It seems like the most basic way to answer this question is to look at Christ’s ultimate purpose in His life during His time on earth in human form; i.e. the cross. Jesus came and lived a perfect life and died a sinless death taking on all the consequence and judgement of the sin of all those who would come to call Him Savior and Lord. The death of Christ for the redemption of His enemies, us, is the definition of Christian maturity.
Jesus is more than a great ethicist. Jesus said that if anyone would desire to come after Him that he must first deny himself, take up his cross (his death), and follow Him. The ways in which this is lived out are nothing short than whole life altering for the believer. Jesus’ closest followers, His disciples, were having a debate one day over who would be the greatest and Jesus told them that whoever desired to be the greatest must become everyones servant.
On another occasion, Peter, Jesus’ lead disciple, approached Jesus and asked Him how many times he should forgive someone who’d sinned against him. “Should I forgive him seven times?” Peter asked. Jesus replied that he shouldn’t only forgive him seven times but 7 times 70 times in a day for the same offense if that’s what it took! Jesus throws out this ridiculous number of times to forgive a person to illustrate the point that His people’s willingness to forgive should be unceasing.
On the bottom of my job description there reads this little line: “and whatever else is necessary to complete your job duties.” The bottom line is are you going to be self-serving or self-sacrificing, are you going to hoard your wealth for your self or are you going to spend your life for others? When you see a floor that needs swept or a toilet that needs cleaned, are you going to take care of it or call for the janitor?
John's 
Great thoughts.