Growing in Faith: Embracing Spiritual Maturity Together

Devotional

Day 1: The Distortion of Cleverness

Our God-given cleverness can be twisted for personal gain, ambition, and control, leading to a distortion of perspective that can result in lies that sound like truth. It's crucial to remember that truth represents reality and is not subject to manipulation for personal gain. [12:45]

Proverbs 14:8 - "The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you may have used your cleverness for personal gain. How can you ensure that your actions align with truth and not self-serving distortions?

Day 2: Moving Beyond Spiritual Milk

The author of Hebrews expresses frustration at the lack of maturity among the Jewish Christians, comparing their spiritual growth to babies needing milk and not being able to eat solid food. It's important to move beyond the basics and become mature in understanding. [24:30]

1 Peter 2:2 - "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation."

Reflection: What are some 'spiritual milk' beliefs or practices you're still holding onto? How can you move towards 'solid food' in your faith journey?

Day 3: Growing in Maturity and Understanding

There comes a point in our lives when we need to let go of the naivety and ignorance that children possess. As adults, we are called to grow in maturity and develop a faith that is grounded in knowledge and understanding. [36:15]

Ephesians 4:14 - "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming."

Reflection: What are some childlike attitudes or behaviors you need to let go of in order to grow in spiritual maturity and understanding?

Day 4: Faith as the Ultimate Solution

Faith is the ultimate solution in the spiritual journey. Committing to faith and trusting in Jesus brings confidence and peace, crucial in overcoming the anxiety and fear that often hinders our spiritual maturity. [48:50]

Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Reflection: What fears or anxieties are you currently facing? How can you actively trust in Jesus to bring you peace and confidence in these situations?

Day 5: The Importance of Maturity in the Church

Maturity in the church plays a crucial role in creating a healthy environment for growth. Just as a forest needs trees at different levels of maturity for other life to thrive, the church needs mature Christians to guide and nurture younger believers. [59:30]

Colossians 1:28 - "He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ."

Reflection: How can you contribute to the spiritual maturity of your church community? What steps can you take to nurture and guide younger believers in their faith journey?

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor discussing the concept of perspective and how it can be distorted by lies that sound like truth. He emphasizes that all people were created by God and possess a certain level of cleverness, but this cleverness can be twisted for personal gain, ambition, and control. The pastor then introduces the congregation to the upcoming series on three different stages of faith, encouraging the listeners to be open to God speaking to them about their current stage of faith and acknowledging that fear may be holding them back.

The pastor then focuses on the frustration expressed by the author of Hebrews towards the lack of maturity among the Jewish Christians. He highlights the analogy of babies needing milk and not being able to eat solid food, comparing it to the spiritual immaturity of the Hebrews. The pastor also mentions the writer's desire to explain the deeper mysteries and teachings, but acknowledges that the Hebrews are not yet ready for it.

Drawing from Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 13, the pastor explains that there comes a point in our lives when we need to let go of the naivety and ignorance that children possess. As adults, we are called to grow in maturity and develop a faith that is grounded in knowledge and understanding. The pastor then references Ephesians 4:1-16, emphasizing the responsibility of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to equip God's people for His work and to build up the church.

The pastor emphasizes the importance of faith as the ultimate solution in the spiritual journey. They highlight the need to commit to faith and trust in Jesus, which brings confidence and peace. The pastor references a therapist's observation of a significant increase in anxiety among their clients, attributing it to a lack of maturity in individuals, leaders, and even the church.

In the final portion of the sermon, the pastor emphasizes the importance of maturity in the church and the role it plays in creating a healthy environment for growth. The pastor uses the analogy of a forest to illustrate this point. They explain that if all the trees in a forest are at the same level of maturity, nothing else can grow, leading to a barren forest with no animals, flowers, or berries. The pastor encourages individuals to commit to their own maturity and help create an environment where younger Christians can thrive, regardless of age.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

"Truth is so powerful because truth is reality and people want nothing more than to control your reality because it makes them money and gives them control and gives them power." [01:02:25]

"At some point in time we have to commit that faith is the ultimate solution, this confidence grounded in the reality of Jesus, our trust that is rooted in the reality of Jesus, is the ultimate solution." #!!01:15:48!!#

"The biggest lack of trust in positions of leadership, political or not, is we don't think they can do the job because they don't have the maturity. Can they even apply the knowledge? Do they have the wisdom? The root of the anxiety that is increasing in this therapist's client is tied to maturity." #!!01:17:19!!#

"But then all those trees grow up at the same time the same height and has a really dense canopy and it's just like hey we have forests but it's completely Barren underneath it's completely Barren underneath why because the sun can't get down the rainfall can't get down if everybody's at the same maturity" (#!!01:21:25!!#)

"Maybe I'm not ready for it because God reveals as we're ready... maturity is hugely important... when we come to Faith... at some point in time you shouldn't be on liquids anymore you should be on solids... you should not need the basics continue to unpack for you." #!!01:09:43!!#

"I think that's the whole like everybody doing their part to let help everybody else grow from Ephesians is it those who have been walking with the Lord longer who should have spiritual maturity are to help the ones who don't have the spiritual maturity to grow." #!!01:11:02!!#

"This is why maturity is so important in the church... if you've been following Jesus for a long time, committing to your own maturity is important and helping to create an environment so that the younger Christians... can grow." #!!01:24:02!!#

"Then we will no longer be immature like children, we won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching, we will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever that they sound like truth instead we will speak the truth in love growing in every way more and more like Christ who is the head of his body the church." #!!59:29!!#

"Solid food is for those who are mature who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again and let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding." #!!01:06:31!!#

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