Subject: GROW UP!!

You and Me: Perfect?
Eph 4:11-16

As early as Gen 17:1 Abram was commanded to "walk before God and be perfect"
	Deut. 18:13   Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. 
	2 Chron. 16:9  For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole
		earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is 
		perfect toward him.

Even the sacrifices that were offered had to be perfect.
	Lev 22:21   And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the 
		Lord to accomplish his vow, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there
		shall be no blemish therein. 

In as much as we are called to be perfect:
	By Jesus...Matt 5:48   Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father 
		which is in heaven is perfect.
	2 Cor. 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,
		be of one mind, live in peace; 
	Philip. 3:12-17   Not as though I had already attained, either were already
		perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I 
		am apprehended of Christ Jesus. [13] Brethren, I count not myself to 
		have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which
		are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, [14] I
		press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ 
		Jesus. [15] Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if 
		in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
		[16] Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the 
		same rule, let us mind the same thing. 
	Col. 4:12   Epaphras, ..., a servant of Christ, saluteth you, ..., that ye
may stand
		perfect and complete in all the will of God. 
	2 Tim. 3:17     That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto
all 
		good works. 
	James 1:4    But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect  

Gal 3:3 asks the question...." Are we made perfect by flesh?..."

Job 9:20 makes it clear that we are not the judge of perfection.
	If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect,
	it shall also prove me perverse. 

Jas 2:22 Explains that..."perfect faith is proved by perfect works"

Clarifying what is spoken to us in Luke 6:40 that..." The Perfect shall be as
the Master.."


Perfection is a behavior that yields righteousness and based on Holiness.
There are seven Blessings found in our text of Perfection. and we will see
this morning
just what Luke meant.


#1. Maturity - no more children -vs 14
	

#2. Established in the Faith - no more doubtful mind -  vs 14 
	James 1:5-8  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. [6] But let him
ask 
	in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea
driven 
	with the wind and tossed. [7] For let not that man think that he shall
receive any 
	thing of the Lord. [8] A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 

#3. Rooted and grounded in Truth -  no more carried by doctrinal winds
	John 8:32-36  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
		[33] They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in
		bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? [34] Jesus
		answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin 
		is the servant of sin. [35] And the servant abideth not in the house for
ever: 
		but the Son abideth ever. [36] If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye 
		shall be free indeed. 
	Ephes. 3:17   That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being
rooted
		and grounded in love, 
	Col. 2:6-7  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye
in him:
		[7] Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been
		taught, 
	2 Peter 1:12   Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance
	       of  these things, though ye know them, and be established in the
present truth. 

#4. Freedom from Deception - able to discern the truth
	2 Tim. 2:15     Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth
		not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
	Heb 5:11-14   Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, 
		seeing ye are dull of hearing. [12] For when for the time ye ought to be 
		teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first 
		principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of 
		milk, and not of strong meat. [13] For every one that useth milk is
		 unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. [14] But strong 
		meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of 
		use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 
	John 8:32-36 .... see above..

    
#5. Ability to Speak the Truth In LOVE - vs 15
	Rom 15:14   And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also
are
		full of goodness, ...with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. 
	Col. 3:15   And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also
ye are 
		called in one body; and be ye thankful.

#6. Constant Spiritual Growth - vs 15
	1 Pet 2:2     As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye 
		may grow thereby: 
	2 Pet 3:18   But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour 
		Jesus Christ. 

#7. Harmony with All Others in Christ - vs 16
	1 Cor. 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, 
		that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you;
		but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same 
		judgment. 
	2 Cor. 13:11   Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort,
be of
		one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.