TITLE: What do you want to be when you grow up? TEXT: Ephesians 4:11-16 TEXT: Every believer should pursue growth that leads to Christ like maturity.

The desire to grow up and do something significant with their life seems to be the natural desire of every young child- Peter Pan being the exception.

We should all have a natural, spiritual desire to want to grow up and the more clear we are on what that looks like the more equipped we are to get there.

What can you do to grow to become more like Christ?

I. Avoid the things that hinder us from growing. (11-14)

Ephesians 4: So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ

Ephesians 4: Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.

I. Avoid the things that hinder us from growing. (11-14) A. Immaturity:

Infants Juvenile, unlearned, unschooled, untutored, legally a minor.

Infants Juvenile, unlearned, unschooled, untutored, legally a minor. In Greek, that word really means ignorant or stupid. "Then we will no longer be stupid.”

I. Avoid the things that hinder us from growing. (11-14) A. Immaturity: B. Instability

Two metaphors Nautical: “You'll no longer be tossed to and fro." describes a boat he was on the Mediterranean.

Two metaphors Nautical: “You'll no longer be tossed to and fro." describes a boat he was on the Mediterranean Meteorological: "Then you'll no longer be... blown here and there by every wind of teaching."

I. Avoid the things that hinder us from growing. (11-14) A. Immaturity B. Instability C. Gullibility

What can you do to grow to become more like Christ?

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16)

Ephesians 4: Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

“Speaking the truth in love...” He's saying, preach the gospel in a way that they hear the truth but they hear it in love.

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16) A. An environment where we speak the truth in love.

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16) A. An environment where we speak the truth in love. – Truth without love is brutality

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16) A. An environment where we speak the truth in love. – Truth without love is brutality – Love without truth is sentimentality

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16) A. An environment where we speak the truth in love. – Truth without love is brutality – Love without truth is sentimentality – Truth with love produces growth.

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16) A. An environment where we speak the truth in love. – Truth without love is brutality – Love without truth is sentimentality – Truth with love produces growth. B. An environment where you are serving in the body of Christ.

Key Assumptions: Paul is assuming that you have been born again.

Key Assumptions: Paul is assuming that you have been born again Paul is assuming that as a Christian you want to be mature.

Key Assumptions: Paul is assuming that you have been born again. Paul is assuming that as a Christian you want to be mature. Paul is assuming that you take responsibility for your growth.

Key Assumptions: Paul is assuming that you have been born again. Paul is assuming that as a Christian you want to be mature. Paul is assuming that you take responsibility for your growth. Paul is assuming that growth takes time. It does not happen overnight.

Key Assumptions: Paul is assuming that you have been born again. Paul is assuming that as a Christian you want to be mature. Paul is assuming that you take responsibility for your growth. Paul is assuming that growth takes time. It does not happen overnight. Paul is assuming that you cannot be a “Lone Ranger” Christian.

II.Place yourself in an environment for growth (15-16) A. An environment where we speak the truth in love. B. An environment where you are serving in the body of Christ. – Key Assumptions – We Grow Together

We grow together: When grow up when we grow together.

We grow together: When grow up when we grow together. We grow up when we are serving.

We grow together: When grow up when we grow together. We grow up when we are serving. We grow up when we are being served.

We grow together: When grow up when we grow together. We grow up when we are serving We grow up when we are being served. The result is we become more like Christ.

Yakov Smirnoff "I'll never forget walking down one of the aisles and seeing powdered milk; just add water and you get milk. Right next to it was powdered orange juice; just add water and you get orange juice. Then I saw baby powder, and I thought to myself, What a country!"

What can you do to grow to become more like Christ?

III.Develop the disciplines that enhance growth. A. Learn the Word of God (I Peter 2:1-3, 2 Peter 3:18)

1 Peter 2:1-3 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

III.Develop the disciplines that enhance growth. A. Learn the Word of God. B. Prayer

Ephesians 6:18-19 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.

III.Develop the disciplines that enhance growth. A. Learn the Word of God B. Prayer C. Meditation

Psalm 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.

III.Develop the disciplines that enhance growth. A. Learn the Word of God B. Prayer C. Meditation D. Moral Character (2 Peter 1:3-8)

2 Peter 1:3-8 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires

2 Peter 1:3-8 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness,

2 Peter 1:3-8 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ

Sabine Moreau "I was distracted, so I kept going. I saw all kinds of signs, first in French, then in German, and finally in Croatian, but I continued driving because I was distracted. When I passed Zagreb, I told myself I should turn around."

How easily we get distracted in our walk with Christ and we need to practice spiritual disciplines;

APPLICATION We need to grow up

APPLICATION We need to grow up Growth Happens In Community

APPLICATION We need to grow up Growth Happens In Community See Vision Booklet

Sylvester Stallone "I was raised in a Christian home and I went to Christian schools and I was taught the faith and went as far as I could with it. Until one day, I got out into the so-called real world, and I was presented with temptation. I kinda, like, lost my way and made a lot of bad choices."

Sylvester Stallone "The more I go to church, and the more I turn myself over to the process of believing in Jesus and listening to his Word and having him guide my hand, I feel as though the pressure is off me now."

Sylvester Stallone "You need to have the expertise and the guidance of someone else, You cannot train yourself. I feel the same way about Christianity and about what the church is: The church is the gym of the soul."