we're going to use a couple of questions from the Heidelberg Catechism.
Now we're going to return to the ideas that we find here as we come to Jesus' teaching later.
But as we consider what God's law requires, and as it causes us to reflect on how we have done in terms of our obedience,
that then leads us to see the importance of confessing our sin.
And we're going to use a section of Daniel 9 to help us in that.
So again, this is a couple of questions and answers.
If I read the question then, if you're able, you can share the answer with me.
What does God's law require of us?
Christ teaches us this in summary in Matthew 22, 37 to 40.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and first commandment.
And a second is like it.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
The next question.
Can you live up to all this perfectly?
No, I have a natural tendency to hate God and my neighbor.
And as we recognize that in our own hearts, let me lead us in a prayer of confession drawn from Daniel 9.
Lord God, we would confess with the prophet Daniel.
We are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.
We have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept his laws.
We have rebelled and sinned against you.
We have broken your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
We also confess that you are the Lord who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments.
You are the Lord who is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against you.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Show us favor and forgive us.
Amen.
And then we remind ourselves of some of the wonderful promises that we have in the gospel.
John chapter 3, verse 16, speaks to us of the certain promise of forgiveness and eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Or as we have it again in Romans 8, verse 1,
And therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
And now we're going to hear God's word.
And Neil Campbell is going to come and read that for us from Luke chapter 18, beginning at verse 9.
Thanks, Neil.
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable.
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself.
God, I thank you that I am not like other men, robbers, evildoers, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week and I give a tenth of all I get.
But the tax collector stood at a distance.
He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,
God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
People were bringing their babies to Jesus to have him touch them.
When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.
But Jesus called the children to him and said,
Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
I tell you the truth.
Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.
A certain ruler asked him,
Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Why do you call me good?
Jesus answered.
No one is good except God alone.
You know the commandments.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not murder.
Do not steal.
Do not give false testimony.
Honor your father and mother.
All these I have kept since I was a boy, he said.
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.
When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.
Jesus looked at him and said,
How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
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.
Those who heard this asked,
Who then can be saved?
Jesus replied,
What is impossible with men is possible with God.
Peter said to him,
We have left all we had to follow you.
I tell you the truth,
Jesus said to them,
No one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children
for the sake of the kingdom of God
will fail to receive many times as much in this age
and in the age to come,
eternal life.
Let's come and pray to God once again.
Let's pray.
Lord, we thank you that throughout the pages of the Bible,
we hear you,
our God and Father,
we hear Jesus, the Savior,
inviting us to come to you,
come when we are weary,
come when we are burdened,
and to find rest.
Thank you for the reminder from this scripture
that anyone can come to you and find mercy,
that eternal life is not a matter of earning our way into the kingdom,
but rather it's humbly and independently receiving,
just like a child.
Lord, we thank you for your great grace
and your mercy that you show to us
in and through the Lord Jesus.
And so we would ask
that you would give us
a fresh measure and experience
of your grace and your goodness,
your kindness and your mercy today.
And we pray especially for those who are here today
with heavy hearts for different reasons,
those who are struggling physically,
those who are carrying heavy burdens
to do with families and friendships,
those who are concerned about health matters
and financial matters,
those who are burdened down in so many ways.
Lord, may each of them and each of us
be coming and laying our burdens down
and resting in the Lord Jesus
and knowing his kindness in a special way.
Lord, we pray for anybody who perhaps feels
particularly discouraged today,
finding that following Jesus is hard.
Pray for those who are giving up hope
and wondering if things will ever get better.
Lord, may the light of your glory
shine in a new way today for them,
that you would give living hope
as you remind us of Jesus, our living Savior.
Lord, we pray too for our families and our friends.
We think especially of those
who as yet are not followers of the Lord Jesus.
Lord, one of the things that causes our hearts
to feel so sad is often
to think about the people we love the most
who are far from the kingdom,
who seem to have so little concern
for their eternal well-being,
who don't seem to want to hear
the good news of the Lord Jesus.
And we recognize that what's impossible with us
is eminently possible with you,
a God of powerful, saving grace.
And so we pray to see transformation
by your grace,
that you would break down barriers,
that you would soften hearts,
that men and women, boys and girls,
young and old,
those who we pray for often,
those who we've prayed for for years,
that you might be drawing them
so that we and they
would give glory to you together.
Lord, help us to pray
and not to give up.
Help us to remember
that you are the God who loves to save.
Lord, we pray too for our city
and for our nation today.
And we pray for those
who are in authority over us
locally and nationally,
that with the burdens
and responsibilities that they carry,
Lord, with the wisdom that they need,
that you would cause them
to humble themselves
and to seek your wisdom,
to seek your faith.
Help us as your people
to support them in our prayers,
to honour them in the way
that we obey,
in the way that we speak
of those who rule over us.
And Lord, we give you thanks too
for our emergency services.
And we thank you for those
who sacrifice so much for us,
between our health service
and the police
and the fire services,
those who give of themselves,
those who take great risks
for our health
and peace and security.
Lord, we pray in particular
for those we know
who are Christians
who are serving there,
Lord, that you would keep them,
encourage them,
especially sometimes
when it's so hard
to get to church regularly
because of responsibilities at work.
Lord, give them times of rest,
times in your word,
times to pray
and to know your presence
and the joy of fellowship with you.
Lord, we pray
for the work of the gospel
in our city
and in our nation.
Lord, we pray that rich and poor
and old and young,
people who have always called
Scotland home,
people who have moved
from different parts of the world,
that together
we would discover
the joy of knowing Jesus,
that you would be at work
through your words,
you'd be at work
through your people,
Sunday by Sunday
as churches gather,
week by week
as your people scatter,
to be a blessing
in our communities.
Lord, be pleased
to point many
to hope in Jesus.
And Lord, we pray
for our world.
We recognize
there is so much darkness,
there is so much sadness,
there is so much warfare
and strife.
Lord, we pray
for the ministry
of the Prince of Peace.
And we pray
for a day
when true peace
would reign,
peace of the Lord Jesus
that passes understanding
would be formed
in people's hearts
and lives.
Lord, we recognize
lasting hope
and lasting change
is found ultimately
and only
in the Lord Jesus.
And we thank you
for the promise
in your word
that there is a day coming
when the Lord Jesus
will return,
when he will make
this world new,
when he will deal
once and for all
with all that is evil
and unjust,
when his people
will live
in a world
made perfect forever,
that we will enjoy
perfectly restored
bodies and minds,
able to worship,
able to truly love.
Lord, give us
a longing
for that day
to work,
to see
your kingdom come
and your will be done
on earth
as it is in heaven.
Hear our prayers
we ask
in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Now, before we turn back
to Luke chapter 18,
we're going to sing
another section
of a psalm,
this time from Psalm 19,
a reflection on the beauty
and the value
of the word of God.
Psalm 19 from 7 to 11,
and we'll stand together
to sing.
The perfect love
of God revives the soul
of man.
His statutes,
which are sure,
make wise the simple one.
The precepts of the Lord
are right,
God's radiant command
and shed light
on what we see.
The fear of God
is pure
and lasts eternally.
The standards
of the Lord
express
His perfect truth
and righteousness.
of far more worth
than gold,
than much pure gold
they are,
than honey
from the comb,
than honey
sweeter far.
they warn
the servant
of the Lord
in keeping
them
His great
reward.
Now,
if you have your Bibles,
perhaps,
you can have them open
so we can consider
these words together.
Page 1052
if you're using
the church Bible.
We're thinking today
about how to gain
or how to miss
eternal life.
As we begin,
I wonder
if you find yourself
this week
sparing a thought
for the man
called John Cheeks.
If you are paying
attention to some
of the more obscure
items of news
this week,
you might know
that John Cheeks
was the man
who is suing
the lottery
in America.
In January
of 2023,
the U.S.
lottery was
testing all its
machines to make
sure that they
were functioning
correctly.
In error,
it printed
some lottery
numbers online.
Guess whose numbers
came up?
Mr. John Cheeks.
On that day,
he thought he had
gained
$340 million
until
the lottery
recognized their error.
He missed out
on that jackpot.
He's suing them
for emotional distress.
He wants to get
his money.
He thought it
was his.
Turned out
he was wrong.
The story of
John Cheeks
helps us
into the story
of some of the
men we meet
on the road
with Jesus.
There's an
individual,
a rich ruler,
and there's a
group of people
who presume,
they presume
they have
ultimate gain,
a gain that
makes winning
the lottery
seem like
small change.
They presumed
they were
in God's
kingdom.
Eternal life
with God
was theirs
for sure,
but it turns
out they
were in error.
They thought
they were
measuring up
perfectly to
God's standards.
Jesus is going
to tell them
they were wrong.
They thought
God's kingdom
worked on the
basis of merit,
and they had
merited a place
at God's table.
Again,
Jesus is going
to tell them
they're wrong.
Jesus provides
a reality
check
to warn
of this
error.
He tells
a story
where the
hero of the
story,
the one who's
in the
kingdom,
is the
tax collector.
And against
those who are
trying to earn
their way into
the kingdom,
Jesus says
the kingdom
belongs to
those who are
like little
children,
those who bring
nothing to the
table,
as it were,
they are in.
It can be a
hard lesson to
learn.
Let's go back
to our
playground days.
Some of us,
they're still here.
For some of us,
we have to go a
little bit further
back.
Remember how teams
were picked in
school, how teams
probably have always
been picked in
school?
You would have
captains,
and those captains,
they would decide
who got to choose
first.
And of course,
when it comes to
team selection,
you choose
whoever you think
is the best.
And maybe
you also choose
those who you're
friends with.
So gradually,
it works its way
down until
there's just one
or two people
left at the end.
Well, as we
grow up,
we probably
realize the
pattern doesn't
always change
so much.
In our
workplaces,
typically,
it's the skilled
and the successful
who get the
special responsibilities,
who get the
promotions.
In friendships,
typically,
it's the funny
and the outgoing
who get the
party invites.
So the problem
comes if we
apply that way
of thinking
to religion.
God's kingdom
must work like
the rest of the
world works.
God will accept
me because I
am.
Well,
here is Jesus,
and He's
walking closer
to the cross,
the place where
He will die,
and He needs
us to hear
and to understand
that the greatest
of all gains,
the gain of
knowing God
and having
eternal life,
doesn't come
because we
earn it.
It comes by
God's gift.
It comes
because of
grace.
So how does
He help us
to get there?
Three questions
that we can
take from our
text.
The first
question,
ask the question,
how do we
measure?
This is
verses 9
to 14.
Look at
verse 9,
to some who
are confident
of their own
righteousness
and look down
on everyone
else,
Jesus told
this parable.
Last Sunday,
I was down
in the borders,
I was preaching
down in
Galashios,
in the community
center there,
we shared
space with a
group called
Rugby Tots.
So little
two,
three,
four year olds
learning the
basics of
rugby,
learning how
to catch
a ball,
learning how
to pass.
Some of
them,
they were all
very cute,
some of
them seemed
quite decent,
but not
any of
them were
on the
same level
as the
Six Nations
team that
played yesterday.
The best
rugby taught
in the
Scottish
borders was
not playing
for the
Scottish
national team
yesterday.
But imagine
the three year
old in
Galashios who
was feeling
particularly good
about their
ball handling
skills,
thinking,
I'm the
best rugby
player ever.
if they'd
switched on
the TV
yesterday
evening,
if they'd
watched
Gregor Townsend's
team play,
they would
have received
an important
reality check.
How we
measure
matters.
And so
Jesus uses
a parable
to deliver
a reality
check to
a man,
to a group
of men
who are
measuring
themselves
against other
people.
And they're
feeling really
good about
themselves,
and they're
despising
other people,
and they're
really confident
of being
in God's
team.
And so
Jesus tells
a parable.
He paints
a picture
of two
praying men.
Two people
come to
the same
place of
worship.
There's a
number of
different things
that are the
same,
one or two
that are
very different,
and key
is how they
measure.
Listen to
how Jesus
describes
the religious
man.
The Pharisee,
he stood
by himself.
He is
standing
apart
because of
his pride.
I don't
want to be
associated
with these
lesser
mortals
over here.
We hear
it in his
words,
God,
I thank
you
that I'm
not like
other people.
I am
so thankful
that I'm
in a
different
moral
category.
So,
interesting,
he's clearly
very sincere
and religious.
I fast
twice a
week,
I give
a tenth
of all
I get,
but his
heart is
not right
before
God.
But then,
Jesus introduces
the rebellious
man,
the tax
collector
who robs
his own
people,
who works
with the
enemy,
the tax
collector
two.
He stood
at a
distance.
He stands
apart,
but he
stands
apart
because he
feels and
he knows
he's
unworthy.
He would
not even
look up to
heaven.
Standard
way to
pray.
He doesn't
feel he
deserves it.
He beats
his breast
as a sign
of deep
grief and
repentance,
because of
his sin.
And how
does he
pray?
He
prays,
God,
have
mercy on
me,
a sinner.
Literally,
God,
be propitiated
to me,
a sinner.
God,
turn your
anger
away from
me.
I know
I am a
sinner.
I know
I deserve
your anger,
but please
have mercy.
Turn the
anger
away
from
me.
As
Jesus
tells
the story,
he's
reminding
us of
why he
is going
to the
cross.
Jesus
is going
to the
cross to
be a
substitute
so the
anger of
God against
our sin
might not
fall on
us,
but it
might fall
on
Jesus.
Now,
we get to
the sting
in the
tail,
don't
we?
This
would be
a total
shock to
Jesus'
original
hearers.
We
already know,
we've
decided,
we've
heard the
gospels
probably,
so we
know who
the good
guys and
the bad
guys are,
but in
Jesus'
day,
the Pharisees
are the
elite.
These are
God's
men.
Jesus
says,
I tell
you,
this
man,
rather
than the
other,
went home
justified
before
God.
Who
is the
one who
is declared
to be
in right
standing
with God?
Who
is the
one who
is in
the
kingdom,
who
is on
his
way
to
enjoy
eternal
life?
It's
the bad
guy.
God
because he
shows true
humility.
He confesses
his sin.
He knows
he needs
mercy and
he seeks
mercy from
God.
That would
have shocked
the crowd
in Jesus'
day.
And
actually,
this teaching
still shocks
people today.
sin.
I don't
know if
you've
ever
had
those
conversations
where you
understand
that this
sinner's
prayer can
still cause
a great
scandal
and offence.
As people
understand
that Jesus
has come
to save
anyone,
anyone who
confesses sin
and trusts in
Jesus will
be saved.
Maybe I've
conversed,
you mean the
very worst
of criminals?
They could be
saved if they
trusted in
Jesus.
You mean a
horrible tyrant
and dictator
could be
saved even
if as they
were dying
they turned
to put their
trust in
Jesus?
And the
answer is
yes.
God is
gracious.
Jesus'
grace is
wonderful and
shocking.
Jesus explains
why the
tax collector
was justified.
It's this
principle of
reversal that
Jesus keeps
introducing
end of
verse 14.
All those
who exalt
themselves
will be
humbled
and those
who humble
themselves
will be
exalted.
What goes
up must
first go
down.
Unlike the
Pharisee who
compared himself
with others,
compared himself
with the bad
guys to feel
good about
himself and
to look down
on them,
the tax
collector is
justified because
he knows how
to measure.
He has
measured himself
against God's
perfect standard
and when we do
that we see
that we need
mercy.
That's what
Jesus wants
to expose
in verse 9,
a spirit of
self-righteousness,
a mindset that
thinks I can
win or I have
won God's
favor by my
actions.
And so this
story reminds us
we need to be so
careful with the
measures that we
use, the
measure that we
use towards
God to
recognize that
God is
perfectly
holy.
He cannot
bear to
look on
sin, he
can have
nothing to
do with
sin.
We also
need to
understand that
his requirement
is perfect
obedience.
Unlike when
we sit an
exam, it's
not enough
just to
scrape a
pass.
You know,
70% is a
good grade,
but not when
it comes to
obedience towards
God.
100% love
and obedience
is the
requirement that
he sets, and
so we need to
know that
measure.
The parable
also tells us
we need to be
careful about
how we apply
measures towards
others.
First of all,
to understand
that we are
truly known
by God.
He is the
one who sees
our hearts,
our minds.
That should
humble us
before we're so
quick to judge
others, but
also to understand
we don't ever
truly know
others.
So we need to
be super careful
against pride
in a critical
spirit that can
so easily come
out.
And we also
need to be
careful with the
measure we apply
towards ourselves.
Sometimes it's
so important for
us to consider
what God's law
actually teaches,
because we know,
I think,
whenever we
measure by
the Ten
Commandments,
or we measure
ourselves up
against God's
command to
love Him
with all our
heart, soul,
mind, and
strength,
to love our
neighbor as
ourselves.
We've not
reached that
standard.
We cannot
reach that
standard.
So that
basing our
hope on
my righteousness,
pinning my
eternal future
on, well,
I think I'm
doing better
than others,
that mentality
is to miss
eternal life,
because what we
need is the
gospel.
Who we need
is Jesus.
Jesus is the
only one who
is perfectly
measured up.
If you want to
see what perfect
obedience looks
like, you see it
in Jesus.
What does perfect
love for God and
neighbor looks like?
We see it in
Jesus, and we see
it in the cross.
As we said,
Jesus will die
on the cross as
God's answer to
the human problem
of sin, to turn
away God's anger
against our sin,
and it's only as
we come to Him
that we can be
justified, that we
can find mercy, that
we can enjoy
eternal life.
So there's the
question of how we
measure.
Do we measure
against God's
standard?
Do we measure
against our own
standard?
There's another
question to ask
ourselves, how do
we come?
Do we come on the
basis of grace, or
do we come on the
basis of merit?
Again, I'm sure
many of us have
been following the
postmaster scandal
in the news since
the turn of the
year, an example
of perhaps the
greatest miscarriage
of justice in the
UK legal system.
There's a Christian
apologist by the
name of Glenn
Scrivener.
He's written a
really insightful
essay, and one of
the key problems
that he identified
that the justice
system is now
beginning to
identify is the
problem of
pretending there
are no errors.
You know, the
whole refusal of
companies and
governments to
acknowledge that
there could possibly
be any system
errors led to
tens of thousands
being unfairly
victimized and
prosecuted.
That same error,
the error of
pretending there
are no errors,
that lies at the
heart of the
human condition.
we have that
inbuilt ability to
persuade ourselves
that we are
right.
We have a
pretended goodness.
We manage to
whitewash over, you
know, the
deadliness of our
sin.
Just like Adam and
Eve in the garden,
even as they sin and
they shame, they fall
into shame because they
turn their back on
God.
We too try and cover
our sin with
pretended goodness,
just like those fig
leaves that Adam and
Eve used.
It just doesn't
cut it.
We come in verse
18 to a man,
again, who is
confident that he
can, by his own
efforts, get eternal
life.
How do we know
that?
Because he says,
good teacher, what
must I do to
inherit eternal
life?
It's already a
flaw.
It's good to
desire eternal
life.
It's folly to try
and get there on
our own strength and
merit.
And what Jesus
does as he talks
to this man is he
introduces some
systems tests.
He wants the
man to see the
error of this way
of thinking, to
throw up those
errors so that he
and we might throw
ourselves on the
mercy of God.
The first test he
introduces is the
test of goodness.
Jesus asks him in
verse 19, why do
you call me good?
No one is good
except God alone.
The main point
Jesus is wanting
to address here is,
does the man
understand that
God is the
standard of
absolute goodness
goodness and
that compared to
that absolute
standard of
goodness, none
of us can
possibly say we
are good.
Can he, can we
possibly hope to
compare with the
perfection of
God?
He doesn't seem
to have reflected
very deeply on
that because when
the second test is
introduced, the
test of love for
neighbor, Jesus
says you know the
commandments and
there's commandments
about neighbor
love, you shall
not commit
adultery, you
shall not murder,
you shall not
steal, you
shall not give
false testimony
on your father
and mother.
He effectively
says, yep,
tick that box,
all of these I've
kept since I was
a boy.
Really?
No anger,
no lust,
no cheek towards
your parents,
no impatience,
no pride,
ever.
This man has
failed to understand
that the law is
to function as
a mirror that
reveals to us
our imperfections.
As we spend
time in front of
the perfect law
of God, it
should show us
that God is
perfect and we
are not.
This man, he
likes what he
sees as he looks
in the mirror.
Why is that?
Because he only
ever really glances
at God.
He's so busy
gazing at
himself.
He needs
Romans 3.
We need
Romans 3.
Verse 20,
therefore,
no one will be
declared righteous
in God's sight
by the works
of the law.
Rather,
through the law,
we become
conscious of
our sin.
Or Romans 3,
23,
for all have
sinned and
fall short
of the glory
of God.
He needs
the Heidelberg
Catechism.
And by that,
we're called
to love God
and love our
neighbor,
but we confess
that we are
prone to hate
in the way
that we live.
By now,
he should have
been running
to Jesus
for mercy
and grace.
The third
test that
Jesus introduces,
having introduced
the test of
goodness and
love for
neighbor,
is the test
of love
for God.
Verse 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'll
have treasure
in heaven.
Then come
follow me.
And it
becomes clear
that the man
hasn't kept
these commands.
He loves
money ahead
of God.
He is guilty
of coveting.
Money has
become an
idol to him.
And in
verse 23,
when he heard
this,
he became
very sad.
Now he's
reading the
error report.
Now he
sees the
problem,
the idol,
in his
heart.
But,
having asked,
how do I
inherit eternal
life?
Jesus says,
do that,
give it up,
to have me,
to have treasure
in heaven.
He won't.
He doesn't
see Jesus as a
treasure worth
sacrificing for.
And so he
is left sad.
Why is he
sad?
He's sad
because his
heart is
divided.
He kind of
wants to be
religious,
but he
really wants
to love his
money.
A divided
heart is
always going
to be a
sad heart.
If Jesus
is not
our goal,
if he is
not our
controlling
center,
as
Christians,
we will
have
sadness.
A
half-hearted
faith is
a sad
faith.
We need
total
commitment
to our
wonderful
Savior.
Then Jesus
goes on
to use
that
ridiculous
picture to
make a
serious
point.
He says
in verse
24,
how hard
it is for
the rich
to enter
the kingdom
of God
and indeed
it is
easier
for a
camel
to go
through
the eye
of a
needle
than for
someone
who is
rich
to enter
the kingdom
of God.
So easy
to depend
on our
money,
so easy
to live
for our
money and
the things
that money
buys.
Well,
the crowd
are stunned
because remember
in their way
of thinking,
if you want
to know
who God
favors,
who God
is showing
His kindness
to,
it is to
the rich
people.
I thought
they had
God's
approval,
but now
Jesus is
saying
that's not
how it
works.
So if it's
not about
earning it,
if it's not
about religious
and moral
effort,
how does
anyone gain
eternal life?
They asked
the question,
verse 26,
who then
can be saved?
Jesus replied,
what is
impossible with
man is
possible with
God.
Do we hear it?
It is
impossible
by ourselves
to enter
into eternal
life.
It is
impossible
for us
to be
good enough
for God,
but what's
impossible
for us
is possible
for God.
And it's
possible
because God
has sent
His Son
Jesus,
and Jesus
has come
to make
the impossible
possible,
because Jesus
has come
as our
representative
and our
substitute,
and where
we have
disobeyed
the law,
He has
perfectly
obeyed
at all
points.
Where we
have failed
to love
God and
neighbor,
He has
perfectly
loved His
Father and
loved His
neighbor,
and He
showed us
that by
giving His
life to
make enemies
into friends.
He gave
His life as
the perfect
sacrifice to
make atonement
for our sin
and our guilt,
and His
perfect record
of perfect
righteousness
is credited
to His
people,
so that we
are saved
by grace
through faith
in Jesus.
So let's
ask our
big question,
how do we
gain or
how do we
miss
eternal life?
So far,
these two
groups,
they've
experienced a
huge shock.
They were
so confident
that God
had approved
of them,
but now
they're
discovering
from Jesus'
words that
no one is
good enough,
no one
merits life
with God.
And in
that,
there's been
a call
to honesty,
to honestly
consider,
can we
really and
truly be
good and
loving enough
for God?
Do we
think we
can meet
His
standards?
And with
that,
there comes
that need
for humility
instead of
coming with
those lists
of credentials.
Here's why
you should
accept me,
Jesus,
because of
all these
things that
I've done.
We come
like the
tax collector
and we
plead for
mercy.
But still
wonderfully,
we also need
to recognize
that hope
is offered.
It's true
for us,
if we listen
and learn,
there is
hope for us.
Last month,
rather,
we were learning
the new hymn,
Come unto Jesus.
The chorus
is wonderful.
Come unto
Jesus,
lay down
your burdens,
because He
is enough.
One of the
burdens that we
carry is the
burden of
trying to
earn our
approval.
Even as
Christians,
sometimes we
get it wrong
and we
think we
need to
earn God's
favor rather
than knowing
that He
loves us
perfectly in
Jesus.
We're
invited to
come unto
Jesus and
rest in
His love.
And to
help us to
understand this,
in between
this group who
are self-righteous
and they're
looking down on
others,
in between
them and
the rich
young man
who thought
He could
merit eternal
life,
there's another
group,
isn't there?
Who does
Jesus meet
in between?
He meets the
babies and
the little
children.
And this
little encounter
shows us
here's the
way to
gain eternal
life.
It also
tells us
some of the
struggles that
we have to
accept it.
So there's
the disciples,
verse 15.
People are
bringing babies
to Jesus for
Him to place
His hands
on them.
When the
disciples saw
this,
they rebuked
Him.
Jesus is
far too
busy doing
real ministry.
Babies,
children,
they're just
going to be
a distraction.
They're not
important.
Disciples are
struggling to
see that
Jesus'
kingdom works
on the
basis of
grace.
It's not
about who
earns it,
who deserves
it,
who's the
most significant
in society.
I think even
as Christians,
we can struggle
and fall
into the
trap.
I feel
that God
loves me
more this
week because
I've been
faithful and
obedient this
week.
I feel
that I'm
better than
others because
I'm being
obedient this
week.
Jesus is
so different.
What does
Jesus do?
The disciples
rebuke the
parents, but
Jesus called
the children
to Him and
said,
let the
little children
come to
Me.
Do not
hinder them,
for the
kingdom of
God belongs
to such as
these.
He called
them, He
invites them,
and they
come.
Why do they
become a
picture of
those who
gain eternal
life?
Because it
reminds us
how we are
to come.
We're to
come with
a childlike
trust.
We're to
come with
dependence.
We're to
come in
response to
the free
invitation to
life that
comes from
Jesus.
Not asking
what we need
to do, not
asking what
we need
to pay to
come like
children, to
hear the
Savior's call
and to run
to Him for
grace.
So, Jesus
is saying to
us today,
don't miss
eternal life.
Don't miss the
greatest gain of
all by measuring
against others and
saying, well, I'm
better than others
rather than
measuring against
God.
Don't miss out
either by measuring
against others and
saying, I'm no
good, so God
wouldn't want
me, because
that also is
to limit God's
grace and
God's mercy.
Rather, we're
invited to trust
Jesus, the good
and gracious
Savior and
King, and to
come to Him.
Remember Jesus
said, those who
exalt themselves
will be humbled
and those who
humble themselves
will be exalted.
Jesus has humbled
Himself, hasn't
He?
The eternal
Son of God has
left the glory of
heaven to become
one of us.
He humbled
Himself by living
a life marked by
suffering and
rejection and
shame.
He humbles
Himself by being
ready to walk
the road to
Jerusalem to
die on the
cross, to
take our sin, to
take our shame, to
pay the price in
full.
Faith in this
Jesus brings us
God's mercy.
faith in Jesus
secures the
forgiveness of
our sins.
Faith in Jesus
means we enter
life with Him
now.
With the promise
and reality that
united to Jesus,
humbly coming to
Him in faith, we
will be exalted.
We will have the
joy of eternal
life now, knowing
life with Jesus.
us and the
promise of
eternal life with
Him when He
returns, when He
makes everything
new, when He
takes His people
to be with Him.
If we've heard
His invitation and
His call to
grace, then we
will be exalted
and enjoy
eternity with
Him.
let's not miss
eternal life by
trying to make
it our own
way.
Let's seek Him
for grace, to
gain it, to
enjoy it.
Let's pray
together.
Lord, our
God, we
thank You.