Series: Action [#74]
A LETTER OF CONCERN- GROW UP
1 Corinthians 3:1-17
Introduction:
Remember how it felt to be young? I can remember as a child how bad I wanted to be grown up. I wanted to be 1 of those “cool” teenagers. When I became a teenager, I wanted to be one of those college aged guys. See, I wanted to grow up; but I have found that growing up is not so easy.
When I look at a baby I think, “Wouldn’t that be nice to be a baby again”? I wouldn’t have to do anything but eat, play, and sleep. No decisions. The problem is, a baby doesn’t stay a baby for very long. They begin to feed themselves. They learn how to walk. There’s some pain in those things. That baby makes big messes learning how to feed themselves. That baby gets cuts and bruises from falling; but they keep on trying until they figure it out. As life continues on, we continue to learn more and more and grow more and more.
As we will find in our text today, growing up spiritually is hard to do; but we must continue in our growth. Do you want to grow spiritually? Our text gives us 4 ways to grow spiritually.
1 Corinthians 3:1-4
1. Stop acting like babies.
Act your age. Babies act like babies; but there are too many baby Christians that refuse to grow up. Babies cannot eat solid food- They must have milk. If they eat solid food, they will choke. A spiritual baby can only handle the milk of the Word. The basics of the Bible are wonderful; but there is much more that God has for us. Babies fight for their way. Take their toy away from them and see what happens. When a baby is hungry, wet, bored, or tired; what do they do? They cry. Baby Christians do the same. If they don’t get their way, they fight and fuss. Is that a characteristic of your life?
1 Corinthians 3:5-9
2. Stop worshipping leaders.
Babies are usually particular in who they want to hold them and take care of them. I don’t mind holding babies; but it is not uncommon for them to let me hold them for about 2 minutes and then they begin to cry. They want their mother. Baby Christians are the same way. They become very attached to certain people- Maybe their Pastor, Sunday School Teacher, or Deacon; and what you end up with if you are not careful is a bunch of clubs with a bunch of leaders. Paul is telling them to stop letting this happen.
God is the One that puts the people and leaders you need before you. God is the One that will guide those leaders in a way that will help you grow. You need to worship God not man. Leaders are like farmers. They can plant and water; but only God can grow produce. Notice in verse 9 that there are 3 examples given of what we are as Christians and whose name is in front of each example? God’s Name.
We are God’s…
* Fellow workers.
* Field.
* Building.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15
3. Stop building on the wrong things.
As a baby grows, they start interacting with other children. The older you get the more you search for people to imitate. It is a prove fact that children are a lot more like their parents, (or whoever they are around the most) than we might think. Those children build their beliefs and attitudes around the influence of other people.
Christians must be cautious about what they build their spiritual life upon. If it is built upon anything or anyone besides Jesus, it will fall down. Understand that if you choose to never grow up spiritually; but you are truly a Christian, you will still go to Heaven. You cannot lose your salvation; but look at verse 13-15 again.
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
4. Stop and remember who you are.
As a child grows, they sometime forget who is in charge. The older a child gets the dumber their parents get. When I was 16 to about 21 my parents just got more stupid every year; but at 51 years old I believe my parents are some of the smartest and wisest people I know. What happened? Did I get more stupid? Did my parents get smarter? What happened is I grew up.
Verse 16 asks us a question- “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” As a Christian, God’s Spirit lives within you. God cares so much about you and wants you to grow up that He put His Spirit in you so you would be able to grow. Do you live your life in a way that reflects the fact that your body is the temple in which God’s Spirit lives?
Conclusion:
Do you want to grow up? If you truly do want to grow, it won’t be easy; but it will change your life as you know it. If we are going to be a Christian that makes a difference in this world we must grow up. Remember, growing up takes time. Feed on God’s Word. Go to God for help and direction. Mature Christians, help younger Christians as they grow.
