Good, But Not Good Enough

Why Did the Rich Young Ruler Think He Could Earn Eternal Life?

In Matthew 19:16-22, a man came to Jesus and asked, 'Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?' He thought he could be good enough to get to heaven. Have you ever tried to earn something by being really good? Why do you think Jesus said that even our best goodness is not good enough for God?

What Does the Law Show Us?

The sermon said God's law is like a mirror—it shows us where we are messy. Jesus used the law to help the rich young ruler see that he was not as good as he thought. When you look at God's rules, do you see places where you fall short? How does it feel to know that God wants to show us our sin so we can run to Jesus?

Why Is 'Good' Not Good Enough?

Jesus showed the man that God does not ask for goodness—He asks for perfection. The sermon said we need to be perfect, not just pretty good. Think about a time you tried your hardest but still made a mistake. How does knowing that Jesus was perfect for us change how you think about getting to heaven?

How Do We Get Right With God?

The sermon taught that we cannot be saved by our own works. The Bible says:

Romans 3:23: 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.'

Romans 3:21 also says the righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Why is it better to receive salvation as a gift instead of trying to earn it? What makes it hard to stop trusting your own goodness and start trusting Jesus alone?

What Does It Mean to Trust Jesus?

The preacher said Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins—this is called propitiation, which means God's anger against sin was satisfied by Jesus' blood. We receive this by faith, not by doing good deeds. When you feel tempted to think God loves you because you behaved well, how can you remind yourself that your hope is in Christ's work alone?