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Stones Hill Community Church
Life Verses & Catchphrases
Welcome to the Life Verse and Catchphrases Series! The Words We Carry. The Truth That Carries Us. A Life Verse Is... A truth from God’s Word that becomes a personal compass, a source of courage, a reminder of identity, or a declaration against the lies of the world. A life verse is a verse out of the Bible that especially resonates with you and that has inspired you in some meaningful way. It has become a kind of focus point for you, a life mantra, or a kind of statement or even a counter-culture protest of sorts to battle some erroneous worldview assumption. What verse do you keep coming back to—and why? How did you come to settle on this verse? How has God used this verse in your life?
Locations & Times
Ligonier, IN
151 W Stones Hill Rd, Ligonier, IN 46767, USA
Saturday 11:29 AM
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
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OPENING
How do you know if you're growing up? Not by how old you are. Not by how much you know. Sometimes you know you're growing up when you finally have the courage to look in the mirror and say, “The problem isn't everybody else. God wants to change something in me.” Paul ends 1 Corinthians with five commands that essentially say: “Let’s grow up.”
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CONTEXTUALIZATION
In his letters and correspondence, Paul uses both masculine and feminine metaphors to refer to all believers. [see slide] Paul’s language often uses male, female, parental, familial, marital, and bodily imagery to describe the entire people of God.
Here, he uses a masculine metaphor. “Act like men” isn't an isolated command at the end of the letter. It is the culmination of Paul's repeated call for the Corinthians (both male and female, young and old) to grow up spiritually.
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PROPOSITION
Proposition: Spiritual maturity means allowing Christ to grow us beyond childish reactions, desires, pride, and self-reliance into courageous, self-controlled, humble, loving people.
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Transition: So how do I know I'm growing up in Christ? Paul gives us five checkpoints. Check your blind spots. Check your emotions. Check your appetites. Check your ego. And check your love.
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OUTLINE
Act like men means don't act like a boy-child or a girl-child.
Check your blind spot - Be on the alert
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Act like men means don’t act like a drama queen or king.
Check your emotions - stand firm in the faith
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Act like men means don't act like an animal
Check your appetites - act like men
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Act like men means don't act like a superhero
Check your ego - be strong
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Act like men means become the man God created you to be
Check your love - All that you do must be done in love.
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What does spiritual maturity look like? I recognize my vulnerabilities. I stand firm when my emotions rise. I control my appetites. I humble my ego. I use my strength in love.
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CONCLUSION
Maybe you're here today and you know exactly where you are still growing up. You know your blind spot. You know the emotion that has been driving you. You know the appetite that has been controlling you. You know the place where your pride keeps saying, “I can handle this myself.” And maybe you know that sometimes your strength doesn't make people feel safe—it makes them feel intimidated. So what do you do? You bring yourself to Jesus. Because Paul isn't ultimately saying, “Become stronger.” He's saying, “Let Christ grow you up.” “Jesus, grow me up.” Grow me beyond my reactions, my wounds, my appetites, my pride, my need to control. And make me more like You.