Hinderances To Spiritual Growth Series

Growing Up Spiritually

Hinderances To Spiritual Maturity

Introduction

Text

Luke 6 : 39-49

39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. ?

41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. ?

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

I Introduction

Jesus here says 3 things ….. He that …….

1. Comes to me

2. Hears my sayings

3. Does them ……. Or does not do them

He compares the wise and foolish man.

The things that hinder most Christians from maturing are things they know but do not do.

This is 99% of Christian maturity.

Too many Christians are looking for some big key that God is going to give them to straighten out everything in their life.

God has done something to straighten out our lives.

The scripture says he sent his Word and healed them.

Many Christians often shoot themselves in the foot because of the choices they make.

It is God's desire and God's will that every believer mature.

Read James 1: 22-25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.?

26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

It is possible to be self deceived.

Most people think Satan is doing all of the deceiving.

How many of you think you know what your face looks like?

How many know how long your nose is?

If you've never measured it you probably don't know.

If you measure it you will probably never forget it.

Most people just look in the mirror but never act on what the face really looks like.

The perfect law of liberty is the Word of God.

Continue therein ……. then become a doer ……. then comes the blessing.

Look at what the first thing he mentions right after being a doer of the Word.

Bridling the tongue…….

I believe this is the first area a man must conquer before he can move on to other areas of being a doer of the Word.

Notice in our text this morning that the storms of life come on both houses.

It did not say that one of the men was a sinner that is not born again and the other was born again.

It says that one was a doer of the Word.

The other was not a doer of the Word.