Growing Up

Prayer of Praise and

Adoration

God we praise you,

for the newness of each day,

and the hopes we have for tomorrow.

We praise you

when the wind of the Spirit

blows through our life.

We praise you

for the rain

that washes away the debris

of our life.

We praise you

for the storms that

rock our complacency.

We praise you

for the gentle voice

that speaks peace

into our hearts.

Gracious God,

for the opportunities to serve,

for the ability to praise,

for the talents to serve,

we adore your kindness and generosity.

Powerful God,

for the strength you give to us,

for the trust you place in us,

for the love that you pour out upon us,

we adore your kindness and generosity.

Amen.

One in Christ Jesus

παιδαγωγός / paidagōgos

Guardian

Schoolmaster

instructor

tutor

Babysitter

Maturity

Signs of Maturity?

Signs of Immaturity?

Ephesians 4:14–16 NIV

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Faith vs. “Beliefs”

Plenty of things that I believe with all of my heart and soul and mind

Creator and sustainer of all things

Every sunrise, Every breath, life itself is a miracle .: open to the miraculous in my life and in the world around me. Jesus - God with us - life death and resurrection is the greatest miracle of all b/c even if we run to the ends of the earth God will not abandon us

Experience of God’s presence through the power of the Holy Spirit - cornerstone of our faith

But all too often, we want to take our faith, and set it in stone. Set our foundation not on God, but on some list that keeps us in and others out.

Confession vs statement.

Not saying that they’re wrong, but I’ve always been uncomfortable

It is all too tempting to tack things on.

Where is the room to grow?

Where is the room to confess that we don’t have it all figured out?

Where is the room to learn from others?

Where is the room for the Spirit to blow wild in the world?

When you boil it down, they start to sound a lot like the law. Like the babysitter to keep us on the straight and narrow because we’re too immature to be trustworthy or faithful.

Are we mature? Do we have faith in God’s faithfulness? Do we secretly desire a babysitter?

Faith & Faithfulness

faithfulness of Jesus, answering faith of the believer

Heirs according to the promise

sign of being grown up is that we’re trusted with responsibility

not erasing identity, but new identity, together as God’s family

Benediction

Lead a life worthy of the calling

to which you have been called,

with all humility and gentleness,

with patience, bearing with one another in love,

making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit

in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit,

just as we were called to the one hope of our calling,

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all,

who is above all and through all and in all.

—from Ephesians 4:1-6, NRSV