Warren D. Carter – Elder

Wien,  Österreich

13.Aug.2k

    

Discipleship:    Maturing   in   Christ

    

 

¿Q:   What  do  all  the  following  have  in  common ?

    

•         McDonald’s  hamburgers

•         e-mail

•         Nescafé

•         SMS  messaging

•         microwave  popcorn

•         32 megs of RAM on a 3D video chip

 

A:   they are all  fast  or  instant  innovations  that meet people’s needs quickly and easily

 

and most of us are getting rather used to at least one of these in our lives … perhaps all of them ??

 

what we forget is this simple   spiritual  truth:

 

  It is impossible to have  “instant Christian maturity”       or

 

Becoming a Christian is a process – a life-long adventure of

•         getting to know God’s nature and will more intimately,

•         loving Him more completely,   and

•         obeying Him with more joy

 

    

Rom 12:1-2

    And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.

  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will accept.

  When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?

  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.

    

let’s  pray

 

    

i.                   moving  toward  maturity 

 

each of our walks with Christ started in very different places and times,

 but for most of us, the common elements of our first steps toward spiritual maturity can be found in Rom 10:8-13

 

read this passage from the New Living Translation?

    

Romans 10:8-13       NLT  only

    Salvation that comes from trusting Christ – which is the message we preach – is already within easy reach.  In fact, the Scriptures say, “The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.”

    [9] For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  [10] For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.  [11] As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”  [12] Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect.  They all have the same Lord, who generously gives His riches to all who ask for them.  [13] For  “Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

 

IF  you have never made this confession, then perhaps today is your day …

 

Let’s  pray  ~ responsively

 

 – and if you’re doing this for the 1st time today, and can say a hearty  amen  at the end

 

… then be sure to tell someone about it after the service,

and come talk to one of the Church leaders for some additional information

 

 

¿Q:   so … is salvation merely  “confessing with your mouth”  and  “believing in your heart” ?

 

A:   yes  …  and  no

 

salvation is both an  event  and a  process  –  for anyone praying that prayer for 1st time,

 today is a very significant event in your life …

but it’s just the start of a process

 

 

as we can see in Phil 2,

 where Paul is writing to the  Christians  in Philippi  …  i.e.  not to unbelievers

 

Philip 2:12-16    …  [a mix of NIV + NASB + NLT]

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to  work out your own salvation  with fear and trembling.  [13] For it is God who is at work in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to act according to His good purpose.

    [14] In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, [15] so that no one can speak a word of blame against you.  You are to live above reproach  –  clean, innocent lives  –  as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people.  Let your lives shine brightly before them. [16] Hold tightly to the Word of life, so that when Christ returns, I will be proud that I did not lose the race and that my work was not useless.

 

so we are  “saved”  and we have assurance of that  … and  then we work out our own  “salvation”

 … and Paul has given us some tips on how to begin that process,  which we’ll develop a little later

 

we  receive  the gift of eternal life, and then we  show it  by our commitment and actions

 

 “faith without works is dead”

 

 read from James 2:14-26  –  which we won’t review now  –  but note it here for your reference and further study  …  and I want to highlight just the main thought:

 

James 2:14-26

    Dear brothers and sisters, what’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions?  That kind of faith can’t save anyone…

    [17] So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith.  Faith that doesn’t show itself by good deeds is no faith at all – it is dead and useless.

    [18] Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith;  others have good deeds.”  I say, “I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.”

    [19] Do you still think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God?  Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!

  [20] Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless? …

 [24] So you see, we are made right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.

    [25] Rahab the prostitute is another example of this. She was made right with God by her actions – when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road.

  [26] Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds.

 

the bottom line is you need both:

       

  faith  and  works  …

      

  belief  and  action  …

      

  conviction  and  commitment

 

it is not enough to make Jesus our Saviour – we  must  make Him our Lord

 

so how do we go about doing that?

  how do we work out our own salvation?

  how do we mature in Christ?

 

 

that’s what I’d like to talk about today

 

  …  what’s the  spiritual  principle  I mentioned earlier?

 

#1:    our walk with God is an ever-deepening  process  of:

•         discovering who He is,

•         falling in love with Him,   and

•         aligning our will to His

 

 

there are many  spiritual  principles  that we’ll talk about today,

 but this  #1,  and the following  #2  are worth remembering and meditating on the most

 

#2:    God  longs  for us to walk in closer/ more-intimate relationship with Him

 

 

¿Q:       •        do you have a hunger for God?     I hope so!!

•               If you do, you might ask, “where do I start this journey?”

 

A:     there are many  “jumping  off”  points in the Bible, but let’s start with Eph 4, and looking at what God desires for you

 

Eph 4:11-24

    He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  [12] Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church, the Body of Christ, [13] until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. 

    [14] Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth.  [15] Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of His Body, the church.  [16] Under His direction, the whole Body is fitted together perfectly.  As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole Body is healthy and growing and full of love.

    [17] With the Lord's authority let me say this:  Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused.  [18] Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against Him.  [19] They don't care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways.  Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. 

    [20] But that isn't what you were taught when you learned about Christ.  [21] Since you have heard all about Him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, [22] throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.  [23] Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes.  [24] You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness – righteous, holy, and true. 

 

so what does God desire for you?  [vv. 13 + 15] … unity, maturity, to be more like Christ

 

how do immature Christians act?  [v. 14] … child-like in their faith – always changing their minds

 

how does a mature Christian act?  …

[v. 15] like Christ, holding to the truth in love;

[v. 16] doing their own special work, helping others to grow and become more loving;

[v. 17] not living as ungodly people do;

[v. 18] with minds and hearts softened toward God;

[v. 19] caring about right and wrong, acting morally with pureness and generosity;

[v. 22] throwing off their evil nature  –  striving for purity, integrity, and honesty

[v. 23] spiritually renewing their thoughts and attitudes

 

 

in your own time during the week, look at this passage and identify the contrasts between:

man’s old nature                                   the Christian’s new nature

_______________________                       _______________________________

_______________________                       _______________________________

 

 

¿Q:   how can we understand what this  “new nature”  is all about?

 

take a look – back a couple of books – to  II Cor 3

 

II Cor 3:16-18       … [NLT]

    But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away.  [17] Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, He gives freedom.  [18] And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord.  And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him and reflect His glory even more.

 

into whose image are you being transformed?  [v. 18]  Christ’s image

 

and who is bringing about this change?  [v. 18]  the Holy Spirit

 

does this transformation happen all at once?  [v. 18]  no – as the Spirit works, we become more and more like Him

 

 

but what has already happened,  if you are a sincere believer today?

 

for the answer, let’s turn back a couple of more books to Romans 5

 

Romans 5:8-9       … [NIV, NASB, or NLT]

    But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  [9] And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God's judgment. 

 

•         God showed His love and desire for relationship with us by having His Son die for us

•         we have been  “justified”  or  “made right”  in the eyes of God

•         we have been spared God’s wrath

 

 

if this is true, then what  should  you be  doing  now ?

 

Paul tells us in  chapter 6

 

Romans 6:19        … [NIV, NASB, or NLT]

    I speak this way, using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easy to understand.  Before, you let yourselves be slaves of impurity and lawlessness.  Now you must choose to be slaves of righteousness so that you will become holy. 

 

choose to be a  slave  to right living/  holiness/ sanctified life

 

… seek after  obedience  to the Lord  with all  your heart and strength and mind

 

 

and  if  I do that, then what?

 

flip ahead a page or 2  to chapter 8

 

Romans 8:16-18         … [NIV, NASB, or NLT]

    For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.  [17] And since we are His children, we will share His treasures – for everything God gives to His Son, Christ, is ours, too.  But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.

    [18] Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later. 

 

then we can have  hope  … but hope in what?

 

what we can  hope for/ expect  in the  future  is to be a joint-heir with Christ – glorified with Him

 

    

these are 3 major concepts concerning our maturing process:

    

justification                position            saved from the penalty of sin … done !

    

sanctification              condition          being saved from the power of sin … becoming more Christ-like

    

glorification                expectation      to be saved from the presence of sin … to be like Christ 1 day

 

these may sound like grand theological terms – yet  they have much meaning for us,

  if  you take the time to try to  understand their differences  and implications

 

 

but this is not very easy for many of us, so let’s turn to Colossians 3  for a quick overview

 

Col 3:1-4         … [NIV, NASB, or NLT]

    Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honour and power.  [2] Let heaven fill your thoughts.  Do not think only about things down here on earth.  [3] For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  [4] And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory. 

 

the  process  of maturing as a Christian starts with discovering God’s plan for us – His children

 

the basics of that plan of salvation involve:   justification,  sanctification,  and  glorification

 

1.                  you  have new life  in Christ when you confess and believe in Him

2.                  since this is true, fix your eyes on Christ  and a future with Him 

–  so that your thoughts and actions here on earth are inspired by heaven 

…  and become more Christ-like, as a result

3.                  develop  a real  hope  in a glorious future reality with Christ  –  and be convinced of it  –  not of some impossible or imaginary dreamland   or   some

… escapist’s idyllic kingdom or drug for softening the reality of daily living … but reality

 

 

 

ii.                your  starting  point

 

¿Q:    it appears that this understanding of  “where you stand with God”  is essential

–        would you explain more about this?

–        give us more details about God’s plans in this area?

 

A:    turn back one book, to Ephesians 1  for added insight to this

 

 

Eph 1:3-14         … [NIV, NASB, or NLT]

    How we praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we belong to Christ.  [4] Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.  [5] His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ.  And this gave Him great pleasure. 

    [6] So we praise God for the wonderful kindness He has poured out on us because we belong to His dearly loved Son.  [7] He is so rich in kindness that He purchased our freedom through the blood of His Son, and our sins are forgiven.  [8] He has showered His kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. 

    [9] God's secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to His good pleasure.  [10] And this is His plan: At the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth.  [11] Furthermore, because of Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us from the beginning, and all things happen just as He decided long ago.  [12] God's purpose was that we who were the first to trust in Christ should praise our glorious God.  [13] And now you also have heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you.  And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago.  [14] The Spirit is God's guarantee that He will give us everything He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people.  This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God.

 

we could spend several weeks preaching on this Scripture alone, but we don’t have time now

 

… for another  “home work”  assignment, try identifying and listing from this passage as many of the  aspects and benefits  that you have  because  you are  “in Christ”

 

perhaps spend some time  praying  about these   or   thanking God  for His provision and plan

 

 

but … if we are all confessing Christians today, where do we go from here?

 

   how do we begin looking at step #2:   fixing your eyes on Christ  –  the  sanctification  process?

 

 

let’s start by turning ahead to Colossians again, chapter 2

 

Col 2:6-7         … [NIV, NASB, or NLT]

    And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to Him.  [7] Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done. 

 

how do we fix our eyes on Christ?  

•         live in obedience to Him,

•         grow deep into Him/ reach out to Him/ immerse yourself in the His Word,

•         pray,

•         be nurtured by Him,

•         be committed/ focus on growing strong in your faith,   and

•         be thankful for everything He has done in your life

 

during the week, when Leanne looked over my notes, she mentioned a study she did once on the benefits of  “fixing your eyes on Christ”  out of Psalms

 

 Ps 25:1-15 – it’s a  great study, and I recommend it for a homework assignment – it will really open your eyes to God’s provision, once  you decide to look to Him as your source of life

 

 

¿Q: that sounds too  “religious” … and might even work well when everything is going great …

–        what happens when the rubber meets the road?

–        how do we handle the tough situations in life?

–        what are the practical benefits to attempting this lifestyle change?

 

A:   let’s turn back again to Romans 5  for some insight to this question

 

 

Rom 5:1-5          … [NLT]

    Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  [2] Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. 

    [3] We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to endure.  [4] And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.  [5] And this expectation will not disappoint us.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love. 

 

when we’re  tempted  to take our eyes off of Christ,

 we are encouraged once again by  God’s assurance  of the 3 elements of salvation:

 

[v. 1] we have  peace – real peace, not the cessation of hostilities that the world offers,

 but real inward peace and contentment that comes from knowing where we stand with God

 

[vv. 1-2] since we have received  assurance  of our standing with God,

 He then reminds us of what we’ll experience for an eternity  …  as a result,

 

[vv. 3-4] we can take  joy  in hard times, because God uses them to develop our  character  even further … and the sanctification process moves ahead a little bit

 

[v. 5] for dessert, if we’re a bit low thinking about the scrapes/ trauma that might be in store for us

–        God tells us again that He will never disappoint us,

–        that He loves us deeply, and

–        that He has given us the power to  live an over-coming life

 

 

these particular verses became more real to me since the onset of Cynthia’s cancer in 1990, when God really strengthened us through these (and many others) for the physical and spiritual battles that lay ahead

 

 

 

iii.             the  process  of  growth 

 

it is important to look for principles in the Word in order to begin

  discerning God’s will  for our lives

 

so too, our overall  growth and development  in the  spiritual realm  is impacted by a series of spiritual truths and principles that God has ordained … and spelled out in His Word

 

 

and this brings us to the  1st key difference  between mature believers and all others:

 

#1    mature  believers  develop  clear  insight  into  spiritual  truths

 

 

the development of this ability also takes time and much practice

 

because it is so difficult for us to discern and think and function in this  spiritual realm,

 God has given us some  keys  to aid our understanding – one of those key precepts is that:

 

there are many parallels between the physical laws and the spiritual principles that govern our lives

 

in this way, we can understand a spiritual truth in light of its parallel physical law

 

 

¿Q:   what examples of  key spiritual understandings  can you see in these Scriptures?

 

I Thess 2:11

    And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 

 

A:    God loves us, as a  father  loves his children

    … God often provides us with earthly  “fathering”  when we need it

 

 

I Tim 4:8

    Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 

 

A:   spiritual exercise  is important because its rewards are experienced here on earth and in heaven

 … spiritual exercise is just as essential and difficult to appropriate into your life as physical exercise

 … spiritual discipline is easily scaled back, replaced by more “interesting” pursuits, or just forgotten

 

 

I Pet 2:2-3

    You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation.  Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, [3] now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.

 

A:    if you  really  want to grow spiritually, cry out  to God for nourishment – “taste and see that the Lord is good”

 … a baby doesn’t need any training to recognize its need for milk – why do people need to be convinced of the need for reading God’s Word?

 … if  your spiritual nourishment is  contaminated  by the world/ its pleasures/ its temptations, it will stunt your spiritual growth

 

this is the  2nd  key difference  between mature believers and all others:

 

#2    mature  believers  have  a  craving /  all-consuming  appetite  for  God’s  Word

 

 

Heb 5:13-14

    And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right.  [14] Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right.

 

A:    spiritual maturity isn’t measured in years, but in a  progressively growing hunger  for God

 … the  Word  is not a  “fast food”  consumed amongst other activities, but fine dining at its best

 … the Word should be  enjoyed  for all its subtle pleasures over a long period of time

 … one characteristic of a mature Christian is their ability to  discern  right from wrong

 … training  in discernment requires meditation and study of God’s Word

 

 

what  other parallels  can you see in Scripture?

 

 … perhaps you could take that on for another homework assignment

 

 

 

let’s look at one more example from Romans 5:

 

Romans 5:17

    The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

 

A:    spiritual  death rules  over all people who don’t accept God’s free gift

 … Jesus is like a  2nd Adam, whose actions affected all of humanity

 … spiritual triumph over sin and death is  available to all  people,  through Christ

 … if you want to  live victoriously, you  must rely  on Jesus Christ

 

is that the desire of  your  heart?

and  if  it is, what is the  impact  on your life?

 

turn to chapter 6 … and meditate on:

 

Romans 6:11-14

   So you should consider yourselves dead to sin & able to live for the glory of God thru Christ Jesus.

    [12] Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires.  [13] Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning.  Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life.  And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God.  [14] Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin.  Instead, you are free by God's grace.

 

read it several times … take notes … underline or highlight … consider

 

what are 2 or 3  spiritual truths  concerning you?  [vv. 11 + 14]

      

•         I’m dead to sin

•         I’m able to glorify God with my life

•         sin is no longer my master

•         I am free from the slavery of sin because of the grace of God

 

what is your  present  relationship to sin?  [v. 12]

      

•         it often controls me … gives me wrong desires

 

what  should  it be?  [v. 12]

      

•         sin should not be controlling me

 

what should you  avoid  at all costs?  [v. 13a]

      

•         don’t allow any part of your body be used for sinful purposes

 

what should you  endeavor  to do?  [v. 13b-c]

      

•         commit yourself wholly to the Lord

•         be determined to use all parts of your body to do what is right/ bring glory to God

 

 

¿Q:   how would you explain the spiritual truth given earlier in chapter 6 ?

 

Romans 6:5-6

    Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised as He was.  [6] Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.  We are no longer slaves to sin. 

 

A:    if we are truly  “in Christ”, our sinful nature was  nailed on the cross  along with Christ

 – who covered/ was ransomed for/ and conquered our sins

 – so that  we could have  access to power  in this life to overcome our sinful desires

 – so that  we could be  victorious  over and not victims to our sin nature

 

 

¿Q:   if God intends you to live in  triumph  over sin  [Rom 5:17]  and

  to be  free  from the power of sin over your life  [Rom 6:5-6 + 11-14]

 – what  applications  can you think of for your life ??

 

 

¿Q:   in summary, we are saved by faith – for a purpose – what purpose?

 

 

read ahead a few books to Ephesians, chapter 2

 

Eph 2:8-10

    God saved you by His special favor when you believed.  And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  [9] Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  [10] For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.

 

¿Q:   what is our  identity?    [v. 10a-b]

 

A:   we are God’s  masterpiece

A:   we are  new creations  “in Christ”

 

 

¿Q:   what’s our  purpose?    [v. 10c]

 

A:   we are created for good  works of God’s  planning

 

 

¿Q:   on review, is God doing anything in or through  your  life?

 

 

let’s look at the next book for an answer …

 

Phil 1:6

    And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. 

 

A:   God is  actively  completing  His work in our lives

 

 

¿Q:   as you reflect  on your life …

>     are you  thankful  for all that God is doing in you?

>     do you  rejoice  in conflicts because of the evidence that God is still perfecting you?

>     are you  grateful  for what God  has  done,  is  doing, and  will  do in your life?

 

 

 

iv.              how  to  live

 

now that we’ve gotten a glimpse of our  identity  “in Christ”,   and

 some of the  purposes  that God created us for,   and

 begun to practice looking at  spiritual truths  contained in God’s Word, …

 

 let’s focus on the more -practical:

 

¿Q:   what specific  guidelines – for living a sanctified life – can we see in the Word?

 

 

the entire books of  Psalms  and  Proverbs  are  very  useful for daily living

 

… they contain  100’s  + 100’s  of  practical insights  and  principles to help you through your days

 

from years of personal experience,

 I can encourage you to spend much time meditating on those Scriptures

 in the midst of every-day life decisions and challenges

 

 

but for now, let’s turn back to the book of Romans, chapter 8, for a quick look at practical guidelines

 

Rom 8:4-6

    He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. 

    [5] Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.  [6] If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death.  But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace. 

 

A:   think about things that please God

 

 

another can be found in II Cor

 

II Cor 5:7-9

    That is why we live by believing and not by seeing.  [8] Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.  [9] So our aim is to please Him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body. 

 

A:   we can try to please God all the time – not only by our thoughts – but also with our faith

 –  by  living confidently  in  what we believe

 

 

and several more can be seen in Ephesians, chapter 5

 

Eph 5:1-4

    Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are His dear children.  [2] Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave Himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins.  And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to Him. 

    [3] Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you.  Such sins have no place among God's people.  [4] Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes – these are not for you.  Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 

 

A:   live a life of  loving  others … first!

A:   decide to live sexually  pure  lives

A:   don’t be greedy in your thoughts or deeds

A:   watch your  tongue!  it can be a source of great evil … or of  thankfulness  to God – choose thx

 

 

Eph 5:15-20

    So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise.  [16] Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days.  [17] Don't act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do.  [18] Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life.  Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.  [19] Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.  [20] And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

A:   carefully – and with wisdom from the Lord – look for chances to perform  good deeds

A:   don’t get drunk on anything!

A:   allow the  Holy Spirit to fill  your life and thoughts

A:   sing/ play edifying music – even if you aren’t a great musician … “make a joyful noise …”

A:   decide to be  grateful  to the Lord for everything … all the time

 

 

there are a few more in Colossians chapter 3

 

Col 3:12-17

    Since God chose you to be the holy people whom He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  [13] You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  [14] And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love.  Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony.  [15] And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as members of one Body you are all called to live in peace.  And always be thankful. 

    [16] Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise.  Use His words to teach and counsel each other.  Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.  [17] And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

 

A:   practice godly  character:  mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiving

A:   be ready to  forgive  others

A:   decide to  love  other people – to the extent that unbelievers notice it!

A:   be committed to living at  peace  with others … and deep within your own heart

A:   immerse yourself in God’s Word  –  so that when you speak or teach or encourage or counsel others  –  they will hear the Words of God

A:   here’s that singing thing again … do we get the message that God likes to hear a  joyful noise??

A:   and again, be  thankful  in all you do

 

 

turn to 1st John for a couple more examples

 

I John 1:6-10

    So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness.  We are not living in the truth.  [7] But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from every sin. 

    [8] If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth.  [9] But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.  [10] If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that His Word has no place in our hearts.

 

A:   live in  fellowship  with the Truth – Jesus Christ Himself

A:   be  quick to recognize  and  confess sin … and allow God to cleanse you from every sin

 

 

this is the  3rd  key difference  between mature believers and all others:

 

#3    mature  believers  are  able  to  quickly  recognize  sin  in  their  lives  and  be  reconciled

 

they often see the error of their ways in the midst of the sin, experience profound sorrow over their actions, and confess their sin to the Father, seeking His forgiveness and the path to reconciliation

 

 

turn to the 2nd  chapter of the same book, to find a couple more practical guidelines

 

I John 2:5-10

    But those who obey God's Word really do love Him.  That is the way to know whether or not we live in Him.  [6] Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did.

    [7] Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment, for it is an old one you have always had, right from the beginning.  This commandment – to love one another – is the same message you heard before.  [8] Yet it is also new.  This commandment is true in Christ and is true among you, because the darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining. 

    [9] If anyone says, "I am living in the light," but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness.  [10] Anyone who loves other Christians is living in the light and does not cause anyone to stumble. 

 

A:   obey  God’s Word and live like Christ

A:   love  others so evidently, that others will notice it

A:   avoid behaviours that may be  legal  or acceptable – but  that cause others to fall into sin

 

 

and a few verses later, in

 

I John 2:15-17

Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you.  [16] For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions.  These are not from the Father.  They are from this evil world.  [17] And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves.  But if you do the will of God, you will live forever. 

 

A:   decide to stop loving  and  seeking after what the  world  has to offer

 – materialism … conspicuous consumption

 

 

illustration:   Russian teen-ager buying tray full of McD’s food  –  and throwing it all away

 

 

 

v.                 the  mature  believer’s  heart

 

but don’t get me wrong, it’s not simply a matter of  acting properly … or sanctimoniously

 

if it were, we could  legislate  “correct”  behaviour  that would make everyone acceptable to God

 

many of these  “practical guidelines”  could be used as new  laws for controlling  behaviour

 

resist  this temptation  –  while a majority of these verses say  “act this way”

–           most of these principles refer to  heart attitude  or transforming your will and desires

–           your maturity as a Christian is more a matter of heart than deeds …

–           but  both  are important … sound familiar?   [faith  vs.  works]

 

 

the critical importance of your heart’s attitude is even recognized in the Old Testament

 

 

e.g., in Proverbs chapter 4  we read

 

Prov 4:23

    Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.

 

 

¿Q:   OK then, what are some of these  attitudes  that we need to develop as mature Christians?

 

 

let’s turn to the book of Philippians for some clues

 

Phil 3:13-16

    No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing:  Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, [14] I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. 

    [15] I hope all of you who are mature Christians will agree on these things.  If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.  [16] But we must be sure to obey the truth we have learned already. 

 

A:   adopt  a  future perspective – live in  and  with  hope! … don’t dwell on the past

A:   focus  on long-term  character  development and  treasure valued in heaven

A:   commit  yourself to the  discipline  and  perseverance  necessary to  finish  the race

A:   devote  yourself to  rapid obedience

 

 

look too, back in  I Cor

 

I Cor 15:58

    So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

 

A:   strive to be  reliable  and  enthusiastic

 

 

¿Q:   these all seems like a lot of data – what  motivates  us to attempt these changes ?

 

A:   knowing  that  nothing  we do for the Lord is useless

 

 

 

vi.              your  commitment  to  maturity

 

your growth in Christ has many  analogies to your physical development –

•         it  takes time  and someone determined to  “win the race”

•         you start with crying out for the  “milk”  of God’s Word  before you crave hearty nourishment

•         you learn to crawl – then walk – then run – then  race!!

•         you  need others  to help you, teach & guide you, and play/ celebrate with you

•         learning to  pray  is like learning to speak – you start slowly, with small words … and then work at it for a long time before you feel fluent and capable … and then you realize that  real  communication  requires  more listening  than talking

•         the other  spiritual disciplines  require the same practice and dedication and commitment that a professional athlete has to make to physical conditioning and training

 

a high level of  commitment  is necessary  if  you desire to run the race to the finish

 

 

¿Q:   are there any  special dangers  to  “finishing well” ?

 

A:    some of the behavioural, character, relational, and heart attitude issues have already been discussed

 

A:    but there are  other  dangers or obstacles to your development of Christian maturity

 

 

if we turn to  I Peter, chapter 5, we can read Peter’s closing words of hope and encouragement to the Christians who were scattered throughout northern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) during a time of intense persecution of Christians by the Roman and Jewish authorities

 

I Peter 5:4-11

   And when the head Shepherd comes, your reward will be a never-ending share in His glory and honour.

    [5] You younger men, accept the authority of the elders.  And all of you, serve each other in humility, for    "God sets himself against the proud, but He shows favor to the humble." 

[6] So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in His good time He will honour you.  [7] Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.

    [8] Be careful!  Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.  [9] Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith.  Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

    [10] In His kindness God called you to His eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ.  After you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.  [11] All power is His forever and ever.  Amen.

 

 

A:    while  holding fast  to the hope of eternal glory with Christ … and reminding them of God’s plan of salvation for them … Peter is exhorting the believers to  grow in their faith – the sanctification step

1.      with practical suggestions for  behaviour,

2.      in their development of Christian  character  and  relationships,

3.      in their  attitudes – especially toward other believers and leaders,

4.      also by way of warnings in light of  inevitable spiritual attacks,   and

5.      suggested  strategies  for defending against those spiritual attacks

      

•      be alert

•      know that you have a strong spiritual enemy

•      he is out to destroy you

•      resist him with your faith in Christ

 

 

in Peter’s 2nd book, we can read about another one of our enemy’s strategies

 

II Pet 3:17-18

    I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people.  I don't want you to lose your own secure footing.  [18] But grow in the special favor and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

    To Him be all glory and honour, both now and forevermore.  Amen.

 

A:   to finish well, we must always be  discerning  truthfulness of  message  and  messenger

A:   our spiritual foundations are strengthened by growing in our  knowledge of God

 

 

the  “accuser of the brethren”  is not especially creative or innovative

 – but that doesn’t mean he’s ineffective

 

turning ahead to 1st John, we can read his warnings about another subtle strategy of the evil one:

planting seeds of fear, doubt, unbelief, mistrust, and disunity in our minds

 

I Jn 4:16-21

    We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in Him.

    God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.  [17] And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.  So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. 

    [18] Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear.  If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that His love has not been perfected in us.  [19] We love each other as a result of His loving us first. 

    [20] If someone says, "I love God,"  but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar;  for if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen?  [21] And God Himself has commanded that we must love not only Him but our Christian brothers and sisters, too.

 

this subject of spiritual warfare will be taken up later in the year, so I won’t go further into it now

 

… just be assured that  God loves us,  and that we can  trust  Him

 

we must  love one another … esp. our brothers and sisters in Christ

 

A:     this whole issue of  trusting God  can cripple us in our walk  if  we question God or His Word

 

 

Paul also instructs Timothy in these same matters, in his 2nd letter to him

 

II Tim.  3:13-17

    But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will go on deceiving others, and they themselves will be deceived.

    [14] But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught.  You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.  [15] You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.  [16] All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.  [17] It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.

 

¿Q:   what is our  purpose  in life?

A:     we are created for good  works of God’s  planning

 

¿Q:   has God left us  alone  to figure these out and organize a way of accomplishing these tasks?

A:     no  –  God has  fully  prepared  and equipped us for the work

 

¿Q:   what must we  do  to avail ourselves of this aid?

A:     “simply”  remain faithful and trust  God!

 

¿Q:   how can we be  strengthened  so that we remain faithful and trusting?

A:     prayer  is a great starting point in building our defenses against attack and in preparing the way for a deepening walk with the Lord

 

 

this is the  4th  key difference  between mature believers and all others:

 

#4    mature  believers  see  their  deep  and  abiding  prayer  life  as  an  essential  means  of  nurturing  their  relationship  with  the  Lord

 

 

we’ve already studied the  role of prayer in a disciple’s life,  so we won’t repeat those lessons here

 

 … but remember:     prayer = communication  with God

 

 … and  communication  is a  necessary  ingredient  to  any  relationship

 

 

and our prayers  can  have a significant impact on other believers’ lives

 

Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians is a classic example of how we can pray for others in the Body

 

Eph 1:16-23

    I have never stopped thanking God for you.  I pray for you constantly, [17] asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.  [18] I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future He has promised to those He called.  I want you to realize what a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to His people. 

    [19] I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of His power for us who believe Him.  This is the same mighty power  [20]  that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honour at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.  [21] Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come.  [22] And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and He gave Him this authority for the benefit of the church.  [23] And the church is His Body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with His presence.

 

¿Q:   would you pray this for the person next to you today? … for your family? … for your leaders?

 

 

¿Q:   is there hope for  us?

 

A:    Paul says that each one of us could pray the prayer that he shared with Timothy in his 2nd letter

 

 

II Tim.  4:7-8

    I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.  [8] And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of His return.  And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His glorious return. 

 

 

¿Q:   so, after all this study, what do you think a mature Christian is?

 

A:    a mature Christian is one who continues to follow Christ, with the evidence of fruitfulness in the Lord’s work, experiencing God’s grace and love, and looking forward to spending eternity with Him

 

what are some of the  key differences  between mature believers and all others:

 

#1    mature  believers  develop  clear  insight  into  spiritual  truths

 

#2    mature  believers  have  a  craving /  all-consuming  appetite  for  God’s  Word

 

#3    mature  believers  are  able  to  quickly  recognize  sin  in  their  lives  and  be  reconciled

 

#4    mature  believers  see  their  deep  and  abiding  prayer  life  as  an  essential  means  of  nurturing  their  relationship  with  the  Lord

 

 

challenge:          does this  describe you?

are you willing to make this  commitment?

would you  pray  for God’s strength and perseverance  to succeed?

 

God is waiting, in Rev chapter 3  we read:

 

Rev 3:20

[the Lord is speaking, and says:]   "Look!  Here I stand at the door and knock.  If you hear Me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.

 

 

in closing, let’s return again to our opening Scripture – Romans 12:1-2,

 

which I’d like to pray for each one of you:

 

 

Rom 12:1-2

    And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God.

  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will accept.

  When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?

  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.

  Amen!

 

 

 

 

 

Disc - Maturing in Christ

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