Study

I’m Good

August 13, 2023 by in Study

Text:

Matthew 19:16-17:

16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life,

     keep the commandments.

 

Theme:

I’m Good

 

Introduction:

  • The text comes from the Gospel of Matthew.
    • The Gospel according to St. Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and of the Gospels of Jesus, the Christ, and the 40th book of the Holy Bible as a whole.
    • Matthew, the disciple of Christ, wrote in more detail of the life of Christ and His ministry than any other Gospel writer even though the book was written over 5-10 years later than the rest of the Gospels.
    • Being a tax collector, Matthew’s attention to detail with the money was a gift that God used to collect and document information about the Master’s life and living.
  • The 19th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew finds Jesus imparting to the disciples the wisdom needed to edify and fortify the Believing populations
    • Direction on divorce
    • The preeminence of children in the context of the Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God
    • The right and righteous growth of young believers
    • The unavoidable spiritual struggle of those with material wealth
  • Our text directs us to the specific instruction that Jesus gives the young man regarding the understanding of GOODNESS
    • In our SOCIETY à GOODNESS is a concept that is attributed subjectively and conditionally
    • In our EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM à GOODNESS is an attribute placed descriptively to what is sensationally and societally seen as “good”
    • In our LIVES à GOODNESS is found, recognized and associated at the discretion of the individual and their very personal interpretation of GOODNESS
  • In the context of the ambiguous concept of GOODNESS, we find many who use the term loosely…colloquially
    • “What’s Good?” à This is the oftentimes social rhetoric to break the ice by asking for the positive things going on in the person’s life. I call it rhetoric because there is not usually the need for a response in detail…just an acknowledgement
    • “That’s Good!” à This is an acknowledgement of what has been presented and a willingness to go a step further and show approval.
    • Then there is a declaration that many have made to the goodness in their own lives and perspective. This we will focus on in this study.  Let’s look at the positive and the negative…the right and the wrong…in the last of the “Good Statements” that we will address….
      • “I’m Good!”

 

Body:

  • Both colloquial and descriptive declarations of “I’m Good!” have been professed for different reasons…
    • When we are full and are being offered more food
    • When asked if we need anything else at the end of a restaurant meal
    • When responding to the question of how we feel regarding our health
    • When we are offered more money to have and spend (PSYCHE!!!! Not really!)
  • Our text gives us understanding to explain how we are actually incorrect in our self-assessment!

“there is none good but one, that is, God”

  • There is no one who is GOOD but the Father!
    • What does GOOD mean?
      • First there are the OBJECTIVE elements…
        • GOOD in its ORIGIN
          • Where it came from…its creator or originator can declare or attribute goodness
          • Genesis 1:31, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good….”
        • GOOD in its COMPOSITION
          • The parts that make up the whole of it confirm the goodness of the complete.
          • You can understand why the apple pie was so good when you learned that the baker used fresh apples, real butter and shaved nutmeg with handmade crust from scratch. Mmmmm!
        • GOOD in its STABILITY/BALANCE
          • When IT can be described as being BALANCED, STURDY, STRONG, CONSISTENT, or EVEN!
          • We know that everyone wants to have a good CAR…a good HOUSE…a good MATE!
      • Second there are the SUBJECTIVE elements…
        • GOOD in its PRESENTATION
          • When it LOOKS good…when it SEEMS good…it must be…GOOD
          • Genesis 3:6, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
        • GOOD in its IMPACT/IMPRESSION
          • When it FEELS good…when it FELT good…we then will call it…GOOD
          • Other may not but I can admit that…
            • I called something GOOD when it…FELT good to me
            • I called something GOOD when it…made me FEEL good
            • I called something GOOD when it…was DECLARED to be good to have
            • I called something GOOD when it…made me LOOK GOOD
        • GOOD in its MATURITY/DEVELOPMENT
          • IT has reached a point of completion, fullness or ripeness. IT is at its best!
          • 1Corinthians 10:26, “For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.”
          • Galatians 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
      • When you look at it in this 6-fold fashion, you can see why Jesus said what He said.
        • ONLY GOD can satisfy all 6 aspects of GOODNESS
        • ONLY GOD can maintain all 6 aspects of GOODNESS
        • ONLY GOD can stand as the Righteous Judge for all 6 aspects of GOODNESS
      • God applies the 6-FOLD GOODNESS that is intrinsic to who He is in three primary ways
        • 1 – God is GOOD in how He follows through with His promises
        • 2 – God is GOOD in His ability to work miracles
        • 3 – God is GOOD in our personal Divine relationships
          • His covering and monitoring…
          • His placing and positioning…
          • His leading and guiding…
          • His reaching and righting…
          • His teaching and reteaching…
        • It is at this juncture that we must find our error…
          • In telling folks…I’m Good!
          • In telling ourselves…I’m Good!
          • In telling God…I’m Good!
        • God CREATED us…called His creation Good
          • 6 days of creation…light to mankind…
          • But…WE ARE NOT GOOD
            • There is SIN that was realized in the Garden
          • God CHOSE us…set us aside as His Chosen ones
            • First the Jews…then the Gentiles (us)
            • But…WE ARE NOT GOOD
              • There was self-righteousness that separated us from God
          • God SAVED us…sent His Son, Jesus to reconcile back to Him
            • John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
            • But…WE ARE NOT GOOD
              • God did His part but we still have to do our part by BELIEVING and CONFESSING Jesus!
          • God has PROMISED us…given us promises that build the Kingdom of God today
            • The Kingdom of God becomes a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven to come
            • But…WE ARE NOT GOOD
              • We REDUCE God because of our UNBELIEF!
                • Mark 9:24, “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”
                  • There are two aspects of God that we must embrace…
                    • The “GOD WILL” à What He has promised, He will provide.
                      • Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
                      • Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
                      • 1John 2:25, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”
                    • The “GOD CAN” à He’s a miracle worker!!!!
                      • Daniel 3:17, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”
                    • Too often we as Believers cry out “I’m Good!” and block our blessings…
                      • We cry out “I’m Good!” before “GOD WILL” do as He has promised
                      • We cry out “I’m Good!” before “GOD CAN” perform the miracle that we hope for
                      • We cry our “I’m Good!” before God has the chance to USE US as a testimony to others of what he WILL can CAN do!!!!
                    • It’s ok to not be GOOD because we AREN’T GOOD! It’s just the TRUTH!!!

 

Conclusion:

  • Well, don’t think that I am down and out…downcast and downtrodden…oppressed and depressed…NO
    • I may not be GOOD but I am COVERED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am FORGIVEN…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am LOVED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am PROTECTED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am LIFTED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am SAVED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am DELIVERED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am FREE…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am SPIRIT-FILLED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am COMMISSIONED…
    • I may not be GOOD but I am HIS!!!!…
      • I may not be GOOD but HE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!

#938

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