PERFECTION MADE POSSIBLE IN THE LORD
Matthew 5:48
Wouldn’t it be nice to be perfect?
It would be great if all your plans turn out great.
What if every thought you had was perfect?
Wouldn't it be great if everyone considered you perfect?
It would be great to have the perfect life
The perfect family
The perfect job
The perfect set of friends
Perfect health
Well, that is wishful thinking. Or is it?
Jesus said that there was no one good but the Father
Matthew 19:17
17 "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good.
If I can’t be good, how will I ever be perfect?
Some people want everything to be perfect
They are not satisfied if what they do does not come out perfect
Do they strive for perfection? They want their efforts to end with
in perfection validated by the praise of their piers.
They give 100 percent. And sometimes 100 percent is not enough.
They may spend many days and nights frustrated because perfection
is not in sight.
You may never be perfect, but you can strive for perfection
The first thing you need to realize is that there will always be someone
better than you by your eyes and the eyes of others.
The second thing to realize is you cannot measure your perfection by
standards you set or the standards of others.
The third thing you need to realize is that human perfection if you ever
obtain it on last for a season.
The fourth thing you need to realize is that there is only one who is perfect all the
time for all times. That person is God and He alone
Webster describes perfect as being entirely without fault or defect,
satisfying all requirements
flawless, accurate, complete
GOD IS THE STANDARD FOR PERFECTION
How does God define perfect?
God defines perfect according to His character,
Deuteronomy 32:4
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.
The role model for perfection ought to be God and not us or some
standards we have or a standard another person sets.
Since God is perfect, only He knows what perfection is.
It takes faith to believe that God exists.
No man has seen God at any time. Therefore we cannot
fully describe Him.
We see the works of God. Can we judge them as perfect?
Who can say that the universe that God created is not perfect?
We cannot describe how big it is, so how can we determine its
perfection?
What we can conclude is God’s way is beyond our understanding
2 Samuel 22:31
It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
Notice it is not your way that you can obtain perfection. Perfection is in
God’s way.
What is God’s way?
Psalms 19:7
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
God defines perfection as an element of revival
Revival starts with obedience to His statutes.
The soul needed revival the day you were born
You are born in sin and shaped in iniquity. We were made perfectly
imperfect. Here is what God says about you;
Psalms 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
The only people that were made perfect were Adam and Eve. They were
not perfect long before sin entered their lives. From them comes our
imperfections which only God can eradicate.
Perfection is in God. Therefore we must start with God to achieve perfection
Since the law of God is perfect, we are wise to understand the law.
It is God’s standards that are perfect, not man’s.
So to pursue a standard of perfection that we made up is fruitless.
We only frustrate ourselves by pursuing something that keeps moving.
Our standards for perfection change as we learn more.
It's OK to set goals and aspirations. But make sure the Glory of God is
the objective behind the goals and aspirations.
YOUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE LORD
Colossians 3:23-25
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
If you are trying to please man, chances are you will be disappointed. You
can please people for a moment, but the next moment, they will find
criticism.
Your best is not always good enough for man. Many times your best is not good
enough for you. You can always find something you could have done better.
It nothing wrong with wanting to improve, but don’t beat yourself up for what you
did or did not accomplish. What you did yesterday is a stepping stone for
today.
God has already approved your best and set a reward for it. A man may say
yes and thank you, but that's the end of it. God says yes and has a reward
in store for you.
Perfection is a work in progress.
Hebrews 10:12-14
But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
In God's eyes, you are already perfect. Your life is a process of being made holy.
God never said you would be made perfect in one day. Perfection takes work.
It will never be seen by the world.
Your enemy is all around you. Jesus will stand on top of them while you watch.
Notice it there is a wait time while you are being made holy.
YOUR WORK HAS GOD’S STAMP OF APPROVAL
Romans 14:17-19
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
When you serve God, He approves you. Obedience brings peace and peace
brings joy. When your work is unto the Lord, He is pleased. God will make
sure man approves you. Your work does not make you perfect. It what
God does with your work that makes perfection.
You are not strong enough or smart enough to be perfect in God’s eyes.
Whether you know it or not, we are weak human beings. And that is good
2 Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
God uses the weakness in us to show His power.
God’s grace is new every day and falls fresh on us. If you wake up feeling
weak. It is alright because it is enough for God to perfect.
God is not going to approve anyone that He not going to perfect.
Stop trying to be perfect to be approved by men or yourself.
2 Corinthians 10:18
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Just do your best and God will commend you.
How do you know you have been approved by God?
1 Thessalonians 2:4-5
4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5
You are here tonight studying the gospel. God has entrusted you with His
word. God does not entrust the world with His Word. He gave you the
desire and ability to understand His Word. He gave you the command to
make disciples. He approved you for the job.
Your best is good enough for God
2 Timothy 2:15-16
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
SUMMARY OF THE PERFECTION YOU HAVE IN THE LORD
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT LORD
Deuteronomy 32:4
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT WAY
2 Samuel 22:31
"As for God, his way is perfect;
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT WORD
Psalms 19:7
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE
Job 36:4
4 Be assured that my words are not false;
one perfect in knowledge is with you.
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT WILL
Romans 12:2
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT PEACE
Isaiah 26:3
3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT STRUGGLE
2 Corinthians 12:9
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT LOVE
Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
YOU HAVE THE PERFECT HOME
Psalms 50:2
2 From Zion, perfect in beauty,
God shines forth.
YOU ARE PERFECT
Matthew 5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
CLASS QUESTIONS
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TOLD YOU DON’T MEASURE UP?
HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR WORK?
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SEE YOURSELF AS APPROVED BY GOD?
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