MARCH 9 AND 12

Lent 2 On the Increase! 3/9 & 12/06

Please turn to Second Peter, chapter 1 verses 3-7. Here the author lists a number of character qualities of the follower of Jesus Christ: “Faith+ real goodness of life +knowledge +self-control+ the ability to endure+ devotion to God+ quality of brotherliness+ Christian love.” Following the list, we read: “If these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” A subject for another sermon, although I want to draw our attention to it this week, is the clear indication that God’s will for His church is that we be “effective” and “fruitful”! As we mature spiritually day to day, we will be effective in our God-given mission and “bear fruit.” “Bearing fruit” is one “Mark of Maturity”!

Back to our subject for this week, notice in vs. 8 the phrase “increasing among you.” Another translation of vs. 8 reads: “If you have these qualities existing and growing in you then it means that knowing our Lord Jesus Christ has not made your lives either complacent or unproductive.” (JB) Regardless of the translation, the word---“increasing” or the phrase “growing and existing”---indicates the ability to measure spiritual maturity, either increasing/growing, or not! If a person is growing, maturing spiritually, there will be some evidence. Have you considered the question, “If following Jesus were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” I believe scripture indicates that discipleship… following Jesus in order to become more like Him can be measured! Ponder and pray about the listing we’ve read in 2 Peter.

What does a maturing believer look like? Turn to Matthew 22: 34…..The Pharisees and Sadducees were the religious leaders in Jesus’ day, although they often disagreed. The Sadducees had attempted to test and trip up Jesus, but had---as do all who attempt such nonsense---failed. The Pharisees heard about this and thought they might try “their hand” at this futile endeavor. “One of them, an expert in the law, asked (Jesus) a question to test him. Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” The are asking about The Law, but Jesus is speaking about lifestyle. Jesus’ quotes the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy (10:12), saying “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Jesus does not conclude His response quite yet. “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Spiritual maturity requires loving God, with all our heart, soul, and mind…Jesus added the phrase “and mind” to what is recorded in Deuteronomy, perhaps to remind us that our thinking process must, also, indicate our love of God! Jesus doesn’t seem interested in “mindless” disciples! Spiritual maturity is more than just a personal, sometimes nearly “private”, individual relationship with God. As the statement contends, “Some Christians are so heavenly minded, they are no earthly good!” Loving God compels us to love what and who God loves!

The Living Bible presents 2 Peter 1: 5 in this challenging way: “You need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do.” “Need more than faith” can sound like heresy to lifelong Lutherans, but the author instructs that believing in God is only the beginning of spiritual maturity, not the end. To mature, we “must learn to know God better” and this occurs best in Bible study (are you in one?), worship (you are in one!), prayer (are you one?), stewardship(all is from God!), and Christian fellowship. Spiritual maturity does not exist only on the “vertical dimension.” We must not dismiss nor ignore the world God sent His Son to save! “God so loved the world!” Spiritual maturity begins in a relationship with God and blossoms---grows---“horizontally,” in our relationships with one another! Our love for God and from God bears fruit in our daily lives and living and God intends for this to “increase” day after day after day!

“Discipleship” is simple: “I am someone’s disciple if I live with him, learning to live like him.” (REPEAT) A person is maturing spiritually when there is evidence they are becoming, daily, more and more like Christ Himself. So, “Can you be a Christian and not follow Jesus?” “Can you follow Christ, but into Church?” What is your answer? Some believe, and many hope, that a person can be Christian without actually following…being with and becoming more like…Jesus Christ. This is ludicrous, false, and eternally fatal! We are either following Jesus, becoming more like Him, or we are not. Two choices, two directions, two results, one decision…a decision we need to make every day of our lives! I’ll pick up our sermon series right here next week… Amen.