<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Untitled Document • The Christian’s Movement
• It occurred to me that everything that describes a true Christian involves some sort of movement.

• Introduction
• While working on a lesson about moving on toward perfection (in the New Testament sense of the word), it struck me just how much we need to move and be active.
• Even if you are on the right path or track, you will get run over if you do not keep moving.
• The Bible gives us the direction of this movement.

• Go
• The word implies movement.
• As opposed to standing still.
• Jesus commanded His disciples to go:
• Preach the gospel Mark 16:15-16
• Make disciples Matthew 28:18
• The early church took this charge seriously: Acts 8:4
• If we want to go to heaven, we should also.

• Pressing
• Press indicates that it is not an easy journey.
• Effort needs to be involved.
• We are to press:
• Onward
• Forward
• Upward
• Philippians 3:12-14

• Abounding
• Abound still more
• 1 Thessalonians 3:12
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1
• 2 Peter 1:8
• 1 Corinthians 15:58

• Putting On
• The armor of God Ephesians 6:10-18
• Indicates you know what you are doing, and have the necessary training to use the equipment properly.
• Indicates spiritual maturity
• Put it on because we are fighting a spiritual warfare.

• Growth
• You plant seeds, what do you want?
• What do you expect.
• Growth.
• You expect the plant to grow and mature, and eventually produce its fruit.
• Either something you can eat or something you can see.

• Growth
• Frustrating to see a plant grow, then not produce the desired results.
• Plum trees grew from little twigs.
• Grew rapidly
• Produced lots of blossoms after just a few years.
• Never produced a single plum.
• So glad when tropical storm blew them over.

• Growth
• God expects us to grow to maturity.
• God plants the seed everywhere hoping some will fall on good soil. Matthew 13
• The result is production—30, 60, 100 fold.
• Growth means bigger, stronger, etc.
• 2 Peter 3:18
• Are you showing results in your Christian growth?

• Perfection
• New Testament use of the word means maturity, completeness, without need.
• This should be our goal.
• 2 Corinthians 13:9
• Hebrews 6:1
• 2 Corinthians 7:1
• Ephesians 4:12

• Stand Fast
• Applied to our faith—not our work.
• 1 Corinthians 15:58
• Notice to stand fast, immovable--- but then notice---always abounding.
• Yes, our faith needs to be established upon a solid rock or foundation.
• But in order to stand fast, we need to move.

• Conclusion
• Are you moving in the right direction?
• Are you growing spiritually?
• Others can encourage you, but it is up to you if you grow and mature.
• Development is necessary to achieve salvation.
• Are you growing and improving?

By Carey Scott

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