Spiritual Maturity

Not that the sermons at my church are ever not good, but today was especially good. I guess "good" really isn't the best adjective to use...how about convicting? No, that one isn't really what I'm looking for either. Well, for lack of a better word, today's sermon was loud. It was loud as in I felt like the Holy Spirit was kind of yelling it at me. So here's a copy of my notes with some extras thrown in.
-taye


Spiritual Maturity-Church-Sunday, Jan. 30th 2011


To start off the sermon this morning, Chad, my church’s teaching pastor, told of a couple of instances where his immaturity has come out. One of them was about when his immaturity shows up in his parenting (he has three adorable kids). I can definitely relate to the whole immaturity thing. Not as a parent, obviously, but simply as a person in general. This year, I will turn eighteen, graduate from high school, and go to college, yet, if I am completely honest, most of the time I feel like I am still seven.
In my opinion immaturity is okay…not responsibly immature, do not misunderstand me, but sometimes the little kid inside just needs to come out. However, spiritual immaturity is an entirely different ball game, and not one where you win.

Age has nothing to do with spiritual maturity. It is absolutely possible to be 21 and extremely spiritually mature, while finding a 70 year-old who is spiritually immature, it has to do with how we listen and hear God’s Word.

“Take care then how you hear…”
-Luke 8:18 ESV

Passage: Luke 8:4-15

“And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to Him, He said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold’" As He said these things, He called out, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear’
And when His disciples asked Him what this parable meant, He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.' Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they) believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.’”


It is possible to hear but not hear, and to see but not see.

There are four types of Spiritual maturity:
1. Spiritually Premature—vs. 12, “The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”
The spiritually premature are the ones who have yet to begin a relationship with God. They are open to know more about Christ and Christianity, but they have never really done anything about it. The people you surround yourself with can influence your spiritual maturity level greatly, therefore, be careful who you give a voice of influence to.

2. Spiritually Immature—vs. 13, “And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.”
The spiritually immature are Christians, but they are lacking to continuously pursue their relationship with God. The lives of the spiritually immature have little differences with the lives of unbelievers. Take a good look at your life compared to non-Christians…is there any visible difference?

3. Spiritually Un-mature—vs. 14, “And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”
Spiritually un-mature people are in more danger of never maturing than the spiritually immature are. The spiritually un-mature are the lukewarm “Christians” whom Christ says He will “spit out of His mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
Spiritually un-mature people have themselves as the foundation of their lives rather than God.

4. Spiritually Mature—vs. 15, “As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”
The spiritually mature Christian is not a perfect Christian. There is no such thing. It is the spiritually mature who know fully that they are not perfect and how deep their need for Christ runs.
Spiritually immature and un-mature people compare themselves to other people, while the spiritually mature people compare themselves to Christ.

“…put it into practice…” vs. 21