Trinity 11 – Rev. Jonathan P. Boehne

August 20, 2023 The Sunday of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Sunday: Trinity 11 | Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

Trinity 11

Luke 18:9-14

August 20, 2023

“The Power of Grace”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“What are your symptoms?” “Well, doctor, I look down on other people all the time. I complain about them. I even despise them. Some of them my own family and friends even. I’m constantly talking about other people and how annoying they are.” “Okay, I see,” the doctor says, “That’s not good. So you’re pretty proud of yourself then.” “Well, that’s just it, doctor. I’m really not proud of myself at all. I feel like I’m never good enough. I’m constantly trying to prove myself. I’m constantly comparing myself to other people and trying to be better than them. Doctor, do you know what’s wrong with me? Is there a medicine I can take?”

Yes, there is a medicine for you. A powerful medicine. A medicine that puts you at peace and gives you love for others. But it’s not at the pharmacy.

…

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August 28, 2022 Trinity 11 The Sunday of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

Sunday: Trinity 11 | Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

Trinity 11
Luke 18:9-14
August 28, 2022

“Stop Believing in Yourself; Believe in God’s Grace for Yourself”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“You’ve got to believe in yourself!” It sounds so good and optimistic. Sounds logical to believe in yourself. And we’re so used to hearing it that we even think it’s a Christian thing. Doesn’t God want everyone to believe in themselves?

But no, He doesn’t. This is how Luke 18:9 starts today, “Jesus also told this parable [of the Pharisee and tax collector, that is] to some who believed in themselves….” Jesus specifically told this parable because believing in yourself is a problem and leads to other problems.

The problem with the general advice, “You’ve got to believe in yourself,” is that it’s second-rate advice. It’s not sufficient for everyone. It’s the advice of a world that has lost God. It’s what Dora the Explorer says to kids, “Believe in yourself,” because Dora doesn’t know who God is. It’s the best advice our schools can give to kids because they can’t talk about God and His grace. It may work in a certain case to tell someone to believe in himself and he stirs up his will to work harder. But it’s not sufficient for most people.

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Trinity 11 September 1, 2019 The Sunday of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Sunday: Trinity 11 | Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

(There’s isn’t any audio of this sermon available.)

Trinity 11
Luke 18:9-14
September 1, 2019

“Living With a Good Conscience”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This sermon relies heavily on the teaching of Rev. John Kleinig regarding the conscience. To see more, watch this video or read this essay.

Sometimes it’s very easy to recognize someone with a bad conscience. Suicide bombers have a bad conscience. If you think it’s a good thing to kill yourself while killing other people, your conscience isn’t right. We know that. Someone sitting on death row who has murdered multiple people and isn’t sorry for it at all and doesn’t think they’ve done wrong—that person has a bad conscience. Again, we know that. The terrible husband who’s abusive to his wife and children and thinks he’s really a good guy—he has a bad conscience.

Those are easy to recognize. But what about you and me? A bad conscience affects us all. Even the strongest and best Christians have to struggle against a bad conscience. Some of you in here have a guilty conscience—you know you’ve done wrong and you don’t know what to do about it. It’s killing you. That’s a bad conscience. A broken one. Some of you should have a guilty conscience but you don’t because you don’t think you’ve done anything wrong. That’s a bad conscience. Some of you have a conscience full of shame because someone sinned against you. And you don’t know what to do with it. That’s a bad conscience. Some of you don’t think you ever do anything all that wrong—that’s a bad conscience.

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Trinity 11 The Sunday of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector August 12, 2018

Sunday: Trinity 11 | Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

Trinity 11
Luke 18:9-14
August 12, 2018

“Stop Trying To Be Noticed”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

(Some thoughts of this sermon are taken from various sermons by Rev. David Petersen for Trinity 11.)

The Pharisee thanks God that he isn’t like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers. And we all think he’s a terrible jerk for it. But is it always a sin to thank God that you’re not like someone else? Is it okay to say, “Thank you, God, that I’m not that child molester in prison?” Or “thank you, God, that I’m not that mother who has had all her children taken away, is addicted to heroin, and is on welfare? Is it always wrong to thank God that you’re not someone else? …

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Trinity 11 August 7, 2016

Sunday: Trinity 11 | Sermon Text: Luke 18:9-14

Trinity 11
Luke 18:9-14
August 7, 2016

“A Murder Mystery”

Parts of sermon are taken from “Why God Has Regard for You” by Rev. Tausz, September 4, 2011

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

This morning we’re going to do a little murder mystery. A little case of whodunit. So I hope you’ll play along with me a little bit as we search for the murderer (or murderers) throughout our Scripture readings this morning. I hope you’ll stick with me because the surprise ending is definitely the best part of this story. …

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