Empowered Growth: Christ's Transformative Presence in Us

Devotional

Day 1: Transformation Through Christ's Indwelling Power

The transformative power of Christ within us is the catalyst for spiritual growth. This transformation is not about external efforts but an internal renewal that manifests outwardly. As we apply God's word, Christ's presence within us empowers us to grow and change, moving from self-reliance to reliance on His strength. This shift is akin to moving from a rowboat, reliant on our own strength, to a speedboat powered by an external force. The indwelling of Christ is the hope of glory, a profound truth that signifies all the fullness of God resides in Christ, and through Him, in us. This presence is not just a theological concept but a dynamic force that propels us from spiritual infancy to maturity. [03:19]

Colossians 1:27 (ESV): "To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are relying on your own strength instead of Christ's power? How can you begin to shift that reliance today?

Day 2: The Church's Role in Nurturing Spiritual Growth

The church plays a crucial role in nurturing believers to maturity through a threefold ministry: proclamation, teaching, and admonishment. Proclamation involves declaring God's truth and calling for a response. Teaching provides clarity and understanding, enabling believers to apply God's word effectively. Admonishment involves personal correction and counseling, helping individuals align their lives with God's standards. This holistic approach ensures that believers are not merely hearers of the word but doers, actively applying biblical truths to their lives. The church's mission is to present every believer mature in Christ, a task that requires wisdom to apply timeless truths to contemporary challenges. [09:05]

Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV): "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in your church's mission to nurture spiritual growth? What steps can you take to engage more deeply in proclamation, teaching, or admonishment?

Day 3: Applying God's Wisdom in Today's World

Applying God's word with wisdom is crucial for relevance in today's world. Just as technology updates keep devices current, the church must seek divine wisdom to address contemporary issues, ensuring that the gospel remains impactful and transformative. This involves adapting methods without altering the message, ensuring that the gospel remains relevant and transformative in a rapidly changing world. The church must continually seek wisdom to apply timeless truths to contemporary challenges, ensuring that the message of Christ remains relevant and transformative. [15:48]

James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Reflection: What contemporary issue are you facing that requires divine wisdom? How can you seek God's guidance to apply His timeless truths to this situation?

Day 4: The Mystery of Christ in Us

The mystery revealed in the New Testament is the indwelling of Christ, the hope of glory. This profound truth signifies that all the fullness of God resides in Christ, and through Him, in us, empowering us to live out God's purposes with His strength. This indwelling presence is not just a theological concept but a dynamic force that propels us from spiritual infancy to maturity. Understanding this mystery is key to experiencing the transformative power of Christ in our lives, moving us from self-reliance to reliance on His strength. [01:51]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love."

Reflection: How does the understanding of Christ dwelling in you change your perspective on your daily challenges? What steps can you take to deepen your awareness of His presence within you?

Day 5: Adapting Without Compromising the Gospel

The church must adapt its methods to address new realities without compromising the unchanging truth of the gospel. This involves seeking wisdom to apply timeless truths to contemporary challenges, ensuring that the message of Christ remains relevant and transformative. Just as technology updates keep devices relevant, the church must continually seek wisdom to address the evolving issues of our time. This ensures that the gospel remains impactful and transformative in a rapidly changing world. [16:13]

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (ESV): "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings."

Reflection: In what ways can you adapt your approach to sharing the gospel without compromising its truth? How can you ensure that your methods remain relevant and impactful in today's world?

Sermon Summary

In our journey of faith, the essence of spiritual growth is encapsulated in the transformative power of Christ within us. Change is the hallmark of growth, and without it, we stagnate. The mystery revealed in the New Testament is "Christ in you, the hope of glory." This profound truth signifies that all the fullness of God resides in Christ, and through Him, in us. This indwelling presence is not just a theological concept but a dynamic force that propels us from spiritual infancy to maturity. It is akin to moving from a rowboat, reliant on our own strength, to a speedboat powered by an external force. Christ in us is the power source that enables us to live out God's purposes with His strength, not ours.

The role of the church is to nurture this growth, preparing each member to stand mature before Christ. This involves a threefold ministry: proclamation, teaching, and admonishment. Proclamation is the declaration of God's truth, calling for a response. Teaching provides clarity and understanding, enabling us to apply God's word effectively. Admonishment involves personal correction and counseling, helping us align our lives with God's standards. This comprehensive approach ensures that we are not merely hearers of the word but doers, actively applying biblical truths to our lives.

The church's mission is to present every believer mature in Christ, a task that requires wisdom to apply timeless truths to contemporary challenges. Just as technology updates keep devices relevant, the church must continually seek wisdom to address the evolving issues of our time. This involves adapting our methods without altering the message, ensuring that the gospel remains relevant and transformative in a rapidly changing world.

Key Takeaways

1. reliance to reliance on His strength. This transformation is not about external efforts but an internal renewal that manifests outwardly. [03:19]
2. The Church's Role in Spiritual Growth: The church is tasked with nurturing believers to maturity through proclamation, teaching, and admonishment. This holistic approach ensures that believers are equipped to apply God's truth in their lives, leading to genuine spiritual growth and maturity.

3. Wisdom in Application: Applying God's word with wisdom is crucial for relevance in today's world. Just as technology updates keep devices current, the church must seek divine wisdom to address contemporary issues, ensuring that the gospel remains impactful and transformative.

4. The Mystery of Christ in Us: The mystery revealed in the New Testament is the indwelling of Christ, the hope of glory. This profound truth signifies that all the fullness of God resides in Christ, and through Him, in us, empowering us to live out God's purposes with His strength.

5. Adapting Without Compromising: The church must adapt its methods to address new realities without compromising the unchanging truth of the gospel. This involves seeking wisdom to apply timeless truths to contemporary challenges, ensuring that the message of Christ remains relevant and transformative.

** [03:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - The Necessity of Change
[00:28] - The Mystery Revealed
[00:58] - Understanding the Secret
[01:30] - Christ in You: The Hope of Glory
[02:24] - Who is Christ?
[03:19] - The Power of Christ Within
[04:50] - Living from the Inside Out
[05:41] - The Expansion of New Life
[06:31] - Applying God's Perspective
[07:05] - From Doing to Done
[08:03] - The Role of the Church
[09:05] - Proclamation, Teaching, and Admonishment
[10:54] - The Importance of Admonishment
[12:21] - Ministry and Involvement
[15:48] - Wisdom for Today's Challenges

Sermon Clips

the question is over time am I changing something happening different because if you aren't changing you aren't growing the proof of growth is change so no change no growth but Christ inside as the word is being heard understood and applied begins to rev up the engine that's in your soul for the transformation of life and he says you do it with all wisdom [00:00:06]

the mystery which has been hidden from past ages he says in verse 27 to whom God willed to make known that is the riches of the glory of this mystery so taking a secret it's a mystery in the Bible a mystery was something unknown in the Old Testament that God explained in the New Testament [00:34:44]

he says which is Christ in you the hope of glory he says the mystery is Christ in you the hope of glory that was unknown in the Old Testament Christ in you the hope of glory so the question is what in the world does that mean and why in the world does that matter [00:95:15]

so Jesus Christ is God In the Flesh and all the fullness of deity is resident in Christ and the secret sauce is Christ in you the hope of God way so all that Christ is is in you there was no understanding what you are looking for out there is in you you're looking for something there that's already been planted [00:186:00]

understanding that what Christ in you means is that he has taken residence in your life to move from the inside out to bring about his purpose his power his presence in your decisions as you make decisions consistent with his word he won't make the decision for you but he will empower the righteous decision [00:287:63]

while my awkward man decays he says my inward man is renewed day by day so while you getting older you supposed to be getting younger he says I'm getting older on the outside and younger on the inside because this this new life is expanding and expanding and expanding and unable to do things I wasn't able to do before [00:318:06]

as the new life starting in seed form begins to expand changes take place in her in the life because of the life that is expanding inside of her Christ has entered you in seed form once you accept Christ but as he expands that Christ might be formed in you the Bible says as he expands you change [00:349:02]

preaching is designed to not only declare God's word but to call for a response to it preaching is the Declaration and calling people to respond but then he says and teaching preaching is the Declaration teaching is the understanding because you can preach and not get it you can preach and don't know what to do with it [00:562:64]

admonishing is counseling and correcting it's counseling and correcting in other words it's personalizing what was preached and what was taught to you amen amen admonishing means that somebody may have to get into your life to help you deal with what you cannot deal with on your own [00:662:64]

so what we need is preaching and teaching that is has a update to it so it stays relevant to what's happening in the world today so he says we preach and we teach and we admonish with all wisdom that is how to use it now in what you're going through that's why the church has to adjust [00:931:74]

we didn't change the word but we had a new reality that we had to deal with all wisdom that's why the prayer is for Wisdom God how you want us to use this truth that does not change in a world that's regularly changing and he says that is the ministry of the church in order to present every person [00:967:62]

the question is over time am I changing do I still cuss like I used to cuss do I still act the fool like I used to act a fool do I still do I do I still take drugs like I used to take drug or am I changing is something happening different because if you aren't changing you're on growing the proof of growth is change [00:795:48]

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