MATURITY #4/7

#1 · March 9, 2009, 3:28 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on March 9, 2009, 3:28 pm
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
MATURITY #4/7

GROW IN GRACE

March 8, 2009

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Exploring the meaning of Christian maturity has resulted in some challenging truths for me. This Scripture is one of those challenges. The Bible makes it clear that as we proceed on our spiritual growth journey to greater maturity, we are to change. The Scripture that we heard last week, Philippians 3:1-11, testifies to Pauls change. He described all of his previous credentials and accomplishments as rubbish. In verses 7-8, he describes his change this way, But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. Surrendering to the Lord this way is a big part of spiritual maturity.

It is at this junction that a Christian has to be careful to not cross over that boundary into self-righteousness. As we journey along the path of spiritual maturity, we must stay focused on the author of the faith we pursue. As we do so, we learn how to grow in grace. This is illustrated for us in 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1.

Paul faced many challenges while confronting the Corinthian church. Here was a church that had developed many problems, and they needed to get headed in the right direction again. Paul addressed many of their shortcomings with firmness. But in this part of the letter, he wrote about the believers freedom. In this section of Scripture, we find our lesson about growing in grace.

Earlier in chapter ten, Paul issued a warning about idolatry. It was as wrong, of course, for Christians to participate in the worship of idols as it was for the Jews. There is only one God alone to be worshiped. He even addressed the eating or drinking of anything used as an offering to an idol: it was wrong. Then, in the following paragraphs, Paul writes, Everything is permissible. We need to be clear that Paul is not suggesting that doing any kind of evil deeds or outright disobeying a command of God is permissible. Paul would never suggest that. Context is very important here.

There is a distinguishing characteristic between what Paul wrote in these two portions of his letter. When he instructed the Corinthians to not eat or drink anything offered to the idols, he was specifying to not be part of the service. In other words, do not go to their altars and participate in their worship by eating or drinking anything offered to the idol.

It was the habit in that time for leftovers, so to speak, from the idol worship service to be sold in the marketplace. This is what Paul now refers to. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, The earth is the Lords, and everything in it. (25-26) It is no longer being used for an ungodly purpose, so the freedom of the Christian believer allows him or her to buy it and eat it. That is part of what it means to avoid unnecessary legalisms.

Paul goes even further. If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put in before you without raising questions of conscience. (27) Again, Paul is clear throughout his letters that there are moral boundaries established by God that the Christian cannot cross. The believer is not necessarily free to do everything his neighbor invites him to do. But outside of those matters, Christians should be hospitable toward unbelievers so that the opportunity for witness can develop. What Paul implies here is that the Christian was not to puff up his chest, take on that haughty air, and reply, No, I am not accepting your invitation. I am a Christian, and I am not going to touch the meat you serve because it has been offered to an idol. Paul would tell us, Go! Be a gracious Christian and be a witness.

Let us all be aware that Pauls letter is written to Christians. These are our instructions for better living. Just because we have the freedoms that Paul describes here does not mean that we are to be insensitive to others. Take a look again at verses 23-24: Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive. And here is the defining criteria: Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Whether we are in contact with unbelievers, new Christians, or seasoned Christians, each of us bears the responsibility to seek what is best, in obedience to God, for the other person. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God. (vs. 32)

Many years ago, I was watching the Saturday morning cartoon version of Winnie the Pooh. In this episode, Pooh and Rabbit and Piglet and Tigger see Eeyore sitting alone on a hilltop. Since it appears to them that Eeyore is lonely, they decide to cheer him up. So each friend sets out to get poor old Eeyore involved in what they like to do. Rabbit gets him into his garden. Pooh lavishes Eeyore in honey. Tigger, of course, fits him with springs on his feet so that they can bounce together. Each of these well-intentioned activities results in disaster for poor old Eeyore. Finally it is Piglets turn to cheer up his friend. Piglet apologizes and tells Eeyore that there isnt anything he can think of to cheer him up. At this point, Eeyore learns what this is all about and shares with Piglet and the others that he is not lonely or miserable on his hill. He sits up there to wait for the splendor of the sunset, at which point the cartoon breaks out in a dazzling array of exploding colors, and everyone oohs and aahs at them. Applying that little cartoon lesson to Scripture, we can understand that there could have been a lot of trouble saved if Eeyores friends had taken the time to seek not his own good, but the good of the one they were trying to help.

From our responsive reading earlier, we heard James write, My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19) Like Paul, James is writing to Christians, and he admonishes us to grow with grace. Now this is all easier to say than to do, because I know how easy it is to do just the opposite of what James writes: slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry. I see that happen with others, and I fall into the habit myself. By the way, one thing you can understand in this series on maturity and many other sermons is that, as your preacher exploring and sharing the Word of God with you, I have the responsibility to point my finger at you. But I also recognize the sobering reality that three fingers are pointing back at me. Every sermon that the Lord lays on my heart and puts in my mind is a lesson for me, too. So, as I said, it is not easy to put into practice what we are taught in the Bible. But practicing such disciplines is exactly what spiritual growth and maturity is all about. If we dont get it done this time, we confess to God and to the other person as possible and do it Gods way the next time around. We get off the milk and onto the solid food. We grow in grace.

For the most part, Hollywood is no friend of the Christian faith. I dont think that there is much argument there. But every once in awhile, Hollywood does make a valid point whether it intends to or not. Lois and I were watching the video movie Because of Winn-Dixie. We dont make it to the movie theater very often, so its not unusual for a picture to be out for a long time before we see it. Anyway, the movie is a quirky little story about a girl whose mother has abandoned the family. Her father, a pastor, has moved to a small town. So they are strangers there. The congregation he serves doesnt have their own building; they meet in a store on Sundays. The girl ends up with a shaggy stray dog she names him Winn-Dixie - that ends up getting her to meet some people she probably would not have otherwise met. The theme is that each of them share a lonely existence due to some unresolved issue or just because they are ignored by others in the town. What caught my attention is that even though there was a church in this movie, it was not the church that responded to the needs of their neighbors. As I have thought about it, this is not all that unusual in many movies where Christianity and church is included at all. There was a religious element in the movie Forrest Gump, for instance, but it was not the Christian fellowship that reached out to the needs of Forrest, his mother, and his girlfriend.

Like I said, Hollywood is not friend of the Christian faith, so I dont look to them to provide me many meaningful lessons on life, but I do think that this is one that we can take seriously. Our real lives are not scripted by Hollywood, but are we fitting this mold that they are portraying? Are we failing to grow in grace like God wants? Are we missing opportunities to minister to the needs of lives around us because we fail to seek the good of others? Are we making sure that everyone who visits and shares in our Sunday school and worship service is extended a joyful hand of fellowship? Are we falling down in our responsibility to be mature Christians who can set aside our own agendas so that we do not cause another to stumble?

I am not suggesting that any of this is easy or that our Christian ministries will always be accepted, but I am saying that the Word of God teaches that seeking the good of others is a mark of Christian maturity. Therefore, it is important for our own growing relationship with God that we intentionally move toward seeking the good of others and not causing anyone to stumble. As Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. And there is revealed the vital motivation. Do we want to be the cause of someone to not come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ? Is it really so hard for any of us to set aside our own good for awhile for the sake of another who needs to be saved? Maybe it is when were still on that spiritual milk, but it should certainly be less so when we are getting to that spiritual solid food.

Paul finishes this portion of his letter with this simple sentence: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul exhorted the believers in Corinth just as preachers exhort their congregations today to seek the good of others not because it is our idea, but because it is the example of Christ. Certainly, growing in grace means that we seek to follow the example of Christ.

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

179 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

www.bhfirstbaptist.com
-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org   

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

MATURITY #4/7

GROW IN GRACE

March 8, 2009

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Exploring the meaning of Christian maturity has resulted in some challenging truths for me. This Scripture is one of those challenges. The Bible makes it clear that as we proceed on our spiritual growth journey to greater maturity, we are to change. The Scripture that we heard last week, Philippians 3:1-11, testifies to Pauls change. He described all of his previous credentials and accomplishments as rubbish. In verses 7-8, he describes his change this way, But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. Surrendering to the Lord this way is a big part of spiritual maturity.

It is at this junction that a Christian has to be careful to not cross over that boundary into self-righteousness. As we journey along the path of spiritual maturity, we must stay focused on the author of the faith we pursue. As we do so, we learn how to grow in grace. This is illustrated for us in 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1.

Paul faced many challenges while confronting the Corinthian church. Here was a church that had developed many problems, and they needed to get headed in the right direction again. Paul addressed many of their shortcomings with firmness. But in this part of the letter, he wrote about the believers freedom. In this section of Scripture, we find our lesson about growing in grace.

Earlier in chapter ten, Paul issued a warning about idolatry. It was as wrong, of course, for Christians to participate in the worship of idols as it was for the Jews. There is only one God alone to be worshiped. He even addressed the eating or drinking of anything used as an offering to an idol: it was wrong. Then, in the following paragraphs, Paul writes, Everything is permissible. We need to be clear that Paul is not suggesting that doing any kind of evil deeds or outright disobeying a command of God is permissible. Paul would never suggest that. Context is very important here.

There is a distinguishing characteristic between what Paul wrote in these two portions of his letter. When he instructed the Corinthians to not eat or drink anything offered to the idols, he was specifying to not be part of the service. In other words, do not go to their altars and participate in their worship by eating or drinking anything offered to the idol.

It was the habit in that time for leftovers, so to speak, from the idol worship service to be sold in the marketplace. This is what Paul now refers to. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, The earth is the Lords, and everything in it. (25-26) It is no longer being used for an ungodly purpose, so the freedom of the Christian believer allows him or her to buy it and eat it. That is part of what it means to avoid unnecessary legalisms.

Paul goes even further. If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put in before you without raising questions of conscience. (27) Again, Paul is clear throughout his letters that there are moral boundaries established by God that the Christian cannot cross. The believer is not necessarily free to do everything his neighbor invites him to do. But outside of those matters, Christians should be hospitable toward unbelievers so that the opportunity for witness can develop. What Paul implies here is that the Christian was not to puff up his chest, take on that haughty air, and reply, No, I am not accepting your invitation. I am a Christian, and I am not going to touch the meat you serve because it has been offered to an idol. Paul would tell us, Go! Be a gracious Christian and be a witness.

Let us all be aware that Pauls letter is written to Christians. These are our instructions for better living. Just because we have the freedoms that Paul describes here does not mean that we are to be insensitive to others. Take a look again at verses 23-24: Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible but not everything is constructive. And here is the defining criteria: Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. Whether we are in contact with unbelievers, new Christians, or seasoned Christians, each of us bears the responsibility to seek what is best, in obedience to God, for the other person. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God. (vs. 32)

Many years ago, I was watching the Saturday morning cartoon version of Winnie the Pooh. In this episode, Pooh and Rabbit and Piglet and Tigger see Eeyore sitting alone on a hilltop. Since it appears to them that Eeyore is lonely, they decide to cheer him up. So each friend sets out to get poor old Eeyore involved in what they like to do. Rabbit gets him into his garden. Pooh lavishes Eeyore in honey. Tigger, of course, fits him with springs on his feet so that they can bounce together. Each of these well-intentioned activities results in disaster for poor old Eeyore. Finally it is Piglets turn to cheer up his friend. Piglet apologizes and tells Eeyore that there isnt anything he can think of to cheer him up. At this point, Eeyore learns what this is all about and shares with Piglet and the others that he is not lonely or miserable on his hill. He sits up there to wait for the splendor of the sunset, at which point the cartoon breaks out in a dazzling array of exploding colors, and everyone oohs and aahs at them. Applying that little cartoon lesson to Scripture, we can understand that there could have been a lot of trouble saved if Eeyores friends had taken the time to seek not his own good, but the good of the one they were trying to help.

From our responsive reading earlier, we heard James write, My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19) Like Paul, James is writing to Christians, and he admonishes us to grow with grace. Now this is all easier to say than to do, because I know how easy it is to do just the opposite of what James writes: slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry. I see that happen with others, and I fall into the habit myself. By the way, one thing you can understand in this series on maturity and many other sermons is that, as your preacher exploring and sharing the Word of God with you, I have the responsibility to point my finger at you. But I also recognize the sobering reality that three fingers are pointing back at me. Every sermon that the Lord lays on my heart and puts in my mind is a lesson for me, too. So, as I said, it is not easy to put into practice what we are taught in the Bible. But practicing such disciplines is exactly what spiritual growth and maturity is all about. If we dont get it done this time, we confess to God and to the other person as possible and do it Gods way the next time around. We get off the milk and onto the solid food. We grow in grace.

For the most part, Hollywood is no friend of the Christian faith. I dont think that there is much argument there. But every once in awhile, Hollywood does make a valid point whether it intends to or not. Lois and I were watching the video movie Because of Winn-Dixie. We dont make it to the movie theater very often, so its not unusual for a picture to be out for a long time before we see it. Anyway, the movie is a quirky little story about a girl whose mother has abandoned the family. Her father, a pastor, has moved to a small town. So they are strangers there. The congregation he serves doesnt have their own building; they meet in a store on Sundays. The girl ends up with a shaggy stray dog she names him Winn-Dixie - that ends up getting her to meet some people she probably would not have otherwise met. The theme is that each of them share a lonely existence due to some unresolved issue or just because they are ignored by others in the town. What caught my attention is that even though there was a church in this movie, it was not the church that responded to the needs of their neighbors. As I have thought about it, this is not all that unusual in many movies where Christianity and church is included at all. There was a religious element in the movie Forrest Gump, for instance, but it was not the Christian fellowship that reached out to the needs of Forrest, his mother, and his girlfriend.

Like I said, Hollywood is not friend of the Christian faith, so I dont look to them to provide me many meaningful lessons on life, but I do think that this is one that we can take seriously. Our real lives are not scripted by Hollywood, but are we fitting this mold that they are portraying? Are we failing to grow in grace like God wants? Are we missing opportunities to minister to the needs of lives around us because we fail to seek the good of others? Are we making sure that everyone who visits and shares in our Sunday school and worship service is extended a joyful hand of fellowship? Are we falling down in our responsibility to be mature Christians who can set aside our own agendas so that we do not cause another to stumble?

I am not suggesting that any of this is easy or that our Christian ministries will always be accepted, but I am saying that the Word of God teaches that seeking the good of others is a mark of Christian maturity. Therefore, it is important for our own growing relationship with God that we intentionally move toward seeking the good of others and not causing anyone to stumble. As Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth, For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. And there is revealed the vital motivation. Do we want to be the cause of someone to not come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ? Is it really so hard for any of us to set aside our own good for awhile for the sake of another who needs to be saved? Maybe it is when were still on that spiritual milk, but it should certainly be less so when we are getting to that spiritual solid food.

Paul finishes this portion of his letter with this simple sentence: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1) Paul exhorted the believers in Corinth just as preachers exhort their congregations today to seek the good of others not because it is our idea, but because it is the example of Christ. Certainly, growing in grace means that we seek to follow the example of Christ.

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

179 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

http://www.bhfirstbaptist.com

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org