Scripture to Read: Matthew 5:46–48
Jesus does a little comparison for the people He taught and for us today. Jesus said in Matthew 5:46–48, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus used the “tax collectors” as His example of loving those who love them. Tax collectors in Jesus’ day were not liked at all by the Jews. The tax collector's job was to gather taxes for the Roman government, but most tax collectors would collect more than they were supposed to collect to make themselves rich. So, the Jews knew they were thieves and despised them. So, when Jesus used them as His example, He let the people know that the way they loved others must not be like the tax collectors. As we have seen all week, Jesus calls us to go beyond what this lost world does regarding loving and serving others. Then, Jesus said it’s about being perfect because our Heavenly Father is perfect. We can’t master perfection without Christ as our Lord and His Holy Spirit living in us. But with His Holy Spirit, we have all we need (2 Peter 1:3–9) to live as He has commanded (Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 18:13, 2 Corinthians 7:1, and Philippians 3:12–15). We must choose to live His way and not ours.
Challenge & Application
· What will it look like for you to start loving as Jesus has commanded?
· What are some things you must do to begin to “be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect?”
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!