Getting Straight in 08
Matt 28:16-2016 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”d[1]
Getting straight in 08! That is the theme for many if not most of us. This is the year that I will lose that weight. This is the year that I will get out of debt. This is the year that I will start exercising. This is the year that I will get my emotional life in order. This is the year that I will get straight. This is the year that I will get my spiritual life in order. Despite all of the resolutions you made last week, most of them have already been broken. You said you were going to lose weight but went to that new years day gathering and packed on 8 pounds. You charged the last amount of credit on the card because it was such a great after Christmas sale. Instead of walking on the nice days we had you justified staying at home because it was too cold. You started to take control of your emotional circumstance but played the tape in your head that said you can’t make it with them. This was going to be your year and just 6 days in and most if not all of those resolutions have been broken.
Well all is not bad news. Let me say congratulations! For you have kept at least one resolution. You stated you would attend church more and so far you have been in service every Sunday. Give yourself a pat on the back.
This may be your year for getting straight. Where ever the paths are crooked in your life. Jesus can straighten them out. This can be your year for living victorious and not as a victim. This can be your year to straighten out your family but you will have to grow up. Actually in order for this congregation to get to where God wants us to be we will have to become more mature. I have been here going on 4 years and I am clear, we may be one of the oldest congregations unfortunately we are not the most mature.
You see there is a major difference in being the oldest and being the most mature. Have you ever known a family in which the younger child was more mature than the older? They not only said the more mature thing but they acted in a more mature way. Maturity is not segregated to age. You see you don’t have to do anything to age. You don’t have to do much to get old. Eat drink and get some rest and you will age. You may get older but are you more mature?
During New Years Eve a group of young people were talking and pulled me aside and asked what I was going to preach about in watchnight service. (jokes etc. ) The issue for me is not that I have a beard that is graying, but is there any maturation along with that grey hair? You see there is no harder work in life than growing and becoming spiritually mature. Believers are to grow in their faith and move on (progress) from rudimentary spiritual teaching (novice; principles; drink; milk) to maturity (solid; meat). Immaturity leads to an unstable (toss) Christian life.
Jesus said in Matt 7:13 13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easyd that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. [2] Young people, isn’t it so easy to get into trouble? Well I will let you in on something but you have to keep this between us. The more mature you become the more complicated the trouble becomes. The sad thing is that many if not most of us are content and willing to only deal with the simple troubles. We are familiar with those troubles. We are accustomed to them and we know those troubles when they come we know how to act or not to act. To be honest we are comfortable with those troubles. That is an easy road. It is a wide road.
You kick my dog I kick your cat. The wide and easy road. But if I want to mature, grow spiritually than I need to ask why did you kick my dog. I may find out that my dog was out without a leash and you were kicking him back in the yard. You see when you begin to mature spiritually that is the narrow road it is a hard road. But there is a freedom that comes along with it. Thanks be to God that the more spiritually mature you become the greater freedom you experience. Freedom is an inner spiritual reality and identity given by Christ from which social, economic, and political rights, responsibilities and freedoms flow.[3]
When we mature spiritually and are set free we are not freed from tragedy and hardship and struggle we are free in how we react and respond. We are not 100 % responsible for what happens to us but we are 100% responsible for how we respond to what happens.
Spiritual maturity is about freedom in Christ. I began talking about this freedom in our Watchnight service. John 8:36 if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I don’t know about you but in order to get straight in 08 I have got to be set free. In order not to just get older but I want to get better. I want to be wiser I want to be stronger. I wonder if there is anyone here today who is willing to grow and mature spiritually with me. Let’s get honest all of us want it but few of us will find it. What you need to get straight in 08 will be spiritual maturation. Then you’ll be able to respond in a more mature way to life.
Be warned, you can’t get straight by yourself. You don’t have the power. If you did you’d have done it already.
Well if spiritual maturity is the what and the way can you tell me how? I’m glad you asked. The question can best be answered by addressing our text. This dialogue takes place after his resurrection. Judas is dead and there are only 11 disciples. There were other followers but the 11 are noted here. The followers of the resurrected Jesus meet him on the mountain.
Mountains play an important role in the maturation process. It was on a mountain that the devil last tempted Christ in His wilderness experience. 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9 and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’ ”11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. [4] It was on a mountain that Jesus was transfigured. It is once again on a mountain that Jesus transforms. During this mountain experience the transformation is not in Jesus but in His followers. They are transformed from hears to doers. Followers to leaders. Destroyer to Initiator. Slavery to freedom. He gives them the great commission. Go and make disciples of all nations. On the mountain Jesus gives them authority. On the mountain Jesus gives them a charge. On that mountain they are unified in him. ON that mountain they begin their spiritual maturation. I can sum this all up in one sentence.
We mature by becoming A COMMISSIONED COMMUNITY COMMITTED TO THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. I know that is a mouthful and it cannot be digested in one sermon. Over the next month or so we will dissect, deconstruct and develop means for implementing opportunities for you to mature spiritually.
I said that mountains play an important role in the maturation process and I want you to know that I believe you are going to get straight in 08. But you are not going to do it by yourself. You are going to need Jesus and His disciples here at Shiloh to help you. Getting straight will cause you to mature and climb higher. Getting straight calls you to climb the rough side of the mountain. People will get crippling diseases, suffer stillborn births, experience layoffs, cancer, that’s the rough side. In 08 there will be drug addictions, murder, rape, and unjust persecutions, rough side. The terrain will be filled with racism, sexism, ageism, social and economic inequity and disparity, war and death. Even as a Christian you may experience some of those realities.[5] But the other reality is that in Jesus’ resurrection we can be of good cheer. In Jesus’ resurrection we can take courage. Because he has given us a charge. A charge to keep I have, A God to glorify, A never-dying soul to save. In Jesus’ resurrection he has overcome this world and all of its available tragedies. In Jesus’ resurrection we have the reality that we are more than conquerors. In Jesus’ resurrection we have the promise that Lo I am with you even until end. In Jesus’ resurrection we have the power to take the rough sides of mountain and use them as stepping stones to get higher. If you want to get straight in 08 get ready for some aching knees from praying. Get ready for some calloused hands from clapping. Get ready for some new glasses for reading. Get ready for a new handkerchief for tears of joy.
In order to get straight in 08 we are going to have to become more mature.
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d Other ancient authorities add Amen
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Mt 28:16-20
d Other ancient authorities read for the road is wide and easy
[2] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Mt 7:13-14
[3] Spiritual Maturity Frank Thomas pg. 10
[4] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Mt 4:8-11
[5] Spiritual Maturity Frank Thomas pg. 6