Witnessing: God's Goodness
Luke 18:18-30
(If you feel this sermon is helpful, you are welcome to visit www.danachau.com for a free online course.)
Last month, we borrowed out the movie, Heaven is for Real, from the library. It wasn't a great movie. I'm still trying to sort out the spiritual value of the movie.
I'm not sure what you're supposed to think about how you get into heaven, if you went by the movie. Maybe a loving God lets all people, except Hitler, go to Heaven? There are so many misconceptions about this all-important matter of eternal life.
Someone tells the story of Mother Teresa’s conversation with God. After being in Heaven for a couple of weeks, she asked God one day: “Lord, you know I love you. I’ve served you faithfully in my earthly life. I would have served you even if there were no Heaven. And I’m not disappointed now that I am with You in Heaven.
“But I have noticed that the hot place down there is serving filet mignon, lobster and the works. And I’ve been getting peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
The Lord replied, “I know. But it’s really hard to cook for just two.”
Some people believe that getting into Heaven is so difficult, that only the very faithful will be there. One who has devoted his or her entire life to serve God. Is that what the Bible teaches?
Our 2015 church theme is Follow Jesus. Jesus calls us to follow him in this life and into eternal life. As we follow Jesus regarding eternal life, we discover His answer to be very different than what many believe.
We believe Jesus has the only reliable answer about how to get into Heaven. Here's why. Jesus came from Heaven. He returned to Heaven. The Bible reveals that Jesus is God.
Last month, we looked at what Jesus reveals about God. Jesus revealed God's compassion to sufferers and sinners. Jesus revealed God's invitation to the underprivileged and undeserving. This morning, we will see Jesus revealing God's goodness, and what that has to do with getting into Heaven.
Our text is Luke 18:18-30. I'll read it and then we'll look in detail together.
(READ)
We see from this passage a person of authority and wealth who wanted to get into heaven, but on his own terms. If you try to get into my house on your own term, we call that breaking in. Heaven is God's House. And if we wish to enter, we must enter by His terms.
This morning, we will clarify God's terms. This way when someone asks us, "How do I get into Heaven?" we could provide a helpful answer. Let's look together.
First, what does this passage tell us about eternal life? (vs. 18, 22, 24, 25, 26, 30)
The good news is you're going to Heaven; the bad news is you're going on Tuesday. When you hear this, you know the person doesn't understand what going to Heaven means.
There are five phrases in this passage that are associated with Heaven: Eternal life (vs. 18), Heaven (vs. 22), Kingdom of God (vs. 24-25), Saved (vs. 26), Age to come (vs. 30). Let's look at each to get a fuller picture of the package we call Heaven.
Most people understand eternal life like the rich ruler: A higher quality of life lived beyond the grave, which we earn by doing good in our earthly life. But the Bible tells us eternal life is our relationship with God and Jesus, which can begin here on earth (John 17:3). Furthermore, the Bible tells us eternal life is a gift, not a reward, from God, because God loves us (John 3:16).
How do the other phrases fit in to eternal life? Eternal life begins on earth and continues into Heaven, beyond the grave, in the age to come. So eternal life is lived in two locations, earth and Heaven, and in two time periods, now and the age to come.
Here's what else. Eternal life is lived under a new authority and a new dependency. We are saved into the Kingdom of God through humility and trust. We read in the verses immediately before: Luke 18:15-17 (READ)
Eternal life involves new authority, the Kingdom of God. Eternal life also involves new dependency, saved by God's mercy and grace, not by our own doing. We enter into eternal life through humility and trusting in God.
Second, what does this passage tell us about our goodness? (vs. 20-23)
The rich ruler was able to keep 5 of God's 10 Commandments! That's better than me. But that's like saying, "I've stopped at 50% of the red lights." Or, "I pay my taxes 50% of the time."
Now Jesus didn't doubt the rich ruler's goodness in those areas. Jesus did reveal the rich ruler's failure to keep the other 5 commandments. These 5 have to do with loving God and loving people above all else, including above money and possessions.
James 2:10 reminds us, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it."
So is the rich ruler good? He's better than me. But is he good enough to inherit eternal life? No.
Romans 3:23 reads, "... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." The Bible tells us that no one is good enough to earn eternal life. And this leads us to the next point.
Third, what does this passage tell us about God's goodness? (vs. 19-20; 26-27; 29-30)
Jesus says that only God is good. In other words, only God will do what is right every time, all the time. We see God's goodness in His commands, verse 20, "You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”
These rules protect and prospers the marriage, family and society. And the other five commands instruct us to love God and people, and use things; rather than love things and use God and people. The goodness of a parent is seen in the rules he or she sets for the children.
Jesus further reveals God's goodness when he answered the crowd's question: "Who then can be saved?" Translation: If this better-than-average rich ruler isn't able to earn eternal life, what chances do we have?
Jesus says, "What is impossible with man is possible with God." Translation: Man's goodness is insufficient to earn eternal life, but God's goodness is sufficient to give eternal life. Remember, eternal life is not a reward to be earned but a relationship with God to be received.
Furthermore, Jesus says God's goodness is not only revealed in His rules and His relationship but also in His resources. We see this in verses 28-30. Jesus is not saying we must be homeless or lose our family in this life in order to inherit eternal life. If he were saying that, we would not read verses 29-30.
Verses 29-30 says if you lose your home or family for the kingdom of God, you'll have families with homes in the kingdom of God to provide for your needs. For example, if someone were disowned by their family for following Jesus, the church families would step in to provide. You and I have a part in revealing God's goodness.
Fourth, what does this passage tell us about Jesus as God's goodness? (vs. 19, 22, 26-30)
In verse 19, Jesus does not deny being good. Instead he simply continues by saying, "No one is good - except God alone." In short, Jesus admits to being God.
Colossians 2:9-10 affirms, "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity (God) lives in bodily form."
Philippians 2:5- adds, "[Jesus Christ], who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross!"
When we doubt God is good, because life isn't good, God gives us a powerful reason to trust Him. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Through Jesus Christ, the invisible God became visible. Because of Jesus, the impossible became possible. Mankind without sufficient goodness can have eternal life through trusting in God's goodness.
(If you feel this sermon is helpful, you are welcome to visit www.danachau.com for a free online course.)
