Moving on with God Part 2/2.

Hebrews 6:1-3 From the foundations to maturity

9. Maturity requires movement

Hebrews 6:1 The phrase “let us go on” is powerful.

Christianity is not static.

There is always a danger of becoming spiritually comfortable.

You can be saved for many years without necessarily becoming spiritually mature.

Someone can have: 10 years of Christianity — or one year of Christianity repeated 10 times.

The question is not: “How long have I been a Christian?”

but: ''How far have I travelled with Christ?”

10. God Himself is involved in our maturity

Hebrews 6:3 ends: “And this we will do if God permits.”

That is an important qualification.

Spiritual maturity is not achieved simply through human determination.

We cooperate with God's grace.

Paul says:

“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”— Philippians 1:6 NKJV

This message is not that.

“I need to try harder to become mature.”

The better message is:

“I need to surrender more fully to the One who is making me mature. 

Conclusions

Picture a child growing into adulthood.

No loving parent is disappointed because a baby needs milk. Milk is exactly what a baby needs. Growth takes time.

But something would be wrong if twenty years later that same child still wanted to be fed, carried, and cared for as an infant.

That is the concern behind the writer's words in Hebrews.

"For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God." (Hebrews 5:12)

There is nothing wrong with being a spiritual infant when you have recently come to Christ.

The problem is when God has given us years to grow, yet we remain where we started.

God's desire is not merely that we begin well, but that we continue well.

Not merely that we receive His life, but that His life is seen in us.

Not merely that we are blessed, but that we become a blessing.

Not merely that we are ministered to, but that we become instruments through whom He ministers to others.

So let us ask ourselves some honest questions:

• Am I growing in Christ?

• Am I becoming more obedient to His Word?

• Am I learning to trust Him in difficult seasons?

• Am I becoming more useful in His Kingdom?

• Am I helping others follow Jesus?

• Am I moving from receiving to serving?

• 
  

Because the question is not simply:

"How long have I been a Christian?"

The deeper question is:

"How much have I allowed Christ to change me?"

Every one of us is somewhere on this journey.

Some are taking their first steps.

Some are rebuilding after difficulties.

Some have walked with Christ for many years.

But wherever we are today, God's invitation is the same:

"Let us go on to maturity."

He is not calling us backwards.

He is not calling us to live in yesterday.

He is calling us forward.

Forward in faith.

Forward in obedience.

Forward in usefulness.

Forward into all that He has prepared for us.

For the God who saved us is also the God who is shaping us.

And the God who began a good work in us has promised to complete it.

Call to Action

Learn from yesterday.

Thank God for yesterday.

But do not live in yesterday.

Look to Jesus today.

Listen for His voice today.

Obey His leading today.

And move forward into God's tomorrow.

So hear again the words of Hebrews 6:1:

"Let us go on to maturity."

Look back, but only to learn.

Look up and see Jesus.

Look forward and keep moving with God.

And perhaps the most important question we can ask today is this:

"What would happen in my life if I stopped dwelling on what God did then, and started responding to what God is doing now?"

Where is He leading you?

What step of faith is He asking you to take?

What area of your life still needs to grow?

Because God's work in you is not finished.

The best chapter is not behind you.

By His grace, the next step is ahead of you.

Amen.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for bringing us into Your family through Jesus Christ.

Thank You for the foundations of our faith.

Thank You for Your patience, Your grace, and Your faithfulness through every stage of our journey.

Forgive us where we have become comfortable, stagnant, or content to remain where we are.

By Your Holy Spirit, help us grow.

Grow our faith.

Deepen our love.

Strengthen our obedience.

Teach us to trust You more fully and follow You more closely.

Make us people who not only receive Your blessing but become a blessing to others.

Lead us from infancy to maturity, from knowledge to obedience, and from being served to serving.

And as we move forward, keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

For Your glory and Your purposes.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.”— C. S. Lewis

Tozer frequently emphasised the danger of being satisfied with yesterday's experience of God. One of the themes running through his writing is that Christians must continually pursue God rather than settle for past encounters.- A.W. Tozer

We might say using Tozer’s idea.

“Yesterday's experience with God was real, but it was yesterday's experience. God has not run out of tomorrow.”