PROGRESSIVE FAITH

Illustration: The “Bawl” room

What the church needs today is christians who are maturing in their faith

Ephesians 4:13-14 “until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

Text: Colossians 1:9-11 ESV

PROGRESSIVE FAITH

Paul gives us three questions to gauge our growth

Bearing Fruit

to be fertile, metaphor of our conduct

Identifying factor

to bear fruit of oneself.

Matthew 7:16-18 “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.”

what comes out is what defile us...

What kind of fruit are you bearing?

Fruit bearing comes by accepting

The reason your not bearing fruit is because your not accepting

Mark 4:20 “But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.””

They receive the word into their hearts

Hebrews 3:15 “As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.””

The Moody Bible Commentary b. A Parable Explained (4:13–20)

The first three responses produced no fruit indicating there was no permanent change.

Fruit bearing comes by abiding

The reason your not bearing fruit is because your not abiding

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 15

spiritually, acceptably.

My internet wifi goes off all the time. sometimes it gets unplugged. some of us need to check our spiritual power source to see if we are unplugged from Jesus

Fruit bearing comes by dying

The reason your not bearing fruit is because your not dying

John 12:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Principal of pruning

matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Increasing (growing) in the knowledge of God

Starting the right way

Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Herchel H. Hobbs

My Favorite Illustrations Look with Upsight

A person is not to rely on his or her own understanding or insight. At best human knowledge is fragmentary. What may seem best to the individual at the moment may not be best in the long haul. Upsight, not insight, is to be the governing factor of life. Then the person will have no reason to have regrets when viewing life from hindsight.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

initial revelation God gave me in the beginning was easy revelation

Experience along the way

Ex: Moses at the burning bush

Exodus 4:1-4 “Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’ ” The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—”

Moses learns who God REALLY is at the Burning bush! look how much time has passed by

Someone said that we should count that day lost in which we do not learn some new thing. Hobbs, H. H. (1990).

You should learn something every day. how much more when it comes to our Walk, Our savior, or Our creator God?

We may have to ask God like moses, “Show me your Glory.”

Learning the Berean Way

Acts 17:10-11 “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

How is your bible reading?

We will one day fully comprehend God

Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”

I can only imagine chorus

1 Corinthians 13: 12 “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.”

Strengthened with all power

Understanding where power comes From God

Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

The message bible says, : I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, My strength comes from God, Who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

Ex: Azariah- God is my help or God is my strength

We are filled with resurrection Power

Ephesians 1:19-20 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. NLT

Understanding what the power is for

For Patience- Has to do with waiting calmly

Ex: Son constantly asking my for time on the I pad (lack of patience)

We do the same just in the adult variety! (i.e. Wanting to get married without first seeing if its the will of God and seeing other attributes besides their face or body).

Reminds me of Adam (God saying its not good for man to be alone) Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.””

We must learn to wait on God

For endurance- Has more to do with stamina or persistence

Trials will come.

“My prayer is God strengthen me for the tough times that I know are ahead”

Galatians 6:9 “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

When it comes to our spiritual walk, patience and endurance are signs of maturity

In conclusion

The ball is in your court

If you are waiting for your Pastor to do all the work you will not grow. You have to put in some work.

Ex: PT once a week

be more mindful of your spiritual condition and be more involved in your spiritual Growth.