“The Process of Growth” Pt 3

The Basics #12

1 John 2:12–14 CSB

12 I am writing to you, little children, since your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

There are at least three stages or levels of growth in the Christian life:

I. SPIRITUAL PEDIATRICS: CHILDREN!

A. BABIES (τεκνία)!

(v.12) - “I am writing to you, little children,..."

B. TODDLERS (νήπιοι)!

From Gr. [NEPIOS] - "without speech."

Ephesians 4:14 CSB

14 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.

Hebrews 5:13 CSB

Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant.

C. CHILDREN (παιδία)!

1 John 2:14 CSB

14 I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father…

II. SPIRITUAL MATURITY: YOUNG MEN!

1 John 2:13–14 CSB

13 …I am writing to you, young men, because you have conquered the evil one. 14 …I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, God’s word remains in you, and you have conquered the evil one.

NOTICE the repeated phrase regarding young men: “…you have conquered the evil one...”

From νικάω; νίκη, ης f; νῖκος, ους n: to win a victory over—‘to be victorious over, to be a victor, to conquer, victory.’

You may be considered a “young man/woman” when you begin to experience victory over sinful behaviors in your life!

A. THE NEED: VICTORY! (v.13)

B. THE PROBLEM: DEFEAT!

One minute you're on top of the world and the next you're in the pits!

Romans 7:18–19 CSB

18 For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. 19 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.

That doesn't mean that we accept this position, because if something continues to defeat us, it shows that we are immature, and we need Jesus Christ to help us “conquer” it!

Romans 7:24–25 CSB

24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.

Habitual sin in our lives hinders our service to the Lord—it grieves the Holy Spirit—and we serve way below our potential!

C. THE GOAL: CONTINUED REPENTANCE AND CLEANSING!

2 Timothy 2:19–22 CSB

19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness. 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

The primary ingredient for my being useful to God is spiritual cleansing!

D. THE METHOD: GOD WILL ALLOW YOU TO BE TESTED!

1 Corinthians 10:13 CSB

13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

III. SPIRITUAL PRODUCTIVITY: FATHERS and MOTHERS in the Lord!

1 John 2:13 CSB

13 I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who is from the beginning…

Spiritual Fathers and Mothers have an experiential knowledge of God!

You have a level of maturity!

You have a confident, experiential knowledge of God and His ways.

You know His character, His attributes, how He does things!

The question is, “What for?” “Why do we have all of this wonderful insight?”

Turn to (1 Cor 4)

A. THE REAL NEED IN FATHERS: REPRODUCTION!

Q: “How does one become a Father (πατήρ)?”

A: BY HAVING CHILDREN!

The real need of parents is to reproduce yourselves in others!

1 Corinthians 4:14–15 CSB

14 I’m not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my dear children. 15 For you may have countless instructors in Christ, but you don’t have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

How?

By EVANGELISM! It's that simple.

“How do I do that?” (4:16) - Not only by EVANGELISM, but also by EXAMPLE!

1 Corinthians 4:16 CSB

16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

ILLUSTRATION: whether good or bad, little children imitate their parents!

1 Corinthians 4:17 CSB

17 This is why I have sent Timothy to you. He is my dearly loved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you about my ways in Christ Jesus, just as I teach everywhere in every church.

B. THE PROBLEM: DISOBEDIENCE!

We know what we should do, we just DON'T! We make all sorts of excuses as to why we don't evangelize!

“I don't have the time...I've worked too hard today and I'm tired...I've put my time in...That's not my gift...etc.”

BELIEVE ME! I know what you're going through! The hardest door for me to get through on calling night is my own!

C. THE GOAL: SPIRITUAL FULFILLMENT!

The greatest words that you'll ever hear will come from Jesus when He says,

Matthew 25:21 CSB

21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’

We have to stop looking at our circumstances and instead fix our eyes on Jesus, who will one day make it all worthwhile!

1 Corinthians 15:58 CSB

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

I'm looking for fathers and mothers here this morning, because this church desperately needs them!

D. THE METHOD: OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE YOUR FAITH!

They are EVERYWHERE! And when the door is open, we must use it!

John tells us in Revelation that it is Christ Himself who opens the door!

Revelation 3:8 CSB

8 I know your works. Look, I have placed before you an open door that no one can close because you have but little power; yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Perhaps a reason for negligence in this area is because we've stopped spending time with Jesus!

It's very easy to develop this apathy of heart (the "I don't have time" syndrome) and often it's rooted in the fact that we simply don't know the Lord ourselves!

There are babies and children in the Lord who desperately need the influence of spiritual moms and dads!

They need someone to follow—someone to imitate!

I urge you this morning to not stop growing—not stop producing spiritual children through the power of the Holy Spirit!

CONCLUSION:

Acts 1:8 CSB

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Romans 1:16–17 CSB

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.