Introduction
It’s 2011. Although we’ve had some inclement weather and circumstances force us to get off to a rough start, we finally come to our theme launch event for the year. And with a new year, I believe we need a new focus, a new direction in our ministry. This is why we’ve come up with a theme to direct our focus and vision for this new year in WORD Youth.
What is youth ministry? Why does it exist? Contrary to popular belief, youth ministry isn’t about getting students to do stuff. Youth ministry exists to develop relationships and help teenagers (young adults) meet and follow Jesus. Youth ministry isn’t about serving our youth, but about the youth learning how to serve others.
And so with a new focus in ministry, I’m giving you a new title. After careful thought, I am purposing to no longer call you teenagers, but young adults. As young adults I believe there are greater expectations that can be placed upon you, in your attitude, in responsibilities, in your spiritual life and focus on the future. As a result, the leaders of this ministry are raising the bar on our youth ministry. We are sitting back with great anticipation of what you all are capable of accomplishing and, Lord willing, will accomplish this year together as a group for the glory of God.
I understand the phrase “growing up” is almost a cuss word in demographic you are a part of. But this is NOT a phrase that we should shy away from, avoid at all costs, and fear like the plague. With the launching of our theme, I want to take you on a short journey through scripture over the next couple of weeks on growing up. Although we will be mostly addressing the spiritual aspects of growing up, many of the concepts will and can apply to your physical growth and maturity as well.
At its basic level, God’s Word does not condone, promote, nor empathize with the culture’s message around you that you can remain immature, irresponsible, unprepared, unskilled, and financially destitute for as long as you’d like while soaking up the pleasures of entertainment, self-gratification, and laziness. God’s Word tells young adults to grow up. Let’s begin the journey together tonight and discover what the Lord has for us by experiencing God’s Riches Over the World’s Unsatisfying Pleasures.
What is youth ministry? Why does it exist? Contrary to popular belief, youth ministry isn’t about getting students to do stuff. Youth ministry exists to develop relationships and help teenagers (young adults) meet and follow Jesus. Youth ministry isn’t about serving our youth, but about the youth learning how to serve others.
And so with a new focus in ministry, I’m giving you a new title. After careful thought, I am purposing to no longer call you teenagers, but young adults. As young adults I believe there are greater expectations that can be placed upon you, in your attitude, in responsibilities, in your spiritual life and focus on the future. As a result, the leaders of this ministry are raising the bar on our youth ministry. We are sitting back with great anticipation of what you all are capable of accomplishing and, Lord willing, will accomplish this year together as a group for the glory of God.
I understand the phrase “growing up” is almost a cuss word in demographic you are a part of. But this is NOT a phrase that we should shy away from, avoid at all costs, and fear like the plague. With the launching of our theme, I want to take you on a short journey through scripture over the next couple of weeks on growing up. Although we will be mostly addressing the spiritual aspects of growing up, many of the concepts will and can apply to your physical growth and maturity as well.
At its basic level, God’s Word does not condone, promote, nor empathize with the culture’s message around you that you can remain immature, irresponsible, unprepared, unskilled, and financially destitute for as long as you’d like while soaking up the pleasures of entertainment, self-gratification, and laziness. God’s Word tells young adults to grow up. Let’s begin the journey together tonight and discover what the Lord has for us by experiencing God’s Riches Over the World’s Unsatisfying Pleasures.
1. Growing Up Is Expected (1 Corinthians 13:10-12)
Just as a child is expected to grow up physically over time and mature in his behavior, mannerisms, and personality, so does the same expectation rest upon Christians. When you trust Christ as your Savior, it is not the end, but rather, the beginning of an amazing relationship with God. As James 2 tells us, there should be fruit (or proof) of our new life in Christ through our changed living, our new focus and passion, our changed mindset, etc.. Your elders, whether by age or position of leadership become the “fruit inspectors”, helping to prune you, and encourage you to radiate the gospel of Jesus Christ in your life.
Today’s culture has a different approach. In the physical realm, you are taught that at your age, these are the vacation years. Live free. Do what you want. Waste the time allotted to periods of sleep, laziness, and the leeching off of one’s parents. Culture didn’t used to be that way. The demographic by which you live in right now is saturated with materialism and self-gratification. In the Harris brother’s book, “Do Hard Things,” they point out that the “teenage” years are NOT a vacation time, but a training time in your life, and a crucial time at that.
Scripture shows us in 1 Corinthians 10, as Paul writes this epistle that growth, both physically and spiritually is expected out of believers. He illustrates his point in verse 11, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” Perhaps Paul was recollecting back to his days as a Jewish boy during his bar mitzvah. In Jewish culture, at the age of 12 to 13, a celebration was held for every Jewish young boy called a bar mitzvah (meaning “son of the law”). This celebration signified the passing over from boyhood to adulthood. As early as 12 to 13 years old, once the bar mitzvah had taken place, a Jewish boy was no longer a boy, he was a man – and because he was now considered a man, he had greater expectations and responsibilities placed on him.
And so the same should be with young adults, especially as Christian young adults. It is not a high calling to expect young adults to have a desire for the Word of God, to want to share that knowledge with others, to practice what they learn from Bible study into their social life. Growing up reflects the power of Christ and His divine work in and through your life my friends. God wants you to experience His riches over the world’s unsatisfying pleasures. And as a child of God, He expects you to grow. Just as Paul was expected to begin acting and thinking like a man after his bar mitzvah, so Christ expects us not to remain babes in Christ, ignorant to the things of this world and to His Word, but as 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God: a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Today’s culture has a different approach. In the physical realm, you are taught that at your age, these are the vacation years. Live free. Do what you want. Waste the time allotted to periods of sleep, laziness, and the leeching off of one’s parents. Culture didn’t used to be that way. The demographic by which you live in right now is saturated with materialism and self-gratification. In the Harris brother’s book, “Do Hard Things,” they point out that the “teenage” years are NOT a vacation time, but a training time in your life, and a crucial time at that.
Scripture shows us in 1 Corinthians 10, as Paul writes this epistle that growth, both physically and spiritually is expected out of believers. He illustrates his point in verse 11, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” Perhaps Paul was recollecting back to his days as a Jewish boy during his bar mitzvah. In Jewish culture, at the age of 12 to 13, a celebration was held for every Jewish young boy called a bar mitzvah (meaning “son of the law”). This celebration signified the passing over from boyhood to adulthood. As early as 12 to 13 years old, once the bar mitzvah had taken place, a Jewish boy was no longer a boy, he was a man – and because he was now considered a man, he had greater expectations and responsibilities placed on him.
And so the same should be with young adults, especially as Christian young adults. It is not a high calling to expect young adults to have a desire for the Word of God, to want to share that knowledge with others, to practice what they learn from Bible study into their social life. Growing up reflects the power of Christ and His divine work in and through your life my friends. God wants you to experience His riches over the world’s unsatisfying pleasures. And as a child of God, He expects you to grow. Just as Paul was expected to begin acting and thinking like a man after his bar mitzvah, so Christ expects us not to remain babes in Christ, ignorant to the things of this world and to His Word, but as 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God: a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2. Growing Up Is A Natural Desire (1 Peter 2:1-3)
Secondly, the word of God tells us that growing up should be a natural consequence of your new life in Christ. Peter wanted believers to cultivate and experience a deeper, more intimate relationship with Christ – a Spirit-prompted longing for the Word of God. And he expresses that inherent desire for growth spiritually in a believer in verses 1-3 of chapter 2.
“Therefore” – Peter refers back to verses 23-25 of chapter 1 where he describes the Word of God as an incorruptible, eternal seed and the source of our salvation. This divine seed becomes and should be the source of a believer’s continued spiritual growth. It is our fountain of spiritual life and power.
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” – if you want to be a young adult that continues to grow in the word of God, you’ve got to eliminate the sins that will hold you back. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Peter’s words command Christians to remove sins from their lives. The phrase used “laying aside” implies a casting off type of action, much like someone would shed a soiled garment. It is the same with believers. Those who repent and “lay aside” their sins, must make it a point to not pick them up again, but to leave them at the foot of the cross.
“putting aside all” – that word ALL is used three times in this verse, indicating totality. Peter is exhorting the believers in his letter to TOTALLY eliminate the sins that would inhibit them from FULLY desiring God’s Word in their life. Specifically Peter lists malice (any kind of general wickedness or baseness), deceit (guile, dishonesty, treachery), hypocrisy (saying one thing, and doing another), envy (resentment for the prosperity of others), and all slander (defamation of character). Although his list is not exhaustive in scope, Peter conveys that the removal of these stains in our lives will clear the way for unhindered desire for God’s Word.
As a Christian, whether new or old, this should be our worship creed. We should WANT to grow up by God’s help and the Holy Spirit’s leading. It should be a NATURAL desire out of believers to long for more, to anticipate what great things God will do in their life – to learn all they can about the one who saved their eternal soul. It is no less natural for a believer to be expected to have a longing for God and His Word than as Peter mentions in verse 2, a baby to have an intrinsic desire for nourishment from his mother’s milk. Believers need God’s truth in the same fashion as a baby would die without physical nourishment.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word” – for a baby, especially a newborn, there resides a singular dominant desire in his life, and that is for nourishment, for milk. Peter uses two words “newborn babes” to convey the illustration of a baby just momentarily born. As a father of three, I know with each of my children, their first, instinctive desire when born was to feed. It’s an inherent part of our make-up. That sole and desperate hunger for milk is the newborn’s first expressed longing designed by God to correspond to their greatest need, and it illustrates how strongly believers ought to desire the Word. It is singular and relentless because life depends on it. My friend, you spiritual life depends on your insatiable desire for the “sincere milk of the word.”
“desire” – this is an imperative verb that commands believers to crave something. Paul uses that same word in his epistles, expression intense desire or passion. In essence, it is a consuming desire Peter wants his readers to have for the truth of Scripture. Whether you are a new convert or more mature in the faith, having a craving for God’s Word is essential to growing up spiritually.
“the sincere milk” – meaning that our desire should be for the unadulterated, uncontaminated truth of God. I mention this because it is so easy today to be confused and carried away by the doctrine and philosophies of other denominations or groups. Between magazines, radio programs, TV shows, websites, even Christian bands, culture saturates us with spiritual junk food, leaving us malnourished and with a dull appetite for the real meant and potatoes of Scripture. If you want to maintain a strong appetite for truth, don’t feast on all the “Christian” world has to offer. Be selective, be discriminatory in your choice of study helps, spiritual guidance, and above all, fact check things with your Bible.
“that ye may grow thereby:” – just like it’s sad to see an adult who is malnourished and retarded in development, so even greater is the sadness that is seen in believers who are spiritually malnourished and underdeveloped. Let me make Scripture abundantly clear here – YOU are the ONLY reason for why you become spiritually anemic. Being surrounded by copies of the Bible and Godly spiritual leaders in this church, to understand why you fall into a malnourished condition spiritual is under YOUR responsibility. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Peter shows that if we cultivate and nurture that insatiable desire for the word of God, we will, as a consequence of such, grow in Christ. We will be spiritually nourished and fulfilled. How can we not be motivated by the opportunity to mature in Christ, and enjoy greater blessings over what the world has to offer? God’s Riches Over the World’s Unsatisfying Pleasures – GROW UP! Peter says that here. The phrase “may grow” literally means “it will grow you.” This isn’t a hope so, maybe so, guess so kind of promise, God’s Word WILL grow you, if you’ll consume yourself with learning it.
“Therefore” – Peter refers back to verses 23-25 of chapter 1 where he describes the Word of God as an incorruptible, eternal seed and the source of our salvation. This divine seed becomes and should be the source of a believer’s continued spiritual growth. It is our fountain of spiritual life and power.
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,” – if you want to be a young adult that continues to grow in the word of God, you’ve got to eliminate the sins that will hold you back. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Peter’s words command Christians to remove sins from their lives. The phrase used “laying aside” implies a casting off type of action, much like someone would shed a soiled garment. It is the same with believers. Those who repent and “lay aside” their sins, must make it a point to not pick them up again, but to leave them at the foot of the cross.
“putting aside all” – that word ALL is used three times in this verse, indicating totality. Peter is exhorting the believers in his letter to TOTALLY eliminate the sins that would inhibit them from FULLY desiring God’s Word in their life. Specifically Peter lists malice (any kind of general wickedness or baseness), deceit (guile, dishonesty, treachery), hypocrisy (saying one thing, and doing another), envy (resentment for the prosperity of others), and all slander (defamation of character). Although his list is not exhaustive in scope, Peter conveys that the removal of these stains in our lives will clear the way for unhindered desire for God’s Word.
As a Christian, whether new or old, this should be our worship creed. We should WANT to grow up by God’s help and the Holy Spirit’s leading. It should be a NATURAL desire out of believers to long for more, to anticipate what great things God will do in their life – to learn all they can about the one who saved their eternal soul. It is no less natural for a believer to be expected to have a longing for God and His Word than as Peter mentions in verse 2, a baby to have an intrinsic desire for nourishment from his mother’s milk. Believers need God’s truth in the same fashion as a baby would die without physical nourishment.
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word” – for a baby, especially a newborn, there resides a singular dominant desire in his life, and that is for nourishment, for milk. Peter uses two words “newborn babes” to convey the illustration of a baby just momentarily born. As a father of three, I know with each of my children, their first, instinctive desire when born was to feed. It’s an inherent part of our make-up. That sole and desperate hunger for milk is the newborn’s first expressed longing designed by God to correspond to their greatest need, and it illustrates how strongly believers ought to desire the Word. It is singular and relentless because life depends on it. My friend, you spiritual life depends on your insatiable desire for the “sincere milk of the word.”
“desire” – this is an imperative verb that commands believers to crave something. Paul uses that same word in his epistles, expression intense desire or passion. In essence, it is a consuming desire Peter wants his readers to have for the truth of Scripture. Whether you are a new convert or more mature in the faith, having a craving for God’s Word is essential to growing up spiritually.
“the sincere milk” – meaning that our desire should be for the unadulterated, uncontaminated truth of God. I mention this because it is so easy today to be confused and carried away by the doctrine and philosophies of other denominations or groups. Between magazines, radio programs, TV shows, websites, even Christian bands, culture saturates us with spiritual junk food, leaving us malnourished and with a dull appetite for the real meant and potatoes of Scripture. If you want to maintain a strong appetite for truth, don’t feast on all the “Christian” world has to offer. Be selective, be discriminatory in your choice of study helps, spiritual guidance, and above all, fact check things with your Bible.
“that ye may grow thereby:” – just like it’s sad to see an adult who is malnourished and retarded in development, so even greater is the sadness that is seen in believers who are spiritually malnourished and underdeveloped. Let me make Scripture abundantly clear here – YOU are the ONLY reason for why you become spiritually anemic. Being surrounded by copies of the Bible and Godly spiritual leaders in this church, to understand why you fall into a malnourished condition spiritual is under YOUR responsibility. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Peter shows that if we cultivate and nurture that insatiable desire for the word of God, we will, as a consequence of such, grow in Christ. We will be spiritually nourished and fulfilled. How can we not be motivated by the opportunity to mature in Christ, and enjoy greater blessings over what the world has to offer? God’s Riches Over the World’s Unsatisfying Pleasures – GROW UP! Peter says that here. The phrase “may grow” literally means “it will grow you.” This isn’t a hope so, maybe so, guess so kind of promise, God’s Word WILL grow you, if you’ll consume yourself with learning it.
3. Growing Up Strengthens The Body of Christ (Ephesians 4:13-16)
Third, Scripture carefully shows us that not only does growing up become an expected action, and a natural consequence of salvation, but our growth in Christ helps to strengthen the local church body we have the privilege of being a part of. Paul just finished pointing out in the previous verses that the ministry of a growing church body rests in the passionate work and service of those in its care (pastors, laypeople, etc.). Spiritual growth, in part, happens when believers work together to produce a common goal in a church, the “perfecting of the saints.”
However, a church can’t grow if the leadership doesn’t grow – those in the classrooms of Sunday school teachers, under the preaching of pastoral staff leaders, can’t understand how to grow if the ministry leaders aren’t growing. This is an exhortation to myself and all those in ministry positions. And the same can be said of a youth ministry. A youth group cannot grow physically or spiritually if the young adults currently in that ministry are stagnant. Nothing gets accomplished, no one excels in their relationship with Christ. Now let’s analyze these few verses here together.
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith” – the ultimate spiritual target for a church is a united front where all people in the church work for the same Christ-centered goal in faith. Disunity in any kind of church body (congregation, youth group, etc.) is a sign of severe spiritual immaturity. Consequently, when believers choose to “grow up” and seek spiritual maturity, an atmosphere of unity is the inevitable result. What I’m saying friends in that we can’t have unity in our churches without you choosing to “grow up” and seek spiritual maturity – only those who are spiritually maturing saints can help a body attain that spirit of unit in a local church.
“unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” – God’s will for every Christian is for them to become more and more like His Son Jesus Christ. How is that possible. Believers must choose to grow up, to mature as Christians so that their speech reflects God, their attitudes reflect God, their habits, motives, desires, passions, loves and hates, all reflect the attitude and the mind of Christ. You can be an immature, anemic, growth stunted believer and expect anything less than the situation you’re in right now. God wants to mold us into His image, more and more. The more we feast on the things of God, the more we look like Christ, and less like ourselves.
But now look at verse 14. Paul shows us a result of spiritual maturity directly reflected in the beliefs of a church body. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” – the Christian who grows up and maturity spiritually does not succumb to the flippant fads and vain theology that plagues our Christian culture. A mature Christian can see through the junk and fact check the wisdom of man with the divine wisdom of God.
Let me emphasize to you all that in the world we live in today, just because it sounds Christian, calls itself Christian, and looks Christian, doesn’t always mean it is. A spiritually mature Christian will be able to recognize and point out those flawed devices. An immature Christian is gullible to the heretical doctrines taught and shared today, and many of those teachers make their teaching believable, creating pockets of supporters and listeners everywhere. One of the reasons why spiritual growth is so important is so that you can be grounded in God’s Word. Even in Christian music, many bands have a voice into Christian culture more than preachers do it seems. And I can promise you, not everything that gets marketed under the guise of Christianity is worth a believer’s heart & mind.
However, a church can’t grow if the leadership doesn’t grow – those in the classrooms of Sunday school teachers, under the preaching of pastoral staff leaders, can’t understand how to grow if the ministry leaders aren’t growing. This is an exhortation to myself and all those in ministry positions. And the same can be said of a youth ministry. A youth group cannot grow physically or spiritually if the young adults currently in that ministry are stagnant. Nothing gets accomplished, no one excels in their relationship with Christ. Now let’s analyze these few verses here together.
“Till we all come in the unity of the faith” – the ultimate spiritual target for a church is a united front where all people in the church work for the same Christ-centered goal in faith. Disunity in any kind of church body (congregation, youth group, etc.) is a sign of severe spiritual immaturity. Consequently, when believers choose to “grow up” and seek spiritual maturity, an atmosphere of unity is the inevitable result. What I’m saying friends in that we can’t have unity in our churches without you choosing to “grow up” and seek spiritual maturity – only those who are spiritually maturing saints can help a body attain that spirit of unit in a local church.
“unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” – God’s will for every Christian is for them to become more and more like His Son Jesus Christ. How is that possible. Believers must choose to grow up, to mature as Christians so that their speech reflects God, their attitudes reflect God, their habits, motives, desires, passions, loves and hates, all reflect the attitude and the mind of Christ. You can be an immature, anemic, growth stunted believer and expect anything less than the situation you’re in right now. God wants to mold us into His image, more and more. The more we feast on the things of God, the more we look like Christ, and less like ourselves.
But now look at verse 14. Paul shows us a result of spiritual maturity directly reflected in the beliefs of a church body. “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” – the Christian who grows up and maturity spiritually does not succumb to the flippant fads and vain theology that plagues our Christian culture. A mature Christian can see through the junk and fact check the wisdom of man with the divine wisdom of God.
Let me emphasize to you all that in the world we live in today, just because it sounds Christian, calls itself Christian, and looks Christian, doesn’t always mean it is. A spiritually mature Christian will be able to recognize and point out those flawed devices. An immature Christian is gullible to the heretical doctrines taught and shared today, and many of those teachers make their teaching believable, creating pockets of supporters and listeners everywhere. One of the reasons why spiritual growth is so important is so that you can be grounded in God’s Word. Even in Christian music, many bands have a voice into Christian culture more than preachers do it seems. And I can promise you, not everything that gets marketed under the guise of Christianity is worth a believer’s heart & mind.
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” – in verse 15 Paul gives the solution to the “every wind of doctrine” he spoke of in verse 14. A spiritually mature, authentic believer will #1 not be victim to such false teaching. #2 he/she will be able to accurately and compassionately point out these flawed philosophies to other immature believers, not to condemn or derail them, but to edify and nurture them.
But herein lies the problem. ONLY a mature believer who is growing in Christ can adequately and properly speak the truth in love to someone. This is why growing up is so essential. We can’t help others if we don’t take care of our own abnormalities first. To confront someone with the truth in a loving way, when someone has sinned against God, when someone is embracing false teachings, can only be accomplished when done in grace and humility, a character quality developed only in those that choose to attain spiritual maturity in their own personal life so that by it they may help others.
Finally, Paul concludes his thought in verse 16 where he says “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” In essence Paul is saying that in order for a local church body to function to its fullest potential, we must trust in the power of Christ to keep the body unified, while at the same time, exercising our continuing spiritual growth and maturity to do our part in keeping a local body unified for the glory of God. When people choose to have Godly relationships, a maturity spiritual life, and an active role in ministry, God begins to work and use that church to His glory. May that be said about our church.
But herein lies the problem. ONLY a mature believer who is growing in Christ can adequately and properly speak the truth in love to someone. This is why growing up is so essential. We can’t help others if we don’t take care of our own abnormalities first. To confront someone with the truth in a loving way, when someone has sinned against God, when someone is embracing false teachings, can only be accomplished when done in grace and humility, a character quality developed only in those that choose to attain spiritual maturity in their own personal life so that by it they may help others.
Finally, Paul concludes his thought in verse 16 where he says “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” In essence Paul is saying that in order for a local church body to function to its fullest potential, we must trust in the power of Christ to keep the body unified, while at the same time, exercising our continuing spiritual growth and maturity to do our part in keeping a local body unified for the glory of God. When people choose to have Godly relationships, a maturity spiritual life, and an active role in ministry, God begins to work and use that church to His glory. May that be said about our church.
Conclusion
Just as a child will never experience the joys of adulthood if he/she never grew up, so a Christian is the same way if they don’t grow in Christ. God’s Word makes it abundantly clear that as Christians, you are expected to grow, to mature, to become more like Christ. But you should naturally WANT to do those things as a believer, to “know him more” as Paul said in Philippians, sitting at the feet of Jesus like Mary did, learning all that you can.
Let me share with you one last verse as we close out this series. Psalm 92:12-14 says, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;” God promises to us that if we plan ourselves in God’s Word, in His churches, in an intimate relationship with Him, that we will “flourish” (bud, spring, bloom). We will grow like a cedar in Lebanon (very dense, strong tree with a deep root system – incredibly hard to uproot or move). And in verse 14 it says we will be fat (not overweight, but this word means vigorous, rich, wealthy). This is God’s promise to those that seek and choose to GROW UP and experience God’s Riches Over the World’s Unsatisfying Pleasures.
But for some of you, you can’t experience this kind of growth because you’re not planted. Verse 13 says, “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord…” – that word planted is translated as transplanted, being moved from somewhere to the courts of God. Job 8:11-13 says, “11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? 12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. 13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:” Just as a reed or a marsh grass cannot grow without proper nourishment, so you my friend can’t experience growing in Christ without being saved. Would you permit me the opportunity tonight to show you how you can experience the greatest joy you will ever know in your life – a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the one paid the price for your sins – and mine!
It’s clear by seeing Peter’s exhortation to his readers to grow in Christ, that he is discontent with the present condition of spiritual development going on in the church he addresses. And let me say to you in love, SO AM I. It’s 2011 and things need to change. Spiritual growth MUST happen and continue to happen in WORD before any more lives are changed, or any other blessings fall upon this group. I want to encourage and invite everyone to get on board, to be a part of this passionate pursuit of holiness, and the insatiable desire for feasting on the Word of God. YOU have the choice to make. You can choose to GROW UP, and experience God’s blessing’s over the world’s pleasure, or you can think you’re in better shape on your own. I want to be an encouragement and a help to those that truly want God’s blessings in their lives. And let us commit together to love those that don’t live for Christ, while exhorting them, passionately to repent and turn to Christ. You make the choice!
Let me share with you one last verse as we close out this series. Psalm 92:12-14 says, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;” God promises to us that if we plan ourselves in God’s Word, in His churches, in an intimate relationship with Him, that we will “flourish” (bud, spring, bloom). We will grow like a cedar in Lebanon (very dense, strong tree with a deep root system – incredibly hard to uproot or move). And in verse 14 it says we will be fat (not overweight, but this word means vigorous, rich, wealthy). This is God’s promise to those that seek and choose to GROW UP and experience God’s Riches Over the World’s Unsatisfying Pleasures.
But for some of you, you can’t experience this kind of growth because you’re not planted. Verse 13 says, “Those that be planted in the house of the Lord…” – that word planted is translated as transplanted, being moved from somewhere to the courts of God. Job 8:11-13 says, “11Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water? 12Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb. 13So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:” Just as a reed or a marsh grass cannot grow without proper nourishment, so you my friend can’t experience growing in Christ without being saved. Would you permit me the opportunity tonight to show you how you can experience the greatest joy you will ever know in your life – a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the one paid the price for your sins – and mine!
It’s clear by seeing Peter’s exhortation to his readers to grow in Christ, that he is discontent with the present condition of spiritual development going on in the church he addresses. And let me say to you in love, SO AM I. It’s 2011 and things need to change. Spiritual growth MUST happen and continue to happen in WORD before any more lives are changed, or any other blessings fall upon this group. I want to encourage and invite everyone to get on board, to be a part of this passionate pursuit of holiness, and the insatiable desire for feasting on the Word of God. YOU have the choice to make. You can choose to GROW UP, and experience God’s blessing’s over the world’s pleasure, or you can think you’re in better shape on your own. I want to be an encouragement and a help to those that truly want God’s blessings in their lives. And let us commit together to love those that don’t live for Christ, while exhorting them, passionately to repent and turn to Christ. You make the choice!
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