What Do I Still Lack?

1
What Do I Still Lack?

• Matthew 1916-22

2
What Must I Do?

• A question essential for every person to ask, for
  all are in need of salvation!
• Answer Keep the commandments.
• Short and simple.
• This is what all men must do in order to have
  eternal life (Heb. 59).
• Which ones?
• We cannot pick and choosewe must keep all of
  them!

3
All Of These Things I Have Kept

• Young man heard Jesus list and was confident he
  had been obedient in all of those things.
• All must strive to keep the commands of the Lord.
  
• When we choose not to keep even one, we become
  guilty of the whole law (James. 210).

4
From My Youth

• This man had not only been faithful to the law,
  he had done so from his youth.
• God teaches us to remember our Creator in the
  days of our youth (Eccl. 121).
• Such obedience should be continual, throughout
  our lives (2 Tim. 314-15).

5
What Do I Still Lack?

• He had kept the commandments from his youth, but
  knew something was still missing.
• Even devout Christians may find there is
  something missing.

All of These I have Kept
Go and sell all you have

• Kept commandments
• Attended services
• Read Bible
• Dont lie
• Dont steal
• No adultery
• Faithful since youth!

• Not Serving Wholeheartedly (Matt. 158 Acts
  821)
• Not seeking kingdom as a new treasure (Matt.
  619-21)
• Not putting the Lord first (Matt. 633 Matt.
  1929)
• No self-denial (Matt. 1624-27).

What Could Be Missing?
6
What Do You Lack

• Sadly, this is the state of many Christians.
• Like the rich young ruler, we may have been
  obedient to certain commands from our youth.
• But such obedience may have become mere habit.
• We may go through the motions with little
  thought.
• We may have become checklist Christians

7
What Do You Lack
NOT

Commands
Done!
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8
Serve God With Your Whole Heart

• Being a Christian does not include a checklist.
• Being a Christian is not mindless obedience to
  the commands of God.
• Yes obedience is necessary, but obedience without
  love is nothing! 1 Cor. 131-3
• We are not actors merely playing the part while
  on stage.

9
Serve God With Your Whole Heart
We are servants (Rom. 618) We are children (Eph.
51) We are soldiers (2 Tim. 24) We are priests
(Rev. 16) We are living stones (1 Pet. 25) We
are the temple of God (1 Cor. 316) We are living
sacrifices for God (Rom. 121)
All of which require 100, full-time commitment.
10
Are you willing to fill the gap?

• When the rich young ruler was told he had to give
  up his possessions in order to have eternal life
  he went away sad.
• Are you willing to fill the void in your life?
• Is there something that is keeping you from
  serving God with your whole heart?
• Let us learn to put such things aside, to seek
  first Gods kingdom and to serve Him
  wholeheartedly.