Lion + LambShembull

Prayer: Jesus, help me to see You as the greatest good in my life. So often I try to be “good enough” to receive Your smile.  I try to earn my way into Your love by my behavior, but I know it is never “good” enough.  Help me rest on Your gift of eternal life alone!

The Good Lion 

If you ask the average teenager in the United States today, “what do you want to be when you grow up?”, you will receive a variety of answers.  A survey of 3,000 kids ages eight to twelve revealed that they desired to be a YouTube star more than becoming an astronaut.  Why? For many, the American hero is the young, rich, and famous. There is something alluring about that persona. Who walks up to Jesus in this passage?  A young, wealthy man.  In the Jewish first century, just like the 21st century, the young and successful were idolized. They believed wealth demonstrated God’s pleasure.  If you were young and wealthy, surely you were on God’s good side.  However, there was something missing in this young man’s life.  So, he sought out Jesus for some answers.  

He approaches Jesus politely and asks in Matthew 19:16, “what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Emphasis added) Jesus responds with a question that reveals the problem.  “Good” is only applied to God.  Good means perfect, flawless.  That is why Jesus says in Matthew 19:21, “if you want to be perfect ...”  The problem the young man faced was that he believed he could earn eternal life.  Can I be good enough to earn it?  No.  There are no amount of good deeds that could make this young man right in God’s sight.  Eternal Life is a gift that requires an eternally perfect sacrifice.  This misunderstanding is so common in our culture.  Ask the average person how to get to heaven, and they will likely respond (if they believe in heaven) “live a good life.”  But, “good” is pretty broad in our culture.  God is pretty specific in what He considers “good.” His definition is perfection.  Perfection is impossible with men, but possible because of the God-man, Jesus Christ.  

Look in the Word: 

1. Look at Matthew 19:16-19.  What does the young man want Jesus to answer for him?
2. Why does Jesus ask the young man to sell everything?  Do the poor get into heaven before the rich?  (No, the poor can sometimes see their need more easily).
3. The disciples were confused at this conversation.  What comfort does Jesus give them?

What’s Next? 

1. Eternal Life is based on Jesus’ perfect life, it cannot be earned.  Are there times when you feel like you are trying to earn your way to God?  Describe how.
2. Jesus is supposed to be our highest value.  That is part of what Jesus is asking for from this young man. Where in your own life do you value stuff more than Jesus?
3. You are saved by grace, not by being perfect.  The disciples could ultimately trust Jesus with their future, so can you!