August 16, 2000, WE: Continuing to Grow in Grace

August 16th, 2000, Wednesday Evening

"Continuing to Grow in Grace"

We can never be fully matured in it

OPENING: 2 Peter 3:18, KJV

Growing in Grace

This sermon applies only to those who are saved in Christ.

We're often temped to read the bible like any other book:

When the chapter is over, the context of it ends there
Once we read it, we never have to read it again

No one in this world has ever fully grown in grace.

The term "Hypostatic Union of Christ" means Jesus Christ (as a man on earth) was God and man

Christ = God. Christ was made flesh when he came to dwell among us on earth
- He emptied himself of all his deity and divineness
- He didn't call on his heavenly powers in time of need
- Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of how man suffers and is tempted here on earth. He suffered AS a man.
  - Matthew 4:2: Jesus knows what it's like to be hungry and thirsty
  - Matthew 4:3-11: ...and He was tempted with riches beyond compare
Luke 2:40: Jesus grew in grace because he educated Himself in the Word of God.
Luke 2:46-51: Jesus was about 12 years young when he began fellowship with the educated religious teachers and doctors in the temple.
Luke 2:52: And as a result grew in favor with God.
Jesus Christ is the model man worth modeling.

What does it mean to grow?

We are to grow just as Christ did.
Stop and ask yourself: what growth, progress, and improvement have you made since you've been saved?
When you're making progress, don't be satisfied. Continue to grow in wisdom, grace, progress, and knowledge of and in Jesus Christ.
- True story: When Pastor Byrd was stationed at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, he preached wearing an open-collar shirt. At the conclusion of one of his sermons, he was approached by a listener who said the pastor should be wearing a tie when preaching. Pastor was ready to explode on his man by starting off with "Well John the Baptist never wore a tie" but the pastor pulled the fuse from a bomb and stayed calm. As a result, the pastor, from that day on, wore a tie. From this story, the pastor learned to retain his love (which is what Christ is) and grow in the knowledge by realizing the proper dress for preaching.
Don't compare how much better of a Christian you are against others, compare it against yourself.

Why grow in grace?

God commands us so--so we may grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ
We've been re-born spiritually into God (saved)
The nature of our spiritual work requires it.
- We're supposed to expand and increase in our knowledge so your church/ministry can expand/increase because the overall workload we need to accomplish is increased.
- Sooner or later, God requires church members to depart and move on. These leaving church members may be the pastor, choir member, soundbooth worker, nursery director, piano player, etc.; POINT: potential leadership positions open so that someone who is ready to increase to the next level of the church ministry may do so.
  - What happens while a football quarterback or baseball pitcher gets tired during the game? The backup is warming up on the sideline or bullpen. They're soon ready to be put in the game.
- The newly saved must be paired with a church member who is growing so he/she may pass on their knowledge so the newly saved may grow, as well.
  - You should be "warming up" because your game time is soon. You should want to play.
The nature of our worship requires it
- As you get older in the Lord, you're expected to know/do more.
  - Just as newborn babies progress from mother's milk to bottled milk to the cup to the cup with a handle so they can feed themselves; Don't you expect the baby to sooner or later take over the training as you did?
  - God will expect you to worship more maturely
  - God will expect your prayers to be sweeter and more sincere

How do you grow in grace?

Know and believe God is what gives and increases life.
Scientists can only discover but not make work God's creating life from death. Water is added to make a corn seed grow, but you can't MAKE the seed grow. God makes the seed grow from your adding water.
- 1 Peter 2:2: God is what makes it grow. His food makes growth.
- Jeremiah 3:15: Yield to the Godly leadership God has provided you.
- Proverbs 11:25: Make yourself into a body of "living water"
Water others: Take what you learn and pass it on to others. In this way, as knowledge passes on from you, God will replenish what you gave (through knowledge and grace) so you'll always have more to give.

Who gets God's grace?

All those who are saved.

CLOSER

God has placed the saved in a position to grow. Look at the corn seed in two ways:

It can be eaten
It can be planted in the soil so it may grow so it may not only be consumed but passed on

We are all kernels of corn

We can either be popped
Put to death (giving your life to God) in the ground so we may grow, spread, and provide "living water" for others to do the same