INTRO.- ILL.- A young boy traveling by airplane to visit his grandparents sat beside a man who happened to be a seminary professor. The boy was reading a Sunday school take-home paper when the professor thought he would have some fun with the boy. "Young man," said the professor, "If you can tell me something God can do, I’ll give you a big, shiny apple." The boy thought for a moment and then replied, "Mister, if you can tell me something God can’t do, I’ll give you a whole barrel of apples!" Smart kid.
There is nothing God can’t do, that is, in the realm of good. He does nothing but good, because that is His nature.
ILL.- It’s like what Max Lucado said, “You can’t take the wet out of water and still have water. You can’t take the heat out of fire and still have fire. In the same way, you can’t take the love out of [God]... and still have him exist. For he was ... and is... Love.”
God’s nature is love. He is not the extension of love, HE IS LOVE! Consequently, He does nothing but good for people. He is not the author of evil in this world. Someone else is.
ILL.- A preacher was busy in his study, while his little boy looked at a book of pictures. The preacher suddenly decided he needed a large book he had left upstairs, and asked his boy to go get it. He was gone a long time, and after a while the father heard the sound of crying. He went out, and at the top of the staircase he saw his son crying, with the large book he had tried to lift and carry, laying at his feet. “Oh, Daddy,” he said, “I can’t carry it. It’s too heavy for me.” In a moment, the father was up the stairs, and stooping down, took both the book and his boy in his strong arms, and carried them both to the room below.
There is nothing too heavy for our Heavenly Father. Nothing too great, too heavy, too wearisome, or too burdensome for God. HE CAN HANDLE IT ALL!
ILL.- Dr. James Boice who passed away in 2000 said, “The God of the Bible is not weak. He is strong. He is all-mighty. Nothing happens without His permission or apart from His purposes. Nothing disturbs Him or puzzles Him. His purposes are always accomplished…”
Psalm 66:2-4 “Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name."
ILL.- In 1715 King Louis XIV of France died after a reign of 72 years. He had called himself "the Great," and was the monarch who made the famous statement, "I am the state!" His court was the most magnificent in Europe, and his funeral was equally spectacular. As his body lay in state in a golden coffin, orders were given that the cathedral should be very dimly lit with only a special candle set above his coffin, to dramatize his greatness. At the memorial, thousands waited in hushed silence. Then Bishop Massilon began to speak; slowly reaching down, he snuffed out the candle and said, "Only God is great."
And he was exactly right! Only God is great.
PROP.- In this text I see human wisdom versus divine wisdom or what I call the goodness trap. In the text, there is: 1- A human question 2- A human response 3- The divine way
I. A HUMAN QUESTION
Matt. 19:16 “Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
This is not the question that some people would ask because they are not interested in eternal life. They are more interested in the here and now.
ILL.- Years ago at the Green Bay Packers’ training camp when they were coached by Vince Lombardi (1959-67) he strictly enforced the 11 pm curfew. He caught Max McGee sneaking out one night, and in the team meeting the following day he fined him $125, with the promise that the next episode would cost him $250. Max was caught again and was warned that the price for the next infraction would be $500.
Max loved life and didn’t scare easily. Inevitably, there was another meeting. Lombardi was shaking mad. “Max,” he yelled, “that’ll cost you $500, and if you go again, it’ll cost you a thousand.” The room was hushed. Lombardi simmered down and actually managed to grin a little. “Max,” he said, softly, “if you can find anything worth sneaking out for a $1,000, call me and I’ll go with you.”
Brothers and sisters, there are many things in this life that people sneak off to do. No, they boldly and boastfully go off to do. And they do it regardless of the cost. Some people have forfeited their entire lives for the things of this world.
For many people, the things of this world are far more attractive than the things of God. You name it and it keeps people away from God and the church: money, fame, career, sports, pleasures, etc.
ILL.- Someone said, “Worldliness is what makes sin look normal in any age and righteousness seem odd."
Worldliness has warped us, our thinking, and our ways. Many people are not the least bit interested in the next life because they’ve been duped by the world and worldliness.
But those who are concerned about the hereafter may well ask a question like this. “What must I do to be forgiven and be saved?” WHAT MUST I DO? Here is what I call the goodness trap.
There is nothing wrong with goodness! There is nothing wrong with doing good. We are commanded to do good.
Gal. 6:9-10 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
Eph. 2:10 “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
There is no question that we are to do good whenever we can, but to trust totally in our good deeds is totally wrong!
Many people believe that if you do good in life you will go to heaven but if you do evil you will go to hell. There is something to that but that is not the total truth. If we believe too much in our goodness then where does Christ comes in? What about His death on the cross? Did He die for nothing?
Eph. 2:8-9 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
II Cor. 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus paid for our sins on the cross.
ILL.- A well-known Christian businessman who was visiting a church was asked to give his testimony. He said, "I have a fine family, a large house, a successful business, and a good reputation. I have plenty of money so I can support some Christian ministries very generously. Many organizations want me on their board of directors. I have good health and almost unlimited opportunities. What more could I ask from God?" As he paused for effect, a voice shouted from the back of the auditorium, "How about asking Him for a good dose of humility?"
Brothers and sisters, no matter how good we are in this life we still need Christ! I think at least a part of our problem is human pride. We want to believe in ourselves and our ability to accomplish things for ourselves. But when it comes to eternity everything depends on Jesus and little on us. OUR TRUST MUST BE IN HIM, NOT IN OURSELVES OR OUR GOODNESS.
II. A HUMAN RESPONSE
Matt. 19:21-22 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” HE WENT AWAY SAD.
ILL.- Sometime around 1982-83 I contacted the Christian Church at Cabool, MO, because I heard from a preacher friend that their preacher was leaving and they would need a new preacher. I contacted the elders, sent them my resume and communicated over the phone several times. Finally, they asked me to come and preach a trial sermon.
They had a good attendance and I preached one of my better sermons, but the response didn’t seem to be that great. Of course, one of the drawbacks was that the preacher hadn’t left yet and there he was, sitting in the audience when I preached.
They loved their preacher. It was his decision to leave, not theirs. I preached, went home and waited. I waited one week and never heard anything. Finally, I called an elder late Sunday night and he said, “We’re sorry but we made a mistake.” I thought, “Uh, oh.” And no, it wasn’t me. I wasn’t the mistake. They made the mistake by having me preach while their preacher was still there and I was dumb enough to go. The vote was only like 67 %, the lowest vote I’ve ever received. SO IT WAS A “NO.” Had I went to try out a couple of Sundays later it would have probably been a different matter.
Have you ever been told “no”? No, to a job? No, to a relationship? (as in, I don’t want you!)
In our text, this young man went away sad, not because Jesus said “no” to him but because his own thinking and his allegiance said “no” to Jesus.
Some people are just not willing to give up something in order to gain that which is greater. And perhaps because they don’t think what is greater is greater!
When people consider Christ and the church they may realize they need to give up some things in life, BUT THEY DON’T WANT TO! They choose the pleasures of this life over the promise of eternal life with Christ.
If we were to listen to all the so-called smart people of the world we would have no faith at all! Media mogul Ted Turner once said, "Christianity is a religion for losers.” I’m not sure that the Ted Turners, the Donald Trumps, the Tom Cruises and other rich and famous people believe in anything other than themselves!
ILL.- Ravi Zacharias is a Christian who travels around the world lecturing in secular settings on spiritual themes. He told of an experience he had in Columbus, Ohio. He wrote, “Some time ago, I did a lectureship at Ohio State University. As I was being driven to the lecture, we passed the new Wexner Art Center. The driver said, ‘This is a new art building for the university. It is a fascinating building designed in the post-modernist view of reality.
Zacharias said, “The building has no pattern. Staircases go nowhere. Pillars support nothing. The architect designed the building to reflect life. It went nowhere and was mindless and senseless.”
And such is the way of the world! Materialism, worldliness, etc. It’s a staircase that leads to nowhere! He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Matt. 16:26 “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”
III. THE DIVINE WAY
Matt. 19:17 Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
Matt. 19:23-26 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Many people have their own ideas about life, how to live, and often, it’s based on their feelings rather than anything God says in His Word.
ILL.- A woman named Sheila said, "I believe in God. I can’t remember the last time I went to church. But my faith has carried me a long way. It’s ’Sheila-ism.’ Just my own little voice." This is the way it is with so many people today. Its “I don’t care what the Bible says. I do my own spiritual thing.”
That sounds like Oprah Winfrey all over. Her grandmother taught her to read before the age of three and took her to the local church, where she was nicknamed "The Preacher" for her ability to recite Bible verses, but now that she is successful and rich she does things her own way.
The correct path in life and to heaven is the will of God and the command of God. It’s not “our” way, it’s HIS way.
Psalm 119:1-2 “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.”
II Tim. 3:13-15 “While evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
ILL.- Rocky Balboa #6. Rocky, Sylvester Stallone is 60 years old now. One article stated: Long regarded as one of the savviest players in Hollywood, Stallone seems to have now found the power of religion. In conference calls with religious leaders, Stallone has blasted Hollywood for not making enough movies the whole family can see and stressed the religious aspects of Rocky’s resurrection.
That might seem a stretch for an actor who 21 years ago in ’Rambo: First Blood, Part II’ seemed to take a little too much pleasure in wholesale butchery. The bloodbaths, Stallone now explains, were the creative fruits of younger days, when, he said, ’my marriage was not good, and I felt myself being seduced by all the temptations that Hollywood has to offer.’ Now, he says, he’s got a steady marriage and a renewed relationship with Jesus.
He said, “We need the God-fearing script, the script that really deals with compassion and deals with the word of Jesus and God,” in a late November conference call to Christian leaders.
It sounds like Stallone has found a new path in life. I hope so because God is not willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance. Even people like Stallone who have been seduced by Hollywood and the world can be saved, BECAUSE WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. The divine way is the only way.
CONCLUSION---------------------
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The words of what we often call “The Lord’s prayer.” And, of course, it’s really a model prayer for us today.
ILL.- A bishop of the United Brethren in Christ church of a 100 years ago announced from his pulpit and in the periodical he edited that heavier-than-air flight was both impossible and contrary to the will of God. He was the father of Orville and Wilbur Wright. He was so sure of himself, but ever so wrong.
He was no different than people today. We often choose our way, thinking it must be the right way, but when we get low enough in life we suddenly begin to see the light that the only way is the Lord’s way.
We need to pray, “Thy will be done on earth and in my life.”
