Becoming a Young Adult

Becoming a Young Adult

Stages of Life: adaption from Erickson s Eight Stage Theory Infancy 0-2 years: Trust vs Mistrust... Hope, Will Childhood 3-12 years: Autonomy, Shame, Initiative vs Guilt... Purpose and Competence Adolescence 12-19 years: Identity vs Confusion... Faithfulness Young Adult 20-40 years: intimacy vs Isolation Love Middle Age 41-64 years: Generativity vs Stagnation... Care Senior Years 65 years: Integrity vs Despair... Wisdom

The Physical is a metaphor for the Spiritual

When Reading your Bible Read Thoughtfully Read Repeatedly Read Patiently Read Prayerfully (errad) acronym

Ephesians 6:1-4 1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 Honor your father and mother which is the first commandment with a promise 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 4:11-15 (Spiritual Father s and Mother s) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-15 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. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

Infancy is a stage not a state Are you maturing or are you just getting older?

1 Peter 2:1-3 1 Therefore, laying aside (Put off) all malice (desire to hurt), all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2 as newborn babes, desire (pursue with love) the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Spiritual immaturity is a decision not to mature.

Hebrews 5:12-14 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles (Words) of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 5:12-14 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 5:12-14 Full Age: of persons, full grown, adult, of full age, mature Senses: Faculty of mind for perceiving, understanding and judging Exercised: to exercise vigorously, in any way, either the body or the mind Discern: a distinguishing, discerning, judging

Exercise the mind today.

Phil 1: 9-11 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Reaching Adulthood Spiritually and Socially Maturity is Love for God Maturity is your Love for Others

Barriers to Maturity. are barriers to Love.

Immaturity Unloving barriers Isolation Dependence withdraw independence Emotional Manipulation of others Submit to emotional state Emotional detachment Learned distrust Build walls Exercised distrust Self life Please self Self-centred attachment... conditional Live to get... detachment... when I can t get more needs supervision Rebel individualism

Immaturity Loving choices Intimacy in Society Dependence Connect to serve Interdependence Emotional Manipulation of others Learned distrust Control your emotions. Build bridges Reciprocity Empathy Exercise trustworthiness Self Life Die to Self Other minded attachment.. conditional needs supervision Live to give... Develop submission connection... unconditional community

Immaturity Loving choices Spiritual Intimacy Dependence Emotional Manipulation of others Connect to serve Control your emotions. Building with God Trusting His Word Learned distrust Build bridges Being faithful Self Life attachment.. conditional needs supervision Die to Self Live to give... Develop submission Living to please Jesus Loving unconditionally Fellowship and service in the Church.

Ephesians 4:11-15 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-15 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. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.