MATURITY: Created to Become Like Christ

Services

SImi COmmunity Church

Oct. 08, 2025

 Tony Silvestri
 N/A
 N/A

Series: Living on Purpose   10-12-25

MATURITY:

Created to Become Like Christ

 

                                    

 

 

FIVE PURPOSES FOR YOUR LIFE:

 

          1. TO LOVE GOD BACK. (WORSHIP)

 

          2. TO LOVE GOD’S FAMILY. (COMMUNITY)

 

Ephesians 4:11–13 (NIV) 11 So Christ himself gave the… pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 

 

 

MY 3rd PURPOSE IN LIFE IS ___________________________________.

(MATURITY)

 

 

Romans 8:29 (NLT) 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son,

 

Ephesians 4:15 (NIV) 15 we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

 

  • This Maturing Process is called “___________________________”

 

 

FACTS ABOUT SPIRITUAL MATURITY:

 

                            a. It is not _________________________.

 

Hebrews 5:12–13 (LB) 12 You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word.

 

                            b. It is a ___________________________.

 

2 Peter 3:18 (GNB) 18 continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

                            c. It takes __________________________.

 

1 Timothy 4:7 (NASB) 7 discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;

 

 

 

HOW DOES GOD GROW MY CHARACTER?

 

1. God uses __________________ to Teach us to ___________ Him.

 

  • Temptations are situations designed by Satan, intended to harm us.  

 

Matthew 4:1 (NIV) Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 

 

 

 

TRUTHS ABOUT TEMPTATION:

 

a.  It is not a sin to be tempted.  

 

b.  You’ll never __________________ temptation. 

 

c.  Everyone is tempted in the same ways.

 

 

 

HOW TO WIN THE BATTLE WITH TEMPTATION:

 

a.  Download __________________.  

 

Philippians 4:8 (NLT) Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

 

  • You can Master your Moods by Managing your Mind.

 

 

  1. Spiritual Habit #1 - Get into _________________________

 

John 8:31–32 (ESV) 31 Jesus said… “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 


 

 

b.  Get a spiritual ________________________.  

 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (CEV) You’re better off to have a friend than to be all alone… If you fall, your friend can help you up.   

 

  • Great men & Great women don’t stand __________________!

 

  • The Apostle Paul had spiritual partners - Barnabus, Mark, Apollos, 

Timothy, Epaphras & Titus.

 

 

 

 

 

2. God uses __________________ to Teach us to ___________ Him.  

 

Romans 5:3-4 (NCV) …trouble produces patience, and patience produces character, and character produces hope.  

 

  • The word “trouble” is often called “trials”. 
  • “Trials” are situations designed by _________ to draw us closer to Him. 

 

 

Philippians 2:5 (TEV) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

 

 

Mark 14:33–34 (NIV) 33 Jesus began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,”

 

Mark 14:36 (NIV) 36 “Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

 

 

  1. Spiritual Habit #2 – Get into the Practice of ____________

 

 

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV) 17 Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (MSG) 17 These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times and the lavish celebration prepared for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. God uses __________________ to Teach us to ________________. 

 

  • TRIALS are situations designed by God to draw us closer to Himself.
  • TEMPTATIONS are designed by the devil to draw us away from God.
  • TRESPASSES are designed by other people to ___________________.  

 

 

 

 

Matthew 6:14–15 (ESV) 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

 

  • “Transgression” - the action of going beyond or overstepping some 

moral boundary or limit.

 

 

Matthew 27:39–44 (NIV) 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying… “save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41 In the same way the chief priests… and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself…” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. 

 

Luke 23:34 (NIV) Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

 

 

 

1 Peter 2:23 (NIV) 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 

 

 

 

  1. Spiritual Habit #3 – Practice _________________ Like Christ

 

 

 

TWO TIPS:

 

  • Remember that God has ____________________ you.  

 

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) 32 forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

 

  • Remember that God is ________________________.   

 

Genesis 50:20 (NIV) 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

 

 

 

Romans 8:17 (Msg) We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with Him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with Him.