# 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. - In 14 verses as God's creative work is being described teh most common adjective is "good". (towb in 517 verses - 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