Gateway Church Live | “Why Do You Call Me Good?” by Pastor Daniel Floyd | March 14–15

Well, welcome to church g. Come on, let's just worship God in this place where we honor you for being ((music playing)) thrown on our praise today. Thank you, Jesus. ((music playing)) In the name above all names, the name of Jesus. No limit to what ((music playing)) he's about to do. Every power ((music playing)) and authority bows before the name of Jesus.

No limit to what he's about ((music playing)) to do. He's on the move. He's on the move. ((music playing)) We say the Lord is here. The Lord is here. ((music playing)) Mira songs of praise. ((music playing)) Let faith arise in the atmosphere. The ((music playing)) Lord is here. Glorify his name. Glorify ((music playing)) his name. ((music playing)) everything related [singing] at the feet of Jesus.

No limit ((music playing)) to what he's about to do. Every chain, ((music playing)) every curse is broken at the name of Jesus. No limit to what he's about to do. He's on ((music playing)) the ((music playing)) Lord is here. The Lord is here. We welcome you with songs of praise. ((music playing)) Let arise the atmosphere. ((music playing)) The Lord is here.

Glorify his name. ((music playing)) Glorify his name. ((music playing)) If you tasted heaven, we glorify his ((music playing)) name. If you've been forgi, we glorify ((music playing)) his name. If you know he's risen, we glorify his name. We glorify his name. ((music playing)) If you taste him, glorify ((music playing)) his name. If you've been forgi, glorify ((music playing)) his name. If you know he's ris glorify his name.

Glorify his name. ((music playing)) We say the Lord is ((music playing)) here. The Lord is here. We welcome him with songs ((music playing)) of praise. and arise in the atmosphere. The Lord ((music playing)) is here. We glorify his name. The ((music playing)) Lord is here. The Lord is here. ((music playing)) We will come in with songs of praise. ((music playing)) Let the atmosphere.

The Lord is here. ((music playing)) Glorify his name if you taste him. Glorify his name ((music playing)) if you can forgive. Glorify his ((music playing)) name if you know his name. Glorify ((music playing)) his name. Glorify his name. ((music playing)) Glorify ((music playing)) his name if you can forgive. Glorify ((music playing)) his name. If you know his reason, glorify his name.

Glorify ((music playing)) his name. Yes, we do, Lord. We glorify ((music playing)) your name. All the praise to you, Jesus. ((music playing)) All the praise, Lord. Thank you God. ((music playing)) >> Yes Jesus, we glorify your name. ((music playing)) We magnified in this place today. Jesus, we worship you. ((music playing)) We pour out our praise on you, Jesus. Worthy one.

Worthy ((music playing)) one. Lord, we sing these promises together today. We sing, "Blessed ((music playing)) are those who run to him, who place their hope and confidence in Jesus. He won't forsake [music and singing] them. Blessed are those who seek his face, who bend their knee and fix [singing] their gaze on Jesus, ((music playing)) they won't be shen.

Come on and [music and singing] praise the Lord with me. Oh, sing if you love ((music playing)) his [singing] name. Call ((music playing)) and lift your voice [music and singing] with me cuz he's worthy of all ((music playing)) our praise. Yes, he is. See, blessed ((music playing)) are those who walk with him. Oh, blessed are those who walk with him. Whose hearts are set ((music playing)) on pilgrimage with Jesus.

They'll see his glory. ((music playing)) And bless those who die to live. Joy it is to ((music playing)) give it all for Jesus and for ((music playing)) him only. Oh Jesus, ((music playing)) all for your glory, come and ((music playing)) praise the Lord with ((music playing)) me. Oh, sing if you love his name. ((music playing)) and lift your voice with me ((music playing)) cuz he's worthy of all our praise. and bring your ((music playing)) sing and ((music playing)) lift your holiness.

((music playing)) He's worthy of our praise. >> ((music playing)) >> Bless God in the sanctuary. Bless God in the fields of plenty. Bless ((music playing)) God in the darkest valley. Every chance I get, I bless your name. Bless ((music playing)) God when my hands are empty. Bless God with the praise that calls [singing] me. Bless God when nobody's ((music playing)) watching.

Every chance I get, I bless your name. Bless God with the weapons for ((music playing)) me. Bless God with the walls of falling. Bless God cuz he goes before me. ((music playing)) Every chance I get, I bless your name. Bless God for he ((music playing)) holds the victory. Bless God for he's always with me.

Bless God for he's always worthy. Every chance I ((music playing)) get, I wish your name. Every chance I ((music playing)) come and praise ((music playing)) you. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> voice with me. This is worthy ((music playing)) of praise. Come ((music playing)) on and bring your offering. [singing] Oh, sing if you've known his grace. Come on and [music and singing] lift up your holy hands cuz he's ((music playing)) worthy of all our praise.

Yes, he is. He's worthy of all our praise. ((music playing)) You're ((music playing)) worthy, worthy, you're worthy ((music playing)) Jesus. Bless the Lord, oh my soul. It's ((music playing)) all that is within me. I will bless your holy name. ((music playing)) In every season, in every season. ((music playing)) Would you find your church blessing your name in every season?

Come on, church. He's worthy. He's faithful ((music playing)) and he's good. He's merciful and kind. Come on. If he's been good to you, would you open your ((music playing)) mouth and bless his name today? We bless you. You're so good. ((music playing)) You're so kind. We remember all that you've done. ((music playing)) We remember your faithfulness and your goodness.

((music playing)) How your presence is never left us. Thank you. ((music playing)) Thank you. Thank you. ((music playing)) Come on. We sing. ((music playing)) And I'll bless your name in the morning. I'll bless your name in the evening. I'll bless your name in the morning. Every ((music playing)) chance [singing] I get, I'll bless your name. I'll bless your name in ((music playing)) the morning.

I'll bless your name in the evening. I'll bless your ((music playing)) name in the morning. Every chance I get, I'll bless it out. I'll bless your name in the morning. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) I bless your name in the morning. I bless your name. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) Heat.

Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) Yeah. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) worthy of all our praise he ((music playing)) is. He's worthy of all ((music playing)) our praise. Come on, would you lift a shout of praise today? So good. ((music playing)) So good. So good. So good. We worship ((music playing)) you, Jesus. Oh, we worship [singing] you, Jesus. And here I [singing] am to worship.

Here I am to bow down. Here I am to say [music and singing] that you're my God. You're all together [singing and music] lovely, allto together worthy, ((music playing)) allto together wonderful too. Sing it again. Oh, here I am to worship. Here I am to bow. [singing] Here I am to ((music playing)) say that you're my God. And you're all together [music and singing] lovely.

All together [singing] worthy, all together wonderful ((music playing)) to me. Yes, [singing] you're all together lovely. ((music playing)) All together [singing] worthy, all together wonderful [singing] to one ((music playing)) more time. Yes, [singing] you're all together lovely, all together worthy, all together ((music playing)) wonderful to ((music playing)) give you the highest praise. Cuz you deserve it all. You deserve it all. Yes, we give you the Come on, sing it to him.

Cuz you deserve it all. You deserve it all. Yes, God. ((music playing)) There's no one like you, Jesus. Worthy ((music playing)) of praise. Thank you Jesus. ((music playing)) Thank you Jesus. ((music playing)) Sing found in your name. You're found in ((music playing)) your name. The power to say with only ((music playing)) a whisper [singing] mount in shame. Jesus our ((music playing)) hope and strength.

Yes, you are. ((music playing)) Cuz you made a way. When you unlock these chains, [music and singing] now here in your presence, strongholds ((music playing)) break. We're free by the love you ((music playing)) gave. Come on, we sing to him now. We give ((music playing)) you the highest praise cuz you deserve it all. Oh, ((music playing)) you deserve it all.

So we give you the highest praise cuz you deserve ((music playing)) it all. God, you deserve it all. Come on. My merciful king ((music playing)) walking in shame for all to see. >> ((music playing)) >> All the way [singing] down. Come on. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) You deserve it all. God, you deserve it all.

((music playing)) Yes, Lord. You deserve it all. Yes, you deserve it all. ((music playing)) Only you know you're worthy. ((music playing)) With every breath that's in my lungs, ((music playing)) my heart cries out to you belong the glory. Come on through every loss. ((music playing)) We'll sing before every lost victory is my soul will rise to only bring you glory.

((music playing)) Come on. With every breath we sing with every single ((music playing)) ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Oh, ((music playing)) ((music playing)) heat, heat. ((music playing)) Yeah. ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Oh, ((music playing)) ((music playing)) heat, ((music playing)) heat. [singing] >> ((music playing)) >> Heat ((music playing)) up ((music playing)) here. >> ((music playing)) >> In the book of Psalms, it says this. Psalm 36:5 says, "Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds."

In Ephesians 2, it says this, "If we're unfaithful, he remains faithful." Why? Because he cannot deny who he is. That's good news today. If you're at church, I was sitting with my daughter Everly. My daughter is three and ((music playing)) we were sitting at breakfast together several months ago during the hardest season of my family's life.

The reason we were sitting together alone is because my wife was with our son Samuel at the hospital who had a lot of medical conditions. And I'm proud to report that ((music playing)) against all odds, he's about to turn one year old next week. ((applause)) ((music playing)) But I'm sitting there with Everly and Everly has no idea that mommy and daddy have been begging God for a sign, a dream.

God, you can split the sky. Write it out in the clouds if you want to. Like, I just need you to do something for ((music playing)) us. And my daughter, my three-year-old, looks at me and she said, "Daddy, last night ((music playing)) Jesus talked to me in my dream." Yeah. And I did what you just did.

Amen. God, you have given me a sign. And my three-year-old ((music playing)) looks at me at that breakfast table and I said, "Everly, what did what did Jesus say?" ((music playing)) And she looked at me and she said, "Jesus looked at me, Daddy, and he said, "Hello, Everly." And I thought, that's probably not Jesus.

((music playing)) And I went and told my wife and we laughed about it. But here's the point. In a very difficult season where ((music playing)) I was begging God to do something new, he was just behind the scenes being who he is, faithful. And you might be in here this weekend. You might be a first time guest.

You might be thinking, "We just said bless God 4,500 times. Why are we saying?" Here's why we do it. Because he's been faithful to us. Because when I needed healing, he was a healer. Because when I was depressed, he was my light. Listen, if you've got a reason to thank and praise God this ((music playing)) weekend, would you give a shout of praise in this room?

He cannot deny who he is. ((music playing)) He is good even when we are not. And this weekend, God, we give you the highest praise. We give you the highest praise. Heat. ((music playing)) Heat. >> ((music playing)) >> Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) Yeah. ((music playing)) Heat. ((music playing)) Yeah. Heat. ((music playing)) ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> Yes, ((music playing)) our God is so good.

Amen. No matter what season we find ourselves in, he is worthy of praise and adoration. ((music playing)) And if we take our eyes off of the things we're going through and say, "God, I will fix my eyes on you, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, we can see it's going to be all right cuz he holds us in the palm of his ((music playing)) hands and he is King of Kings."

Amen. Our God is good and worthy of praise. Well, thank you so much for being here today. Why don't we spend a little bit of time get to know the people around you, our church family, ((music playing)) and Pastor Daniel has an amazing message for us. Thank you for worshiping with us.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. ((music playing)) >> ((music playing)) >> Are you excited about Easter coming up? >> Come on. It is uh three more weekends and then the greatest day in all of history, right? the day that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. And here's what I want to encourage you. This will be the best Easter you've ever had.

I promise ((music playing)) you this. If you bring somebody with you, that you don't just come to be like, I'm going to have a great Easter and your wonderful outfits and go eat with your family. All that is wonderful. But how about you decide, I'm going to bring somebody with you.

And here's what I want to challenge you to is to ((music playing)) move past information to invitation. Information is, hey, we got some services at our campus. or hey, here's the times that they are. That's information and that's wonderful. But how many of you move past information? Say, will you come set with me?

Um, I'll take you to lunch afterwards. Do whatever you got. We talked about last week that Jesus leaves the 99 for the one. So, my question is, who's your one? Who's the one person in your life? I'm praying even right now, God just brings a name to mind.

Somebody at your office, somebody at school, somebody that's your roommate, whoever it may be that God puts that one person in your mind and you go, you know, this Easter ((music playing)) I'm going to make sure I have somebody with me. And I'm telling you, it will be the best Easter you've ever had.

If you have somebody sitting beside you, we're going to get the gospel as plainly as we can. How many of you going to believe with me that hundreds of people are going to cross from death into life? Come on, every campus. We're going to see God do wonderful, wonderful things.

Do want to say hello to all of our locations. Everyone joining us online, of course, on demand later in the week. Some of you are on spring break and hope you're having an awesome time with your family and that you're sleeping in ((music playing)) and eating all the stuff you shouldn't.

It's the week to do it. And I want to give a special shout out to our Justin campus. Tammy and I got to visit there last weekend. God's doing wonderful things at our Justin campus. Got to meet so many wonderful people and um just so many amazing stories of how God is working in the life of the church and in people's lives.

And um want to give you one just crazy story last week that happened um if I could. Is that okay everybody? >> At our Justin campus before the 9:00 service in the foyer just greeting Tammy and I are talking with people. This 20some year old girl walks up and says has tears in her eyes and I'm like are you okay?

She goes, "You don't remember me, but you baptized me when I was 13." And God moved our family to Texas, and when we heard y'all were coming, we've kind of been out of church. We decided to get back in the church and is going to the Justin campus.

Come on. How good is God, right, everybody? Come on. We serve a great God. He's always working. ((music playing)) Great things are happening in the life of the church. How about this? If you don't know this, once a month our uh children's ministry, they they ((music playing)) really focus in on giving the gospel and giving children an opportunity to respond to the gospel in our elementary classes.

And last week was that weekend. And listen to this. 154 of our children gave their lives to Jesus. Oh, come on. You can celebrate better than that. ((music playing)) So, a huge shout out to every person that serves. Every one of you that serve with our children. You're not babysitting.

You're making an eternal difference in the lives of children. Everyone that gives. You may not be like, "Well, I know the lights are on. I know we do some missions." Let me tell you, 154 children, their eternity is forever changed because of your investment. And that's the best return on investment.

I think you know people talk about the return on their investments. I talk about the eternal return on your investment. That's something that'll outlast you and live for eternity. And uh I'm just so grateful for all of our kids team and how they're serving. Well, let's get into the word of God.

You ready for that today? >> Oh, come on. I know Justin is. They talked back to me last week. You ready for the word of God today? All right. We're uh continuing this series if you're if you're new this weekend called That's a Great Question. And if you don't know this, Jesus asked and was asked a lot of questions.

As a matter of fact, Jesus asks 307 questions that are recorded in the four gospels. So just over four gospels and and the Bible says that if we were to contain in ((music playing)) books all that he did and all that he said um libraries couldn't contain it. Um so there there may have been even more questions but 307 recorded. 183 questions were asked to him and he only directly answered three maybe a depending on your definition of a direct answer.

Isn't that interesting? It's just like a great teacher to not answer the question but make you discover the answer to the question and that's often what Jesus does to us. Um so today we're looking at Mark chapter 10 if you have the Bi copy of the scriptures with you.

If you not it'll be on the screen. Mark chapter 10. I'm going to read two verses and then we're going to continue to read into Mark chapter 10 as we go through the message. But I want to give you the the question that's found in these two verses.

Says this, as Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him and he said this, "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Now, that's a great question, don't you think? >> It's a question all of us have to wrestle with.

((music playing)) And Jesus responded to the question with a question. And this is the one we're going to look at, why do you call me good? Jesus answered, "No one is good except God alone." So the title today, the question we're looking at is, "Why do you call me good?"

Let's pray together. Father, our hearts and minds are open to you. Holy Spirit, would you speak to us, challenge us, stretch us, make us more like you? We believe because of your word, we'll never be the same as we leave this weekend. We pray this in Jesus' name.

Everybody said amen. >> Amen. I found in most relationships, marriage relationships, friendships, there's one person that wants to say yes to everything and fill the schedule. And there's one person that is like, "Have you thought through all the implications of your yes?" Can I get an amen? If if you Okay, if you're sitting by the person that says yes to everything, just raise your hand every Okay, just there there's one that's like that's me.

I'm the I'm the like, "Sure, let's let's say yes, you know, let's do it. We can do it. I can do it. Um I can I can pack the days in. Right. Until you fall over dead tired, right? Um I'm just like, "Sure, we'll do that. Sure, we'll do that.

Sure, I'll take that. Sure, I'll go do that. Sure, we can do all that." Tammy is the one that's like, "We have children. Have you thought about them?" I was like, "I love them. They know where the fridge is." Right? Like, she's the one that thinks through all the implications of everything going on around it.

Like if you say yes to that thing, did you remember we're out every night this week? Are y'all y'all tracking with me? Like if you say yes. So she kind of gives me the bigger picture of what's going on when I need to go, okay, I I forgot about that domino.

We'll hit that domino. We'll hit that domino. There's always one that will say yes to everything. Like here we go. Let's let's do this. There's one that's trying to help give the bigger picture. And I would propose that in the exchange we're going to see between this rich young ruler and Jesus today that Jesus is giving him a bigger picture.

He's giving him a bigger picture of this of what it truly means to follow Jesus. He he's saying to him that the young ruler comes to him and says, "Hey, what do I have to do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus, as we're going to see in the text, kind of zooms out a little bit and goes, "Okay, I know you want to inherit eternal life, but there's a bigger picture going on here.

There's more implications to this." There there's more details around this than what you realize. And I want to make sure you realize them before you sign up for this thing called eternal life. If you're with me, say amen. >> Matter of fact, in the book of Luke, um, a teacher of the law came to Jesus and said, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

So this is the second time in the gospels that Jesus is asked this question. I think you could also include Nicodemus in in the book of John when he came to him but he said what I must do must I do to be born again. So not the same wording but two times given the same wording and Jesus response to him was love your neighbor love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

Then he told the story of the good Samaritan and so what he was saying to him and what we'll find he says to the rich young ruler is this. It's not enough to know about love. You actually have to live love. In other words, I'm not coming so that you could have a mindset change.

I'm coming so you could have a heart change that would lead to the way you ch you live your life. That if you really want to inherit eternal life and you really want to know what it is to follow Jesus, it's more than just following some religious checklist.

Matter of fact, if you want a working definition of disciple, it's simply this. It's a follower that is moving to deeper and deeper levels of commitment to Jesus and I would say to his church. That a disciple is someone who is moving to deeper and deeper levels of commitment.

So if you're on this journey of following Jesus, just let me tell you, and you're like, man, he's asked a lot. He's not done. Hello. He's going to keep calling you up. If he's going to keep, let me say it this way, peeling the onions of the layers, pulling back a layer by layer, going, "Okay, we've dealt with that.

Now, let's deal with this. Oh, we got that attitude under control. Now, let's deal with pride. Oh, we've got that thing." Are y'all tracking with me? >> This is what Jesus is doing is is calling this young man. He's saying, "Hey, I'm going to bring you to deeper levels of commitment, and I want you to get the bigger picture of what that means."

And so I want us to talk about four things today from this story that show us what it means to follow Jesus in deeper and deeper ways. If you're with me, say amen. Let's revisit those two verses again. John chap or Mark chapter 10 17 and 18. The scripture says this.

It said the rich young ruler as Jesus was on his way a man ran up to him fell on his knees. He said good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life? And he said, 'Why do you call me good? No one's good except God alone. Thought number one, if you're the note-taking type, write this down.

If you're not, go and write it down anyways. Number one is this. Admiration isn't the same as devotion. Admiration isn't the same as devotion. And when we read this, the rich young ruler, he approaches Jesus in verse 17 in a really sincere start. The Bible says that he ran to Jesus.

He fell on his knees before Jesus and he asked them his question. So when you look at the posture of this young man, it's like of course he has a heart for God. But we'll see later on in the story that a posture of worship doesn't mean a commitment to worship.

That just because he had admiration of Jesus doesn't mean he had a devotion to Jesus. And I I think it's interesting that in response to his question, what must I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus says,"Wh do you call me good?" So he answers his question with a question.

But I want to point out this is that Jesus began with, "Who really do you think that I am? Why do you call me good?" Because no one is good except God himself. And so I think what Jesus is is reorienting him and going, "All right, if I'm God, then what I'm about to say really matters."

And what I'm about to call you to really matters. So let's let's get that solidified first because no one is good but God. So if you're calling me good, then you must be calling me God. And if you're calling me God, then there's some trailing indicators behind that.

Are y'all tracking so far? But the guy had admiration for Jesus. Well, see, that doesn't mean we have devotion for Jesus. We admire a whole lot of things in this life, don't we? I mean, I I admire Rory for winning the Masters last year. Wish I could play like him.

I admire Coach K, the greatest college basketball coach of all times. No debate. Don't even come talk to me. Don't send me an email. Send me an email. It's you're wrongwaypeople.com. That's that's the email for you. Coach K is the best of all time. All right. Um, there's leaders I admire, right?

You you may admire people you follow. You you're you're a fan. You're a follower on in, right? You you m you admire the fashion influencer or you admire the the restaurant recommener on on your social media. Whatever it is, you may admire them, but you don't know them.

You don't have relationship with them, right? You can admire them but not have any devotion to them. And it's so easy to admire Jesus. It's it's easy to admire the teachings of Jesus. Well, I like that Jesus is loving. And I like that he's kind. And I think there are people in culture that admire Jesus.

There's people in the church that we admire Jesus, but it doesn't mean we have devotion to Jesus. I admire him as long as Jesus is doing for me the things that I want him to do. Bless God in church. Bless God when he's favoring me. Bless God when he's providing for me.

Bless God in the hospital. Bless God when the deal didn't go through. There's a difference between admiration and devotion. The crowds admire Jesus. The people admired Jesus. I mean, even Pilate's wife thought there was something special about Jesus. She didn't have devotion to Jesus. I gave some contrasting thoughts.

Admiration is impressed by Jesus, but doesn't mean it's loyal to Jesus. Admiration may give you a feeling, but it doesn't affect how you actually live. Admiration likes advice, but it doesn't want loyalty. Admiration is inspired, but it's not submitted. Let me say it this way. Admiration will get you to the altar.

Devotion will change how you leave the altar. This is the difference. You can respect him and still resist him. And this matters so much. Listen to me church. This matters so much because whatever you are devoted to is what is discipling you. Whatever you are devoted to, whatever has your highest affection, your greatest commitment, that is the thing that is discipling you right now.

And we live in a culture that is so like commitment resistance. Are y'all tracking with me? Like we don't want to commit to anything because there may be something coming better along. We don't want to commit to relationships. We don't want to commit to family these days. Are y'all following with me?

Don't want to commit to church. We don't we we don't we don't know. Don't want to commit to that if I commit to that relationship but something else better comes along or there comes a rub. I don't know how I'll deal with that. So, I don't want to get too committed.

I kind of want my foot in the water. Kind of want to dip my toe in the water, but I don't want to like jump all in the water. Are y'all following me? Listen to me, darling. If he just wants to date you, but won't commit to you.

May need to let him walk. >> If it's been a several years and he don't know where he's going, can't make up his mind. Hello, somebody. Can't move out of his mom's basement. Okay, I'm just I'm meddling now. Can't get off video games. Okay. All the parents said, >> "Amen."

Okay. We don't like commitment. Don't want to commit to things. Don't want to commit to church. We treat the bride of Christ like a vending machine. Are they serving the chips I like today? If not, I'll go to another church that's got the chips I like. Is this too much?

Remember, my name's Daniel. I'm your friend. I like what Dedric Bonhaofer, if you've never read him, he was a German pastor, um, author, theologian, and, uh, was pastoring during the Nazi regime, actually ended up in prison. And some of his letters from prison, they're fascinating. You should read them sometime.

But some of his letters from prison and talking about the church, he said, um, he said the church's primary primary role isn't to preserve tradition. The primary role isn't even to serve its members. He said the primary role of the church is to reach the world and take the gospel to those who are far from God. >> We've made the church about something altogether in this 21st century in western culture because we like admiration.

But devotion has a price >> and we don't love the price that comes with it. He says to this rich young ruler, "Why do you call me good? Your posture looks good, but if I'm God, I'm will call you to something a whole lot higher." If you're with me, say, "Amen." >> Amen. >> Verse 19, it goes on in the story and he says this to him.

He says, "You know the commandments. You shall not murder. You shall shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. This would have been a young Jewish boy. He would have known these things. You shall not give false testimony. You shall not defraud. Honor your father and mother. Teacher, he declared.

Listen to this. All these I have kept since I was a boy. I'm good. Thought number two, performance isn't the same as surrender. He did all the performative things. Don't commit adultery. Don't murder. I want to I want to call his bluff on honor your father and mother.

Come on. You were a toddler once. You know what I'm saying? I'm just like that one. Really? You got that one right? And he says to him said, "I did all those things. I checked all the boxes. I've done all the duties. I performed well." Can I tell you something?

There's a difference between performing for Jesus and having a heart that is fully surrendered to Jesus. Anybody can do the performative things. Anybody can check the boxes, go through the religious rituals, take the class, do the thing, check the box, go through the routine. Anybody can do that.

But Jesus isn't calling us to a performance-based faith. He's calling us to a surrendered faith. He's calling us to a heart that is fully surrendered to him and says, "God, whatever you want from me, whenever you want it, however you want it, I'm living with open hands before you."

Whenever I was um probably about five years ago, uh I think I stopped running about five years ago. My joints couldn't handle it anymore, everybody, just to be honest. But I'd do these races and I would train for these 10ks or these half marathons. I participated in a couple of full marathons.

Want to make sure that clear. There's a difference between participating and performing well. Are y'all with me? I was there. I had a t-shirt. I got the medal at the end. I'm saying that's as far as it went. I don't want you to think better of me than what's happening.

All right? I participated. I paid the fee. I didn't get a medal because I earned it. I wrote them a check. They had no other choice than to give me a Okay. Some of y'all been in those. But I would do these trainings, you know, and so you end up training for hours.

It's like you end up in the cold and in the morning because if you're doing a full marathon, you you end up with these long training days that are four hours on a Saturday and you're out running for four hours so that you're prepared for the the race.

Are y'all following me? You with me? And so then I would not do it for a while. I would, you know, be like, I'm not going to do a race for a while. So, I'd take the time off and then I'd have to go retrain and I would have to rebuild the stamina that I'd build up because I took too much time off and then I'd do the race and then I'd be like, I'm not doing this for a while again.

And then I it would just kind of get cyclical. Are y'all with me? I think this is somehow people face their Christian life sometimes is that they're like, all right, I'm going to be so committed to God. I'm so devoted. I'm live a surrender. And then we're they're running on the spiritual treadmill and they're going and they're going and they're like, "Oh, I'm exhausted.

I have nothing else to give." And they take some time off and they're like, "Not going to serve and I'm going to kind of half-heartedly show up to church. I'm going to kind of read my Bible." And then they think, "Okay, I'm getting committed to God. I got to get back on the treadmill.

I got to get back in the training." And no wonder your faith is like spurts of energy with exhaustion. Spurts of energy with exhaustion. I'm gonna perform, perform, perform. Does God like me? Is he happy with me? I can't do this any longer. This is exhausting. Then I'mma perform, perform, perform.

I'm going to love you even though you're hard to love and I'm going to Thanksgiving and I'm going to be nice to my in-laws and I'm, you know, you're just giving it everything you got. Then it's like, I can't do that anymore because our faith was never meant to be performative.

It was never meant to be. I don't commit adultery. I don't do I check the list. It was never meant to be that. Jesus didn't come so you could perform better. Are y'all listening to me? >> Justification doesn't happen because you perform better. It because it comes because you surrender better.

We are saved by grace through faith. Period. It goes on to say not of works so that anybody gets the credit. It's not because you worked hard or you performed well. It is the grace gift of God. >> Salvation is the grace gift of God. Hear me say that in the South where we think, well, if I come to church and this button and the kids look right and they're smiling, right?

And we walk through the doors and God bless you, brother. Happy Easter. We're so glad we're here. It's good. Everything's wonderful. The kids behaved well. Knowing you slapped them, you tried to get them in the back seat on the way. Are y'all tracking with me? There is no amount of work you could ever do to outweigh the depth of your sin.

And that's why Jesus came. He didn't come to make you a better performer. He came so you would surrender to him. Justification is I did nothing to deserve this. I can do nothing to earn this. And so I receive it with open hands. It is grace alone. Everybody.

Now, some of you thinking, "But you got to act right after you met G meet Jesus." There's a difference between I'm performing to please God and I'm living because I love God. >> Those are drastically different approaches. And some of you, you're exhausted in the faith and you end up in these cycles of in church, out of church, in church, out of church, trying harder to do better, get out, get frustrated.

Now I'm done. Now I can't do anymore. I'm going to be committed again. Then a new year comes, start of a school year, worship night, you get inspired and you go back because you're trying to perform out of your strength instead of live out of love for God.

Nobody has to tell me how to love Tammy once I fell in love with her. I don't get a text from somebody every morning going, "Make sure you kiss her goodbye. Make sure you tell your lover. Make sure you look her in the eyes when I fell in love and my want to changed.

When you fall in love with Jesus, surrendered life, your want to changes. So now I don't want to live like I used to live. Why? Not because I'm trying to make him happy. Because I'm in love with Jesus." Are y'all getting this? So this sanctification process, yes, I'm going to begin to act different.

Yes, I'm going to begin to talk different. I'm going to begin to think different. I'm going to begin to grow. I'm going to become more holy. Yes. Yes, I am. But I'm not becoming more holy so God will like me. >> I'm becoming more holy because I'm in love with God.

And the closer I get to him, the more I want to look like him, think like him, talk like him, act like him. Clap your hands if you believe this today. That's where I'm living from. That's where I'm living from. So, I'm not performative. I'm wanting to be surrendered.

Wanting to be surrendered. It goes on in verse 21, and I love this. G, it says Jesus looked at him and loved him. That's important. One thing you like, he said. So, he just listed all the things. I I I don't commit adultery. I honor my father and mother, you know, all the things.

And then Jesus looked at him and out of love, this is what he says to him next. One thing you lack, he said, go sell everything you have and give it to the poor and you'll have treasures in heaven. Then come follow me. And it said at this the man's face fell and he went away sad because he had great wealth.

In the original text, it has this like idea that he went away depressed, that Jesus called him to a place that he was unwilling to go. Number three thought is this. Convenient faith isn't the same as costly worship. I want you to notice this is that Jesus loved him.

So, it was motivated out of love. It wasn't motivated out of condemnation or anything of that nature, but it says Jesus loved him, which caused Jesus to go, "Okay, I'm gonna call him higher." Can I tell you something? The call to commitment to Jesus is always a call to higher.

The call to disciplehip is always a call to higher. It's always a call to better. It's always a call to Jesus going, "I know what's best for you. I created you and the creator of you knows what is best for you." And so, it's always a call to hire.

And so he said to him, "One thing you lack." In other words, Jesus was narrowing the hallway. He was like, "All right, if you're serious about this, you're still hanging around in this conversation. You're like, I did this and I did this. I've done that since I was a kid."

And Jesus like, "Great. Let's narrow the hallway a little bit more cuz narrow is the road that leads to salvation and wide is the path that leads to destruction. So let's narrow the hallway a little more." And he looks at him out of love and he goes, "You lack one thing.

Sell everything you had. sell it all and give it to the poor. And the man walked away sad. Can I tell you something? You never know what an idol is in your life until Jesus asked for it. You never know what the idol is in your life until Jesus puts his finger on it and he asked for it.

This was the thing, this man's wealth, this was the thing that had his heart. Jesus goes, "What I'm really after is your heart." And this is the thing that has your heart. And Jesus knew it. And that's why he called him to it. That one thing I would ask you, what's the one thing in your life?

What's the one thing that you're like, "Jesus, don't touch that. You can have everything else, but don't don't ask me for that. Don't ask me to do that. Don't ask me to go there to this. This kid was rich, so he had all the resources he needed. He was young.

He probably thought he had all the time he needed. And he was a ruler, so he had authority. But Jesus put his finger on the one thing. And I I want to say to this um you don't build a whole theology off of one scripture. I've heard people, you know, say that, well, if you're fluent, you should sell everything you have because that's what Jesus told this guy.

No, Jesus was zeroing in on this guy's issue. Are you following me? And can I just say to you in general, don't build a theology on one verse. That's dangerous. Like, have good doctrine, though. Hello. Can I get a better amen? All right. You don't build that. I mean, this Why did Paul tell Timothy to tell those who are wealthy that Timothy was ministering to?

He told him, he said, "Enjoy what God has given to you, but make sure that you're rich in good deeds as well." So, you can't build a theology on one one verse. What he was saying is this is the idol in your life and that idol needs to be consecrated or it needs to be given because I require a worship that costs something, not a faith that is convenient.

This is what I I call you to. And for some of us, the the thing is it's security or it's control or or whatever you would fill in the blank there. Maybe it's comfort, maybe it's relationships, maybe it's reputation. I I don't know what it is. Whatever that thing is, but we all have that thing in our life that when Jesus begins to prod around that, we're like, "Whoa, hey, hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Jesus, I don't know about this." And he's going, listen, the call to disciplehip, the call to following me is greater levels of commitment. We're not getting less committed, everybody. We're getting more and more committed to Jesus. And I would say to his church. Thought number four, if you're still with me, say amen. >> Number four is that following Jesus always leads to more.

This is what the rich young ruler missed. I don't want you to miss. Verse 26 says, "The disciples were even more amazed and said to each other, then who can be saved?" And Jesus looked at them and said, "With man, this is impossible, but not with God. All things are possible with God."

And then Peter spoke up, because Peter always speaks up. He's my favorite disciple. He said, "We left everything to follow you. And 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 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age.

Homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, childrens of field along with persecutions. I love how Jesus throws that in. You're going to be blessed and persecuted. And he says, "And in the age to come." So don't people that don't believe people either that build a theology that God wants you destitute and living on the streets in this life and that all your treasures are in heaven.

That's not good theology either. Jesus says you're going to be blessed in this life and in the life to come. And he says but many who are first will be last and the last will be first. Following Jesus always leads to more. And this is what he missed.

The rich young ruler came to Jesus wanting eternal life. Jesus called out the idol in his life and said, "If you'll surrender the idol, you can have eternal life." But the young man was unwilling to give what was in his hands. He had so got gripped onto it that he couldn't receive what Jesus had for him.

And Jesus didn't tell him in the story, hey, if you'll just give your wealth, you're going to receive more in this life because you can't sew without reaping. You can't give without me returning it to you. Because the motive of the young man would have been wrong in the moment.

He needed him to do it through surrender and by faith. Are y'all tracking with me? But what he didn't know is that the moment he was able to live surrendered with open hands, then God would bless him with all the things that he thought he was giving up to follow Jesus.

Here's the irony of the Christian faith is that everything in your hand is a blessing from God. Friends, family, resources, the life you built, whatever it is, everything everything in your hand is a blessing from God. Well, pastor, I worked hard and I went to the right school and I got the right education.

I got the right rel. Well, who who gave you the the intellect to be able to get into the school and the ability to fill out the application? Like everything in your hand is from God. Are y'all with me? And the irony of our faith is this is that the more God blesses us, if we're not careful, the more we grip on to what God gave us.

And then what is in our hand becomes what prohibits us for receiving the greater thing God wants to do in our life. God is the one that made that young ruler rich. So God put that in his hand. But it was the very thing that God put in his hand that he was unwilling to let go of that kept him receiving the greater thing that God really wanted to put into his hand.

Can I tell you something? When you follow Jesus, there's always more. No sacrifice isn't met with a blessing. No surrender isn't met with something greater in your life. Because in the kingdom of God, whenever we surrender, it's not subtraction. >> ((music playing)) >> It turns into multiplication. How many of you have found in your life that when you live with open hands before God that whatever God asks of you, God returns to you.

Press down, shaken. Come on. This is the Bible if you don't know it. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Because with God, there is always more. So may we be a people and may we be a church that we live with devotion to God. >> Not just admiring him, not just kind of liking what he does, but heart devotion.

May we be people that are fully surrendered to God. God, open hands. As much no matter how much you put in my hand, I'll continue to live with open hands. And may with surrendered lives we present costly worship. Not convenient faith, but costly worship. Because he paid the ultimate price for us, did he not?

And here's the great news is that when you follow him, whatever you thought you gave up, he said, "Oh, I can bless you with more." Not only in this life, but more importantly in the age that is to come. >> Y'all, we're not living for here. >> We're living for the day we see him face to face.

You receive the word of God today. Come on, every campus. Do you receive it today? Will you pray with me? Every head bowed, every eye closed across all of our locations if you can. for you there online or at our prison campuses. Maybe some of you today you need to answer the question or maybe you need to ask the question, how do I inherit eternal life?

Well, the way you do that, it starts with surrender. Surrendering control to Jesus. That's what that's what it means when you say you're going to make him the Lord of your life. You're surrendering control. You're saying he's going to call the shots. He's the director of the story of my life.

What he says I'll do. Where he says go, I'll go. When he says move, I'll move. So the Bible says that if you make him the Lord of your life, that's a decision you have to make. And you'll believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.

That's the resurrection. And according to the scriptures, when you confess that with your mouth, you are made new. All the things in your past gone away. And you have a brand new start with Jesus. And some of you need that today across our church family. You've admired Jesus, never surrendered to him.

You like the thought of Jesus. It's part of your family. send your parents and your grandparents, but you've never personally surrendered to Jesus. And today the day for you to do that. So, in just a moment, we're going to pray together. But before we pray, I just want to know who I'm praying with.

No one's going to come to you or point you out. No one's looking around, just myself or the pastor at your location. But if you'd say, "That's me today. I need a fresh start. Today, I need a new beginning." Maybe for some of you, you've strayed away from faith.

And today is a day of returning, saying, "God, I'm I'm not coming to jump back on the treadmill. I'm coming to devote my life and fall in love with Jesus." If that's you today, when I count to three, you just shoot your hand up high enough long enough for myself or a pastor at your campus to see.

And then we're going to pray together on three. One, two, three. You just shoot your hand up high in the air. God bless you. God bless you. I see you. Hands going up. It's incredible. You can put them down. Church, will you pray this out loud with me for the benefit of all those who just slipped their hand up?

Just say, "Jesus, I need you. I ask you to forgive me of all my sin. I believe you died for me. I believe God raised you from the dead. Today, I make you my Lord and Savior. Thank you for a brand new beginning in Jesus name." Everybody said, "Amen."

Come on, let's celebrate those across our whole church family. ((applause)) Well, >> we never want to end our time together without the opportunity to minister to you in a personal way. We want to be able to pray with you and and walk with you. That's what church family does.

And so, in just a moment, our prayer team's going to come down front. If you're new to Gateway and new to church like this, we just want an opportunity to pray with you. If you have a need of any sort, maybe it's something I spoke to or maybe it's something altogether other in your life that you've just been carrying.

Maybe you got a phone call this week or family issue or whatever it may be. We believe that we serve the God that hears our prayers and the God that answer prayers and we see prayers answered all the time here. We'd love to join our faith with your faith and believe God to do something miraculous in your life.

If you made the decision to follow Jesus, would you please let somebody know about it today? We'll have prayer team in the balcony and down front. And so I want you to just slip out and say, "Hey, I prayed that prayer. I made that decision today. We would love to know that and we'd love to celebrate and rejoice with you."

The Bible says that all of heaven is rejoicing over one person that ((music playing)) takes that step of faith. So they just broke out the shikuti boards in heaven. They're partying partying like crazy over your decision to follow Jesus. We want to celebrate with you, too. So I'm asking you to stand to your feet.

Ask our prayer team to make their way down. ((music playing)) As the team leads us in a chorus, you just slip out from where you are. We want to minister to you, pray with you. Make your way down front. >> That cost me nothing. [singing] You've given more than I. I offer you a ((music playing)) love [singing] that's burning. only ((music playing)) because you love [singing] me first.

I will ((music playing)) not bring that which cost me [singing] nothing. You've given ((music playing)) more than I deserve. I [music and singing] offer you a love that's burning only because you love me. [singing] ((music playing)) Cuz I just love you. I just love you, ((music playing)) God. Oh, I [singing] just love you. Oh, ((music playing)) I just love you, ((music playing)) God. Oh, I just love you.

I just ((music playing)) love you, God. >> ((music playing)) >> I just love you, oh Lord. I just love ((music playing)) you, God. Hey, our prayer teams will be down here for as long as we need. If you're in the balcony or you're in this room and you're like, "Man, that was me, but I haven't responded."

We'll stay here as long as we need. If you have any other prayer need as well, we'd love to partner with you in prayer. This team of staff and volunteers prays for you even when we're not here and they'd love to partner with you in prayer. Hey, can we give a hand to everyone who made a decision to give their life to Jesus today ((music playing)) and we want to walk with you on this journey and I want to let everyone know when you walk out of these doors, we have connect central in the lobby.

If that's you and you made that decision, go and connect with someone on our team. We'd love to partner with you. walk with you on that journey as well. I really have one announcement for you before we close in prayer and it's that Easter is coming up. Easter's coming up everybody and and Pastor Daniel said it information turned to invitation.

He told us in the back really what that means is this. It's not just saying hey we have a church service. It's saying hey you can come sit with me at our church service. So go invite somebody to our Easter service. Let me pray for you and then we'll dismiss.

God, thank you so much for meeting us here at church this weekend. Lord, we receive the word. We receive the challenges. I pray that it would fall on good soil. That we'd go home tonight, that we'd get in our cars and we'd really chew on it. And God, we just take a minute and we just say to you, we commit to you as a body.

And God, we love you. We give you glory. We give you honor. We give you praise in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thanks for being a Gateway this weekend. We'll see you soon. Precious, more [music and singing] costly.