Recalibrating Perfection

Cross to Perfection

Matthew 5:48

INTRODUCTION

Because We Must Be Perfect (48)

Me turning out lights on the guineas.

IN 1666 a baker in London forgot to turn off his oven. It eventually caught his store on fire resulting in a blaze that destroyed most of London.

Matthew 5:48 ESV

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

3 Truths Concerning Perfection

1. Perfection is Required

Leviticus 19:2 ESV

2 “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

God is holy. Our only hope to be with him is for us to be holy.

Adding sewer water to clean drinking water.

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. Perfection is Modeled

1 Peter 1:19 ESV

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

1 Peter 2:22 ESV

22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

3. Perfection is Coming

Philippians 3:12–15 ESV

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

1 Corinthians 13:8–12 ESV

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

3 Steps to Being Perfect

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

A. Justification

Jesus was raised to bring our justification.

Romans 4:25 ESV

25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

B. Sanctification

He died to perfect us through sanctification.

Hebrews 10:14 ESV

14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

C. Glorification

Sanctification brings us to glorification.

Romans 8:17–18 ESV

17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Colossians 3:4 ESV

4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

1 John 3:2 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

CONCLUSION

Perfection does not begin with us. It begins with Jesus.

He came to earth.

He died on the cross.

He was raised from the dead.

He is pursuing us.

Those who came looking for Jesus were usually needing something from him. (Day after feeding of 5000)

ILL- Zaccheaus.

Luke 19:10 ESV

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

He is pursuing you. It is time for you to stop running.