Movement of Discipleship

Movement of Discipleship

II Peter 3:17-18

Theme: God command us to move forward in our spiritual growth.

Introduction: What does God want us to do after we are saved? Many think of salvation as the end or the quest of life. When you get saved, you have conquered the concern of life and now you are ready for heaven. It is true you are on your way to heaven because of what Jesus Christ did for you; however, you are to move forward past salvation stage.

I read you are either moving backward or forward. Which way are you moving in your Christian life?

The forward movement of discipleship is obeying God’s command. Here God commands us to grow. Growth here means forward motion.

There are three areas God commands us to grow in.

I. Grow in grace

A. Biblical grace

1. The ministry pathway is a Biblical process of growing in grace.

2. Being a part of a connection group goes behind just sitting in the crowd of a church service-we learn together what God is doing in our lives and how He is teaching others.

3. This is significant since Peter exemplified little grace in his life.

B. Strengthening grace

1. This has to do with Christian traits taken from 1:5-7.

2. We are saved by grace Eph. 2:8-9; we are strengthened by grace II Tim. 2:1-4, and we endure suffering by grace

“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)

3. This grace will solidify our Christian life in Christ.

4. Steadfastness v.17 refers to endurance through struggles.

5. Growing in grace often means experiencing trials and even suffering.

II. Grow in knowledge

A. Study Jesus’s heart

1. As we study God’s Word, we learn about the various aspects of grace that are available to us as children of God.

2. Knowledge without grace is a terrible weapon, and grace without knowledge can be very shallow.

3. But combing grace and knowledge, we have a marvelous tool for building our lives.

4. As we study the heart of the Jesus: we learn compassion in caring for others, we learn the proper kind of love, we learn truth and why it is important, we learn God’s will over our will.

5. It is one thing to know the Bible and quite another thing to know the Son of God, the central theme of the Bible.

B. Study Jesus’s life

1. The better we know Christ through the Word, the more we grow in grace.

2. As we study the life of Jesus, we learn about holiness, righteousness, and submission to the Savior.

3. Jesus’s life was one of obedience John 8:29.

4. His life is never idol but always moving forward to God’s perfect will-this forward growth is not automatic but it takes a heart of dedication being anchored in God’s Word.

“We grow best in a loving family, and this is where the local church comes in. A baby needs a family for protection, provision, and affection. Tests prove that babies who are raised alone, without special love, tend to develop physical and emotional problems very early. The church is God’s “nursery” for the care and feeding of Christians, the God-ordained environment that encourages them to grow.[1]”

III. Grow in humility

A. Focus off of us

1. We come pre-programmed into this world with the disposition to think and care only for ourselves.

2. Most of our spiritual growth is being delivered from ourselves.

3. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, I must decrease.” John 3:30

4. The focus in the Christian life is not to be on us.

B. Focus on Christ

1. The focus is to be on Him and how we can glorify Him.

2. It glorifies Christ when we humble ourselves before Him and give Him the glory.

3. It glorifies Him when we become more like Him

Conclusion: Please notice as we grow closer to Him, we become more like Him. While the ministry pathway shines the light in the direction of growth, a believer must personally choose to grow. It is not automatic, it is a choice.

[1]Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 471.