Bible exploration
Examining Christian growth stages
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0:01 all the glory must be to the lord's 0:07 [Music] 0:16 no one on earth 0:21 [Music] [Applause] 0:28 [Music] 0:35 praise the lord praise ye the lord hallelujah 0:42 welcome back brothers and sisters let us pray 0:48 father we thank you again for this time of fellowship 0:55 with your word and with my brothers and sisters 1:00 father we pray that you give us understanding father we pray 1:07 that you open our eyes that we may behold wonderful things from your word 1:14 in jesus name we pray amen praise the lord 1:22 uh brothers and sisters last time we were speaking about 1:30 christian growth stages we mentioned that the growth stages 1:36 are stages that the lord put in place 1:42 he set them in place in his own wisdom 1:48 other than adam and eve that came forth as full 1:53 grown individuals every other person 2:00 even the son of the most high god himself has had to come here 2:06 as a baby and grow so it is the wisdom of god 2:15 it is his unsearchable wisdom 2:20 that has set these growth stages in place so it's not to 2:27 condemn anyone it's not to put down anyone it's not to 2:33 [Music] well i'm grown you small 2:38 kind of thing no no 2:45 it's a study in this is where i am 2:52 this is where i should be in a short while 2:57 and that is where i should be at the end of the day it's a road map if you will 3:05 it's a pointer if you will 3:11 because like we read in ephesians chapter 4 verse 5 3:17 verse 15 i'm sorry that speaking the truth in love may grow 3:23 up into him may grow up into him 3:28 grow up into so that's the 3:34 purpose of this walk through these christian growth stages 3:42 last time we dealt with babes in christ 3:49 some peculiar characteristics of babes in christ 3:55 and today but the mercies of god will 4:02 look quickly if we're able to at 4:08 two other stages or one 4:13 and um let's jump right into it um quickly 4:19 we talk about babes in christ as stage one and stage two we're going to just call 4:26 them little children uh your stage one you can picture 4:33 an infant in diapers 4:38 an infant in diapers for example just as a 4:45 word picture if you will and stage two we're looking at little 4:52 children as a word picture you can 4:58 you can you can think about a toddler and up you know trying to work 5:05 walk i should say and trying to 5:11 run stumbling a little but they are growing now like we said last time 5:18 this labeling if you will it's not exclusive 5:25 it's not the only way you could look at these growth stages 5:33 nobody has a patent on the word of god no 5:38 it's not the only way you can view growing in christ 5:44 it's just a way of looking at it so someone may have a different 5:51 quote unquote classification that's fine 5:57 if there's scripture for it we can go with it so let's let's let's look at little 6:02 children the bible says in 1st john chapter 1 6:08 verse 8 to 10 [Music] first john chapter 1 6:14 verse 8 to 10 the apostle john 6:19 states if we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves 6:26 and the truth is not in us verse 9 6:32 if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us our 6:37 sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 6:46 verse 10 if we say that we have not sinned 6:51 we make him a liar and his word is not 6:58 in us now 7:07 chapter 2 of the same first john verse 1 7:14 continues like this my little 7:19 children these things right eye onto you that we 7:24 seen not and if any man's seen we have an an advocate with the father 7:31 jesus christ the righteous 7:40 this first chapter of first john 7:46 doesn't end in verse 10 it continues in 7:51 chapter 2 verse 1 like we just read 7:56 now first john 2 verse 12 to 13 states this 8:03 i write unto you little children because your sins are forgiving you for 8:12 his name's sake i write unto you fathers 8:18 because you have known him that is from the beginning i write unto you 8:23 young men because you have overcome the wicked one 8:29 i write unto you little children because you have known 8:34 the father a couple of things for us to look at here before 8:42 before we move away from that briefly 8:48 the often quoted first john 8:53 1 8 9 and 10 [Music] 8:59 is addressed to little children in christ 9:09 let's read it again first john 1 8 to 10 9:16 if you say we have no sin we deceive ourselves the truth is not in us if we confess our sins he's faithful and just 9:21 to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness if you say we have not sinned we'll make him a liar 9:27 and his word is not in us next verse chapter two verse one my little children 9:33 these things right unto you that you see not and 9:38 if any man seen we have an advocate with the father jesus christ the righteous 9:46 little children in christ 9:53 are still struggling with sin 10:02 for them to say they are without sin [Music] 10:08 it's like saying the toddler got up and ran and never fell 10:20 so he says verse 10 if we say we have not sinned we make him a liar 10:27 god says i know where you are josh yeah you are wearing diapers 10:36 uh [Music] i'm not trying to be gross 10:43 but a baby poops at will 10:48 just whenever 10:54 then when you start to grow beyond that 11:00 hear of party training 11:08 being potty trained doesn't mean there are no mess-ups 11:16 before you get fully potty trained so my little children 11:22 uh if you say well no accident happened 11:28 that's a lie because i know where you are don't forget 11:34 the process is 11:39 set of god meaning he has created a pathway 11:46 for growth he didn't create a scene in the pathway let's not 11:52 conflict or mix up those issues he knows the pathway exists because he 11:57 put the pathway there he doesn't make us full 12:04 grown men and women the day we were born after nine months no you start as a baby 12:13 then you grow 12:22 first john but he before he leaves 12:28 first john 1 8 to 10. 12:33 before he leaves that issue alone before well let me put it this way 12:42 i want us to get the contrast 12:50 the woman that was caught in adultery came 12:55 was brought to jesus 13:01 and the woman knew and the people that brought her new 13:08 and jesus knew that she committed adultery leslie be sure about where was the guy and all 13:14 that stuff yeah yeah yeah that's fine let's leave that alone that's not the point here 13:20 she knew and he knew and they knew that she committed adultery 13:32 if she had said she didn't commit adultery she would be deceiving herself 13:38 but in that context that was not the point the point is that jesus said 13:46 where are your accusers says lord there's none then he said 13:53 go and sing no more 13:59 that's the point he knew where she was at 14:05 she he knew what stage she was in so first john 14:10 chapter 1 verse 10 often quoted 14:16 i'm sorry verse 8 and verse 10 is i hear it a lot if we say we have no sin we deceive 14:22 ourselves verse 10 if we say we have not sinned we'll make him a liar 14:29 yeah but the holy spirit does not stop there it moves right away to the next verse 14:35 and says my little children these things right are unto you that you sin not hold 14:41 on the same guy that said well when i say god i'm talking about john the apostle now 14:48 just to put a face on it is the holy spirit speaking through him 14:54 and god speaking through the spirit the same 15:00 writer that said if you say you have no sin 15:06 you are deceiving yourself if you say you have not sinned 15:11 you're making god a liar but if you confess your sin 15:17 sandwich between those two verses in verse 9 it's going to forgive you and cleanse you 15:23 then what i would label verse 11 which is the next chapter 15:29 chapter 2 verse 1 he now says 15:35 do not sin do you get that 15:41 if you say you have no sin you're lying if you say you have not sinned 15:46 you're making him a liar but do not sin 15:55 i know where you are i know where you've been 16:01 but this is where you should be going do you get that beloved 16:08 oh well i'll leave that alone for now and 16:14 verse 2 i'm sorry verse 16:21 13 of first john chapter 2 we previously read it says little children 16:28 i write unto you literature because you have known the father 16:33 verse 12 says i write unto you little children because your sins are forgiving you for his name's sake 16:42 the little children 16:49 i've known the father 16:57 but they're not out of the woods yet galatians 4 19 17:02 the scripture says paul states my little children 17:10 of whom i travail in birth again 17:16 until what christ be formed in you 17:26 they are in christ 17:31 but christ is not yet formed in them 17:42 we have a reverse picture in the old testament 17:50 where the israelites left egypt and came to the promised land 17:57 physically but 18:03 their hearts were still in egypt egypt was still in them 18:08 now we have a situation where 18:14 god has translated us into the kingdom of his dear son into christ 18:22 but that christ that they are translated or we have been translated into 18:30 has to be formed in us 18:38 has to be formed in us so we see 18:44 that with little children 18:51 they're still grappling with the issue of sin don't forget 18:58 the base we talked about last time could not 19:03 or cannot skillfully handle the word of righteousness 19:14 we have received the righteousness of christ 19:21 but because he can't handle that word 19:26 that concept skillfully the bible says they are skillful in the word of 19:32 righteousness there's a lot of 19:37 mishandling misconception 19:43 jaded one-sided views incomplete 19:52 of righteousness yes i'm the righteousness of god in christ jesus 20:00 yes that's one facet of righteousness 20:07 the other facets of righteousness 20:12 but we'll talk about that some other time god willing but the little 20:19 child in christ is still grappling with this 20:26 but god knows where we are 20:31 and before he leaves where we are he says this is where we ought to be 20:38 he says i write unto you little children that you sin not absolute 20:44 say not i know you're sinning now but i'm writing to you so that you sin not 20:52 yeah i know you're in pre-k right now but i know 20:57 you can get to your phd 21:04 it may look far to you but i know you can i know you can do it 21:14 let me run ahead of myself 21:23 little children 21:30 what can we make of this little children may still 21:37 be struggling with sin they are in christ 21:43 but christ is not fully formed in them yet 21:54 because they believe jesus christ has come in the flesh 21:59 they are in christ and have overcome every spirit that confesses otherwise 22:06 we see that in 1st john 4 verse 1 to 5. 22:13 verse 4 first john chapter 4 verse 4 22:19 says you have god little children and i've overcome them because greater is he 22:25 that is in you than he that is in the world 22:33 they believe in christ they believe he has come in the flesh 22:42 that gives them the place 22:47 to overcome every contrary spirit 23:00 struggling with sin is still a feature 23:07 of this growth stage 23:12 but our father tells us at the same place 23:18 that he's seen not 23:24 now let me let me hurry along oh time flies 23:29 our third group we want to look at is 23:36 well you can call them young men or women you can call them youth 23:43 your your your your you can for a word picture you can think about 23:49 you know your vibrant youth you know muscles 23:54 strong young men young women 24:00 let's look at first john chapter 2 verse 13 says i write unto you fathers because you have known him that is from the 24:06 beginning i write unto you young men because you have overcome the 24:12 wicked one 24:18 verse 14 first john 2 14 i have written unto you fathers because 24:24 you have known him that is from from the beginning i have written unto you young men because 24:29 listen now ye are strong 24:36 characteristic of this stage of christian growth 24:44 ye are strong and the word of god abides 24:51 in you and you have overcome the wicked one 24:58 it says you are strong and the word of god abides 25:04 in you the word of god is in you 25:18 psalm 119 verse one to three samaharan 19 verse one to three says 25:24 blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the law of the lord 25:33 blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart 25:39 they also do no iniquity and oh 25:45 no iniquity they walk in his ways 25:52 first of all verse 1 says blessed are the undefiled in the way 25:59 blessed are the undefiled in the way 26:08 i hope you know that the way is a person john 14 6 jesus said unto him john 14 6 26:18 jesus said unto him i am the way the truth and the life 26:25 no man comment unto the father but by me jesus says i am the way 26:36 psalm 119 verse 1 again blessed are the undefiled in the way 26:45 they are in the way and they are not defiled in the way 26:59 someone will now verse nine because how is this 27:04 possible to be undefiled in the way 27:11 we read how that is already part of that in first john 27:17 probably makes some more sense now first john chapter two 27:24 i'm sorry chapter one verse nine 27:29 if we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins don't 27:35 forget we're already in him he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all 27:42 unrighteousness then psalm 119 27:48 verse 9 says where we thought shall a young man cleanse his way 27:56 he says by taking he dead to according to your word 28:04 the word is a cleanser 28:10 the word the bible talks about the washing of the water of the world 28:23 because the word of god will cleanse you 28:30 in ephesians 5 26 he says that he may sanctify 28:38 and cleanse it with the washing of water 28:43 by the word so 28:48 back to the question psalm 119 verse 9 how shall a young man cleanse his way 28:54 is by the word ephesians 5 26 29:00 but where is the access to the word to cleanse his way 29:06 psalm 119 verse 11 thy word have i hid in 29:12 my heart that i might not sin against thee the word of god 29:18 in the heart of the young man is a defense it's an umpire it's a 29:24 cleanser it's a reservoir is a source of strength it's a flusher 29:31 cleansing sanctifying detoxifying 29:49 psalm 71 verse 17 the bible says oh god thou has taught me from my youth 29:59 don't forget don't forget first john chapter 2 verse 14. 30:08 key characteristic of the young man of the youth first john 2 30:14 14. they are strong 30:20 it's not their own strength of course their strength is in the lord 30:27 and the bible says and the word of god abides in them 30:34 then we find as we just read the word of god abides in them because 30:40 psalm 119 verse 11 they took the word and hid it in their heart 30:51 the babe is on skillful in that 31:00 the little child is starting to understand that 31:09 the young man has taken that and put it in his heart has internalized 31:16 it has put that word in his heart has hidden it in his heart you know when you hide something 31:22 other folks can't get it out when you hide thank you jesus when you 31:30 hide the word of god in your heart tribulation can find that word to steal 31:37 it so we see here again psalm 119 verse 11 31:45 thy word have a heed in my heart 31:52 where it cannot be stolen that am i not saying against you 31:59 so when joseph hid god's word in his heart temptation from his master's 32:06 wife could not steal that word 32:13 when daniel shadrach meshach abednego heed god's 32:18 word in their heart the influences around them could not go 32:23 and steal that word and make them seedless 32:30 because when the seed is in there that seed will 32:37 sustain you because that seed is the word of god 32:46 incorruptible word of god 32:52 was he's talking about youths in christ youth in christ 33:03 we read read it again to for continue to say psalm 71 verse 17 oh god 33:11 thou has taught me from my youth 33:20 as a youth understanding is coming in now 33:25 light is shining forth on the inside 33:30 thou has taught me from my youth 33:36 and here too have i declared that wondrous works 33:42 lamentations 3 verse 27 talking about youth in christ 33:48 lamentation 3 verse 27 it says it is good for a man that he bad yoke in his 33:55 youth let's read that again it is good for a 34:02 man that he bear the yoke in his youth what yoke 34:07 i'm glad you asked matthew chapter 11 34:14 verse 28 to 30 jesus says come unto me all ye that labor 34:21 and a heavy laden and i will give you rest 34:33 take my yoke upon you and learn of me 34:41 i thought you wanted to give me rest yes so why am i picking up a yolk 34:50 take my yoke upon you and learn of me for a meek and lowly in heart and you 34:56 shall find rest onto your souls for my yoke is easy 35:02 and my burden is light 35:11 lamentation 327 did not say is good for a man to betty yolk in his 35:17 infancy he can't bury yolk 35:25 you can't put a yolk on a baby 35:32 he can't he can't bear it 35:40 but a young man yes a youth yes 35:46 the young man has come to understand 35:52 that there is not nothing 35:59 like absolute freedom that's a different topic but it's 36:05 important here because seen 36:10 comes principally from disobedience 36:19 disobedience comes from not 36:24 recognizing or accepting 36:31 the lordship the commandments the authority of 36:36 another that another being christ 36:46 you can't sin by obedience you can't sin by obeying god 36:53 it's not possible we're seeing by disobeying god 37:01 and disobedience 37:07 principally comes from we wanting to do what we want to do when we want to do it how we want to do it if 37:14 we want to do it i'm free 37:19 it's my life i want to do what i want 37:25 but if you are yoked you are not free 37:33 let me say that again if you are yoked you don't do what you want to do when 37:39 you want to do how you want to do it no no no no no 37:47 you go where 37:52 the yoke leads you to go 37:59 when we without christ we were yoked 38:05 although we didn't know it some knew 38:10 but i'm guessing most didn't when we're without christ we were yoked 38:15 with the devil that's what the scripture says the anointing of christ breaks the yoke 38:24 the anointing destroys the yoke 38:32 we're going to read that in isaiah 38:38 chapter 10 verse 27. the bible says and it shall come to pass 38:43 in that day that his burden not lord's burden does the enemy's burden shall be taken away from 38:50 off your shoulder and his yoke that's the enemy's yoke not the lord's yoke 38:57 from of thy neck and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the 39:03 anointing so here comes our savior 39:10 let me say that again here comes our savior that saved us from our sins 39:20 and the power of the enemy 39:25 and he removes the burden of the enemy from our shoulder 39:31 and he removes the yoke because a yolk joins 39:38 two persons together that's what the yolk does 39:48 the lord our savior removes the enemy's yoke from our neck 39:54 then he destroys the yoke by his anointing after he does that 40:01 he doesn't let us go yokeless 40:07 because no such person exists 40:14 jesus said when the enemy is driven out 40:19 and the house is clean there's nothing in it 40:25 the enemy is gonna go and come back with seven other demons 40:31 worse than himself because you cannot have 40:39 a landlord-less house 40:45 we are houses you cannot have a person that has no lord 40:54 over him it's not possible luke 11 24 41:02 to 26 it's our reference day when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walks 41:07 through dry places seeking rest and finding none he says i will return unto my house 41:13 once i came out when he comes he finds his swept and garnished then he goes and takes to him 41:18 seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and do the and the last of the man is worse than the 41:25 first if the enemy had a wooden yoke on a person 41:30 and it was broken and if the person has no yoke on them 41:35 the enemy goes and comes back with a worse yoke cast iron something steel 41:42 but jesus said like we just read take my yoke matthew 11 28 41:50 to 30 because when i yoked with the lord his own yoke 42:00 ah it's easy his burden is light 42:06 even jesus was not yokeless 42:14 he boy burden to isaiah says and the burden shall be upon his shoulder 42:20 jesus says i don't say anything or do anything except what i see my father do 42:28 jesus says not my will but then will be done 42:36 the young man in christ gets it he gets it he gets it he gets it so he 42:45 bursts the burden he burst the yoke 42:50 of christ the word of god abides in him 42:56 so we see in 1st timothy chapter 4 verse 12 43:02 paul says let no man despise the youth thy you talking to timothy who was 43:09 apparently a young man physically but he applies 43:14 in the spiritual context also he says this latin man first timothy 4 12 let no 43:20 man despise valued but be thou an example of believers in word in 43:26 conversation in charity in spirit in faith impurity 43:32 be an example of believers the youth be an example of believers 43:41 be an example of believers 43:48 be an example of believers how believers ought to live 43:57 yes a baby in diapers is a human being you can't take that from them 44:04 but everyone poop at will 44:14 art everyone throw up at will 44:22 is that an example of decent human living 44:34 the young man in christ the youth in christ is an example 44:40 in word the babe is not skillful in the word of righteousness 44:46 the young man in christ is an example in conversation in 44:51 lifestyle he's an example in charity 44:57 it's an example in the spirit the babies are not they're carnal 45:04 canality and spirituality are opposites no but the young man is an example in 45:11 spirit the babe is not he's an example in the flesh 45:17 it's an example in canality and you we 45:22 we both know that the scripture says to be carnally minded 45:28 is death the babe is a christian but he can't 45:34 stay baby oh well 45:40 my time is gone again beloved may the lord give you more 45:47 understanding by himself in jesus name 45:53 till next time god bless you in jesus name 45:58 amen all the glory must be 46:06 [Music] 46:15 no one on [Music] 46:21 [Applause] must earth 46:27 [Music]