A sermon that talks about the importance of spiritual growth. This presentation teaches that spiritual maturity and growth must be a priority of a Christian.

1. INTENTIONAL
GROWTH
1 Corinthians 3:1-9

2. 1 My friends, you are acting like the people of this world.
That’s why I could not speak to you as spiritual people.
You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is
concerned. 2 So I had to treat you like babies and feed you
milk. You could not take solid food, and you still cannot, 3
because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and
argue with each other. This proves that you are not
spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this
world.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 CEV
2

3. 4 Some of you say that you follow me, and others claim to
follow Apollos. Isn’t that how ordinary people behave? 5
Apollos and I are merely servants who helped you to have
faith. It was the Lord who made it all happen. 6 I planted
the seeds, Apollos watered them, but God made them
sprout and grow.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 CEV
3

4. 7 What matters isn’t those who planted or watered, but
God who made the plants grow. 8 The one who plants is
just as important as the one who waters. And each one will
be paid for what they do. 9 Apollos and I work together for
God, and you are God’s garden and God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 CEV
4

5. When you stop
growing, you
stop producing

6. When you stop
growing, you
start dying

7. INTENTIONAL
GROWTH
1 Corinthians 3:1-9

8. Spiritual maturity
must be a priority
for every Christian

9. What should be done tO
have a RADICAL GROWTH
in our SPIRITUAL LIFE
1 Corinthians 3:1-9

10. A. DON’T BE A CITIZEN OF
THIS WORLD BUT A
CITIZEN OF GOD’S
KINGDOM v. 1
10

11. 1 My friends, you are acting like the people of this world.
That’s why I could not speak to you as spiritual people.
You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is
concerned.
1 Corinthians 3:1 CEV
11
1 My friends, you are acting like the people of this world.
That’s why I could not speak to you as spiritual people.
You are like babies as far as your faith in Christ is
concerned.

12. Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your
bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing.
That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like
the people of this world, but let God change the way you
think. Then you will know how to do everything that is
good and pleasing to him.
Romans 12:1-2 CEV
12
Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your
bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing.
That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like
the people of this world, but let God change the way you
think. Then you will know how to do everything that is
good and pleasing to him.
Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your
bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing.
That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like
the people of this world, but let God change the way you
think. Then you will know how to do everything that is
good and pleasing to him.

13. You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You
are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family
of God. You are like a building with the apostles and
prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most
important stone. Christ is the one who holds the building
together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the
Lord. And you are part of that building Christ has built as a
place for God's own Spirit to live.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9 CEV
13
You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You
are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family
of God. You are like a building with the apostles and
prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most
important stone. Christ is the one who holds the building
together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the
Lord. And you are part of that building Christ has built as a
place for God's own Spirit to live.
You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You
are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family
of God. You are like a building with the apostles and
prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most
important stone. Christ is the one who holds the building
together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the
Lord. And you are part of that building Christ has built as a
place for God's own Spirit to live.

14. 4 MOST BENEFITS
WHEN YOU ARE A CITIZEN
OF THE GOD’S KINGDOM

15. 1. YOU’RE PROTECTED BY
THE KING
15

16. 17 But in that coming day
no weapon turned against you will succeed.
You will silence every voice
raised up to accuse you.
These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;
their vindication will come from me.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Isaiah 54:17 NLT
16

17. 2. EVERYTHING IS
PROVIDED FOR YOU
17

18. Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do
superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think
[infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams],
according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be
the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all
generations forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV
18

19. 3. YOU HAVE A GOOD
FUTURE FILLED WITH HOPE
AND SUCCESS
19

20. For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’
says the Lord , ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for
disaster, to give you a future and a hope
Jeremiah 29:11 AMP
20

21. 4. YOURE SAVED FROM
DEATH
21

22. and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and
there will no longer be death; there will no longer be
sorrow and anguish, or crying, or pain; for the former order
of things has passed away.”
Revelation 21:4 AMP
22

23. 2. DON’T FILL YOUR LIFE
WITH THE WORLD BUT
FILL IT WITH GOD’S
WORD v.2,3a

24. 2 So I had to treat you like babies and feed you milk. You
could not take solid food, and you still cannot, 3 because
you are not yet spiritual.
1 Corinthians 3:2,3a CEV
24

25. • Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say: ‘No one can
live only on food. People need every word that God has
spoken.’ ”
Matthew 4:4 CEV
25

26. But they delight in the law of the Lord , meditating on it
day and night. They are like trees planted along the
riverbank, bearing fruit each season ( growing) . Their
leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
Psalms 1:2-3 NLT
26

27. The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase
our faith.”
Luke 17:5 NLT
27

28. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God.
Romans 10:17 KJV
28

29. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not
cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and
increasing in the knowledge of God.
Colossians 1:9-10 KJV
29

30. 3. DON’T CREATE
DIVISIONS IN GOD’S
KINGDOM BUT BUILD
UNITY IN THE BODY OF
CHRIST v. 3b

31. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves
that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the
people of this world.
1 Corinthians 3:3b CEV
31

32. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity!
Psalms 133:1 KJV
32

33. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and
forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against
any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above
all these things put on charity, which is the bond of
perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful.
Colossians 3:12-15 KJV
33

34. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased
not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 5:42 KJV
34

35. 4. DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE
AS A MEN-PLEASER BUT
LIVE IT FOR GOD v. 4-5

36. Some of you say you follow me, and others claim to follow
Apollos. Isn't this how ordinary people behave? Apollos
and I are merely servants who helped you to have faith. It
was the Lord who made it all happen.
1 Corinthians 3:4-5 CEV
36

37. Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters,
with respect for authority, and with a sincere heart
[seeking to please them], as [service] to Christ— 6 not in
the way of eye-service [working only when someone is
watching you and only] to please men, but as slaves of
Christ, doing the will of God from your heart; 7 rendering
service with goodwill, as to the Lord, and not [only] to
men,
Ephesians 6:6-7 AMP
37

38. 5. DON’T DEPEND ON
YOUR OWN STRENGTH
BUT RELY ON GOD’S
STRENGTH v. 6-7

39. 6 I planted the seeds, Apollos watered them, but God
made them sprout and grow. 7 What matters isn’t those
who planted or watered, but God who made the plants
grow.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 CEV
39

40. 6. DON’T MAKE YOUR LIFE
DORMANT IN GOD’S KINGDOM
BUT ENGAGE YOUR LIFE IN
DOING GOD’S WORK v. 8-9

41. 6 I planted the seeds, Apollos watered them, but God
made them sprout and grow. 7 What matters isn’t those
who planted or watered, but God who made the plants
grow.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7 CEV
41

42. 8 The one who plants is just as important as the one who
waters. And each one will be paid for what they do. 9
Apollos and I work together for God, and you are God’s
garden and God’s building.
1 Corinthians 3:8-9 CEV
42

43. “
Trials should not surprise us, or cause us to
doubt God's faithfulness. Rather, we should
actually be glad for them. God sends trials to
strengthen our trust in him so that our
faith will not fail. Our trials keep us trusting;
they burn away our self confidence and
drive us to our Savior.
43
Edmund Clowney