1. “I don’t need God ‘cos life is good.”
- Misperception: Only the weak and those with problems need Christ.
- Usually, it is only until we are hit with problems then we realise we need God.
- We need God even when we are good.
<Luke 12>
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
- Man’s greatest problem is sin. [Note: this is a continuation of main pt 1 ““I don’t need God ‘cos life is good.””]
<Luke 13> 1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
- Sin is a universal problem of every human.
- Most defiant sin: Denying God, being hostile to God, wanting to be god ourselves.
- Besides those in misery, God also calls out to those who think they are happy without God.
- <Acts 14:17> Yet he (God) has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”
- All the good things we have are meant to lead us to God the Giver.
- “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” <Matthew 5:45>
- God is more concerned about our eternal destiny than our earthly temporal conditions.
- <Romans 2:4> Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
2. “I don’t need God ‘cos I’m capable of doing good.”
- Can we be good enough?
- <James 2:10> For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
- Good deeds tainted by our sinful nature.
- <Isaiah 64:6a> All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags…
3. God is good to save us.
- Only God is good <Luke 18:19>.
- “There is no one righteous, not even one” <Romans 3:10>
- “There is no one who seeks God. All have turned away (from God).” <Romans 3:11-12>
- “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” <Romans 3:23>
- Jesus came to the world to live a perfect life, to demonstrate the goodness of God.
- He came to die for sinners, to atone for our sins with His righteous life.
- <Romans 6:23> For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.