Wk 19 - Formed by The Spirit (Pt. 2)
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
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DECLARATION:
Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Our church family is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.
We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit, and we are missionaries.
Prayer for...
INTRODUCTION:
Review:
WHY?…
It’s a common experience to see a child you’ve not seen for months, perhaps a distant relative or the child of a friend, and to say, “My, how you’ve grown!”
Will anybody be able to say of us one year from now, “My how you’ve grown”? We need to make a commitment to grow in the coming year as Jesus grew.
Today: To Be Formed By The Spirit Is To Grow By The Spirit
GROW = MATURE
At the end of 2024 year will God be able to say to us, “My, how you’ve matured by the Spirit?”
“My, how you have LOVED me with your whole life?”
Opening Scripture:
Jesus reply to question about greatest commandment:
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Jesus himself demonstrated the need for growth within humanity:
Luke 2:40 (NLT)
40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.
Luke 2:52 (NLT)
52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
Four Ways We Are To Grow/Mature:
I. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow Mentally
I. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow Mentally
A. We need to be humble enough to learn more. The one thing we will never stop being is learners.
Philippians 1:9 (ESV)
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,
Colossians 1:10 (ESV)
10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
2 Peter 1:5 (ESV)
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,
B. We need to be humbled enough to say we need help remembering more. Jesus quoted Scripture when He was tempted. Do we know enough Scripture to get ourselves out of trouble? Do we know enough Scripture to keep from getting into trouble?
C. We need to be humble enough to understand more. It will do little good to learn and remember if we do not understand what we have learned.
8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight
1 Corinthians 14:20 (ESV)
20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word!
II. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow Physically
II. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow Physically
A. All of us need to be healthier. We are God’s temple.
B. We need to get proper rest (SABBATH & CELEBRATIONS).
C. We need to get proper exercise. It may be, as Paul says, that it profits little, but it does profit
1 Timothy 4:7–8 (ESV)
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
D. We need the Spirit to form what we crave to help us have a proper diet.
III. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow in Community
III. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow in Community
A. We need to be kinder to our friends. Friendship is never to be taken lightly. Abraham was called “the friend of God” and Jesus called his disciples friends.
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
B. Find PEOPLE OF PEACE. These are ones God has prepared to receive the Gospel into a community. (Mt. 10; Lk 9.; Lk. 10;)
Luke 10:5–7 “5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.”
C. We need to know how to treat our enemies. Jesus not only told us how to treat our friends, He showed us how to treat our enemies. His last miracle before the Crucifixion was for an enemy (Luke 22:50, 51). One of His last prayers was for an enemy (“Father forgive them for they know not what they do”).
27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
IV. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow Spiritually
IV. Being Formed By The Spirit is to Grow Spiritually
2 Peter 3:18 (ESV)
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
A. We get to pray more.
B. We get to read the Bible more.
C. We get to STEWARD BETTER (spending wisely, saving diligently, and giving generously).
D. We get to resist temptation more.
E. 2 Peter 1:5–7 tells us how to do this. We begin with faith. Faith alone is not enough, we must next add virtue. Faith must find its expression in character. Character demands knowledge. We must know what is right and wrong. Notice that faith is in the heart, character in the life, knowledge in the head.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Being Formed by the Spirit is outward as well as inward. So the apostle Peter adds self-control. Children do not grow steadily, but we must grow steadily and never stop growing. This is steadfastness. Such steps will lead us to godliness and brotherly affection and love.
Illustration:
Many parents make a mark on the wall by the door to indicate a child’s height as the child grows year after year. If the Heavenly Father did that, would some us be shorter instead of taller, more immature instead of more mature? Or would we stand taller every year?
Conclusion/Reflection:
Mark 12:30–31 “30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””
At the end of this year will God be able to say to us, “My, how you’ve matured” by the Spirit?
My, how you have LOVED me with your whole life”
REFLECTION/APPLICATION:
REFLECTION/APPLICATION:
See: List of Spiritual Disciplines
MENTAL: 2 books read/listened to per month
PHYSICAL: 650 minutes of “p.e.” per month
COMMUNITY: 1 meal/coffee with someone from SVC and 1 meal/coffee from someone outside SVC per month
SPIRITUAL: Read/listen to my Bible every day and pray everyday for my family, church, and country.
***communion***
Bibliography:
Robert Shannon, Sermon Outlines for Special Days, ed. Sam E. Stone, Standard Sermon Starters (Cincinnati, OH: Standard, 1995), 7.
