Why are pride and self-righteousness so prevalent in Christian communities? What sort of situations make you vulnerable to the effects of pride?
Take some time to compare and contrast the Pharisee and the tax collector. How were they similar? How were they different? (For example: how they prayed, where they stood, what they said, their posture, etc…) What do we learn from this comparison?
The Pharisee seemed to be trapped in a pattern of comparison and judgment. In what areas of life do we compare ourselves to others today? Why is this a dangerous practice?
In verse 14, Jesus shocks his audience by centering the tax collector, the former outsider. Why does He make such a bold move here? Imagine together how this might have shaped his community. In what ways might God be calling us to also center the outsider in our stories, our workspaces, our lives? What might that look like, and how would it shape our communities?
Pastor Annie talked about three spiritual practices in her sermon this weekend: Community, Gratitude, and Confession. How might each of these lead to humility? What hinders us from entering into these practices? How can you live into one of these practices more fully this week?
Annie Neufeld