Growing and Abounding Spiritually
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon Outlines Tags: Sermons on Spiritual GrowthSpiritual Growth Sermon Outline
SUBJECT: Spiritual Growth
TITLE: Growing and Abounding Spiritually
PROPOSITION: To set forth the New Testament teaching on the duty, obligation, necessity and great privilege which every Christian has to grow and abound spiritually.
OBJECTIVE: To help us grow and abound spiritually.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Philippians 1:9.
2. Regarding the text:
1) Philippians is one of Paul’s “prison epistles.”
2) To these Philippians, from prison, Paul writes:
a. Make my joy full, 2:2;
b. Rejoice in the Lord, 3:1; and Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice!, 4:4.
3) The formula for joy and accomplishment is given in our text, 1:9.
a. Love is to abound more and more.
b. This comes through two avenues, namely:
a) In real knowledge; and
b) All discernment.
4) All of this was written to encourage spirituality because the Philippians:
a. Participated in the gospel, 1:5;
b. Were partakers of grace, 1:7: and
c. Had begun good work.
3. Reference to S.T.P.O.
DISCUSSION: Spiritual growth and abounding comes through –
I. Real knowledge.
1. Daniel 2:21, this knowledge comes from God.
2. Proverbs 1:7.
3. Hosea 4:1-6.
4. Philippians 3:8.
5. 2 Peter 1:5-11.
6. Romans 10:2.
7. Colossians 1:9-10.
8. Gods desire is seen in 1 Timothy 2:4.
9. Mans attempt falls pitifully short as seen in 2 Timothy 3:7.
10.2 Peter 1:3.
11.Escape from sin comes through knowledge, 2 Peter 2:20.
12.The knowledge is gained only from a study of the revealed will of God, the New Testament.
1) 1 Corinthians 2:6-13.
2) Ephesians 3:3-5.
3) 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
II. All discernment.
1. Discernment is a by-product of knowledge.
2. The Old Testament is full of precepts and examples of this discernment which it calls wisdom.
1) Proverbs 1:1-6; 2:2-9; 3:13-14.
2) Many others.
3. Hebrews 5:14.
4. What is discernment?
1) It is to see and identify by noting differences.
2) The point here is not choosing between pleasant and unpleasant, but choosing between good and bad, for often good is not immediately pleasant.
3) Discernment grows with use or practice.
5. We need to recognize that discernment is not a matter of personal thinking, but of judgment based on objective truth.
6. Two examples jog our memory.
1) The young prophet who believed a lie, 1 Kings 13.
2) Tricky Pharisees, Matthew 22:15-22.
7. Brother Leroy Brownlow offers nine guide posts to wise discernment in his little book The Christians Everyday Problems, Strength For Daily Living, on pages 23-25.
III. Growing and abounding.
1. This is the whole point.
2. 1 Peter 2:1-3. 3. Ephesians 4:15. 4. 2 Peter 3:17-18; 1:8-11.
3. Growing and abounding: every Christians personal goal in life.
4. This is to make our calling and election sure.
5. We must grow to the point described in Hebrews 5:12.
CONCLUSION: Growth is always painful, but it is always worth it!!!