That We May Present You Mature In Christ

Our Congregational Goal this year is live up to this Scripture.  Colossians 1:28 “Him [Jesus] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

This past Sunday we defined spiritual maturity as: “Measuring-up to the stature of the fullness of Christ.”  No small task, but this is our goal in which we will give all our energy to fulfill.

Ephesians 4:13-14   “until we all attain … mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, ¹⁴ so that we may no longer be children…”  The Word of the Spirit of God is inviting us to leave spiritual infancy and strive for and attain mature manhood.  In other words, the Spirit is calling us to “man-up!” and “measure-up!” 

As we begin; please don’t excuse or disqualify yourself from maturing in Jesus.  If it sounds difficult and painful to measure up to Christ, you are right, it will be.  But Jesus will help you, He will be our founder and perfecter (maturer) of our faith.  (Hebrews 12:2)

It will be good to start by tackling the some of the myths or assumptions that perhaps you have developed in regards to Spiritual Maturity.  Here is a list:

• Myth #1:  Spiritual Maturity is a automatic.
• Myth #2:  Spiritual Maturity is for a select few.
• Myth #3:  Spiritual Maturity is mystical, abstract… immeasurable.
• Myth #4:  Spiritual Maturity is being better than others.
• Myth#5:  Spiritual Maturity is a just personal achievement.

We will deal in depth with each of these myths, on our Wednesday Night Bible Study tomorrow at 7 pm.  Hope to see you then.

The Gift of a Wonderful Counselor

 The Son was given to be a Wonderful Counselor.  We were given a Wonderful Counselor as a gift.

Isaiah 9:6

⁶    For to us a child is born,

          to us a son is given;

   and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

          and his name shall be called

     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

        Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

We Need a Wonderful Counselor.

His Name shall be called…  not his Name is…

               “called – Hebrew – proclaimed as… “

                              By those who draw near to Jesus, he will be a wonderful counselor.

I.                  Wonderful

A.     Wonderful Definition

Wonder – actions that cause to think,

          And when you think you realize that it is beyond you, So it points to God.

B.     Wonderful Christmas

Does Christmas make you wonder?  Does this narrative still capture your imagination?

1.      The improbable pregnancy of John the Baptist,

2.      The impossible pregnancy – The Virgin Pregnancy

3.      A star appears, draws curious wise men, and moves.

4.      Angels appears to shepherds.

5.      Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna are moved to go to the temple at the same time as his parents were there and spoke about his future.

Wonder of Christmas.  Does Christmas still make you wonder? Does it still move you? 

Wonder is part of God’s plan.

Isaiah 29:13-14 (ESV)

¹³      And the Lord said:

“     Because this people draw near with their mouth

          and honor me with their lips,

          while their hearts are far from me,

     and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

¹⁴      therefore, behold, I will again

          do wonderful things with this people,

          with wonder upon wonder;

God, will do wonder upon wonder; Can you see them?

               When was the last time you experience wonder?

              

God will do wonderful things with this people.

               God will do wonderful things with people who may not experience wonder.

C.     Wonderful Wonder

How do we miss wonder?

              

1.      Wonder requires more than faith, wonder requires risk. 

·        Wonder is found in the improbable, in the impossible,

·        Wonder moves us towards that which is risky, and unpredictable.

2.      Wonder is found more in the future than the past.

We forget wonder, we are not amazed by the past.

He will be called… Wonderful  this is moved towards what is ahead for you.

v  A child is born, a son is given, so you can experience…wonder.

II.               Counselor

Counselor – side by side, in proximity.

Immanuel – God with us.

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)   Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Wonderful Sign = God with us.

The Word became flesh and  dwelt among us.

Counselor – Among us, with us.

Wonderful Counselor – Wonders by among us, wonders with us.

III.              We Wear Wonder

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

¹⁴     I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

·        We even wear his wonder.  Wonder is not that far from you… can you see it.

We need a Wonderful Counselor.

Is Jesus Willing To Heal?

That’s the real question.  We normally don’t question his ability to heal, we read the narratives of his life, and they are full with physical and spiritual healing.  No, the real question for us whether or not Jesus is willing to heal?

Thankfully, the narratives of Jesus’ life are not just bursting with accounts of his power over sickness but they also include his willingness to heal.

In Mark 1:40-42, Jesus is met with that same question.  A leper begged him that if he was willing, Jesus could heal him.  Jesus responded to him with a heart of compassion, a physical touch and affirmation of his willingness to heal.  Don’t you love those words?  I am willing.

In a different occasion, He was asked for his help by someone, not just anyone, but a man who was considered to be enemy and oppressor of his people, a Roman Centurion.  When asked for help by an enemy, Jesus’ response was “I will go and heal him.”  (Matt. 8:5-8)

These are just two examples for us.  We may be familiar with the stories of healing in the Gospels, but it is more important that we are familiar with His willingness to heal; because that is the real question we struggle with.   

Jesus is not just a Healer, He is also willing!

Life In His Name

John The Apostle  specifically states the purpose for writing his narrative of the life of Jesus; in John 20:31 he writes: “…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”  Apparently, the “abundant life” that Jesus offers is lived in His Name.

Nowhere in the Gospels are given a description of His physical appearance, rather we are supplied with what we was like and who he was. What comes to your mind when you hear the Name of Jesus?  A mental picture of what could had looked like, or a description of His character and identity?

 We don’t know what He looked like, but we know His Name.   That is, we have his character and identity; these are the makeup of His Name.  The Name gives us his identity, in fact we are called by “His Name” (Isaiah 43:6-7).   “Life in His Name” = Abundant, Eternal Life.  This abundant life is not one of physical prosperity but rather an abundance of character that flows from the identity as His children who bear his Name.  And by His Name… we live. 

Sensitize Your Spirit and Desensitize Your Flesh.

I heard this quote at a pastor meeting last week: "When you pray in the Spirit you sensitize your spirit and desensitize your flesh." (I wish I could remember the speaker's name, oops) The quote has grabbed my attention ever since I heard it, and it has both led me and guided my prayers ever since.

According to Scripture we are expected to participate in the process of spiritual transformation- we active participants and partakers in the divine nature so that we may escape the corruption of our flesh caused by evil desires (1 Pet 1:4). I substituted the word "world" with "flesh" because I wanted to be more personal. My main problem is not with the world, it's with my flesh.

In His mercy, God has given us his Spirit to help us pray. More specifically, in Jude 20: But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. When we pray in the Spirit, we build ourselves up. We have a hand in our own edification.

Praying in the Spirit sensitizes my spirit, and desensitizes my flesh. Dear God, I need that. Thank you for your help God. I take responsibility in the role that I play in Transformation.