The rain of God
Ian El-Paget
October 17, 2023
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Matthew 5: 43-48 (NRSVA)
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Nobody’s perfect, at least that’s the saying.
So why make an impossible demand?
Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect!?
The word in the Greek is Teleio. It means complete, nothing missing — and is the same word Jesus used on Good Friday when he raised his voice and shouted “It is finished!”
It is also the word used in financial terms when the final instalment of a loan is paid back. It’s the word stamped across the invoice, no outstanding balance left.
We learn from the text that God our Father is perfect, mature, complete with nothing missing in His character, love and actions towards…well, everyone!
In fact, one could re-imagine Jesus’ words on the cross to be “This is the example of mature and complete love in action” not just an example to us, but an example of us! We are not being asked to shoot for the stars, chasing some impossible standard, we are shown, with Jesus leading the way, what love looks like — what the standard is for Christian living — what it’s going to take to bring the kingdom of God into manifestation on this earth. Don’t say, OK I will try. Do or do not, there is no try.
These are the epigenetics of the kingdom
Through faith you become
Children of The kingdom
The dominant gene, the distinguishing family trait is holiness
Holiness is purity
Jesus, the very begotten, or ‘mono genes’ in Greek, fulfilled His calling, holding nothing back, and the rain of God — sorry — the reign of God was felt by both the righteous and unrighteousness.
Elsewhere the Bible calls it wholeheartedness.
Give it everything, your whole heart, and mind, and soul, and strength.
This is the very way we are called to love God.
And the very way we are called to love others.
Thus the second greatest commandment is ‘like’ the first.
What does doing the first commandment, loving the Lord your God, look like?
It looks like doing the second commandment, loving your neighbour, holding nothing back.
PRAYER:
Father,
I choose to be perfect just as you are perfect
Jesus,
thank you for being an example to me and of me
Holy Spirit,
Transform me into who I really am.
The one and only me, very begotten.
Amen.
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