Growth in Grace Can Be Stunted!
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of growing in maturity and responding to suffering with a meek spirit, rather than falling for childish games and false doctrine.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of spiritual maturity in his sermon 'Growth in Grace Can Be Stunted!' He warns against being swayed by falsehoods and the cunning tactics of those who oppose us, urging believers to examine their reactions to slander and deceit. Wilkerson highlights Paul's call to grow up in Christ, encouraging the congregation to respond to negativity with love and grace rather than childishness. He reminds us that while we cannot control the actions of others, we can choose to use these challenges as opportunities for growth in our faith. Ultimately, the message is about embracing maturity in Christ and responding to adversity with a Christlike spirit.
Text
Paul warned the Ephesians, "Be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14). You may think, "This verse doesn't apply to me. My foundation is biblically solid. I'm not taken in by all the new gospel fads and frivolous gimmicks that are distracting people from Christ. I'm rooted and grounded in God's Word."
Yet listen to the rest of Paul's verse: "...carried about...by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (4:14). Perhaps you can't be fazed by false doctrine. Paul says you could still be carried away by a whole other matter. He's asking, "Are you tossed about by the evil plans of those who oppose you?"
Paul's message calls us to examine ourselves yet again: How do we react to people who call themselves our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet spread falsehoods about us?
When Paul commands, "Be no more children," he's telling us, "Those enemies of yours--the ones who use gossip and slander, fraud and manipulation, cunning and craftiness, deception and underhandedness--I tell you, they're all rebellious children. They're devious and spoiled. And they haven't allowed God's grace to do a work in them. So, don't fall for their wicked, childish games. They want you to react to their meanness as a child would. But you are not to answer them with childishness."
In the next verse, Paul urges us to move on to maturity: "Speaking the truth in love, may [you] grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:15). He's saying, "You can't help the slights you receive, the hurts done to you, the gossip spoken against you, the fraud and deception aimed at you. Yet, you can use these things to grow in grace. View them as opportunities to become more Christlike. Respond softly, with a meek spirit. Forgive those who spitefully use you."
Sermon Outline
- The Dangers of Being Tossed About
- Examining Our Reaction to Falsehoods
- Growing in Grace
- Speaking the Truth in Love
- Viewing Suffering as Opportunities for Growth
Key Quotes
“Be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” — David Wilkerson
“Speaking the truth in love, may [you] grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should not fall for the wicked games of those who oppose us, but rather respond with a meek spirit and forgiveness.
- We can use suffering as opportunities to grow in grace and become more Christlike.
- Growing in maturity involves speaking the truth in love and responding to falsehoods with a soft spirit.