Matthew. 5:20

"For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" Matthew. 5:20

What if everyone thought that 50% were good enough? "Well, I will almost stop at that stop light." "I think buying half a weeks groceries is good enough. We'll just stretch them out for the week." "I think paying last month's house payment was enough. I won't pay any more."

If part done is not good enough for these things, why do we think we can get by with "I'll just tell people I am saved. After all, if they believe it, isn't that enough?" Or, who among us would pray, "Lord, I'm sick with cancer in both lungs. Would you mind healing just one of them?" Again I ask, how good is good enough?

Jesus told the people that they would have to be better than the best of the scribes and Pharisees in order to be "good enough" to enter heaven without Jesus' sacrifice. Now that is pretty good, those holy guys had the law down to a science. They knew just how far they could walk on a Sabbath day. They counted the grains harvested so they could be sure to pay exactly all of their tithes. They would never think of breaking one of the laws. That is why the young Pharisee who met Jesus was confident when he claimed to have obeyed all the law - from his youth. He felt he was perfect! Jesus pointed out his one flaw: "Go, sell all that you have, give it to the poor, and follow Me." The young man went away sad - his god was his riches.

No, we cannot be "good enough" to enter the kingdom of heaven alone. It is impossible. If the rich Pharisee couldn't do it after cutting his eye teeth on the law, how can you and I do it when we find it hard to memorize three consecutive verses from the New Testament?

There is only one way to be good enough for the kingdom of God. That way is through the Blood of Jesus. Only by accepting Him as our sacrificial substitute can we ever enter the kingdom - EVER. Only He was good enough - and we have the honor of entering on His coattails. Amen and Amen.