REACHING THE LEVELS OF CHURCH MATURITY
Acts 11:26
INTRO:
I. KNOWING THE CONCEPT OF MATURITY
A. Having obtain a final or desire state, or full development
B. As Individuals
1)Eph. 4:13 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”
2) Fil 3:12 “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
II. KNOWING THE MATURITY OF THE CHURCH
A. Level One
1)Knowing that you have to reach not only the spirit and soul but the fullness of man (cultural and social)
2)Jesus came to his own
(a)John 1:11”He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
3)John 12:20 “The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
B. Level Two – Reaching out to our own cultural not based on social status – “helenistics
1)Acts 2:7 – 11 “Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
2)Jesús through His Church now had to reach the new generation of believers
3)This was the same people but with different mentality
(a)spoke different language but were of the same race
(b)worked among different kind of people but
maintained their beliefs
(c)Were willing to expand their beliefs with a new
relationship with God: “What does this mean?
B. Level Three – Reaching beyond cultural or race “greeks”
1)Acts 11:219-22 “Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
2)At first: Should we just stay with our own? Vs. 19
3)Taking the step of boldness – vs. 20
4)Seeing the results – vs. 21
5)Knowing the importance of continuality – vs. 23
6)Becoming the Christian Church – vs. 26
III. HOW TO KNOW WHEN WE HAVE REACHED MATURITY
A. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us
B. When we are indwelled in the Holy Spirit
C. When we are led by the Holy Spirit
D. When we take the boldness of the Holy Spirit
E. When you go beyond boundaries
F. When you minister unto or are worshipping the Lord
G. When you listen to the voice of the Spirit
CONCLUSION:
