Knowledge + Experience + Time Produces Spiritual Maturity

Good evening everyone. Let’s open with a word of prayer.

I want to set the stage by sharing with you something my father used to tell me and my siblings when we did things that didn’t make a lot of sense to him. He would slowing shake his head from left to right and say, “the older you get is just the older you get.” What he was telling us was that as we got older the things we had learned and experienced along the way should have influenced how we thought and acted. In our case, it hadn’t so according to him all we had accomplished was just getting older. Oh how I miss my dad! I wanted to share that story to give you a glimpse of where the Spirit is taking us tonight.

Turn with me to John 14:12. It’s a verse we’re very familiar with and I want to point out a couple of things. Jesus says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

When we read this verse, oftentimes we focuse on what Jesus did because the verse says “the work that I do you shall he do also.” So that is our focus. I want us to take a moment to change our focus.

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First of all, did you notice in the verse that Jesus didn’t say “he that believeth IN Me.” He said “he that believeth ON Me.”Brother Barry, what difference does that make? When you believe in Jesus, you are believing in him as your Lord and savior and joining the family. Jesus is talking to people who are already in the family. So, what He’s saying is if you believe on Me now that you’re part of the family, what you see Me do, you have the ability to do.

Here’s is where I think we miss it. Jesus says that the person who believes on Him, the works that “I” do shall he do also. There is no doing the work that Jesus did unless we are like Jesus. Are you following me?

Again, let me go back. We are already born again. So that is not what He is talking about. Jesus said the work that I do you can do also. So if we’re going to do the work that Jesus did we have to look like Him. Are you following me?

What Jesus says in this verse is available to all of us. For some of us, it’s hit and miss. When we pray for a person, sometimes we see the answer and sometimes we don’t. But, for most of the Church, John 14:12 “not yet”.

For most of the Church, why is this verse “not yet”? Go back to Matthew 18.

(1) At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

(2) And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,”

Now, I want you to notice something. They asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? What does Jesus do? He calls a child to Him. Are you getting the picture?

(3) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

(4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

So Jesus, why is the Church “not yet”? The church has not humbled itself. Bottom line. Barry has a lot more humbling he needs to do if he is going to do the works that Jesus did. If Barry is going to become the “I” in this verse – looking more and more like Jesus, then I have got to humble myself more.

Turn with me to Acts 3. And don’t forget the example I began with about my father saying as we get older we should be maturing. In Acts 3, we are going to begin with verse one.

(1) Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.

(2) And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

(3) Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

(4) And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.

(5) And he gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them.

(6) Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.