## Guide for Growth

## Ephesians 4:14-15

In the house where I was born, and grew up through my elementary years, we had a kitchen door way. On the wood trim around that doorway was a series of marks with dates and names. Each of us would stand against that door frame and be measured to record our growth. It was only written down once a year, but being the youngest of four, I would often go to that door frame and stretch myself up as best I could placing my finger at the very top of my head to see how much I had grown. Perhaps you had a similar way of measuring your growth. Tonight I want to talk about how to measure our growth as children of God. When a person first becomes a Christian, the Bible declares that they are 'born again'. This speaks of their spiritual birth, which is a new beginning. Regardless of how old chronologically they may be, they become 'babes in Christ'. Both Paul and Peter used this term to refer to new Christians. This isn't a derogatory term; it simply is a fact of our spiritual lives. We start out as babes, but God doesn't intend for us to stay in a state of spiritual childhood. His desire for us is that we begin to grow and mature in our faith. Listen to Paul's instruction to the believers in Ephesus.

(Eph 4:14-15) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; {15} But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

God clearly wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth, and tell it in love - to be like Christ in everything. We are not meant to remain as children. Our heavenly Father's goal is for each of us to mature and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ, living a life of love and humble service. But sadly, millions of Christians grow older but never grow up. They are stuck in perpetual spiritual infancy. The reason is because they never determined to grow! Spiritual growth is not automatic. It takes an intentional commitment. We must want to grow, decide to grow, make an effort to grow, and persist in growing.

I. Growth Begins With A Decision.

(Mat 9:9) And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

A. When the disciples chose to follow Jesus, they didn't understand all the implications of their decision.

1. They simply responded by faith to Jesus' invitation.

2. But the fact that they didn't know where there decision would take them doesn't diminish it at all!

3. When I accepted the truth of the Gospel, I had no idea where it would take me.

4. I stepped out to follow the Lord by faith, and here I am 34 years later.

5. I didn't know that day where my faith in Him would lead…but it didn't alter the fact that I decided to follow Him!

B. Some would say that we cannot make a decision to follow Christ unless we know all that it encompasses.

1. That simply isn't true.

2. Our text points out that we come to Christ as children…knowing very little, other than the fact that He loves us and gave Himself for us.

3. But then we begin to grow up in Him!

4. Some will never come to faith in Christ, because they are waiting until they understand everything…How sad!

C. All that we need to get started is to decide to become a disciple.

1. That is the first and most important step.

2. We must decide to follow Jesus…

3. We may not understand all there is to know about the Christian life…but we decide, by faith, to follow Christ.

4. I am talking about salvation; every walk must have a starting point or beginning.

5. The Christian walk begins with faith in Christ as Savior.

II. Growth Continues with Commitment.

(Colossians 3:1-2) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

A. Nothing shapes our life more than the commitments we choose to make.

1. Our commitments can develop us or they can destroy us, but either way, they will define us.

2. What we are committed to today will determine what we'll be in twenty years.

3. Whatever we are committed to we will become.

4. In pre-marital counseling I will often ask the couple, 'Where do you want to go to celebrate your 25th anniversary?"

5. If they enter with a commitment…it will last!

6. What are our commitments?

B. It is at this point of commitment that many people miss God's purpose for their lives.

1. Many are afraid to commit to anything and just drift through life.

2. Others make half-hearted commitments to values, which lead to frustration and mediocrity.

3. Others make a full commitment to worldly goals, such as becoming wealthy or famous, and end up disappointed and bitter.

4. Every choice has eternal consequences so we'd better choose wisely.

5. Peter reminds us of the temporal nature of this world and everything that is in it.

(2 Pet 3:11) Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

6. Christ-likeness comes from making Christ-like commitments.

7. We must commit to living the rest of our life for the purposes we were made.

8. Jesus summarized these purposes in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

(Matthew 22:37-38) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

(Matthew 28:19-20) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

9. A great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will make us a great Christian.

III. Growth Results in Change.

A. As a disciple we will walk differently.

(Eph 5:8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

1. Once we decide to get serious about becoming like Christ, we must begin to act in new ways.

2. We'll need to let go of some old routines develop some new habits, and intentionally change the way we think.

(Phil 2:12-13) Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. {13} For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

3. This verse shows the two parts of spiritual growth: "work out" and "work in."

a. The "work out" is our responsibility and the "work in" is God's role.

b. Spiritual growth is a collaborative effort between each of us and the Holy Spirit. God's Spirit works with us, not just in us.

c. This verse, written to believers, is not about how to be saved, but how to grow!

d. It does not say "work for" your salvation, because you can't add anything to what Jesus already did!

1) During a physical "workout," you exercise to develop your body, not to get a body.

2) When you "work out" a puzzle, you already have all the pieces - your task is to put it together.

3) Farmers "work" the land, not to get land, but to develop what they already have.

4) God has given us a new life; now we are responsible to develop it "with fear and trembling."

5) That means we are to take our spiritual growth seriously.

6) When people are casual about their growth in Christ-likeness, it shows they don't understand the implications.

B. As a disciple we will think differently.

1. To change our life, we must change the way we think.

2. Behind everything we do is a thought.

3. Every behavior is motivated by a belief, and every action is prompted by an attitude.

4. God revealed this thousands of years before psychologists understood it:

(Prov 23:7) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

C. This is not willpower!

1. I used to have a self-propelled lawnmower.

2. It was great; with a drive belt it pulled itself instead of me having to push it.

3. But there were times that I wanted it to go a different way.

4. I had a couple of choices.

a. I could force it to go the way I wanted it to go, but that was extremely difficult for me to maneuver.

b. I could do it, but it wasn't easy.

c. By sheer willpower, I could overcome the self-drive, but felt a constant resistance.

d. If I had to do that all of the time, my arms would eventually tire of the stress, and I would have to give in and let it go back to the way it wanted to go.

e. This is what happens when we try to change our life with willpower:

1) We say "I'll force myself to eat less ... stop smoking ... quit being disorganized and late."

2) And yes, willpower can produce short-term change, but it creates constant internal stress because we haven't dealt with the root cause.

3) The change doesn't feel natural.

4) Eventually we give up, and go off the diet...or whatever.

f. But there is a better and easier way: I could disengage the self-drive.

1) Once the self-drive is disengaged the mower is easy to direct whatever way I want it to go.

2) Now, let me say that is a good way to think of our lives.

3) We need to disengage the self-drive.

4) Paul wrote to the believers in Rome and put it like this.

(Rom 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

5. As a disciple, we must change the way we think…we must disengage the self-drive and let the Lord direct our thinking.

a. The way we think determines the way we feel, and the way we feel influences the way we act.

(Eph 4:23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

b. To be like Christ we must develop the mind of Christ.

c. The New Testament calls this mental shift "repentance," which means, "to change our mind."

d. To repent means to change the way we think - about God, yourself, sin, other people, life, your future, and everything else.

e. We adopt Christ's outlook and perspective on life.

f. And when we change the way we think, there will always be a change in what we do.

(Phil 2:5) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6. There are two parts to thinking like Jesus.

a. The first half of this mental shift is to stop thinking immature thoughts, which are self-centered and self-seeking.

1) Babies, by nature, are completely selfish.

2) They think only of themselves.

3) That is immature thinking.

(Rom 8:5) For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

(1 Cor 14:20) Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

b. The second half of thinking like Jesus is to start thinking maturely, which focuses on others, not upon ourselves.

(1 Cor 13:11) 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.

1) Today, many assume that spiritual maturity is measured by how much Biblical knowledge and doctrine you know.

2) While knowledge is one measurement of maturity, it isn't the whole story.

3) The Christian life is far more than creeds and convictions; it includes conduct and character.

4) Our deeds must be consistent with our creeds and our beliefs must be backed up with Christ-like behavior.

5) Christianity is not a philosophy, but a relationship and a life, where we practice thinking of others as Jesus did:

(Rom 15:2-3) Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. {3} For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

(Phil 2:3-4) Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. {4} Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

6) Thinking of others is the heart of Christ-likeness, and the goal of spiritual growth.

7) This kind of thinking is unnatural, counter-cultural, and rare.

8) The only way we will learn to think this way is by filling our minds with the Word of God.

9) God has given us His Spirit…that's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think.

I. Growth Begins With A Decision II. Growth Requires Commitment III. Growth Results in Change

Are we growing in Him? Maybe we need to make that decision…or choose to commit ourselves.. only then will we change and become like Him.