COMING OF AGE – GRAHAM COOKE

Galatians 3:26- 4:7

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Inheritance comes into experience when we demonstrate faith in Christ, when we demonstrate what it is to be clothed in Christ and that we belong to Christ. If we remain as children we cannot enter into fullness of God. Other people have to responsible for our blessing. When are we going to grow up then? Did you ever realize that the same struggles you have now at this age are going to be silly when we grow up in Christ? In the same way, the provision and blessings you enjoy now will be very different from what you will enjoy when you grow up in Christ. Just think of that! It makes growing up into Christ all the more enjoyable and to be looked forward to.

We keep asking God for blessings and breakthroughs but we often forget that God is interested in growing us up into Christ. How else can we even steward the blessings He gives to us? We would crumble upon the weight of them if we do not grow to a certain place. Can a small 3 year old lift up a heavy basket of groceries? No way! She will have to grow up to atleast 8-9 years. The good news however is growth in spiritual is not the same as physical. The faster we yield to what God is doing in our lives the quicker we will get spiritually mature. Listen to this short message by brother Graham Cooke and just ponder upon your life for a moment and ask yourself :wouldn’t it be awesome to grow up into Christ?