Sermon Central
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The Deficiency That Really Matters
Contributed by Jimmy Chapman on Jan 12, 2008 (message contributor)
Summary: The human body needs to lack but one thing to die, if that one thing is the heart. A house needs to lack but one thing to fall, if that thing is the foundation. The sky needs to lack but one thing, to go black if that thing is the sun. And a life needs
THE DEFICIENCY THAT REALLY MATTERS
There are many different diseases that are a result of some dietary deficiency.
Back in the 1700’s the English suffered severely from scurvy – a bone disease that lead to the of many. Then they discovered that eating lemons and limes would help prevent it.
Rickets is the result of calcium deficiency.
Here was a man with a DIVINE deficiency. He only lacked one thing, but that one thing was the most important thing.
The human body needs to lack but one thing to
die, if that one thing is the heart. A house needs to lack but one thing to fall, if that thing is the foundation. The sky needs to lack but one thing, to go black if that thing is the sun. And a life needs to lack but one thing to be a failure, now and for eternity, if that thing is Christ.
So it is not whether or not you lack-we all lack some things; but it matters what it is that we lack.
If you lack Christ, no one of the other things you
possess, or all of them put together, can take His place. If He is not there, there is a void in your life, which this world cannot fill. Get him, and you get everything.
Patrick Henry said it in his will, when he said, "I have now disposed of all my earthly possessions to my children. I wish I could also bequeath to them the Christian religion; for if they had that, and I had given them nothing else, they would be rich; and, if they have not that, and I had given them everything else, they would be poor."
Of all the people who ever came to the feet of Jesus, this man was the only one who went away worse than he came.
Here is one of the saddest stories in the gospels.
I. The lack this young man felt
I believe he came to Jesus because he knew there was a deficiency in his life. He knew there was something missing in his life, and he did not know what it was.
A. There was the answer he was wanting to find
He sincerely was looking for the answer to the void in his life.
1. He had riches - WEALTH
Mark tells us he had “great possession.”
2. He had rank
Luke says he was a ruler. As a result, position was his. He had the admiration of others.
3. He had respect
He had reverence for Jesus. He kneeled before Jesus, in token of the great value and awe he had for Him, as a teacher come from God and his earnest desire to be taught by him.
He seemed to have it all, but what matters most he lacked. His riches could not purchase what was missing in his life. His rank could not command what was missing in his life.
Nothing in this world can satisfy lack in the heart of man.
B. There was the action he was willing to take
He came running to Christ, which was an indication of his humility; he laid aside the grandeur of a ruler, when he came to Christ. By running he manifested his earnestness and importunity; he ran as one in haste and longing to be in conversation with Christ. He had now an opportunity of consulting this great Prophet, in the things that belonged to his peace, and he was not going to let the opportunity slip by him.
By running to Jesus he manifest the intensity with which he desired to know the way of life.
II. The Lord this young man faced
Jesus saw this man’s heart. Hebrews 4:13 “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
Jesus knew his heart.
A. Recognition Christ afforded him
“One thing thou lackest”
You have many good qualities, but you lack one thing- and in that one thing is the main thing.
The young man had not gone into sin, but he had come short of righteousness.
Ignorance of the extent and spiritual nature of the divine law, makes people think themselves in a better condition than they really are.
B. Requirement Christ asked him
The man saw his sin as an action of the hand, but God wanted him to see it as an attitude of the heart.
The Lord puts him to the You want to do some
thing? What saith the law? Do not commit ery, do not
kill, etc.
The rich young man, "Master, all these have I observed from my youth." The commandments the Lord quoted to him are from the second table of the Law and cover
