Matthew 5:43-48 (NLT)

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy.

• Perhaps they interpreted Leviticus 19:18 to say; “Love only your neighbor.” But that’s not in scripture, anywhere.
  

44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!

45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to

both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much.

47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.

48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Perfection defined:

• The Greek word “perfect” [teleios] does not mean “without flaw.” Rather, it means “mature, whole, complete.” Jesus is not calling us to be morally flawless as God is. But He is calling us to love as completely and maturely as God loves. This means we love both bad and good people, both our friends and our enemies, those who treat us evil and kindly. Our love (agape) for them is God-like, unconditional and it prevents bitterness in our hearts, retaliation and revenge.
  

People often say: “Nobody’s perfect” or “No one’s perfect, and God must know I’m doing the best I can” or “I may not be perfect, but I’m not as bad as __________.” (so and so)

However, what we are really doing is making excuses to continue sinning, or being sloppy in our walk or trying to justify our compromises. We’re giving credibility to our flaws and moral failures.

• Technically speaking, it is true that no one’s perfect, but it is also true that no one really does their absolute best either. (read Romans 3:9-12 for proof)
  

Part of becoming perfect is realizing that we are flawed and morally bankrupt. (Matt. 5:3; “poor in spirit”)

1 John 3:3-6 (NLT) 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Anyone who continues to live in him will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him or understand who he is.

Summary

Here’s a breakdown of the sermon’s main theme, key points, and conclusion:

Main Theme: The true meaning of perfection as defined by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, and how it applies to Christians today. The sermon argues against a comparative, self-righteous view of perfection and emphasizes a loving, God-centered approach.

Key Points:

• Perfection is not relative: The pastor challenges the common notion that “nobody’s perfect” is an excuse for complacency. He uses the analogy of outrunning a polar bear – it’s not about being better than others, but about meeting God’s standard. He criticizes the Pharisee in Luke 18 who compared himself favorably to the tax collector, highlighting the danger of self-righteousness.
  
• Perfection is Christ-likeness: The sermon emphasizes that true perfection is about striving to be like Jesus, not just better than other people. This is not about achieving flawlessness through our own efforts, but about allowing God to work in us. He references Philippians and Ephesians, though without quoting specific verses, to support the idea of God perfecting us.
  
• Perfection is about loving God supremely: The story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19) is used to illustrate this point. The young man, despite outwardly keeping the commandments, lacked one thing: a supreme love for God. His attachment to his wealth prevented him from fully following Jesus. The pastor clarifies that this doesn’t mean everyone must give up all their possessions, but rather that nothing should come before our love for God. He emphasizes the verbs “sell, give, come, follow” as the actions required of the rich young ruler.
  
• The rich young ruler’s unhappiness: The pastor points out that the rich young ruler, despite his outward success, was clearly unhappy. This, he argues, is because self-righteousness and outward religious observance do not bring true satisfaction. Only a relationship with Jesus can fill that void.
  
• Coming to God on His terms: The rich young ruler’s approach to Jesus is presented as a cautionary tale. He came wanting a simple answer, a quick fix for securing eternal life. Jesus, however, offered him a process, a way of life. The pastor suggests that we, too, should approach God with a desire for His will, not our own.

Conclusion:

The sermon concludes with an encouragement to re-read the final verses of Matthew 5, focusing on the theme of love and commitment to God. The pastor reiterates that true perfection is about loving God more than anything else, a goal attainable for everyone. He ends with a prayer for the congregation to be not just hearers but doers of the Word, striving for Christ-likeness and a deeper relationship with God.