The Joy Of Seeing You Grow Series

“THE JOY OF SEEING YOU GROW” 1 Thess. 3:6-13

FBCF – 3/1/26

Jon Daniels

INTRO – How many of you have something like this in your home, or, if your kids are grown now, had this in your home? (show pics of doorframes).

As parents, we want to see the progress of our children’s physical growth. And our kids want to see it – competing w/ other siblings & even parents (show Reece Sandifer’s pic). It’s one indicator that they are healthy, progressing the way they’re supposed to. Celebrate when the mark is a little higher than it was a couple of months ago. Brings joy to us & to them.

That’s what our children’s growth does. It brings joy to us – happiness to them – a bit of bittersweetness, too, as we see our little ones growing into young men & women. They go from being totally dependent on us for everything to thinking they can do anything they want w/out our assistance (usually happens around their 12th-13th bday!).

Parents want to see their kids grow. Sometimes a child’s growth stops or slows down for any number of reasons. Maybe you’ve dealt with this at some point w/ your child:

- Maybe there was a hormone deficiency or some type of genetic disorder

- Certain diseases can slow a child’s growth

- The term “failure to thrive” is also used to describe a growth disorder due to inadequate nutrition

- Sadly, a child’s growth can be stunted due to severe emotional stress or an environment in the home that lacks the strong, loving nurture that a child needs.

- All of these need to be addressed by a medical professional who can diagnose & treat the condition

If your child stops growing physically, you’re going to do something about it ASAP. If you’ve stopped growing spiritually, you need to do something about it ASAP – TODAY!

Continue 1 Thess, “Handbook for the Christ-follower.” Today, let’s talk about spiritual growth.

EXPLANATION – 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Spiritual growth is when Christ-followers are maturing & becoming more like Jesus. They’re moving from being self-centered to being Christ-centered & Spirit-led. The fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control – becomes increasingly evident in their lives. They desire to serve God more than they desire to serve themselves. They grow deeper in wisdom & are more consistently applying biblical truths to their daily lives. They live w/ a heart of gratitude, a heart of forgiveness, & a heart of compassion for those in need. Generosity w/ their financial resources becomes a hallmark of their lives, & they love to serve the Lord & serve others. And they have a thriving heart for evangelism & discipleship. They grieve over their sin, grieve over the lostness of our world, & grieve that they can’t do more to serve the Lord.

Do you see Paul’s joy as he watched the Thessalonians believers growing in their walk w/ Jesus?

- 1:2 – He constantly thanked God for them

- 2:13 – He thanked God again b/c they had received the W of G from him & accepted it as the W of G.

- 2:19-20 – He told them that they were his hope & joy & crown of boasting, his glory & joy. He rejoiced over them in this life & he looked forward to the day when he would rejoice over them in the very presence of Jesus.

Spiritual growth should excite every Christ-follower – our own spiritual growth & the spiritual growth of others. And not only should it excite us, it is also expected of us. One of the biblical descriptions of the moment of salvation is being “born again” (John 3:3). The moment that we give our lives to Christ, we are born again & become a babe in Christ, a newborn Christ-follower. And just as we a newborn baby to grow physically, we should also expect that a newborn baby Christ-follower to grow spiritually.

- 1 Peter 2:2 – “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment…” (NLT)

APPLICATION – Spiritual growth brings great joy.

Here are 3 areas where we can find joy in growth:

GROWING IN FAITH & LOVE – v. 6-7 – Timothy reported 2 things to Paul about the Thessalonians:

Their faith was growing – They were standing fast in their faith. The Gk word for “faith” here is used over 230 times in the NT & describes a steadfast commitment to Christ. Describes a faith that isn’t just talked about – it is lived out. And that’s what they were doing – living it out – not buckling under the persecution that was growing – not keeping their mouths shut about the Gospel of Jesus – not missing out on opportunities to worship Jesus. They were staying in the Word, staying in the presence of God, & staying steadfast in their love for Him & for others – which leads to the 2nd thing Tim reported: