Introduction:
A. Last Sunday, We spent some time trying to get a clear and simple vision of our God-given mission for our congregation.
1. I introduced a vision statement that I believe will give us a needed handle for pleasing God.
2. So what is it that God wants us to be as a church? God wants us to be a people who are striving to love God, love people, and love truth.
3. So when people ask any of us, what is your church all about? We can say we are about loving God, loving people and loving truth.
4. If you missed the sermon last Sunday, I would encourage you to get a CD copy from Nathan Laatz, or just go to our website and listen to the sermon, or watch it on our YouTube channel.
B. In today’s sermon, I want to build on last week’s lesson.
1. So what can each of us be doing to enable us to be the kind of church that loves in these ways?
2. The answer is that we can make a commitment to grow, and then we can do the things that will help us grow.
C. Let’s consider this riddle: What is one significant difference between an airplane and most other forms of transportation?
1. Answer: Most other forms of transportation, whether it be the horse and buggy, the car, the train, or the boat, can all come to a standstill without danger, and they can safely go backward.
2. But the airplane cannot fly backward, and it dare not stand still. If an airplane loses forward momentum, then it crashes.
3. The only safe direction for the airplane is forward and upward.
D. Likewise, the only safe direction for the Christian is forward and upward. If he or she stops, or if he or she begins to slip and go backward, then there is danger.
1. My main point today is a very simple one: God desires and commands that his children grow toward maturity in Christ.
2. One day a group of tourists were traveling through Europe visiting historical sites. They were impressed that so many small villages were the birthplaces of great artists, poets, composers, and political leaders.
a. While the group was strolling through a particularly picturesque village, one of the tourists asked the guide, “Were any great men or women born in this village?”
b. The guide replied, “No great men or women were born here, only great babies.”
3. Every one of us starts off at the same place both physically and spiritually.
a. We all start off as babies - and all have the opportunity to grow into greatness.
4. But unfortunately, some of us don’t grow beyond the baby stage.
a. Or if we grow beyond that stage into infancy or childhood or adolescence, we stop there and go no further.
5. When Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, he was frustrated with their immaturity, he wrote: Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. (1 Co 3:2)
6. When the Hebrew writer wrote to his audience, he was critical about their progress, he wrote: We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Heb. 5:11-14)
a. There are a number of important things in that passage, but let me point out two.
b. First, in reality, some should be further along than they are.
1. Some in that Hebrew audience should have been far enough along to be teachers, but they need to be taught the most elementary things all over again.
2. Perhaps, all of us could be further along than we are, right?
3. But very sadly, there are some among us that should be a lot further along than they are, and that is very displeasing to God.
b. A second important thing that I see in this passage is the primary place of God’s word in our development toward maturity.
1. It is the constant attention to the Word of God (the solid food) that has trained the mature to think and act like God.
2. When we cooperate with the the Holy Spirit within us, and allow the Spirit to work through the Word, then we grow.
E. So, where am I going with this lesson? I want to call us today to make a commitment to grow.
1. All of us need to grow, and some of us are way behind.
a. Only you and God really know where you are or where you could be.
2. Because all of us, together, comprise this church family, then the measure of the maturity of this church is the total of the maturity of its members.
3. A good football team is not made up of a few stars and a bunch of slouches. No, a good, strong team may have some exceptional players, but is mostly made up of a group of average people all striving for excellence.
4. When I assess where we are as a church, I see many good things, but I also see a lot of room for growth.
5. The only way we are going to become a truly mature and great church is for all of us, every last one of us, to make a commitment and put forth the effort to grow in Christ.
F. I have identified the three areas that I want to encourage us to be growing in, both individually and collectively as a church.
1. So, what are these areas for growth?
2. To make it easy to remember, I have chosen words that all start with W.
I. First of all, I want to encourage us to grow in our WORSHIPING
A. In John 4, we find Jesus talking with a worldly woman of Samaria.
1. The Bible says: Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (Jn. 4:21-24)
2. Here Jesus makes it very clear that God is seeking worshipers, but not just any kind of worshipers.
3. God is looking for a special kind of worshiper - one who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.
4. I want to be sure that I am that kind of worshiper, don’t you?
a. I want to be the kind of worshiper that God is seeking.
5. How would you answer the question: Do you worship the Lord in spirit and in truth?
6. When I assess my worship, and our congregational worship, I sense that sometimes we are long on the truth (which is very good), but sometimes we are short on the spirit (which is not good).
a. I realize that statement is a generalization, and I know there are exceptions, both personally and collectively.
7. All I am trying to say, is that I believe there is room for growth in our worshiping.
B. When I use the word “worshiping” I want us to think of what we do when we gather for worship on Sunday mornings, but I also want us to think of worship in broader terms than that.
1. What we do together on Sunday mornings in our time of worship is so important.
2. As we worship together on Sundays, we must worship in spirit and in truth.
3. I’m so thankful we are committed to worshiping God in truth, in ways that Scripture directs us.
a. We know we are pleasing to God when we pray together, because that’s what God commands.
b. We know we are pleasing to God when we sing and make music in our hearts, because...
c. We know we are pleasing to God when we partake of the Lord’s Supper every week...
d. We know we are pleasing to God when we publicly read from Scripture and when we expound upon what the Bible teaches, explaining and admonishing...
4. But as we do all those things, praying, singing, partaking, preaching and learning, we need to do them not just in truth, but also in spirit, doing it with all our hearts and minds.
a. Just like we learned last week about loving God with all we are.
5. But if we are not consistent enough in our worshiping, then it can really stunt our growth and the growth of the entire church.
a. That’s why the Hebrew writer told his readers: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:24-25)
b. It is very hard to spur one another on toward love and good deeds, and to encourage one another if we are not present when the church gathers to worship.
6. You see, we really do need each other!
a. I have often used the illustration of what happens when a log is removed from a fire.
b. Can the log continue burning on its own away from the fire? Not very long.
c. Left by itself, the log will eventually stop burning.
d. And that’s what happens when a Christian stops being regularly involved with the church, the fire of their Christian life goes out.
7. So our Sunday morning gatherings for worship and our Wednesday night gatherings for Bible Study are so important to our growth, and I hope each of us will do our very best to always be present to minister to the church and to be ministered to by the church as we worship.
C. But as I mentioned a minute ago, I also want us to think about worshiping in broader terms than just when the church gathers.
1. Let’s notice something important that Paul wrote to the Romans: Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. (Rom. 12:1)
2. So, how does Paul define our spiritual act of worship? Is it just what we do when the church gathers?
3. No, Paul says our spiritual act of worship is the giving of our whole selves as a living sacrifice to God.
4. So growing in our worshiping has to do with loving God with our whole heart, mind, spirit and body.
5. It includes our daily desire to walk with God, worshiping Him in prayer and Scripture reading and meditation.
6. It includes our daily desire to be God’s agent to do good in God’s name wherever we are or go.
7. I’ll have more to say about that as we move into the other two “Ws” that I will encourage us to grow in.
8. But first of all, to grow up in our salvation and to be more pleasing to God and more effective as God’s people, we must be growing in our worship.
II. Second, I want to encourage us to grow in our WITNESSING
A. I don’t think I need to convince any of us that evangelism is not only the privilege, but the responsibility of every Christian?
1. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine, so that men will see…” (Mt 6:14-16).
a. Jesus didn’t say, “If you have the gift of evangelism, then you are the light of the world.”
b. Every Christian is to be a light in this dark world.
2. Jesus also gave the great commission, (unfortunately, some people think the great commission is what you pay the real estate agent), “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
a. That commission gives the marching orders not only to the apostles, but to any that would become disciples.
b. Because woven into the process of becoming disciples is the passing on of all of the commands of Christ, including the command of the great commission.
B. Over the years of my ministry here at Wetzel Road, I have tried to help us understand that evangelism is not primarily a program, or a technique, rather it is a lifestyle.
1. Look at Paul’s instruction to the Colossians: Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Col 4:5-6)
a. To whom did Paul write those words? To the young evangelist Timothy? No he wrote them to all the Christians at Colosse.
b. Effective witnessing involves people wisely using their interactions with others, injecting Christ into their conversation when possible.
2. Look at how Paul described one of the approaches that he used in evangelism: 19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Cor. 9)
a. Paul did all he could to build relationship bridges with people of all kinds in order to bring them to Jesus.
b. Sometimes the people we are trying to reach share the same interests as us and so bridge building is much easier – for instance if we are both interested in sports or hunting, quilting or cooking, then building relational bridges will be easier.
c. But other times, when we can find no common interests, we may have to show interest in what they are interested in, in order to build bridges.
d. Paul had a passion and willingness to do anything needed to build bridges, will we?
3. Did you notice at the end of that passage, in verse 23, Paul said he did all that bridge building for the sake of the gospel, that he might share in its blessings.
a. Obviously, Paul did it so that others could share in the blessings of the gospel.
b. But, Paul also did it so that he could share in the blessings of the gospel.
c. What do you think Paul was talking about?
4. Perhaps something he wrote to Philemon will help answer that question.
a. Paul wrote to Philemon, saying: I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. (Philemon 1:6)
b. Isn’t that interesting, Paul wanted Philemon to share his faith so that Philemon would have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
c. There is something special that happens not only for those we share our faith with, but also for the person doing the sharing.
c. There are blessings for the sharer that help to solidify our own relationship with God and fill them with joy and peace.
d. The sharing of our faith helps us to grow and to be blessed, in addition to it being a blessing to those with whom we share it.
C. In the end, the reality is that few people will find Jesus on their own.
1. Most need someone to help them to find Jesus.
2. The NT tells of 40 specific people who were healed by Jesus.
a. Of this number, 34 were either brought to Jesus by friends, or else he was taken to them.
b. In only 6 cases out of 40 did the sufferers find their way to Jesus without assistance.
3. Popular Christian writer Howard Hendricks says, “I was 9 years-old, out playing marbles one day, when a man named Walt came along and invited me to Sunday school. There was nothing appealing to me about anything with ‘school’ in it, so he made me another proposition - one I liked better. ‘Wanna play a game of marbles with me?’ After he’d wiped me out in marbles, he inquired, ‘Wanna learn how to play a better game of marbles?’ By the time he’d taught me how to play marbles over the next few days, he’d built such a relationship with me that I’d have gone anywhere he suggested…even Sunday school.”
4. So, how did you find your way to Jesus? Someone probably helped you along the way, right?
a. Were the things they did amazingly impossible, or rather simple?
5. God wants to reach people, and he wants to reach them through you and through me.
6. I pray that we will make a commitment to grow in our witinessing.
a. It will make the church grow, and it will help us to grow up in our relationship with God.
III. Finally, I want to encourage us to grow in our WORKING
A. Look again at a verse from our Scripture reading today in Ephesians 4. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4:16)
1. How does Paul say the church grows and builds itself up in love? It happens when each part does its work.
2. We cannot and will not grow effectively until every part of the body does its work.
3. Earlier in Ephesians Paul declared that “we are created in Christ to do good works” (Eph 2:10).
4. Do you remember that Jesus warned that any branch that bears no fruit will be cut off and thrown into the fire (Jn 15:2, 6)? That’s why it’s so important that Christians are working.
5. To please God in this area of our lives, every Christian must be working in God’s kingdom.
6. We must assess our abilities and gifts and employ them to the benefit of God and others.
B. Another verse in the Scripture reading today in Ephesians 4 points out that God has given the church elders and ministers for this purpose: to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Eph. 4:12).
1. Church leaders are to serve as God has called and gifted them, but their job is not to do all the church’s work.
2. A main responsibility of the leadership is to prepare all of the church’s members to do their part.
3. I want to encourage our deacons and our ministry leaders to try to be organized enough to expand the ways that people can serve in the ministries under your care.
4. Many of our members want to get involved in the work, but they need someone to give them a responsibility and to train them so they can be effective and successful.
5. Last Spring we held a ministry fair to try to raise awareness among our church family about all the different ways a person can get involved in our ministries.
C. But it really comes back to each of us as individuals. Do we have a heart to work? Are we willing to serve? Will we shoulder some responsibility and say, “You can count on me to do my part.”
1. One way to start working, is to start looking for little ways to serve God each day. Someone said, “Great occasions for serving God come seldom, little ones surround us daily.”
2. Some of the Lord’s service is unpleasant and exhausting, but most of it will put a smile on your face, and all of it will put a glow of satisfaction in your heart.
D. Let me express my thanks for the many people in our church family who work very hard in God’s kingdom.
1. God knows who you are and He is pleased with your serving. Keep up the good work.
2. But unfortunately, there are others who could be doing more, or aren’t doing very much at all.
a. Certainly, God can’t be pleased by that, but I’m guessing that the person who is not serving is not all that pleased with themselves either.
3. Satan encourages us to be selfish and he gives us ways to rationalize coming to church and to receive what God and His family have to offer, and then leave without taking responsibility to do their part.
4. It’s easy to rationalize letting someone else worry about the people who need to be called, or fed, or transported, or supported or visited.
a. It’s easy to rationalize letting someone else worry about the classes that need to be taught, or the ministries that need to be led and staffed.
b. It’s easy to rationalize letting someone else worry about the building that needs to be closed, or repaired, or repainted, or the grounds that need to be maintained.
c. It’s easy to rationalize letting someone else do it, for I’m too busy, tired, or unable, or whatever…
5. But when we allow Satan to keep us from working, then we are not growing and God’s kingdom will not expand.
a. And when we allow Satan to keep us from working, we miss out on all the other blessings that come from serving – like purpose, peace and joy.
Conclusion:
A. I hope and pray that each of us will make a commitment to grow.
1. That commitment to grow will mean that we need to give more attention to grow in worshiping, witnessing and working.
2. As we get stronger in those three Ws, then we will grow individually, and we will grow as a church of Christ.
B. Allow me to end with this story.
1. In the early days of the French revolution, the schoolboys of one French city, ages 12 - 17 formed a group called the “Band of Hope”.
2. They wore a uniform, and were taught to drill.
3. They had a flag with shining letters proclaiming this message, “Tremble, Tyrants, we shall grow up!”
C. I hope today’s lesson will stir in us a commitment to grow.
1. How wonderful if that commitment to grow would kindle a confidence and courage that would result in us adopting this attitude: “Tremble, O Enemy, We Are Growing Up for God.”
