Embracing Growth: The Path to Spiritual Maturity

 

Summary

In our journey with Christ, we must recognize the necessity of growth and maturity in our faith. We cannot remain stagnant, clinging to old habits or systems that no longer serve our spiritual development. As believers, we have been graced with the ultimate coach, Jesus Christ, whose strategy for our lives is designed to lead us to victory. This victory is not a fleeting triumph but an enduring state of spiritual maturity and fruitfulness.

We often find comfort in the familiar, even when it hinders our progress. Like an athlete who must abandon ineffective techniques to improve, we too must let go of our old ways. The Jewish believers I addressed were reverting to the sacrificial system to ease their guilty consciences, a system made obsolete by Christ's ultimate sacrifice. This regression into spiritual infancy dishonors Christ and prevents us from bearing the fruit God intends for us.

The writer of Hebrews challenges us to advance, to press on beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and embrace the fullness of our salvation. We must not be like those who fall away, unable to progress because they are trapped in a cycle of immaturity. Instead, we must cultivate discernment, the ability to distinguish good from evil, which comes through training and a deeper engagement with God's Word.

Our church's vision—to develop a passion for God and compassion for people—is rooted in the values that support our growth in Christ. These values are love, hope, and faith. Love for God and others is the first pillar, reflecting the greatest commandments. Hope, grounded in the resurrection of Christ, provides resilience through life's trials. Faith, exemplified by the trust and obedience of biblical figures like Abraham, is our pathway to inheriting God's promises.

To live a victorious Christian life, we must yield to the coach's strategy and values. We must embrace the full assurance of hope, become imitators of those who through faith and endurance inherit the promises, and avoid becoming sluggish in our spiritual hearing. By doing so, we align ourselves with the great men and women of faith and ensure that our lives bear fruit that endures for eternity.

Key Takeaways:

- Yielding to Christ's strategy for our lives is essential for spiritual growth. Just as a coach guides an athlete to improve, Christ guides us toward maturity. We must be willing to let go of our old ways and embrace His teachings, allowing His work to be fully realized in us. This is the secret to living a victorious Christian life. [36:16]

- Love is the foundational value that supports our growth in Christ. It is not merely an emotion but an active choice to serve and honor God by serving others. This love is a reflection of the grace we have received and is a testament to the transformative power of our faith in action. [47:38]

- Hope is not a vague wish but a confident expectation based on the reality of Christ's resurrection. It is the assurance that death has no hold over us and that we can face life's challenges with resilience because Christ is alive and working within us. This hope sustains us and propels us forward. [48:34]

- Faith is demonstrated through our actions and is the means by which we inherit God's promises. Like Abraham, our faith must be active and unwavering, trusting in God's faithfulness even when the path is unclear. This faith prevents spiritual dullness and aligns us with the legacy of those who have walked in obedience before us. [51:25]

- Discernment is a skill that must be trained through engagement with God's Word. It is the ability to recognize the difference between good and evil, and it is crucial for our spiritual development. As we grow in discernment, we become better equipped to navigate life's complexities and to teach others by sharing how God is working in our lives. [30:20]

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Hebrews 5:11-14
- Hebrews 6:1-3

#### Observation Questions
1. According to Hebrews 5:11-14, what are the indicators of spiritual immaturity mentioned by the writer? How do these indicators relate to the sermon’s message about growth and maturity in faith? [26:00]
2. In Hebrews 6:1-3, what does the writer encourage believers to do instead of revisiting the elementary teachings about Christ? How does this align with the sermon's call to advance in our spiritual journey? [32:39]
3. The sermon mentions that Jewish believers were reverting to the sacrificial system to ease their guilty consciences. How does this behavior reflect the message in Hebrews 6:1-3 about moving beyond basic teachings? [38:35]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. The sermon emphasizes the need to yield to Christ's strategy for our lives. How does Hebrews 5:11-14 illustrate the consequences of not doing so? [26:00]
2. What does it mean to "press on to maturity" as stated in Hebrews 6:1? How can this be practically applied in a believer's life today? [32:39]
3. The sermon discusses the importance of discernment. How does Hebrews 5:14 describe the process of developing discernment, and why is it crucial for spiritual growth? [30:20]
4. The sermon highlights love, hope, and faith as core values. How do these values support the call to maturity in Hebrews 6:1-3? [45:01]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Are there any "old ways" or habits that you need to let go of to grow in your faith? How can you start making those changes this week? [24:06]
2. The sermon mentions the importance of discernment. What steps can you take to engage more deeply with God's Word to develop this skill? [30:20]
3. Love is described as an active choice to serve and honor God by serving others. Identify one person in your life whom you can serve this week as an expression of your love for God. [47:38]
4. Hope is based on the reality of Christ's resurrection. How can this hope provide resilience in a current challenge you are facing? Share a specific situation where you need to apply this hope. [48:34]
5. Faith is demonstrated through actions. Like Abraham, what is one area in your life where you need to trust and obey God more fully? What steps will you take to act on this faith? [51:25]
6. The sermon calls us to avoid becoming sluggish in our spiritual hearing. What practical measures can you take to stay spiritually alert and engaged? [50:05]
7. The sermon encourages us to become imitators of those who inherit God's promises through faith and endurance. Who is a person of faith you admire, and how can you emulate their example in your own life? [51:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Christ's Strategy for Growth
Growth in Christ is not a passive experience; it requires an active and willing heart to let go of the past and embrace the new life that Jesus offers. Just as a coach has a strategy to bring an athlete to peak performance, Christ has a plan for each believer's spiritual maturity. This plan involves shedding old habits and ways of thinking that may have once felt comfortable but now hinder progress. It is about trusting in the process He has laid out, even when it challenges personal comfort zones. Yielding to Christ's strategy means being open to change and transformation, allowing His teachings to penetrate deeply and guide daily actions and decisions. This is the path to a victorious Christian life, one that is marked by continuous growth and the bearing of lasting fruit. [36:16]

Hebrews 5:14 - "But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

Reflection: What is one specific old habit or way of thinking that you need to let go of to grow in your faith, and what practical step can you take to begin that process today?


Day 2: Love as the Foundation of Spiritual Growth
Love is the cornerstone upon which a life of faith is built. It is not simply a feeling but an active commitment to live out the grace received from God by serving and honoring Him and others. This love is transformative, pushing believers to act in ways that reflect the heart of God. It is through this love that one can truly demonstrate the power of faith in action. By choosing to love, even in difficult circumstances, believers testify to the change that Christ has wrought in their lives. This love is a powerful witness to the world and a key component of spiritual growth. [47:38]

1 John 3:18 - "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

Reflection: How can you demonstrate Christ's love through a specific action towards someone in your community this week?


Day 3: Hope Anchored in the Resurrection
Hope in the Christian context is a confident expectation, not based on wishful thinking, but on the solid truth of Christ's resurrection. This hope is a source of strength and resilience, enabling believers to endure trials and challenges with the assurance that they are not in vain. It is the knowledge that, because Christ is alive, there is a purpose and a future for every believer. This hope is not passive; it is active and life-giving, propelling one forward in faith and encouraging others to do the same. [48:34]

1 Peter 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to replace doubt or despair with the confident hope found in Christ's resurrection?


Day 4: Active Faith as the Path to God's Promises
Faith is not merely belief; it is belief put into action. It is the trust and obedience exemplified by biblical figures like Abraham, who stepped out into the unknown, trusting in God's faithfulness. Faith is the means by which believers lay hold of God's promises, and it requires a steadfast commitment to follow God's leading, even when the path is not clear. This active faith keeps one from becoming spiritually dull and ensures alignment with the legacy of those who have walked in obedience before us. [51:25]

James 2:22 - "You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works."

Reflection: What is one step of obedience you can take today that demonstrates your faith in God's promises?


Day 5: Cultivating Discernment Through God's Word
Discernment is a critical skill for navigating the complexities of life and for spiritual development. It is the ability to distinguish between good and evil, and it is honed through a deep and consistent engagement with God's Word. As believers grow in discernment, they become better equipped to make wise decisions and to guide others by sharing the ways in which God is working in their lives. This skill is not innate; it must be developed and practiced, and it is essential for living a life that is pleasing to God. [30:20]

Philippians 1:9-10 - "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ."

Reflection: What is one decision you are currently facing where you need to apply discernment, and how can you use God's Word to guide you in that decision?

Quotes

- "Refusing to coach a strategy really dishonors Christ. It disqualifies us from receiving God's fruit and seeing fruit produced in us, but also his rewards that he's going to have for us." [43:08] (Download | )

- "We need to press on and yield to what the coach is trying to teach us. We need a new strategy. Christ is the center." [38:49] (Download | )

- "The same is true for you and me as we live a victorious Christian life. We know about it. We've heard about it. But without a coach who has actually lived a victorious life and who is willing to take you there, you and I are left in a pool of defeat." [25:12] (Download | )

- "The bridge is designed to carry people from one side to the other. The coach's strategy is the bridge, what Jesus does in our life. He's trying to get us from where we are to where he wants us to be. But what supports that are the values." [44:42] (Download | )

- "Beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you and the things which accompany salvation. God's not done with you yet. God is working on each and every one of us to become more mature in our faith." [47:38] (Download | )

- "We need hope as we go through the trials of life. This hope is not something we hope for and it's kind of fetistic and esoteric. This is a hope based on the foundation of Jesus Christ." [48:34] (Download | )

- "It's a faith that inherits God's promises. It prevents the dullness of hearing. And it puts us on the same page with great men and women of the faith like Abraham, like Sarah, like Mary." [51:25] (Download | )

- "The author tells the readers here, you need your senses trained to discern between good and evil. The only way to train that is to move on. Not to keep going back. Not keep eating milk, but it's to move forward." [30:20] (Download | )

- "God's will for you and I is not to keep stumbling over the same petty sins. How do I get over that? How do I gain victory? The author of Hebrews tells us it's time to move on. It's time to push forward." [32:35] (Download | )

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?