The Danger of Minimum Requirements

[mini]

This started as a lesson I heard Bro PJ Pamer (from Ohio) teach.  The thought so struck me that I had to share it with my home church.  I varied some from his thought, but believe the message rings true.

-Mini

At the time of her construction, she was the largest passenger steamship.  Of course we know her as The Titanic.

She stood 175 feet tall, measured 880 feet long, and held a capacity of 3,500 people.  The Titanic was designed by the world's leading engineers, using the latest technology & finest steel.

However, this gave them an unprecedented confidence.  With that confidence came arrogance.   Richard Howells, in The Myth of the Titanic says, "the owners were convinced it was absolutely unsinkable."  They  said, "God Himself couldn't sink this ship"

You know the rest of the story: on April 14, 1912, 4 days into her maiden voyage the Titanic struck an iceberg, buckled her side and in an astounding 2 hours, 40 minutes it sank.

Tragically, 1,500 of the 2,200 people died, making it one of deadliest peace time naval disasters ever.

Of all the factors that makes the sinking of the Titanic so memorable is not the fact that such big ship sank.  Its not the fact that so many people died. 

It is the fact that there were not enough lifeboats.

While the Titanic had splurged in so many areas the number of lifeboats carried on board only met: Minimum Requirements.  This iron maiden could carry 3,500 people, nut only had lifeboats enough for 1,000.  Astonishingly, they had not broke the law, but they did what they had to.  The tragedy was it was only the Minimum Requirements.

When the iceberg came, they were not ready.

Matt 19:16-22

16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,  19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20 The young man saith unto him,  All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him,  If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22   But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

We know him as "The Rich Young Ruler."  Lets consider this title for a bit:

Matthew 19:20, 22 he was called "Young" –Our definition of youth does not seem to fit here.  We think of a young person as irresponsible.  Irrational.  Lazy.  But it seems he was none of these things. 

In Luke 18:18 he was called "Ruler."  This word comes from

archon (ar'-khone); a first (in rank or power):  chief (ruler), magistrate, prince, ruler.

This means a few things: 

In some passages denotes a Jewish leader.  Acts 23:5 the "ruler" is Ananias the high priest (cf. Ex 22:28).

Jairus, referred to only as an archon in Matt 9:18,23, was a member of the governing board of the synagogue (cf. Mark 5:22,35; Luke 8:41; see also Acts 14:5).

The term can also denote a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest governing body of the Jewish people, composed primarily of Sadducees and Pharisees (cf. e.g., Luke 23:13,35; 24:20; Acts 3:17; 4:5,8; 13:27).

Nicodemus (John 3:1), the Pharisee in whose home Jesus healed a man with dropsy on the sabbath (Luke 14:1),

And then we find the rich young "ruler" (Luke 18:18; cf. Matt 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-22).  He may also have been a members of the Sanhedrin, although it is possible that one or more of them were leaders in the synagogue or simply prominent men in the Jewish community.  If he was a member of the Sanhedrin, I doubt he would have been a Sadducee.  He asked about eternal life.  The Pharisees belived in resurrection.

So, while he may have been young, he was very talented.  It was no easy thing to be both young and a ruler.  Couple that with the third thing that describes him:  Luke 18:23 "Very rich."  It wasn't a fluke that caused this to be mentioned.  He had great possessions.  He had great riches.  He was thought well enough of to be a ruler.  He was in a place of influence.

But we cannot be comfortable doing the minimum requirements.

Matthew records this story in a particular way.  He includes some things that the other two parallel passages don't:

First question by our story character:  What good thing shall I do?

Imagine how arrogant you would have to be to walk up to God incarnate and say "what's the minimum I have to do to be saved?"  Show me the minimum that I can do that would get me in.  Give me one thing that will make it ok.  People today are geared the same way.  We want it now, with no hardship.  We need to learn to do HARD things.  Its not about a life of ease.  We serve God who gave All.

His Second Question was one of monumental proportions: Which?

There are 10 commandments.  What can I really get by with?  Its like hes telling Jesus "No, your kidding me...you want me to follow all 10 of these?  No, really what can I get by with?"

But pay attention to what Jesus tells him.  Of the 10 commandments, Jesus told him 6. 

When you study the commandments, they are broken down this way:  The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God.  The last 6 deal with our relationship with others.

Jesus told him 6 of the commandments that dealt with others.

6 Thou shalt do no murder,
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery,
8 Thou shalt not steal,
9    Thou shalt not bear false witness,
(out of order) 5 Honour thy father and thy mother:
10   hou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Jesus did not tell him this was all you needed.  What he told him was what the Rich young ruler wanted to hear.

Then look at the guys response.  What lack I yet?

Oh, I have done those.  You can almost feel a sense of relief in the rich young rulers voice.  I've done all those.  What do I lack?

Then Jesus responds in a way that blows me away: Matthew 19:21

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 

For a long time, I didn't fully understand this verse.  I thought the rich young ruler was keeping the commandments, so why does Jesus tell him this?

Remember the commandments Jesus told him:

6 Thou shalt do no murder,
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery,
8 Thou shalt not steal,
9  Thou shalt not bear false witness,
5 Honour thy father and thy mother:
10   hou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

What Jesus left out were these:

Exodus 20:3-11
v3  No other gods before me.
v4-6 No idols.
V7  Don't take Gods name in vain.
v8-11 Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.

Now look at what Jesus told the Rich Young Ruler: If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.  And look at the response of the man: "22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions."

When Jesus told the young man to sell all that he had, he pointed the young man back to the very first commandment.  No other Gods.  His riches were his god. In his mind he had set up a minimum requirement.  That was all he needed to do.  When the iceberg moment came, he was unprepared.  When the question was asked, he realized he couldn't meet the real requirements.

Matthew Henry's Commentary says this:   A man may be free from gross sin, and yet come short of grace and glory.   His hands may be clean from external pollutions, and yet he may perish eternally in his heart-wickedness.   We fool ourselves when we get the thought in our head that "this is all I need to do."

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

If our minimum requirement is that we make a appearance at church, what will we do when our iceberg moment comes?  If our minimum requirement is that we worship a little, will we be ready for our iceberg moment?

I fear we learn to do just enough to be a called a Christian.  We do what we have to do, and nothing else.  We need to learn to do hard things.  I don't want to find out when the iceberg moment comes, that all I met was the minimum requirements.

Luke 21:34-36

34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

We must prepare for more than the minimum.

Remember the parable of the Ten Virgins?

Matt 25:1-13
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11   Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12   But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13   Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

All ten were there.  All 10 had their lamps.  All ten did the exact same thing. But 5 of them only met the minimum requirements they had set in their mind.  And look what it cost them.

The tragedy of the Titanic is this...where they had splurged in amenities they had skimped on safety.

The question is this:  How are you gonna prepare?  How are you gonna prepare you, your family?  Is it with the minimum requirements that you have made up? Have you prepared a life that is great here, only to find that you are lacking in the end?

You must give your ALL to God.  He doesn't want a minimum, especially when he gave his ALL!

Matt 13:44-46

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

These men gave their all for the treasure.  Why should we give any less for eternal treasure?

Matt 22:37-40

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

No minimums.

[MsJennJenn]

OH SNAP - Now I know where I've heard this...

PJ Pamer! LOL - he taught this message at Community (Youth Workers meeting) like 3 weeks ago that we held at our church!

Love it Mini!

[Lynx]

:like:

Living for God easy is hard.
Living for God hard is easy.

[(R.I.P.) YooperYankDude]

[sunlight]

OH SNAP - Now I know where I've heard this...

PJ Pamer! LOL - he taught this message at Community (Youth Workers meeting) like 3 weeks ago that we held at our church!

Love it Mini!

ooooohhhhhhh! you are right! No wonder I knew i had heard it recently! and it's pretty much identical to the one he preached too! hahaha!

thanks Jenn! you rock!