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"We love because God first loved us"
-1 John 4:19 |
Sermon Archive
How to Experience Growth in Love
HOW TO EXPERIENCE GROWTH
“Miracle Grow”, anybody know what this is? This is great stuff. You put it on your tomatoes & you get bigger tomatoes. You put it on your flowers & you get bigger flowers. My question is this, is there any such thing as Miracle Grow for continual spiritual growth? The answer is yes. Let me explain.
Some of you have experienced a one-time experience of growth. You went to church service, a camp or a retreat or a TEC, & something happened spiritually. But you’ve never really built on it.
Some of you have experienced a time-to-time experience of growth. Every once in a while you grow a little bit but it’s followed by long periods of no growth.
My dream for us is growth on a continual basis. I’m not promising perfection. But it is possible to have a continual growth experience. Colossians 2:7“Let your roots grow down into him (Jesus) & draw up nourishment from him so you will grow in faith, strong & vigorous in the truth that you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all that he has done.” This verse says growth is possible. Here are three commitments that will make growth possible.
I. A Commitment to Grow Without commitment there is no growth. The good news in this God is committed to your growth. But before you can grow in faith you must first be saved! The Bible says that Jesus “came to seek & save those who were lost.”(Luke 19:10) Let me explain.
I read about this exhibit of the Titanic. As you enter the exhibit, they give you this ticket with the name of one of the ship's passengers or crewmen on it. At the end of the tour there's this large wall with two lists of names under two headings: Saved" or "Lost."
As you read the Bible, you begin to realize that all of humanity is divided into those same two lists: "saved" & "lost." You're on one or the other. And you determine what list you are on! . The Apostle Paul shared how you get your name on the saved list. He said: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord & believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” ( Romans 10:9) “ Saved or lost.” If you want to be on the “SAVED” list you must put your trust in Jesus as your Savior & Lord & receive Him by personal invitation?
The moment you are saved God gives you everything you need for spiritual growth. Peter says: “God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him..”(2 Peter 1:3 NLT). He gave you everything you need, but you have to make a commitment to develop what God has given you. In high school I committed myself to play football. I was given everything I needed to play. I got a helmet, pads, shoes, a uniform, a mouth guard, & a playbook. The same thing happens when you commit yourself to be on God’s team.
I know some of you might be thinking, “Committed? Me? I’m over committed already! How am I going to do more?” My answer: Titus 2:14“Jesus gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us & to make us his very own people totally committed to doing what is right.” See what this verse is saying? Jesus Christ gave his life to give us the power to live out this kind of commitment.
Jesus gave his life, not only to FORGIVE you but also to GROW you.
Deuteronomy 30:20 talks about that. “Choose to love the Lord your God & obey him & commit yourself to him, for he is your life.” Notice the word – “choose.” I guess God could make the choice for us & say, “I’m going to choose for you to be committed.” But he doesn’t. He asks us to be on His team. It is a choice.
In two weeks, we are going to begin 40 Days of Growth in Love. You have an opportunity to make a commitment to grow in love in your relationships over the 40 days leading up to Easter. If you don’t make the choice not much is going to happen, but if you do make the choice incredible things can happen.
1 Corinthians 14:1 in the Message paraphrase says this about the commitment to love. “Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” Why does my life depend on going after a life of love? Because God made me to live in a love relationship with him & other people. But I’ve got to choose to do it.
If I’m going to grow in love or in anything else it starts with a commitment, a decision. Second commitment is:
II. A Commitment to Learn God’s Truth God tells us the truth in the Bible about ourselves, about this world, about life. His truth will grow you, but in order for that truth to grow you it’s got to get into you.
This Miracle Grow does no good if I just put it on a shelf in my house.
For Miracle Grow to help my plants grow I’ve got to get it into the plants.
The same is true about God’s truth. God’s truth will help you grow only if you get it into your life. And when you do growth happens. “ All Scripture is inspired by God & is useful to teach us what is true & to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong & teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare & equip his people to do every good work.“ 2 Tim 3:16-17 NLT
So how do we get God’s Word into our lives so we can learn?
First way that we learn is we HEAR. Right now, as I’m talking to you, you’re hearing, at least I hope you’re hearing. That’s one way of learning God’s truth. It’s a good way. But if it’s the only way you will experience some frustration.
How many of you have experienced this? You come in & you hear a message & you think, “Yeah!” I need to make a fresh commitment to grow in that area.” Then you walk out the door & life happens & your commitment gets crowded out before the end of the week. You come back the next week & think, “I didn’t get it done.” You start feeling frustrated & think you can’t grow spiritually. Yes you can! Hearing is one way. It’s important. But there’s a second way…
A second way we learn is to Hear God’s Truth in Relationships. During 40 Days of Growth in Love we are going to have two groups with teaching on DVD about 1 Corinthians 13. There will be discussion about what was taught & how to apply it to your life.
Relationships are one of the key ingredients for continual growth. It’s really difficult to grow by yourself. Hebrews 10:24 “ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love & good works.” (NLT) We are to motivate one another to grow in acts of love & good deeds. There’s a third commitment I’d like you to consider.
III. A Commitment to Prayer & Fasting The subject of prayer & fasting shows up in many places in the Bible. And everywhere you find prayer & fasting, you find growth happening. God tends to show up whenever His people commit to pray & fast.
Fasting isn’t about giving up something, it’s about freedom. Freedom to invest the time that you would have been eating or doing whatever activity you may choose to give up.
Fasting is about freedom to invest time in reading the play book, the Bible; freedom to invest time in talking with God about your needs & the needs of others; freedom to invest time to listen to God; freedom to invest time in helping others. Here’s what Jesus said about fasting in the Message paraphrase: “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable & disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair & wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matt. 6:16-18 NLT Fasting that is God focused, will be rewarded!
As you consider how you might participate in this time of prayer & fasting, I encourage you to be creative as you think of what you might fast from. Some may choose to fast from: the use of Cell phones, I pods, facebook, or Texting for a time. Others may fast from food, your favorite weekly TV shows, eating out, or drinking coffee & eating peppermint ice cream (I’m going to do that).
How to fast? Pick a day, a time to fast. Plan which meal/s or activity to skip. (See handout) Take the time, you would have eating or doing the activity, & read some from the playbook & pray. We have provided you with a hand out in the bulletin. If you didn’t get one we have extras on the kiosk. Please make a commitment to grow your faith & see how God rewards you.
Prayer: Lord, you know my heart. You know how frustrated I get sometimes in this area of spiritual growth. Thank you for not giving up on me. Today, based on your love for me, I make a fresh commitment to grow. God, thank you for loving us, saving us & for allowing us to grow to be more like Jesus.