Luke 18:9-14 And he spoke this parable to certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:… I. THE BLESSING HE ASKS IS MERCY: "God be merciful to me.". Did you ever ask yourselves what mercy is? It means, in common language, pity Shown to me miserable for pity's sake. Strictly speaking, it ceases to be mercy, if the miserable have any claim on us. It takes then the character of justice. And mercy has exactly the same meaning in Holy Scripture. It signifies God's kindness extended to miserable man of God's own pure goodness. II. We may turn now to THE CHARACTER IN WHICH THIS MAN PRAYS. He says, "God be merciful to me a sinner." He prays in a character that corresponds exactly with the temple. services, and also with the blessing he supplicates. There at the altar falls the sacrifice, and who needs a sacrifice but the sinful? He pleads for mercy, and who needs mercy but the guilty? And it a blessed thing for a sinful man to be thus willing to take his own proper ground when he prays. He must take it, if he means to obtain God's mercy. All the mercy that exists in God, bound. less as it is, is mercy for sinners. III. Observe now THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS WORSHIPPER PRAYS. And here again all is in harmony. His manner accords well with his character and his petition. 1. He is a sinner, and consequently he prays most humbly. 2. This publican prayed also very earnestly. He "smote upon his breast." No matter what led him to do so. It was doubtless a mixture of feelings. Indignation against himself, a sense of his own pollution and misery, a thrilling apprehension of coming wrath — these things took possession of his mind; they agitated him; and like a man driven to extremities he could not restrain his agitation, he smote himself as he cried for mercy. He became exceedingly earnest in his prayer for it. He prayed for nothing else; he thought of nothing else. Mercy is everything with him. IV. There is yet another circumstance in the parable to be noticed — THE SUCCESS OF THIS MAN'S PRAYER. 1. It was, first, abundant success, success beyond his petition. 2. His success was also immediate. (C. Bradley, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: |
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