One Thing

​Is it possible that one thing can keep people from coming to Christ and serving Him? Or can one thing keep a Christian from becoming increasingly like Jesus?
The above are possible. You and I can fall short in our relationship with the Lord if one thing trips us up in our faith walk.
In Luke 18:18-23 Jesus is confronted by a rich young ruler.
The wealthy man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded, “You know the commandments.” The inquirer replied, “All these things (commandments) I have kept from my youth.”
I am sure the rich young ruler felt rather good about his response. In his mind he gave himself a nice pat on the back! In essence Jesus, I have kept the requirements of the Law, so I must be ready for eternity. Interesting, if he were so sure that keeping the commandments would get earn him a pass to heaven, why did he ask Jesus what he could do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus laid it on the line what he must do. “One thing you still lack; sell all your possessions, distribute them to the poor and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.”
I would like to have seen this guy’s face when Jesus laid this truth bomb on him. Verse 23 tells us “And when he had heard these things, he became extremely sad, for he was extremely rich.” Jesus answered his question. His response: sadness. Why? Because he had a lot of stuff and money but would not part from it.
Observations

• There is nothing wrong with being rich.
• The young man of means asked the right question we all must ask: What about eternal life? How do I get it?
• He erroneously thought being a good religious boy would be his ticket to paradise.
• Jesus said one thing, just one thing, was keeping his heart from Christ: his possessions
• Jesus’ words made him sad, not glad. Too bad young man. You had the opportunity of a lifetime to receive the free gift of eternal life by coming to Jesus and following Him.
• The wealthy man’s material goods and money which he possessed, possessed him.
• Jesus did not want his possessions. He wanted his heart. Oh my, rich man, give up what enslaves you to receive the free gift of eternal life.
• His stuff stood in the way of salvation.
• Jesus, in verses 24-30, then taught the disciples who had to be in shock at the rich ruler’s sorrowful exit, what it takes to follow Him and go to heaven. The main point of His discourse to the curious, confused disciples: WHOLEHEARTED BELIEF IN JESUS IS THE WAY TO HEAVEN.

This is hard-hitting truth. One thing can keep unsaved people out of heaven and professing Christians from maturing in Christ. Not a bunch of things. ONE THING. One thing like unforgiven sin. Material possessions. Money. Lust of the flesh. Immorality. Relationships. Power positions. Popularity. Legalistic religion. You can add some other one thing to this list.
Oswald Chambers wrote “One thing you lack.” The only “good thing” from Jesus Christ’s point of view is union with Himself and nothing in between.” Well said!
The Apostle Paul used the words one thing in Philippians 3:13-14.
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid of it yet, BUT ONE THING I DO, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul was once Saul, a legalistic Pharisee of the Law, a persecutor of Christians, a blasphemer of the Lord… a lost soul who came to faith in Jesus on the Damascus Road in Acts 9. He surrendered his life to Christ, believing in Jesus and receiving Him as his Lord and Savior.
What he believed as a legalistic, self-righteous, Christ-hating Saul was his one thing that kept him from eternal life. After receiving the love, mercy and grace of God, Paul’s one thing became forgetting his unsaved past and now reaching for his future, pressing on to the upward call of God in Christ. No sadness in former that Pharisee!!!!!!!
I love Paul’s one thing! It should be ours also.
So, let’s get serious. Examine ourselves (I Corinthians 11:28, Psalm 139:23-24). Has the Holy Spirit been pinpointing and convicting you of one thing that keeps you from progressing in your relationship with Jesus?
Take a hard look at your heart. Be honest with yourself. Answer the following questions. Find freedom from any one thing that is holding you back from a victorious, joyful, powerful, useful and fruitful mature life in Christ.

1. What is “one thing” that is separating you from wholeheartedly following and serving Jesus? ____________________________________________________________.
2. What do you plan to do about this “one thing”? ________________________
3. 1. How will you keep that “one thing” from creeping back into our heart, hindering you from becoming more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ? _________________

 

1. How will others know that your “one thing” is no longer an issue in your life?
2. 1. How will you celebrate and rejoice that your “one thing” no longer hinders your spiritual life? _______________________________________________________.

Decide to let go of anything (one thing) that keeps you from going forward in faith. Then, decide to forget the past and reach forward to experience the abundant and eternal life the Lord Jesus Christ has purchased for you through His Atoning sacrifice on the Cross.
My fellow Christians, choose “One thing I do” as Paul did. What a wonderful way to start and live every day!
A Word For Your Week: Never let one single thing separate you from Jesus.