Growing Via The Holy Spirit

Scripture: John 16:12-15; Proverbs 8:1-4 and Romans 5:1-5

Title: Holy Spirit Growth

Proposition: Jesus shares with us we how the Holy Spirit can help us grow!

1. Jesus shares that there is much more to learn and grow - verse 12

2. Jesus shares that learning and growth is only possible through His Holy Spirit - verses 13 - 15

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God our Father this wonderful Lord's Day!

We are in the midst of graduation season. Students of all ages are graduating from Day Care, Kindergarten, Middle School, High School, Universities and Trade Schools all across our nation. Along with all those graduations comes all the pomp and circumstance of graduation ceremonies and in some occasions special speakers.

A few years ago, Mr. Charles Thomas Munger was asked to be the commencement speaker for the graduates of the University of California Law School. At that time Charles who goes by the name Charlie was 83 years of age. You may wonder, why did this very prestigious law school ask an 83 year old man to speak at their graduation ceremonies. What could he say to people in their early 20's?

Well, Charlie Munger isn't just any ordinary man. First of all, he is a man who has some very powerful and influential friends. One of his closest and dearest friends is a man by the name of Warren Buffett. Charlie and Warren have been working together for almost 60 years making millions and millions of dollars for themselves and for their investors.

Over his life time Charlie has helped run and direct some of the greatest companies in the United States including Berkshire Hathaway and Costco Wholesale Company. Charlie has also given away millions of dollars to all types of charities to benefit his fellow human beings and to make our world a better place to live. Just recently, Fortune Magazine estimates that Charlie's net worth to be approx. 1.3 billion dollars.

Not bad for a man who at the age of 31, found himself divorced, broke and burying his 9 year old son, who had died from leukemia. With all that heartache, Charlie could have ended up a drunk living on skid roll but he believed in himself, in his work ethic and in America. It took him 38 years of dedicated hard work, some great friends and a little luck, but by the time he was 69, Charlie was one of the 400 richest people in the world.

Charlie not only found success materialistically but also socially and domestically. He learned from his mistakes as a husband and in time married again. His second wife Nancy just passed away a few years ago. However, for 54 years they enjoyed a wonderful life together. They raised eight wonderful children together. Not bad for a guy out who was out on his luck at the age of 31.

One of the things that Charlie is known for is his great practical wisdom. That was one of the reasons the University of California asked him to speak to their graduating class of new lawyers.

Some of his pearls of wisdom are:

The best way to get a good spouse is to deserve a good spouse. - Charlie Munger

If you want to be happy in marriage, try to improve yourself as a spouse, not change your spouse.

Charlie Munger

Other people are trying to be smart, all I’m trying to be is non-idiotic. I’ve found that’s all you have to do to get ahead in life, be non-idiotic and live a long time. It’s harder to be non-idiotic than most people think. - Charlie Munger

Charlie's pearl of wisdom that day for those law school graduates fits well with our scripture reading here in John 16:12-15. Charlie told all of them -

"You're not going to get very far in life based on what you already know. You're going to advance in life by what you're going to learn after you leave here."

Charlie made that statement to men and women who had been going to school for more than 7 years past High School. He said that to men and women who had at least 19 - 20 years of school under their belt. He wanted them to always remember in life when it comes to knowledge, insight and becoming - there is always room to grow.

It's the same thing that Jesus shared with his disciples back then and with us this morning. Let's take a deeper look into what Jesus shares in these few verses.

I. Jesus wants all of His Disciples to understand that there is more to learn, to grow and to become - verse 12

In verse 12, Jesus shares with His disciples that there are some things that He has not been able to tell them. There are some revelations and truths that He wants to share with them but right now they were not ready to either hear them or understand them. Jesus wants them to know that there is much more for them to hear, to experience and to celebrate.