Why is it that many
Christians are not living to their full potential, partaking of their
birthright?
Check the link at the end of this blog to listen to this message delivered by Howard Sands.
This forms part of a series on Sonship.
SPIRITUAL GROWTH determines
our partaking of the birthright.
1 John 2.12-16
3 Greek Words
in NT. are translated as
various forms of spiritual growth
TEKNON: one born, a child; an infant
NEOS NEANISKOS: A YOUTH, UNDER 40, a child without the full power of speech;
(Michael Green, "Free to
Serve" says, not allowed to be an elder in the Jewish synagogue under 40.
PATER: father; literal or figurative
3 Stages of Growth
1 John 2.12-14
Little children: (Babes): basically sense conscious, aware that-
- their sins have been forgiven
- they have known the Father
- novices in the faith,
- they are pardoned and they know it
Fathers:
Basically spirit conscious, knowing God intimately
- you have known Him that is from the beginning (twice)
From the first station to the
highest station of stature in the faith that those in the middle may hear and
understand both where they have come from and perceive what they must come to:
A
place of maturity thru love 1 Jn 2.9-11
A
place of purity not loving the world 1 Jn 2.15-17
Young Men:
basically soul conscious, aware that-
- victory over Satan is a reality
- are strong, the word of God abides in you
- you have overcome the wicked one
You think you know it all but
God wants you to draw close to Him.
Warrior spirit must give way
to worshiper.
Worship through a lifestyle
of love and purity brings maturity.
Satan has 3 areas to tempt
you - God has provided a remedy in each area.
Satan tempted Eve in the garden
in 3 areas Gen 3.6 & she put herself under authority of Satan.
There is little wonder
Adam said to God “I was afraid and hid myself” when God came to him
Gen 3.10 Old testament and & New Testamemnt line up
Sin appetites / over indulgences
1 Jn 2.16
|
1 Thes
5.23
|
1 Jn 2.
12-14
|
Sin
appetites
over
indulgences
|
Remedy
|
|
good for food
|
lust of the flesh
|
BODY
|
CHILDREN
|
FOOD
1 Cor 6.13msg
SEX 1 Cor7.5
GIRLS
|
FASTING
PRAYER
|
pleasant to the eyes
|
lust of the eyes
|
SOUL
|
YOUNG MEN
|
VAIN/WILD IMAGINATIONS
Rom 1.21
GREED GOLD |
CASTING DOWN 2 Cor 10.5
RENEWING MIND Rom 12.2
ACT OF WILL
|
to be desired to make one wise
|
pride of life
|
SPIRIT
|
FATHERS
|
PRIDE Prov 16.18
Isa 14.14
SELF GLORYFYING
GLORY Isa 42.8 |
HUMILITY
2 Chron 32.26
(c) Howard Sands
|
3 Varieties of Food
Milk: 1 Peter 2.2
Bread: Luke 11.11
Meat: Hebrews 5.13-14
3 Kinds of Relationships
John 12.1-8
Martha: a servant
heart (a need to do for God) Sacrifice
Martha was previously reproved by Jesus for being
troubled with much serving,
she does not leave off
serving but serves within his hearing,
Christ does not reprove her
this time,
Solomon's servants waited on
him in his courts to hear his wisdom
Lazarus: previously
raised from dead, sat at table, fellowship
he sat at meat as a monument
of the miracle Christ had wrought,
those Christ has raised up,
made to sit together with Him Eph 2.5
Mary: anointed Jesus feet wiped them with her
hair,
total surrender, adoration, worship.
A generous love,
She is ingenious to create an
occasion of expense in his service.
(Close to a years wages for a
labourer.)
If we truly love him we must
be willing to lay out our best for Him.
A genuine love
True love as it does not
spare cost so it does not spare pains in honouring Christ,
she did not anoint his head
as customary but his feet,
she did not get a servant to
do but she did it herself,
she humiliated herself by
wiping them with her hair (not caring for tradition – women should have bound
hair in the presence of men.)
Considering what Christ has
done and suffered for us, we are very ungrateful if we think any service too
hard to do or too mean and degrading to stoop to.
A believing love
There was faith working by
this love, faith in Christ as the Messiah, the Anointed one.
Matthew Henry said: “Let us
pour on him the ointment of our best affections above all competitors, by
consenting to Christ as our King we appoint him our head.”
Summary
3 Greek
Words
|
3 Stages of
growth
|
3 Varieties
of food
|
3 Kinds of
relationships
|
1 John 2.12-14
|
John 12.1-8
|
||
teknon
|
babes
sense conscious
sins forgiven
have known Father
|
milk
1 Pet 2.2
|
Sacrifice
Martha - a willing and
loving server
|
neos
neaniskos
|
young men
soul conscious
victory over satan
know the word
|
bread
Lk 11.11
|
Fellowship
Lazarus - seated together
with Him
|
pater
(c) Howard Sands
|
fathers
spirit conscious
know God intimately
|
meat
Heb 5.13-14
|
Worship
Mary - total surrender
nothing is too much to do for Him
|
What challenges do you face to get there?
What do you need to do to move along in your spiritual
maturity?
Where will you grow to?
Let us go on to maturity.
Rev Dr Howard Sands
This teaching was delivered by Howard Sands on 26/6/2017 and can be hear under the title
Sonship 2 - Growing to Maturity at https://soundcloud.com/BeautifulFeetTaskForce
Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.
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