Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Statement Of Faith

The Church Part 8

Intro: No one likes being told to grow up, do they? Teens get very defensive at the very thought that their parents or other adults could be intimating that they are immature. Husbands who try to get too much mileage out of a cold don't take kindly to their wives saying 'Don't be such a baby!'

     Every parent knows that there are stages to childhood development. And parents know what their responsibilities are in each stage.

     Parents, hold a toddlers hand, helping them to move their two feet forward... teaching them to walk so that one day, they will be able to do it on their own. Parents tie a little ones shoes so that when they do walk, they wont trip over their own shoe laces. But their goal is to have their child lean to tie their shoes for themselves...no velcro! Parents decide what their younger children can and can not do. But as children get older, parents must let their children learn for themselves...within bounds of course. We raise our children to let them go...As hard as that is to do, it is the goal.....maturity.

     God, our heavenly Father has a similar goal for His church. He wants to see it mature, to grow up. The goal is a full grown Christian in a full grown church. And Wes and I, as Elders here at CBC, want the same thing. We want to see you grow individually and us grow corporately. That is our goal..and I hope it is your goal as well.  But how will we know we have been successful? We are such a goal oriented society, that we always want effective measuring/evaluating  methods...So, what is the measuring rod of maturity in the church?

     In human development there are various marks of increasing maturity: graduation from elementary school, that first summer job, a driver's license, a high school diploma, attending college, that first apartment, career, marriage, and becoming a parent.

     Christian maturity is not measured by any of these things. The measure of Christian maturity is how well you dress on Sunday mornings...I have heard it said right here, that once believers mature in their faith, they will dress better when they come to church. Is that really the measuring rod for Christian maturity?

    The measure of Christian maturity is how quietly you enter the worship center on Sunday mornings...I have heard that here as well. Is that really the measuring rod for Christian maturity?

     The measure of Christian maturity is realizing that only the hymns are honoring to God in worship. I have heard that too. Is that really the measuring rod for Christian maturity?

     Listen...I want all your attention , your total and complete attention so there won't be any mistaking what I am about to say. OK?  The measuring rod and the only measuring rod of our maturity as Christians and as a church...... is Christ. The more like Christ we become, the more mature and grown up we will be in the faith. Our measuring rod is Christ, our goal is maturity,  our goal is Christlikeness. That is very general, I know. But, Paul does flesh it out in our text this morning.

Trans: As I have been saying for the past few weeks, it is our responsibility as a local church to teach believers how to walk... first, Walk in the manner of your calling. (Eph. 4:1-6), second, Walk in the manner of your gifting. (Eph. 4:7-12)

 Turn to Eph. 4:13. Where we will find three ways we are to...

III.Walk in the manner of your maturity.(Eph. 4:13-16)
Read: Eph. 4:13
   A. We are to FILL UP (vs.13)
     I realize that I ended the last message in the middle of Paul's sentence. But I had no other choice. Verses 12-16 are all  one long sentence. But, don't miss the connection of vss 13-16 with vss 7-12. They are connected by the word TILL.

     To review, we are to recognize our grace gifts, spiritual gifts and regularly use them in the church for the building up of the body...TILL, till what? How long do we continue to faithfully use our gifts for the common good of the local church? Till we ALL are mature in Christ ...till we ALL are full of Christ.

     God wants us to mature to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Let's break this passage down.

Till we ALL: every person on earth? NO, every believer.

Attain the unity of the faith: Paul says what the Spirit has stated, we are to continue and to strive to maintain. Not uniformity of the faith, but unity, oneness, one mind and heart that is united by faith in Christ.

And the knowledge of the Son of God: The realization of our unity will be seen as we gain knowledge of Christ as the Son of God and we as brothers and sisters in the faith.

 To a mature man: So that we will become mature, adult, grown up as  Christians and a church. The singular is used here because Paul is speaking of the church as a whole. Individualism is a mark of immaturity. Unity a mark of maturity.

 To the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ: Christ is the measuring rod by which we judge just how mature we are. What are some of the engraving found on that measuring rod which is Christ?

1. We are to display the sacrificial and unconditional love of Christ. ( Jn 10:11)
2. We are to display the passionate and regular prayer  life of Jesus. (Mt. 14:23)
3. We are to display the faithful worship life of Christ. (Lk.4:16)
4. We are to display the total obedience of Christ to the will of God. (Mt. 26:36-44)
5. We are to display the resistance of Christ to sin and temptation. (Matt. 4:1-10)
6. We are to display the servant hood of Christ.  (John 13:1-17)

    That is a real big stick. A seemingly impossible task. Yet, it is our goal, to be like Christ, in all things and in every way.  And although perfection will not be found this side of glory, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we can all strive to be full of Christ, mature disciples of our Lord.

     And we will see this when we take the time to evaluate whether we are
         loving more,
         praying more,
         worshipping more,
         obedient more,
         victorious more over sin,
         and serving  more
            than we were last year, last month, last week, last night.

     You see, whatever else we do or accomplish as a Christian and as a church, if we are not becoming more like Christ, we have failed to achieve God's purpose.

Trans: To walk in a manner of our maturity, we must fill up more on Christ, to allow Him to permeate and guide every part of our lives. Next we will see that maturity is the opposite of immaturity and that is what Paul tells us next in vs. 14-15.

Read: Eph. 4:15-16

    B. We are to GROW UP (vs. 14-15)
     Paul likes to contrast the negative with the positive and uses this as an effective teaching tool. He begins by telling us that mature Christians and churches do not act childish.

    1. We are no longer to be like children
 He says we are no longer, meaning, we once were or currently are, like children who lack knowledge of God, are weak in their faith, inconsistent in their judgments, giving into temptation easily and living and relating to others w/o love. How do we to move beyond being like children? By reading, studying and applying the truths found in the Word of God. So he tells us to...

    2. Speak the truth in love
     This is perhaps better translated, follow the truth in love, since the context here is maturity and not ethics. And as we learn more about the truth we must share what we learn with others...in love and not from a position of superiority but in humility.

     Remember I said that teens don't like to be told to grow up? Well, neither do adults, even Christian adults. Who are you to tell me to grow up..you grow up..you do this, you do that, just who do you think you are? Well, this is what we hear when one Christian tries to encourage another Christian to grow up...even when it is done in a spirit of love. Yet, Paul tells us ALL, you, and you and you and me to Grow Up, to no longer be childish.

That means:
    We stop holding grudges we may have had held for years against another Believer.

    We stop gossiping.

    We stop talking bad about other Believers and the church to others.

    We stop grumbling about everything we don't like going on in the church...or about what so and so has done or said.

    We stop threatening to take our ball and go home when things don't go our way.

    We stop thinking our dad is stronger and wiser than your dad...meaning, we respect people who hold differing positions and don't tell them that your way or what you believe is the best or only way.

         You get the idea. This is childish behavior and it happens here.

     I have been guilty and I ask your forgiveness for my childish behavior and attitudes...and many of you have been guilty as well. You and I will not grow and mature and neither will this church until this childish behavior and attitude stop.
 Instead, we must devour the Word of God, search it thoroughly,  live it and share it with others...in love.

     And we must fervently and regularly pray for God to increase our knowledge of  His Word and insight into His will.

     So, come out to Sunday School if you are not currently doing so, come out to Women's Walk, Tuesday Night Bible Study, pay attention during the sermons on Sunday, join us on Wed. nights for our Mid-Week Praise and Prayer, have individual and family devotions,...BE FULL OF CHRIST and GROW  UP!

Trans: We are to be full of Christ, We are to Grow up in Christ and we are to hold up one another for Christ. Let's take a look.

Read: Eph. 4:16

    C. We are to HOLD UP (vs 16)
ILL: This illustration was found in Leadership Mag.  'A sea captain and his chief engineer were arguing over who was most important to the ship.  To prove their point to each other, they decided to swap places.  The chief engineer ascended to the bridge, and the captain went to the engine room.  Several hours later, the captain suddenly appeared on deck covered with oil and dirt.  "Chief!" he yelled, waving aloft a monkey wrench.  "You have to get down there: I can't make her go!"  "Of course you can't," replied the chief. "She's aground!"  On a team we don't excel each other; we depend on each other.'
 That is what Paul says is the last ingredient necessary for maturity as a believer and as a church. In fact, Paul is now speaking specifically to the church.

     He is saying that one of the factors that causes spiritual growth and maturity is the acceptance of the ministry of other Christians to you. You see, each part of the body of Christ is intended to minister, serve, the other parts, each part joined and knit together.

     This is important. It means that you are here because God wants you here. He put you with these Christians in this place because there is a mutual need...you need us and we need you. As each of us accepts this and then begins to minister to the other you and we will grow, will mature.

     That is God's plan and it's a perfect one. We are the only ones who can mess it up or hinder it's effectiveness. the only chance we have of becoming whole persons and a vibrant, mature church is by serving one another with the gifts we have been given.

ILL: John Calvin once said 'If we want to be considered members of Christ, let no man be anything for himself, but let us all be whatever we are for the benefit of each other.'

     What happens in the church when believers are not all doing their part? Our growth is stunted. When some part of the body is not functioning well, the rest of the body suffers...am I right? The same is true in the church.

    If I do not function here as God has called me to do as your pastor, your spiritual growth will be stunted.

     If your Sunday School teachers, Bible Study leaders do not prepare and present a good lesson, your spiritual growth will be stunted.

     If those who encourage aren't encouraging,
     If those who visit aren't visiting,
     If those who give aren't giving,
     If those who help aren't helping,
     If those who pray aren't praying,
     If those who sing aren't singing,
     If those who worship aren't coming to worship,

     We will never grow up, never mature to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. NEVER! Don't think your lack of involvement  here at CBC doesn't matter. Paul says it does.

Conclusion
     Does all this discourage you? Do you feel you can never live up to what is being asked?  Well you are not alone. But Paul addresses your feelings of hopelessness as well. He said God desires spiritual growth, not instant results. The process from childish behavior to maturity in Christ is growth, growing, movement toward Christlikeness.

    Many of you are already journeying on that road, some of you have pulled over to a rest stop, and some are about to take the entrance ramp. But we all must be about the journey.

     And that is the job of the church. To teach you how to walk in the manner of your maturity, by providing and encouraging the free use of your spiritual gifts and by making opportunities for you to grow closer to the Lord  through Bible Study, prayer, and fellowship.

     Take advantage of what CBC has to offer. For a small church, God has given us gifted people to help us along the way. Come...join us and fill your life with the things of Christ as we strive to become more like our Lord and Savior..as individuals and as a church.