This morning our thoughts are going to center around the subject of “growth.” The Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W.E. Vine provides a helpful definition of the word “growth” as used in the New Testament: “To make increase.. .the effect of the work of God.. .to grow, to become greater.. .the increase of believers individually and of the Church…”
Are we growing?
Now let us do a little self- evaluation by asking ourselves both individually and collectively some searching questions. Am I growing in the Lord? Is my faith progressively moving me to new heights of spiritual maturity? As an ecclesial family, both locally and worldwide, are we growing, maturing and becoming a stronger and brighter reflection of Jesus Christ? Are we fulfilling the expectations of Paul when he wrote: “So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you are also built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22 RSV as all quotes)?
Are we growing into a holy temple wherein our God is pleased to dwell? Sadly, our human condition is so weak that even though there are times of great joy and a passionate commitment to the service of our Creator, there invariably come times of confusion, distraction, doubt and dismay. Our circumstances often distress us and we find it difficult to stay the course and fight the pressures of life.
Active denial
James, the Lord’s brother, expressed beautifully this complex human condition that can be dedicated and active one minute and distracted and neglectful the next: “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing” (James 1:22-25).
Growth means being active in the Lord’s service. It is so easy to forget! As we age, each time we look in the mirror we receive a shock. “What happened to that attractive, slender youngster?” Once away from the mirror, however, denial sets in and in our minds we are still that young, vibrant person. On the spiritual plain, it is only when we look closely, face reality and then remember what we are really like, that we will see the need to take action, make changes and thereby grow.
Paul tells us that when we forget our true nature, we are carried about like the wind, but when we remember our absolute dependence upon God, we will come to know His son Jesus, the Christ, and grow to spiritual maturity: “…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; so that we may no longer.., be carried about with every wind of doctrine…rather, speaking the Truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and up builds itself in love” (Eph. 4:13-16).
Parental concerns
Adulthood is the result of a process that can be magical and yet very painful. We look back on our childhood and adolescence and the mixture of joys and sorrows are still vivid in our minds. Then, as parents, we watch our children grow, trying to guide and direct them from the benefit of our own experience and knowledge. The years go by and as each child passes through the various phases toward adulthood, we find ourselves intensely involved, experiencing joy at their successes and sorrow at their troubles.
Parents ride an emotional roller coaster during these years and would give anything to make the road smoother for their children. But often the road is hard and the best gift we can give our children is a fervent understanding of their utter dependence upon God and a sure knowledge that with His help in their lives they too can grow in Christ.
The concern of the Father
God knows us intimately and is always near: “0 Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou know est my down sitting and mine uprising, thou understand est my thought afar off. Thou compasses my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me… Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Ps. 139:1-10 KJV).
We are all children in God’s eyes. In the way we desperately yearn for the well being of our children, so our Father in heaven yearns for us. Just as we would do anything for our children to prevent them from making mistakes and coming to harm, so our God will do anything to help keep our feet on the path that leads to salvation. In any circumstance, in any place, we are guaranteed the active presence of our Lord in our lives: “…for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5-6). With this power and presence of the Almighty around us, we are indeed mightily equipped to grow in the Lord.
Spiritual agonizing
Now as we prepare for the emblems, we look to Jesus, the perfect example of spiritual growth. Luke tells us that at the age of twelve, Jesus “increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man” (Lk. 2:52). Our savior nurtured his relationship with his Father, praying constantly and working day and night in His service. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus agonized over his own humanity: “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Lk. 22:42-44).
Dependence upon God
There are surely times when life tears us apart, when we are in agony and when our tears flow like a river. It is especially at these times that we must recognize the futility of struggling alone and let God work in our lives and thereby help us to grow. We must remember who we are, that we are sinners and weak children who have no strength of our own, who need and must utterly depend upon our God, even as Jesus did. In his extremity, the Lord Jesus fell upon his knees and prayed earnestly with his heart and soul. This is the pattern for us to follow. When we pray for God’s intervention in all aspects of our lives, in good times and in bad, we too must submit to His will in all things.
Now, as once more we turn to these emblems of Jesus’ body and blood, we will let Isaiah bring closure to our thoughts: “Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:15).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One