Rooted in Discipleship
The Gift of a Mature Life
Sunday July 12th, 2020 - Pastor Dan Griffith
Proverbs 2:1-6
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding-indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:1-6)
Introduction
The topic given to me to focus on this morning is "adults matter." This means the importance of having mature adults who give us guidance and advice from what they have learned to help us live a better life.
"I know a thing or two because I have learned a thing or two."
Maturity comes from two sources
- First it comes from life experiences and how we respond to those experiences. These are unplanned happenings in our life. The lose of a child or mate. A divorce. An illness, war or disease.
- Second It comes from our life decisions and the bases on which we make those decisions. How will I raise my kids? How will I handle adversity? How will I deal with success or failure?
Our life is the sum total of life experiences and our decisions in how we respond to those experiences. This makes your lives either a gift or a warning to learn from. Either way the life of those who have lived life for a long time matters to us as a source we can learn from and hopefully draw strength and wisdom from.
The Christian difference
The Christian has an advantage in his or her growing older. We have the guidance of scripture and the Holy Spirit in both how to live life and respond to life experiences. If we are careful to use these resources we can become wise in the ways of life and God. For us the goal of life is not just to live well but to know God. To know God's presence and understand his love and goodness makes all of life, whether good or bad, "work together for our good." (Romans 8:28)
"Son though he (Jesus) was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:8-9)
We may be sons and daughters of God: We may have received eternal life and heaven. But that must never be an excuse to not obey God's word or the Spirits leading. When obedience has a cost - it is hard to trust God's word or the Spirit's leading. You might say "I don't have to obey to go to heaven." True, but you will never spiritually grow up in knowing God's faithfulness to his word or the power he has given us to live a victorious Christian life.
When God proves himself and gives the spiritual strength, the break through, the comfort and victory you needed - you come to know God better, you have a life witness to offer those struggling like you. You become a source of life and comfort that the Holy Spirit can use.
"...who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Cor.2:4)
"See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers (parents) to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers (parents); or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction." (Mal.4:5-6)
In times of shaking, it is the lives of the mature ones who bring stability and hope and life to us. Their value is their lives, their testimonies, their incredible faith in who God is - pointing us to his power and goodness towards us. Have you overcome drugs, the loss of a loved one, over whelming heart ache by the help of God. Then you by the power of God's Spirit can impart that grace to those who need your testimony.
So, you mature ones, has God turned your heart towards a struggling immature believer? You who are struggling in your faith - has God turned your heart towards a mature one to go to for help? The victories and lessons we older ones have gained - God will allow us to impart to the struggling ones to bring the comfort and strength they need. We can reveal the heart of God - pumping life to the needy body parts of Christ's body - the church.