THE PRICE WE PAY FOR GROWTH AND MATURITY – The Church Of Christ, 15 Grey Street, Warri

Text: 2 Peter 3.18

By: Bro. Joshua Whisky Ovie

There’s great Joy in my heart whenever Christian’s are gathered in every moment to learn from Him. To those that are perishing, it brings sadness to their heart when the name Sunday is mentioned.

Many are being hospitalized but we are here, I think it is something we must be grateful for.

Each and every opportunity should be seen as a medium of rendering acceptable services to God. Forget what the world think and focus on the needful.

Only if we could imagine how mighty the power of God is, I bet you no one will even dare to miss a moment with the Lord.

Let’s open our terms.

GROWTH: “noun” is tag as the act of getting bigger or higher, also an increase in size, number and value.

MATURITY: “verb” To gain experience or wisdom with age to develop emotionally psychologically. Babies are immature physically, mentally and emotionally. We don’t have high expectations from them.

We don’t expect a newborn baby to clean up his room and make his bed, we don’t expect a baby to solve mathematical questions. When a baby is immature, we are expected to feed them, hold them, carry them, dress them, and even bathe them every day. What is true for us physically is also true for us spiritually. When we first accepted Jesus through baptism we were spiritually immature, we never knew much about God in details. But as time passes, we are expected to grow and mature in Christ Jesus. When we fail to grow spiritually then something must be seriously wrong. 2 Pet. 3:18a But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

This lesson will help us to know many grow in the church activities but fail to grow spiritually, that’s when maturity comes in.

MATURITY and GROWTH; these two things can be quantified; everyone has a way of viewing life situation. And the way we handle such issues which comes our way defines the level of our maturity.

Placing our attention on the inside rather than more on the outside actually makes us grow.

It’s true growth in the sense that coming for weekly activities, taking part in teaching on Sundays, singing and all the rest of it but maturity makes us to understand why we should come for those activities.

REAL SITUATION EXPOSES OUR SENSE AND LEVEL OF MATURITY.

Many have fallen from the fold not because of the problem they faced, but because they were unable to deal with it maturely.

We think we have already known all the gospel that pertains unto life and godliness and we think we’ve already acquired all we need. When I got baptized, I was still in secondary school. I thought I was grounded with the little knowledge I have already gotten so I can stand anyone from the denomination.

Not until I met this Catholic girl, who almost converted me into Catholism.

SO WHAT ARE WE SAYING?

One who claims to be matured thinks He/she have already acquired.

Just of recent I got to know that even the Muslims study the Bible critically looking for faults and ways to condemn Christians of their religion. 2 Tim 2.15 As the have study to Shew thyself approved unto God. A work man that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the words of truth.

NOTE: Not unto men.

It implies that God is interested in us studying the scriptures, it also implies that when we do not study definitely approved will not be granted by God the father. One thing that is more painful is seeing a brother or sister who we perceived to be faithful goes out of the fold without any reasonable reason. That’s when you start hearing statement like “THAT UNA CHURCH”.

I think it is time the church starts evaluation on self, it helps a lot. It is so annoying when we hear from and even observe from brethren within that some do not know the reason why the church does not use instruments of music in the church. That’s why you hear from brethren “CHURCH IS CHURCH”, anywhere I worship in as much as they call on the name of God I have worshipped God. Ignorance will take many of us to Hell if we are not careful.

THE BEREA CHRISTIAN’S AND THEIR LIFESTYLE

After Paul preached in Thessalonica of which he escaped for his life, Paul went unto BEREA. Paul met people who were Noble and ready to hear the word, after been preached to they searched the scriptures thoroughly and confirmed those things to be true.

How many are willing to know in details the word of God? Very few. When you go out for evangelism, very few. Even inside the church very few are ready to do the work of God. The psalmist said Psalm 40.8, I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law is with my heart.

Many seek from the Lord but do not want to have a better relationship with Him “How possible”. Psalm 38:4 “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he give you desires of your hearts.

WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS SEEK MATURITY?

Hebrew 5.14 but solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have this sense exercised to discern both Good and evil.