"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." ~ Matthew 5:48
Also in Leviticus 19:1-2
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.'"
In Deuteronomy 18:13
"You shall be blameless before the LORD your God."
We are called to be perfect and blameless. How are we to do this?
Jesus gave instructions and examples in Chapter 5 and will continue to do so in the next two chapters as He continues with this sermon from a mountain.
The only way we can be perfect and blameless before God is through the blood of Jesus. We still need to try to live perfectly.
My life is far from perfect. The list of things done that shouldn't be and the things left undone that should be, is long. God has been working in my heart to let go of the heaping of judgements on myself when I fall short of living perfectly.
The most important thing is the working toward living blamelessly before God because of our love for Him and our love for His children, all those He created.
Mother Teresa is often held up as an example of someone who embodies much of what was covered in this chapter.
She was humble and full of compassion and cared for so many. She requested that some of her writings be burned for fear people would glorify her and take attention off of Jesus. She struggled with feeling disconnected from Jesus but continued to fulfill His calling on her life in such a way that watching her you would not know.
I think Mother Ter4esa would have been the first to tell you that she was not perfect, but it is also clear that she strove to live the way Jesus wants us to live. Humbly loving and caring for others.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Matthew 5:33-47
33-36. "Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the LORD'. But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black."
Don't make promises or swear on anything. We have no true control or ownership of anything, so how can we swear or make promises by them?
37. "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil."
This is one of my favorite verses. Let your yes be yes and your no be no!
38-45. "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Don't repay evil for evil. If someone does something rude or unfair to you treat them with love, treat them the way you would like to be treated.
46-47. "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
It is easy to be kind and pray for people who are kind to you. God loves every one of us. He created each one of us. It breaks His heart when any turn away from Him. Jesus tells us to share the love God gives us not only with those who are showing us love but to all people. Take captive your thoughts. If you find yourself even thinking unkindly of another, stop those thoughts and pray for them in love. Try to avoid prayers requesting they be changed to someone more likable or kind. Instead pray for their hearts to be open and they be drawn closer to God so that they might feel His love for them in all its fulness.
Don't make promises or swear on anything. We have no true control or ownership of anything, so how can we swear or make promises by them?
37. "But let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil."
This is one of my favorite verses. Let your yes be yes and your no be no!
38-45. "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
Don't repay evil for evil. If someone does something rude or unfair to you treat them with love, treat them the way you would like to be treated.
46-47. "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
It is easy to be kind and pray for people who are kind to you. God loves every one of us. He created each one of us. It breaks His heart when any turn away from Him. Jesus tells us to share the love God gives us not only with those who are showing us love but to all people. Take captive your thoughts. If you find yourself even thinking unkindly of another, stop those thoughts and pray for them in love. Try to avoid prayers requesting they be changed to someone more likable or kind. Instead pray for their hearts to be open and they be drawn closer to God so that they might feel His love for them in all its fulness.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Matthew 5:27-32
27-28. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Again, we are held to a higher standard. Whether we act out in a sinful manner or just think about it, it is still wrong and we need Jesus to help us. God has given us the desire to do what is right. Hang onto that desire and ask Him for the strength to do it.
29-30. "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell."
If there is something in your life turning you away from God and toward sin, throw it away. Turn away from it and reach out for Jesus.
31-32. "It was said, 'Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Think about your actions and how they will affect others. Don't cause others to turn away from God. There can be a ripple effect; do you want your actions or words to cause a chain reaction of turning people away from God or drawing them near to Him?
Again, we are held to a higher standard. Whether we act out in a sinful manner or just think about it, it is still wrong and we need Jesus to help us. God has given us the desire to do what is right. Hang onto that desire and ask Him for the strength to do it.
29-30. "If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell."
If there is something in your life turning you away from God and toward sin, throw it away. Turn away from it and reach out for Jesus.
31-32. "It was said, 'Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."
Think about your actions and how they will affect others. Don't cause others to turn away from God. There can be a ripple effect; do you want your actions or words to cause a chain reaction of turning people away from God or drawing them near to Him?
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Matthew 5:21-26
21-22. "You have heard that the ancients were told, 'You shall not commit murder' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, 'You good for nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell."
We are held accountable to a higher level. Sin is sin and it separates us from God. The degree of our wrongdoing does not separate us from Him a little bit or more than others. Only the blood of Jesus can save us and make us acceptable to God.
23-24. "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come present your offering."
If you are holding onto sin, deal with it. Don't just go on with your day to day life letting it fester inside you.
25-26. "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent."
Look at things from others' point of view. Don't cling so hard to thinking your are right that you can't see your contribution to a bad situation. In telling the secrets of others or airing out arguments in public, your faults will be exposed and you will be put to shame.
"Do not go out hastily to argue your case; otherwise, what will you do in the end, when your neighbor humiliates you? Argue your case with your neighbor, and do not reveal the secret of another, or he who hears it will reproach you, and the evil report about you will not pass away."
~ Proverbs 25:8-10
We are held accountable to a higher level. Sin is sin and it separates us from God. The degree of our wrongdoing does not separate us from Him a little bit or more than others. Only the blood of Jesus can save us and make us acceptable to God.
23-24. "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come present your offering."
If you are holding onto sin, deal with it. Don't just go on with your day to day life letting it fester inside you.
25-26. "Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent."
Look at things from others' point of view. Don't cling so hard to thinking your are right that you can't see your contribution to a bad situation. In telling the secrets of others or airing out arguments in public, your faults will be exposed and you will be put to shame.
"Do not go out hastily to argue your case; otherwise, what will you do in the end, when your neighbor humiliates you? Argue your case with your neighbor, and do not reveal the secret of another, or he who hears it will reproach you, and the evil report about you will not pass away."
~ Proverbs 25:8-10
Monday, September 17, 2012
Matthew 20
"For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
How are we to be more righteous than others?
Jesus gives us an example in Luke.
"The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'" ~ Luke 18:11-13
Practice humility. Righteousness is being acceptable to God.
How can we be acceptable to God?
We are to keep all of His commandments.
How do I keep to every rule? That would be living in a state of perfection, wouldn't it?
We can try all we like to be perfect and we should try to live in a manner acceptable to God. Never forgetting to ask Him for His strength to do so and always remembering the only way to be perfect and acceptable to God is through accepting God's gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" ~ Romans 3:23-24
How are we to be more righteous than others?
Jesus gives us an example in Luke.
"The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!'" ~ Luke 18:11-13
Practice humility. Righteousness is being acceptable to God.
How can we be acceptable to God?
We are to keep all of His commandments.
How do I keep to every rule? That would be living in a state of perfection, wouldn't it?
We can try all we like to be perfect and we should try to live in a manner acceptable to God. Never forgetting to ask Him for His strength to do so and always remembering the only way to be perfect and acceptable to God is through accepting God's gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" ~ Romans 3:23-24
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Matthew 19
"Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
Moses was given by God the commandments by which God's people should live by. The ten commandments in Exodus 20 and then the book of Deuteronomy is full of instructions on what is right and what is wrong.
When Jesus says that we will be called least in heaven if we put off even the smallest part but will be called great if we keep and teach them we are being given an impossible task. We are being asked to live perfectly.
A little later Jesus talks about John the Baptist being the greatest and best man He know but the least in heaven will be greater than John the Baptist.
"Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." ~ Matthew 11:11
Moses was given by God the commandments by which God's people should live by. The ten commandments in Exodus 20 and then the book of Deuteronomy is full of instructions on what is right and what is wrong.
When Jesus says that we will be called least in heaven if we put off even the smallest part but will be called great if we keep and teach them we are being given an impossible task. We are being asked to live perfectly.
A little later Jesus talks about John the Baptist being the greatest and best man He know but the least in heaven will be greater than John the Baptist.
"Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." ~ Matthew 11:11
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Matthew 5:17-18
17. "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did
not come to abolish but to fulfill."
The law, ever letter and stroke of it. What law is this referring to?
The Greek word for law used here is νόμος nomos (no'-mos) which means law (surprise) but Strong's indicates that it specially refers to the law of Moses.
However, Jesus refers to the Law and the Prophets again a little later.
"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 7:12
Is this what Jesus is talking about when He is talking about not abolishing but fulfilling the Law. If so, it sounds easy ... but it's not.
Running through my mind are examples of things I have said or done that I would not want said or done to me. Also running through my mind are things I have not said or done that I would like to have said or done to me.
18. "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."
In Matthew chapter 24 it seems that Jesus addresses when "all is accomplished" and that will be when He returns after the time of tribulation.
The law, ever letter and stroke of it. What law is this referring to?
The Greek word for law used here is νόμος nomos (no'-mos) which means law (surprise) but Strong's indicates that it specially refers to the law of Moses.
However, Jesus refers to the Law and the Prophets again a little later.
"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 7:12
Is this what Jesus is talking about when He is talking about not abolishing but fulfilling the Law. If so, it sounds easy ... but it's not.
Running through my mind are examples of things I have said or done that I would not want said or done to me. Also running through my mind are things I have not said or done that I would like to have said or done to me.
18. "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."
In Matthew chapter 24 it seems that Jesus addresses when "all is accomplished" and that will be when He returns after the time of tribulation.
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