MARK THE PERFECT MAN FOR HIS END IS PEACE

IN THE DAYS OF HIS POWER SERIES.

TOPIC: MARK THE PERFECT MAN FOR HIS END IS PEACE

SERMON BY-:
Rev. Innocent Chukwudi Peace-Udochukwu President Living Fountain Ministries Int’l LIFOM

“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”
Psalm 37:37 (KJV)

“OBSERVE SIMPLICITY AND, CHOOSE RECTITUDE; SEEING THERE IS A GOOD END TO THE MAN OF PEACE.”

Mark the perfect man – In contrast with what happens to the wicked. The word “perfect” here is used to designate a righteous man, or a man who serves and obeys God. See the notes at Job 1:1. The word “mark” here means “observe, take notice of.” The argument is, “Look upon that man in the end, in contrast with the prosperous wicked man. See how the close of life, in his case, differs from that of a wicked man, though the one may have been poor and humble, and the other rich and honored.” The point of the psalmist’s remark turns on the end, or the “termination” of their course; and the idea is, that the end of the two is such as to show that there is an advantage in religion, and that God is the friend of the righteous. Of course this is to be understood in accordance with the main thought in the psalm, as affirming what is of general occurrence.

“Though he may meet with troubles in his way, yet all shall end well.”

THE PERFECT AND UPRIGHT MAN HAS PEACE IN HIS END.

IT is a great mistake to imagine that there is no peace in the way of a true Believer; for certainly his WAYS are ways of pleasantness, and all his paths are peace; Proverbs.3:17.
But it is surely a much great|er error to suppose that the end of his way is not peaceful and happy. Nay, the END of that man is PEACE; a PEACE passing all understanding, and a peace without any end at all.

THERE is not a more noble sight in nature, than a good man amidst all the confusions and horrors of death, relying on his blessed Redeemer with such an unruffled and heavenly calm of mind. The very heathen paid this complement to virtue, as certain also of their own poets have express’d it:
The man resolute in goodness hears regardless the clamours of the despicable rabble, and mocks the frown of the threatening tyrant. Nor storms, nor the thunder of God, can shake the solid peace of his mind. Should the orbs of heaven fall crushing about him, fearless would he stand, and hear a world shatter to ruins. If the Poet of the Gen|tiles can sing thus, what strains shall the Apostle of the Gentiles raise, for the lips of the dying christian.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans. viii. 35, 37, 38, 39.

Assured that nothing shall separate him from the love of CHRIST; and assured that his maker is his friend, HE, the GOD who manages all the wheels of Nature and Providence, what has he to fear. GOD, may he say, is my father; Heaven is my home; Death is my friend; Angels are my guardians; all things are instruments of my good.

“Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.”
Psalm 37:34-40

Mark the honest man, and behold the upright;
For a posterity (shall be) to the man of peace:
But transgressors are altogether destroyed,
The posterity of the wicked is destroyed.

Behold now a very different character, a man who is upright before God, who sincerely desires and endeavours to please and glorify him, and therefore makes it his care to walk in his ordinances and commandments blameless: mark him, keep your eye upon him, and observe the issue of his course and conversation. For the end of that man is peace —

Though he may meet with troubles in his way; though his days may be long, dark, and cloudy; yet all shall end well with him; he shall be happy at last. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together — Or, alike, one as well as another, all without any exception or respect of persons. The end of the wicked shall be cut off — That is, he shall be cut off at last, or in the end. His prosperity shall end in destruction. But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord — And therefore it shall certainly come to and be conferred upon them.

Behold the upright; the man that is upright in heart and conversation, who has a right spirit renewed in him, and the uprightness of Christ showed unto him; or, in other words, who has the truth of grace within him, and the righteousness of Christ upon him: such men are to be marked, observed, viewed, and considered, as rare and uncommon men; and to be imitated and followed in the exercise of grace and discharge of duty; and especially the end of such persons is to be marked and beheld, as follows;
for the end of that man is peace: such a man now enjoys a conscience peace, which passes the understanding of worldly men; and which he possesses in Christ, and from him, amidst a variety of tribulations, arising from a view of interest in his blood and righteousness; and, generally speaking, goes off the stage of life, if not triumphing, yet resigned to the will of God, and in a serene and tranquil frame of spirit.

The expression “to mark,” as used here, means “to take note of, or to pay special attention to.” David’s instruction is for the reader or hearer to look at the example of those who are “blameless” and “upright.”

“Blameless” does not mean sinlessly perfect. No person, other than Jesus, has ever been or ever will be perfect (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus never thought a sinful thought, nor did He commit a sinful act. But every other human being has sinned and falls short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Rather, to be blameless means to be “above reproach.”
Paul told Timothy that a church leader “must be blameless”
(1 Timothy 3:2 KJV). If only perfectly sinless men were qualified to be overseers, no church would have an overseer.

In a similar way, those who are upright can be contrasted with those who are crooked (Proverbs 17:20). As do other general statements in Psalms and Proverbs, this verse notes that the morally upright person is more likely to see a peaceful future (Proverbs 9:10–11). The word “future” may imply that his descendants, too, will enjoy peace.

Christians enjoy peace with God (Romans 5:1), and by committing their concerns to God in prayer they can also enjoy the peace of God in their hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7).

Psalm 37:32–40 describes the actions of the wicked and the judgment they face at the hands of the Lord. It also relates what the righteous person ought to do and what the Lord will do for him. The wicked have a dreadful future, whereas the future of the righteous is one of exaltation, peace, and deliverance.

“For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
Hebrew 7:19

“And to the spirits of just men made perfect”
(Hebrew 12:23).
Some time ago these words found in the book of Hebrews caught my attention. As I meditated upon this phrase and began a more in-depth study, I was challenged and inspired in my own Christian walk. It is my desire to share these inspirations with others.

Consider the two thoughts expressed in this phrase: “just men” and “made perfect.” What constitutes a just man? Who is a just man? Let your mind travel with me. The idea of being “just men” carries the thought of a person that is honorable, fair, morally upright, an all-good person, the best society can produce. “Just men” might even describe the manner in which we would desire to be thought of, but the words “made perfect” add a deeper dimension. We should not be satisfied to be simply a “just man” when God is asking for more than that. Be perfect. He will provide the grace and strength that we need. The word “perfect,” as it is used here, means carried through to completion in every detail, lacking in no respect, whole, and of supreme moral excellence.

The Bible provides examples of men of whom God said were perfect before Him. They are worthy of our consideration. The earliest example is found in Genesis 6:8-9.
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Another example is Job. The very first verse in the book of Job introduces him with these words, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil.”

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
Mathew 5:48

The Call to Perfection…
The call to perfection comes to us from Almighty God, our Heavenly Father. As children, our Father desires that we grow and become more like Himself.

As we consider this calling, let us look at the account of the rich young ruler. Here was a morally upright young man. He knew how to say “no” to his flesh and sinful inclinations. Society would say he was a “just man”. The Bible record would suggest that he still felt a need in his life. Mark 10:21 says, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him.”
Christ will always acknowledge the sincere heart as it comes to Him in openness and humility. However; His love will never prevent Him from revealing an area of personal need to us. Matthew 19:21 reads, “Jesus said unto him, if thou wilt be perfect.” In the remainder of this verse, Jesus sets forth the conditions for perfection. Even though some of the applications might be different, the principles are valid in our day. First, we are to give up any earthly thing that is taking preeminence in our life. Second, we are to minister to those with material needs. These may include money, time, food, or clothing. Combined with this is the need to minister to those with spiritual needs. This work will require that we are willing to listen to another’s struggles, share words of encouragement, pray for others, and tell others about the Lord. Third, we are to live as disciples of Christ in everyday life. In this account, the young ruler went away sorrowful. Christ had revealed the way of eternal life to him, but he considered the cost too great.

How can I be perfect?
The first and most important step in our quest for perfection is salvation. Everyone must come to the foot of the cross; believing and accepting Christ’s atoning blood for their sin. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Without this step the strongest efforts of the human will are in vain.

Another step towards perfection is taken when we heed the direction of godly parents. Consider what David had to share with his son, Solomon. “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever” (1Chronicle 28:9). God, in His wisdom, established the family unit for the benefit of every rising generation. As children need to learn to take direction before they can effectively give it to their children, we all need to learn obedience before we can ask it of those under our authority. Christ was an example of this principle while here on earth (Luke 2:51).

The course to perfection will affect our walk every day and touch every area of our lives. It requires that we walk close to God on a day to day basis. Perfection extends beyond morning or evening devotions, and brings us into contact with God, moment by moment, all day long. When the tempter entices, or the pressures of life press in on every side, my response indicates whether I’m walking with God or walking in the flesh. “And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Gen 5:24). We ask the question, how can I walk with God in my generation as Enoch did in his? One way is by complete obedience to God’s Word. 1 John 2:5 says, “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby we know that we are in him.” Another is allowing the power of God in our lives to help us control our tongue. “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:2).

Our daily walk with God will also result in a love for one another. There are many references to this in the Scriptures. Jesus commands that we love others. John wrote on the subject. Paul instructs us in Colossians 3:14 that, “above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Our love for one another will result in a care and concern for others. Through intercessory prayer we can bring others before the throne of God’s grace. If we have noticed an area of weakness or failure in a friend or brother’s life, we can beseech God’s power in their life to help them grow to perfection. As we grow in our daily walk with God, we will also grow in our trust and dependence on Him. David acknowledges this reality in Psalm 18:32. “It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.” David understood that perfection was a result of God’s power in his life and not his own. Today, as we walk with God, we too can experience the power of God working in our own heart and life, leading us onward, forward toward perfection, and more like Himself.

The Rewards of Perfection
The rewards will be worth the trials of the battle. The sweat, toil, and tears of the race will fade and disappear when we step into the presence of the One who has saved us and called us one of His own. The Bible holds many promises for the man whose heart is perfect. “Then the people rejoiced… because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy”
(1Chronicle 29:9a). Here the promised reward is joy. There is joy in our hearts, joy in Christian service, and joy for others also as they observe our walk with God. parents and church leaders especially, rejoice to hear that their children walk in truth.

Another reward that God has promised to those who have been made perfect is His help. Help in the day-today struggles, trials, and temptations that we face. Help when it seems we have no more strength to go on. “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 towards Him”
(2Chronicles 16:9).
It is a wonderful blessing to know that God is with us. In our weakness and humanity, we begin to wonder if God is present and why He allows us to suffer or face times of great difficulty. No matter what our situation is, we can rest in the promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. A precious verse from Job 8:20 reads, “Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will He help the evildoers.” This verse assures us of His continued presence in our lives. The Apostle Paul’s challenge to the brethren at Corinth was “Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.”

Peace is another promised reward to the person who is endeavoring to walk as God would have him walk. “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.”
(Psalm 37:37) peace is possibly one of the most sought after desires of man. Too often it proves to be an elusive objective. True peace comes only through surrender to God and to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Does your heart know the peace of God, or are you still searching for it? Are you hoping it is just around the next bend in the road?

In this message from psalm 37, David contrasts the way God protects and saves His people, contrasted with the ruin which awaits the wicked. Much of this seems to be based on David’s own experiences
(Psalm 37:25, 35). As with many other passages in Psalms and Proverbs, this message encourages godly wisdom. Those who reject God and His ways can expect uncertainty on earth and disaster in eternity.

SHALOM!

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