Growing In God Series

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). My Delight is in the Lord (vs 1-4)

(2). My Strength is in the Lord (vs 5-8)

(3). My Trust is in the Lord (vs 9-12)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• I know many of you are familiar with the poem ‘Footprints’.

• And I know that it has blessed many a Christian.

• Someone has penned a light-hearted version, called ‘But prints’.

• And although it is a parody, it does make some very good points.

• Butt Prints In The Sand

• A.C. Rose

“One night I had a wondrous dream,

One set of footprints there was seen,

The footprints of my precious Lord,

But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,

And I asked the Lord, “What have we here?

Those prints are large and round and neat,

But, Lord, they are too big for feet.”

“My child,” He said is sombre tones,

“For miles I carried you alone.

I challenged you to walk in faith,

But you refused and made me wait.”

“You disobeyed, you would not grow,

The walk of faith, you would not know,

So I got tired, I got fed up,

And there I dropped you on your butt.”

“Because in life, there comes a time,

When one must fight, and one must climb,

When one must rise and take a stand,

Or leave their butt prints in the sand.”

• TRANSITION: Growing old is inevitable it is happening to us all;

• But growing up is optional, it is a choice we must often make.

• To encourage us all to mature,

• We are starting a mini-series on growing;

• Growing deeper in God (Psalm 84)

• Growing deeper in the Bible (Psalm 119)

• Growing deeper in prayer (Psalm 86)

Ill:

• Pablo Casals (December 29, 1876 – October 22, 1973),

• Was a Spanish cellist and conductor from Catalonia.

• He is generally regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time.

• When Pablo Casals reached 95, a young reported threw him a question:

• "Mr. Casals, you are 95 and the greatest cellist that ever lived.

• Why do you still practice six hours a day?"

• And Mr. Casals answered, "Because I think I'm making progress."

• TRANSITION: Our desire as leaders of this Church is that we all;

• Might keep-on making progress in our Christian lives.

ill:

• I would guess everyone in this room has said it to someone at some time,

• Or someone has said it o them:

• Those immortal words; “Grow up!”

• Or a similar phrase; “Why don’t you act your age?”

• Growth is natural and growth is of course the norm;

• ill: From the moment you were born you were weighed and measured.

• ill: As children how many of you had a growth chart or marks on the wall/door frame?

• Growth is the sign of a healthy child;

• And if a child is stunted in their growth;

• It usually it means that something is seriously wrong

Ill:

• This week the TV news & newspapers;

• All highlighted the fact that Prince George (aged 2);

• This week attended his first day at nursery school;

• The last time I mentioned him in a sermon was two years ago at the Carol Service;

• When he had just been born.

• And I took the theme ‘A Royal Birth’.

• But the photos are a reminder that he is growing up fast!

• Growth is natural and growth is of course the norm;

• TRANSITION: What is true in a physical sense has a spiritual parallel.

• But in the spiritual realm the growth experience can be very different.

• The number of years you have been a Christian does not mean you are growing!

• We can grow old but not grow up!

• Too many Churches are full of grey haired babies.

• People who have come to faith; that is been ‘born again’.

• But have stayed as babies or children and not moved on to maturity.

ill:

• A man, after 25 years with one company,

• Was still doing the same old job and drawing the same salary.

• Finally he went to his boss and told him he felt he had been neglected.

• “After all,” he said, “I’ve had 25 of experience.”

• His boss sighed and said:

• “You haven’t had 25 of experience, you’ve had one experience for 25 years.”

• TRANSITION: Psalm 84 gives to us three ways to grow;

• Three ways to deepen our walk with God in the year ahead.

(1). My Delight is in the Lord (vs 1-4)

How lovely is your dwelling-place,

Lord Almighty!

2 My soul yearns, even faints,