Date:   06/04/06

Text:   2 Corinthians 6:11-18

Title: Obstacles to Growth

Theme: An open heart to fellow Christians is the key to healthy spiritual growth.

Introduction:

  One of the things I learned after coming to Houston is growing gold fish. I was able to start with small 1 inch size fish and grow them into 4 or 5 inches. However, the last two years were bad years. For some reason, they stopped growing and began to die. I tried different kinds of fish but with the same results. Last month I was at the verge of calling it quits. Then I decided to take some water from my tanks to a pet store for analysis. I was told the Ph was too high and too much ammonia in the water. These are bad news for the fish. So I changed the water and did all the right things. So far, they seem to be quite happy in this tank. You see, in order for the fish to grow, the environment must be in the right condition.

  The same is true with Christian growth. You remember the spiritual highs you experienced in summer camps or Mission trips. You were excited about your faith and wanted to tell everyone about it. Then the excitement began to cool off, and some may even stopped coming to church. What happened? These past few months we have learned that we are to grow as Jesus did; we are to grow to be like Jesus. However, sometimes we feel that we are not growing as we should or have stopped growing all together. Why? Because some unhealthy or poisonous ingredients have entered our lives.

  This morning we want to take a look at the Christians in Corinth . Through them, we want to identify some factors that obstruct and are not conducive to Christian growth.

I.   An anatomy of a 1 st century church.

  Let's take a look at some characteristics of this church.

  First, its strengths. From Paul's 2 letters to the Corinthians, it appeared that this church had many spiritual gifts. The entire chapter 12 is devoted to the spiritual gifts present among them and how they are to use these gifts. They are also fervent in believing Christ's 2 nd coming and therefore eagerly awaiting his return.

  Second, its weaknesses. However, in the same letter, their weaknesses are also evident. They had started a love offering for the suffering church in Jerusalem , but for some reason, they may have forgotten about this. It's like a 5-minute fever. There was jealousy and quarreling. There was blatant immorality; someone had married his step mother. There was fighting among them, to the extent that a law suit was filed against a fellow believer. They were eagerly awaiting Christ's return, but misunderstood the nature of Christ's resurrection and hence, the believers' resurrection. Then there were divisions among them. One group claimed to belong to Paul, another to Peter. Along with divisions, there were also favoritisms. As if one group would be stronger, better and more powerful than others. These events greatly disturbed Paul and were the reasons for his writing these two letters. Paul also saw these problems and issues as symptoms of a childish and immature faith. 1Cor 3:1, ¡§ 1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.¡¨ They were born again, they had a new life, and started growing. But the growth was being restricted or arrested. Something had happened.

  This church at Corinth could be any church in the USA in 2006. We too have our strengths. Just look at the different spiritual gifts and natural talents God has given us. But isn't it true, like the church at Corinth , we, too, have our share of problems. In many churches we observe divisions among believers. We are separated by race, education and financial status. Instead of loving one another, there are quarrels. Law suits among Christians and between churches are not uncommon. Some times our communication with another believer was broken. Friends used to talk to each other, but not anymore. Like the believers at Corinth , these are symptoms of an immature faith. Let's explore what some causes for the stunted growth are.

II.   A restricted heart affects our spiritual growth.

Clearly from reading 2 Corinthians something had happened to Paul's relationship with the believers at Corinth . 2 Cor 3:1, ¡§ 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?¡¨ Paul is saying that I used to be with you and you know me well. Have I become a stranger to you now that you need a recommendation letter from me? 2 Cor 6:12, ¡§ 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.¡¨ Your heart and affection towards us is being restricted. As if Paul is saying that your artery towards me is blocked by cholesterol and plaques. When the heart is closed to the apostles, to the word of God, then growth will be restricted or will not occur at all. When my heart is closed towards you, whether you are my spouse, my parents or fellow Christians, I will show little interest in your well being. I will not be praying for you. The relationship will be superficial or non existing and this is wrong. This is often the main cause of immaturity. Let's look at some possible reasons for a closed heart in the Corinthian believers.

1.   Lack of spiritual discernment. 2 Cor 2:17, 3:1

  2 Cor.2:17, ¡§ 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, ¡K..¡¨ 2 Cor. 3:1, ¡§ 1 Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you?¡¨ Who were the ¡¥so many¡K¡¨ ¡§as some¡K¡¨? They were peddlers of God's word, they were the false teachers. They were teaching false or half truth doctrines, leading some away from Christian fellowship. As they followed the false teachers, their hearts and affection toward Paul had become restricted.

  Isn't this also true today? You have friends who came to know Christ the same time as you. You were baptized together and attended the same church and fellowship group. You were growing spiritually together. Then something happened. Your friend had found another teaching very attractive. He/she tried to influence you but you stood firm in what you had learned. The next thing you knew was that the two of you slowly began to drift apart. Your hearts and emotion are separated from each other and you became distant. When we follow certain false doctrines, it will close our hearts towards our Christian friends. When relationships are severed; it will affect our spiritual growth.

2.   Compromise with sin. 2 Cor 6:14-15

  The believers at Corinth had a restricted growth because of their lack of spiritual discernment. They had followed the false teachers. There is another cause for restricted growth. 14-15, ¡§ 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?¡¨ The believers at Corinth had compromised with sins among them. They had allowed sins to enter the church and personal lives. When this occurred, it will restrict their love towards Paul. It restricts their growth.

  Again, I feel we can identify with this. I think of individuals who were once active in serving in this church. Then one day I noticed that they were not here anymore. And later found out that because of certain unrepentant sins in life, they have stopped coming to church. You see, when we refuse to repent, we'll slowly drift away from fellow Christians, our hearts are restricted, and growth will be stunted.

  Is your heart closed to someone? This can be a person in your fellowship or small group. This can also be a person in your family, your spouse, parents or children. Is it because of false teachings or sins in life? Two Sundays ago, we called our attention to certain sins: greed, immorality, resentment, bitterness, unforgiving, dishonesty, gossip, uncontrolled anger, worry, obscene talks and slander. Have these and other sins found a place in our lives? You know, without repentance, these sins will affect our relationship with others, it will restrict our affection for the other person, ultimately stunting our growth.

  So, in this passage, Paul is telling us that when there is a lack of discernment, following false teachings, or when we have compromised with sins in life, it will affect our relationship with other Christians. It will close our hearts towards them. When our hearts are closed to man, it will also be closed to God. This is how growth is restricted or even ceased.

III.   An open heart leads to spiritual growth.

  The Believers' heart at Corinth is closed or restricted, thus affecting their growth. They stayed at the infant stage. How was Paul's response? If I were Paul, I would have said, ¡§You closed your hearts to me. That is fine. That is your problem. I don't care.¡¨ But Paul said, vs. 11-12, ¡§ 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections.¡¨ You may have closed your heart to us; but my heart is wide open to you. This is what Christ is like. Even when our hearts are closed to him, his heart is always open to us. When my heart is open to you, I will care for your well being, I'll be praying for you. If we carefully read 2 Corinthians, we'll learn how to keep our hearts open and the reason for it.

  1.   To keep an open heart requires our willingness to be vulnerable.

  Let's listen to how Paul described himself. 1:8, ¡§ 8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia . For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.¡¨ It is about his despair and heavy burden. 2:4, ¡§ 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears,..¡¨ It is about his physical pain and emotional anguish. 2:12-13, ¡§ 12 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia .¡¨ He described his struggle in decision making. 4:7, ¡§ 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.¡¨ He was but a jar made of clay; certainly not a gold or silver jar.

  What do we see here? Paul's open confession of his weakness, frustration and struggles in life. He was vulnerable and was in need of God's grace. Even though the Corinthian believers' hearts may have been closed to him, his heart remained open to them. He kept his heart open by admitting his vulnerability and his need for God.

  Isn't it true that if my heart is closed towards you, the last thing I would do is to admit that I am weak, that I may be wrong. When my heart is closed towards you, I want to show that I am right and you are wrong. I want the whole world to know that you have offended me, therefore I wouldn't care less about your well being.

  Therefore, if I want to grow, I need to keep my heart wide open to my brothers and sisters and my family members. For me to keep my heart open, it requires me to acknowledge my weakness and struggles in life, and my need for God's grace.

  2.    R econciliation with God is the motivation to keep an open heart to others.

  Why is an open heart so important to Christian growth? Why is an open heart to fellow Christians so important? Ephesians 2:13-14, ¡§ 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility.¡¨

   Paul explained to us that because of our sinfulness, we were all enemies of God. However, when Christ died on the cross, our sins are forgiven, and we are brought near to God. We are reconciled with God. Moreover, Jesus' death on the cross; also broke down the wall of hostility between us and our enemies. We are reconciled to each other; we're at peace with one another.

  If Christ has already taken away the wall of hostility between you and me, how can I erect it again by closing my heart to you? Christ's death on the cross brings about the necessity of keeping our hearts wide open to each other. Not only this, Christ's death on the cross demonstrated how wide he had opened his heart to us. Even before we knew him, when we were still his enemies, when our hearts were closed to him, his heart was wide open to us. Therefore as I am growing into Christ's likeness, with the Holy Spirit's help, and by God's grace, I will open my heart to you.

Conclusion:

  Whenever I go to one brother's home, I always admire and envy his fish tank. There is a fish that started out about 1 inch, is now over 12 inches. You drop almost any fish in his tank, it will start growing and keep growing. How I wish my fish can grow like his. In order for the fish to grow, the tank must be healthy. There must not be any ingredients that are not conducive to the growth of the fish.

  The same is true with our spiritual growth. When I see you, in this and other churches, my heart is often encouraged when I notice evidences of growth. Your life quality, relationship with others and your ministry in this church are clear indications that you are growing in the Lord. However, there are times my heart is also saddened when I see how some believers have stopped growing. Yes, we may be serving in the church. Yet, many years after baptism, we are still immature in our faith. We have allowed sins to come into our lives, closing our hearts to fellow Christians around us.

  For us to grow like Jesus did, to grow to become like Jesus, we are to have an open heart to others. An open heart to others reflects an open heart to God. An open heart is the key to spiritual growth.