Matthew
What Must I Do?
Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" Matthew 1:16
Having a relationship with God
Jesus invited him to follow, to go with Jesus
Jesus took the man from “what good thing must I do?” to the perfect thing
"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." Matthew 19:21
Jesus addressed two things on the road to perfection
1. It is not just one good thing, give everything for treasures in Heaven
2. Follow Jesus, why? Because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through the Son Jesus
This man needed to know Jesus was more than a good teacher
He needed to know He was God
This man, it says, went away “Sad”
Why? Because he was only willing to do the good, but not the perfect
What Must I Do?
Have you ever wanted a bigger house…
Or, maybe a Tesla, or a very nice boat?
We all have wanted things beyond our reach…
And have asked the question
“What must I do?” to get my dream?
We all know we have to do something
to get that something we want.
If you are like me…
You found you could not do
enough to get those big dreams.
One day a man came to Jesus,
he wanted something greater…
Than a big house, or Tesla, or a nice boat.
This man asked…
"Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
Matthew 19:16
This man felt Jesus was qualified to answer the question.
When Jesus said…
"Why do you ask me about what is good?"
Jesus was saying…
Why do you ask a “Teacher about what is good”?
Yes, Jesus is God, but the man did not know this.
Jesus made it clear…
"There is only One who is good.
If you are going to ask a question about eternal life
or how to enter the Kingdom of Heaven…
You need to know where your answer is coming from.
There is only One who can answer
that question and that is God.
Ever go to different people to get an answer
that you felt good about?
There are a lot of teachers giving answers…
But God’s answer is the only answer that matters.
Jesus does not give the man anything new,
but establishes what God gave Moses
on the tablets of stone.
Yet, this man who knew and kept the commandments
still felt he was lacking something.
Maybe it was the confusion of all the things
the Pharisees and teachers of the law
had added to the Ten Commandments.
Maybe it was an understanding that works were not enough.
That the works of the Ten Commandments
were not the purpose.
The purpose was to love the Lord.
And love your neighbor as yourself.
The Ten Commandments were given
to be an expression of that love.
So, Jesus addressed this man’s lack…
Jesus invited him to follow…
To go with Jesus.
Jesus took the man from…
“What good thing must I do?”
To the perfect thing.
"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."
Matthew 19:21
Jesus addressed two things on the road to perfection…
1. It is not just one good thing,
give everything for treasures in Heaven.
2. Follow Jesus, why, because
He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
No one comes to the Father
except through the Son Jesus.
This man needed to know Jesus was more
than a good teacher.
This man, it says, went away “Sad”.
Why?
Because he was only willing to do the good,
but not the perfect.
Jesus told the disciples how hard it is to let go
of the things of the world to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The road is narrow…
The gate is small, the only way to get in is to let go.
Flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven.
So, the disciples asked…
"Who then can be saved?"
And Jesus said…
but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26
So, who are you following?...
Man or God?
Where are you looking for your reward to come from?...
Man or God?
Which mission are you on?...
Impossible or Possible?
"With man this is impossible,
but with God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26
Scripture Reading
Matthew 19:16-30 NIV
16 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
18 "Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, "'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"
20 "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"
21 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."
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 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."
25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked,
26 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"
28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
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