Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: Levi, disciple, evangelist, tax collector, the 12, the twelve, apostle, sermon on the mount, jewish audience, beatitudes, lord's prayer, great commission, parables, olivet discourse, mount of olives, olivet, synoptic

Showing 1 to 25 of 715 results

1. Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Luke 19:1-10

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... make the best sense of what is actually found in the Greek text (so Fitzmyer, pp. 1220–22). In v. 9 Jesus pronounces that Zacchaeus is a true son of Abraham. The reason that he is such is because his actions of fairness (recall the Baptist’s advice to tax collectors in 3:12–13) point to a sincere heart, one that is ready to respond to the invitation to enter the kingdom of God. Because he is a son of Abraham, as is evidenced by his welcoming of Jesus, salvation has come to his house (even though it is ...

2. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:9-14

Understanding Series

Craig A. Evans

... the temple to pray: People could enter the temple (in the area called the “Court of Israel”) at any time to pray, although mornings (9 a.m.) and afternoons (3 p.m.) were reserved for public prayer (Fitzmyer, p. 1186). Pharisee: See note on 5:17 above. tax collector: See note on 3:12 and 19:2. 18:11 The Pharisee stood up: Fitzmyer (p. 1186) suggests that the Pharisee stood up to pray in a prominent location, perhaps toward the front, of the temple’s “Court of Israel.” This may be the idea, since a ...

3. TAX COLLECTOR

Matt. 18:17; Luke 5:27

Illustration

Stephen Stewart

... for the collection of regular taxes, such as poll and land taxes. There were many other taxes, however, which were farmed out to private contractors for a period of five years. Usually, these contractors were Romans, but, occasionally, they were Jews. Tax collectors as a class have never enjoyed a great popularity, but those who operated in early New Testament times were particularly despised. You see, even though the Jews had a long history of domination by others, and, at some periods, had even ...

4. The Testimony of a Tax Collector

Matthew 9:9-13

Sermon

King Duncan

... about as hopeless as his ” in spite of my financial success. If Jesus hadn't been walking by my table that day, I don't know what would have happened to me. But he did walk by, and he spoke those simple words, "Follow me." Imagine that. Me! A despised tax collector . . . an outcast among my own people. But he called me to follow him. I didn't know at the time why he would show interest in someone like me. It was only a short time later that I found out though. Ironically, it was when some of the religious ...

5. A Tax Collector Becomes Rich

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

John Wayne Clarke

... received by the IRS a few years ago: "Enclosed you will find a check for $150. I cheated on my income tax return last year and have not been able to sleep ever since. If I still have trouble sleeping, I will send you the rest." Zacchaeus was an enthusiastic tax collector. In fact, he was so enthusiastic that he figured a way to skim a few bucks here and there from those who paid up as they were expected to do. He was like our friend in the joke; he could squeeze that lemon for all that it was worth. The ...

6. Tax Collectors of the Roman World

Matthew 9:9-13

Illustration

Brett Blair

... to grave abuses. People did not really know how much they ought to pay in the days before newspapers and wireless announcements and the widespread diffusion of news; nor had they any right of appeal against the tax-collector. The consequence was that many a tax-collector became a wealthy man through his illegal extortion... These tax-gatherers were universally hated. They had entered the service of their country's conquerors, and they amassed their fortunes at the expense of their country's misfortunes ...

7. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

Luke 18:9-14

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , approaches the temple to pray. He praises God that he is not like other sinners and then lauds his own religious devotion. By fasting twice a week and tithing, he would be going beyond the requirement of the Old Testament law. On the other hand, the tax collector (see Luke 5:27–32) is deeply conscious of his own unworthiness. He stands far away, fearing even to raise his eyes. All he can ask for is mercy since he knows he is undeserving of God’s forgiveness. Jesus concludes by saying that the ...

8. Zacchaeus the Tax Collector

Luke 19:1-10

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

The episode with Zacchaeus (19:1–10) is notable because it contains many of the main themes of Luke’s Gospel. A chief tax collector (19:2) was probably the head of a group of tax collectors. The grumbling starts again when Jesus decides to lodge at another tax collector’s house (cf. Luke 5:27–32); however, Zacchaeus vindicates Jesus’s decision by demonstrating the reality of his repentance. Half of what he owns he will give to the poor, and he will make fourfold restitution to those who have been ...

9. Can You Hear the Music?

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Leonard Sweet

... that tabulating debts is sin. The Pharisee is also one who "tabulates" but not the debts of others. He tabulates points for himself. He tallies up his merit badges, his “Attaboys!” and declares himself deserving. The Pharisees are merit badge collectors, yet it is the tax collector who ends up wearing the "red badge of courage,” the evidence of his sin on his sleeve. If we treat God as though God is a collector of points or will deal out favors like badges for all to see, then we insult the Creator ...

10. Matthew

Sermon

Jerry Eckert

... He spotted Matthew, came over, and said, "Come, follow me." And he just left. I didn't know about it until that night. We all met at Matthew's as usual, only this time, he had Jesus with him. Was that a shocker, a rabbi eating with all the tax collectors in the area! Local lawyers and rabbis heard about it and interrupted our dinner. When they got done calling Jesus and us all kinds of names, Jesus quietly told them, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick." He shut them up with ...

11. Come One, Come All

Luke 5:27-32

Sermon

James Merritt

... the same way we are to do it. I. We Are To Ask Everyone To Follow Jesus “After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, ‘Follow me’”. (Luke 5:27, ESV) The disciples thought they were just out ... grandfather were all priests and he was to follow in their line. For any Jew to abandon his heritage to become a Roman tax collector was one thing, but for a member of the tribe of Levi to do it was just beyond comprehension. While everyone else would ...

12. A Taxing Encounter

Matthew 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17, Luke 5:27-32

Sermon

Lori Wagner

... believe that Levi is the brother of James son of Alphaeus. We can’t be sure. But both James and Levi are listed as sons of Alphaeus in the scriptures. This is all interesting, but the true stunner of the scriptures is that Matthew (or Levi) is a tax collector –a customs official. Did he pay attention when Jesus was teaching by the shore? Did Jesus pick him out of a crowd watching him in Capernaum? Did he see him outside of the Synagogue? We don’t know. But we do know that Jesus walked up to the ...

13. An Unpopular Profession

Matthew 9:9-13

Sermon

Donald B. Strobe

... with him. He and his family received no invitations to dinner. In fact, he was well advised to avoid large crowds and dark alleys. Can you see why the crowds were scandalized with Jesus’ words and actions? He not only ate and drank with “sinners and tax collectors,” but He even made a tax collector the hero of one of His most famous parables. We find it in Luke 18, where Jesus talked about the two men who went up to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee (one of the good guys), and the other was a ...

14. Oh, Lord, It's Hard To Be Humble

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Johnny Dean

... was so different. The Pharisee used prayer as a means of getting public recognition, not to seek fellowship with God. In fact, the Pharisee stops just short of congratulating God on what a great job God did in creating him! He sets himself apart, not just from the tax collector, but from all other men! Every time I read this parable, that old song comes to mind, "Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way." But have you ever TRIED to be humble? You can’t be humble on purpose. I ...

15. The Last Coca Cola in the Desert

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... true, then why did Jesus say, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matt. 16: 24-25)? The tax collector stood in the presence of the holy God and didn’t try to hide his sin and his brokenness and his shame. He recognized God’s holiness and his own helplessness. So he confessed his sin and cried out for mercy, and he received the fullness of God ...

16. Lost, But Not the TV Show!

Luke 15:1-7

Sermon

King Duncan

... who has ever gone astray. St. Paul writes in his letter to Timothy, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” That is the heart of the Gospel, and it is great good news. Why is it good news? Because we are all sinners. The tax collectors and the murderers and the prostitutes were sinners. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were sinners. And you and I are sinners. We look at ourselves and think to ourselves we’re pretty good folks, and compared to some people, maybe we are. But that ...

17. Who Is Right

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

James Merritt

... one else is. Only God is Holy, no one else is. Where the Pharisee said, “I thank God I am not like you.” The tax collector said, “I thank God you are not like me either.” There is only one person who receives mercy and that is the person who ... have mercy on me. That is why I am here.” The Pharisee replies, “Really? That is why I am here too!” The tax collector amazingly says, “Wait a minute! You are religious. You are spiritual. You are a Pharisee. You’ve never done any of the things that ...

18. Understanding Outrageous Grace

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

King Duncan

... right in life, keep all the rules of our religion, and still not know God. The second thing Jesus is trying to teach his hearers is when we compare ourselves to God rather than with others, we realize we don’t have anything to offer Him. What does the tax collector in this parable do? He doesn’t even look up to heaven when he prays. Instead, he looks down at the ground and beats his breast in sorrow, and he prays simply, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This ...

19. A Faith that Will Transform You

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

King Duncan

... represent the attitude of Jesus toward people who are self-righteousness and judgmental. This is not to say that Zacchaeus was without blame. As we noted Zacchaeus was a tax collector the chief tax collector. As you know, tax collectors were bitterly hated by the Jewish people. Tax collectors served the Roman conquerors. Most tax collectors were Jews, but in the people’s eyes they had denied their Jewish heritage and betrayed their country. They were thus ostracized, completely cut off from Jewish society ...

20. Luke 18: 9-14

Luke 18:9-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... be more different, socially and spiritually. On the one hand there was a Pharisee, the representative of that “tea party” within first century Judaism, intent upon returning the faith to its purest most Torah obedient legal roots. On the other hand, there was a “tax collector.” Tax collectors were about as beloved and revered in the first century as IRS agents are in the twenty-first century. Not only were they perceived as grasping hands in the pocket, but since Israel had fallen under Roman rule ...

21. Luke 18:9-14

Luke 18:9-14

Sweet

Leonard Sweet

... 's "prayer" is more like a litany of self-praise. He only acknowledges or "thanks" God for the fact that he is "not like other people." He cites a list of obvious sinners "thieves, rogues, adulterers," and even includes his neighbor-in-prayer "this tax collector (v.11). Besides stipulating what he is not, this Pharisee goes on to list what he is - one so observant of the minutiae of the law that he fasts twice a week (once was generally considered all that was strictly required) and pays the required ...

22. Thanks, But No Thanks

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

Billy D. Strayhorn

... that, then you don't know where the finish line is." (4) Two men went up to the temple to pray, one gave "Thanks." And one gave "Thanks," that was really "NO Thanks" at all. And as a consequence, God said, "Thanks, But NO Thanks." Be like the Tax Collector. 1. The Pastor's Story File (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), FEB, 1993 2. Gleaned from online research but I forgot to copy or bookmark the links down. My apologies. 3. The Pastor's Story File (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box ...

23. Proper 25

Psalm 65:1-13, Luke 18:9-14, Joel 2:28-32, 2 Timothy 4:9-18, 2 Timothy 3:10--4:8

Sermon Aid

William E. Keeney

... the chest is a sign of victory, not sorrow, as anyone who ever saw the old Tarzan movies would surely recognize! In some of these cultures, they express a similar sorrow by clubbing their head with clenched fists. 9. "God, Be Merciful." (v. 13) The tax collector appeals to God that the sacrifice made in the act of worship might also accomplish an atonement for his sins. He did not consider himself worthy and so had to throw himself on the mercy of a loving and compassionate God. 10. "Went Down ... Justified ...

24. The Reject

Luke 19:1-10

Sermon

James Merritt

... . They weren’t paid a salary. They made money by adding a surcharge or a user’s fee if you will. That surcharge could be as high as they wanted it to be and you had to pay it. Zacchaeus wasn’t just a tax collector. He was the chief tax collector. In other words, he had tax collectors working under him. In effect, he was the CEO of a tax-collecting corporation and he had people under him who went out and did the dirty work and then they paid him the greatest part of the profit. He was the “Godfather ...

25. Pride Is a Noxious Weed in the Garden of Life

Luke 18:9-14

Sermon

R. Robert Cueni

... it is so familiar that some of the surprising edge has worn smooth with the retelling. To grasp its meaning more fully, we need to listen again with fresh ears and open hearts. A little background information might be helpful. In the first century, tax collectors were considered the dregs of society. Taxation in the far-flung Roman Empire was not regulated by a system of fair and agreed-upon rates. Rome wanted to wring as much money from their conquered people as possible. Those who collected taxes were not ...

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