Beyond the Weekend

August 3 | Being Good

August 3, 2022

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” Luke 18:19

Read: Luke 18:18-21
Listen: 
Luke 18

TODAY’S MESSAGE

The young man who approaches Jesus appears to have it all together. He does and says the right things. He has money and the motivation to follow God’s ways. Anyone who saw him would think he was in good standing with God. Religious leaders of the day interpreted wealth as a blessing from God. Only those who were right with God, in their eyes, could have such a good, blessed life. Jesus takes their understanding of being good and flips it.

We, too, may try to do all the right things to be in good standing with God. We attend weekend services, read the Bible, serve our neighbors, give money away and try to live a “good Christian” life. While those are good things, Jesus’s encounter with this young man reminds us that trying to be good enough is a dead end. The standard for goodness is God himself, who commands we be holy as he is holy (Leviticus 19:2). It’s not about what we do that makes us good enough—but what God has done for us. Only putting our faith and trust in Jesus’s death and resurrection can make us right with God.

Rather than trying to be good enough, we can trust that what Jesus has done for us on the cross is enough. He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He is the way to the Father and the only way we can have the real life we seek. We don’t have to try to earn God’s approval. We simply come to Jesus and admit how much we need him.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Worship with the Ada Bible Worship Team as they sing, “Hope Has a Name.” Give thanks that “Hope has a name. His name is Jesus. My Savior’s cross has set this sinner free. Hope has a name. His name is Jesus. Oh, Christ be praised, I have victory.”


2022 BIBLE MEMORY PRACTICE

Develop spiritual roots and tap in the power of God’s word by memorizing monthly a Bible verse! View previous verses at beyondtheweekend.org/biblememorypractice.

PROVERBS 3:5–6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.


Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.

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