Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
You must be PERFECT Matt5:48 s31e71
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The Bible says the strangest things. You must be PERFECT.
This will merit about 6 ½ minutes of our consideration. There is a goal of maturity and completeness to shoot for. There is a purpose behind the "perfection".
Christians are called to a high standard because: People are gonna notice.
https://youtu.be/-Z5lStArnJQ
You must be PERFECT Matt5:48
The Bible says the strangest of things. Listen to this: 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The context is loving your neighbor and then the kicker: love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.
Remember, God sends the Sunrise to the evil and good
God sends the blessing of rain on the unjust
This is the concept of COMMON GRACES
God is kind, patient and merciful to the evil and unjust and persecuting. Why? So they can be around long enough for Him to
Win them, that they’d come to him and join His family.
Let’s break this down. You must be teleos. Perfect Greek word.
Meaning mature, complete, fully developed, full grown.
Without spot in some secret area.
He wants us to do this right. Fully do this right
When Jesus gets done mopping up the mess of your sinful heart, He doesn’t want there to be a dirty corner here in how you handle people who are not good to you.
What if I knew that God exhibits the characteristic of
being good to people who don’t deserve it?
Though most people deserve a fistful of JUSTICE God extends a fistful MERCY, through these and other common graces
Sunshine, blessing of rain, marriage, children, the satisfaction of meaningful work, the joy of nature, the pleasure of music. Etc.
So what? Well He doesn’t stop there. He also asks us to be like Him in this regard.
Be mature in the goodness that you extend to people that don’t deserve it
It stands in Colossians ch1 that Paul wants to PRESENT EVERYONE MATURE in Christ. In Ch 4 He even uses the phrase: STAND MATURE. It is the same Greek word STAND MATURE = Perfection.
And, in James chapter 1: 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
All this stuff that God gives us is to have an influence upon us.
It is not supposed to blow by us without sway
This word, this message, is not supposed to land without impact. So let us, let it
WHY BE PERFECT?
Gen 17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”
Why be perfect? Why be complete?
For Abram and ever since, He’s asked of his followers that they BE BLAMELESS, whole, sound, intact, of integrity
WHY?
1. So that we can walk before Him, we can walk with him.
Walking with God is best done in the realm of holiness.
He desires to have a relationship with Abram and us.
2. So He can be good to us. Yes, the Lord’s desire to give us His FAVOR. Here, the favor of a covenant and the favor of the heritage of a family.
From yesterday, He wants us to VALUE being one of God’s children, and it is a key to understanding how I get all the way to being kind to those who are actually EVIL.
This kindness is a “family trait” , first demonstrated by God and now asked ofus as we are on the stage of life
What are the markers of such people?
Love neighbor and enemies.
Dt19:19. What should I do when I am wronged?
Don’t be overcome by evil. OVERCOME EVIL with Good.
Let God be in the wrath business.
Let your governments criminal justice systeim handle punishment, but you?
Don’t let evil overcome you by YOU becoming evil
When you encounter evil against you: throw goodness at it
Leave room for wrath. Not yours, but God’s. Trust Him that He’s got this.
God has this empire of influence: God sends the sun on the evil, He sends precious rain on the unjust AND
God sends an army of Christians out to change the world, how?
By blowing the mind of the evil persons. Christians being kind to the eviland the enemies. Romans 12:20 if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Why be perfect? Why do what God does in extending a fistful of mercy to the undeserving? Well, it will blow the mind of the evil.
When Jesus didn’t react negatively to the evil of His crucifiction, what happened? Matthew 27:54
54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
His kill squad, starting with the Centurion, Saw. Noticed. They watched. They were filled with AWE. Step one. Then step two: TRULY this was the son of God.
Jesus was “evangelical” in His endurance of EVIL
We too can be a witness, by not being incomplete, or immature, or a knucklehead as we face our trials against EVIL.
You therefore must be PERFECT. Complete . Mature.
Brothers and Sisters: You gotta do this right. Why? People are gonna notice.