Untitled Sermon (11)

Introduction

Object lesson - the perfect cake (cake mix box vs baked)

It is exactly what a cake is meant to be.

Today we are going to talk about becoming perfect. Say it with me. We are going to read in the Bible that God wants us to be perfect by being completely changed by the Holy Spirit in us. When we allow God to get to work in us, he makes us perfectly whole, and we look and act like Jesus. That’s what being Jesus’ disciple is all about. The Holy Spirit wants to make us exactly the people we are meant to be.

Be Perfect

Read Matthew 5:48.

How do those words make you feel? Humble? Guilty? Overwhelmed?

Read that verse on its own, most might say, impossible. Some might even doubt that those are Jesus’ words. Might be worth letting that sink in. Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Context doesn’t make it any easier - doesn’t lighten the command to be perfect.

Spoken to a crowd (not just disciples) - this command for perfection is for everyone.

What does he mean? Maybe the context explain perfect - maybe perfect means “be perfect at trying really hard”

Command to be perfect is in the Sermon on the Mount. (Describe)

There’s some hard stuff in this sermon. Jesus compares insults to murder, looking at someone w/lust is the same as cheating - adultery, when it comes to sin better off cutting out your eyes than leaving your body in its control.

After all these lessons, Jesus summarized them with one command. Be perfect.

I want to say, “Wait, what do you mean? After everything you said, how can you expect ANYONE to be perfect?”

Some would say, you can’t. Even some well meaning christians will say, Jesus didn’t mean you need to be perfect right now. He’s just saying that someday (when in heaven) you will be.

That misses the command in Jesus words. A command for perfection.

Most of the time when people make those assumptions - or when they assume what Jesus commands is impossible its not because they doubt Jesus’ ability, its because they misunderstand the command. 

Perfectly achieving a goal without error. - In ancient Near Eastern culture, this word does not define a goal; it describes a process

It has nothing to do with flaws and everything to do with maturity.

Understanding that, the question we are left with is not WILL I be perfect (mature) but HOW?

Freedom from sin

Starts where we left of last week - freedom from sin.

Understand what sin is, what are we dealing with

Original sin - before ever made choice, born in this state of imperfect, brokenness - corrupted. Human nature turned in on itself:

Obvious: selfishness, conversation where does mind go - self, etc.

Control that sin has - authority, and it was never your choice (Satan operates in a space without choice because there’s always possibility you will choose God.)

Personal sin - you actively choose to express the sin you were born into. Willful disobedience of God’s law - what it is not: flaws or weaknesses in your character, not involuntary mistakes or shortcomings.

Why does this matter? First, some of you have been carrying around the weight/guilt that is unnecessary. You have called things within yourself “sin” but it is not.

There are things in your nature, character, and even in your behavior that are the consequence of brokenness passed from generation to generation. Someone needs to hear this - not everything that is broken is blameworthy.

But here’s what is - at the end of the day you will be accountable for your choice - Your choice to believe that Jesus can and will save you from sin.

Today, confess your sins before God. Repent - ask for forgiveness. Believe that Jesus died to save you and walk out of this place celebrating that you have everlasting life -without condemnation.

For those who have been saved- let us acknowledge that even after salvation, original sin remains a problem. Even though our desires have changed, our loyalties have changed - brokenness remains. 

But there’s still hope - because God will never leave you in your brokenness. That would not be freedom and scripture is clear

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

In Matthew 5:48, when Jesus tells you, “be perfect, therefore as your heavenly father is perfect.” He says it because HE WILL MAKE IT TRUE!

Let me put it another way. Original sin is the food rotting in the back of your refrigerator, contaminating everything else it touches. Personal sin is choosing to eat from it. Taking bites day after day, even serving it up to your family.

When you hand your life over - Jesus doesn’t just tell us to stop eating from the container - he cleans out the fridge.

And that is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

There has to come a time in life of every believer when we say, God this sin is making me sick. I hate it. I hate what it's done, I hate the brokenness it's created. I hate that I am not the person you made me to be.

So God puts in your heart a new prayer. Not the prayer, Lord save me. But a prayer that says Lord, clean my life and make me whole. By your Spirit, make me perfect just as you are perfect.

And this becomes our prayer not for a day, but every day. Oh Lord, hear my heart. I pray that I would be more like you today than I was the day before.

Listen, church, Jesus doesn’t just forgive sins. He makes us whole. 

Some of you have stopped believing it’s possible. You're nothing more than a box of cake mix wishing you could be a cake. - like you’ve been cheated because your life doesn’t look like the box. When everything you need is already right here. 

You just need to put yourself in the hands of your maker. With one moment of complete surrender, the Holy Spirit will get to work in you, and you will never be the same again.

It will be a whole work - a holy work.

Spirit, body and soul - to give you freedom, victory over sin.

Jesus’ command for maturity was for every disciple. Your face was right there in his mind as he spoke these words, Be perfect…are you ready? Are you ready to present yourself entirely to God’s sanctifying work? Are you ready to surrender your love to Christ now and forever?

Then let’s pray - 

Benediction - Go now in the grace of Christ, becoming each day more fully the person God created you to be. May you be perfect, therefore, as your Father in heaven is perfect. Amen.

How should we understand perfection?

Why do we sometimes think that being perfect is impossible?

What is the difference between original sin and personal sin as described in the sermon?

What difference does this understanding make in our everyday life?

In what ways does Jesus' command to be perfect challenge you personally?

Why did pastor mean when she said that not everything broken within us is blameworthy?

Why does Jesus want us to be mature/perfect?

On the journey of faith (believing who Jesus is, trusting him as your savior, being fully surrendered to God, growing in maturity) Where would you say you are?

How is God asking you to surrender your life right now?