Thu, May 7, 2009
A Lesson On Maturity
notes from dino rizzo teaching healing place church campus pastors
most of us are doing things that we may not have thought we'd want to do 5 years ago. maturity will follow where it may not think it wants to go.
Jesus told Peter this was all about the sheep. it isn't about going back and forth. When it's all said and done, I need you to follow me - even to death. You ran from the cross before but you will go to the cross. I need to know where you're at. In immature times you will dress yourself and decide where you go. But in maturity you'll be led by others. And it may not be something you'd choose to do. But it is about the sheep.
Jesus will confront you with the hard truth that a servant leader has to be willing to be led... and to be led to the unknown, even undesirable, painful places. We have all confronted moments where you did something you really didn't wanna do in ministry. Just the unknown... or even the undesirable or uncomfortable.... Sitting down to hard meetings, awkward times, painful funerals, difficult moments. We've all had stuff put on us that felt uncomfortable - "clothes" that were scratchy or bunch up on us - things that we have to do in ministry that we just don't look forward to.
But we do them because of the sheep.
Takeaways from this scripture:
1. the way is not always UP. sometimes this isn't a staircase - at least not always going up. Your best days ARE indeed ahead of you, but God defines what "BEST" is.
2. the way at times is very quiet and silent. learning to handle quiet and silent times. even when God is not speaking, i'm not freaking. of course when there's sin blocking the communication, deal with that. but sometimes when there is silence from heaven, you have to be okay with that and just keep faithully pressing in.
3. the way of Christ often looks like a downward motion to onlookers. we don't live for onlookers. We will stand before Jesus for how we've served. Onlookers may not understand your decisions. The numbers don't look right to them. But we sometimes make motion that seems downward to them but it is the way of Christ.
4. the way of Christ usually runs opposite of our desire for power. the verse in John 21 says it in a way that is backwards to what we might expect: immaturity chooses its own path. maturity is led by someone else. We all have a propensity for power hunger. Take it to the cross.
5. the way of Christ may not always line up with your wishes. He doesn't always wish for what we wish for. Hopefully the more we understand, the more we just wanna surrender to what God wants. I just wanna obey.
We just want to be at peace with God where you're at. Because it isn't about YOU. It's all about Jesus and His sheep.
most of us are doing things that we may not have thought we'd want to do 5 years ago. maturity will follow where it may not think it wants to go.
Jesus told Peter this was all about the sheep. it isn't about going back and forth. When it's all said and done, I need you to follow me - even to death. You ran from the cross before but you will go to the cross. I need to know where you're at. In immature times you will dress yourself and decide where you go. But in maturity you'll be led by others. And it may not be something you'd choose to do. But it is about the sheep.
Jesus will confront you with the hard truth that a servant leader has to be willing to be led... and to be led to the unknown, even undesirable, painful places. We have all confronted moments where you did something you really didn't wanna do in ministry. Just the unknown... or even the undesirable or uncomfortable.... Sitting down to hard meetings, awkward times, painful funerals, difficult moments. We've all had stuff put on us that felt uncomfortable - "clothes" that were scratchy or bunch up on us - things that we have to do in ministry that we just don't look forward to.
But we do them because of the sheep.
Takeaways from this scripture:
1. the way is not always UP. sometimes this isn't a staircase - at least not always going up. Your best days ARE indeed ahead of you, but God defines what "BEST" is.
2. the way at times is very quiet and silent. learning to handle quiet and silent times. even when God is not speaking, i'm not freaking. of course when there's sin blocking the communication, deal with that. but sometimes when there is silence from heaven, you have to be okay with that and just keep faithully pressing in.
3. the way of Christ often looks like a downward motion to onlookers. we don't live for onlookers. We will stand before Jesus for how we've served. Onlookers may not understand your decisions. The numbers don't look right to them. But we sometimes make motion that seems downward to them but it is the way of Christ.
4. the way of Christ usually runs opposite of our desire for power. the verse in John 21 says it in a way that is backwards to what we might expect: immaturity chooses its own path. maturity is led by someone else. We all have a propensity for power hunger. Take it to the cross.
5. the way of Christ may not always line up with your wishes. He doesn't always wish for what we wish for. Hopefully the more we understand, the more we just wanna surrender to what God wants. I just wanna obey.
We just want to be at peace with God where you're at. Because it isn't about YOU. It's all about Jesus and His sheep.
From the YouVersion Blog RSS Feed
YouVersion Bible App now for BlackBerry Storm (Version 2.0.5)
We are pleased to announce a major update to the YouVersion Bible app for Blackberry that includes functionality... Read more »
