Are You Rooted and Grounded?

Introduction

With plants we typically observe what is above ground, not the important part that is underneath—its root system.

“Because they are out of sight, roots are often out of mind,” according to information from Colorado State University Extension. “They are widely overlooked as to their significance in plant health. Eighty percent of all plant disorders include soil/root problems.”

The following remarkable quote from Crop Farming Review highlights the importance of roots: “The plant root system constitutes the major part of the plant body, both in terms of function and bulk…Roots are so massive that their total dry weight may exceed that of the entire plant body.

Jesus Christ used the example of physical roots in the parable of the sower to illustrate a spiritual lesson.

Later Jesus explained the meaning behind the four types of seed to His disciples.

Notice that a plant with shallow roots will wither away. Without spiritual roots, a person can exhibit an interest in God’s truth “for a while”—yet be in severe danger of allowing “tribulation or persecution” to pull him back into the world.

The parallel account in adds more vital details about the seed that fell on rocky ground: “And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture” (vs. 6).

Without roots, a plant struggles to obtain moisture. Similarly, without God’s Spirit guiding or working within a person—he will spiritually wither!

What then is needed? A plant must be in good soil where it can obtain all the nutrients and water it needs to bear fruit, “some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The first major function of roots is to keep plants upright and stable.

Such is the case for most plant life—from a tiny blade of grass to a giant oak tree. Deep roots are important because the success of most land plants depends on their ability to stand erect. Even during great winds, vegetation with a well-established root system will not be knocked over or uprooted, while plants that are shallowly rooted can be easily destroyed.

Spiritually, this analogy reflects our Christian lives. Many proverbial “storms” are raging throughout the world—worsening immorality and perversion, civil conflicts, wild weather patterns, social disturbances, and crimes of every kind—a reality that will only intensify in the short time ahead. If we are solidly rooted, we will be able to withstand the fury of what swirls around us. But if we lack healthy spiritual roots, we will not stand much of a chance.

Of course, plants are grounded in soil. But where should Christians be rooted? The Bible provides the answer:

Here Paul is praying for them and us. He is in prison now. Most of his life in the flesh is now in the past. And what a past it is.

He has been on missionary journeys.

In the service of His Lord he has suffered beatings, scourging, imprisonment, stoning, deprivation, near drowning, rejection from his own beloved nation;

but he has also seen great things. New churches filled with dedicated Christians who gladly suffer persecution for their Lord, the generous giving of the saints for the suffering believers in Jerusalem during a time of famine.

He has seen many healings and miracles, and most wondrous of all ~ he has seen the risen Christ with his own eyes.

He has seen many healings and miracles, and most wondrous of all ~ he has seen the risen Christ with his own eyes.

He is a man of prayer. He specifically addresses the recipients of this letter, and mentions in some places their specific situations. But it is a prayer for us that we may be rooted and grounded, so that we may grow...

And this man prayed for you, Christian. Yes, he specifically addresses the recipients of this letter, and mentions in some places their specific situations. But it is a prayer for us also in several respects.

In He Prays...

Ephesians 3:17–19 KJV 1900

17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Dimensions of Spiritual Growth

Infancy to maturity

Ephesians 4:13–15 KJV 1900

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

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Seeds and plants

Luke 8:14–15 KJV 1900

14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

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The apostles worked and prayed for growth in believers

2 Corinthians 13:9 KJV 1900

9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

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Dimensions of spiritual growth

I. Grow in Faith

“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;”

We must look at the word dwell closer.

One of the major themes in the Bible from Genesis to Revelations is Gods Presence among His People.

Take for example where we see God walking through the garden in the cool of the day, then the sin of Adam drove the couple away from the presence of God.

Genesis 3:8 KJV 1900

8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

When we jump to God said

Leviticus 26:12 KJV 1900

12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

Leviticus 26:11–12 ESV

11 I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.

Leviticus 26:12 KJV 1900

12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.

The word WALK here in verse 12 is the same verb and same stem as the verb we saw in

Through the tabernacle God is once again dwelling or walking among His people.

This tabernacle looks back to the presence of God in the Garden but also looks forward to His presence among the nations in a renewed creation.

Look at

Revelation 21:3 KJV 1900

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

Here is Johns vision of the new creation God is once again dwelling in the midst of His people, but now the people of God consist of people from all nations.

In the same fashion His Spirit Dwells within us by faith

2 Corinthians 10:15–16 KJV 1900

15 Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly, 16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.

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II. Grow in Knowledge

Another major purpose for roots is to provide a plant with moisture and nourishment.

“The roots are the beginning of the vascular system pipeline that moves water and minerals from the soil up to the leaves and fruits”

“The roots are the beginning of the vascular system pipeline that moves water and minerals from the soil up to the leaves and fruits”

Plants and trees make every effort to send down roots as far as possible—or out as far as possible—to get to the water and minerals they need.

We are to seek after the eternal, life-giving nutrients that our Creator provides in His Word.

One more notable characteristic of roots bears examining as it is also akin to our spiritual conditions. It has been discovered that roots fend off diseases and viruses by producing antibiotic microorganisms to help fight off pathogens both in the soil and in the air.

Healthy and Nourished Roots fight off toxicity and disease.

“19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

2 Peter 3:18 KJV 1900

18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

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III. Grow in Love

1 Thessalonians 4:10 KJV 1900

10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

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2 Peter 1:7–8 KJV 1900

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 KJV 1900

12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

Philippians 1:9 KJV 1900

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

()This verse reveals that we must be grounded in love, as defined by the Bible:

1 John 5:3 KJV 1900

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Colossians 2:19 KJV 1900

19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

By keeping the Commandments of God—summarized as ().

By keeping the Commandments of God—summarized as “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”—you show love for God and love for others ().

Matthew 22:37–39 KJV 1900

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

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Growth comes through discipleship

Putting away the sinful self

1 Peter 2:1 KJV 1900

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

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Hebrews 6:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

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Maturing in thinking

1 Corinthians 14:20 KJV 1900

20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

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Persevering in faith

James 1:4 KJV 1900

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

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Ephesians 4:11–12 KJV 1900

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

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Examples of spiritual growth in some of God’s servants

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The growth of the kingdom of God

Colossians 1:6 KJV 1900

6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

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The early church experienced rapid numerical growth

Acts 4:4 KJV 1900

4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

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