Growing Into A Perfect Man In The Lord — Alan Martin

Spiritual Growth Toward Maturity in Christ

Again how precious that brother Daryl prayed that prayer that we be strengthened with power through his spirit in an inner man. So that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. We're just we were going through the book of Ephesians.

We're about we're nearing the middle of the fourth chapter. We're going to cover these most of these verses this morning. Maybe not the entire passage, but read with me Ephesians 4 verses 13 through 16.

Until we all come this is why God gives leadership to the church. He gives some apostles prophets Evangelists pastors teachers for the equipping of the Saints for the work of the ministry that the body of Christ may be built up.

And this is that for until we all until we all reach the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. To a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. That we should no longer be children or infants tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of teaching by the Cleverness of men in the cunning of deceitful plotting.

But speaking the truth in love we may grow up into all things into him who is the head Jesus Christ from whom the whole body Joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its own share.

Causes the growth of the body for the edifying of itself and love. So our beloved Apostle Paul to the church or nemesis. He states three goals the until. Let's look at let's consider them together until and notice until we all attain to the unity of the faith.

In other words until all of us agree what the Lord says. We're clear on that it's what the Lord says that's got to be our unity in the faith because men will share all kinds of ideas and they're very Clever about it.

We must be unified on what God says. That's a goal. So we attain to the unity of the faith and Are each of us have our own? First-hand direct contact knowledge of God. Epigenosco, it means it's first-hand knowledge.

You know the Lord you're not hearing about him through me or through your teacher. You know him you have a relationship with him that's the goal for every believer in the church and the and the last thing that until we as a group we come to a Perfect man right there that word throws people off Perfect because we have an idea in English that the original word doesn't doesn't really contain it it comes from the Greek word to layoffs and it means that you're complete in all its part you're it.

A Process has been at work and it's come to a fulfillment. So that what was intended? Becomes fully functional in other words and God wants us to grow up until we are Living as he designed for us to live as Christians full of his spirit empowered by his grace a living testimony as new creations in Christ Jesus glorifying him by the Transformation he brings about through dwelling inside of us.

That's that's his that's his heart in his goal. And that's the idea of the word perfect. You're you're fulfilled. You're mature. You're like ripe fruit. You're ready to be eaten. You're a blessing to other people.

Jesus’ Teaching on Christian Perfection

That's the idea of perfect under that perfect man Jesus uses the word the same word perfect look with me together in Matthew 5 verses 44 to 48. Matthew 5 44 to 48 Jesus says but I say to you love your enemies bless those who curse you do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your father in heaven for he makes his son to rise upon the Evil and the good and he sends rain upon the just and the unjust.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have. Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what do you what do you more than any other ones? Do do not even the tax collectors greet each other therefore you Shall be perfect.

Even as your Heavenly Father is perfect and notice that perfect in this fullest sense in this context you Learn to love the way God loves. You love like he does not just those who are easy to get along with you love like God.

He's kind of the wicked and the and the righteous. He he's a he's a blessing to both now Paul Uses this term because it's so much on his heart. He wants us as believers to become mature Complete full in Christ look with me.

Matter of fact, I'm gonna have Joe Hernandez. Would you read 1st Corinthians 1420? I think we're gonna have it up on the screen. 1st Corinthians 1420. Okay. Here's the word mature in other words in the way you think be complete.

Don't be immature in the way you think is a believer. Stop saying everybody does it stop saying well nobody's. You hear that, you know often we say that well after all nobody's we're called to be Perfect complete mature.

Paul’s Call to Spiritual Maturity

It was always in the heart of Paul in all of his letters. He's exhorting the believers on towards his perfection Colossians chapter 128. Brother Sam, would you read cautious 128 for us? This Paul he his desire was to present every single person complete.

Every single person mature. So he warned them he taught them so that he might bring them to this state of spiritual Maturity this completeness and the reason being so that God gets glory from your life.

So your life does not Contradict what you say you believe God lives in you his grace is sufficient for you and Christ is fortifying you with power. So that his work in you God at work in you to will and to do of his good pleasure produces good Fruit and you share the good fruit that God is producing in you with everybody in your life.

And this brings glory to God your life. That's what he just like he also same book Colossians 4. Colossians chapter 4 verse 12. Brother David nipper. Would you read that for Colossians 4 12? Epiphras was this brother who was a member of the church there of the feet of the Ephesians and he's constantly praying That they would all stand fully complete Fully complete in all the will of God.

It was just his constant prayer. He agonizes wrestling in prayer for this for them all the time. We also have the Apostle James. It's not not just something that Paul speaks about but the Apostle James Writes about this the importance of being complete being fulfilled being mature in James chapter 1 Verse 4 brother Larry.

Would you read James 1 4? Let patience have its perfect work. In other words, it's finishing work you know what happened when when you see a beautiful piece of furniture and It's been sanded smoothly and then someone takes the varnish and Puts it across and suddenly the grains of the wood.

They pop don't think they pop out. They they're all Inspiring. I think we need the Holy Spirit to do a finishing work in us to sand away The rough edges of our old nature so that when others see us They catch a glimpse of the glory of God and his power.

That's what they see. That's that's our goal and and it takes endurance having a work. Tribulation work is endurance endurance works is proven character and proven character works. Hope and hope does not make a shame.

We can read about that in Romans chapter 5, but the end result is people Seeing the goodness and grace of God in our actions in our conduct. So this is the kind of perfection that Paul has in mind. That's what he has in mind now.

Growing Beyond Spiritual Infancy

Let's look at it again. Ephesians 4 14 follow this if he's just for 14 the reason he wants us to be perfect complete mature. In other words a spiritual adult is so that we no longer be what? Children are an infant.

I like the word infant so that we no longer will be Infants tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching now. Don't get too bad. We shouldn't downplay infants.

We all start as infants don't we you're born again? You're born again as an infant, but we're not supposed to stay an infant. You know if you if you're still an infant when you're six years old something is wrong.

Right something's wrong. That's not that's not gonna go over now. There is a word That's no longer politically correct to use. It was a word used to describe someone who's very very far behind developmentally.

It's the word They're retarded they used it wasn't a it. Now we don't use the word anymore because it embarrassing people. It's hard to hear but it it was used to describe someone that you could tell was not able to Do what someone at that age should be able to do.

We do not want to be a retarded believer. Yes. The Intellectually Disabled yeah. Yeah, I'm Italy. What for us. We it we have spent too long talking about the things we cannot do. It's time for us as believers to say I can do all things Through Christ who gives me strength because all of us are weak and that Qualifies all of us for his grace to be sufficient and his power to be made perfect where in our weakness.

That's what we he has that opportunity When we look to him to strengthen us on the inside. We have this treasure in an earthen vessel. Paul said to show that the all-surpassing power Is of God and not us and and this demonstrates this is.

We've already proven who our great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather is. We know he's Adam. We know he fell. We know that's the reason we do the things wrong. It's time for us to prove now for the rest of our life that we are sons of God.

And and Christ is our brother and his nature we have the nature of God because now we are made for takers of the divine nature and Everything we need for life and godliness has been given to us through the knowledge of him and that's where we need to be.

But if you're an infant think with me what an infant does what? Especially a new infant if you put something in front of an infant, what do they do? They try to grab it. I mean, they're all if you put something in front of them and if they can grab it.

What do they want to do with it? It goes straight to the mouth. They have no discernment they have no ability to recognize what's dangerous. They just want to grab it and when they pull to you if you're a spiritual infant.

You don't even know the things you're doing. You don't know what you're putting in your mouth. You don't know the danger you're reaching out for You you don't want to stay a spiritual infant. You want to grow and mature in the Lord so.

Hebrews’ Warning Against Remaining Immature

Now we know this from the scripture. That a believer can stay an infant longer than they should. How do we know that? Where do we where do we where do we know that from the scripture? Who can tell me what scripture?

Clearly says that by this time. You ought to be teachers. Hmm. That's right. Hebrews chapter 5. Let's look at that together. Hebrews chapter 5. Verses 11 through 14. Hebrews 5 11 through 14 and the writer of Hebrews has been talking about Melchizedek.

Melchizedek is a combination of an Hebrew word that's been translated into into English in the Hebrew. It's it's Malek king is he gaining righteousness the king of righteousness, but in English, it's Melchizedek so he's been talking about.

That Christ the ministry of Jesus is like the ministry of Melchizedek without father or mother without beginning or end. You know who's who has his priesthood through the power of an indestructible life.

But he says to the book to the to the Hebrew believers of whom we have much to say. But it's hard to explain. Why is it hard to explain? Because you are dull of hearing. For although you ought to be teachers by now, that's how I know.

That someone can stay an infant too long when they should be a teacher. So we know that. You need what you do need even though you should be a teacher by now. What you need is you need someone to go back and teach you the basic principles all over again.

So there's still hope for someone who's not maturing. But you have to go back and get the process down because you are not going to grow automatically. Yes, spiritual growth is a process. But it is not an automatic process.

It is not a passive process. If they process it intentional that comes from asking seeking. Knocking searching hoping pursuing and. We know these things the word. The word dull comes from the Greek word.

No thrust. No thrust. You know, it sounded like to me no thrust. And that's really what I mean. They're not pushing. You're not pushing in to learn. You're just kind of sitting back when you're you're comfortable.

You stop pressing in to know the Lord. You're not seeking it with all of your heart you're interested, but if you're just not all into it. You're no process. You're dull lackadaisical passive lazy. That's pretty close to negligence.

Getting there you're in danger when in you're when you're in that way. You know how I can what how. How we are usually when we're not when our heart is not really in to something. We kind of we we use that we use the term we say we did it half.

That's a good description of this word. Seeking the Lord half pardon. No thrust no power. No energy. Well, that'll never work. Because Jesus described the way the kingdom of God moves forward. Do you remember that he described the way the kingdom of God advances and he used some pretty strong words.

Pressing Into the Kingdom of God

Look someone read for me Matthew 11 brother verse 12 brother Rugen you can Read Matthew 11 12. Hmm that's interesting. That's the King James translation. They're subject the king of God suffers violence.

That the idea of the original language is the kingdom of God advances forcefully the force and forceful men. They hold the kingdom of God. There's another verse similar Luke 16 16 brother Ben Luke 16 16 for us.

Everyone is forcing his way into it thrusting themselves. Pressing on remember the woman with the issue of blood. Who had spent all that she had on doctors and she was no better. And yet Jesus was surrounded by a group of people.

They were they said they could barely walk the crowd. And what did she do. She thrust her way through. She pushed people aside. Just to touch the hem of his garment. And she pushed her way into being whole into Jesus touching her and healing her power went out from him and cured her and.

These are the words of Jesus himself. Luke 13 24 agonized to enter. You your translation may say strive to enter but it's the it's the Greek word agonies. Oh agonized to enter the narrow door for many will seek to enter.

But not prevail in strength. In other words, they'll want to enter. They'll even know that there is an entrance. They'll make the attempt to enter. But they won't have the thrust to get through. That's a warning that's a warning from the Son of God and we it it has meaning because spiritual growth must be Intentional it's a process.

But like I said, it's not automatic. We will mature through intentional effort through discipline through practice and lack of a positive aggression. Can easily lead if you stop moving forward and you you slow to a stop what what can happen?

Especially if you're on a hill you're on a hill and you stop move moving far farther. What can happen? You slide Backwards, what do we call that? As ever is it ever happened anybody in here? Oh, yeah, it's happened to me.

And it happens when we stop pressing in to know the Lord when we stop enjoying him and our fellowship with him being sweet and Spending time with him and building ourselves up in our most holy faith. And when we when we lose that momentum, we can easily begin to slide backwards.

Maturity Through Disciplined Practice

So let's go back to this this verse in Hebrews chapter 5 again. It's Hebrews 5. I may not we might have the wrong verse up here because I actually it's Hebrews 5 Verses 12 to 14. Let's listen with me for a low by this time.

You ought to be teachers. You need someone to teach you again the principles of the oracles of God and you have come to need Milk and not solid food. You see that's the other way around. Infants start off on milk and grow up to need solid food.

So what's happened here? These believers have lost their thrust and they have begun to slide backwards and now they can only handle the simple things. They can't handle the the heavy teaching and what is it?

They can't handle look at the follow for everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of Righteousness and what are we to seek first? We're to seek first the kingdom of God and his Righteousness and what what if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness what happens.

All these things will be added to you. So what if you're unskilled in the word of righteousness? You have just compromised yourself. You'll lack many things. Because the the blessing of God is upon the head of the righteous.

His he watches closely the way of the righteous. He fills the homes of the righteous with blessing. Weak, but if you're an infant you're unskilled with the word of righteousness. And he goes on to say or he's just an infant but solid food Belongs to those who are and here's that word again perfect mature complete.

That's the the mature Grief a believer who's grown spiritually he can handle the word of righteousness and how solid food is for those who are perfect who by Disciplined practice have trained their senses to discern good and evil and you know.

What what benefit you immediately begin to reap when you can tell the difference between good and evil? You stop choosing things that harm you. You stop choosing things that may feel good but take more from you.

Than they will ever do for you. Because men can be nice can't think when they Want something from you? And when they get what they want and I think I don't want to pick on just men. I'm talking about people in general.

Rudy will always get on to me if I always pick on the men and not the women any of us. With a motive really for ourselves can be nice to those around us and how many people? Genuinely love as Jesus loved.

Laying down their life for others having having no self-interest in that at all. Wow. Now so this passage we're in in Ephesians chapter 4. Let's put this together. God has given gifts of leadership to the church.

For the equipping together of God's people for a work of service so they can they can come together as a unit working together. So that the church can be built up until we all reach the unity the faith and The full knowledge own personal knowledge of the Son of God and then we become mature this perfect man.

Attaining to the whole measure of the stature of Christ. That's why God gives the church leaders To help us get to this point where we mature spiritually, but here's what a leader does not do. God does not give pastors to force feed and I don't think the pastors are supposed to just have a Unending supply of baby food.

It's good. I think some people want the pastor to chew it up. Put it in a jar and hand it out in a spoon. I mean you laugh, but are you seeking on your own? Are you chewing on your own crying out to the Lord for understanding the wisdom?

Are you seeking him? Or do you come here hoping to get it all this will be your whole week supply. Get your tank filled on Sunday morning. And if you have a Wednesday, you you can refill you can top it off again.

People do that. They do that. And they suffer for doing that terribly because this is not. This is not how it happens a a pastor or church leader your Sunday school teacher. What they're to do is to instruct you exhort you.

Encourage you inspire you. To seek the Lord for yourself to know the Lord for yourself to grow spiritually to become strong in the Lord. To learn that Jesus Christ is with you every minute of every day.

Everywhere you are in every single situation. The counselor you have a personal attorney the very spirit and nature of God. To counsel you do this. Don't speak now. Don't say that personal guidance from God.

As you learn as you grow into that. That's why church leaders are. Do they're supposed to Work with you and you so grow up in the Lord that guess what you no longer need them. I'm supposed to work myself out of a job.

Walking in the Spirit and Resisting Temptation

Where your dependence is on the Lord Jesus himself, but you know, I'm not there. I'm not going with you to work. I'm not there with you when you're having that argument. I'm not there with you when you're being tempted, but the Lord Jesus.

Yes. And when you learn to depend upon him and walk in the Holy Spirit. You've come into the beginning of a maturity and with the Holy Spirit's help, but you practice Keeping in step with the Spirit and following the Holy Spirit.

You begin to discern the things that are good and evil and when you know, the very word evil literally means it's bad. Wouldn't life be a whole lot better if you stop choosing what's bad. Kind of instant improvement wouldn't it be.

Then Jesus say I have come that you might have life and have it. And the thief comes to what do you still kill destroy? How does he come to steal kill and destroy? He offers you trinkets. He baits you like an animal.

He uses your natural desires to draw you away to step into his trap. This and it and if you grow in wisdom and understanding and mature you recognize that bait. I'm not falling for that. I'm not going there because if you walk by the Spirit you will not Fulfill the lust of the flesh you may be aware of them.

You may feel the tug, but the Spirit inside in you tells you. Don't go there. Don't yield to that. You can overcome it. You'll find a way of escaping. So I Have a question as I try to wrap this up. This Mature person in Christ this all even uses the term until we all attain it to the measure of the stature of Christ.

What It Means to Look Like Jesus

So what is what does it mean to look like? Jesus Christ for us on the practical way and how do we grow into this? Stature. What is looking like Jesus. Meaning Christ that has to have a meaning. Yeah, you have something that comes to your mind.

Let me get you started with this. Jesus said take my yoke upon you and learn of me and. Then he uses two words the same two words that Paul uses in this Chapter when he says I exhort you to walk worthy of the Lord in all blank and blank same two words.

That Jesus says you'll learn when you learn from him. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart. This first two words in Ephesians chapter 4. Therefore I the prisoner of the Lord urge you to walk in all lowliness of mind and meekness.

Meekness. So that's one of the things that looking like Jesus Christ will look like lowliness of mind, you know when your lowliness of mind you stop arguing because contention comes by.

Right and.

The and the proud person is an argumentative Person always involved in conflicts because that person really values giving his two Sins. Or rather than just keeping your knowledge to yourself Realizing you don't know everything.

And and and having the beautiful word meekness the idea of meekness that you restrain. You don't run at the mouth. You don't act impulsively. The Holy Spirit acts like a set of reins. Gently pulling on you Gently keeping you from sticking your foot in In your mouth.

Just Something we can learn from Christ now. Doesn't this the New Testament also say that we are actually to walk as Jesus walked. This has to be this has to be practical. So how did he walk? How did Jesus walk?

It do you think the scripture saying all of us are supposed to be doing miracles? No, okay. I don't think so. So, how did he walk? Yeah, he walked in perfect harmony with this father he trusted his father and He loved his father and he always did his father's Will and he not only did his father's will he said it is my delight to do so.

And that is walking like Jesus walked trusting our Heavenly Father Loving him with all of our heart soul mind and strength seeking to do his will and Having it be a delight to do so not just a drudgery or a duty.

The people can tell the difference right? I mean my children used to take out the trash except for one Joseph we named him trash man. Because he no one ever took a can of trash more vigorously with more joy out to the curb.

When we designated him the trash man, he was pretty young. But it was he was so excited about what he was able to do. That he didn't he didn't yet learn it was something he didn't want to do. And what did Jesus say except you become?

Like children. That innocent joy that curiosity constantly asking are we there yet? What does that mean? What's that? When we lose that We're not pressing in to know the Lord. We're not enjoying him like we did and Jesus Would have walked like Jesus speaking of walking like Jesus.

Jesus’ Human Growth and the Example of the Temple

Did Jesus have to grow spiritually or was he just born with it all together? Was he just born full knowledge? What do you think? What does the scripture say? Oh, he grew up now the scripture says that he was made like us at all points.

So he was an infant. So what? Listen consider these scriptures Luke chapter 2 verse 40 and the child Was growing and becoming strong being filled with wisdom. Can we imitate that Jesus in that? Can we grow and become strong.

And become filled with wisdom. We can we certainly can now and the last thing we know about childhood was when he was 12 years old and There's a lesson. Remember the story member what happened? He had been traveling with his parents and on the way back.

His parents thought he was traveling with some other relatives when they realized that Jesus wasn't in the caravan remember what happened they went back and According to the the gospel account it took them three days.

To find him, but what do we what what can we learn? From what they found? Where was he? Where was he? He's in the temple. What was he doing? This is very careful. The details matter. The first thing it says is he was sitting in the middle of the teachers.

What does that tell you about it? Why would he be sitting in the middle of the teacher? If he wanted what the teachers now, you see I'm looking at it my saints here. How bad do you want it? How much do you want it?

It's not just about what you know, it's how bad you want it. How bad do you want to know? You got a cell phone? There's a sister in the Lord, you know, there's a brother in the Lord, you know. Remember that verse you have not because you Asked everyone you asked.

You see everyone who seeks you can tell what Jesus was interested in by where he was that he was at the temple. Sitting in the midst of the teachers and then what does it say? He was doing he was sitting in the middle of the teachers doing two things.

First it says he was listening or are you going another place? Hello. Are you here? Are you hearing or just here? There's a difference in being here and being hearing big. Jesus was listening to every word that teachers were saying.

If he wanted to know the Word of God. Yeah, and then he did something he wasn't just content to listen. What else did it says he was doing? Asking questions and what does that say? I want to understand.

Too many people will sit and listen to a message or have a time at the scripture in the morning. But they're not craving understanding. So they don't ask it's such a delight to me when anyone from my congregation Comes to me and says hey, I've got this question.

What does this mean? I was reading this verse. What does this mean? You know what it tells me they want to know. They're hungry. Blessed are all those who? Hunger and thirst after righteousness. Where they shall be?

Hearing the Word Through the Parable of the Soils

Still. Wow. And then the last I close with this. That illustrates it that I like to drive the nail home. If you're a carpenter Joe's a carpenter. When you want to make sure that this nail never backs out you whack it one more you watch it one more time.

Hit it again. Just to make sure. Hit it one more time. It's idea. Spiritual growth is it a process? But it's not automatic. It's not passive the kingdom of God advances forcefully and forceful men lay.

Hold of it and Jesus actually.

Described this. And the importance of how we listen in the parable of the soil. Remember that the parable the of the sower four different types and each four types of soil represent different ways that people listen.

The first way that represented is the the Some seat belt on the path and on the path is where people walk and their feet pack The dirt and make it hard so the seed doesn't penetrate at all. It falls on top of the soil.

There's no penetration and what did Jesus say happens to that seed? Right the birds of the air come along they see food they pick it up. It's gone. The person gets nothing out of it. Didn't didn't affect them at all.

That's the first type of hearing. Second type of hearing it's a little different. The shallow this the soil is shallow, but it's full of rocks. It's rocky soil because if you've ever been a gardener, you know.

You live in a pretty special place if your soil doesn't have rocks. But probably the first person that began to plant an area dealt with some rocks. But the longer you work with an area The fewer rocks are there.

Why because you have plowed them up. So this this soil represents Someone who's receptive. But it's had the process hasn't worked very deep because immediately Jesus said they received the word with joy.

But they don't have any root they're not rooted and so when Trouble or persecution happens some difficulty because of the word happens suddenly they're there there they were happy for a while. They they believe for a while then suddenly gone.

Quickly fall away. It's just over spiritual progress gone. That quick I see it. Jesus was a master at describing. I see it. I see people that they're there for a while. They're excited for a while and then suddenly gone.

No. So they didn't they didn't listen deeply. It was shallow. In the way they heard and then there's the third soil remember the third soil. It says it started off pretty good. My gardens always started off really well.

When I killed my garden my ground looked just as nice as everyone else's. It wasn't till later in the season that it begins bending it look different because There were things in my soil that I didn't plant that were there already.

Now when I plowed those things under those weeds and those thorns it gave what I planted a head start. And it jumped out and it looked good. You should have seen my gardens at the start. Rudy they were all beautiful perfect rose and there's so much potential and As long as I told my kids get out there and keep the weeds down it stayed that way.

But you know, it gets hot and you get busy and the kids aren't as interested. So what do you think happens over time? Just what Jesus said the wings the weeds spring up they're there and If they're not dealt with what do they begin to do?

What did he say? What happened? They begin to choke the word and the word becomes what what happens to what happens to these to what you planted it becomes Unproof it's not it never matures. It never achieves perfect.

It never fully develops. It never functions. Like God intended to function and a lot of people listen that way things in this world the cares of this life the deceitfulness of riches and the desires of other things they clog the heart and They present the Word of God from having its full dynamic effect of bringing a wonderfully mature spiritual believer.

The Good and Noble Heart That Seizes the Word

And then I close with this this last. The last soil and it's so important the last soil. Jesus described as a man having a good and noble heart. Now you think that's just a rare exception. You think Jesus was saying only one out of every four people are born with a good and noble heart.

Do you think that's what he meant? No. Then how does it come about that a person has a good and noble heart. How about this. How shall a young man cleanse his way. By taking heed to thy word. What has happened is what makes a heart noble and good is that heart has begun to be cleansed.

Blessed are the Pure in heart. The Greek word is katharizzo. Blessed are those whose hearts have been cleansed. Cleansed of the competing Influences cleanse of the things that choke the Word of God and make it unprovable.

So this person that hears correctly has a good and noble heart and then what it says in the good soil. There these are those by a noble and good heart. Having heard the word They seize it. They grab it.