Disciples are Mature Not Immature

Scripture: Ephesians 4:13c & 14a

to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.… As a result, we are no longer to be children, 

Insights: The third positive and negative coupling deals with maturity and immaturity.  Tuesday we learned that disciples are unified and yesterday we learned the key to such unity is knowledge in the Son of God.  This knowledge is developed through a love relationship with Jesus which grows by spending time with Him in Bible study and prayer.  Today we will discover the character trait of those who strive for unity and that trait is maturity.  You will know when you are beginning to mature when your life begins to display the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  This fruit will begin to manifest itself in your life as your grow in your relationship with Jesus (the knowledge we learned about yesterday).  As you mature and know Jesus better you will strive for unity in the Body of Christ because you will be desiring His will and not your own.  The opposite negative character trait is immaturity.  Notice Paul describes these types of believers as children.  Now, let me say this clearly, children are great.  I can’t wait to bring mine home when we finish this adoption process, but they are still children.  Their entire world revolves around one thing—themselves.  It is kind of cliché, but what does a child with a toy do if he/she does not get his/her own way?  They take his/her toy and go home.  This sad truth is often the case in the church.  A person is not growing up in Jesus the way he ought, as a result he is immature in his faith.  Because of this immaturity, he wants his way regarding church decisions and practices.  Jesus, however, has a different plan and the person does not get his way.  Instead of recognizing Jesus work and growing in his relationship with Him, he gets mad and attempts to cause division in the church.  When this effort fails, he gets even madder and leaves the church which causes further division and complication in the life of the congregation.  All of this could have been avoided if those mature Christians had used their spiritual gifts and discipled this immature Christian in his relationship with Jesus.  Beloved, Paul is writing these verses because these issues were just as real in Paul’s day as they are presently.  We must encourage each other to grow in Jesus. 

Questions:

1. Does your life exhibit the fruit of the Spirit?
2. Are you more prone to get upset and leave the church and find another one rather than work through the issues?

Prayer: Father, mature me in Jesus through Your Spirit.  Help my relationship challenges to be worked through because of the maturity You are instilling my life.  As a result of Your life change in me, may You be brought glory. Amen.