OL,11-23-03,pm
1J As Robert Browning wrote, “Man was made to grow, not stop.”
A.
But long before the
time of Browning, the NT underscored the need for spiritual growth:
1.
Jesus – Luke 2:40,
52
2. Peter – 2 Peter
3:18.
3. Paul – Ephesians
4:13-15.
2J Obviously,
the first essential for growth is life.
A. It would be ridiculous to claim life,
however, without the laws of procreation being met.
1. There is no life without the planting of
the seed of life and actual conception.
a.
The same is true in the spiritual realm:
1)
1 Peter
1:23. James
1:21. Colossians 2:12,13.
a)
Paul wrote to Titus about our being saved by “the “washing of regeneration and the
renewing of the Holy Spirit,” (Titus
3:5) and Jesus told
Nicodemus, “…unless one of born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…unless one
is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John
3:3,5).
3J Physical
Growth speaks of continuous positive development according to natural law and
expectation.
A. A lack of growth is a sign of no life at
all, or decline and decay.
1.
Obviously if I drop a
stone into the richest soil, it will not grow, because there no life in it.
a.
But if I take a seed and I provide the
proper
essentials in food and cultivation
and water, it will spring up and
produce.
1) But if
that plant is not tended, fed and watered…it will cease to grow and die!
B.
The very minute a
person stops growing, in that instant we start the process of decay and if it
is not reversed we will eventually die.
1. The natural law of life is that we either
grow or decay, advance or regress!
C.
Any good mother would be rightly alarmed if week after week
her baby showed no signs of growth.
D. Any good farmer would be dismayed if his
crop briefly sprang up and then remained stunted bearing no fruit!
4J What about spiritual
growth?
A.
Is it optional?
1.
The answer is “No!” It is God’s law!
a.
Growth is no a wishful dream, but rather it is God’s plan
for us individually and for the church collectively.
1)
John
15:1-8.
2.
But even with this stern warning by Jesus, we see the world
around us and even members of the church focused on the physical and the
material with fruit bearing for Jesus…growing spiritually…a very low priority.
a.
But of this you can be sure: If you and I are born again of the water and the Spirit and if we
as a church, are the body of Christ…spiritual growth is what God expects of
us!
1) Matt 21:18. “In the morning, as
he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the
wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to
it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once.”
a) You see, we may have a beautiful building,
never miss a service, come from several generations of Christians, but if we
are not bearing fruit we are not growing as God wants us to grow!
3. Just like that mother who is alarmed if
there is no physical growth in her child, we should be alarmed if there is
limited or no growth in our lives as Christians.
5J How can we,
then, experience spiritual growth?
A.
We grow physically by eating the right food in the right amount.
1.
Isaiah asked the right question of Israel:
a. Isaiah
55:2-3.
2.
Peter exhorted
a. 1
Pet. 2:2
3.
When we read and study our bibles regularly, putting into
practice what we learn there, we are encouraging our spiritual growth. We
are feeding our souls.
4.
But just like a human growth, we need to move from milk to
solid food.
a.
Hebrews
5:12-6:1.
B.
Breathing and a proper
intake of oxygen is essential to physical development and health.
1.
And the spiritual counterpart is PRAYER.
2.
Jesus shows us in his teachings our need of prayer:
a.
Luke
18:1; Matthew 26:41.
b.
Often, when Jesus felt stifled by worldly activity, He
retreated to breath the pure air of the communion of prayer and he left
refreshed and enabled!!
1)
If our Lord and Teacher found prayer important we dare not try to live without it.
C.
But proper rest is also
essential to growth.
1.
Jesus said, “Which of
you by worrying, can add 18 inches to his height or an hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:26).
2.
Worry, brothers and sisters, will not prolong our lives,
but getting proper rest will.
a.
God never intended for us to live our lives at such a
frantic pace.
1)
What we see when we look to Jesus is a steady, unhurried
life with pauses for rest and restoration.
a) Mark 6:31.
b.)
We need to learn as one man described it, “The gait of Galilee.”
3.
We will grow only by yielding fully --- even relaxing in
--- Christ’s control!!
a.
Matthew
11:28-30.
D.
On the other hand, the
Bible places a strong emphasis on work and exercise.
1.
Show me a person who does not work and exercise and I will
show you a person who is weak.
2.
Those who faithfully work at a job with a sense of purpose
and fulfillment eat better and sleep better.
3.
Often, people complain about not being spiritually
fed.
a.
Perhaps, they are not spiritually hungry, And they’re not
hungry because they’re not working and exercising. Or they want the wrong kind
of food!
1) Too many spiritual “couch potatoes” calling
out to the kitchen, “Hey, bring me a bag of chips, some hot sauce and a
coke! And, Oh yeah, don’t forget my ice cream!”
b.
It is broken-down tissue that calls for nourishment.
1)
Those broken by the toil of the harvest field call for the
Bread of Life!!
6J Let’s summarize…
A.
To grow we must first have life….Life means positive
action…Growth is God’s plan for us individually and collectively…If a Christian
is faithful in prayer, study, resting and working, spiritual growth is
guaranteed.
B. Are you glorifying God more this week than
last? Are you reflecting to the
Savior’s likeness more than when you first believed? How’s your prayer life?
How’s your Bible study time? Are
you worrying or resting in Jesus? Are
you working hard for the Lord? Do you have a lot of leaves but no fruit?