There is not much that extinguishes a movement of the Holy Spirit, turns people away from church and Jesus more than immature church members. I am not speaking of new members that are in the early stages of their Christian pilgrimage into discipleship. They are usually eager to grow. I am referring to those who have been around for a while and are still like the little boy who was tucked into his bed by his father. As the father quietly reached the door leaving his son’s room he heard a thud and turned to see his son had rolled out of bed onto the floor. The boy looked up and said, “I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.” To grow in Christ one must move deeper into discipleship and become more mature as a member of the body of Christ.
Far too many church members stay too close to where they came in. It is these that Paul addresses in I Corinthians 3:1-3 saying, he “could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.” Once we make a decision to follow Christ and unite with his church we have made a commitment to deny self, and take up our cross daily, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). The command to deny self and take up our cross daily to follow Jesus is a call to put self, ego, feelings, desires and anything that is personal to death. It is a call to put self completely and sacrificially aside to follow Jesus.
When church members remain immature they make themselves the issue and are often a continual source of conflict, disruption, distraction and hurt feelings needing to be pampered or enticed to attend or serve as if they were doing the Lord a favor by their presence or offering their service. Jesus, himself gave us the ultimate lesson on service in John 13. Verse three tells us when Jesus knew the Father had given him all authority he did not worry about his desire, plans, ego and feelings. He showed his disciples, then and now, the example of mature leadership and sacrificial action by ultimate humility in lowly servanthood performing one of the lowest and most menial tasks allowed in that culture, washing the feet of his disciples. His disciples were first stunned then amazed but he said, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” We are to learn and grow from his teaching to put ourselves (ego, agenda and feelings) aside for sacrificial service.
When we uncontrollably give ourselves completely to Jesus putting self totally aside we no longer are worried about our plans, agenda, feelings or ideas there is immense freedom, release and joy that religion absolutely cannot produce. We simply seek to follow Jesus by faith in total obedience through the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit. Whatever he calls us to do, the Spirit equips and enables us to do and we move forward by faith as enjoy the ride while God works through us in miraculous unity. This is the body of Christ at its best. When believers do this there is harmony. If we are all following the same Christ there is no division, disunity or disruption in the unity in the body of Christ. We all remain different and unique but blend the different blessings and gifts the Father has given as we place ego aside and work together sacrificially for his glory.
When others see this they are amazed and realize they see something that can not be explained in human terms and they are drawn into the Kingdom. This is the answer to the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane (John 17:20-26). Our mature submission and harmonious service to him answers his prayer. Our Spiritual maturity, our self-less submission and harmony is the answer to his prayer. We expect Jesus to answer our prayers but he leaves it up to us to be the answer to his. He is waiting for his prayer to be answered through us. Why not today?
