Redefining Goodness: The Path to Grace

 

Summary

In today's message, we explored the common belief that good people go to heaven and examined the assumptions that fuel this belief. Many people, especially in America, hold the view that heaven is a place for good people, and naturally, they consider themselves good enough to make it there. However, this notion begins to unravel when we consider that "good" is a moving target, varying across cultures, history, and even personal growth. What was deemed good a thousand years ago might be considered evil today, and vice versa. This lack of a universally defined standard of goodness challenges the idea that being good is the ticket to heaven.

The Bible, often seen as a moral compass, doesn't provide a clear standard for goodness that guarantees entry into heaven. In fact, the New Testament suggests that no one is righteous enough to earn their way to heaven through good deeds alone. Jesus, in his teachings, raised the standard of goodness so high that everyone falls short. He emphasized that mistreating others is a sin against God, leveling the playing field and highlighting our universal need for a savior.

Jesus rejected the notion that one could be in good standing with God while mistreating others. Instead, he introduced a revolutionary idea: our relationship with God is reflected in how we treat those around us. This perspective shifts the focus from religious rituals to genuine love and respect for others. Jesus' message was not about adhering to a list of rules but about embracing a new way of living that prioritizes love and forgiveness.

The good news, or the gospel, is that Jesus offers a way to be reconciled with God, not through our own efforts, but through his sacrificial death and resurrection. This gift of grace is available to all who choose to transfer their trust from their own goodness to what Jesus has done for them. It's a transformative invitation to experience a new relationship with God, based on forgiveness and love.

Key Takeaways:

1. Goodness as a Moving Target: The concept of goodness varies across cultures, history, and personal experiences, making it an unreliable standard for determining who goes to heaven. Without a universally defined standard, relying on personal goodness for salvation is flawed. [04:03]

2. Jesus' Revolutionary Teaching: Jesus taught that being in good standing with God is not about religious rituals but about how we treat others. Mistreating people God loves is a sin against God, highlighting the importance of love and respect in our relationships. [10:30]

3. The Level Playing Field: Jesus raised the standard of goodness so high that everyone falls short, emphasizing our universal need for a savior. This levels the playing field, showing that no one can earn their way to heaven through good deeds alone. [09:07]

4. The Good News of Grace: The gospel is the good news that Jesus offers reconciliation with God through his sacrificial death and resurrection. This gift of grace is available to all who choose to transfer their trust from their own efforts to what Jesus has done. [21:06]

5. A New Relationship with God: Accepting Jesus' gift of forgiveness transforms our relationship with God, offering a new standing based on grace rather than personal merit. This invitation is open to all who are willing to trust in Jesus' sacrifice. [25:24]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to the Series
- [00:33] - Common Beliefs About Heaven
- [01:12] - Assumptions About Goodness
- [03:33] - The Moving Target of Goodness
- [05:12] - The Bible's Standard of Goodness
- [07:12] - The Mystery of God's Standards
- [08:27] - Jesus' Teachings on Goodness
- [10:10] - The Importance of Treating Others Well
- [12:19] - The Sin of Mistreating Others
- [14:50] - Jesus' Definition of Sin
- [18:04] - The Confusion of Goodness as a Bargaining Chip
- [21:06] - The Good News of the Gospel
- [25:24] - A New Relationship with God
- [29:10] - The Gift of Forgiveness
- [34:40] - Invitation to Transfer Trust

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Romans 3:10 - "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one.'"
2. Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
3. 2 Corinthians 5:21 - "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the sermon suggest about the common belief that "good people go to heaven"? How does this belief begin to unravel when examined closely? [03:19]

2. According to the sermon, how does Jesus redefine the standard of goodness, and what impact does this have on our understanding of righteousness? [08:56]

3. How does the sermon describe the relationship between mistreating others and one's standing with God? [10:30]

4. What is the significance of Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection in the context of the sermon? How is this related to the concept of grace? [21:06]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the idea that "good is a moving target" challenge the notion of earning one's way to heaven through good deeds? What implications does this have for different cultures and personal growth? [04:03]

2. In what ways does Jesus' teaching about mistreating others as a sin against God shift the focus from religious rituals to relationships? How might this change one's approach to faith? [10:30]

3. How does the sermon explain the concept of grace, and why is it considered "good news"? What role does Jesus' sacrifice play in this understanding? [21:06]

4. How does the sermon address the tension between personal goodness and the need for a savior? What does this reveal about the nature of salvation according to the sermon? [26:38]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own understanding of goodness. How has your definition of what it means to be "good" changed over time, and how does this align with the sermon’s message about goodness being a moving target? [04:44]

2. Consider a time when you may have mistreated someone. How does the sermon’s teaching on mistreatment as a sin against God challenge you to change your behavior in future interactions? [11:07]

3. How can you shift your focus from religious rituals to genuine love and respect for others in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to prioritize relationships over rituals? [10:30]

4. The sermon emphasizes the importance of transferring trust from personal efforts to Jesus' sacrifice. What are some areas in your life where you are still relying on your own goodness, and how can you begin to trust more in Jesus' grace? [34:40]

5. How does the concept of grace, as presented in the sermon, impact your view of forgiveness and reconciliation with God? How can you extend this grace to others in your life? [29:10]

6. Reflect on the idea that forgiven people, not good people, go to heaven. How does this change your perspective on salvation and your relationship with God? [27:02]

7. Identify one person in your life who you have struggled to treat with love and respect. What specific actions can you take this week to improve that relationship in light of the sermon’s teachings? [19:35]

Devotional

Day 1: Goodness as a Moving Target
The concept of goodness is not as straightforward as it might seem. It varies significantly across different cultures, historical periods, and even personal experiences. What one society deems as good, another might see as less so, and what was considered virtuous in the past might be viewed differently today. This variability makes goodness an unreliable standard for determining who goes to heaven. Without a universally defined standard, relying on personal goodness for salvation is flawed. The Bible suggests that no one is righteous enough to earn their way to heaven through good deeds alone, emphasizing the need for a savior. [04:03]

Isaiah 64:6 (ESV): "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Reflection: Consider a belief or value you hold that might differ from others around you. How does this variability in understanding goodness affect your view of salvation?


Day 2: Jesus' Revolutionary Teaching
Jesus introduced a radical shift in understanding what it means to be in good standing with God. He taught that it is not about religious rituals or adhering to a set of rules, but about how we treat others. Mistreating people God loves is a sin against God, highlighting the importance of love and respect in our relationships. This teaching challenges us to move beyond mere religious observance and embrace a lifestyle that prioritizes genuine love and forgiveness. Jesus' message calls us to reflect God's love in our interactions with others, making our relationship with God visible through our actions. [10:30]

Matthew 5:23-24 (ESV): "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."

Reflection: Think of a relationship where you might be prioritizing religious duty over genuine love and reconciliation. What steps can you take today to align your actions with Jesus' teaching?


Day 3: The Level Playing Field
Jesus raised the standard of goodness so high that everyone falls short, emphasizing our universal need for a savior. This levels the playing field, showing that no one can earn their way to heaven through good deeds alone. By acknowledging that all fall short of God's glory, we recognize our shared need for grace and redemption. This understanding fosters humility and compassion, as we realize that we are all in need of the same saving grace. It invites us to rely not on our own efforts but on the transformative power of Jesus' sacrifice. [09:07]

Romans 3:23-24 (ESV): "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you might be relying on your own efforts to earn favor with God. How can you shift your focus to rely more on His grace?


Day 4: The Good News of Grace
The gospel is the good news that Jesus offers reconciliation with God through his sacrificial death and resurrection. This gift of grace is available to all who choose to transfer their trust from their own efforts to what Jesus has done. It is a transformative invitation to experience a new relationship with God, based on forgiveness and love. This grace is not something we can earn, but a gift we receive by faith. It calls us to let go of our striving and rest in the assurance of God's love and acceptance through Jesus. [21:06]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: Identify an area where you struggle to accept God's grace. What would it look like to fully embrace His gift of grace in that area today?


Day 5: A New Relationship with God
Accepting Jesus' gift of forgiveness transforms our relationship with God, offering a new standing based on grace rather than personal merit. This invitation is open to all who are willing to trust in Jesus' sacrifice. It is a call to enter into a relationship with God that is marked by love, forgiveness, and grace. This new relationship changes how we see ourselves and others, inviting us to live out of the abundance of God's love. It encourages us to extend the same grace and forgiveness we have received to those around us, reflecting God's heart to the world. [25:24]

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

Reflection: How does your understanding of being a new creation in Christ influence your daily interactions with others? What is one way you can demonstrate this new relationship with God today?

Quotes

Most people, certainly most Americans, believe in heaven. Not everybody views heaven the same way. And not everybody pictures heaven the same way. And not everybody is sure exactly what that's like, but most Americans believe there's a heaven, and of course, maybe because we're Americans, most Americans believe they're gonna go there and no American is in a hurry to get there, okay? So that's kind of what we all have in common, even though we view this different, and there's so many questions. There's always mystery. There's so much mystery, and we're busy and, you know, who has time to think about that? [00:27:10]

Historically, what was considered good a thousand years ago is considered evil now. What was considered evil a thousand years in a ago, in some capacity is actually considered good. So depending on when you drop into history, the history of mankind, gosh, the definition of good, it's kind of all over the place. And it's different, it's a moving target culturally. I mean, right now you can go to different parts of the world and what's considered good in some parts of the world, we consider evil. And what we consider evil in some parts of the world, they consider good. [03:45:31]

Paul who wrote about half of the New Testament said, "There is no unrighteous, not even one." He says, he writes, no one will be declared righteous or good enough by keeping the law or by attempting to be good and keep the rules. And then a verse that many of us have heard our whole lives is all of sin, he writes, and fall short, because of your sin you fall short. Now, I'm not judging you, I'm just saying, when you pick up the New Testament, it's not a pretty picture. [05:58:25]

Jesus consistently rejected, Jesus consistently rejected the religious notion that a person could be in good standing with God while mistreating people God loves. Jesus completely rejected the idea that you could be in a good standing with God, that you and God, you are on the same page, that you could be on the same page with God and good standing with God on your way to heaven, while at the same time mistreating people that God loved. [10:10:43]

What Jesus taught is this, that when you sin against someone that God loves, you sin against God. Now pause. Imagine, if you're a Christian specifically, imagine if the church had maintained this standard since the time of Jesus, imagine if the church decided, oh, good and bad isn't, you know, something I'm doing to try to please God, so God likes me and I went to church and I said this and I did this, and... [13:23:69]

According to Jesus, mistreating other people separates us from God because that is sin, which means we are all doomed. Every single one of us, even the nicest among you, even the worst among you, the best among you, we are all doomed, because Jesus raised the standard so high and we say, I mean I'm gonna just put my words around what you're thinking or maybe feeling. It's like, wait a minute, wait, wait, wait, wait. It can't be that way. [15:35:93]

Good is a moving confusing target. As long as we view good as a bargaining chip for our benefit, good will always be a moving confusing target. How good do I have to be? Is it 50% or 70%? Do motives count against me? Does my family of upbringing, does that impact? Does my life experience impact? How do I know..? Good will always be a moving and confusing target, as long as you're trying to use your good behavior as a bargaining chip with God. [17:54:73]

The question that we come back to all the time around here: What does love for them require of me? What does love for him require of me? What does love for her require of me? What does love for that group require of me? That is the standard. And I fall short and you fall short. Religion says, look up and try to make things right with God, just between you and God. Jesus says, No, I want you to look around. [19:30:68]

The invitation of Jesus, the good news, invitation of Jesus is that he invites you, he invites you, he invites all of us to transfer our trust, to transfer our trust from our effort to his sacrificial death for our sin. What he did for you, what he did for you on the cross, what he did for you on the cross was something you could never do for yourself. And he offers the gift of a right standing with God to you freely because he loves you as the Father loves you. [33:28:73]

He says, "God made him," Jesus, "who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf." That God made Jesus who knew no sin, which means he didn't know sin to become sin on our behalf so that we, he did this for us, he did for you what you could not do for yourself on your very best day. So that we... He did something for us that we couldn't do on our own. It was impossible for us to do. [24:29:34]

According to Jesus, good people, they don't go to heaven, because compared to Jesus, there aren't any good people. Good people don't go to heaven. You know who goes to heaven? Forgiven people, that's who goes to heaven. And Jesus underscored this throughout his entire life, right up to the bitter end of his life, because this was the point of his life. Luke, who researched thoroughly everything that had anything to do with Jesus in the first century and brought us the Gospel of Luke, listen to what he records based on the eyewitnesses who were there that he talked to later. [26:48:07]

Religion has has always been defined by do. Jesus rejected that whole paradigm. His message was simply this: done. Done. Done. We say it more directly. There's nothing you can do, there's nothing you can do to make up for you. There's nothing you can do to make up for you. There's nothing you can do to make up for you. There is just a gift to be received. The gift of forgiveness, a right standing with God, that God through Christ transfers his righteousness onto you, ready for this? Just because he wants to. [29:10:57]

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Transcript
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