Spiritual Growth

For the past few weeks I have been preaching on Spiritual Growth. We have discussed the need for Spiritual Growth, the goal of Spiritual Growth, and the attitudes and habits necessary to achieve Spiritual Growth. Spiritual growth is discipleship in action!

Jesus Himself described what is required of those who would be His disciple: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

These words are the strongest and clearest from Jesus that teaches the requirements necessary in those who will follow him. Someone has described them as an outline of the Terms of Authentic Discipleship.

1. DESIRE—“if any man will come after me.” Desire drives people and it is at the heart of discipleship!

2. DENIAL—“let him deny himself.” SELF is the enemy of authentic discipleship. Consider the variety of words prefixed by SELF that illustrate how SELF can dominate us: Self righteousness; self centeredness; self interest; self confidence; self consciousness; self defense; self importance; self indulgence; self opinion; self reliance; self satisfaction; self seeking; self sufficient.

3. DEATH—“and take up his cross.” Authentic discipleship is a sacrificial lifestyle. It’s a life not lived solely for ones own interests or ends. The cross symbolized the ‘cause’ Jesus both lived for and died for. We are called to die ‘daily’ to that which gets in the way of us knowing him, loving him, serving him, following him.

4. DETERMINATION—“follow me.”
• Authentic discipleship is a lifelong commitment. Jesus asks for the greatest and most determined commitment of your life.

• Authentic discipleship will ask questions of you ‘daily’. You can measure how authentic your discipleship is by how your desire to follow him challenges your lifestyle and attitudes, guides your choices and determines your principles.

• Authentic discipleship requires genuine courage. “Jesus promised his disciples three things – that they would be completely fearless, absurdly happy and in constant trouble”