Home Group Study.                                            Sermon Date: 05 October 2018

Text: 1 John 2:12-14

Opening Discussion: Some families mark the growth of their children in familiar ways. They measure their children and mark their height in the garage or a door post. Maybe when the cement was wet on the sidewalk or driveway you placed young hands for a permanent record. You may have a family album of children that mark birth; crawling, walking, shopping etc! Share your story…

Observation - What does God’s word say?

John has given a series of tests to determine whether or not a person can call oneself a Christ follower or a Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. A moral or character test (have you really changed); a relational test (do you love God and the brethren) and now a doctrinal test with practical implications—are you spiritually maturing, are you growing up?

What are your observations?

Read: 

• Hebrews 6:1
• Ephesians 4:11-16
• 1 Peter 2:1-5
• 1 John 2:12-14

Meaning - What does God’s word mean?

1 John is a book about the Christian life. In fact, John tells us in this letter that to live the Christian life is to experience a fellowship with God. Or to put it another way around: Those who fellowship with God are Christians. He is concerned to say that those who have this fellowship with God will express it in various ways in their lives. In other words, you’ll be able to see it. You’ll be able to see it, he says, in what they believe concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. They also will show it in the moral quality of their lives: they will love God's word and be obedient to His commands.

You're never going to know the God who wrote the Word until you know what He wrote.  The secret to Christian growth and maturity is to allow “the word of God to abide in you”. The word ‘abide’ means “come to live”. The word of God comes to live in you. When you get a grip on the word of God it gets a grip on you! All mature Christians are “Bible” literate. Charles Spurgeon once said:

“A Bible that’s falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

The Word is life itself. It is the living Word. The Word is life giving. We're begotten again and sanctified by the Word. And as you go over it and over it and deeper and deeper into it, the character of God begins to develop and to grow and expand. The Word is life maturing, grow in grace and in the knowledge that the Word provides. Read it. Memorize it. Practice it.

Read:  Psalm 19:1-14

What are your observations from these verses?

Application - How must I change?

•  Is there a Truth to be believed?

What is one of the first things a new believer learns and experiences? Why is this important? (c.f. -1 John 2:12)

• Is there an Attitude to be fostered?

How does the believer overcome Satan? (c.f. –Eph.6:13; James 4:7; Matthew 4:1-11)

•  Is there a Behavior to be changed?

How do babies grow? Food! Nothing is more traumatizing that seeing starving children! As a church we are committed to feeding, growing, and maturing the Believer. Discuss some ways we (you) can be more effective in helping others grow in their faith.

Conclusion

Every believer, no matter who they are, their sins have been forgiven. Every Christian, no matter who they are, they know Him who is from the beginning. Every child of God; no matter who they are, has the strength which can face and overcome the Evil One. You have everything you need to grow! We thank God he gives us babies. We thank God those babies grow. Enjoy the excitement of fresh forgiveness. Enjoy the maturation as the Holy Spirit takes control of your life.

William Barclay points out that in some respects the stages of Christian growth are not simply growing up; “All Christians are like little children, for all can regain innocence by the forgiveness of Christ. All Christians are like fathers; like full grown, responsible men, who can think and learn their way deeper and deeper into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. All Christians are young men, with glorious and vigorous strength to fight and win their battles against the tempter and his power. It seems. . .that indeed is John’s wider meaning.”

• Fathers—you have a rich and deep knowledge of God.
• Young men—you are strong but remember where your strength comes from.
• Children—bring your need to your Father.

Trust Him. Study God’s Word—and embrace its principles. Fellowship with the Saints. Do nothing that would shame your Savior. Share with others about your wonderful Savior.

Closing Prayer:

Thank you Lord, that while we were still in our sins, Christ died for us. Thank you for the forgiveness of our sins we enjoy because of what Christ did for us on the cross of Calvary. O Lord and God, grant us by Your Spirit that we would not be like children…easily fooled, but that we would be assured with a true assurance, a blessed assurance, that Jesus is ours. We ask it in His name. Amen