"If you want to be Perfect..." sermon notes

July 29, 2012
Pastor Charles Patton
"If you want to be Perfect..."
Matthew 19:16-22 ; 16:24-26

Matthew 19:16-22
"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?'
'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.'
'Which ones?' the man inquired.
Jesus replied, 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony (lie), honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.'
'All these I have kept,' the young man said.  'What do I still lack?'
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."

This parable presents:

• A clash between lordship and legalism
• the conflict between temporal and eternal values
• the challenge between materialism and commitment to Jesus

Understand, Jesus is not condemning us for having things, He is just making sure we ask ourselves who is Lord of our lives, and what do we value the most?

1.  Jesus is teaching about the illusion of perfection.

Having all these things equates success according to human society.  Success according to God is very different.  Perfection=Completion

Though he "obeyed the law," Jesus told the rich, young ruler that he lacked one thing.   So close yet so far...

2.  Jesus Demonstrates the tyranny of possessions.

Materialism can become a substitute for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  What is the source of your security?  Do your possessions possess you the way they possessed the rich young ruler?

3.  Jesus is telling us that we must not let the world shape our values.

Where is our citizenship? We are believers so our citizenship is ultimately Heaven.  This world is not our home.  Our time on Earth is short, so our value should be in eternity and in eternal things.

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their own soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" 
---Matthew 16:26

"There are a thousand things you can do with your life---a thousand things for which you can spend it.  But for how many of them will you be able to say at the end of your life 'No Reserve, No Regrets, No Retreat'?"
---Dr. Billy Graham