Baby Talk Series

Where Are You?

Pt. 2 - Baby Talk

I. Introduction

We have talked before about the importance of order and the Law of First Mention. First things, first fruits, first statements all matter. They are highly important and worth paying attention to. This should cause us to pay particular attention to the very first question God ever asked. This initial, primary question is recorded in . . .

Text: Genesis 3:9 (NIV)

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

I remind you that God is omniscient. In other words, He is all knowing. The question wasn't asked because Adam was the greatest, hall of fame, undisputed champion of all time hide and seek contestant and been able to find some God proof hiding place where even God couldn't locate Him. THE question WASN'T posed so that God could gain information He didn't already have. It was a question asked to force Adam to come to grips with information that Adam needed. He had gone from walking openly, transparently and shamelessly before gone to hiding from God's presence and the question forces him to evaluate his new condition and position. God asks Adam this question to force him to come face to face with Adam! God knew where Adam was. The question is did Adam? That is why this is THE question that we must answer.

We are trying to help you answer that question this year. In fact, at the end of this series we will take a test that will help us, if we answer honestly, determine where we are. There are basically 4 stages in our journey of spiritual maturity. Infant, Teen, Adult, Parent. Each stage is a necessary part of the journey. Each stage has some characteristics about them that we need to use to evaluate where we are in this journey. There is also an essential skill that is needed in each stage that enables us to move to the next stage. Until we develop, hone and operate in that skill we cannot move forward.

So, let's start this journey together!

Everyone starts a walk with Jesus at the same place. It starts at birth. You can't skip this step. So, hear me carefully. I am not against you being an infant. We have to start here.

This is what Jesus says about it.

Text: John 3:3 (ICB)?“I tell you the truth. Unless one is born again, he cannot be in God’s kingdom.”

John 3:6-7 (ICB)

A person’s body is born from his human parents. But a person’s spiritual life is born from the Spirit. Don’t be surprised when I tell you, “You must all be born again.”

This is the essential stop! You can't complete the journey without starting here. (SLIDES 7-9) Being born again is the most important step. But it isn't supposed to be the last one.

So, when Jesus says, "You must be born again" we must understand what He is saying. He is saying we have to come that place where we put our faith in what HE did – not on what WE can do. So, this journey starts with what Jesus does for us. It is by His grace alone that we are saved. Not by works. Not by name. Not by church attendance. Not by Bible reading. Not by anything except the grace of Jesus and the power of the blood He shed on calvary for us. When we embrace that grace, we are born again. We become an infant in Christ. Once, we are saved, then we have a part to play to grow in maturity. If we stop at what He did for us, then we remain infants.

Here is the danger and what has also become a great tragedy in the body of Christ. Someone comes to new faith in Christ and as an infant believer they often look at those around them and the Devil tells them everybody else has got it all together. So, in order to fit in, they pretend they’ve got it all together too. They pretend they are mature rather than embracing the journey of becoming mature! This is why people get saved and years go by and they don't actually mature. They stay at baby base and never grow up. We see this happen in the natural, don't we? In the natural we want to grow up quickly!

Ask a 4 yr. old how old he is… I’m almost 5!

Ask a 12 yr. old… I’ll be 13 soon!

Ask a 45 yr. old woman how old she is . . . oh wait she will lie and say 30.

So, I want you to hear me today. If you are new in your walk with Christ, then don't be embarrassed by that – embrace it. You don't have to lie about it. Despise it. You don't have to pretend you are something else. You don't have to duck your head if you don't know what someone who has been on this journey 45 years knows.