Constant Growing and Following

This morning, we are looking at two vital areas of our lives as Christians living in the world today. Living in the world today as a Christian brings challenges.

What does it really mean to live as Christians?

Does it mean we attend services on Sunday morning?

Does it mean that we are a “good person?”

Both of those can, and should, be a part of living life as a Christian.

But the fuller meaning is that we actually walk in step with the Gospel every day.

Have you ever known anyone who just “drifted into a life of Christlikeness”?

The answer has to be NO – because it cannot happen.

No one wakes up one morning and POOF – he or she is spiritually mature.

When we have scripturely accepted Jesus Christ as Lord,  ie, hearing, believing, confessing Jesus as the Son of God, repenting of our sins, and being baptized into His death, burial, and resurrection, we are Christians

God finds us in our sin, but He doesn’t leave us where He found us.

There is where and when we begin to grow in Christ.

Think about this. Someone is out on the ocean alone. He falls out of the boat and dies. He is lying on the ocean floor, lifeless. That person doesn’t need a life jacket. He needs a resurrection.

That is how Scripture describes our condition when we are not in Christ.

Ephesians 2:1” …you were dead in your trespasses and sins.”

The Gospel is more than simply good advice – as some would see it – it isn’t a take it or leave - or pick and choose what we want to believe and obey.

Instead, the Gospel is the Good News that Jesus went to the depths, pulled us up, and breathed new life into our lungs.

That’s how it begins, but it doesn’t’ end there.

The Gospel saves us – it keeps working on us.

The marks of a growing Chirstian are not just a change in behavior, but it is spiritual transformation.

Let’s look at some evidence of growing followers of Jesus Christ.

They believe the Gospel message – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

The Gospel is the foundation of the Christian life.

A Christian who is continually growing in Christ will never outgrow the need for the Gospel.

Jesus didn’t come to make bad people – He came to bring people dead in their sins to life. Not just once – but every day.

So, growth in Christ is an everyday goal of the Christian.

I have probably said it here before, but Psalm 51 is my favorite Psalm. Reading it over and over, even to the point of memorizing it – it was as if it was written just for me, and just at that particular time in my life.

David, the author of Psalm 51, gives us a vital lesson - We don’t confess our sins to stay saved --- we confess our sins because we are saved.

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when

You speakAnd blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me. Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins

And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation; Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You will delight in righteous sacrifices, In burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then young bulls will be offered on Your altar.

As Christians – even the best of us – have times when we need to make a U-Turn.

And repentance – or confessing – is not punishment –

It is restoration.

Restoration means that we run from sin – and we run to Christ.

Christianity – living in Christ – is not a solo life. It is a family of brothers and sisters in Christ – all adopted into the same family.

Those who claim to know Christ but are disconnected from the rest of the family will soon find that they are living a solitary life outside the family.

Think of it this way – you have a nice cozy fire going in the fireplace. One of the coals falls outside the fireplace onto the floor. What very soon happens to that one coal? It will soon die out and grow cold.

In order for that coal to remain vital it must be connected to the rest of the coals.

The body of Christ is much like that. If one member of the family of God falls out of contact with the other members, that person soon goes cold, and the fire kindled by the Holy Spirit and the love of the family goes cold and lifeless.

The simple but powerful truth in that is this:  We need each other – the church of Jesus Christ needs each member to be alive and burning in the gift of life available only through Jesus Christ.

The love that Jesus Christ has for those who follow Him is unconditional love.

He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up before He extended His love to us. He loved us even when we were His enemies.

This world thrives on division and hostility. We don’t need to affirm everything that the world indulges in --- but we do need to love those who are lost enough to desire to show them a better way. After all, before we came to Christ, we were dead in our sin as well.

One of the greatest works we learn about Jesus is that He washed feet. He bowed down low to wash his disciples’ feet. He didn’t just talk about humility --- he practiced it!

And then, after He did that, what did He tell them? He commanded them:

“Do what I have done.”

So, we are to follow the example Jesus set before His closest followers and forwarded the lesson to all who will follow Him.

The lesson we gain from His example is that we must be looking – not only for our own needs – but also to the needs of others.

Next, the growing follower of Christ will become a diligent student of the Word of God – the Bible.

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

God speaks to us through His Word. At any time we want to hear from Him – open the Word. It is alive – it is active – it is sharper than any two-edged sword.

His Word tells us who we are, who God is, what is wrong with the world, and what God has done to redeem the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us that prayer is vital to our life in Christ.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayer is not a performance. It is not speaking just to have something to say.  – just so much noise.

Prayer is an intimate conversation with our Loving Father who is always listening, waiting anxiously for us to call on Him.

We have the invitation to come to Him boldly, often, and needy.

The vital, active Christian will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

Worship is not a “Sunday Only” activity. Our worship should reflect our willingness to give our whole self to our Lord, because He is worthy.

A vital follower of Christ will be generous. We need not think the God needs our money. He already owns everything – He created everything, including us.

Giving is not just giving – giving is worship. It proclaims that “Money is not my god. Jesus is.”

The genuine follower of Christ also needs to have the intent and the desire to disciple others.

Hear Jesus’ commandment to all who follow Him in Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

You’ve heard the old line that says something like: “we are to be ‘standing on the promises,’ not sitting on the premises.’

In other words, Jesus didn’t save us to sit. He saved us to be sent. Disciples make disciples. That is our mission until Jesus returns or calls us to His home.

None of what we have said and heard here this morning requires that we must be perfect. It does say that we must be willing.

Walk with another. Point them to Jesus. Help them grow. Multiply your life.

Are you growing? Being busy doesn’t necessarily mean we are growing.

We must be striving to become more like Jesus. Connected, loving, serving. Worshipping, making disciples.

None of that happens apart from Christ.

But, in Him, and only in Him – can we grow into the people God has called us to be.

I will close with a word of encouragement from Peter as he wrote in 2 Peter 1:10:

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fail.”

Some material is from “The Marks of a Growing Followers of Christ” by Brian Fletcher