QT 05/02/2026 Thu. Matthew 5. Following the Perfect Father: Going Beyond Human Norms 跟随完全的父亲：超越人类常理

QT 05/02/2026 Thu. Matthew 5. Following the Perfect Father: Going Beyond Human Norms
READ http://www.esv.org/matthew5

A stranger once lamented to me in a random conversation while on a road journey that while he was a “high-roller”, many people contacted him frequently. But when he became broke, “人家盖我的电话” (slammed down the phone on me). This attitude is quite understandable in the world, nothing new.

But society aside, are you serving in your current ministry or living in a way that reflects The Father? It would be such a blessing to serve in that manner and you can succeed in this aspect in 2026. Jesus ends this section of the Sermon on the Mount with words that are both bracing and unsettling:

Scripture Focus: Matthew 5:46–48 [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, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (ESV)

At first glance, this feels impossible—maybe even unfair. But Jesus is not calling His disciples to a superficial flawlessness or moral perfectionism. He is calling them to a recognisable kind of resemblance—who do you resemble? To live as sons and daughters who reflect the character of their Father, even when doing so cuts against what feels natural, reasonable, or socially acceptable.

(1) Loving Beyond Reciprocity

Jesus begins with what feels obvious: loving people who love us back is easy. Even “tax collectors” and “Gentiles”—those considered moral outsiders—do that. In other words, Jesus says that ordinary human decency is not the distinguishing mark of the kingdom of God. The question is not, “Do you love?” but “Whom do you love, and how far does that love go?”

Reflection: Just look at who you have assembled to surround yourselves to be your friends or inner circle, or hope to assemble? Do they have a certain kind of “profile” that society usually want to be friends or acquaintances of? Jesus was known to be friends of outcasts and sinners, but are we aiming to only friends of successful entrepreneurs and high-worth individuals? (有头有脸的搭档).

The love Jesus describes goes beyond reciprocity, tribe, and convenience. It reaches enemies. It greets those who would rather ignore us. It blesses those who do not deserve it. This kind of love reflects the Father, who “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good” (Matt. 5:45). Kingdom love mirrors divine generosity, not human instinct.

(2) A Pattern, Not a Pick-and-Choose Faith

Jesus’ call to perfection is not isolated to loving enemies—it crowns everything He has been teaching in Matthew 5. The Beatitudes show us a life shaped by humility, mercy, and hunger for righteousness. Being salt and light means visibly embodying God’s goodness in a decaying and dark world. Jesus insists that true righteousness does not shrink Scripture down to our favorite topics that caricatures the full counsel of God in the medium or long-term, but submits to all of God’s Word (5:17–20).

This deeper righteousness confronts anger before it becomes murder, lust before it becomes adultery, and careless words before they fracture trust. Jesus speaks into marriage and divorce, not to restrict joy, but to protect covenant faithfulness and human flourishing in a broken world. He calls His followers to honesty so deep that oaths become unnecessary—our “yes” and “no” should already be trustworthy.

Even retaliation is redefined. Instead of matching harm with harm, Jesus calls His disciples to radical generosity and restraint. The common thread in all of this is not rule-keeping, but resemblance. Children look like their Father. Once in a while, people in the crowd might blurt out suddenly, “Are you so and so’s son or daughter?” No son or daughter would be exactly the same as their parents in all aspects, but you get my point on “resemblance.”

(3) Perfect as the Father Is Perfect

The word “perfect” (Greek teleios) carries the idea of completeness or maturity. Jesus is calling His disciples to a wholehearted, undivided life—one that reflects the full character of God rather than a selective, culturally comfortable version of righteousness.

God’s perfection is most clearly seen in His love. He does not love selectively or conditionally. He loves with purpose, patience, and grace. To follow the Perfect Father, then, is to allow His love to reshape our instincts, our reactions, and our relationships.

This is not a call to self-powered moral heroics. The Sermon on the Mount drives us to recognize our need for grace. We cannot live this way unless God first changes us. But it is also a call to transformation. Grace does not lower the standard; it empowers obedience.

(4) Living It Out

Following the Perfect Father means asking hard questions of ourselves:

(a) Do I love only when it costs me nothing?
(b) Do I obey Scripture selectively, or submissively?
(c) Do my words, my sexuality, my relationships, and my responses to conflict reflect the character of my Father?

Kingdom living goes beyond human norms because it is fueled by divine life. As we follow Jesus, the Spirit shapes us into people whose lives point beyond ourselves—to the Father who is perfect, and perfectly loving.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, We confess that our love is often small, selective, and self-protective. Forgive us for settling for ordinary righteousness when You have called us to reflect Your character. Shape our hearts by Your Spirit. Teach us to love as You love, to obey as children who trust their Father, and to live in a way that points others to You. Make us mature and whole in Christ, for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

QT 05/02/2026 星期四 马太福音5. 跟随完全的父亲：超越人类常理
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/mat/5/

旅途中与一位陌生人闲聊时，他曾感慨道：当年自己当“大佬”时，众人争相联络；可一旦落魄，“人家盖我的电话”（直接挂断电话）。世间如此，实属寻常。

但抛开社会现象，你当前的事工服事或生活方式是否彰显了天父的形象？若能以此方式服事将是何等有福气，你必能在2026年在这方面得胜。耶稣以既振奋人心又令人不安的话语结束登山宝训这一段：

关注经文： 马太福音 5:46–48  如果你们只爱那些爱你们的人，有什么赏赐呢？税吏不也是这样作吗？47 如果你们单问候你们的弟兄，有什么特别呢？教外人不也是这样作吗？48所以你们要完全，正如你们的天父是完全的。”

乍看之下，这要求似乎难以企及——甚至有失公允。但耶稣呼召门徒的并非肤浅的无瑕或道德完美主义，而是呼召他们活出可辨识的相似性——你活出了谁的模样？要活出反映天父品格的儿女样式，即便这与本能、理性或社会准则相悖。

(1) 超越互惠之爱的实践

耶稣从显而易见之处切入：爱那些爱我们的人易如反掌。连 “税吏” 和 “外邦人” ——那些被视为道德局外者——都做得到。换言之，耶稣指出世俗的体面并非天国的标志。问题不在于 “你是否爱人” ，而在于 “你爱的是谁，这份爱能走多远？”

反思：看看你身边聚集了哪些人成为朋友或核心圈，或是你渴望结交的对象？他们是否符合社会普遍青睐的交友标准？耶稣以与被排斥者和罪人为友闻名，而我们是否只想与成功商家和 “有头有脸” 的搭档为友？

耶稣所描述的爱超越了互惠、族群和便利。它触及仇敌，迎接那些宁愿忽视我们的人，祝福那些不配得的人。这种爱映照出天父的形象——祂 “使太阳照恶人，也照好人；降雨给义人，也给不义的人”（太5:45）。国度的爱彰显的是神圣的慷慨，而非人的本能。

(2) 模式而非挑拣的信仰

耶稣对完美的呼召不仅限于爱仇敌——它冠冕了祂在马太福音第五章所教导的一切。八福向我们展现了谦卑、怜悯与渴慕公义塑造的生命。作盐作光意味着在腐朽黑暗的世界中，可见地彰显神的良善。耶稣强调：真正的公义绝非将圣经缩减为我们偏爱的主题，从而歪曲神在经文中完整启示的真义，而是全然顺服神全部的话语（5:17-20）。

这种更深层的公义，在愤怒演变为杀戮之前制止它，在情欲沦为奸淫之前遏止它，在轻率言语摧毁信任之前阻止它。耶稣论及婚姻与离婚，并非要限制喜乐，而是要在破碎的世界中守护盟约的忠诚与人的蓬勃发展。祂呼召门徒活出如此深刻的诚实，以致誓言变得多余——我们的“是”与“非”本就应当值得信赖。

连报复都得到重新定义。耶稣呼召门徒摒弃以牙还牙，转而践行极致的慷慨与克制。贯穿其中的核心并非守规，而是相似。儿女必像父亲。人群中偶尔会有人脱口而出：“你莫非是某某的儿女？” 儿女不可能在每个方面都与父母完全相同，但你们明白我所说的“相似”之意。

(3) 如同天父的完美

“完美”（希腊文teleios）蕴含着完整与成熟的意涵。耶稣呼召门徒活出全心全意、毫无保留的生命——这生命应全然彰显神的品格，而非选择性地迎合文化舒适区的义。

神的完美在祂的爱中彰显得最为清晰。祂的爱不带选择性，也不附带条件，而是充满目标、耐心与恩典。因此追随完美的父，就是让祂的爱重塑我们的本能、反应与人际关系。

这并非呼吁靠己力行道德壮举。登山宝训促使我们认识到自己需要恩典。若非上帝先改变我们，我们无法如此生活。但这也是一次呼召，呼召我们经历改变。恩典并非降低标准，而是赋予顺服的力量。

(4) 活出真道

追随完美的父神意味着向自己提出严苛的质问：

(a) 我是否只在毫无代价时才施予爱？
(b) 我是否选择性地顺服圣经，而非全然顺服？
(c) 我的言语、情欲、人际关系及冲突应对，是否彰显天父的品格？

国度生活超越人间常轨，因它由神圣生命驱动。跟随耶稣时，圣灵将我们塑造成指向超越自我的生命——指向那完全且全然慈爱的天父。

祷告

天父啊，我们承认自己的爱常显渺小、偏颇且自保。求祢赦免我们满足于平凡的义，因祢呼召我们彰显祢的品格。求圣灵塑造我们的心，教导我们如祢般去爱，如信靠父亲的儿女般顺服，活出引人归向祢的生命。愿我们在基督里成熟完满，为要荣耀祢的名。奉耶稣的名求。阿们。