Kingdom Christian Church Sermon Podcast · Kingdom Christian Church

Do You Want To Be Perfect? Striving For Perfection

·1 hr 18 min·5 clips

He exposes parental jealousy: 'I spilled my lollipop in the sand and I want you to also.'

This sermon from Kingdom Christian Church examines the question "Do you want to be perfect?" based on Jesus's interaction with the rich young ruler in Matthew 19:21. Pastor Gabe Rogers teaches this message as part of a family series, aiming to challenge congregants in their spiritual development. The central text is Matthew 19:21, where Jesus tells the rich young ruler, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell what you have, give to the poor...and come and follow me." The pastor contrasts this with modern Christian attitudes, citing research that 89% of Christians don't know their purpose and 70% haven't shared the gospel with a stranger in six months. He references statistics showing 52% of Christians find evangelism offensive and 60% lacked basic New Testament knowledge in the 1980s. A key insight is that the sermon's question is not "Are you perfect?" but about aspiration and desire for spiritual completeness. The Greek word "teleos" is defined as meaning "brought to its end and finished." The pastor argues that Christians should aspire to master areas of sin, using the scriptural command in Matthew 5:48: "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." He connects this to practical life, questioning choices like children's reading material or college selection, which he links to a concept called "parental jealousy." The message claims that striving for perfection makes a believer more usable by God, referencing Hebrews 13:21 about being "made perfect in every good work." It distinguishes between having sinful thoughts, which come from outside, and willfully entertaining them. The tone is direct, confrontational, and exhortative, blending scriptural teaching with cultural commentary and personal anecdotes. The style is energetic and conversational, featuring call-and-response with the congregation. Listeners seeking motivation for spiritual growth and a challenge against complacent faith would appreciate this episode. Those uncomfortable with direct pastoral critique or a focus on personal responsibility over grace-centric teaching might choose to skip it.

As heard by us

A direct sermon on saying yes to God, with discipline made plain and personal.

The sermon opens in Matthew 19 with the rich young ruler and turns that scene into a test of obedience, ambition, and the moment a person has to say yes when God makes the offer.

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Why you'd press play

You want a Matthew 19 sermon that presses the rich young ruler question: when God makes you an offer, will you say yes?

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