your feedback
car an issue you’re wanting to lash back
against….maybe you want to ask God to
forgive you and be saved today…whatever it
is, respond humbly to God today and let him
start lifting you up!
PRAYER and MUSIC