Sermon Notes 5/25 – Pastor Jeff Queen

We are not the Judge but we are all inspectors…….Fruit inspectors
Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
These are the traits that we receive when we grow in Christ.
If you are here tonight and can say :
  • I lack Love
  • I am often sad
  • I live in a life of chaos
  • I have a short temper
  • There is a little mean streak in me
  • I lack self control
A growing relationship with Christ will turn things around
Christian means Christ Like, We will be more like Him
There can be an end to our Lack, Let’s read what Paul said to the Church in Corinth
Set Up
These people are saved … but there was a problem in the church They should have been spiritual people – spiritually-minded and spiritually-focused. But, no, they thought and acted like the world.
Looking at this is a reminder: It is very  possible today for a child of God to become world-oriented instead of spiritual

1 Corinthians 3

3 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and [a]behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

  1. Think Spiritual not Carnal

  • Paul Calls them out…. He is calling them babies
  • He is telling them that he still needs to speak to them and feed them like a baby
  • He tells them that they can not handle the solid food of the Word because they can only still handle the milk
Carnal Defined
Carnal :giving into the flesh, relating to physical, especially sexual, needs and activities.
Naturally we think about the physical ( at birth ) Physical Birth
Before we are saved we think about our needs and wants, how we can be satisfied
The world says… I deserve to be happy, I deserve to have what I want, do what feel good
Born Again, we think about the Spiritual ( When Saved) Spiritual Rebirth
Ephesians 2:2 2 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the [a]course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

Paul saw something in the Corinthian people (they did not mature)

Babes refers to new in the Lord… But they were not, there was an expectation from Paul on some growth
How can we grow to see Spiritually?
  • Get rid of the once Walked
  • Walk in your new life with Christ
You take on the traits of a person the more you hang out with them.
Spend time with Jesus, you will look more like Him
Only the Lord can change our Carnal Mind with a Spiritual one
Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
God does the transforming and renewing
God’s will is done
Know His word

To escape this mindset and to grow and produce the Fruits, we must know His Word

When we know His Word we know is Character
When we spend time with Jesus, We are more like Him
  1. Be Doers of the Word
Luke 12:48
Kids learning to swim, do not read a textbook to see how its done
Parents never go to college to be good parents
I remember as a new dad feeling like I would fail
As the responsibility came with children, I matured
The Lord is ready for you to move up a notch, growing may mean for you to take that step and take that responsibility
Too many people Hold back and never do God’s will because they are afraid of the expectation
The Lord has given all of us responsibilities, He wants us to grow and mature in them
Ways we can step Out
  • Go on an outreach
  • Join the worship team
  • Teach a small group ( or go to one )
  • Tell people about Jesus in the grocery store
  • Pray healing over someone
Ex….
I started with My family: I knew I needed to be more of a spiritual leader if I was needing to lead others
Fruits Multiply
When there is growth, there is more growth
Babies are Delicate, they can’t do what grown people can do (Explain Further)
  1. Knowing Jesus not just knowing Jesus
Ephesians 1:17
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
Ephesians 1:9
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

Colossians 1:9-10

What is the result from eating more Solids ( More Growth )
  • What was once Hidden will be revealed
  • Our Purpose ( in Him )
  • Wisdom
  • Jesus said that we will receive Treasures
  • Revelation of His word
  • Knowing the Mystery’s of Gods Will for your Life (What was hidden is now found)
We can go from knowing God exists to existing in Christ
A mistake that these people were making was looking to man for their faith
Babies are fully dependent on their parents for everything
How can you tell a baby Christian from a mature one?
Their salvation is dependent on man
When you place your faith in man ( man will fail )
You will be like the Bible states “ The seed that was scattered on the “Rocky Ground”
Paul was showing here that these people were arguing “I am of…….”
Paul said that there was Envy, Strife and Divisions…… Human Drama
This takes the focus away
This stunts our growth
If a Pastor, Leader, Friend, is your source of Jesus…. You will be in trouble
We become dependent on that person, We then can idolize that person
We must learn to be dependent on Jesus alone
Yes, man can HELP you grow but you need to Eat on your own
This comes from Picking up the Word on your own, praying on your own, reading books on your own, crying out to the Lord on your own.
When we think about Graduation time, ask the Lord How can you grow Tonight