Title: “Can’t Live Without It”
Text: Matthew 19:16-22
Objective: To point out that there are many worldly things we feel like we cannot live without, but the only true essentials are those things which affect our eternity
Introduction:
I recently received a ‘Tivo’ video recorder as a gift, and I think it’s really neat. The shows I could never watch before are now recorded, and I can watch them whenever I get a chance. I jokingly said to Jennifer, I just don’t know how we ever got along without Tivo!
Of course I was kidding, but it got me thinking. Many people say, “I just can’t live without my ____” (i.e. TV, cell phone, credit card) and really mean it!
Their lives are so wrapped in the things of this world, and material wealth, that the accumulation of possessions becomes the focus of their lives.
***The man in today’s story had a similar problem. He had many great possessions – but he there was something he lacked: eternal salvation. He came to Christ and asked one serious question: “what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life”
Jesus took him through a couple of commandments, and then hit him where it hurt. Jesus said, “sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me”
But the rich man chose instead to go away sad. He chose his worldly possessions – his temporary happiness – over an eternity in heaven. His happiness was bound up in his riches, and he couldn’t imagine a life without them.
He chose a life separated from God, rather than a life separated from his possessions.
I want to show you today in scripture, two things we truly can’t live without – and neither of them are money! These are things that affect not our temporary physical life, but our eternal spiritual life.
I. We Can’t Live Without Faith
Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
a. Many of you have heard me speak about faith, and how it is best represented by a man jumping from a plane using parachute
i. But Christ is more than any mere parachute, because parachutes sometimes fail
ii. Joke: “When nothing goes right” A young paratrooper was getting his last minute instructions before his big jump. He was told (1) Jump when you are told (2) count to ten and pull the ripcord (3) In the unlikely even nothing happens pull the emergency cord (4) when you land a truck will take you back to the base. Well he jumped and pulled his ripcord and nothing happened. He pulled his emergency cord, and again, nothing happened. “Oh great,” said the young man, “I’ll bet the tuck isn’t down there either!”
iii. Though many things in our lives fail – Christ has never and will never fail
b. Some people misplace their faith in Christ
i. Did I say, ‘misplace faith in Christ?’ Yes I did
ii. They trust Christ for the temporary things of the world, without any consideration for the eternal
iii. Illustration: “Jesus and the Football Team” A group of players visited a church where the pastor was talking about how Jesus can turn losers into winners. All of the boys went forward to accept Christ at the invitation. One team member was later overheard saying, “With Jesus on our team, we can’t lose!” The pastor seemed happy with their apparent conversion. The next Saturday evening one of the boys was seen by one of the girls from the church drinking at a party. She confronted him and asked, ‘didn’t you become a Christian?’ He snapped back, “Hey, that doesn’t mean I can’t have fun. I am not letting anybody, even Jesus, tell me what to do!” During the season, the team lost seven of ten games. One by one the boys stopped attending church and youth activities.
iv. Wouldn’t you say that these boys had a misplaced faith in Christ?
v. All of their faith was in what Jesus could do in the ‘right now’, not in the ‘here after’
vi. Christ did not come to the earth and die on the cross to make sure the Jaguars go to the super bowl, or that you get to drive a jaguar – He came to save us from the penalty of having jumped into sin with no parachute
c. But can faith in Jesus turn a loser into winner?
i. Yes, but not in the way of the world’s standards
ii. Jesus said that the only way to win was to lose
iii. Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
iv. If you are following Christ for selfish reasons, and you are unwilling to conform your life to His, you will lose
v. If you are ready to lose your life for His sake, you will win
vi. Illustration: “Dying for Christ vs. Dying to Christ” Many people believe Matt. 16:24 refers exclusively to martyrdom. We are not all called to martyrdom, but we are ALL called to die to this life and live for Christ. Dying for Christ is a major show of faith by any believer. But let me tell you folks, dying to Christ in your daily walk is also a major display of faith!
d. Faith without obedience is no faith at all
i. James 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
ii. Without faith, we will have no eternal life – So it is impossible to truly live without faith
II. We Can’t Live Without Blood Sacrifice
Hebrew 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
a. Jesus’ sacrifice made the atonement for our sins
i. Without it we would still owe a debt
ii. It is not enough to recognize sin, and try to stop – we have to have a payment for the many times we have and will miss the mark of God
iii. Illustration: “The Speeding Fine” Let’s say for arguments sake that you blew through a place roped off for blind school children at 65 mph, with ten signs that told you the speed limit had dropped to 5 mph. You get arrested and taken before a judge who fines you 25,000 dollars. You can tell the judge that you have seen the error of your ways, and never drive that way again – The judge may believe you, BUT you still owe the fine!
1. Christ paid the fine we owe
2. God gives us ten clear basics to follow in His Word (the commandments, His perfect mark)
3. Because we have blown through them in our lives, we don’t just need to repent and turn from our sin, we need forgiveness
4. Christ’s blood offers that forgiveness
b. Christ is the only religious leader to ever have the power to atone for sins
i. He proved it because He was perfectly unique
ii. He was unique because of His (1) virgin birth (2) sinless life (3) atoning death (4) powerful resurrection (5) public ascension
c. There is none like Christ
i. Illustration: “Great Answers But No Help” There is a legend that says that a man became lost and wandered into quicksand. Confucius walked by and said, “It is evident that men should stay out of such places.” Next, Buddha walked by and said, “Let this man’s plight be a lesson to the world.” Mohammed came by next and said, “Alas, it must be the will of God.” Finally Jesus walked on the scene and said, “Take my hand, brother. I will save you”
ii. There are many religions in the world, each containing things that are admirable and true – but only one provides salvation from sin
iii. The one that looks to Christ alone for salvation, because only though his blood can one be saved
iv. Without Christ’s blood sacrifice there could be no forgiveness for sin – so it is impossible to truly live without it!
Conclusion: I want you to consider that thing in your life that you don’t think you could live without. Maybe it’s money, or a relationship, or a career, or maybe it’s an addiction. (There are people who are addicted to almost anything: shopping, cleanliness, even sex)
And consider just how little that possession or act is in comparison to the eternity God offers through Christ.
The song ‘Proud to be an American’ begins with the words:
If tomorrow all things were gone, I’ve worked for all my life
And I had to start again, with just my children and my wife
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today
Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can’t take that away… (You probably know the rest)
[I have revised the song for this message and I would like you to meditate on these words as I close; it begins much the same as the original, but closes quite different]
***If tomorrow all the things were gone, I’ve worked for all my life
And I had to start again, with just my children and my wife
I’d thank my God above for what He did for me that day
Because the cross still stands for freedom
And no man can take it away
I am proud to be a Christian, because I know I’m free
And I won’t forget the Man who died, and gave this life to me
And I will gladly stand up, next to Him – and proclaim Him everyday
Because there is no doubt He loves me so
God blessed me through His pain
[Heads bowed, eyes closed]
Today, I urge you not to be like the rich young ruler and walk away sad, afraid to give up the temporary things of this world.
God offers you the gift of eternal life when you put your faith and trust in what Christ did for you on the cross. The gift is yours to have free of charge, because Christ has already paid the price for your sins.
God’s desire is for us to recognize what He has done for us as the only thing we can’t live without.
You can live without a lot – but if you are living without Jesus, you’re not really living. The Bible says that we are spiritually dead in our sins before coming to Christ. But He died to make you alive in Him.
And if you are living without Him today, I implore you, when the music begins, to take a stand in faith and come to Jesus
[let us pray]
