sermon: Spiritual Maturity
Exercising Righteousness
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
Given 31-May-09; Sermon #941A; 65 minutes
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Richard Ritenbaugh, citing a recent article in the Barna Report on research conducted by David Kinnaman, reveals that great confusion exists in defining spiritual maturity. In contrast to some definitions, spiritual maturity cannot be measured with numerical charts or any kind of physical terminology. The day of Pentecost symbolizes the harvest of the firstfruits, the process of sanctification or achieving spiritual maturity through the medium of the church. The Kingdom parables of Christ allude to this process, depicting spiritual maturity as a planted and cultivated seed becoming a sprout eventually bearing fruit. Spiritual growth is a process that takes time, requiring cultivation and TLC until the plant reaches the fleeting moment of perfect flavor. The plant has to take in the through-put of sun, water, and minerals, converting them into a higher level of potentiality. As plants in God's garden, we must respond by taking in nutrients, actively turning to the source of life-giving energy. Just as Jesus Christ as the First of the Firstfruits had to struggle and suffer, we are required to struggle and suffer, reaching out to our High Priest and Forerunner for help in our overcoming. Without this continuous struggle, we can revert back to shrivelled up seedlings or frail spiritual babies, untried in God's Word, unable to apply it to our lives, unable to grow, unable to habitually practice righteousness from having had God's Law placed in our hearts. A maturing Christian is one who has spent a long time practicing God's Word, becoming more skilled in making proper godly choices, yielding to God's will in all things as our Elder Brother has taught us.
Topics: (show)
ABC's Analogy Author of Salvation The Barna Group - Barna Update Barna Report Barna, George Basics Block building activity Building metaphor Choices Crop Cultivation Diligence Effort Elementary principles Energy Entering that rest Feast of harvest Feast of weeks Goals God's field Green Giant Growth, stages of Grow in righteous character Habitual godliness Harvest Hebrews Inactivity Judgment Kingdom parables Kinnaman, David Learning by rote Magazine articles Melchizedek, order of Maturity Metric Ministry Negligence Nutrients Obedience Pentecost Persecution Physical measurements Plant metaphors Planting seeds Practicing God's way of life Pressing toward the goal Progress Regression Rest Rot Sabbath Seedling Self-control Spiritual babes Spiritual lethargy Spiritual maturity Sprout Stages of growth Suffering Telecast Tests Time Trials Unskilled Untried Water Waveloaves Wavesheaf day Waving of the loaves
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