March 18, 2026

The NT begins with four accounts of the life of Christ. Three of them, Matthew, Mark and Luke follow a similar, yet slightly different pattern. These three have been called the “synoptic gospels.” Syn means together (like synchronize). Optic refers to seeing. Synoptic, therefore means to “see together.” But each writer has a different emphasis and as you study each gospel you not only feel the emphasis, but you get a sense of the personality of the writer.

Each person that God used to record His Word was prepared by God, enabled by God, and directed by God for this task. In so doing, God used the education and personality of the writers. We see evidence of this in Luke’s gospel as he gives careful attention to certain physical ailments and conditions which would be of interest to him as a doctor. I also think that we can conclude that Luke was a very tender soul and, in our day would have made a wonderful pediatric doctor. Luke repeatedly emphasizes the necessity of humility and our responsibility to care for the weak and overlooked around us.

This past Sunday, the account of the Pharisee and Tax Collector generated a good bit of soul-searching. Toward the end of the sermon I pointed out how “Pride is stubbornly subtle and embarrassingly so. How many of us have read this story about the Pharisee thanking God that he is not like the tax collector while we smugly think to ourselves how thankful we are that we are not like the Pharisee? If we despise the Pharisee, it is because we are the Pharisee.”

I then gave a list of questions that I had come up with that I used to expose pride in my heart. I thought they might be helpful to others, but I did not put them on the screen, so many who wanted to write them down, only got a partial list. So, here it is, again. May the Lord soften our hearts so that he is displayed in us.

Here are some ways to identify pride in yourself:

1) Are you too quick to see it in others?

2) Do others find it difficult to live up to your expectations?

3) Do you have a critical spirit?

4) Do you have few friends?

5) Do you have little patience for people?

6) Do other people’s problems exasperate you?

7) Do you find reasons why you do not need to bother helping others out?

8) Are you quicker to find fault or quicker to forgive?

9) Do you hold grudges?

10) How do you respond when you are treated as a sinner or treated as not being as good as others?

11) Are you easily offended?

12) Is there someone you believe doesn’t get a second chance?

The question is, will you repent of it?

Grace and peace,

Bob

Sunday’s Text:            

Luke 18:15-17