GROWING UP IS MORE THAN SHOWING UP (4 OF 8)
Scripture: I JOHN 2:12-14
This content is part of a series.
Growing Up Is More Than Showing up (4 of 8)
Series: Building Blocks
James Merritt
1 John 2:12-14
INTRODUCTION
1. Warren Wiersbe is one of the most popular and well known Bible teachers in all of the world. He once made this incredible statement: ''After over forty years of ministry, I am convinced that spiritual immaturity is the number one problem in our churches.''1
2. I heard a story of a little boy who fell out of bed in the middle of the night. When his mother rushed to his room to ask him what happened, he said, ''I don't know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.'' So many Christians do that with their faith. For most of their Christian life they stay too close where they got in.
3. You see, we often think that ''growing up is showing up.'' We think that if a person comes to church on Sunday morning, and perhaps even attends a Bible study group, and maybe even holds an official position in the church like deacon, or Sunday School teacher, or committee member, or a trustee, that he or she must be a mature Christian. Well I want you to know that some of the most immature Christians I have ever pastored never missed a Sunday morning church service. Some of the most immature Christians I know have been in the same Bible study class for twenty years, and some of the most immature Christians I know have held official positions in the church.
4. In fact, I would go a little further and say, in addition to what Dr. Wiersbe said, that the second greatest problem in the church is having spiritually immature people in places of leadership.
5. God wants you to grow up. Your Heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and to become more like Jesus everyday. The sad truth is there are millions of Christians who grow older , but they never grow up.
6. Over and over and over we are told that God wants us to grow up.
''We are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head into Christ.'' (Eph. 4:15 ESV)
''So let us stop going over the ...
Series: Building Blocks
James Merritt
1 John 2:12-14
INTRODUCTION
1. Warren Wiersbe is one of the most popular and well known Bible teachers in all of the world. He once made this incredible statement: ''After over forty years of ministry, I am convinced that spiritual immaturity is the number one problem in our churches.''1
2. I heard a story of a little boy who fell out of bed in the middle of the night. When his mother rushed to his room to ask him what happened, he said, ''I don't know. I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.'' So many Christians do that with their faith. For most of their Christian life they stay too close where they got in.
3. You see, we often think that ''growing up is showing up.'' We think that if a person comes to church on Sunday morning, and perhaps even attends a Bible study group, and maybe even holds an official position in the church like deacon, or Sunday School teacher, or committee member, or a trustee, that he or she must be a mature Christian. Well I want you to know that some of the most immature Christians I have ever pastored never missed a Sunday morning church service. Some of the most immature Christians I know have been in the same Bible study class for twenty years, and some of the most immature Christians I know have held official positions in the church.
4. In fact, I would go a little further and say, in addition to what Dr. Wiersbe said, that the second greatest problem in the church is having spiritually immature people in places of leadership.
5. God wants you to grow up. Your Heavenly Father's goal is for you to mature and to become more like Jesus everyday. The sad truth is there are millions of Christians who grow older , but they never grow up.
6. Over and over and over we are told that God wants us to grow up.
''We are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head into Christ.'' (Eph. 4:15 ESV)
''So let us stop going over the ...
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