Keys to Spiritual Growth - Part 1 Pastor Troy Dobbs Grace Church of Eden Prairie January 10, 2016 Now this may sound bizarre but there are 2 you s that make up YOU. There is the outer you that we can see / touch and relate to. And there is an inner you that is unseeable and untouchable but real nonetheless. And now especially at the beginning of a NEW YEAR people spend a ton of time working on the outer you. 1
We spend a lot of time in front of the mirror We go to the gym We hit the treadmill We lift a few weights We watch our calories We try to shed those unwanted pounds We cut back on the snacks We try diligently to overcome the effects of gravity on our bodies And rightly so! However my guess is that few of us think much about the health and condition of the unseen part of who we are the inner man. 2
So I want us to take a physical spiritually today. I want us to spend some time evaluating our spiritual health and well being. Here s how: ON SCREEN i In the NT there are 7 indicators of a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ. A legit follower of Jesus Christ will be: 1. A worshipper one who loves God. 3
2. A prayer one who depends on God. 3. A server one who serves God by serving others. 4. A giver one who uses their resources for God s purposes. 5. A learner one who consistently learns from God s word. 6. A relater one who engages in community with God s people. 7. A reproducer one who takes the gospel here / near / far away to make disciples. And so today, I ve converted the 7 indicators into 7 questions (in order) to help us appraise our spiritual health. 4
So rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. 10 = killing it 1 = getting killed OUTLINES Question #1 to help you gauge your spiritual health 1. Am I growing in my love for Jesus Christ? ii Do I love Jesus today more than I did yesterday? Hands down - this is the most important question of the day! 5
Now to be clear Simply being in a relationship with Jesus does not mean you are growing in your love for Jesus Christ. Longevity (in a relationship) is not to be mistaken as love! A long marriage doesn t necessarily point to a loving relationship. Disturbingly, Matthew 24:12 says that in the end the love of most will grow cold. iii Bottom line: the love of most will grow cold because persecution is going to thin out the ranks. 6
Moreover there are a lot of dead idols clamoring for our heart s allegiance. Whether it be: the car you drive in the boat you float on the job you work the clothes you wear the place you reside or the cabin you frequent. Loving Jesus is not as easy as it might sound. So let me ask you: Has your love for Christ grown cold? Has your passion for His person cooled off? 7
Has your simple pure love for Jesus waned in the past year? iv If so remember the Bible beckons us to love God with every ounce of our being. Matthew 22:37 says 37 And He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind. v (notice the intense / wholistic nature of this call to love ALL ALL - ALL) Moreover, Deuteronomy 6 Moses first sermon to the Nation of Israel He begins by saying: 8
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD 5 your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your strength. Deuteronomy 6: 4-5 vi Moses calls on the people of God to love God 10 different times. He continually reiterates his love God declaration because he knows if people don t love God: all the commands in the world won t inspire obedience vii So are you loving God intellectually 9
soulfully emotionally physically? Score yourself 10 = killing it (doing great) 1 = getting killed (need help) I read a quote the other day that said: Come back to the foot of the CROSS and fall in love with Jesus again and again. Think about who He is and what He s done. viii Rejoice in your salvation! 10
The Chinese have a saying: No house is big enough for two women. In the same way, no Christian life is big enough for two lovers. So keep increasing in your love for Jesus - ALONE! Question #2 to guage your spiritual health 2. Am I actively engaged in ministry? ix You should ask yourself a couple of questions today: 1) Now that I know Christ am I meeting the needs of anyone else? 11
2) What am I giving my life to? Now if you are serving you can take a power nap for the next 3 minutes. It was John Calvin who once said, There is nothing in which men resemble God more truly than in serving others. Furthermore, decades after Paul s service to Jesus Christ ended Christians were continually deflecting false charges and dealing with undeserved persecution. And on one of these occasions, a famous Grecian philosopher from Athens named Aristides who had 12
himself become a Christian was called upon to defend Christianity before Antoninus Pius. Surprisingly, his primary apologetic was the way the Christians served people he noted: these Christians - They love one another. - They do not ignore the widow s needs. - And they rescue the orphan from the person who does him violence. Moreover, among what are called the great religions of the world, Christianity is peer-less when it comes to demonstrating concern for people and their needs. 13
SERVICE is one of the hallmarks of the born again Christian. Meeting needs is the way of Jesus. x So you can trace your progress toward Christ-likeness by tracking your concern for the needs of others. xi So ask yourself: Do I care more for people than I did a year ago? Is my Christianity about ME or OTHERS? Do I care less for people than I did a year ago? 14
Even Jesus himself said, 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45 xii Ultimately Christ has served you by suffering / dying on your behalf So we serve Him by serving others! Score yourself: 10 = doing great 1 = need help Question #3 to gauge your spiritual health 3. Am I known by other people in Christian community? xiii 15
Now I know some people like to slip into Grace and be nameless and kick the tires a bit. And I get it. But for those who are in Christ there is no place in the Bible for: - flying solo - or being in the family of God but never engaging with others. As a matter of fact there are 3 dozen mutuality commands in the New Testament that bind us together in profound ways. 16
These one another commands tip us off to the reality that we all need: Christian connection and direction Community and encouragement Accountability and support xiv Bottom line: The closer you are to the Lord the closer you will be to other believers. xv Interestingly, over in Psalm 149:4 it says that the Lord takes pleasure in His people So if the Lord takes pleasure in His people my question is: DO YOU? 17
Now this may sound a little creepy, but I ENJOY being around you (most of you.) SO HOW ABOUT IT Are you connecting with anyone in a SMALL GROUP? If not I want to encourage you to move in that direction today. (In 2 weeks we actually begin a new series, Road to Truth.) xvi So score yourself: 10 = killing it 1 = getting killed 18
Question #4 to gauge your spiritual health: 4. Am I investing financially in the Kingdom of God? xvii I have 2 questions for you: A. Has the grace of God demonstrated through the CROSS of Christ touched the way you think about your finances? xviii B. Has God s generosity through His Son made you more generous? xix Bottom line: The reason we give to/through the church is because the work of the local 19
church is the work of Jesus in the world. So evaluate: Am I generous towards God. Am I growing in my generosity? Question #5 to gauge your spiritual health 5. Am I increasing in my knowledge/ obedience of the Bible? xx Thomas Chalmers said, The sum and substance of the preparation needed for a coming eternity is that you believe what the Bible tells you AND do what the Bible bids you xxi 20
Listen and this is not HYPE because I am a pastor: But the single most valuable item on Earth is the Bible. xxii God s Word is like food and water to the soul (the inner you). Jeremiah 15:16 16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. xxiii Listen the Word of God is perfect / sure / right / true and sweeter than honey, and to be desired more than gold. (Psalm 17:7-10) 21
The psalmist exclaimed 72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (Psalm 119:72) The Word of God can raise the dead calm the storm convert the soul make the wise simple and the simple wise. It can bring refreshment to the heart, and illumination to the eyes. xxiv The Bible is unlike any other book. 22
It came from God and cannot be destroyed by man. Listen to Hebrews 4:12 and how the Word impacts the INNER YOU! 12 The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any doubleedged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. xxv Thus, no other object on earth is as valuable as the Bible for nothing else can provide anything as essential or eternal. 23
So every Christian needs MEGADOSES of Scripture because without God s Word we ll never resemble God s Son. One author said Loving the truth is a matter of perishing or being saved. Indifference to the truth of the Word is a mark of spiritual death. 1 Peter 2:2 says 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, So let me ask you Do you CRAVE God s Book? 24
Do you delight in this Book or dismiss it altogether? Do you love to obey it? Do you meditate on these words or rush to get through them? Does this Word have a growing influence in/on your life? If not, make it a priority to READ and OBEY God s Word. Question #6 to gauge your spiritual health 6. Am I learning to pray? xxvi God speaks to us through His Word. We speak to God through prayer therein lies the relationship. 25
A.W. Pink said, If the soul of the believer is in a healthy condition, he will take occasion to frequently come into God s presence on purpose to have communion with Him. So are you seeing the great value: in learning how to PRAY of REPENTING of sin in ASKING God for wisdom and boldness and YIELDING your agenda to His The reality regarding prayer is: you never become an expert! 26
So, are you desiring to commune / communicate with God? Or is your soul dry and prayer life anemic? If so ask Jesus to refresh you. Tonight at 6:30 in the chapel we are going to gather together as a church to pray. (2 nd Sunday of every month.) Question #7 to gauge your spiritual health 7. Am I making disciples of Jesus? xxvii Can you point to anyone else you are bringing along in the Christian faith? xxviii 27
You see, discipleship is not just about gaining information or experiencing personal transformation. Christian discipleship is about spiritual reproduction. xxix It is about leading people to Christ and then into fully devoted followers of Christ. Chesterton said one time that: Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. xxx Paul said this 28
7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 xxxi Here we see it bodily training is of some value. Take care of the outer you! Yet know godliness is of value in every way (inner you). So train the outer you to stay in shape for your wife. 29
AND Train the inner you to stay in shape for your Savior! 30
i In the NT there are 7 indicators of a healthy, thriving follower of Jesus Christ. A genuine follower of Jesus Christ will be: 1. A worshipper one who loves God. 2. A prayer one who depends on God. 3. A server one who serves God by serving others. 4. A giver one who uses their resources for God s purposes. 5. A learner one who consistently learns from God s word. 6. A relater one who engages in community with God s people. 7. A reproducer one who takes the gospel here / near / far away to make disciples. ii 1.) Am I growing in my love for Jesus Christ? iii As a matter of fact most people aren t Matthew 24:12 says that in the end the love of most will grow cold. iv So let me ask you: Has your love for Christ grown cold? Has your passion for His person cooled off? Has your simple pure love for Jesus waned in the past year? v Matthew 22:37 vi Deuteronomy 6:4-5 vii all the commands in the world won t inspire obedience viii Think about who He is and what He s done. ix 2.) Am I actively engaged in ministry? x SERVICE is one of the hallmarks of the born again Christian. Meeting needs is the way of Jesus. xi So you can trace your progress toward Christ-likeness by tracking your concern for the needs of others xii Mark 10:45 xiii 3.) Am I known by other people in Christian community? xiv Those one another commands tip us off to the reality that we all need: Christian connection and direction Community and encouragement Accountability and support xv The closer you are to the Lord the closer you will be to other believers. xvi Road to Truth graphic on screen xvii 4.) Am I investing financially in the Kingdom of God? 31
xviii Has the grace of God demonstrated via the CROSS of Christ touched the way you think about your finances? xix Has God s generosity through His son made you more generous? xx 5.) Am I increasing in my knowledge/ obedience of the Bible? xxi Thomas Chalmers said, The sum and substance of the preparation needed for a coming eternity is that you believe what the Bible tells you AND do what the Bible bids you xxii The single most valuable item on earth is the Bible. xxiii Jeremiah 15:16 xxiv The Word of God can raise the dead calm the storm convert the soul make the wise simple and the simple wise. It can bring refreshment to the heart, and illumination to the eyes. xxv Hebrews 4:12 xxvi 6.)Am I learning to pray? xxvii 7.) Am I making disciples of Jesus? xxviii Can you point to anyone else you are bringing along in the Christian faith? xxix Christian discipleship is about spiritual reproduction. xxx Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried. xxxi 1 Timothy 4:7-8 32