Take your Bibles and turn with me to 2nd Peter 3:18. This will be our key verse throughout the year as we do grow in the Lord: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever, amen".
Heavenly Father, we thank you this morning for all that you've done and for all that you are doing. Lord, I ask for your anointing as I speak this vision message and let it not be the words of a man but I pray that you would impart through me your will and your purpose. Lord, we pray that we would decrease and you would increase, and that you would have your way. In Jesus name. amen.
As we enter into a new year and a new decade I believe that God has a fresh word for our church. It's interesting because when I asked him for a word I didn't think he would just give me a word. I thought it would be like a catchy phrase or something inspirational but he just said one word, "grow". That word is both a command and permission to go for it, to go for all that God has and to do all that God says. I believe that this word is a personal encouragement for each of us individually, to grow and really grab hold of all that God has for our life, personally as individuals and instruction for us corporately.
This instruction that Peter gives us is to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of God. Grace is receiving God's goodness and his character that we become more like Jesus. How many of you pray that this year you would become more like Jesus than ever before in your whole life? That's my prayer, that when people see us they would see the Lord; that we would grow in Christ's likeness and in the grace of being like Him everyday.
Secondly we are to grow in the knowledge of Him and that deals with our relationship with God; that means knowing Him. It's one thing to know your spouse and to have been with them for years but it's another thing to really know them. How many know that God knows you deeply? He knows everything about us. I believe that command to grow in the knowledge of God is not to just have a book understanding of this word, it's to know him personally. My wife is amazing, she understands me so thoroughly it shocks me. I don't know why it does but after 20 years she's got it made, she can play me like a fiddle. But the truth is, it's great.
We should know God. Growth can be measured and seen. When something is growing you can tell. You can tell that it's grown and that a difference is being made. One of the things that I love is when you go into people's homes and there's a room or a closet where they have measured and marked off how much their kids grew each year. What's really neat too is when you see people take a picture of their kids at a certain age and not only do you see them growing but you can see the maturity on their face. It's been fun for me to watch my kids grow. Chris has been pumping iron and lifting weights and he's got great biceps and his stomach is ripped. Wesley has that wonderful italian hair that he likes and he has this long reach now, a longer reach than I do. It's fun to watch people grow, you can measure it. We can put our hands together and see that strength. We can see that maturity as they begin to walk in life and I believe God gets that same kind of pleasure when his children grow in the same way.
Growth can be measured. That's why schools have tests and that's why companies check the profits and that's why churches take attendance, to know if they're growing or not. I believe that growth is also measured not so much in the number but in the wellness and the health of a person. How many know we can be spiritually healthy and well? It is possible to be well fed and fat and it is possible to be well fed and fit. God wants churches and people to be spiritually well fed and fit. Churches can be fat and sassy, grumpy and grouchy or they can be fit and trim, on fire for God, full of his word, having a maturity and an understanding of what God wants to do. God has called us to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord.
Growth is a natural process of living and of health. When people, churches, or businesses cease to grow, you move in the opposite direction of really living. You begin to plateau and you begin to decline. You begin to stagnate, then apathy and atrophy can set in which eventually leads to death. But I believe that God has called us both personally and corporately to grow. Up until a certain age growth happens naturally. The truth is that when you were a child and you grow to the age of 19 your height continues to build, your muscles continue to develop and at some point you stop and you have to intentionally choose to grow.
Children are forced to go to school by their parents and by the government. Then after that they must choose whether they're going to proceed with their education. As adults, physically we choose to grow then there comes a point when we choose to stay fit and stay in shape or to get old and fat. It's spiritually true, when you first come to Christ you're like a sponge. Who remembers what it was like when you gave your heart to Jesus? Every sermon you heard was for you, every song you sang in worship touched your heart, then you started to grow in the Lord. You had to make the choice to continue to grow spiritually, to allow that fire to be inside you. I believe God is calling us to continue to make that choice, to be mature in Him and grow in the grace and knowledge of God. We choose to become a sponge.
Greg has gone back to college. How many know when you already have a career and you're still working, you're choosing to do the work. We as Christians must continue to do the same thing. It is God's desire that we flourish. God wants us to enjoy the life that he's given us and he wants us to flourish spiritually. It is His desire and will for us. In Psalm 92:12-14, it says "The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. He shall grow like a cedar of lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing".
How many know that righteousness is a choice? You choose to be like the Lord. We are His righteousness primarily because we have been made clean through Jesus Christ. We have accepted His salvation and He has made us whole and clean. But each day we choose to be righteous in the Lord, to live in right standing with Him and to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. God says, "Those who are righteous will flourish", and He promises to bless them. God wants you to be blessed. Do you believe that today? Do you know that beyond a shadow of a doubt? When you step into this new year, do you know that it is God's intention that you would flourish in every area of your life? If you grasp that, what joy it brings when you realize that he's on your side and that he has good plans for you. That will spark you like nothing else.
The Bible says we will grow in three ways. Number one, we will grow and spring up, break forth and bloom, and flourish in our life. You only get one shot at this life and God wants you to be blessed as you live it. I want to encourage you, if you will live the righteous life of God and choose to place Him first, you will enjoy your life to its fullest even through the difficulties, the hardships and the trials. You will absolutely shine and stand out. There are palm trees out there still standing after the hurricane, not bent over and not blown over, that's God for us and you still produce the fruit.
Number two, it says "We will flourish in the courts of God". Literally, we will grow and spring up in our spiritual walk. Those who are righteous will have a vibrant life. You choose that life by being righteous. Have you ever seen those people who are 20 or 30 years old in the Lord and they still have that fire of God in their heart? When they were young they were like that sponge when they received God and soaked it up. Here they are 30 years later, they're more mature, not all wet behind the ears and they're still powerful in the sight of God. If you will live righteous before the Lord, God will help you to live a flourishing, powerful spiritual life.
Here's the third truth, He says "We will flourish in old age". They will stay fresh and produce fruit. How many have ever seen those people who have gray hair on their head but they have a fire for God in their belly? That's the way it should be. This world we live in right now puts such a premium on youth. Youth and vigor has its advantages but those who grow old in the Lord will still be fresh and bear fruit. There are some people who just like to get grumpy, old and nasty but those who are righteous don't retire or expire, they just continue to inspire. That is God's purpose and will. What a wonderful hope we have. God is never, ever done with you. He will not only use you when you are young, he will use you right up to the day that he takes you home. Those who are older in this congregation, God has filled you with wisdom and experience and you are precious to the Lord. Those of us who are young need to learn from them. Those of you who are old, don't you dare get grouchy; continue to pour your wisdom out. The old have always inspired the next generation. God will use you all the way through to the end. He's never done with you and never sits you on a bench. As a matter of fact the older you get, the more wisdom you have, the better you are.
Growing takes commitment. It takes commitment mentally, physically and spiritually. Have you noticed that growing, even in a marriage, the longer you're together the more committed you must be? People think that once you get married you're just going to cruise on through but the truth is that the longer you're together the harder you have to work at it. Keep it fresh, that way you're still loving each other and not taking each other for granted. This truth is the same way with God, the longer you're with Him the longer you must be committed. By committed I mean rooted and grounded in the Lord, determined more than ever to go after Him and serious about the call God has on your life. If you're not committed to grow then you become indifferent and apathetic. If you don't make it your purpose to continue to grow in the Lord, you'll begin to fall away. The things that you once did that were normal like time in the word, time in prayer, winning souls and ministering to those in need, will begin to fall by the wayside. You make time for what's important.
Churches must be committed to grow. This is Vision Sunday at Harvest community and we must be committed to grow, first of all to God and then to each other. How many know that we must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the other things will be added unto us? Next we must be committed to each other. The Church of God is a family. When we come into this place we need to be loyal, caring and loving to each other, commited to that relationship. With so many churches it's just a religious thing. People come in, sit down, fill the time and then they get out. How many know that families don't do that? If they do they don't stay together long but commitment holds people together.
Thirdly, a church must be committed to a vision and the vision that we're committed to is never man's, it's the word of God. The vision that God gives is to reach those who are lost, to reach those who need to be discipled. A commitment to win souls is a commitment to grow. A commitment to seek and to save that which was lost is what Jesus came to do, to bring people to Christ and to disciple them in the Lord. Jesus said that we're to be soul winners and disciple makers. Lots of churches are committed to win souls but they bring people to Jesus and then they leave it there. Jesus said to go and make disciples. He didn't say, go and say a prayer and then leave them on their own. That's just like bringing a baby into the world and sticking them in a crib and saying, "Good Luck". The baby isn't going to make it. Churches need to be committed to making disciples.
Do you know what's exciting? Look around. We started a second service last year so that we could grow. Check it out when you look around, there are very few seats left. How cool is that? We still must be committed to grow. I talked to the first service, we had many people here this morning and we could never have fit everyone in one service or even put them all in the hallway. What a blessing but we still have to be committed to grow. There are still a lot of empty seats in the first service and a few empty seats in the second. What does that mean? It means that by the end of 2010 we need to be committed to fill every seat. We're not in competition with other churches, we're all trying to reach the lost. My prayer is that every church that loves God and preaches the word will be filled throughout Palm Beach County and that we'll have to build new ones. I promise you that if we'll win souls and bring people in, I'll preach 3 services. I'll preach until I'm hoarse and have to turn it over to other pastors to preach. How many know we have enough of them in the church and they can all take turns. That's the way it should be in the body of Christ. What a blessing that we can do that and I believe God will do that but we need to be committed to win souls. If we will do it then God will bless. God says "Grow". I believe the Lord says that it's our time to do it. He's given us permission and he's given us the challenge.
God is calling us to grow 3 ways at Harvest Community. These 3 ways are natural points of growth that are measurable and observable. They are just as measurable as I can see when my sons are growing muscles and getting a longer reach. God is calling us to grow deeper, grow higher and to grow wider. Deeper deals with our roots and our foundation. Many Christians have a shallow surface foundation with God. When temptation comes and storms rise they get all bent out of shape and they can't even stand. I pray that Harvest Community Church would not only be solid and have deep roots in the Lord but as those come to Christ we would mentor and disciple them. Just like you plant a stake next to a new tree until it grows and gets its own root, you and I become like that for other people as we disciple them in the Lord. We give them strength and shoulder them so their roots are deep and when the storms come and temptation comes, not only do they not give into sin and to the enemy but when the trials of life come they are not bent out of shape and uprooted. There are too many Christians being lost because the roots don't grow deep. The truth is God has called us to grow deeper in Him. That is as natural as growing and being healthy.
Deeper deals with our personal and church wide maturity. Most churches deal with the basic surface issues like
doctrine and fellowship. How many are thankful for good, sound doctrine and for the basics of the Word of God? There are many who come in and won't understand those basic things in the Word and we will teach them. That's what disciple making is like. But churches that are deep know how to deal with the hurts of people and the hurts of a community. They know the depth and the power of God and what to do with it. Not only are they rooted deep themselves but when others come in they know how to root them deep. When other parents come and are having difficulties raising their children, those rooted in the word with child raising help other people to become rooted in that. They know what to do with it. When people come in with money problems, those who are rooted in the Lord don't just teach them about the prosperity of the Lord, they teach them how to prosper in the Lord and to do it correctly.
When those people come in and there is deep sin, they can lead them to Jesus and show them how they can be whole. They don't shun away from them and treat them like outcasts but they wrap their arms around them, not fearful that they'll get some kind of spiritual cootie but are actually thankful that the love and mercy of God will flow through them and into the life of someone else. When people come in demon possessed, those who are rooted in the Lord won't be looking for ushers or greeters to stop the service and get the preacher because they don't know how to deal with this. They'll just step out and see someone set free. When people come up bound in drugs, discouragement, depression, whatever it is, those who are deep in the Lord know the power of God and know what to do with it. That's a deep church.
God has called us to grow higher. This deals with our personal relationship with the Lord individually. Is He at the top of our list in every priority of life? Is God first place with you? Is He first place with this church? Is His will and purpose our highest desire? It deals with our worship and our devotion to God, our faithfulness to Him. Are we growing in Him and do we minister to the Lord? Not just He to us but while He reaches down, we reach up; not just us coming to the Lord to receive His blessing but also us being a blessing to the Lord.
Do you know one of the things that I've liked about growing older? My parents were down with us this week and it's been fun. Most of my early life and even in my early twenties, my parents were still helping us out. We didn't have the extra money so they were always taking us out to eat. They were always blessing us, it was always them who had to do something for us. It was great this week being able to take them out to eat. It wasn't just them coming down with gifts for us and our kids, we had stuff ready for them. Isn't it great to be able to do that? But that's maturity, it's supposed to be that way.
Part of growing higher in the Lord is that when we come to church, not only do we just come with our hands out, "God, I'm ready", but we come ready to give. How many come expecting to receive from the Lord? But we also come expecting and ready to give. That's the difference in healthy churches. There will always be stages of where people are, but we need to have that living relationship with him that reciprocates back; In prayer, in the word and worship, that we give to Him just as much as he gives to us.
We need to grow wider, and this doesn't deal with our waistlines. Wider deals with us reaching out to others in love. It's expanding our reach for God as a people and as a church. It's us enlarging our circle of love, not just filling seats but letting people in our life and loving them. It's widening our sphere of influence. I believe that Christians should be the most influential people in their community.
I'm not necessarily a Florida Gators fan. I grew up in Pennsylvania most of my life and I was excited that Pittsburgh and Penn State won their Bowl games and so did Florida. But I opened up the newspaper this morning and they had a whole section dedicated to Tim Tebow. How many think he's a pretty remarkable athlete? Tim is a marvelous Christian and a marvelous witness for God. They had this whole section dedicated to his great college career and when you open up the section it starts to talk about those verses he wears under the eye makeup. How many know that the Palm Beach Post is one of the most liberal papers in all of Florida? What was cool is that they printed out all the verses that he was saying. The Palm Beach Post was preaching the Gospel of God this morning and I loved it. Glory to God! All because one Christian dared to get up and stand up for the Lord and dared to be his best. You may not have the opportunity to get your name and scripture printed on your face in the Palm Beach Post but every life you touch makes a difference for God. I believe Christians should be the most influential people in their community.
I believe that there are 4 areas that God is calling us to grow in that are observable and measurable. Number one, I believe we are called to grow in maturity. It is time to grow up. If you stayed in Junior High all your life, someone would think there's something wrong with you, but there are some Christians still in spiritual junior high and they've been saved for 20 years. There's something wrong with that. Hebrews 5:12-14 says, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the priniples of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For anyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil". We should know the difference and we should be skilled in the word of God. Just as Tim Tebow is a skilled quarterback, just as some people are skilled electricians, we should be skilled Christians.
Ephesians 4 says, "That we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ".
True growth involves maturity. My kids went from drinking milk to eating solid food, to then being able to feed themselves. My parents did that with me and then I got to move out on my own and now I have kids of my own. My parents now have grandchildren. Those who used to have to be fed and taught now feed themselves and have families of their own. How many know that's God's plan for spiritual maturity in the church? Those who were once taught become teachers. With maturity should come wisdom from life's experiences. The Bible says we are to grow up in all things, in every area of our life. When we see the area that is not growing or not maturing, we are to seek to make it grow.
First of all, growth is proof of our walk with God. Second, it moves us to the place where we can teach others. Church attendance is good and necessary but for the majority of Americans they are hit and miss at best. When we grow up, it's not just the issue of coming to church and being fed but we recognize that God has called us to feed others as well. How many know we need to move past the elementary stuff into the big stuff?
God has a work and a ministry for every single one of us. That maturity effects our homes and our children.
When you're first saved you may struggle in some areas but then some areas should go away and you should grow now. Be skilled at it, teach it to your children and then have a ministry to others.
Another area I believe that God has commanded us and given us permission to grow in, is that we are to grow in our strength and our faith in God. Those who are mature in the Lord have a faith in God. Luke 12:27-28 says "Consider the lillies, how they grow, they neither toil nor spin and yet I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass which today is in the field and tomorrow is sown in the oven, how much more will he clothe you, o you of little faith?".
The Bible says that we are to grow in our faith and trust in God. We must grow to the point where our worry over whether God cares for us or whether he will take care of us or not, is not even an issue. There are so many times where the enemy has kept Christians so immature in their faith simply by being focused on themselves. Those of old who have been great people of faith don't even have that as a thought in their mind anymore. They do pray for those things because God teaches us to do it and when they have a need, they take it to the Lord but it doesn't shake their foundation. They are not swayed or bent out of shape. The truth is if you are so consumed wondering whether God will take care of you day to day, you have no opportunity to step out in greater faith to lead other people to that kind of certain faith in God. God has commanded us to grow in faith. For us it shouldn't even be an issue. Faith is trusting God and no longer living in fear. Faith is also trusting God and living strong and refusing to be worn out or worn down, knowing our obedience and trust in God will be rewarded. I believe one of the things the enemy has tried to do is to try to cause Christians to grow weary so they quit trusting God. Those who are mature have wisdom. I have found that there are times I need to rest. When I get overtired both physically and emotionally I begin to struggle with God. Maturity tells me that I know that God is always faithful, I'm just having a bad day and it's time to take a nap. I have found that there are times when I need to step aside and refresh. That is different than growing weary.
In Galatians 6:9 it says, "Let us not grow weary while doing good. For in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart".
The difference in mature teens in sports are not that they don't grow tired, it's that they refuse to grow weary.
But they still have heart, even when the times get rough they mentally understand that they'e fighting a battle, so instead of giving into the mental battle, they trust in the Lord. Because of that, they're champions in God. Those people of old who have progressed in their faith in God have trusted God through the thick and the thin. God says not to grow weary while doing well. I believe Harvest has stepped into due season. I believe that you have stepped into due season. In your life personally you step into that and you trust God. You don't grow weary and you keep being faithful even as Bill preached last week, you have trusted God and did everything right but life went left. How many know that pretty soon it all comes right back to God's perfect will for you? Don't grow weary, refuse to lose heart. If you need to go take a nap so you regain some heart then take a nap, it doesn't mean you leave the Lord.
There's a difference between those who habitually grow weary and those who grow strong. I believe that God is commanding us and releasing us to grow stronger. Now is our time, now is your time to grow strong in the Lord. Refuse to be one of those who is always growing weary. Be that one who always grows strong in faith and trusts the Lord.
One of the commands that God has called us to grow in is faithfulness. Healthy families grow,healthy people grow and healthy churches grow. This is vision Sunday at Harvest Community and the word that God has said to do is to grow. God told Adam and Eve to go forth and multiply and Jesus told his church to go and make disciples. Growing happens when each one does their part. No one has to do it all, everyone just has to do their part.
Ephesians 4:16 says this, "From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth in the body to the edifying of itself in love".
1st Peter 4:10 says, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms".
The way churches grow is not through the professional ministry. I'm thankful for the privilege that I have to serve the Lord here each and every day as a full time pastor. God has put me here because of that gift of administration, a place to share and shepherd, to care and to counsel. But that's my part. Each of us has to do our part as a family. How many are thankful that you have hands and feet? How many are thankful you don't walk on your hands? If you're not thankful for that, just watch some of the parapelegics that have to. How many are thankful that you don't have to listen with your eyes, that you can hear? God has called us to grow. It happens by each one using the gifts that God has given us.
Over the last year we've begun to grow in our ministry. Last year we partnered with many who were feeding the homeless and we've begun to expand that. How many know that's a powerful gift? We've begun to reach out and that doesn't bring any profit to our church financially. That means that we're constantly giving and that's ok. How many know God blesses because of that? Over the last year we've started quarterly outreaches to the different communities and over this year we're going to begin to expand that. Not everybody is called to do outreach although all of us are called to win souls. Not everyone is called to do outreach just like not everyone is gifted in the nursery. I'm not gifted in the nursery. We were reminiscing over the Christmas holiday and my wife was reminding us that her mom had her eighth child when she was 35 years old and I can't even imagine that. What is your gift? What is it that God has called you to do? Step out and do it. You don't have to do every ministry that's in this church. How many are thankful for that?
Here's what I believe God's challenge and permission to the church is, let's grow and let's go. Let's be open to God's blessing. Be open to God's blessing in your home; be open to God's blessing in this church. A lot of people do a lot of talk and there's a lot of people who do a lot of walk. I want to be a church that talks a lot about God and then walks it out. I believe that God has spoken to us this year and He's given us the permission. We've spent several years just building a foundation and making sure things were in place but I believe that God has commanded and challenged us, released us and given us permission to grow. How many are ready for it?
