Three Strikes and You're Out | Part 1

Our human goodness, save us. Listen to Adrian Rogers the worst form of bad is good.

Jesus said that prostitutes and tax collectors were going to happen before the Pharisees because they had their self-righteousness as a substitute God's mercy, no matter how nicely you may live, you live as well as this rich young ruler Jesus looked him straight in the face and said in verse 18, there is none good but one, and that is God, the worst form of badness is human goodness and human goodness becomes a substitute for the new Logan two months worth buying between the dynamic garage is a real problem today of trying to live outwardly good lives without ever finding a new life in Christ, Mark chapter 10 tells the sad story of the rich young ruler who, when given the opportunity to follow Jesus turned away.

This story offers for insights to help avoid striking out the opportunity to follow Christ. If you have your Bible turned out of Mark chapter 10 will begin in verse 17 is Adrian Rogers begins. Part one of three strikes and you're out by God's word.

Mark chapter 10 in a few moments were going to begin reading in verse 17 there is a problem a real problem and that is that people attend church.

They listen to sermons, they join churches, but they are never radically dramatically internally changed.

They have religion but they've never met God many churches today are filled with baptized pagans. They have been vaccinated. Are you listening vaccinated with a mild form of Christianity, and they never call the real disease and so the church may be full, but the people are often empty.

They come they go through the motions. They try to live outwardly good life, but they had never really truly found a new life they've never been converted out. With that in mind, I want to look at the passage of Scripture here and not Mark chapter 10 and I begin in verse 17 and when he was going forth into the way, now that he refers to Jesus Christ himself became one of running and meal to him by the way, Matthew tells us that this was a rich young ruler that came one running and meal to him and ask him the master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life.

And Jesus said to him, why call this thou me good is not a good one.

That is God telling us the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, do not bear false witness for fraud, not honor thy father and mother, and he answered and said in him master.

All these have I observed from my use. Then Jesus beholding him loved him and set them to him. One thing Val asked, go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven and come, take up the cross and follow me, and he that is, the rich young ruler was sad at that saying and went away grieved for having great possessions and Jesus look roundabout in separatist disciples, how hardly so they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God and the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answered again and said unto them, children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God and they were astonished at the measure, saying among themselves, who then can be saved and Jesus looking upon them saith, with men it is impossible, but not with God for with God, but with God all things are possible.

Matter for things I will delay only hard to come directly out of this passage of Scripture number one proud man at their best. Are sinners at their works now. You may not see it on the surface with this man was quite proud of his achievements and outwardly had much to be proud. Matter fact outwardly had very much that we would admire.

First of all I like his eagerness with whom the Bible says he came running east of the strengthen and the bigger of you and I like enthusiasm I noticed some folks who come to church on Sunday morning. I can see a sign hanging around your neck right now it says please do not disturb. You are not enthusiastic about the things of God.

I love people like this man who had this hybrid enthusiasm and not only was he enthusiastic.

He was humble, I mean he comes and he meals before Jesus.

Now Jesus was a peasant prophet from Galilee. This man was a rich young ruler.

He had position and he had possession and he had power and he had prestige and he had it at a young age, and yet there he is out there in the broad open way kneeling before the Lord Jesus Christ.

And again I like that but a lot of people and some perhaps in this building today were going to go to hell because of their abominable pride.

They don't want anybody to know that they have any needs in their life. And so when invitation is given they look around to see if any of those old centers are going to go forward and give the heart to Jesus Christ.

Another thing I like about this man is this, that he was deserting. He knew there was something about Jesus that was different answer. He said to Jesus, good master, good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life.

He knew worth and a new goodness when he saw and we have a lot of people who cannot even discern goodness. Even in the Lord Jesus Christ there cynics who know the price of everything and the value of nothing.

Something else I like about this man was that he had his mind on spiritual claims he can say what must I do to make a killing in the stock market. What must I do have pleasure needs.

He asked this question, what must I do to inherit eternal life. What are you interested in you interested in.

Most of us are not interested in going to heaven are trying to mess hell we were just interested in tomorrow. The humdrum around of life. Here was a young man blessed very vital question I want to know about me eternal life and onto something else is very admirable about it outwardly was morally clean.

Jesus said, you know the commandments, he said, Lord, I kept them from my youth up.

I he would make a wonderful neighbor. This was a kind of man you could trust when you go away on vacation.

Look over the things he was a man that you would not be afraid for your children to be around the Marley clean. He made a great associate in business you are looking for business partner is a boy this this is the young man he's got it all. He knows how to manage things and that he has morals is trustworthy.

Jesus did not praise him up to him, flatter him.

Jesus seems to treating kind roughly look in verse 18 and see what it says to this man in verse 18. He says Jesus said in him. Why call this thou me good is none good but one, and that is God. Now Jesus is teaching him in this one sentence two things. Number one. Jesus is teaching this young man that he himself is not good. Jesus is teaching this young man that he himself, the young man is not good. This young man thought he was a could I Jesus and look good but God. The second thing Jesus was teaching this young man is that Jesus himself is God. Now those of you who just want to tip the hat to Jesus and not bow the knee to Jesus. Let me take this about Jesus.

Jesus is God and Jesus is not God. Jesus is not good.

How I know Jesus Christ himself that the Jesus said is none good but one, and that's God put it down. Big planes great. Don't just flatter. Jesus don't just tip the hat to Jesus and say Jesus is a nice fellow. You don't tip that had to bow the knee, because Jesus said there is none good but one, that is God and what Jesus was saying in this one sentence. I am God in your center.

I am God, and your center.

There is none good but one, and that is God, and by the way, you might want to put in your margin. Romans three verses 10 through 12 as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. There is none that understand there is none that seek after God. They are all gone out of the way they are together become unprofitable. There is none that do a good no not one.

I want everybody to say silently but in your heart.

Not even me. Not even me. I am assuming nobody nobody nobody has ever been saved until he is saying that he is a placenta in the side of the righteous and holy God.

This man is calling that eternal life in Jesus shocks and said there is none good but one, that is God and other people join churches today like they're doing God while favor. They come down the island and join churches they they are religious, but they have never seen the holiness of God and their own sinfulness and the wrath of God against sin is another verse keeping mercy for thousands, thank God for that forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. Thank God for that. But now listen to this and will by no means clear the guilty God is God of mercy, God forgives the Bible also says that he will by no means clear the guilty. What that means. It means that God is love and God's justice. We are much today about the love of God. God is love.

God's love.

God's love and that is true. He's got a mercy but that's not all, of the truth. And if you take part of the truth and try to make that part of the truth. All of the truth and that part of the truth becomes an important God is a God of mercy, God does forgive iniquity, but the Bible says that God will by no means clear the guilty don't think that somehow when you stand before God. God is good. Look at your Sammy got dismissed. That's all right, that's all right.

Listen, friend, God were to clear the guilty God would become guilty.

I hope that sinks and if God were to clear the guilty God would become guilty. God would topple from his throne of holiness. If God were to overlook Satan. If God were to bypass sin and God becomes a sin in the same court of law. When a guilty man is acquitted, the judge is condemned when a guilty man is acquitted, the judges can then God himself would become a center if God lets sin go by and so what is Jesus teaching this young man. Jesus is teaching this young man that proud man at their best, are really sinners at their worst. Now why did I say that good minute the best arson is that the worst why did you say that bad men are sinners at the worst, because the worst sin, the sin of all sins the worst form of badness is human goodness.

When human goodness becomes a substitute for the Newburgh.

The worst form of bad ass is human goodness. Jesus said that prostitutes and crooked tax collectors were going to heaven before the Pharisees because they had their self-righteousness as a substitute for God's mercy as I want to say to any person in this building today. No matter how nicely you may live none of you later as well as this rich young ruler, and yet Jesus looked him straight in the face and said in verse 18, there is none good but one, and that is God, the worst form of badness is human goodness. When human goodness becomes a substitute for the Newburgh got that. That's the first thing I want you to see. I want you to see this that proud man at their best.

Are sinners at their works. Now here's the second thing I want you to see God's perfect law condemns man's sinful pride. Look, if you will.

Now in verse 19 of the same chapter again Mark chapter 10 and verse 19 thou knowest the commandments, Jesus now is beginning to talk about commandment keeping to this man helping to see that is ascendant ballast. The commandment do not commit adultery, do not guilty.

Let's deal do not bear false witness to brought up on of thy father and thy mother and he answered and said in him master. All these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said in him, one thing thou blackest go I waste so much about has to give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven and come, take up my cross and follow me knife. God is a holy God. It follows as night follows day that Natalie God will have holy law. Now listen to me very carefully, because if you're not listening carefully going to miss the whole thing. Jesus is not on the school that is not teaching salvation by commandment keeping he is teaching Joss office rejected pay attention to see what Jesus is teaching you see the Bible teaches that you're not saved by keeping the commandment but yet this young man to live eternal life. Jesus begins to refer him to the commandments. Now what Jesus is teaching this young man is he is not keeping that mammoths like he may think that he's keeping the commandments not commandment keeping is never save anybody but in your margin Galatians 2, verse 16 knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ the law, the 10 Commandments cannot save anybody.

While the 10 Commandments. Do not save you they are an essential element in evangelism and salvation. What is the purpose of the law. Why does God give us all to let us know that we are sinners.

Romans three verse 20 listen to it. Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. God gave us the law to let us know that will sentence and Jesus is using the law all right here to teach this young manager, center cancer, Jesus begins to talk to him about the commandment, that you may think that you're pretty good until you come up hard against God's law.

After all, what is sin. There are many definitions of sin. Let me give you all the best in the Bible.

First John three verse four whosoever committed sin transgressive. Also the law for sin is the transgression of the law. That's what sin is sin is just breaking God's law. Now why did Jesus give this young man an illustration. Why did Jesus talk to this young man about keeping the commandments. I'll tell you why God's mercy God's grace will mean nothing to a man until first of all he sees himself a center in the side of righteous and holy God, and God gives the law so that we might see that we are sinners.

Remember this by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans three verse 20.

By the way those of you have new boys and girls who want to come forward and be baptized. You say pastor Rogers what is my child ready to be saved. Where's my child ready to give his or her heart to Jesus Christ.

When they see that they are sinners in the side of the righteous and holy God is sometimes parents make a big mistake.

Regular child and they say do you believe in Jesus name. Love Jesus. Yes I do. Are you willing to trust Jesus as your personal savior. Yes delete he died for your sins on the cross. Yes, I do will pastor my child is ready, not necessarily you can get a child to give assent all those propositions without ever seeing that he or she is a sinner in the side of a righteous and holy God.

Yes, little child of a love Jesus. They say yes yes they love Bambi they say yes no no when a child sees that he or she is a sinner, not just naughty not just simply disobeyed that her mom, but a sinner in the side of a righteous and holy God that there is none good but one, that is God, then that little child's heart will cry out for Savior, they will have to have a PhD in seminar theology in order to be safe, but they have to see themselves as a center of the cyber right is a holy God.

And so must you. And so the law is given that we might see in the side of God that we are sinners because nobody is saved until I see this Jesus said in Luke chapter 5 in verse 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. The law doesn't save us frame. We know one thing that the law gets us ready to be say so many don't have any concept of salvation because number one, they've never seen absolute holiness of God. There is none good but one, that is God, and they have never seen themselves therefore as a sinner in the cyber righteous and holy God. And when a man has been wounded by God's law, then he's ready for the healing balm of salvation.

Now this young man had a superficial knowledge of the law and Jesus said, you know the commandments, he said well I kept them from my youth up.

Let me give you versus interesting Romans chapter 7 verse 14.

The Bible says the law is spiritual. That is everything that you do in the material of the outward way may look all right but the law is spiritual.

It deals with the heart. For example, Jesus said the law says don't commit adultery but I say that when you look on a woman to lust after her, you committed adultery with her already in your heart have been some people sublime never committed adultery but God may have written down adultery in his records in heaven. The law says thou shall not kill. But Jesus said if you angry with your brother without a cause. You're guilty of breaking that commandment. See the law is spiritual. Now this young man about seeing that so he said yeah I kept them all. I had no other gods before me. I have not had a idols are not made any graven images I have.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

I'm not taking God's name in vain. I bonded my father, my mother are not killed on the committed electric about about it now. Jesus, like a skilled surgeon. Watch this. He's about to take a scalpel and Lance a putrefying boil.

Jesus okay.

All right, young man. There's one other thing, there's one thing sell everything that you had given to the floor, and follow me.

You have great riches.

One of the commandment says what thou shalt not covet in this man was covetous.

This man had an idol in this life is God was goal is green was green. Actually, you say he said he kept all law he had broken the law. On occasion, a lawyer came to Jesus and he said Jesus what is the first and great commandment in Jesus that love God with all your heart law you sold all your mind and the second is like unto it. Love your neighbor as yourself and why Jesus did in that sentence he just summed up the whole 10 Commandments.

Let God love you and I bless what the 10 commandment is all about, and I would Jesus save this rich young ruler Che you are lucky for come and follow me. He wasn't willing to do that. Number one he loved his money more than you love God, and number two he loved his money more than he loved his neighbor Missy is in reality the spirit of this young man had broken all 10 minutes by failing to do this one thing is not teaching that you can buy your way into heaven by selling everything you have giving it to the poor. What Jesus is doing is giving this man a revelation of his heart, Jesus is showing this man that he's guilty of sand of covetousness and really who's ever to keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all. Why Jesus is showing this man is that you cannot take on trying to behave himself into heaven. All he had was a superficial knowledge of his own goodness, and so Jesus is revealing that this man to this man that no one is Saved by commandment is not teaching salvation by keeping amendment. He's teaching the impossibility of salvation by keeping the commandments coming up tomorrow will continue with this important lessons and part two of this message. Maybe today you have questions about who Jesus is or what he means to you or how do I follow him instead of turning away good or discovered Jesus page@lwf.org/radio you'll find resources and materials that can answer questions you may have about your faith. Now, if you'd like to order a copy of today's message in its entirety. Call us at 1877 love God and mentioned the title, three strikes and you're out also go online to order@lwf.org/radio or write us that love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183. Be sure to sign up for our daily heartbeat emails and you'll get daily devotions and message sent straight to your inbox. Join us in LWF.org/radio be here tomorrow for the conclusion of three strikes and you're out on the way a pastor in Mississippi's sense of encouragement recently. He said this Dr. Rogers has been an incredible influence on my life, my ministry, my preaching his legacy of faith is undeniably was always at his best, preach the cross of Jesus love that these timeless messages are being used further share the gospel.

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