Spiritual Abuse: Self-Righteousness

As we continue our study on “Spiritual Abuse,” this Sunday we will look into the area of self-righteousness. Jesus confronted this issue head on in Luke 18:9-14 in the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Read the passage below from Max Lucado’s book In the Grip of Grace. In it you will see the truth of Jesus' words in Luke 18:14 when he says “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Surely God is impressed with my garments, I often thought. Occasionally I strutted into his presence so he could compliment the self-tailored wear. He never spoke. His silence must mean admiration, I convinced myself. But then my wardrobe began to suffer. The fabric of my trousers grew thin. My best works started coming unstitched. I began leaving more undone than done, and what little I did was nothing to boast about. No problem, I thought. I'll work harder. But working harder was a problem. There was a hole in my coat of convictions. My resolve was threadbare. A cold wind cut into my chest. I reached up to pull my hat down firmly, and the brim ripped off in my hands. Over a period of a few months, my wardrobe of self-righteousness completely unraveled. I went from tailored gentlemen's apparel to beggar's rags. Fearful that God might be angry at my tattered suit, I did my best to stitch it together and cover my mistakes. But the cloth was so worn. And the wind was so icy. I gave up. I went back to God. (Where else could I go?) On a wintry Thursday afternoon, I stepped into his presence, not for applause, but for warmth. My prayer was feeble. "I feel naked." "You are. And you have been for a long time." What he did next I’ll never forget. "I have something to give you," he said. He gently removed the remaining threads and then picked up a robe, a regal robe, the clothing of his goodness. He wrapped it around my shoulders. His words to me were tender. "My son, you are now clothed with Christ" [Max Lucado “In The Grip of Grace” pages xii-xiii:]

Nothing compares to the exaltation given through Christ!

See you Sunday,
Pastor Jeff