THIS WEEK’S MYTH: “I HAVE BEEN ATTENDING CHURCH MY WHOLE LIFE, SO I AM A MATURE BELIEVER.” 

Remember:

•   Our mission is to make disciples, baptize, and teach to obey all Jesus commanded.
•   Our mission is to do with others what Jesus did with the first disciples.
•   They did this in the church. The church is Jesus’ idea. (Matthew 16:18)A key verse for us here at Real Life:
  Matthew 4:19 (NIV) Come and follow me and I will make you fishers of men.
  •   In the invitation, is the definition.
  •   In the invitation, is the methodology… “come and be with me…”
  •   In the invitation, is the process of growth… “I will make you into…”

COME AND FOLLOW ME

•   Jesus invited them to follow. They had to choose. A disciple follows.
•   Jesus reveals the truth from God’s perspective to His disciples. They are learning the truth about reality.
•   Jesus was about to reveal His true identity to them.
•   Jesus was going to reveal the disciples’ true identities (they believed in a false identity).
•   Jesus was about to reveal the identity of others, as well.

What is Spiritual Maturity?

•  Put simply: We become more Spiritually Mature as we recognize more and more where our real identity comes from.

•   We must understand that our identity is in Christ. Any time a follower of Jesus says, “I am a Christian and a…” we diminish, at some level, the truth of who we are. We are made in the image of God, and it is only living in the fullness of that truth that we can ever grow to maturity.Romans 7:14-25 (ESV) 14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21So, I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
•   There are two versions of “me” that show up in the word: who sin says I am, and who God says I am.
  •   When I choose to give in to what the flesh wants, I am choosing to believe the lie that sin is telling about me.
  •   When I choose to live according to the what the Spirit wants, I am acknowledging the truth of what God says I am.
  •   Maturity is being able to more consistently choose the truth of what God says I am.
•   Not only does maturity show up in what we believe about ourselves but it also shows up in what we speak into others.
  •   When we are mature, we can see the truth of others—the truth of how God made them.
  •   Part of our job is to call this truth out of others just like we choose to live by the truth of our own real identity.
•   How does that work?

CHANGED BY THE NEW-FOUND IDENTITY

•  One who loves God, loves others—even loves self.

Romans 12:1–2 (NIV) 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Peter 1:22 (NIV) Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

Matthew 22:37–40 (NIV) 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

1 Corinthians 13:1–8 (NIV) 1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

COMMITTED TO THE MISSION OF CHRIST

•   Even sharing Christ with the dying world has to do with love.
•   The best gift you can give the Father is to see others the way He does and respond accordingly.

Matthew 25:34–40 (NIV) 34Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” 37Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” 40The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

WHAT DO WE DO?

•   Acknowledge that maturity is to see as Jesus sees and do what He would have us do.
•   Commit to choosing Jesus’ way.
•   Choose to love. Love is…

QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS IN LIFE GROUPS OR WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Myth to bust: “I attend church, so I am a mature believer.”

Passages to consider: Matthew 4:19; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:17-5:2; Colossians 3:1-17

1. What did you do this week as a result of applying last week’s sermon and discussion?
2. Share an impactful thought or insight from this week’s sermon.
3. When you think of the idea of “maturity,” what comes to mind? A) Share experiences from being a part of helping children mature, or from your own journey of maturing.
4. Read Colossians 3:12; Ephesians 4:17& 5:1-2; & 2 Corinthians 5:17-20. What connection does identity have to maturing or transformation?
5. What has been your experience of how following Jesus changes how you see yourself? A) How does that impact how you respond to life and people?
6. What helps you see yourself and others closer to the way God sees you/them? A) What can distort how you see yourself and others?
7. As we’ve been discussing this, what is the Holy Spirit showing you personally?
8. This coming week, how can you more closely align your perspective of yourself and others to God’s heart?