1 John 2:12-17 GROW UP AND GO ON.
Read passage. Prayer. As I said earlier I'm preaching this morning on a subject that I believe is very vital in the life of every Christian.
People around you, the church, and even Jesus Christ himself believes that it's very important that we grow up and go on.
In the epistle of first John there are two words that are a common which we hear over and over. #1.The word know. #2. The word life. Because on the quest to growing up and going on we have to know by personal experience that we truly have life in Jesus. No life; No Growth!! Makes sense!
Salvation or being born again is the getting in spot in becoming a Christian. It is something that is birthed in us by the Holy Ghost. Not something that can be borrowed from your mom or dad. You can’t bargain for salvation because of your works.
And it can be bought by what you give in the church.
All earthly man-made efforts to be a Christian are futile and only generate failure.
Salvation only comes from Jesus efforts on the cross which is for the forgiveness of sin for everyone who will believe. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.
For everybody who receives this gift, they receive a new birth. And from that new birth you will start growing in Christ. You will not stand still, and you will not go backwards for ever! The Christian life moves and it moves forwards!
I have seen some people take two steps forward and three back, but it does move.
We need to remember that Christianity is not just something we do, but it is a way of life.
And this life has a beginning and it will develop as we live it.
Today were studying 3 truths out of this passage that we need to come to grips with in order to live a Christian life and become the mature people that God wants us to be.
The first thing that has to happen is. #1. AN INTERNAL CHANGE.
The first thing we need to remember is that the Christian life is a growing and progressive life.
We should always be changing and advancing forward in it.
Do you remember the story about Jesus in the Gospel of Luke Where Jesus went into the Temple at 12 years old and begin teaching and blowing the minds of these old scribes and Pharisees with his knowledge?
This is when Joseph and Mary (the one who was highly favored among women) lost God's only son for three days. That story always makes me feel better about my parenting!
But when they found him and brought him back home the Bible says that from that day forward Jesus grew in wisdom and stature. Shouldn't we be growing also?
Now John writes to 3 groups of people in this passage. Children--young men--fathers. Not everybody agrees with this but I believe that these are not 3 specific people groups that he was looking at, but that he is making reference to three stages of Christian development (or spiritual growth) in the life of every believer as they advance in maturity.
V12. He makes reference to little children. V13. He references to little children.
Now even though we see it the same in this passage these are actually two different meanings.
V12. References newborns in general. True believers. He says in there that your sins are forgiven you for his name sake. 1st step born-again. You can't be a child of God without being forgiven.
The first step to natural life is being born as a baby.
And how are babies when they're born? Helpless—squirming—hungry--thirsty.
They don't think, perceive, or reason well. They don't focus well/or know what their hands and feet are for.
And when something doesn't go their way they express themselves in some pretty annoying ways! So we feed them/carry/cuddle/and care for them. But thank God they don't stay babies forever!
And when they start growing they don't want to be grabbed onto and held back. They don't want people to treat them or talk to them like a baby anymore. They start expressing themselves through vocabulary—actions--and attitudes. And if you've been born again you don't need anybody treating you like a baby!
#2 THERE IS AN EXTERNAL CHANGE
#A.V13. This little children = speaks about a child under instruction. Children that are in training pants, learning ABCs, counting, and learning primary colors. These are children who are learning to make sentences that make sense! No more grunts, whines, and two syllable words that you can say without teeth. These are kids that are starting to figure out that there are rules and repercussions. Take a few steps, do small task, and get dressed.
This is how our Christian life starts with the new birth, and then progresses as we are taught and we grow up.
1Peter2. Says, that we are to receive and pursue the pure milk of the word. That means we move off the Enfamil and into the whole milk.
And the pure milk is the basic necessities in Bible doctrines. It's the rudiments/ABCs/or foundational doctrines.
Like: Creation--virgin birth—incarnation—Calvary—sin—salvation—baptism--church membership--heaven and hell. Many people can't sink their teeth into or wrap their minds around these simple Bible principles.
Nothing to do with age. 60-yr-old can be as immature as a 6-yr-old. This is about spiritual maturity. An 80-year-old new believer is a babe in Christ.
#B. Then he talks about young men. The original language is reference to men and women. This is the developmental stage in the primary years. //They put the word in practice. //Discover spiritual gifts ./Find place of service. //At this stage the word is coming alive to you //working in you and you’re growing in faith.
Some of you folks in here going through what I'm fixing to talk about right now. //You have caught on to the fact that we are not saved to set/soak/sour. //You realize we are saved to sing praises/serve/be a soul winner. //And some folks are starting to grow up and go on. //They're applying their faces/ hands/ and feet to their faith.
You think it's pretty weird to be 35 and still in a baby crib/saying Mama da-da change my diaper.
You have decided to spit out the pacifier after 20 years of being saved.
And you have come to me and said Bro. Kevin, I have decided to put on big boy and big girl pants and get at the table on my own.
I'm going to get a fork and a knife and feed myself.
You no longer have to cuddle/feed/change/and burp me.
I'm going to start chewing, eating, and swallowing the truth of God's word on my own.
V13. They have overcome the wicked one.
Beloved you can be an overcomer or an underachiever in your Christian life. And it depends on your desire to grow!
Growing into a young believer means that you've learned to take the word and start applying it.
You realize that temptation does not make you weaker, but it makes you stronger.
You see trials as a blessing that is not an enemy but a friend. And you start seeing the purposes of God in daily circumstances.
There is a deepening in your prayers/faith/and understanding of the word. It's starting to take shape and speak to you like never before.
Being an overcomer means that you're not backing down from the devil, but you're staying in there and being strengthened by God through prayer and the word.
You're not like those folks who stay in the infancy of their Christian life being spanked by the devil and come crying to God with the rededication of life only to go back and make the same juvenile mistakes again in which they start whining, complaining and claiming to be a victim.
How do they not get tired of that? I'm not being mean but I'm telling you by the matchless grace and power of God you need to grow up and start being an overcomer today! Amen anyhow!!
V14. Says these young men are strong. Why?
Because the word of God abides in them. The word abide means to be at home in. Is the word abiding in you?
If we don't eat right, exercise, and get fresh air then will be in bad shape.
I believe some folks could have revival that they just got out of their old stuffy habits and stuffy patterns and get a fresh breath from God.
We need to feed on the word. We get a fresh breath from God through prayer. And we exercise our faith by getting out and sharing it. Besides getting out in public helps me not feel so weird!
#C. Then he speaks to fathers. This has to do with spiritual maturity. Most folks don't know when they're there because they realize they need more Jesus.
At this stage you start to know his mind, his attitude, and take on his character.
It's at this stage you start being challenged from every direction.
I see three challenges here. #1. A CHALLENGE FROM BENEATH.
The wicked one. The devil. Before Christ you were broke, empty, nonthreatening, and hell bound. You didn't have nothing that the devil wanted!
But after Christ. He will do all he can to take you and others down. And he will use an immature/biblically illiterate/weak kneed Christians to do his dirty work.
One day in the gospel of Matthew Jesus said I'm going to the cross.
And the self-confident/thickheaded/non-listening/weak kneed Christian by the name of Simon Peter stood up in Jesus's face and said oh no you are not!
And Jesus said get the behind me Satan. Are you brighter, better and bolder than Peter?
Listen up in here today child of God! I don't want the devil to use my eyes, ears, or mouth to do anything that would fuel his fire/shame my Savior /or cause anybody else to be harmed or stumble.
And the easiest folks to use are those who think that they have it figured out and the call themselves mature Christians!
#2. A CHALLENGE AROUND US. V15. Love not the world.
This is not a reference about make- up/clothes/ and creation.
This verse deals with having a love for the world system in your heart.
God so loved the world that he gave us his son, but this deals with a devil inspired world system that draws us away from Jesus.
There are many things in the world that are not illegal, but not particularly profitable for the Christian life.
Like having a desire for big—better--more stuff. Like the desire to be accepted so you jeopardize morals.
And even though we are to love people, we can have playmates and companions that are the wrong crowd us to hang out with. And therefore we don't grow because we don't obey Jesus. Read V16.
Sight is great. But looking with envy—hatred--or lust is not okay. In Matthew Jesus said if you have troubles like that with one of your eyes you should pluck it out.
Ears are for listening. But filth--false teaching--and flapping lips should be avoided.
Those who take that stuff in their ears also spit that stuff out of their mouths.
Thirst is okay. But being drunk is not.
Hungers okay. Gluttony is not.
He speaks of the pride of life. This is our ego. These are the folks that strut around like they're the big show. Above reproach. Haughty spirit. And a condemning eye.
They say I am this, I am that, it's about me, oh my-my how stuck on me am I!
Every humble servant of God that I have ever seen or heard of recognizes their insufficiency—inadequacy--and unreliability in themselves.
#3. THERE IS A CHALLENGE WITHIN.
Sometimes what the devil can’t convince us to do; what the world can't entice us to do; our old flesh can. At salvation we get a new nature and birth, but we still deal with the decaying flesh of the old me.
And sadly enough instead of letting the old man be crucified with Christ. Some folks try to revive the old man instead of working on the new man. And their flesh says that a boy/girl. Pamper me/feed me/please me/and pay no attention to the new you. And the non-growing Christian is the easiest to influence.
Your flesh will try and trip you up! Or get you greedy and desirous get you nosy it wants you to get mad or convince you to go back to some old sin.
And unless you ever get the flesh under control you will be a halfhearted/half committed/half-grown Christian all of your life. Your Christian life will consist of setting on the pew and taking it all in like a sponge but never getting wrung out and used. That's why some folks get stale and moldy. No use.
#3.THERE IS AN ETERNAL REWARD. V17. Says the world and the lust of it are passing away.
Folks if you're spending all your time energy and resources in the things of this world you're wasting your life.
But if you're investing in the things of God it will abide forever.
Have you grown in your Christian life by being involved in things that will last forever?
Folks it's not a time—energy--or ability problem. It's a heart, maturity, and a commitment problem.
We have time for ballgames—barn dances--and hobbies. We can text for our favorite American Idol singer--record the CMA's--rush home to watch the voice or my pets got talent. But not have time to be faithful to church functions, baptisms, Bible studies, and prayer meetings.
Some folks need to wake up and smell the spiritual coffee and realize that one day we will stand before Jesus.
And then we can explain to Him what our faith has been based on.
The excuses we had for not giving, going, and growing up.
And we will see if that self-righteous, prideful, arrogant ego will serve us as well in heaven as it has on Earth.
