BETTER Parr 3 – Christian

WARM-UP

Have you asked yourself this question: “Am I just getting older as a Christian or am I maturing as a Christian?”Our deeds and behaviors continue to define us as we become adults. Our conduct and behavior define our level of maturity as Christians. What are your behaviors saying about your spiritual maturity? Are you so sensitive or not?  Are you humble or proud? Are you becoming more like Christ or not?

ONE BIG  IDEA

Our conduct and behavior define our level of maturity as Christians.

 STUDY (Hebrews 5:12-14 NIV)

“12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

LEARN

A baby bottle is what is used to feed infants because they are unable to eat solid food. Many Christians are coming to Church with the baby bottles in hand looking for milk to fill them. Their bottles get filled and then the milk spoils because they never drink it all. They get milk on Sunday and then take it home and never touch the bottle again until the next time they come to Church.

In 1 Corinthians 13:11, Paul spoke about spiritual maturity. He said, when he was a child, he spoke, thought and reasoned as a child.

 

Think about some of the things you did as a child – how you thought and the reasons you did some of the things you did. When we become adults, we set aside those childish things because we are expected to know better. Imagine trying to carry on an adult conversation with an adult who is talking and reasoning like a child. Mature Christians know how to work through difficulties because they understand the foundations for handling conflicts because they studied the word of God. When we become adults, we set aside those childish things because we are expected to know better.

 

HOW TO DISTINGUISH A BABY CHRISTIAN FROM A MATURE CHRISTIAN:

HOW YOU EAT(Hebrews 5:12)

The main goal is: we should study the Word of God to grow our relationship with God and become a better person. No one is making you do your homework for Sunday school or LIFE groups! That is on you. Doing your devotion, attending LIFE group, coming to Sunday service, and joining STEPS is your call. We can encourage you but we cannot force it on you.

For some of us, we only get our feeding from the Word of God every week during Sunday Worship Service. Feeding on the Word of God once a WEEK will make you WEAK. Feeding on the Word of God once a week will only let you SURVIVE but never THRIVE. Imagine what will happen to a person if he’s only eating once a week. One push and that person will surely fall.  This is the same spiritually.  If we’re only feeding ourselves spiritually once a week, the devil can easily DEFEAT and DECEIVE us. This is the reason why many Christians easily give up on their faith.  But if we’re feeding ourselves with the Word of God everyday, we will stand firm on our faith.

WHAT YOU EAT (Hebrews 5:13-14)

Here, the author of Hebrew is asking whether they are drinking MILK or eating SOLID FOOD. When we were new as Christians, people who guided us taught us the basic principles of faith.  But like many of us, they had not grown much beyond their initial exposure to the Word. They had not built on their teaching as they should have done. They did not do anything with what they had learned except wait to be taught more. There was no ownership of their growth or the Word that had been planted within them. Another concern is, when we don’t grow in our knowledge of the Word of God, we can easily be deceived by false preachers and prophets. Be careful of what you eat spiritually. Read the Bible everyday apart from Christian books and Video/Audio sermons.  Reading the Bible regularly guides us to become more like Christ and not become like the preacher that we’re following on TV or YouTube. Let God’s word change you to become more like Christ each day.

SHARE WHAT YOU’VE EATEN (Hebrews 5:12a)

When a Christian cannot explain his faith to his children, parents, neighbors, friends, or to those who were inquiring about the Way, the Truth, and the Life, then he’s still a baby Christian.

Mature Christians should be able to explain their faith based on the Word of God and their life experiences.  If a person cannot explain to you why they accepted Christ as their personal Savior through the Word of God, then they are truly a baby Christian because this is the starting point of our testimony. We were saved to save as we were blessed to bless. So, it is our duty to share the word of God so that other people will be saved.

For 2019, aim to grow in your faith. Attend STEPS classes. Be baptized.  Join a LIFE group. Come to church every Sunday and learn more about God. Resolve to grow and help other people grow in their faith. As you become BETTER, guide others to become BETTER.

GROW:

Questions for Reflections:

1.Do you read the Bible every day?

2.Do you take advantage of all the opportunities provided by the church for learning?

3.Do you sacrifice time and effort and give serious priority in your relationship with God?

Application Questions:

1.Are you growing in Christ as much as you would like? Do you sometimes get “stuck” at a certain spiritual level? What are some causes why you don’t grow as much as you should?

2.What can we learn from verse 14 that is essential for growth in Christ? How can you begin to take in more “solid food” instead of milk? What can you do to “chew” on the meat of the Word?

3.Where are you now in your spiritual state in Christ? Answer the” Questions for Reflections” above. Would you say that you are now mature in your spiritual walk with Christ? Why or Why not?

PRAY FOR EACH OTHER IN YOUR GROUP.