How do we actually go deeper?

Friends, let’s begin with scripture reading again. If you’re able, would you stand? Hear the word of God from Colossians 2:6-7

Colossians 2:6–7 CSB

So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.

Pray with me pray and slide go ahead and have a seat.

Sometimes when I read through the Scriptures, and I read of all of what Christ has done, and then how he empowers and wants us to live I feel completely overwhelmed. Like it’s glorious, but it can feel so far from my lived experience that I don’t want to get started.

One of the Apostle Paul’s favorite metaphors for the deeper Christian life was that of a marathon. I don’t know about you - but the idea of running a marathon feels next to impossible.

But I know that the human body is capable of not only running a marathon - but actually much more.

The key, so I’ve heard, of running a marathon isn’t trying really hard, but by training ourselves to be the kind of people that can run a marathon

We so often want a quick fix in our culture - but life, and our spiritual life, is often longer, more ordinary, and slow. It takes time and dedication. When it comes to sanctification, some of us want perfect holiness right now, or we get bored and give up. But in our Statement of faith, and I believe in scripture, it’s an ongoing process, and a crisis, in the life of the believer subsequent to salvation.

Here at the seed, we have spent the last several months training ourselves around this concept of the deeper life. And this morning we are going to put a capstone on our study of The Deeper Life.

We could certainly spend months on this study, but as I pray I sense it is time for us to transition and hope to maintain the deeper life in our minds as we consider the Scriptures and other topics.

We’ve spent the last two months talking about this “deeper life”

which we would define like this

The "deeper life" is a passionate, surrendered, sanctified walk with Jesus. It emphasizes holiness, intimacy with God, empowered service, and sharing in the Heart of God for mission.

It’s the concept of one-ness with God in the here and now. Where we are sanctified and enjoy God now.

This is a core doctrine of the C&MA, our denomination, and we believe it is a core piece to the Gospel - that Jesus is indeed our sanctifier.

Over the last series we’ve talked about The Deeper Life, Jesus and Gospel being more than just getting to heaven when we die. We’ve talked about the false self, and how honesty is a key to life well lived. We then spent good Friday and easter on this idea that we can actually die to sin, and actually live in new life.

And in all of this - it’s important to remember, the deeper life is only called deep because so much of what passes for Christian life is so shallow.

And I believe it stems from an a misguided idea of what the purpose of the Christian life is. So many believe that the Christian life is about getting to heaven when you die, or “get me out of here.” And while we should rejoice in the crazy promise of God that when those who are in Christ die it’s is just the shadow of death and we will be in that moment with our father in heaven.

But we need to remember that the consistent theme of the Scripture is heaven invading earth. I mean, think about how the Bible ends! Christ returns to the earth, and all the saints are given glorified bodies, and the new heaven and new earth are created - and God will dwell with us in new creation!

The Christian life is the foretaste of that which is to come. Because when we are saved, born again, we are filled with the Spirit of God. Our bones are brought to life. Eternal life starts AT salvation.

And we actually CAN enjoy life with God in the here and now, WHILE we wait for the fulfillment of all things.

So we’ve spent the last season discussing concepts, and I want to end with this question: how? Slide

Let’s just say you’ve heard about the deeper life, this life abundant and joyful and hopeful and peaceful - that’s filled with assurance of salvation, marked by the holiness of God - and you say - yes, I’m in. I want it.

How practically speaking do we actually acquire it? How do we move where we are, to where Christ is calling us?

How do we change? How do we practically grow down into Christ?

It’s important we ask this, because for a lot of people, we don’t have an intentional plan, or even think about it at all. We just meander through life and faith.

We do our best to avoid the big sins, do our best to attend Church, maybe serve and give - and then over time just hope to stumble upon maturity in the faith.

I like how John Mark Comer talks about this:

“There are no accidental saints.” - John Mark Comer

And yet most people go about their spiritual life with very little intention. Again, for a lot, Faith is the add-on that grants eternal life, not a whole new life here and now.

And make no mistake - our world is not a net neutral when it comes to spiritual formation. Whether you know it or not, you ARE being formed (or perhaps we can say it malformed) into something.

It’s right and wise, as we continue to reflect on scripture, to look at Galatians 5, the fruit of the Spirit and the works of the flesh, and we should in prayer ask the question: Am I becoming more known for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control? Or is my life stagnant, maybe even trending toward apathy and gratifying the flesh?

So again, let’s assume we are all in. We want to grow down into Christ. HOW?

Before we get into the gritty, I have good news: It’s not only Possible, but the new life has been won for you and it’s available to you. Christ is victorious. And by grace through faith, he gives you his inheritance. This new life, this sanctified life, is yours then by right. What I’m saying is this: it’s all Grace.

1 John 4:19

1 John 4:19 CSB

We love because he first loved us.

We need to remember that life, faith, salvation, it’s first and foremost a gift of God - and ultimately it’s about HIM not about the gift.

The Deeper life is the Christ Life.

We grow in it the more we are with Christ and it’s a work of Grace.

That means that we need to start with God, salvation is his work. Sanctification, being made more holy, is his work.

Right, we can’t treat the deeper life as just a self-help book. Self improvement. Remember - the truth of scripture reveals not that we are just lost in Sin, or desperate in sin, but DEAD in sin.

We don’t just need to improve, we don’t just need help, we need NEW LIFE.

I say that, because holiness isn’t something we get by just gritting our teeth and trying really hard.

Truly, what this deeper life looks like could be summarized in Galatians 5:16-18

Galatians 5:16–18 CSB

I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

IT’s the Spirit in us. So keep in step with him. Walk in the Spirit.

It’s about and from and to and ALL ABOUT GOD!

This then Paul follows with the works of the flesh, and the fruit of the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-26

Galatians 5:22–26 CSB

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

This holiness isn’t from us - it’s from God, for the abiding, the remaining, the closeness of us in God. But the Spirit is the one who produces the fruit.

What’s our job?

Crucify the flesh, remember this in our false self talk - public painful work to put sin to death.

But then there is this key phrase in verse 25, I’ll highlight here for you, “Keep in step with the Spirit” Slide

This is important - the work here behind “keep in step” has a strong almost military connotation. The idea is that we should adopt a disciplined, orderly, and continuous adherence to the Spirit’s leading, like walking in formation.

He grows the fruit and holiness - but we follow - in a orderly way - intentional, in step, marching to the rhythm of the heart beat of God.

This seems to indicate we ought to have an orderly strategy - intentional.

Here’s another complication: Sometimes we have really bad or losing strategies and life throws us problems that make them ineffective by themselves. Let’s look at three largely ineffective methods people use to try and keep in step with the Holy Spirit

The first strategy people employ to grow in Christ is trying really hard. Like a fad diet, we just grit our teeth and work really hard.

This is treating our Spiritual Formation like a new years resolution, which the heart isn’t bad, but usually most resolutions fail by February (though our gym membership still hangs on even though we don’t go).

It’s not that effort is bad in and of itself, I think it’s actually an essential part of the solution, it’s just that this willpower muscle is really weak - and alone it will fail. Theres a famous saying that says: habits eat willpower for breakfast. We largely live not through use of our will, but with rhythms, habits, routines.

Just trying really hard will not get us deeper in Christ in and of itself.

Another thing we do is throw knowledge at the problem. We think really hard

So many times people fall into thinking that we are ultimately just brains with bodies, and since the enlightenment, we have false-gospels like Descartes who says “I Think, therefore I am.” and so there is a tendency that when we want to grow, we consume content.

When’s the last time you’ve visited a book store like Barnes and Noble? In almost every book store one of largest sections is the “self-help” section - and it’s often really popular, and so many of these books become best sellers.

There’s even a whole section in the Christian section called “Christian “self-help.” And they are incredibly popular.

We believe that if we just add more content, if we fill our heads with enough good, we will change.

It’s not always books - it can be sermons, podcasts, articles - if we just add more info we expect change.

James KA Smith said it this way: “You can’t think your way to Christlikeness.”

So many times people want to experience change - and they start consuming the Bible. Now hear me - this is good, Bible study is good, essential. But just Bible knowledge will not save you.

Comer writes this: Information alone does not produce transformation, knowing something is not the same an doing something which is still not the same as becoming the kind of person who does something naturally as a by-product of a transformed inner nature.

And we KNOW this.

It’s why just reading in Philippians 4 “Don’t be anxious about anything.” doesn’t solve anxiety in and of itself.

It’s one thing to know that we need to be generous as believers. Like we may “know” that we should give to the poor, to the church, and be generous with time and effort - but to actually write the check… that’s different.

Again - information matters. Church matters. the Bible is so important. All of it are essential - but content in and of itself don’t seem to have a track record radical change.

I don’t know about you - I know some people who are believers, who have attended Church for decades, and even have lead bible-studies for decades, that are still ruled by hypocrisy, anger, and immaturity.

A third way people try to change is through mountain top experiences. Chasing spiritual highs and experiences.

This rightly puts the source of Change on the Holy Spirit - but instead of US keeping in step with the Spirit, is just chasing religious highs.

They don’t want the long and hard work - they want the download from heaven to change them in an instant.

Again, hear me - miracles, religious experiences, these matter. I encourage us to go to conferences and camps. But I know SO many people who have had these mountain top experience, but fail to take the faith down into the valley and ultimately fall away.

Why? because most of life is ordinary.

It’s not that effort, scriptural knowledge, and experience are bad in and of themselves - but alone them seem to be powerless for the long haul.

And this is for so many reasons. I mean we are fickle, we live in sin and in a sinful world, and the world is already discipling us so powerfully in the wrong direction.

So how do we change? Cause we do change - we are formed. It’s just a matter of whether it’s intentional or not, and to what end are we being formed.

As I’ve studied scripture, and read on this subject - it’s clear that this is a multifaceted task. Consider how Christ “taught” his disciples. There was obviously straight teaching of them (think of the Sermon on the Mount). There was the disciple observing Jesus do work, There was times Jesus commissioned his followers to do the work. And there was more than anything deep relational connection over a significant length of time.

I think it’s safe to argue that Jesus offers an intentional way to change.

But as I’ve studied change and Spiritual formation, Practicing the Way has continued to be an excellent resource. It’s one of the reasons we use their curriculum in our Community Groups.

Practicing the Way has a helpful framework around a theory of change I find really helpful.

Practicing the Way has a helpful framework around a theory of change I find exceptionally helpful as I evaluate my own walk. They compare and contrast unintentional formation and intentional change.

Let’s look at it.

There is first a distinction here between active and passive change. Let’s be honest - we are in control of a lot less than we think. Change takes time, whether it’s intentional or not - and when bad times or good times come, it impacts us immensely.

But in the active side of things:

Most people are unintentional, and according to this concept, the center of most peoples formation if they aren’t intentional is their environment.

Where they are born, their culture. Their home life.

If you have two loving parents, that really impacts you. IF you have an abusive parent, or absent parent, or are homeless - this deeply forms you.

Our environments shape us.

beyond just our environment stories shape us. Some of these are fables and axioms that shape us. Think of the unbiblical phrase that often gets shared as scripture “cleanliness is next to godliness.” Some grow up hearing and being shaped by stories of how great their country is, and how it’s ordained by God to be the greatest.

Epic stories and narratives shape humans. It’s how we transmit values and ideas across generations.

Others are learned stories: “those who cry get yelled at.”

Stories shape us.

So do habits.

These are actions we do regularly, largely without conscious thought.

Brushing your teeth, or not brushing your teeth, become a habit, and have consequences.

Smoking, or not smoking, becomes a habit or an addiction and has consequences.

Running, eating well or poorly, affects you.

The things we regularly do shape us in powerful ways.

And third part of the triangle of active formation would be relationships.

The company you keep transforms us.

AGain, your parents, those around you - whether you chooset hem or not, really impact you.

Again this is just the active part of it.

Most of change is slow, and over time, through the good times and the bad.

Let’s compare and contrast this unintentional formation, with an active theory of change. For the believer, the ultimate source of active change is not our enviroment, But the Holy Spirit.

He is the agent who leads, guides, comforts, convicts, and grows in us the fruit of the Spirit.

No matter where you Go, if you have the Spirit, you are in the presence of the God who can bring the dead to life. From upperclass exectutive suites, to war torn Iran. If the Holy Spirit is there in a believer - God is on the move and can bring life change.

How we keep in step with the Spirit?

Instead of stories, we would call it Teaching

You could also call this truth - ideas that correspond with reality.

Remember - Satan is the father of lies. But The Son came to lead us to the truth, and the truth sets us free.

Truth, solid teaching, is the lynchpin for our part of change, or what Paul would call “the renewing of our mind.” That’s Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

We need to have truth and solid teaching in our lives to correct false thinking. So that we can come into alignment with the revelation of who our God is.

There are lots of ways to encounter solid teaching - but of course - reading Scripture, then studying scripture. I separate those because they are 2 disciplines. I can read the bible just to get it in my mind, and I can study it deeply to really seek understanding.

We can also memorize the Bible. We should come to church and receive good sermons, we can read good books.

We need solid truth in our lives.

But information isn’t enough in and of itself

So let’s look at changing Habits into Practices

We spent all of the fall through the winter studying the Sermon on the Mount. There was a refrain we pointed out in the sermon on the mount: early he says this: Matthew 5:19b

Matthew 5:19 CSB

But whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

And then he ends the sermon on the mount Matthew 7:24

Matthew 7:24 CSB

“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Hearing the words, and acting.

Practicing. Perhaps we can use the language of - we should train not try.

Again - Imagine the goal were running a marathon. Now, you could go outside right now and try really hard to run a marathon. But for 99 % of us, despite all our trying, without preparation, we aint gonna make it far. There may be a few ambulances on the scene.

But we could train. It can take months to train for the toll of a marathon.

AGain - we don’t change based on our effort, it’s grace. But we do need to take seriously keeping in step with the Spirit. what comes to mind here is the Spiritual practices, prayer, scripture, generosity, silence, church, fasting.

Reading the Bible once may have some benefit - but probably wont change your life. But after years of reading through the scripture and praying - yall - that’s powerful stuff.

This is one of the reasons we shape our community groups the way we do. We want to practice the faith together.

Which leads us to the third corner, Community

Now I would challenge Practicing the way on this term, and I would rather see Church used than Community.

You can’t follow Christ alone - at least not Biblically. You shouldn’t think life change and the deeper life is accessed in loneliness.

There is something about the Spiritual power and authority and order of the local congregation that permeates throughout the new testament and is something we must take seriously if we want to live faithful lives in Christ.

And it’s not that Church is easy, or painless - in fact, quite the opposite.

But, Jesus didn’t have 1 super disciple, but 12 fallible disciples. And it was community of faith that spread the gospel.

Salvation itself isn’t ultimately a personal thing - but a cosmic reality.

Jesus came to save the CHURCH, and all of creation.

And when we, in submission to the Spirit and the word, then submit to each other - friend, we experience powerful realities of God.

And it will radically poke at our flesh - which is good. I need to get poked in the areas I’m out of step with GOd. Because my goal isn’t to be approved by people - but to be one with my father.

And all of this happens over time. Through the highs and lows of life.

Eugene Peterson called discipleship: “A long obedience in the same direction.”

I really appreciate that.

Our culture is really frantic. We are too easily pleased and quickly move on. Friends, formation, faith, the deeper life, is formed over decades not weeks.

So What?

Friend, our Church believes that we can experience new life in Christ in the land of the living. We believe that 2 Corinthians 5:17 is true.

2 Corinthians 5:17 CSB

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

We can indeed, we need to, grow deeper into Christ.

We can experience love, and peace, and holiness, and all of this was won for us in the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

So how do we start on this journey?

Well we start with JEsus, we start with where we are, and we keep on going.

JEsus is the goal, the end, the whole thing.

How do you run a marathon? Well first, decide that’s what we want, then get off the couch, and for most of us - just start with where you are. Go for a walk. But do SOMETHING to head in that direction.

But remember - it’s not a marathon when it comes to the Christian life: JEsus is the goal, the end, the whole thing.

If you are hungry for the deeper life, but that doesn’t include intimacy with JEsus - friend that’s not the deeper life, it’s a lie.

Jesus Christ is God, he came and lived a perfect life, and died an atoneing death for our sins. Then he defeated death, and ascneded into heavens whre he rules and reignes right now. And you can know him. He is speaking on your behalf right now. And one day he will come again to make all things new.

And he wants to be in a loving relationship with you right now. Like really, truly.

Jesus is king. He’s amazing. Do you know him?

And start with where you are.

Friend - we need to read scripture. each of us needs to. And when you have questions, gosh, if only we had pastors here and elders here who would love to help you.

A scripture that has been on my heart and been discussing with people is James 1:22

James 1:22 CSB

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

What if we decided that we were just going to in faith obey. Like I’m going to open my bible, read it, pray, and lean into church. What if we decided to in faith practice the faith as best as we can in faith.

I bet that God would meet us - because he loves us. And God is not far away. He’s not tricking us. The distance between us and God isn’t from God. And the truth is if you are saved there is no distance between you and God. That’s just a lie from the Enemy.

If you are in Christ - you are right now in the presence of the Father right now. And he loves you.

That’s the foundation of the deeper life. You are already loved, cherished, desired, holy, in his sight because of Christ. Now out of that reality, we live and walk.

So I want to invite you to lean in.

If you are living in sin - confess it, and crucify it.

If you are weak - cry out to Christ.

And don’t go through things alone.

I truly believe that God is faithful. And he can make us holy.

Hear this benediction that Paul writes at the end of 1 Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 CSB

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will do it.

God is able to sanctify us completely. Our entire being. How? HE who calls you is faithful; he will do it.

What’s our part?

keep in step. see what God is up to, see what he asks us to do, and not do, and simply follow.

So I invite you, take one step toward intentional formation. Ask honestly what can you implement as we train ourselves in holiness? What’s one thing?

Start with committing to Church on Sundays, prioritize community groups. Pray and study.

And over time, through the ups and down, he will form us more and more into the image of Jesus.

Let us continue to walk in him, being rooted in Christ, overflowing with gratitude.

Let me pray.