Grow with Jesus
Ephesians 4:11-16
Sept. 8, 2024
Pastor Mark Fuller
Growth is normal! If something is healthy, it grows!
“Grow” = auxano
Ephesians 4:11-13
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
A growing and maturing faith is the expectation for every person!
Ephesians 4:14-16
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
We grow when we Serve Others
God gifts people to serve.
Ephesians 4:11-12a
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service,
Serving others helps us grow and mature.
Ephesians 4:12-16
…to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. …we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
2 Thessalonians 1:3
We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.
2 Corinthians 10:15-16
Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you…
We grow when we Soak in God’s Word
1 Peter 2:1-3
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
We grow when we Savor the Savior
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Slow down.
Spend time.
See transformation.
Colossians 1:9-14
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1) I find myself increasingly enjoying just being with God.
2) I am growing in my capacity to receive God’s love.
3) I am becoming less fearful and controlling and growing in faith and trust in God.
4) I often immerse myself in Scripture.
5) I strive to cultivate spiritual friendships in my life where I am loved and challenged to grow.
7) Those who know me best would say I am unhurried.
9) When I wake up, I take a moment to place myself in the presence of God.
10) When I go to bed, I take a moment to release the cares of the day to God.
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, as your children, we long to grow to spiritual maturity, and to be weaned from the elementary teachings of our faith. We desire to live as disciples who can be entrusted with the full measure of the gospel. We confess that we often avoid such growth. We prefer the simplicity of childhood rather than the complex tensions of adulthood. We would rather remain comfortable than embrace the pain of change. We pretend that complacency and maintaining the status quo is something other than slow death. Forgive us, Lord. Renew within us the desire and commitment to be fully alive to you, to ourselves and to one another as faithful and mature followers of Christ.