GROW INTENTIONALLY BROWN GROW INTENTIONALLY Unit Theme Growing

GROW INTENTIONALLY BROWN

GROW INTENTIONALLY Unit Theme: Growing Spiritually Focus: Recognize that spiritual growth is a life-long journey and stay on course. Golden Text: Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 2: 3)

HOW DO WE GROW INTENTIONALLY? 1. Walk in New Life (Romans 6: 1 -3) 2. Walk Purposefully ( Phil. 3 12 -16, Heb 12: 1 -3) 3. Walk Humbly (James 4: 6 -10, 1 Peter 5: 5 -10)

INTRODUCTION Hebrews chapter 12: 2 likens the Christian walk to a race. This metaphor of a race bears great resemblance to the process of spiritual growth. The rules of the race stipulates. 1. Any good runner must harness the energy of the crowd. We have a “great cloud of witnesses” 2. A runner must not wear things that will slow him or her down. “Throw off everything that holds us back from running at our full potential”

RULES OF THE RACE 3. This race is not a sprint. We are commanded to run with endurance. 4. Runners must stay on course. The course has been already “marked out for us”. 5. None of us is successful in any challenge without keeping our eyes on the prize. The finish line is always visible because it is Christ himself! We are called to “fix our eyes on Jesus”

WALK IN NEW LIFE • One of the great paradoxes (puzzles) of the Christian Faith is that spiritual life is found in spiritual death. • New Testament teaches Self-abandonment. Through the sacrament(ceremony) of baptism, Christ’s death is reenacted or recreated in the life of the believer, to make way for new life.

DEATH WITH CHRIST Romans 6 vs 1 -7 1. What false doctrine does Paul address in verse 1? We can continue in sin because grace will abound (flourish) Shall we hence take encouragement to sin with so much the more boldness, because the more sin we commit the more will the grace of God be magnified in our pardon? Is this a use to be made of it? ’’ No, it is an abuse, and the apostle startles at the thought of it. 2. How are Christians “baptized into Jesus death”? (v. 3) When we are baptized in water 3. How should believers walk? (vs 4) In newness of life

DEATH WITH CHRIST 4. If we are crucified with Christ, what is “destroyed”? (v. 6) The body of sin 5. Who is freed from sin? (v. 7) He that is dead

LIFE WITH CHRIST • Romans 6 vs 8: 13 1. If we have died with Christ, what can we expect? (v. 8) Expect that we shall also live with him 2. What has “no more dominion” over Christ and why? (Vs 9)Death hath no more dominion. 3. How should we view ourselves as believers? (vs 10 -11) We, ourselves are to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

LIFE WITH CHRIST 4. What should rule our lives and what should not (v. 12 -13) Righteousness unto God should rule our lives not unrighteousness unto sin

WALK IN PURPOSE Christianity is a life of intention. When we learn to walk purposely as Christians we find ourselves growing spiritually

MOVING PURPOSELY TOWARD THE GOAL Philippians 3 vs 12 -16 1. What did Paul do because he was apprehended (seized) of Christ Jesus? Vs 12 -13 Forgetting those things which are behind, he reaches forth to those things which are before - Bob Marley “Emancipate (unshackle) yourself from mental slavery – none but ourselves can free our mind” We enslave ourselves with things that are behind for too long. Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay

MOVING PURPOSELY TOWARD THE GOAL 2. What did Paul “press towards”? And why? V 14 Paul presses toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God because it is in Christ Jesus 3. Describe a Christian perspective on life? Vs 15 -16 We should not focus on imperfections but on Jesus. Those who are ‘perfect’ or ‘full grown’ no longer babes in Christ will have the mind to move forward in maturity.

VERSE 16 • Adam Clarke writes: “Let us not lose that part of the race which we have already run, let us walk by the same rule- let us keep the white line continually in view, let us mind the same thing, always considering the glorious prize which is held out by God through Christ Jesus to animate and encourage us”. Adam Clarke (b. 1760 -1762, d. August 28, 1832) was a British Methodist theologian and biblical scholar When we stay focused on the goal of our faith, purposeful growth occurs naturally

STAYING FOCUSED ON CHRIST’S EXAMPLE Hebrews 12: 1 -3 1. With so many witnesses watching, how should we “run…the race”? V. 1 With patience 2. How is Jesus the author and finisher of our faith”? V. 2 Our faith begins in Him and ends in Him 3. How did Jesus endure the cross? V. 2 He despised (scorned, shunned) its shame 4. Where is Jesus now? v. 2 Set at he right hand of the throne of God 5. Why should we look Christ each day? V. 3 Christ endured, otherwise we will become wearied and faint in our minds. He is the pioneer (creator)and the perfecter of faith

WALK HUMBLY JAMES 4: 6 -10 Humility(unpretentiousness)is essential to ongoing personal growth. Humility heals division 1. Whom does God “resist” and why? V. 6 He resist the proud so He could give more grace to the humbly 2. To whom are we to submit ourselves and whom are we to resist? V. 7 Submit ourselves to God and resist the devil

HUMILITY HEALS (SETTLES) DIVISION? JAMES 4 VS 6 -10 3. If we “draw nigh” to God, what will He do for us and what should be our responses? V. 8 -9 Draw nigh(near) to God and He will draw nigh (near) to us. We should cleanse our hands and purify our hearts, be distressed, mourn (grieve)weep turn our laughter to mourning and our joy to heaviness 4. What are we promised in verse 10? When we humble ourselves in His view he will lift us up.

HUMILITY ORDERS (GUIDES) THE CHURCH 1 Peter 5: 5 -10 1. What does it mean to submit and be subject to one another? v. 5 To submit is to yield to. The entire congregation is put under charge to yield to or to be humble (unpretentious) to one another 2. How is Satan like a roaring lion? V. 8 The devil is noisy and busy seeking to take advantage of pride 3. How are we to resist the devil? V 8 -9 By being sober (clear headed) vigilant (watchful, attentive) steadfast (persistent, determined) in our faith (conviction, belief) 4. Why should suffering believers be encouraged? (vs 10) We should know that all of us are afflicted in like manner but God makes us perfect, stablish and settles us.