Rooted In Christ – The slow work of God
Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
I think I want to start by highlighting this – God’s growth is slow by design
James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
God is building us to be something that is strong and lasts long
Psalms 1:1-3 “Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.”
Why isn’t this maturing process faster?
Am I still rooted/ being watered, even when I can’t see anything happen?
Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”
Jeremiah 18:1-10 “This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.”
Five ways people sabotage their spiritual maturity:
- The sabotage of impatience – Chasing shortcuts
Don’t be impatient – No shortcut to spiritual growth
- The sabotage of comparison
- The sabotage of isolation – Trying to grow alone
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 “Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
- The sabotage of hidden sin
Hebrews 12:1 “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles”
- Sabotage of discouragement – Quitting early
Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”
- The harvest is certain
- Giving up is the only thing that isn’t
Romans 5:3-5 “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”
Let us follow the chain again:
- Suffering produces perseverance
- Perseverance develops character
- Character brings hope
Here is the thing – God is not in a hurry to build you
Philippians 1:6 “He who be began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.”
God:
- Began it
- He will carry it on
- He will finish the job
