Spiritual Maturity

1 Corinthians 3:2-3 NIV

[2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. [3] You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

God expect everyone to grow in spiritual maturity. 

1. Spiritual maturity is not matter of age. 

No one become spiritually mature overnight. 

Luke 2:52 NIV

[52] And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

The danger:

Can get older but not grow to spiritually mature

Some refused to grow up

2. Spiritual maturity is not about appearance

They know how to talk the talk, but the question is they know how to walk the walk.

Some people look holy, they seems to have heaven around them. They might be appearance but not reality. 

Appearance can be deceiving. 

3. Spiritual maturity is not matter of achievement.

Characters make a difference. 

Recognition is what people say about you. 

It's your character that determine who we are. 

5 marks of Christian maturity

1. He is patience in testing (James 1)

James 1:2-4 NIV

[2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [4] Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Whenever you are going thru trials, do not go impulsive or rash. 

How we need to be able to patience. See trials as fertilizer. Going to make something happen in life. The fertilizer of trials worked into the soil start to produce a stalk and that's what James call "perseverance"

2. He practices the truth (James 2)

James 2:14 NIV

[14] What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?

Favoritism forbidden. Doing the right deeds. 

3. He has the power Over his tongue ( James 3)

James 3:3-6 NIV

[3] When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. [4] Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. [5] Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. [6] The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

It is very strong scripture. 

4. He is peacemaker not troublemaker (James 4)

James 4:3-6 NIV

[3] When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. [4] You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. [5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us ? [6] But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

If we want to be mature, we need to be mature and bring it to mature way.  We need to help to resolve conflicts. 

5. He is prayerful in trouble (James 5)

James 5:13-16 NIV

[13] Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. [14] Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. [16] Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Half book of James is command, contain verbs in the imperative form. 

Remain in Jesus

John 15:9-11 NIV
[9] “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

What is the purpose that we need to remain in his love? Jesus is the source of our true joy and his joy to be in us.

1. If I have true joy, joy cannot be hidden.
Joy is not the absence of problem but the evidence of God present.
Psalm 4:7 NIV
[7] Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. [8] In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Joy came from God.
Joy is not equal to happiness.

James 1:2-4 NIV
[2] Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [4] Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Proverbs 17:22 NIV
[22] A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
People who are cheerful able to heal people around them but crush spirit always dries people up, even surrounding happiness will be sucked by crushed spirit.

2. Joy cannot be fake
Joker, bad character from batman, has appear to be smiling but deep down in our heart we are hurting, crying and destroyed.

Psalm 32:3-5 NIV
[3] When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. [4] For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. [5] Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Proverbs 28:13 NIV
[13] Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
We need to be open about our struggle, open about your life, obey the word then you will have joy as god will come to life.

Light of The World

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
[14] “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Are we living in God vision and mission? Are we hiding as Christian and singles?
A lot of time we wants to be walley, to hiding and don't want other people know about us.

Shine as single:

1 stand out

Matthew 5:15 NIV
[15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.

Do we stand out in our spirituality, love, character?
The more quiet people around us, the better because it is easier to stand out.

Dare to different
When people do speak up and also make a difference due to Christian value, god will make a way.

2. Help out

Matthew 5:16 NIV
[16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
What good words and also works that people see in me?
Don't tell them Jesus loves them until you are ready to love them.

3. Inside out

1 Timothy 4:16 NIV
[16] Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
People will find out when did not walk the talk.
Integrity means who you really are when only God seeing you.

4. Never walk out

Galatians 6:9 NIV
[9] Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
It takes a lot of energy, love, and time to make people become disciple.
There is no grow in comfort zone. There is no comfort in grow zone.

5. Edge out

In the race running, they need to edge out to win the race.
Acts 4:31 NIV
[31] After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.