Sermon Notes from our Pastors
INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT: Growing, and with Others
Acts 2:42-47, 1 Timothy 4:15-16, Colossians 3:12-17 (January 19, 2025)
[All Church Study: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations]
Acts 2:42-47, 1 Timothy 4:15-16, Colossians 3:12-17 (January 19, 2025)
[All Church Study: Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations]
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)
Introduction
Remember? God’s intention for humans has always been for fruit-fullness. But whether in humans or in plants it does not happen in isolation, it only happens in community, when it happens in and affects people in community. But why, this fruit-fullness? Because he wants us to be just like him!
Remember? God’s intention for humans has always been for fruit-fullness. But whether in humans or in plants it does not happen in isolation, it only happens in community, when it happens in and affects people in community. But why, this fruit-fullness? Because he wants us to be just like him!
“…in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good – with those who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… (NIV)
Or, He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son (The Message). [Romans 8:28-29]
Or, He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son (The Message). [Romans 8:28-29]
In creation God made us in his image – the broad outlines of who he is. But in the new creation, by coming into us and transforming us we discover our true destiny, our real identity, who we were exactly meant to be – just like Jesus. Our destiny is not just not dying, or just escaping hell, or just going to heaven, not just living forever happily ever after (like in fairy tales). We were always meant to become just like Jesus. And just as Jesus is fruit-full, by becoming like him we too are meant to be fruit-full!
But that does not happen in a void. God does not wave a magical wand to transform us from the outside. He begins the transformation by his grace by redeeming us – by paying the price of his own life and granting us freedom. To do what exactly? To then work with him as he uses our obedience to his Word to transform us to become just like himself. That “working with him” is intentional faith development, intentional spiritual growth that happens simultaneously both individually and relationally (in community).
GOD’S WORD OBEDIENCE
I. Intentionally Growing as Individuals
A. Receiving and obeying the living Word
- We grow as we allow God’s Word to “dwell” in us, our knowledge and love of Jesus grows. It’s like the seed that when planted in good soil, when it receives the soil’s nutrients, water and “son-light” grows (“Let the word of Christ / God dwell richly…,” Col 3.16). As this Living Word (Jesus) grows in us, so do our knowledge, love and worship of him grow.
- Growth really happens when we take the revelation of God’s Word in our personal lives and put it into practice (“… whoever looks intently into/studies God’s Word…and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do” James 1:25)
B. Intentional Practices
- Disciplined reading and studying of God’s Word. Intentionally making time in your daily routine to read, study, and meditate on what God wants to reveal to you. Use devotional apps like “Lectio 365” or “You Version” or “iDisciple” or “Bible app.” But spend more time on the actual Bible passage than on the devotion
- Make it a point to obey what the Holy Spirit wants you to do. Therefore when you read something like “..wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it” Colossians 3:24, The Message), obedience can only mean that love needs to be an essential ingredient of who we’re becoming, without exception!
Question #1: What intentional practices will you adopt to grow fruit-full as a “new creation”?
II. Intentionally Growing Relationally (in Community)
A. Experiencing and developing the nourishing Word
- Scripture becomes meaningful only when we experience it relationally. It can never make a real difference in our lives when read/studied in isolation. Therefore we do it in community as did the early church, and the living church down the ages. When God reveals himself to each person in a group, we discover the different facets of who God is and what he is doing. That is meant to draw us closer to each other, and not separate us. We learn to humble ourselves to one another.
- We obey God’s Word together as we grow in our “life together” as fellow “new creations” (Note: a really great book on this is “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer). Every instruction in Colossians 3:12-17 is for this “life together.” Life together becomes an adventure…
“clothe yourselves,”
“bear with each other,”
“forgive one another,”
“forgive as the Lord forgave you,”
“put on love,”
“let the peace of Christ rule,”
“be thankful,”
“let message of Christ dwell among you,”
“teach and admonish one another,”
“singing to God with gratitude,”
“do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,”
“give thanks to God.”
“bear with each other,”
“forgive one another,”
“forgive as the Lord forgave you,”
“put on love,”
“let the peace of Christ rule,”
“be thankful,”
“let message of Christ dwell among you,”
“teach and admonish one another,”
“singing to God with gratitude,”
“do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,”
“give thanks to God.”
B. Intentional Practices
- Disciplining yourself to be part of a group that will love you, and that you will intentionally love. Study God’s Word with that group. While holding on to your own relationship with Christ, allow God to shape you through this group. Be willing to be vulnerable with each other.
- Intentionally practice radical hospitality with/through that group to grow with it. Practice passionate worship in/with that group through prayer, intercession, and singing. As a group find ways of obeying God’s Will by holding each other responsible (as the early Wesleyan “class” used to). Make it a practice to notice how God is perfecting yourself and each in love through the gifts of the Spirit you can see growing (Galatians 5:22-23)
Question #2: What intentional practices will you adopt to grow fruit-full relationally – as a faith community?
