Colossians 1:29-29 Grow

Grow

Chair Bible p. 983

The purpose of Parkwood Baptist Church is to glorify God by laboring together for the growth of all believers while going with the gospel to all people(s).

Main Point: The LORD God has purposed the body of Christ to be intricately involved in the spiritual growth of one another through the faithful proclamation of Christ.

Context: ,

“...a mystery was a truth which lay hidden in the pages of the Old Testament, and its explanation awaited another day. The day of understanding came with the death and resurrection of Christ, and the mystery was revealed to the saints (believers)” (Melick, 241).

As we will see next week, the great commision is not only to make the gospel known to those who have yet to believe, we make disciples.

is message to believers(the Church) concerning their responsibility to one another.

Spiritual Growth for everyone in the body of Christ occurs through the faithful proclamation of Christ.

28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Notice repetition of everyone—every individual

What is the means for spiritual growth of everyone?

“Him we proclaim, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom”

“Him” Christ

“Proclaim”make known openly. If you hear preaching only here--you are imposing on the text. “Language of mission” (Wilson, 43) He then presents two sides of proclamation...connected.

2 Primary methods

“Warning” admonish, confronting with the intent of changing one’s attitudes or actions. Exhorting. Admonition therefore involves encouraging, instructing, and prompting, as well as reproving others when necessary. (Garland, 136)

Illus: Playing soccer like american football. Tacking, running with the ball. Often the way young believers respond to the faith.

You may say that is just not my approach, I find it cruel and harsh. “Nothing can be more cruel than the tenderness that consigns another to his sin.” (Bonhoeffer, 107)

“Teaching” instruct, “Teaching’ is the orderly presentation of Christian truth for converts so that they may know how to grow” (Melick, 242). “Putting someone’s mind in proper order” NT Wright

“Everyone” every individual.

“admonishing and teaching one another” (Result: God is glorified.)

Expository preaching/teaching (broad application, necessary for exposure to the Word, teaching with general warning.

Singing the Word.

One another teaching...Growth Groups-- personal relationships. (warning and teaching applied on a more personal level--this is where the vast majority of warning should happen--Dever)

Personal relationships: Family/ Family of God/ Friends. “...teaching occurs as people learn to have spiritually meaningful conversations with each other…” (Dever, 38)

How do we share the word of Christ with everyone?

“with all wisdom” skill,ability to recognize the genuine article. ;16 “word of Christ dwell in you richly...personally and corporately(together). (growing in the Word to share the Word)

Hebrews 3:12–13 ESV

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Ephesians 4:15 ESV

15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Philemon 7 ESV

7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Who is involved in the spiritual growth of everyone? “We” are

Who is involved in the spiritual growth of everyone? “We” are

“that we may present everyone mature in Christ”

“If admonishing and teaching were the means of Paul’s proclamation, what was its end? Paul declares that the purpose of his proclamation of Christ was to ‘present everyone perfect in Christ’” (Longman, 303).

What is the goal?

“Mature” perfect, complete.

The goal of preaching, teaching, and admonishing is to “present everyone perfect in Christ” (see also ). The Greek idea of perfection as something without flaw or as some self-acquired moral virtue has influenced our understanding of the term. For most, then, perfection is some impossible ideal that no one will ever attain. For the Hebrew, however, something was “perfect” if it fulfilled its purpose. Those who are wholehearted, sincere, and in right relationship with God are described as perfect in Scripture. (Garland, 123-24)

How am I presented mature, complete (you) proclaim HIm by warning and teaching everyone(everyone repeated 3 times) We are all intricately connected to one another in the body of Christ, see

grows with a growth that is from God.

Spiritual Growth for everyone in the body of Christ occurs when everyone embraces their personal responsibility.

29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

“Toil” work to fatigue. Become tired through exerting much energy. “Though the striving is Paul’s, the effectiveness of his labors is entirely due to Christ’s power” (Wilson, 43-44).

“The word struggling is can also be translated as ‘agony.’ Which is to say, agony rather than ecstacy is the way to spiritual power. Do you want to know the power of God and a faith that works? Then give yourself over to the struggle of working for the good of others, even as Christ Himself works and struggled for our good.” (Dever, Discipling, 31)

Does everyone in the body of Christ share the responsibility for the spiritual growth of others?

We all own the responsibility and share the responsibility.

The church does not exist to mature me. We exist to mature together...to glorify God through our shared and individual growth in Christ.

So What?

Am I embracing my responsibility in the body of Christ by joining in laboring together for the growth of all believers?

2 basic objections…

1. I don’t want to or I’m not interested. (What does that say about your understanding of salvation and your purpose...glorify God--if salvation is about you then you can not be interested, if it is about the glory of God--then how can you not.

2. I can’t (Do not know enough. Not ready.) Start where you are with people where they are.

By the grace of God I have been redeemed…

By the grace of God I have been reconciled to a people...that I am responsible to/for and they are for/to me. We are in Christ and we labor together for the growth of all believers by the grace of God.

Illus: Simple structure of Church

Worship, Growth Growth Group,(Kids and Students Wedpm) Mission engagement. (Last week 1363 worship, 1417 GG’s)

Key to a healthy church is healthy growth. describes healthy growth. Numbers are not the goal.

Worship, Study, Serve.

Notes