Never Good Enough
TEXT: Matthew 19:16-22 (Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30)
DOCTRINAL: God is the only non-created.
TOPIC: Never being good enough. What is the Biblical teaching concerning God's expectations of our behavior and how that changes how we relate to God.
- "goody two shoes" "holier than though" "everybody sins a little every day" Anti-law language is older than the gospel itself.
1. How Many Boxes Does He Check? (How eligible is he? -- competition)
- "a Rich Young Ruler" - young man (neaniskos: a youth under 40) - Luke "a certian ruler" - first in rank; prince)
- Appears to be eager to improve self ("came running")
- UNLIKE: Luke 10:25 a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Jesus with the same question. "What is written in the law?" ... who is my neighbor? ... Good samaritan HE FIEGNED A DESIRE TO BE INSTRUCTED
- He is respectful ("Good Master...")
- He had been in a habit/lifestyle of doing good: "All these have I observed" [to be on guard; He is a careful person]
- If a bachelaor, He's looking prett "eligible"
Matthew 19:16 — And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? [Where am I lacking/short?]
- If he had switched out "not killing" for "selling all he had and giving to the poor" -- Would that had been good enough for Jesus?
- What if he was an improverished adulterer, would he then be "good enough"?
- THE PREMISE is false. His GOOD and HIS GOODS blinded him.
Matthew 19:21 — Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. [telios: OF FULL AGE; 19:14 it is no coincidence jesus jesus suffer the little children to come unto me in the same chapter]
2. God is THE Creator (He caused it all; He is the uncaused cause)
- GOD in the beginning created the heavens and the earth
Genesis 1:1 — In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. [1:21,27; 2:3-4; 5:1-2; 6:7]
3. God is GOOD and what HE does is good.
- GOD? ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY => THE GOOD BEING, a fountain of infinite benevolence and beneficence towards his creatures.
God is the ultimate definition of good. Imagine a massive, never-ending waterfall, but instead of pumping out water, it's constantly pouring out pure love, kindness, and awesome things for everyone and everything He created. God is the source of good will and generosity -- wishing good and doing good.
HEBREW: towb: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, GREEK: agathos: a primary word; "good" (in any sense, often as noun):--benefit, good(-s, things), well.
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In 14 verses as God's creative work is being described teh most common adjective is "good". (towb in 517 verses
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This fact is an anchor in language (The grand and unparalleled privileges of the Israelites):
Deuteronomy 4:32 — For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?
Exodus 18:9 — And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
- God alone is described as "good"? Rich young ruler
Mark 10:18 — And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
- Therefore the circle is completed that to be truly "good" is to be godly.
That which proceeds from God, and is pleasing to him. It also signifies conformity to his will, and an assimilation to his character, Ps 12:1; Mal 2:15; 2Co 1:2; Tit 2:12 Godliness is the substance of revealed religion, 1Ti 3:16; 4:8; 2Pe 1:6
4. How Goodness DOES brings us to God?
Romans 2:4 — Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance
Isaiah 64:6 — But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Ephesians 2:10 — For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
- Some of the Good news of the gospel is GOD IS GOOD
Questions to Explore
- How does a created being related to the ONLY non-creating Being?
- What obligations are there owed to the Creator?
- God is the SOURCE fall things and God is GOOD.
- making more brief:
- Tell Story
- Freeze-Frame on Mark 10:18 ("Why call me good?")
- Drop Theology In-Line (5m)
- Apply (5m) = 20m