Dear Christian friends:

Jesus tells a very interesting story here about two men who want to go church to pray and worship: one was a Pharisee(good man) and the other was a Publican(bad man). But surprise! Jesus says that God accepted the bad man's prayer, but He did not accept the good man's prayer. Did God make a mistake? We know that God never makes a mistake. He judges the bad man and accepts his prayer and declares him righteous. This is the big, good news of the Bible. We call it the Gospel. The good news is this:

I. Why? Why does God accept sinners? Why did God accept the Publican? You perhaps answer: “The bad man was sorry, and therefore God forgave his sins and accepted him." But that is not why God can forgive a bad man. Many people think that. They say, "God is love. God is good and kind. God is merciful. He will forgive me if I confess my sins and tell Him that I am sorry." That is partly true, but that is not the full truth. Judas after he betrayed Jesus was sorry. He also confessed his sins and gave back the money to the chief priests, but that did not save him. He despaired and went out and hanged himself and went to hell.

God does not forgive sinners because they are sorry and cry. Many sinners are sorry and cry, but they go to hell. Why does God forgive sinners? Why did Jesus forgive the bad man in our lesson? Because he believed in Jesus. In the temple he prayed: "God be merciful to me a sinner." He believed that God still loved him and could forgive him. And he had had good reasons to believe. He had met Jesus and heard the wonderful news that Jesus came on earth to live and die for sinners. He knew that Jesus was the Son of God from heaven and Savior of the world. That is why God can forgive sinners and accept them - because of Jesus’ work. If Jesus did not live and die for the world, then God could not forgive us. Someone must suffer and pay for sins. Someone must obey, fulfill God's holy law. Jesus is that person. He lived and died for all. He paid to God for the whole world.

II. Well, if that is true why does the Pharisee here in the lesson go home without forgiveness and peace. Why does God not accept him? He is a not worse sinner than the Publican. Jesus answers, "He trusted in Himself that he was righteous." (v.9) He refused Jesus and His righteousness. He did not believe that God's Son must pay for him. He tried to hide his sins; said he had no sins and looked down on others, despised others. He was self-righteous. Many people are like the Pharisee today. The think they are all right without Jesus and His blood. They not feel need to confess their sins. They think they have no sins or only a few sins, and they make beautiful excuses for their sins, always blaming someone else. Are you like that?

Many people are like Judas. They despair. They know that they are sinners and confess their sins. But they think they are too bad and that God can't love them or want them. So, they despair, give up hope and fail to trust in Jesus' blood and His righteousness. Have you felt like that sometimes? Do you know someone who feels like that? Don't despair: Look to Jesus. Don't look at yourself. Believe in Jesus. He has paid for all your sins, even the blackest ones. St. Paul says, “Here is a true saying: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and I am chief sinner." The Publican here in the lesson felt the same way. He said, "God be merciful to me a sinner."

So, we should feel and confess our sins to God our Father, praying to Him in Jesus' name to forgive us. Such a prayer God, our heavenly Father will surely hear and answer. Then we can go to our home like the Publican in our lesson, "at peace with God." We will also have great joy in our hearts and much thanks and praise to Him. We will gladly try to serve Him and tell others of our peace, joy and hope.

Amen.