Ways our Heaveny Father is Perfect

Turn with me please to the Gospel by Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5. Let's read at verse 43. Matthew 5 verse 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven. For he maketh his Son to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same. And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Let's read verse 48 again because that's what I'm going to use for the starting point of my thoughts this morning. Verse 48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

And so we're going to set the bar very high right at the very beginning of our gathering today. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. That's a high standard.

But I'm thankful for the words of the psalmist, he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust. So when we read something like this, we realize this is indeed the standard. I hope, beloved, that we don't fall into the trap of the scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, and define our own standard of what's acceptable as a believer, what is good enough, and then just aim to meet the minimum.

Know the Lord Jesus at the very beginning here of the New Testament gives us this bar, if you will. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. And of course we could launch off from this and lay down a whole bunch of criteria and standards and goals for ourselves, and we would likely soon get ourselves into Romans chapter 7 and be crying, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death.

I'm glad for the next verse, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is power, there is deliverance, and there is the ability in some measure to be perfect as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. I want to think a little bit about this word Father to start with.

We live in a mixed-up world, a sad, depraved world, but the word Father should bring to our hearts a sense of care, a sense of dignity, a sense of provision for need. And each of us who are fathers realize that we've fallen far short of our Father in heaven as far as His care and His dignity, and that's what we want to be occupied today is with our Father. But the beginning of this chapter we have the first reference in the New Testament to our Heavenly Father.

What a relationship we have been brought into, that we the sons of Adam's race, fallen, separated from God by our sins, can now call God our Father. And the Lord right from the beginning of His teaching, as He begins His public instruction, He uses this term seventeen times in chapters 5, 6, and 7 alone. Seventeen times speaks of our Father, or our Father in heaven.

And so, beloved, we have a Father, a perfect Father in heaven. What is the thought of perfect? Well, it's hard to define perfect without using the word perfect in the definition, because perfect just means what perfect means. But when you look at the various definitions and the lexicons and so forth, the one that seemed to just encompass everything to me was lacking nothing.

It has a thought of maturity, completeness, arriving at the goal. All of these are thoughts, but it's just lacking nothing. And we're lacking a lot of things, but our Father lacks nothing.

Your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. And I think if I just sat down after leaving you with those words, we would have something to chew on the rest of our lives. Your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect.

That's a lovely thought. Our Father is perfect. And I want to just look, and because it's such a vast, vast subject, I'm going to just confine myself to Matthew 5, 6, and 7, the so-called Sermon on the Mount, and look at different ways that the Word of God points out to us that our Father is perfect.

And so, let's just look at this little section that we read, because you see, verse 48, be ye therefore perfect. A quaint old saying that's perhaps trite but full of meaning is, when you see a wherefore or a therefore, ask yourself what it's there for. Why does it say therefore? Well, because it builds on what he has just said.

And he began in verse 43, thou, ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. And we could go into all sorts of discussions about, you know, these various statements in chapter 5, it hath been said, ye have heard it said, and so forth. Are these actual parts of them are quotations of the Old Testament? So, indeed, the Word of God said.

But then, I take it that the last part of that is not something that God had written, thou shalt hate thine enemy. That was what was being said by the interpreters of the Old Testament. They thought, well, we love our friends and love our neighbors, but I think it's the question of the Good Samaritan.

Who's my neighbor? In other words, if I can eliminate everyone I don't like from being my neighbor, well, I can do that easy enough then, loving my neighbor. But no, the Lord is emphasizing the love. And so we have verse 44, but I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.

So is that how we become a child of God? No, I think it's quite evident that the point is, especially taking the last verse, verse 48, it's in this way we will reflect a likeness. It will be manifest that we are the children of our Father who is in heaven when we manifest love as he loves. And so my first point is, our Father is perfect in love.

Perfect in love. And it goes on here at the end, in the middle of verse 45, For he maketh his Son to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Our Father is perfect in love. And our love needs to take character from the love of our Father. And the Lord makes a point of emphasizing that he's not just loving to the good and the upright and the lovable people.

He sends his rain on just and on the unjust. He makes his Son to rise on the evil and on the good. And I hope that our love extends more than just me, myself, and mine, and a few others, maybe in the assembly, the people that I like, I love.

No. For God so loved the world. And brethren, let's not redefine world in any particular way.

This verse, along with thousands of others, would tell us that God indeed loves every one of his creatures in mankind. And he desires. What is love? I found a definition that suits me is that love is desiring the best for someone.

That gives room for discretion, which we're going to touch a little bit later as far as our Father. Is it love to give our children everything that they want when they go through the toy aisle at Walmart and they want this and they want that? Is it love to give them what they want? No. It would be the opposite of love, to give what they want.

God gives good things. His sunshine, his rain are the two things that are pointed out here. They are universal and they are good, they are beneficial.

At Lystra, when Paul was speaking to the heathen there, they were going to offer sacrifice to Paul, and he turned them from their purpose and he tried to point them to the living God who had created all things, and he said that he had left men in the times of this ignorance God had winked at, and he had allowed the nations to walk in their own ways, but nevertheless, he says, he left not himself without witness in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. So the love of God, Paul would point out to those heathens, is manifested in his gifts to his creation, the sunshine and the rain. God's love is perfect, and we should copy that love.

I hope that our love in the gospel extends beyond any particular group of people that we find attractive to us, that we have a compassion for, and extends to the whole world. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, perfect in love, just generous beyond measure in how he provides for his creatures and how he's provided for the salvation. God who will have all men to be saved, and he's made full provision that all men could be saved, he has given his Son.

We rejoice in that. We should imitate that. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect in love.

Let's go down to verse 1 of chapter 6. Chapter 6, verse 1. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have the reward.

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth, that thine alms may be in secret. And thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. That same expression is repeated again in verse 6, the last of the verse.

Pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Again at verse 18 we have the same expression. That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

God is perfect in reward, and I would that we could all keep this ever in mind. We don't need to sound a trumpet. We don't need to send off a report to the magazine.

We don't need to tell people who we know are connected and will spread the word. We need to serve before our Father who sees in secret. It seems that he puts special emphasis on the things that are done in secret.

In fact, he says in any measure that something is done with a desire to be noticed, you've got your reward right there. Cash on the matter, you've got your reward. But he says if you can do it in secret, your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Not necessarily in this life. That would defeat the purpose of it, perhaps. Though a man's service will be acknowledged by those who are godly, yet the goal is to serve our Father who is perfect.

Think of all God's works that are done in secret. Well, how much do we understand about what's going on in the purposes of God as far as this world, as far as the kingdoms of this world, as far as the work of the gospel, as far as the care of God's people? Oftentimes we kneel down to pray, and I want to pray for those that are ill, and I realize I have forgotten so many. You're done praying, I should have prayed for so-and-so.

Well, our Father who sees in secret, he'll meet the need. And if our labors are done to the Father who sees in secret, he will give a full reward in a coming day. 1 Corinthians 3, linked with the local assembly, but the principles of reward and assessment are there and valid in all cases.

He says in verse 8, every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. That's God's perfect standard of judgment. He's not going to give me your reward.

He's not going to give you my reward. Every man will receive his own reward according to his own labors. And so it's not in vain, our labor is not in vain in the Lord.

There is a resurrection, there is a life to come, there is eternal reward for all that is done for our Father who sees in secret. And so it might it be our desire to labor in view, not of men, not of the praise of men, but in the view of our Father who sees in secret, and he will reward fully and openly in a coming day. It's a great consolation when we see someone who has made a sacrifice, and we may thank them for that sacrifice, but we realize our words are feeble, maybe not as sincere as they ought to be even, but our Father who sees in secret will reward fully and openly in a coming day.

Paul's comfort in regard to the Philippians was that what they had done for him, sent to him, was treasure laid up in store for them against the time to come. The Father would give them a full reward in the coming day. And so our Father rewards perfectly.

Don't worry about whether men notice what you've done, perhaps better if they don't. Our Father who sees in secret will reward openly in the coming day. Let us await that day.

Paul reminds the Corinthians, therefore judge nothing before the time until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart, and then shall every or each man have praise of God. Individual reward perfectly assessed and rewarded in that coming day. Well that doesn't remove our responsibility to acknowledge deeds of kindness and so forth that are done.

Encourage our brethren to do good. That's an exhortation to us, to encourage those to provoke unto love and to good works. And one way to provoke unto love and good works, not only by showing them, but by giving counsel.

In that way we can be as our Father is perfect. Let's go down a little further in this chapter to verse 7, Matthew 6 verse 7. Matthew 6 verse 7, But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.

For your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him. Your Father knoweth. That's a wonderful consolation.

Our Father knows. Particularly, it's pointed out here, he knows what we have need of before we ask. We could look down to verse 32 of this same chapter.

For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. And on the basis of that we're exhorted, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. He knows what we need, and he doesn't want us to be distracted by worrying about our needs.

He knows our needs. Did you ever think what it would be like if we only got the things that we asked for? Well, I think we'd be pretty poverty-stricken. Our Father knows what we have need of.

Now, that shouldn't hinder us from asking. When we're conscious of a need, but there are so many things that we aren't conscious of our need, or there are needs that haven't come yet, and rather than worrying about the needs that haven't come yet, let us rest on this assurance, your Father knoweth. Your Father knoweth.

There's not ever any circumstance that's going to enter your life or mine that God didn't know about in advance, and prepare for in advance. And how often we have marveled to look back and say, I didn't see that coming, and I wasn't prepared for it, and yet the means to meet this need, whether it's material, physical, spiritual, or whatever it is, God had already made provision for it, and we didn't even know it was coming. Well, that's part of the assurance and comfort we should gain from this.

Our Father knows. Twice in the book of Job, we read that God is perfect in knowledge. Perfect in knowledge.

And the Apostle in Romans 11 bursts into that exclamation, that doxology of praise, O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. And then at the end of that chapter, verse 36, for of him and through him and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever and ever. Our Father knows.

And a who knows, sometimes we know things and we can't seem to do anything about it. But our Father knows, and he's able to meet the need perfectly. Not giving us what we don't really need, but giving us what we need.

And therewith we should be content. It's when we start hankering after the things that we don't need, but we want, as when we'll get ourselves into trouble. Be content with such things as you have, for he has said, our Father has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, so that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Our Father is perfect in knowledge. Will we ever attain to that? No, not in this life for sure, and I don't think we're ever going to be little gods, even in glory. We're going to be like his Son, and that's a tremendous dignity.

But our Father is unique in all these attributes of love, in administering of righteous reward, in his knowledge. He is perfect. Let's go down a little further in Matthew chapter 6, verse 26.

Matthew 6 verse 26. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Over to chapter 7, let's read at verse 9. Or what man is there of you whom, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? Verse 11 again.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? God is perfect in giving, and we can say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. And James could remind us every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Our Father is perfect in his giving.

He gives good things. Likely we have given our children some things that weren't so good. Maybe we relented later when this thing keeps eating batteries and making all sorts of noise, and the child you can't speak to them because they're busy with whatever.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea. We could do that. We could easily fail because we are evil.

That is, our innermost nature is rotten to the core, and it has not been improved as far as our nature by salvation, but thank God we have a new nature, and we have the indwelling Spirit of God. And so though God is very well aware when he says, Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect, he points out we're not perfect, and we're not going to get there because our nature is not right, but God has no such limitations. Your Father in heaven is perfect, and he's perfect in his giving.

He gives good things. Is there something good that you need, that I need? The salvation of a loved one, the ability to be a help in the local assembly, the knowledge to know what needs to be done at any given time. Do we need these things? We need these things.

Let us ask, and if it's a good thing, God will give it. James says, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. In this same section, ask, and it shall be given you.

Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. What encouragements God has given us to ask, and as a wise, as a perfect Father, he will give us good things.

And that's an example to us of how to be perfect. Make sure that our gifts to whoever or whatever, make sure they're good gifts, good gifts. And let us beware of anything that would be a hindrance, a stumbling block to anyone.

If we would be perfect as our Father, which is in heaven perfect, in our giving, let us give good things. We desire to do it for our natural children, we should do it for our brethren and all that are dear to us. I think of the Apostles' words to the Philippians.

Out of their poverty they had sent to supply his need, and he encourages them with this word in chapter 4, verse 19, but my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. We have a giving God, and he gives perfectly, and he will give what we need, when we need it, in the measure we need it. But maybe we are like James reminds those that received his letter, you receive not because you ask not.

Let us ask of our Father good things, and he will surely give us, because he is a perfect Father. There are many things we don't understand as to God and his ways, but I think many of us have drawn comfort from the words of Psalm 18, verse 30. As for God, his way is perfect.

God cannot do anything that's not perfect, and his ways are perfect. Do we often not understand them? Certainly, but they are perfect. And the rest of that verse, the word of the Lord is tried.

Where are we going to receive comfort? Where are we going to receive direction and instruction from the Word of God? It's tried, and it says he is a buckler to them that trust in him. So in every time of need, remember your Father in heaven is perfect. And he would have us to take character from him that we might manifest that we are his children, by our likeness in his love.

Oh, that love that can never be comprehended, but let us seek to emulate it. His righteous rewards, let us seek to acknowledge and encourage all who do what is right, what is proper, what is commendable. In his knowledge, we'll never attain to it, but he has said if we lack knowledge, we should ask of him, and he'll give us what we need.

And in his giving, he's perfect. May we know more of confidence in our God, in our Father, and in the perfection of all his ways. And might we reflect more and more day by day as we awaited the coming of our Lord Jesus, something of the character of our Father who is in heaven.