“…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” Ephesians 4:13-14
The Bumbo seat is the modern-day high chair. We put our kids in this seat at the dinner table to eat. It is a great invention. When it’s dirty, you just wash it down in the sink and it’s ready to go for the next meal. But at some point, kids need to graduate from the Bumbo seat and sit at the table. It would be comical if you came over for dinner at my house and found me sitting in the Bumbo with a bib on, asking for my dinner! We all know an adult should not eat like a child.
In today’s scripture verses, Paul encourages the church toward maturity in Christ. If we only show up at church to consume, we miss the point. We might receive good teaching, but we are not growing in maturity until we use what we’ve learned for the work of the ministry.
What is the evidence of maturity and growth among the people in the church? It is a desire to maintain the unity of the faith for the sake of the mission while building upon one’s understanding of what God has done for us in Jesus. As Paul says, this is revealed as believers grow into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
This reality is often referred to as discipleship.
What is discipleship?
Pastor Randy Pope defines it well:
“Discipleship – laboring in the lives of a few with the intention of imparting one’s life, the gospel, and God’s word in such a way as to see them become mature and equipped followers of Christ, committed to doing the same in the lives of others.”
Discipleship is not just about learning more information and gaining more knowledge. It is about growing our knowledge and understanding of the Word so that the way we live lines up with what the Word says. Discipleship means being equipped through the Word of God to become more like Christ in the way we live.
Discipleship is about doing something with what we know. It is about applying the wisdom and knowledge of God’s word so that we grow in faith and invite others to do the same.
True discipleship always impacts the way we live.
Is it time to get out of the Bumbo seat, or have you grown in your faith?
Taken from a sermon by George Wright, Senior Pastor, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL
DIG DEEPER
Read “Growing in Christ – A Different Perspective” by Michael Kelley