Ripe! — Full Service for May 3, 2026

by ECotN

Growing apples takes time—and so does growing in Christ. In this message from Matthew 5:48 (“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”), Pastor Joni unpacks what Jesus really meant by “perfect.” Is He demanding flawless performance—or calling us to spiritual maturity? Using the picture of green apples vs. ripe red apples, we explore the difference between saving grace (new life) and sanctifying grace (ongoing transformation), and why God’s goal isn’t perfectionism—it’s wholeness, ripeness, and Christlike character. You’ll also hear practical, Scripture-grounded signs of maturity: hungering for God’s Word, moving from “milk” to “meat,” growing through Christian community and accountability, bearing lasting fruit, and living out the Great Commandments and the Great Commission. If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the word “perfect,” this sermon reframes it as an invitation: not to pretend you’re flawless, but to keep becoming who God is shaping you to be.

Growing apples takes time—and so does growing in Christ.

In this message from Matthew 5:48 (“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”), Pastor Joni unpacks what Jesus really meant by “perfect.” Is He demanding flawless performance—or calling us to spiritual maturity? Using the picture of green apples vs. ripe red apples, we explore the difference between saving grace (new life) and sanctifying grace (ongoing transformation), and why God’s goal isn’t perfectionism—it’s wholeness, ripeness, and Christlike character.

You’ll also hear practical, Scripture-grounded signs of maturity: hungering for God’s Word, moving from “milk” to “meat,” growing through Christian community and accountability, bearing lasting fruit, and living out the Great Commandments and the Great Commission.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged by the word “perfect,” this sermon reframes it as an invitation: not to pretend you’re flawless, but to keep becoming who God is shaping you to be.