Blackwood Pathway: Grow
Blackwood Pathway 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 5 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Blackwood Mission Statement: “We are a community of Christ-centered disciples who Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Blackwood Pathway: Gather, Grow, Give, Go
Blackwood functional membership: A functional member of Blackwood Church is someone who is consistently GATHERING with the local body, GROWING into the image of Christ, GIVING to the work of God, and GOING to reach our neighborhoods and the nations.
Title/Statement: A disciple of Jesus is someone who is intentional in growing into the image of Christ.
Text: Acts 2:41-47.
4 Stages of spiritual growth.
4 Stages of spiritual growth.
Infant (messy and whiny)
...responds and reacts to spiritual things with his five physical senses. His survival depends on others who are older spiritually. A spiritual baby cries and complains often. A spiritual baby does not know who he is. He does not know anything about the royal family of God he has been born into.
-Jim Bristow, Pastor (The Four Stages of Spiritual Growth)
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. 14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,
Child (imitating and selfish)
11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
Adolescent (stubborn and dramatic)
22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
Adult (Mature and disciplined)
11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
4 Keys for spiritual growth.
4 Keys for spiritual growth.
“Intentionality”
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Study of God’s word.
Psalm 1:1-3.
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Fellowship with believers.
33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
Relationship with Christ.
27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.
40 “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.
Prayer
For yourself
13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
For others
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Conclusion
Conclusion
What stage of spiritual growth are you?
What are you “intentionally” doing to grow spiritually?
Sunday School
Bible Study
Discipleship Groups
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! 12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
