3 Marks of A Mature Believer (James 1:2-4; 3:2; 4:1-6 NKJV)

Transcription

1 Message for THE LORD S DAY EVENING, August 4, 2012 Christian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolina by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister 3 Marks of A Mature Believer (James 1:2-4; 3:2; 4:1-6 NKJV) I N T R O D U C T I O N Please open your Bibles to the Book of James. We ll be getting to our scripture text in a few moments. In tonight s message we are going to be considering 3 Marks Of A Mature Believer. The dictionary defines mature as being complete in natural growth or development; or to be completed or perfected. I L L U S T R A T I O N I m sure you have all probably seen those Cheez-it commercials on TV. The commercial begins like this.. At Cheez-It, we expect a lot from our cheese. That s why we MATURE our cheese before we bake it into every delicious cracker. At Cheez-it, REAL CHEESE MATTERS. And then the commercial shifts to an INSPECTION ROOM where a cheese inspector inspects a big block of cheese to see if it has MATURED enough to be used in Cheez-It crackers. During the inspection the BIG BLOCK OF CHEESE engages in some immature antics like REPEATING EVERY WORD THE INSPECTOR says or TELLING KNOCK KNOCK JOKES or TAPING A SIGN ON THE INSPECTOR S BACK that reads: KICK ME! Realizing the BLOCK OF CHEESE hasn t matured enough to be used in CHEEZ-IT CRACKERS, the inspector checks NOT READY on his evaluation sheet. But then in the next scene, the inspector comes back and the block of cheese no longer displays the immature, childish antics he displayed earlier. The block of cheese acts more grown up and mature and the inspector checks READY on his evaluation sheet.

2 GROWING UP and MATURING SPIRITUALLY is not an option with GOD! In fact it is GOD S WILL that each and everyone of us MATURE in order to become more like Jesus Christ. Hebrews 6:1 in the New Living Translation says it this way: So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. How Can I Know If I Am A Mature Believer? Some try to determine their spiritual maturity by comparing themselves with other Christians. GALATIANS 6:4 in the Simple English Bible says, A person should not compare himself with someone else. Each person should judge his own actions. Some try to determine their spiritual maturity by the number of years they have been a Christian. Just because someone has been a Christian for twenty..thirty..forty years or more doesn t necessarily mean he or she is a mature Christian. The apostle Paul addressed this issue very clearly in I Corinthians 3:1-3: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 (NKJV) 1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? Well, if one cannot determine one s spiritual maturity by comparing himself to others. And if one cannot determine spiritual maturity by the number of years one has been a Christian. Then just how does one determine spiritual maturity? There is only one way.one accurate measurement and that is the WORD OF GOD.

3 The Book of James in the New Testament talks a lot about spiritual maturity. In fact the word mature appears five times in the Book of James. For the remainder of the message I would like for us to turn in our Bibles to the Book of James and focus on 3 Marks of A Mature Believer. First of all, I. A Mature Believer ENDURES Trials PATIENTLY James 1:2-4 (NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 1. That command in verse 2 may be one of the hardest commands in the New Testament. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. 2. James is NOT saying that our trials themselves are joyful. He is not saying trials are fun or trials are pleasurable. What he is saying is Joy in trials comes from knowing the outcome will be good. 3. The joy comes in knowing that when we go through trials God is not trying to defeat us or destroy us, but that He is trying to conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. The joy comes in knowing that God will waste no circumstance no adversity.no sickness..no failure.no trouble..no loss in achieving that divine end, to conform us to the image of Christ.

4 ILLUSTRATION: With the development of the modern-day DIGITAL CAMERAS we have almost forgotten how pictures used to be developed. They used what was called DARK ROOMS. The dark room was equipped with a 15-watt red light bulb that allowed just enough light in the room for the person to see what they were doing. In order to develop the film the film had to unloaded from the camera without any exposure to light. Then the film had to be soaked in a pan of developing chemicals. Once the film was developed, each picture had to be hung on a string or wire line to dry. After drying the film would then be put on photograph paper. All those processes required a whole lot of patience, but the end result revealed a beautiful picture. 4. Think of trials as God s darkroom. Think of your times of sickness or pain or trouble or grief or heartache as the developing fluids. While you are in the midst of your trials you can t see the picture. But once the trial is completed the true picture begins to appear. It is a picture of you and yet you bear a stronger resemblance to Christ. 5. How you and I respond to our times of trial in life reveals a lot about our spiritual maturity. How do you react to problems? Do you PANIC or do you PRAY? Do you GRIPE and COMPLAIN or do you PRAISE GOD? Do you get all NERVOUS and UPTIGHT or do you have the calm peace that passes all understanding? 6. A mature believer endures trials patiently!

5 II. A Mature Believer Carefully GUARDS His TONGUE James 3:2 (NKJV) For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 1. Notice that phrase, If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man. The greek word for perfect in this verse doesn t mean sinless, but rather it means MATURE. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a MATURE man. If there was such a thing as a Foot In The Mouth Club we would all be honorary members. If police gave out tickets for Failure To Yield the Right of Way to Keep Our Mouth Shut we would spend half our life in District Court. None of us can ever become completely sinless with regards to our tongue, but we can become more and more mature in governing our tongue. 2. Have you ever noticed when you go to the doctor for an examination one of the first things the doctor has you do is stick out your tongue. The tongue reveals a lot about your overall health. 3. Likewise, the tongue reveals a whole lot about your overall spiritual health as well. Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:34 (NKJV) For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. In other words what comes out of here (point to mouth) springs forth from the well that is in here. (point to heart) BITTER WORDS come from a BITTER HEART. PERVERSE WORDS come from a PERVERSE HEART. HATEFUL WORDS come from a HATEFUL HEART. ABUSIVE WORDS come from an ABUSIVE HEART.

6 But likewise.. KIND WORDS come from a KIND HEART. TENDER WORDS come from a TENDER HEART. LOVING WORDS come from a LOVING HEART. FORGIVING WORDS come from a FORGIVING HEART. The words that come out of here (point to mouth again) spring forth from the well that is in here. (point to heart again) 4. Our mouth reveals a whole lot about our level of spiritual maturity. James 1:26 (NKJV) If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one s religion is useless. Wow, that s a pretty strong statement isn t it? No matter how religious we think we are. No matter how religious we may appear to be to others, our mouth will reveal the truth. 5. There s not a one of us here who hasn t sinned with our tongue in one way or another is there? NOT ONE OF US! But the question is this: Have I matured? Have I gotten better about exercising self-control over my tongue? Is there visible evidence to myself and others that I have matured in matters of my tongue? -Do I still gossip and spread rumors? -Do I still criticize people and make judgmental remarks? -Do I still speak impulsively and say the first thing that comes to mind? -Do I still exaggerate the truth or say things I know are not true? -Do I still use profanity in my everyday speech? Do I speak as a spiritually mature grown up or a spiritually immature child?

7 MARK #1: A Mature Believer ENDURES Trials PATIENTLY MARK #2: A Mature Believer Carefully GUARDS His TONGUE Now here s MARK #3.. III. A Mature Believer is a PEACE MAKER Not A TROUBLE- MAKER James 4:1-4 (NKJV) Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 1. The Lord has made it very clear in His word that He desires unity, peace and harmony to prevail in His Church. Satan realizes this and therefore does everything he possibly can to work on the minds and hearts of some members of the Church to disrupt or destroy the unity and peace. 2. Now I assure you I am not addressing any issues in this Church that I am aware of. Consider this preventative maintenance. 3. As a hypothetical, let s just suppose there was a troublemaker in this Church. How would identify them? Jesus says in Matthew 7:20 (NKJV) Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 4. The apostle Paul gives us some more specific details about these fruits in Romans 16:17-18 Turn over to that passage and let s read it together. (Romans 16:17,18 text on next page)

8 Romans 16:17,18 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. Paul is revealing two characteristics, two fruits of every Church troublemaker. First of all (A) A Church trouble maker is DIVISIVE 17a Note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned AND DO WHAT? AND AVOID THEM! That word divisions means to splinter. A troublemaker s goal is to splinter or divide the ranks within the Church. That word offences means to lay a trap or to lure someone into a snare. It is from this word we get our English word scandal. A troublemaker twists God s word. A trouble maker often misuses and mishandles God s word to portray themselves as the defender of what is right when in reality they are only using the Bible to mask their selfish motives and hidden agenda. That brings us to the second characteristic of a Church trouble maker.

9 (B) A Church trouble maker is DECEPTIVE v.18b by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. Church trouble makers often have a way with words. They can come across as very sincere, humble, soft-spoken individuals who seem to be genuinely concerned for the welfare of the Church. concerned for the Church. But in reality they are wolves in sheep s clothing. Church trouble makers almost always operate under the radar. In other words they do their evil deeds in private on the telephone or behind closed doors. And once they are confident they have gained support for their selfish cause they become more emboldened and bring their trouble out into the open hoping to gain even more support. ILLUSTRATION: Years ago a fellow minister friend of mine did something I have never forgotten. A man who had caused trouble in his Church for years got upset and left the Church and started attending services at the Church where I was ministering. When my minister friend learned about it, he didn t call me, he came to my office and warned me face to face about this man. He said, He s a snake-in-the grass and you better keep a close eye on him. I was grateful for that preacher s honesty. Well in spite of our best efforts to keep a close eye on the troublemaker, in no time at all he was working his divisive and deceptive schemes behind the scenes and eventually Satan used this man to help destroy the unity in our Church. I have to ask you.. Are you a peace maker or a trouble maker? Are you more concerned about what THE LORD wants for this Church or what you personally want? Do you have ill feelings toward someone in this Church? Are you mad at the preacher? Do you have an axe to grind? A MATURE BELIEVER IS A PEACE MAKER NOT TROUBLE MAKERS!

10 C O N C L U S I O N In closing I want to share with you something Philip Yancey said about spiritual maturity in his book, Disappointment With God. Human beings grow by striving, working, stretching; and in a sense, human nature needs problems more than solutions. Why are not all prayers answered magically and instantly? Why must every convert travel the same tedious path of spiritual discipline? Because persistent prayer, and fasting, and study, and meditation are designed primarily for our sakes, not for God's. Kierkegaard said that Christians reminded him of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than work them through...we yearn for shortcuts. But shortcuts usually lead away from growth, not toward it. Apply the principle directly to Job: what was the final result of the testing he went through? As Rabbi Abraham Heschel observed, "Faith like Job's cannot be shaken because it is the result of having been shaken." Philip Yancey, Disappointment With God, Zondervan, pp As we leave this place this evening, the challenge before all of us is this. Let us grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ! Let us press on toward spiritual maturity!