Recognize Your Need

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3 (NIV) 

Props: a picture that has been hand-drawn by a preschooler and a large professional painting 

            Display preschooler’s picture first and keep the large painting hidden. 

            This picture was drawn by a preschooler.  Didn’t she do a great job!  She used lots of color and made it pretty.  (Describe good qualities of picture).  Compared to most preschoolers, this girl is an excellent artist.  She might even win a prize for the best picture in her class, maybe even the best in the school.

            But imagine with me that this picture was in the same contest as this painting.  (Display large painting).  Would there be any contest at all?  No way!  These two pictures aren’t even close to the same.  This small one is good for a preschooler, but it can’t compete with this professional picture. 

            Some people think that they don’t need God.  They think that they can get to Heaven by being good on their own.  They are forgetting that to get into Heaven, a person has to be perfect.  And the only way to be perfect is to have your sins washed away by God.  Your goodness compared to God’s perfection is like this preschooler’s picture compared to this professional one.  There is no comparison.  Your goodness might look great to you and it might be wonderful compared to other people around you, but God is looking for His perfection.  And the only way to gain God’s perfection is by coming to Him.  You will be blessed if you understand that you need God.  You can’t make it without Him.