Bible Text: Hebrews 5:11\u201314, 1Corinthians 3:1ff | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Mat\u00adthi\u00adas Alt\u00adwegg | Series: Wel\u00adco\u00adme Home | Our cal\u00adling is to grow spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly. Gro\u00adwing in faith is syn\u00adony\u00admous with \u00abbeco\u00adming at home\u00bb in the house of God. In this ser\u00admon the dif\u00adfe\u00adrent stages of growth are shown and you will be moti\u00adva\u00adted to reach out for the next one. Inten\u00adsi\u00adve reflec\u00adtion and living with the Bible is the most powerful fac\u00adtor in spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal growth.<\/p>\n
Albert Einstein\u2019s young neigh\u00adbour was tal\u00adking to him at a par\u00adty. The woman asked him: \u00abWhat exact\u00adly do you do for a living?\u00bb Ein\u00adstein loo\u00adked at her and said, \u00abI am devo\u00adted to the stu\u00addy of phy\u00adsics.\u00bb She repli\u00aded in shock, \u00abYou are stu\u00addy\u00ading phy\u00adsics at your age? I finis\u00adhed my stu\u00addies a year ago!\u00bb \tOn which field in the growth path would you rate yours\u00adelf? Why? Bible Text: Hebrews 5:11\u201314, 1Corinthians 3:1ff | Pre\u00ada\u00adcher: Mat\u00adthi\u00adas Alt\u00adwegg | Series: Wel\u00adco\u00adme Home | Our cal\u00adling is to grow spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly. Gro\u00adwing in faith is syn\u00adony\u00admous with \u00abbeco\u00adming at home\u00bb in the house of God. In this ser\u00admon the dif\u00adfe\u00adrent stages of growth are shown and you will be moti\u00adva\u00adted to reach out for the next one. The inten\u00adse reflec\u00adtion and living\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[53],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-willkommen-daheim","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-2093","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nIn life with Jesus, do we iden\u00adti\u00adfy more with Ein\u00adstein or with the neigh\u00adbour? Our voca\u00adti\u00adon is to grow spi\u00adri\u00adtual\u00adly. Gro\u00adwing in faith is syn\u00adony\u00admous with \u00abbeco\u00adming more at home in the house of God\u00bb.
\nEven a run\u00adner bean has the poten\u00adti\u00adal to grow big\u00adger and bear fruit. The growth hap\u00adpens auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly. The gar\u00adde\u00adner only needs to crea\u00adte the con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adons for it: Wate\u00adring, wee\u00add\u00ading, bea\u00adting in the stalk, etc. The\u00adre are many par\u00adal\u00adlels to a life with Jesus.
\nDis\u00adco\u00adver Jesus
\nIn this pha\u00adse, a per\u00adson beg\u00adins to be inte\u00adres\u00adted in faith in Jesus Christ. Such peo\u00adp\u00adle belie\u00adve in God, but are still unsu\u00adre about the role of Jesus Christ. In order to learn more about it, they regu\u00adlar\u00adly attend church ser\u00advices. Some even try out a small group. Howe\u00adver, God is not yet included in ever\u00ady\u00adday life and the Bible seems to be irrele\u00advant to their own lives. \u00abJesus dis\u00adco\u00adve\u00adrers\u00bb seek God\u2019s gui\u00addance only in times of need.
\nSuch peo\u00adp\u00adle arou\u00adse my per\u00adso\u00adnal inte\u00adrest. The fact that they regu\u00adlar\u00adly attend the ser\u00advice shows that quite a few obs\u00adta\u00adcles on the way to Jesus have alre\u00ada\u00addy been over\u00adco\u00adme. For this group, we want to form a star\u00adter small group in the spring to sup\u00adport each other on the jour\u00adney of dis\u00adco\u00advery. Becau\u00adse it would not be good if they were alre\u00ada\u00addy stuck at this level. The dan\u00adger is that one builds up good social rela\u00adti\u00adonships in the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon that are ful\u00adly suf\u00adfi\u00adci\u00adent for one. The cru\u00adcial ques\u00adti\u00adon, howe\u00adver, is not about the rela\u00adti\u00adonship with peo\u00adp\u00adle, but with God. Jesus\u00bb offer stands: to recei\u00adve the gift of eter\u00adnal life in a per\u00adso\u00adnal rela\u00adti\u00adonship with Jesus. It needs a con\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adon. The seed needs to fall into the earth so that a run\u00adner bean will emer\u00adge. The rela\u00adti\u00adonship with Jesus also needs a start so that the Holy Spi\u00adrit can begin his work in us.
\nWhen Jesus says: \u00abI assu\u00adre you: He who belie\u00adves in me alre\u00ada\u00addy has eter\u00adnal life\u00bb (John 6:47), he is refer\u00adring to implan\u00adted peo\u00adp\u00adle. \u00abBelie\u00adving\u00bb is not some\u00adthing I do just becau\u00adse I am in a church. Faith means being in an exis\u00adten\u00adti\u00adal rela\u00adti\u00adonship with the hea\u00adven\u00adly Father media\u00adted through Jesus Christ.
\nGro\u00adwing in Christ
\nA litt\u00adle plant needs careful nur\u00adtu\u00adring and care. A baby needs milk from the bot\u00adt\u00adle. The same is true for the spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal life: \u00abYou have been Chris\u00adti\u00adans for so long and should be tea\u00adching others. Ins\u00adtead, you need someone to teach you the basics of God\u2019s Word once again. You are like babies who can only drink milk but can\u00adnot eat solid food. But a per\u00adson who feeds on milk is not very advan\u00adced in life and does not under\u00adstand much about what it means to do what is right accor\u00adding to God\u2019s Word\u00bb (Hebrews 5:12f).
\nA baby needs milk becau\u00adse it can\u00adnot yet digest solid food. The\u00adre is not\u00adhing dis\u00adre\u00adpu\u00adta\u00adble or sus\u00adpi\u00adcious about that. On the con\u00adtra\u00adry, it is \u00absweet\u00bb. It is just as love\u00adly when peo\u00adp\u00adle start a life with Jesus. They need someone to prepa\u00adre and give them the milkshake. The church is the pri\u00adma\u00adry source of their growth. They grow by being invol\u00adved in church pro\u00adgram\u00admes. They need other Chris\u00adti\u00adans to under\u00adstand spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal issues. In the pro\u00adcess, they have their first expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces of faith and beco\u00adme acti\u00adve in the church. In bet\u00adween, they also read the Bible from time to time. In most cases, they still live in two worlds: in the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon and in ever\u00ady\u00adday life. The imple\u00admen\u00adta\u00adti\u00adon of faith in ever\u00ady\u00adday life is still a problem.
\nThe group in the \u00abmilk pha\u00adse\u00bb is the lar\u00adgest in most con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adons. It is also quite com\u00adfor\u00adta\u00adble: one has pas\u00adsed the cross and is now on the \u2019safe\u00bb side, if the sto\u00adry of eter\u00adnal life with God is true. The ticket to hea\u00adven is alre\u00ada\u00addy secu\u00adred. The duty is ful\u00adfil\u00adled, the free\u00adstyle less important.
\nJesus is seen at this level of growth as a means to ser\u00adve our purposes.
\nClo\u00adse to Christ
\nMany child\u00adren wish for a baby ani\u00admal such as a small lion or a dino\u00adsaur. Par\u00adents then have to make the child\u00adren belie\u00adve that the litt\u00adle ani\u00admal will grow into a big dan\u00adge\u00adrous ani\u00admal. Growth is pre\u00addic\u00adta\u00adble and nor\u00admal. This is also true for humans: Being a baby is good. Stay\u00ading a baby is less so. If a child still needs milk from the breast or from a bot\u00adt\u00adle at school, a deve\u00adlo\u00adp\u00admen\u00adtal psy\u00adcho\u00adlo\u00adgist is nee\u00added. Even the bean wants to grow and needs a pro\u00adper stick to do so.
\nPaul speaks to the Chris\u00adti\u00adans in Corinth: \u00abDear brot\u00adhers, when I was with you, I could not speak to you as I would have spo\u00adken to peo\u00adp\u00adle who have grown in faith. I had to talk to you as if you still belon\u00adged to this world or as if you were litt\u00adle child\u00adren in Christ. I had to feed you with milk ins\u00adtead of solid food, which you would not have tole\u00adra\u00adted yet. And you pro\u00adba\u00adb\u00adly can\u00adnot take it even now, becau\u00adse you still let your old self rule you. You are jea\u00adlous and quar\u00adrel with one ano\u00adther\u00bb (1 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 3:1\u20133).
\nThe Chris\u00adti\u00adans of the Corin\u00adthi\u00adan church show no signs of growth. They are still domi\u00adna\u00adted by the old self, are jea\u00adlous and quar\u00adrel with each other. The object of the quar\u00adrel was whe\u00adther Paul or Apol\u00adlos was the bet\u00adter pas\u00adtor. Paul responds by say\u00ading, \u00abWhat is important is not the one who plants or waters, what is important is God, for he makes the seed grow\u00bb (7). In our growth, too, we should not trust in a church or a pas\u00adtor, but in God alo\u00adne. The gar\u00adde\u00adner can\u00adnot cau\u00adse growth in his run\u00adner bean. In the same way, God is the only one who can bring about growth in us.
\nGod wants us to grow from \u00abgro\u00adwing in Christ\u00bb to the \u00abclo\u00adse to Christ\u00bb level. Peo\u00adp\u00adle in the \u00abclo\u00adse to Christ\u00bb stage have dis\u00adco\u00adver\u00aded the Bible as a gui\u00adde for life. Pray\u00ader occu\u00adp\u00adies a cen\u00adtral place in their lives. In dai\u00adly life they trust in Jesus. They are not asha\u00admed of their faith. Jesus comes out of the church buil\u00adding. They trust in him in dai\u00adly life and let them\u00adsel\u00adves be gui\u00added by the Holy Spirit.
\nIn terms of the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty, this is a cri\u00adti\u00adcal pha\u00adse. Quite a few are frus\u00adtra\u00adted with the church becau\u00adse they no lon\u00adger get the \u00abfood\u00bb they need for fur\u00adther deve\u00adlo\u00adp\u00adment. Some chan\u00adge the church in this dis\u00adsa\u00adtis\u00adfac\u00adtion. At this point, it would be cru\u00adcial to under\u00adstand that God, not the church, makes the seed grow. The key is to rea\u00adli\u00adse now at the latest that one has to take respon\u00adsi\u00adbi\u00adli\u00adty for one\u2019s own \u00abfood\u00bb and that no one else is respon\u00adsi\u00adble for my growth. Wor\u00adship no lon\u00adger ser\u00adves to feed the\u00adse peo\u00adp\u00adle, but to make them hun\u00adgry. This requi\u00adres a matu\u00adre self-com\u00adpe\u00adtence to feed ones\u00adelf from God\u2019s Word. It requi\u00adres inten\u00adse reflec\u00adtion and living with the Bible, doing spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal exer\u00adci\u00ads\u00ades dai\u00adly. This is why it says: \u00abBut solid food is for adults who, as a result of habi\u00adtua\u00adti\u00adon, have trai\u00adned sen\u00adses to dis\u00adcern both good and evil\u00bb (Hebrews 5:14, Elb). It is part of the \u00abclo\u00adse to Christ\u00bb pha\u00adse to exer\u00adcise one\u2019s sen\u00adses through inten\u00adsi\u00adve reflec\u00adtion and rea\u00adding of the Bible.
\nIsn\u2019t that too much effort? In the allu\u00adsi\u00adon it was said: But the effort is no com\u00adpa\u00adri\u00adson with the har\u00adve\u00adst you can expect, it is always worth it. The fol\u00adlo\u00adwing pas\u00adsa\u00adge pro\u00advi\u00addes con\u00adfir\u00adma\u00adti\u00adon of this statement.
\nChrist at the centre
\nIn this pha\u00adse we find peo\u00adp\u00adle for whom God has no lon\u00adger beco\u00adme the means but the cent\u00adre. They no lon\u00adger use God for their own ends, but live in a bene\u00adfi\u00adci\u00adal devo\u00adti\u00adon to God\u2019s cau\u00adse. Thus they no lon\u00adger try to do things right, but to do the right things. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, ever\u00ady\u00adthing they do beco\u00admes gold. The cross is gre\u00adat for them; they know that God is powerful in the weak. Asaph had this matu\u00adri\u00adty. His state\u00adment in Psalm 73:25 pro\u00adves it: \u00abWhom have I in hea\u00adven but thee? Nor have I any desi\u00adre for any\u00adthing on earth, if only I know you are with me!\u00bb (NG\u00dc<\/span>). Such peo\u00adp\u00adle love God more than any\u00adthing else. They seek appr\u00adoval from God and not from peo\u00adp\u00adle. They have real\u00adly made them\u00adsel\u00adves at home in God\u2019s house and feel at home.
\nSuch matu\u00adre Chris\u00adti\u00adans are under\u00adchal\u00adlen\u00adged by the church, they find nou\u00adrish\u00adment for their spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal life them\u00adsel\u00adves. Nevert\u00adhel\u00adess, they no lon\u00adger chan\u00adge the church, becau\u00adse they want to work for the king\u00addom of God in a sus\u00adtainable way. They do not encoun\u00adter the church as a con\u00adsu\u00admer, but see it as a place of ser\u00advice. Jacob Thies\u00adsen ver\u00adba\u00adli\u00adses this atti\u00adtu\u00adde: \u00abMoreo\u00adver, one does not come only to con\u00adsu\u00adme or to cri\u00adti\u00adcise. Every mem\u00adber of the con\u00adgre\u00adga\u00adti\u00adon per\u00adforms a ser\u00advice through his or her pre\u00adsence. Tho\u00adse who have this atti\u00adtu\u00adde come to wor\u00adship very dif\u00adfer\u00adent\u00adly.\u00bb They can easi\u00adly over\u00adlook a weak ser\u00admon, becau\u00adse they know that God, the one respon\u00adsi\u00adble for growth, can also work past the pastor.
\nChrist-cent\u00adred peo\u00adp\u00adle rejoice in chan\u00adges in the church, even if they per\u00adso\u00adnal\u00adly do not like the style. They see fur\u00adther and want to be pio\u00adneers for the next gene\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. As spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal fathers and mothers, they accom\u00adpa\u00adny babies or young men and women. Peo\u00adp\u00adle come to them becau\u00adse of the tre\u00adasu\u00adres that are inves\u00adted in them. \u00abYou have been Chris\u00adti\u00adans for so long and should be tea\u00adching others\u00bb (Hebrews 5:12).
\nThe\u00adre are not so many Chris\u00adti\u00adans who reach this stage. Many long-ser\u00adving and deser\u00adving Chris\u00adti\u00adans tend to reti\u00adre to the second row and lea\u00adve the field to the youn\u00adger ones. Christ-cent\u00adred peo\u00adp\u00adle remain acti\u00adve in a new role and want to invest them\u00adsel\u00adves in young peo\u00adp\u00adle. In this growth pha\u00adse, the con\u00adver\u00adgence of life expe\u00adri\u00adence and spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal deve\u00adlo\u00adp\u00adment takes place. They use this tre\u00adasu\u00adre wise\u00adly and with res\u00adtraint. They never want to press others with it.
\nThe most acti\u00adve, gene\u00adrous, com\u00admit\u00adted and mis\u00adsio\u00adna\u00adry Chris\u00adti\u00adans come from the seg\u00adment most advan\u00adced in spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal growth. Yet they are still set up for growth: Paul was alre\u00ada\u00addy a spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal father on the first mis\u00adsio\u00adna\u00adry jour\u00adney, but still he deve\u00adlo\u00adped from the \u00ableast apost\u00adle\u00bb to the \u00abgrea\u00adtest of sinners\u00bb.
\n
\nThe\u00adse and other fin\u00addings come from the Bible and from a lar\u00adge-sca\u00adle stu\u00addy con\u00adduc\u00adted among more than 150,000 peo\u00adp\u00adle. 25% of tho\u00adse sur\u00advey\u00aded said their spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal growth has stal\u00adled or are dis\u00adsa\u00adtis\u00adfied with the role the church plays in their spi\u00adri\u00adtu\u00adal growth pro\u00adcess. Our cal\u00adling is to grow! The effort is no match for the har\u00adve\u00adst we can expect, it is all worth it.
\nIn the case of the ama\u00adteur gar\u00adde\u00adner, the neigh\u00adbour who loo\u00adked over the fence play\u00aded an essen\u00adti\u00adal role in the growth of the run\u00adner bean. It is important that we also let peo\u00adp\u00adle look over \u00abour fence\u00bb. A very good place for this are small groups whe\u00adre peo\u00adp\u00adle give them\u00adsel\u00adves the man\u00adda\u00adte to talk into your life.
\n\u00abBut tho\u00adse who love you shall grow in strength like the rising sun!\u00bb (Jud\u00adges 5:31). The life of a per\u00adson who loves God is like a rising sun. His life takes place bet\u00adween sun\u00adri\u00adse and zenith. Even when the outer man beco\u00admes worn out and weak, the inner man still increa\u00adses. The 95-year-old Pablo Casa\u00adls, con\u00adside\u00adred the grea\u00adtest cel\u00adlist the world has ever seen, had an exem\u00adpla\u00adry atti\u00adtu\u00adde. A young repor\u00adter asked him one day, \u00abYou are 95. You are con\u00adside\u00adred the best cel\u00adlist in the world and yet you still prac\u00adti\u00adse six hours a day. Why?\u00bb To which the repli\u00aded, \u00abBecau\u00adse I think I\u2019m making pro\u00adgress.\u00bb We have not rea\u00adched our goal yet and we should make pro\u00adgress every day. This is how we beco\u00adme matu\u00adre in Christ and a fra\u00adgrance to tho\u00adse around us.
\n
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead the Bible text: Hebrews 5:11\u201314; 1 Corin\u00adthi\u00adans 3:1\u20134<\/p>\n
\n\tDo you want to grow in faith? What is the price?
\n\tWhat role does the see\u00adtal chi\u00adle play in your development?
\n\tDo you know peo\u00adp\u00adle who have Christ at the cent\u00adre? How does that feel?
\n\tWhat does the fact that God makes it grow mean for your life?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"