One Thing
First, imagine with me that you had a picture frame that was in the shape of a triangle and that the last picture at the top was meant to represent the most important aspect of your life. What picture would you put in that frame? Next, what if you were going to paint the solar system of your life. What would be your sun at the center in which everything else revolves around? Lastly, pretend you were going to draw a house of all your priorities in life. What would you draw as your foundation?
Now consider all these places of primacy at once and answer the question, “What is your one thing? The thing on top which everything else looks up to, the center of your life that everything revolves around, and the very foundation for everything you do in life? Would it be your job… your family… your bank statement… your education… popularity… religion…? Or would you put God as your top priority, the center of your life, and the very foundation for all you do? I pray that you make God the one thing
SERMON TEXT
Mark 10:17-31, “17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments:‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother. ’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age:homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
THE THING WITH THINGS
- Some people hold on to things instead of giving God every thing, Mark 10:17-31.
- Some people want to do things for God instead of doing things with God, Luke 10:38-41.
- Some people ask God for many things when just one thing is needed, Psalm 27:4-5.
- Some people may have many things but they can never say they lack no thing, Psalm 23:1.
- Some people keep their old things instead of pursuing God’s new things, Philippians 3:13-14.
- Some people will spend everything they have on things that are not the most important thing, Mark 14:3-9.
CONSIDER THESE THINGS…
- Just one thing can keep you out of heaven (sin), but just one thing can get you in (the blood the Jesus)!
- Without God you can gain every thing in the world and still have no thing (no eternal life), but with God you can every thing taken away from you and still lack no thing (because you have eternal life)!
- A person cannot be a disciple without giving up every thing (their entire life), but God gives His disciples everything they need for life and godliness (eternal life)!
[infobox title=’Make Jesus Your One Thing’]When you make Jesus your one thing, you will lack no thing, and every thing in your life will have eternal meaning and purpose![/infobox]