Sermon Central
-
Grow Up! Series
Contributed by Ken Mckinley on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: We are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, and we are to be moving towards maturity in the faith. This sermon looks at this teaching more closely.
I think that the prophet Jeremiah summed it up when he said, “The heart is deceitful above all else, who can know it?”
We live in a fallen world, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Look at verses 15 and 16 again (read). As we speak the truth in love, and as we recognize our sinfulness and our need for a Savior, as we look to Christ and Christ alone for our salvation, then maturity will come. As we the body are joined to Christ, it is He who will build us up. We are not independent little bodies running around; we are a unified whole. Each one of us is part of the whole, each one of us should be doing what God has called us to do, serving as God has called us to serve, living as God has called us to live, and walking worthy of our calling.
I have bad knees. Sometimes during the winter it’s hard for me to get around, and sometimes my knees will lock up and not work the way they are supposed to. I could just be walking and my knee will lock up and if I’m not careful I could find myself flat on the ground.
Well the Body of Christ is sort of like our human bodies; each part has to do what it is made to do, or problems arise.
Are each of us doing our part? Or are we like my bad knees which sometimes cause the rest of the Body to stumble?
I really can’t answer that for any of you, you have to answer it for yourself, just like I have to answer it for myself, but we should keep in mind that we never reach a plateau when further growth becomes and option. Scripture tells us to walk worthy of our calling. It tells us to run the race with patience. We are to press towards the mark for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We are told to run in such a way that we might obtain the prize. We should never confuse stability with stagnation.
And Scripture tells us to grow up; as individuals and as a church.
Our growth individually impacts our growth corporately.
So as individuals and as a church lets purpose to do just that; to grow in our faith, to grow in our understanding, to grow in our Christian maturity, and to grow in our Christian unity.
