"He said to Him, ‘Why
do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you
want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17)
We have seen in this series on the nature, the
character of God, that He is infinitely strong, able to care for you. He
knows your every need, even better than you do. But is He interested?
Does He care enough about you to act on your behalf? Every one of us
would decide that God is good if He was to dramatically help us, and so
we ask: “Is He? Is He good, even to people like us?
Does He want MY good to the extent that He will act on my behalf?”
Today’s Scripture is more complex than it seems at first glance, but the
message about His character is clear: “No one is
good but One, that is, God.” In this Scripture we have the
testimony of the only One in history who has lived in heaven and has
come to earth to tell us about God the Father. And He, Jesus Christ, has
revealed to us that God is absolutely perfect in His intentions and in
His actions. He is good and as a bonus He loves you without limit.
Many are troubled about the condition of humanity.
Sickness and death are everywhere, wars have filled the world since the
beginning and promises of fidelity are made but broken. Life may seem
acceptable, but then the earthquake comes, the windstorm, the plague or
something worse. Though most don’t believe it, the world was not always
the way it is now.
In Genesis 1:31, an account of the moment after all
that exists in this universe was created, we see God’s observation about
this finished work. There was no death, no sadness, no injuries or
illnesses of any kind. Mankind existed in the persons of a man named
Adam and a woman called Eve who had not yet fallen into sin. Everything
on earth was utterly beautiful beyond anything we could imagine - as God
observed, “it was very good.”
Most don’t believe that this earth was in a state of
perfection at the beginning of time, but it was. Our earliest ancestors
were without sin, innocent in all their ways. Some have trouble
believing in them because of their innocence. They were undoubtedly the
brightest, most intelligent people who have ever lived; perfect
representatives of all who would follow. However, they come across in
Scripture as somewhat dull mentally, but that was only because they were
perfectly innocent. Our present world is stained by sin and so are we,
which contaminates our thoughts so much that our perceptions tend to be
poor.
Humanity’s sense of what is valuable is distorted. We
think that if everything goes well and our needs are satisfied, all is
well and God is on our side. The danger in such a philosophy or
theology, whatever you call it, is that when God is doing a work in our
lives or in the lives of those around us that will bring us to greater
faith, greater maturity in Christ, we might think He is against us.
One of God's faithful missionaries, Allen Gardiner,
experienced many physical difficulties and hardships throughout his
service to the Savior. Despite his troubles, he said, ‘While
God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me.’ In 1851, at
the age of 57, he died of disease and starvation while serving on Picton
Island at the southern tip of South America. When his body was found,
his diary lay nearby. It bore a record of hunger, thirst, wounds, and
loneliness. The last entry in his little book showed the struggle of his
shaking hand as he tried to write legibly. It read, "I
am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God."
Paul the Apostle left us a similar message. He spoke
about His life in Christ, that he suffered many “imprisonments…
beatings and often near death… Five times… forty lashes less one… Three
times… beaten with rods… stoned… Three times… shipwrecked… adrift at
sea… in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, dangers from
(his) own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in
the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false
brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in
hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure…” and
he suffered from “anxiety for all the churches”
(2 Corinthians 11:23-28).
The context continues into Chapter `1, where Paul
says, “a thorn was given me in the flesh… Three
times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But
He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for
you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the
power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am
content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and
calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians
12:7-10).
Paul was “strong” because
he did not depend on his own human abilities to get things done, but
instead he looked to the Lord, who led him in the way he should go. He
was given the Holy Spirit of God, who accomplished the work through him.
In other words, Paul did what we all should do: He came to the Lord as a
helpless beggar who could do nothing, but he was willing to have the
faith to believe that God can and will accomplish what none of us can
do. Here’s another witness about the power and love of God:
After Corrie Ten Boom was released from a German
prison, she opened orphanages and spoke about the Lord around the world.
She gave us words like these: "Often I have heard
people say: 'How good God is!’ We prayed that it would not rain for our
church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!' Yes, God is good when He
sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister,
Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration
camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there.
Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I
remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. 'No, Corrie,'
said Betsie, 'He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: 'For as the
heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward
those who fear Him.'" She concluded, "There
is an ocean of God's love available - there is plenty for everyone. May
God grant you never to doubt that victorious love - whatever the
circumstances."
In the context of today’s Scripture (Matthew 19:19-22)
we find Jesus speaking to a wealthy young man who “came
up to Him,” asking, “Teacher, what good deed
must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus’ reply included today’s
Scripture: "He said to Him, ‘Why do you call Me
good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter
into life, keep the commandments’” (Matthew 19:17). The young man
asked “Which” of the commandments should he
keep? In response Jesus cited a few of them from Exodus 20 and
Deuteronomy 5, along with a quote from Leviticus 19:18. The young man
replied, “All these I have kept. What do I still
lack?” (Matthew 19:20). Jesus saw right into the man’s soul,
recognizing that for him, wealth was an impediment to entrusting his
heart and life to the Lord. Jesus went to the man’s need and told him, “If
you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” When
“the young man heard this he went away sorrowful,
for he had great possessions” (Matthew 19:21).
God is good, utterly good. And when you think about
it, you’ll recognize that Jesus is God, for unlike us, He is good. Much
like the rich young man, you and I have impediments that prevent us from
fully entrusting ourselves to the Lord. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you
– What keeps you from completely giving yourself? Let’s come to Jesus,
for He is good:
Lord, I come to You, confessing that I have areas
in my life that make me feel so safe that I have difficulty entrusting
myself to Your care. I give up my sin of self-sufficiency. I give You my
heart and my life. You are good and I am Yours. I place my faith in You.
Please forgive me and receive me. I give You all that I have, all that I
am. In Jesus Name. Amen.
