The Shadow of Righteousness | Soul Calling | Part 3

This morning, we continued our series, Soul Calling, with a powerful message from Senior Pastor David Dwight on the parable of the tax collector.

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus cuts to the core of the human condition. We see the Pharisee, a religious figure of this time, thanking God that he isn’t like other sinners — measuring his righteousness against others — wholly unaware of the sickness pervading his own soul.

Meanwhile, the tax collector stands at a distance, overwhelmed by his unworthiness. He doesn’t justify himself or compare his sins to anyone else’s. Instead, he humbly cries out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Jesus declares that it was the tax collector, not the Pharisee, who went home justified before God. “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

Through this parable, Jesus invites us to repent and examine ourselves not by the standards of others but by the holiness of God alone.

Self-righteousness makes us feel safe and powerful, but in repentance, we find life. And here’s the good news: when we turn to Jesus in humility, we don’t find condemnation — we find mercy, love beyond measure, and open arms waiting to receive us.