How many of you have ever used or heard the phrase, who made you boss? It tends to be used in the context when one sibling gives another sibling a command or instruction, and the sibling on the receiving end questions Why the sibling giving the commander the instruction has the authority or the power to do so It may go something like this It may be Michael my Third child and an oldest son going to Evelyn my second oldest second daughter and saying go brush your teeth and And Evelyn will look at Michael and say, who made you boss? It might go something like that. This past week, we did something for the very first time in our household. I think it was Thursday morning, and Stephanie and I talked to our three older children, and we told them. Mommy and daddy are going for a walk. We are leaving you home alone We've not done that with our children We told Brooklyn Brooklyn. We're gonna give you mommy's phone Daddy will have his and if there is anything at all that that you need that happens emergency whatever You just ring daddy's phone. We won't be far away. We're just gonna go for a walk. We'll be nearby. We'll get back quickly. You call if there's any problem whatsoever. And then we got everyone's attention and said, Brooklyn is in charge. Brooklyn's in charge. When we came back from the short walk, Thankfully, there had been no incidents. Brooklyn had not had to call us. She did not report any catastrophic events. We didn't find anyone or anything broken. So we thought this went pretty well. But let's imagine something had happened while we were gone. Let's imagine that Michael started picking on Evelyn. He's just nagging her and yes, it happens from time to time and Evelyn in response decides to push Michael to the ground to get on top of him and start slapping him around and Michael is screaming at the top of his lungs and he's crying and all of this is taking place and Brooklyn realizes she needs to step in and stop what is happening. So she looks at Evelyn and says Evelyn Stop beating Michael up And in her rage Evelyn looks at my at Brooklyn and says Who made you boss? First remember this is completely fictitious Second in this completely fictitious account, how could Brooklyn answer that question? Well in this particular context I The fact that daddy and mommy put Brooklyn in charge provided all the necessary authority, standing, and power to give command and instruction. Apart from dad and mom doing that, telling everyone Brooklyn's in charge, Brooklyn really wouldn't have had any of those things. But because dad and mom said Brooklyn is in charge, She had the authority, standing, and power, if needed, to tell Evelyn, stop beating Michael up. Now take that scenario and connect it to the scenario Jesus describes in Luke 18, 9 through 14, and you're like, what is the passage? I don't remember Jesus telling a story like that. Look at the story and then we'll make the connection Luke 18 verse 9 and he spake this parable Undo certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others two men went up into the temple to pray the one a Pharisee and the other a publican and The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Tell you this man the publican Went down to his house Justified rather than the other the Pharisee For everyone that exalted himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted What's the connection between the story you told in this Will change the question instead of Who made you boss? The question for the scenario Jesus presented is this. Who made you righteous? In the scenario I created, again, completely fictitious, okay? Brooklyn had authority standing in power because it was granted to her by one who could grant it. What if dad and mom had not said, Brooklyn, you're in charge? She would not have had the authority, standing in power, to give any command or instruction to her siblings. Because she doesn't have that in herself. If she had tried to give a commander instruction without dad and mom giving her the authority, her authority standing in power would have been self-granted, which really is none at all. You know how kids work. Well, who made you boss? Well, I'm older than you by 18 months. I don't care. I'm not listening to you. But if I hear this, dad told me to tell you. Mom told me I was in charge. That's different, isn't it? My children still have a sin nature, so they may still choose to disobey, but they choose to disobey me when I give the command, so that's neither here nor there. The point is, if dad says so, if mom says so, now there's authority there. Now I have a standing. Now I have power. Not given to myself, but given to me by someone who could give it. So it is in the scenario Jesus presented. He tells us about a Pharisee who, according to the commentary of the parable at the beginning, trusted in himself that he was righteous. His confidence of righteousness was not outside of himself, but inside of himself. He looked at his own works. I fast twice in the week. I don't do bad things like this guy here does. I give tithes of everything that I have. He looked into his own works, what he did not do and what he did as the grounds of righteousness. He sought to establish authority, standing, and power to be righteous and produce righteousness in and of himself. Though separated by time and events, Jesus' parable came true to life. Luke records the account just a few brief verses later as a fitting true-to-life example of what Jesus taught here, and I wonder if you've ever even connected these two stories. You have this parable we just described. Now jump a few verses down to Luke 18, verse 18. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, good master, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? You know this story, don't you? Now, this isn't a parable. This is true to life. I wonder if you ever connected it with the previous parable about this Pharisee who trusted himself that he was righteous. There's a great connection. It's very evident and clear. Good master what things shall I do to inherit eternal life and Jesus said unto him? Why call us? Thou me good none is good save one that is God Thou knowest the commandments do not commit adultery don't kill don't steal don't bear false witness honor thy father and thy mother and he said all These have I kept from my youth up I've done it all I've not done what I wasn't supposed to do. I've done everything I was supposed to do. I've done it all Now when Jesus heard these things he saith unto him yet lackest thou one thing Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poor and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come follow me when he heard this He was very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God, for it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they that heard it said, who then can be saved? And he said, the things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Do you see the connection? Between jesus parable in verses 9 through 14 in this true to life example In verses 18 through 27 his encounter with the rich young ruler Look at the connection the pharisee of the parable And the rich young ruler trusted in self Look back at verse 9 The bible tells us here that jesus told this parable about what? those who trusted in themselves that they were righteous. And it comes out even as he talks about this Pharisee. Did you catch the language? The Pharisee stood and prayed thus what? With himself. It's interesting, isn't it? He addresses God, but his prayer is to self. He's not talking to God. He's talking to himself. Do you see anything in his prayer that gives glory to God? Who does he give glory to? Self. It's all about self. Trusting self. Now, true to life example, verse 18. The rich young ruler comes and says, what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life? It's all about self. What I can do, what I can accomplish, what I can do in and of myself to establish righteousness, to merit favor with God and enter heaven. There's another connection the Pharisee of the parable and the rich young ruler could not identify any wrongdoing in self Verses 11 and 12 tell us about the Pharisee again God I thank you that I'm not like other men are extortioners adulterers God, I thank you, I'm not wicked like everybody else, including this publican that I see over here. Oh, I thank you, I don't do bad things like they do. And I do all the things I should. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I have. I'm a great person. Don't you see the same in the rich young ruler? Jesus has just told him, why do you call me good? And then Jesus makes a very pertinent statement. That is biblical truth. What does he say following that? Why do you call me good? There's none good but God. Only god is good So there's something very pertinent here one of course speaks to the deity of christ If he is good, then the rich young ruler is admitting. What about jesus? Your god and then there's a second a connection There's a second truth that comes from that if none is good, but god then what does that mean about the rich young ruler? He's not. But then Jesus says, you know the commandments. Don't commit adultery. Don't steal. Don't lie. And he doesn't list them all, but you get the picture. He's saying, you know the law. And what does the rich young ruler say? I've done it all. I've not missed out on anything. Jesus, I didn't do anything that I wasn't supposed to do, and I've done everything that I should. He does not see anything wrong in himself. He doesn't recognize he's not good, that he cannot be good in and of himself, that he cannot be righteous. And this is the problem, isn't it? Jesus spoke the parable about those who trusted in themselves that they are Righteous when I look inside myself To be righteous I Can't be The Pharisee of the parable thought he could be the rich young ruler who approached Jesus thought he could be they could not see any wrongdoing in self and then there's a third connection and The Pharisee of the parable and the rich young ruler despised others. Jesus in the parable, Luke gives this commentary, he spoke this parable about those that trusted in themselves that they were righteous and what? Despised others. Do you see that in the parable itself? The Pharisee I thank you that I'm not like other men are what's he doing? He's setting himself up above everybody else I'm better than everybody else God. I thank you for that Thank you that in myself and of myself I can be better than everybody else. I'm not like these other people who do bad things I I'd never do those bad things. I only do the good things Do you see that in the rich young ruler? Jesus points out very clearly where there was a point in his life That was not what it should be There's still one thing you lack. Go sell everything you have and give to the poor. And he went away sorrowful because of what reason? He was rich. He had a lot of things. And the implication is he was more concerned with himself and his things than those who didn't have. Right? He wasn't interested in giving up what he had for the sake of somebody else. And so instead of receiving Jesus' invitation to go and do that and then come back and follow him, he walked away. And as far as we know, he never received Jesus. In both the parable and the true-to-life example, the Pharisee and the rich young ruler looked to self. for righteousness. They thought and projected that the authority, standing, and power to be righteous could come from within. Friends, I have news for you. The authority, standing, and power to be righteous can never come from within. You cannot look inside yourself and find the authority standing in power to be righteous. You can't, it can never happen. That's what the entire first three chapters of Paul's epistle to the Romans is all about. Paul speaks of the Gentiles and of the Jews, those without the law and those with the law. And regardless of how different they were, the result was exactly the same. He came to the culmination in Romans 3, 9 and 10. What then are we, and he's speaking about Jews because he himself was a Jew, are we the Jews better than they, the Gentiles? Are we with the law better than they without the law? No, in no wise, for we have before proved both Jew and Gentile that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is Non-righteous. No, not one. And then he goes on this explanation about what mankind is apart from God. Mankind who looks to himself and into himself for righteousness. And he talks about how bad we are. And then he comes to verse 19 and he says, now we know that whatsoever things the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law. For what reason, Paul? that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge of sin But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ and to all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference and For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So Paul is very clear, those who look into themselves for the authority, standing, and power to be righteous, you can't. Well, I'm a keeper of God's law. That's what the Pharisee in the parable would say, right? That's what the rich young ruler in the true-to-life example would claim, right? I keep the law. And Paul says, no, you completely miss the point of the law. The law is not given so that you can be justified through keeping of the law. The law is given to shut your mouth, to give you no excuse, and to help you to recognize that I can't do that. I can't keep the law. The authority standing in power to be righteous can never come from within. If this is true, where can it come from? Look back at verses 13 and 14 of Luke 18. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, Jesus says, that this man, the publican, went down to his house, justified, declared righteous, rather than the other, the Pharisee. For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. The publican had a vastly different view of himself than the Pharisee did of himself. He did not have any trust in himself for righteousness. He knew that the authority, standing, and power to be righteous could not come from within. So he appealed to another. With a simple seven-word prayer, actually six-word prayer in the original Greek, the publican expressed so much understanding of himself and God. He, the publican, a sinner. God, merciful. And this correlates with the true-to-life account found in Luke 19, one through 10. Do you remember the story of Zacchaeus? Have you ever made the connection between his story and the parable of Luke 18? The one who recognized he was a sinner and God was merciful was a what? Publican. What was Zacchaeus by vocation? A tax collector, which is what? A publican. the publican in the parable, and Zacchaeus, a publican, recognize their sinfulness. Look at Luke 19, verse number eight. This is part of Zacchaeus' story. After Jesus has come to his house, and the implication is that Jesus has spent the day teaching Zacchaeus, what do you suppose Jesus was teaching Zacchaeus? Have to imagine he's been talking to Zacchaeus as he has the disciples at times as he will the disciples again after his crucifixion and resurrection from Moses and the prophets and the Psalms the things concerning himself Zacchaeus after hearing Jesus teach comes to this conclusion Luke 19 verse 8 and Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold Do you see how Zacchaeus? Recognizes he has done wrong and he knows it and he admits it he confesses it to the Lord and There's another connection. The publican in the parable and Zacchaeus looked to another for righteousness. The publican of the parable says, I'm a sinner. God, be merciful to me. Look at what Jesus said about Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and verse 9. And Jesus said unto him, this day is salvation come to this house for as much as he also is a son of Abraham. Now, you might look at that and go, well, Jesus is saying he's saved because he's a Jew. And that would be wrong. It's not what Jesus is saying. I believe Paul gives us some commentary into this idea in Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3 and verse number 7 says, know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are what? the children of Abraham. In other words, when Jesus makes this statement, it's because he recognizes that Zacchaeus is not trusting in himself. Zacchaeus is not trusting in his heritage as a Jew. Zacchaeus is not trusting in his law-keeping ability to be righteous Zacchaeus is trusting in someone else he's transferring his trust from himself to somebody else to make him righteous and who is that somebody else Jesus the publican in the parable recognized I can't make myself righteous I need somebody else God be merciful to me Zacchaeus recognizes I can't make myself righteous. I can't be righteous in and of myself. In fact, I've done wrong Jesus I need you He puts his faith in Jesus and then the publican in the parable and Zacchaeus Experienced justification What is justification? The word literally is to be declared righteous. It's not to be righteous in and of yourself. It's to have someone outside of yourself who can do it, who has the authority, the standing, the power to do so. It's actually a judicial term. It's a legal term. Someone who has power, authority, and standing to say, you are righteous. It's someone outside of you declaring you to be something that you aren't. But they have the power, the authority, and the standing to say, you are. Jesus said of the the publican God be merciful unto me a sinner this man that Publican who recognized he couldn't do it himself who trusted another this man went down to his house Justified declared righteous and so it was with Zacchaeus Jesus said of Zacchaeus this day is salvation come to this house and then in verse 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Zacchaeus was lost. But when he recognized his lostness and transferred his trust from himself to Jesus, Jesus saved him. He was justified, declared righteous. Brooklyn, trying to command her siblings around, doesn't have the authority, the standing, and the power in and of herself. But when someone who has the authority, standing, and power to do so says, you have the power, now she has it. Because someone who had the ability to do so gave it to her. So it is friends with righteousness and salvation The authority standing and power to become righteous can never come from within it must Come from without and the source is only one person Jesus Christ He is the only one from whom righteousness can be given, from whom justification being declared righteous can be received. I think it's very interesting, Jesus' choice of words. Look back at verse number 13, the prayer of the publican. What did he pray for? Be merciful. Jesus' choice of words is very interesting. Greek word is used in only one other place in all of the New Testament It's used in Hebrews chapter 2 verse 17 where the penman of Hebrews uses it actively to describe Jesus as our high priest making reconciliation to God for us that is Jesus represents us to God to secure our forgiveness the verse says this wherefore in all things It behooved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation. To make reconciliation is the same Greek word used in Luke 13 by Jesus of the publicans prayer, be merciful. There it's passive you be merciful to me here. It's active jesus making reconciliation He is representing us to god to secure our forgiveness He says to make reconciliation for the sins of the people the bible calls jesus here a what? Hebrews 2 17 he's a what? He's a priest a high priest Think about the priests of israel. What was their function? their function was to represent the people to God. They were a representative for the people of Israel to God. Once a year, they would go into the Holy of Holies as that representative for the people to God, and they would act as that representative. If he was a good high priest, then God would accept the offering. And the people would expect in the year to come blessing and favor and abundance. But if he was a bad high priest, then God would not accept the offering. The high priest would die right there in the Holy of Holies. And the people would expect in the year to come bad, famine, Drought fleeing before their enemies Listen to Hebrews 2 17 though again speaking about Jesus wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a Merciful and faithful high priest and things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Jesus is our high priest He is the representative for the people to God. Not every year, but once for all, Jesus went into God's presence to make reconciliation for the people. Do you think that he was and is good? Do you think? I don't know, you tell me. Do you think he's good? Yeah, he's good. Do you think that God accepted the offering? Yes, he did. Hebrews 1 in verse 3, speaking of Jesus, who being in the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high, He is good. God accepted his offering by himself, by the word of his power. He purged our sins. He represented us to God to secure our forgiveness. And God said, you're good. And God accepted the offering, and so Jesus secured our forgiveness. and because he is accepted, you are accepted. Because he is favored, you are favored. Because he is blessed, you are blessed. Because he secured the forgiveness of God for everyone, you can be forgiven. Because he is made after the power of an endless life, you can have endless life. Because he is righteous, you can be righteous. Friends, do you see it? It doesn't come from within, it comes from without, and the only source for that righteousness is Jesus Christ, the righteous, who by himself purged our sins, represented us to God as our high priest, securing our forgiveness. God accepted him as good. God accepted his offering as good and pleasing, and because of that, he's blessed, and we can be. He's favored, and we can be. He's accepted. We can be, He is righteous, and we can be. You see, God's mercy, be merciful unto me, a sinner, is available in and by and through Jesus Christ. The authority, standing, and power to be righteous can never come from within. It must come from without. By God's mercy, he provides the righteousness of his only begotten son to you. For he, God, hath made him, Jesus, to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Do you know that today? From this truth, consider three reactions. Number one, recognize and respond to your need for Christ. If you're here in this auditorium today or you're watching or listening from somewhere online, understand today, the authority and the standing and power to be righteous can never come from within. You cannot do enough. You can't be good enough. You can't give enough. You can't stay away from wrongdoing enough and do the right enough. You cannot justify yourself. Righteousness can only come through Jesus Christ. If you've never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, recognize today He's your representative. As we read earlier in the service from 1 Timothy 2, there is one mediator between god and men the man christ jesus he's the bridge he's the connection he's the one who secures your forgiveness for the wrong that you've done for the right that you have failed to do he's the one who secured your forgiveness as the representative you to God and his offering was accepted he was was deemed good and because of that you can have forgiveness through him you can be accepted by God but not in and of yourself through Jesus Christ you can be favored by God but not in and of yourself through Jesus Christ you can be blessed by not in and of yourself but through Jesus you can have eternal life but not Yourself only through Jesus Christ So recognize and respond to your need for Christ if you've never trusted Christ Believe that's the invitation for by grace. Are you saved through faith believing? The passage in romans we read earlier told us That no man is justified by the deeds of law But now the righteousness of god is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets the word of god the righteousness, which is by faith of jesus christ, you can have his righteousness through faith in him, believing he died for you in your place, that he rose again the third day. And through that faith, be saved. Secondly, remember who you are in Christ. I think more often than not, our battle as believers in Jesus Christ is about remembering who we are in Christ. our battle to find purpose and meaning in life, our battle with temptation, our battle with the besetting sins in our lives, our battle with our thought life and the intrusive thoughts that Satan likes to put the seeds of in our hearts, in our minds, that Paul describes as strongholds within us, These thoughts that need to be taken captive to the obedience of whom? Christ. Is often centered around the fact that we struggle to remember who we are in Christ. Who are you in Christ? You're a child of God. You are righteous. You're accepted. You are highly favored. You are adopted. You are loved, you are cared for, you have grace, and we could go on and on and on. Remember who you are in Christ. It will help you so much. And then third, recommit to loving God and others. What did Jesus say as a struggle back in the parable about those who trust in themselves that they are righteous? They struggle with what? Despising others. He spoke this parable about those who trust in themselves that they are righteous and despise others. You see, when you remember that your righteousness does not come from within, because friend, that's true not only in a salvation sense, it's true in a sanctification sense. As a believer in Jesus Christ, you do not have the authority, the standing, or the power in and of yourself to be righteous, to do right. That is from without, from God, by his Holy Spirit, which he's given to you. And if you get feeling grandiose, Start thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think. You'll find yourself struggling with a self-righteous attitude that tends to condemn and despise others. So remember where you came from. Remember whose righteousness it is that saves you and sanctifies you. Remember who you are in Christ. Recommit to loving God. and loving others as he's commanded us to. The authority standing in power to be righteous can never come from within. It must come from without. By God's mercy, he's provided it through his son Jesus. Do you know him? Are you living in light of that truth today? Would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me this morning? And as we take a few minutes to reflect on this truth today, I wonder if someone here in this auditorium or someone who is watching or listening in online today has been touched about you for Christ. God's Holy Spirit is pricking your heart, convincing you of sin, your own, Just the righteousness of Christ And judgment to come the reality that someday you'll have to stand before God and give an account of yourself What will you be able to claim when you stand before him The only claim That will be heard and validated is I come because of Jesus I because of him. Can you claim that today? If not, whether here in this auditorium or watching or listening in somewhere online, today, put your faith and trust in Christ.