Sermon on the Mount, part 12. Christian Perfection. Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Transcription

1 Title Slide Sermon on the Mount, part 12 Christian Perfection Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Slide 2 Last week we ended our Bible Study on the clarion call of Jesus Your righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). We discovered that our relationship with God and with one another must be deeper than an external keeping of the law but rather it must spring from the heart that has been washed by the grace of Jesus Christ. Next Jesus gives us 6 clear and exacting illustrations of just exactly what he means by a deeper righteousness that springs from the heart by spelling it our clearly 1. You have heard it was said {in the law} but go deeper you shall not murder, but I say, do not be angry with your brother 2. You have heard it said {in the law} you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you do not even look at a woman with lustful intent 1

2 Slide 3 3. It was also said, whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce, but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife except on the grounds of sexual immorality ; makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 4. Again, you have heard it said, You shall not swear falsely, but must perform to the Lord what you have sworn, but I say, Do not take an oath at all let what you say be simply, yes or no 5. You have heard it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say do not resist the one who is evil turn the other cheek give your cloak as well go the second mile live generously 6. You have heard it said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you Now, before we take up each of these examples of Inward Righteousness, let us examine the destination Where is Jesus heading with all this? What is His aim and goal? 2

3 Slide 4 Verse 48 tells us where Jesus is going Listen to this staggering exhortation You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect. Perfect? We must be perfect? How does that make you feel? Are you perfect? I m certainly not and to be honest with you, the commandment to be perfect seems unreasonable and impossible! No one is perfect, right? We all sin and fall short. Slide 5 So what did Jesus mean BE PERFECT? The reason this commandment is so unthinkable and impossible to us is because of the way we define perfect. Modern dictionaries define perfect as o Without defect flawless exact o So when we use the word perfect in our language we usually mean 100%. 3

4 o Perfect game no runs, no hits, nobody on base that perfect o Batter batted 1000 means 4 for 4; 4 at bats and 4 hits = 1000% o Or in Olympic competition in skating and gymnastics and diving the athletes are given a score on their performance by judges on a scale of 1-10! 9.0 is great! 9.9 is really fantastic! 10.0 is perfect flawless performance! 5-7 judges giving all 10 s is nearly impossible but occasionally it happens Perfect Score all 10 s So when we hear the words, Be perfect we shudder and stumble because it seems so impossible! Slide 6 BUT THE NT DEFINITION OF PERFECT IS NOT QUITE THE SAME Greek word is Telios Vines Dictionary of Biblical Words defines Telios as o Something or someone is perfect when it has reached its end; finished; completed or fully mature! 4

5 o Accomplishing its purpose; fulfilled o Bring to completeness Slide 7 This is exactly how the other writers of the NT use the word perfect Paul says in Philippians 3: Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The apostles # 1 aim in life was Christian perfection Christian maturity. He makes it his supreme desire to know Jesus Christ and to be a trophy of his grace I press on to make it my own because Jesus has made me his own Slide 8 Hebrews 6:1 (NKJ) The Peril of Not Progressing 6 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 5

6 Here Paul uses the word perfection clearly to suggest maturity. The NIV and the New American Standard Versions translate the word Telios as maturity let us go on to maturity Slide 9 James 3:1-2 also uses the word Telios perfect when he writes: 3 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. The clear teaching of Jesus and the NT writers is calling for Christian maturity Be perfect Be mature Be complete Fulfill your calling and purpose! This is where Jesus is headed in his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount! Perfection maturity Men and women who accept the Call of Jesus to be citizens in a counter cultural revolution are governed by a deeper meaning of life. 6

7 Why not make that your aim? It is a rule of life whatever we aim at we usually hit! As for me I plan to be fully immersed in the Spirit I plan to be completed surrendered to God I am going on to Christian perfection maturity I want to fulfill God s purpose for redeeming and reclaiming my life to glorify God. Each day, in every way, dying to self and living with Christ, in Christ, becoming like him. What is your desire? What do you long for? What do your pursue with authentic passion? Be perfect as your Father is perfect is a commandment it s a direction 7

8 Jesus is saying to us Stop ducking and dodging the lofty ideals rather press on! The Spirit is saying to the church... Be done with excuses and only allow pleadings within Stop looking for a way out and start looking for the way up. Have done with lesser things and start looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith! Rise up O saints of God. Have done with lesser things. Give heart and soul and mind and strength to serve the King of Kings. Lift high the cross of Christ! Tread where his feet have trod. As brothers of the son of man, Rise up O saints of God Slide 10 And what does this maturity look like? see Jesus illustrations 1. We keep our anger in check and we are quick to seek reconciliation. 8

9 Slide By the grace of God we keep our passions and lusts sanctified. 3. We do all we can to make our marriages work! 4. We make promises and keep them no matter what! 5. We go the second mile we turn the other cheek we give our cloak also we practice generosity toward the world. 6. And finally, we love our enemy and offer an uncommon grace in a common world of hatred. Let me ask you again What is your aim? Your target? Jesus is saying let your guiding principle be perfection maturity Let your light shine and be the salt of the earth! Your righteousness [rightness with God and the people around you is a deep inward change of the heart where the Holy Spirit has written God s law. It is a new fruit exhibiting the newness of the Tree of life New life springing from a new nature. 9

10 Citizens of God s kingdom Christ bearers have a keen appetite for God, seeking after Him continuously And the righteousness of God is an imparted imputed grace which is expressed in purity, honesty, and love and reveals to WHOM we belong. Our Christ vocation is to imitate [not] the world, but the Father and it is by this imitation of Him that the Christian Counter culture becomes visible, tangible and accessible to the world. Jesus goal for you is perfection maturity in faith, hope and love. Slide 12 Are you going on to Christian perfection? If not, where are you going? 10