Where is the Life
Luke 18:18-27
18 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good-- except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'" (I don’t think Jesus was finished talking) 21 "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, 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." 26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." (NIV)
Good teacher!
What must I do?
It seems that he was still looking for something!
We don’t want more theories BUT LIFE!
Life is not more possessions. Spiritual or natural! Life is a person!
Jerry 18: 18-27
18 A certain believer asked him, “Good Pastor what do I have to do to get Eternal Life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jerry answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the way right? Get saved, love one another, go to church, be filled with the Holy Spirit, study the Word. 21 All these I have kept since I was born again. 22 When Jerry heard this, he said to him “you’re still missing one thing. Give up all your trust in those external things, the status of having your own ministry, the pride of who you know, your pride in what you have learned and done, and come follow Christ alone. 23 When the Christian heard this he was very sad because he was well known in Charismatic circles for his ability to quote scriptures, pray, lead bible studies and preach and prophecy. 24 Jerry looked at him and said, It’s hard for someone who has trusted in all these things for so long to enter the kingdom of God. 25 Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a religious person to enter the kingdom of God. 26 Those who heard this asked “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jerry replied, what is impossible for men is possible with God”. (JLV) Gal. Will you perfect what you began in the spirit in the flesh?
v What must I do to inherit eternal life?
o Where is the Life? Where is the fulfilment? I want the real thing.
o Real life? Have we made eternal life something that we get after death?
§ When the newness of christianity wears of we will all ask the same thing. Where is the life. Z.b. like buying a new car after the first weeks the joy of it is gone.
v "No one is good-- except God alone
o What did Jesus mean by this? I think he saw immediately that the man was looking at the externals. Jesus knew that they were looking at him from the standpoint of what they could see. That you became GOOD by something that you do!
o People want to come to a place where they feel good about themselves. You will never come to that place where “YOU ARE GOOD”
v "All these I have kept since I was a boy,"
v "You still lack one thing
v Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Come into a love relationship with me.
We start out with Christ and then we do what the Galatians did we try to add to what God is doing in the spirit.
My abilities, My personality, My knowledge, My money, My emotions, My dedication, My strength…
Luke 17:20-21
20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (NIV)
Inside out life vs. and outside in life
v "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
John 14:6-10
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." 8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (NIV)
Phil 2:12-13
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed-- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence-- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (NIV)