Fully Formed

Good morning my friends! So glad you are here. Would you stand for the reading of God’s word? Hear the words of God from 1 Timothy 4:7-10

1 Timothy 4:7–10 CSB

But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness. For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Pray with me. Go ahead and have a seat.

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We as a church are here to partner with God to increase the Spiritual Temperature of South Eastern South Dakota. I hope you start to hear those words and know them. And what follows - be believe we do that by being Fully Focused on God and His word. Fully Formed by the Spirit in Community. And Fully Engaged with Christ on Mission.

Our normative rhythm is to take the first Sunday of each month to touch base on our Church’s vision to ensure we headed the right way and are faithful to what God has called us to. And here we are.

Today I want to talk about our second movement - being fully formed by the Spirit in Community, and how we can and need to be intentional in our formation.

Because formation is inevitable - its just what or whom we are formed into. We are all being formed all the time by our habits, routines, entertainment, and experiences. Most of our formation is unintentional if we are not careful.

I don’t know if you’ve ever experienced something like this - After a long day, you can find yourself on your sofa, letting out a big sigh, and you just feel like you need a few moments to chill. To veg, as they say. Just for a few moments before you get going to the next thing or responsibility. And so maybe you flip on the TV, maybe you pull out your phone. and somehow a time vortex opens and before you realize it, hours have passed. Your neck now sore from looking at your screen, your heart rate elevated because of the fear mongering the news pundits preached.

What happened? There’s a gravitational pull within humans to negative, to sin, to sloth, to gluttony, and to a critical spirit. Calvinist thinkers would call it Total Depravity. Others would just call it original sin and the lostness that is a hallmark of all people since the fall.

We can spend so many years not moving forward in a good direction, and like a stagnate pool of water, find ourselves filled up with algae and bacteria. Becoming toxic to those who Come into contact with us.

We are vulnerable to being led astray, and of wounding others.

That’s what 1 Timothy 4:7 is getting at a bit. Look at this with me.

1 Timothy 4:7 CSB

But have nothing to do with pointless and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness.

Let’s be real - a lot of what we end up spending our mental space on, our time on, even working towards can be a bit silly. And a bit pointless - especially when we put that in context with the greater truths of God and the cosmos, right?

And he contrasts the pointless and silly things and says - instead of that, Train yourself in Godliness.

And this is where the church comes into place. Paul writes in a different letter, Ephesians 4:11-14 things that are very instructive and helpful.

Ephesians 4:11–14 CSB

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.

So God gave those gifts or offices in order to equip the saints - SO THAT we can be built up, reaching unity in the faith and Knowledge of christ, and growing into maturity measured by Christ’s likeness.

Then we will no longer be like kids and led astray by silly things.

So we need to train, we need to be formed. We need to be discipled. And there is apparently a God- given structure to this.

Look back at 1 Timothy 4:8-10

1 Timothy 4:8–10 CSB

For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

General discipline is good. Mental Health. Physical Health. All of that has benefit - but it is limited. - Godliness however is so much more beneficial- why - because it’s good for this life - AND the eternal life to come.

Want to invest in something that will pay dividends for eternity? train in godliness.

THAT is why we labor - because of our hope in the living God - who is Jesus Christ.

And this work, work towards Godliness is beneficial for eternity. It’s a good investment!

I think that’s what it means to “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” that Paul talks about in Philippians 2:12.

Let’s look at Philippians 2:12-13

Philippians 2:12–13 CSB

Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling - FOR it is GOD who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

This is important. We work out our salvation - for it is God who is working in us.

This is why we say that we are Fully Formed BY THE SPIRIT,

Holiness is Christ in us. We are saved by grace through faith. Yes yes and amen! God is the author AND the perfector of our faith.

Paul is adamant about that - and yet he says that we are to work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

There is a partnership here - we work with GOD who is working in us to will and to work according to his good purpose.

When it comes to discipleship, I think we often can find ourselves error in one of two ways

Two Ways To Error

The first is where we kind of count God out of it, and we just buckle down and try to grind out our salvation. We strive, strive and strive some more. Trying to will God into action by our own effort. This can look like spiritual activism - like the people who just want the next big thing - and are willing to do all the work for it. But perhaps are at risk of missing Jesus. Like Martha when Jesus comes to her house - she’s too busy fussing in the kitchen that she misses to sit at the feat of Christ.

This is an unhealthy discipleship that is works based, stems from a lack of identity in Christ, usually creates great fear and leads to burn out, shattered expectations, and bitterness towards God and jealousy of others.

The second is where we take ourselves completely out of the equation. For it is God who is working! A catch phrase of this way of discipleship may be “it is what it is.” I’m saved, I’m destined to heaven - isn’t that good enough? This way can lead to a victim kind of mentality, and can act as if they have no agency in their lives and their walk. It can become almost fatalist - like it really doesn’t matter. I prayed the prayer, I have checked the boxes, I’m good to go.

This is an unhealthy discipleship that is fatalistic, stems from a poor understanding of faith and works, and can create great apathy, leads to inaction, and plateaus in the faith. It can bread in difference towards God and others.

But Paul is clear in all of these passages - that God is the agent who is at work - AND we work with him.

Look again to Ephesians 4:11-16

Ephesians 4:11–16 CSB

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.

He that is CHRIST HIMSELF gave those we read, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.

God is the agent here. He is the source, the originator, the giver. He gave people - who have a job to do! what is their job?

TO EQUIP the saints for the work of the ministry, and to build up the body of Christ.

UNTIL we reach unity, have knowledge, and grow into maturity measured by Christ’s fullness.

Verse 16 - From him the whole body fitted and knit together promotes the growth of the body for the building ITSELF UP IN LOVE by the proper WORKING of each individual part.

So Christ is the head - and life flows from him - so that WE the body can BUILD ITSELF UP IN LOVE by the proper working of each part.

In other words, everyone has a part to play. Christ is in and through all of it - but we’ve got to be working properly doing what we are supposed to be doing.

This is why we say we are Fully Formed by the Spirit IN community.

Because of our cultural values and experience, is harder than we would ever care to admit. We are so dang independent. And proudly so. However, in the heart of every human is a deep desire for God and for intimacy, community, and love.

You cannot practice the Christian faith absent of meaningful involvement in the local church. I would say it this way:

Attempting to live a Christ-like life and cultivate a Biblical faith a part from a local church context is contrary to the message of the New Testament.

Not only contrary to the message of the new testament - but it’s not possible.

If the Goal of our lives is to reach Unity in the faith, maturity of Christ Fullness, and becoming people of love for the sake of others - you got to have an intention. You got to have a plan. And you have to have a team.

We are Fully Formed by the Spirit in Community.

We’ve talked about it before, but we ought to be shocked when people have spent decades of their lives after salvation and yet their lives do not look any different. Like that should shock us. And yet the prevailing wisdom in the world is: people don’t change, and you cant change people.

Some of us have started to own that: I won’t ever change. This is all there is.

So we “struggle with this sin” or issue, which really just means we live in it and tolerate it, because we don’t WANT to change - or we don’t know HOW to change.

Because change is not only possible - but it is a given for those who are in Christ! For we become a new human! a new creation! And we put off the desires of the flesh, and put on Christ and his likeness.

This is won for us in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and worked out as we live this life in the fear and love of the Lord.

But, it takes us working with God, with each other, and being intentional.

As John Mark Comer has said: “There are no accidental saints.”

If the goal is to be like Christ, to be with Christ, for now and forever - and I would argue it is - we have to have an intentional plan for discipleship and formation.

So What?

So What?

So I would ask you - So What is your plan? Do you have a plan?

So I’m not the handiest guy. When it comes to building things, mechanical work, etc, I am no expert - not by a long shot.

I remember this one time, when we first moved out to where we live now, we had gotten a cat, and I decided that I needed to build her a cat house, cause shes was an outdoor farm cat.

So I set about making that cat house. Did I know what I was doing? nope. Did I look up plans for a cathouse online before starting? nope. Did I literally make it up as I went along. Oh yeah.

The end result was a cat house… but it’s not water tight, not wind proof, is really wobbly, goes largely unused - and cost a whole lot more than necessary - because I just went to home depot and bought what I THOUGHT I needed rather than what was required. It was a mess!

Recently on our last truck my brake lines went out. And as I was pricing it out, I knew I needed to get them replaced, it was adding up. And as a “not-so-handy-man” I knew I had to take it to a shop. Well, my good buddy here, John, mentioned that replacing them wasn’t that tough, and we can just do it ourselves, and that he was willing to do the project with me. So I was able to buy the parts for a really good price - and even though I had NO idea what I was doing, because of Johns wisdom, experience, and patience, And some time, we were indeed able to replace the brake lines on the vehicle.

That is NOT something I could have done successfully by myself. I wouldn’t have even attempted it! But when I had him as a coach, we did it! I learned a ton!

Having a plan, and having a coach are so important.

So what does this have to do with being fully formed….

First and foremost - I want to commend you. Friends, in our day and age - coming to Church on Sunday morning. Worshipping God, submitting under Scripture, that is so good and important. Like what we are doing right now matters. And for those of you who have made it your practice to be here and be here regularly - well done. Keep it up.

or thousands of years, the weekly practice of the people of God gathering together to celebrate the Lords victory and to worship him has been so important and transformative.

But this is only the base of what our discipleship plan out to look like. It can’t be less than this - but it ought to be more.

Our community groups, which we hold on and off throughout the year are well worth your time. We’ve been using practicing the way - but the idea is to in a smaller group, actually put into practice the stuff we read about in the Bible.

I won’t speak for you, I can only speak for me and my household - I love those groups. I have learned so much. I ‘ve grown so much. And Ariana and I regularly have conversations and base decisions off of the things we put into practice in those groups. AND we’ve gone deeper in friendship and love with so many people in our church.

Now - I know, that extra hour or two a week can feel like a lot - but all things that are worth while are going to cost you. And remember - training in godliness is beneficial in every way as it’s good for this life and the eternal to come!

So I’d just humbly encourage you to participate in those. They are our churches main vehicle for organized spiritual formation on a smaller scale. And they will make an impact as we commit to them over time.

And systems are good, especially when we are trying to organize at scale - but I would argue we all need someone who is actively and intentionally discipling us. Or, coaching us, mentoring us.

For followers of the way of Jesus, the primary method of training has been to find a Spiritual leader and follow after them. Learn from them. Submit to them.

In fact, Paul when writing to churches has said this in 1 Corinthians 11:1

1 Corinthians 11:1 CSB

Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

This is how humans learn - by imitation. This is how kids learn to walk and talk and process and reason. By watching their parents and imitating them.

A good teacher demonstrate the skill, then helps you do it too.

In the Christian life, we need someone we are learning under, someone we are learning with, and someone we are helping lead.

Do you have a coach or a mentor? Do you have someone whom you can meet with regularly and talk about what it actually means to work out your salvaiton in fear and trembling?

I’ve talked about them before, but I have several men in the faith that I communicate with often and who are incredible fathers in the faith.

I’m blessed that my biological father can be this to me, and I regularly call and talk with him and allow him to help and coach my life.

I have my friend Kyle, who is only a few years older then me - and yet God has used mightly as a coach and leader. He has helped me process deep hurt, challenged me in areas of weakness, and pushed me to look more and more like Christ.

And I have Bill Kuhn, who was a mentor and professor when I was at School and he married Ariana and I. He’s been a mentor of mine for about 14 years. And his ability to encourage me, challenge me, and help me to grow is unparalleled.

And to be transparent - not a week goes by that I am not communicating in a meaningful way with at least one of these guys.

They are not always long calls - sometimes they are quick five minute talks to check in. Sometimes they are an hour long call where They are actively speaking into certain situations.

But I need people who are helping me, guiding me, coaching me, discipling me.

I think we all need these people in our lives.

We also need people we are running alongside. Friends, brothers and sisters in arms, who are running alongside us thorugh life. People we can eat and pray with. Celebrate and mourn with. We need a tribe to do life with.

AND we need people we are actively pouring into.

If you are a parent - you are the primary discipler of your Children. If you aren’t I would encourage you to actively pray for someone you can be coaching and discipling.

Remeber - what did Jesus tell us to do at the great comission? Make disciples of all nations!

That’s not JUST the job of the pastor - we are all called to love god. love others. and make disciples.

Though to make disciples, we ought to be good disciples ourselves first.

All of these relationships - those we come under in leadership, those we run alongside of, and those we are coaching - rarely do those relationships happen by accident.

They take intention and care.

I have invited my mentors to speak into my life. I ask them to give me advice. I submit under them. I ask them to set up a call. It takes intention.

But all of them are such Godly men, I want to learn from them.

Our community groups are GREAT ways to find people to run along side of. Come get to know people. Make it a spritual discipline to go out to eat with some other people in church. Have a party in JEsus name and go play a bit.

And when you’re sad and in need - have people you can call and tell! have people who can carry the load with you. Friends are so important to life and faith.

And we all ought to be praying for the people we should be pouring into.

But we all need to be training in Godliness, pursuing Christ, and pursuing unity together.

So What?

So - do you have someone who is coaching you? Do you have a plan in place for your disciplship?

Our lastest round of community groups will be wrapping up soon. And we will pause for a few weeks as we launch into Easter.

But that doesn’t mean theres not oppurtunity to plug in and make a plan.

If you do not have someone coaching you, pouring into you - I would strongly encourage you to prayerfully do so. And YOU ought to be the one to ask them to speak into your life. Maybe its an elder at the church, maybe it’s a man of faith you’ve always respected.

Also - I mentioned last week, but I’ve heard from several guys the desire for a mens discipleship group - and we are starting one. Guys, if you hear this stuff, and something is stirring in your heart - sign up on the back table. I’m going to start a mens discipleship group where we can start taking faith seriously. That’s an oppurtunity for you.

Women - I’m more than happy to help you find a Godly mentor. I would commend to you my wife, Ariana, as well. I am indebted to her faith, wisdom, and love. She is mature in the faith and has incredible gifts of discernment and faith.

But PLEASE USE ME to help you find someone to coach you in the faith. I have so many men and women I know that I would love to help you find someone.

But YOU need to take the first step and decide that the cost is worth it. That training in godliness is worth it.

And don’t wait for the perfect time to start - there is not perfect time. And don’t wait for the perfect person to come be your mentor - friends there was only one perfect person and he’s seated in heaven currently. But find someone who you can respect and submit to.

Through it all - we have to be intentional. Because the there are so many forces at work today seeking malform us. and to make us comfortable - rather than spurring us on more and more after Christ.

If we are going to be effective in our partnership with God in increasing the spiritual temperature of south eastern South Dakota, it means each of us need to own our part. We each need to be fully focused on God and his word. Fully formed by the Spirit in community, and fully engaged with Christ on mission.

Stand with me as I pray.