Growing To Maturity
Notes
Transcript
Have you ever wondered what growth in Christian faith looks like?
How do I grow as a disciple?
It’s talked about in scripture, but is there anything that tells us how we can grow to maturity?
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
This is the word of God for the people of God…
Are you ready for the message God has for us?
I think verse 13 is the Goal
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
For so long in my life I thought is was all about Bible study and applying it to my life, and that would cause growth — Develop
I read a book called becoming mature by Matik Nichols
Matik Nichols writes, “The mature person is someone who is whole, healthy, resilient, stable, walking in their true identity, full of love, able, interdependent, and ultimately full of Christ.”
Does that sound about right?
Does it sound awesome?
That is what Paul is talking about in Ephesians 4:13.
Spiritual growth is both a journey and a process. — I always saw it as a process
However, we cannot be taught into maturity we are loved into maturity.
Our growing to maturity is relational and heart focused.
It requires more time with Jesus.
Jesus is our model so the more time we spend at His feet, the more like Him we become, and the more likely we will live our lives as He would.
The journey I have been on lately has led me along the narrow and difficult path of discipleship.
I am learning what Paul meant when he said — Galatians 2:20
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
The path is painful and is the reason many don’t take it.
We don’t like to be uncomfortable.
So here is what I see in scripture about growing to maturity
The Journey Begins
The Journey Begins
Remember Bilbo Baggins in the Hobbit? — Develop
An example from Scripture — Job before Satan attacked
God does something to move us out of comfortable to uncomfortable.
The Call
The Call
God creates a stir within us.
1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
It doesn’t matter how old you are:
Abram - 75
Moses - 80
Jospeh 16-19
A divine encounter happens here:
Wrestling
Tragedy to dislodge
We sense God wants us to take a step of faith.
The Refusal
The Refusal
This is optional, it is our decision to accept the call or not.
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai:
2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
The Departure
The Departure
We make the decision to, “Ok God!”
It is our surrender to God’s will over our own.
This is what Abram did is accepting the call to leave the comfortable life — Develop
The Trial
The Trial
Trials and tests are part of the journey. — you knew this was coming!
Joseph — Thrown in a pit, thrown in prison…..
Peter — 1 Peter 4:12-19
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.
16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
The Conflict
The Conflict
This is the epic battle in a film between the villain and the hero
David could have killed Saul, but he didn’t
Jesus could have called 10,000 legions of angels but he didn’t
In this stage is lonely and sometimes the people around don’t understand.
Where we are on this part of the path is the hinge of the whole journey
The reward
The reward
Victory!
We finished the epic battle, on the other side of the conflict, reaps a reward — in the movies hero get the girl, warriors get the gold
The reward is unique to our call.
David became King
Abraham was given a son
Joseph was made the right hand of Pharaoh
Daniel — Daniel 6:22-24
22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
The Return Home
The Return Home
No reward in the Kingdom of God is just for ourselves
We go home and we share all that we have learned with everyone who will listen.
However, not everyone will and that is ok.
9 Now hurry back to my father and say to him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says: God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me; don’t delay.
10 You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have.
11 I will provide for you there, because five years of famine are still to come. Otherwise you and your household and all who belong to you will become destitute.’
12 “You can see for yourselves, and so can my brother Benjamin, that it is really I who am speaking to you.
13 Tell my father about all the honor accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.”
Conclusion
The journey of growing to maturity will look different for all of us
The number one prerequisite for this journey is humility.
“We cannot grow if we cannot admit that we are immature and that we don’t have all the answers.” — Matik Nichols
The process of growth to maturity is also the pathway to revival.
The wonderful thing about this journey is the revival that happens in us and in the church.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus walked and mapped out the path, are you willing to surrender to the journey of growing mature?
