The Child Grew & Waxed Strong
Luke 1:80, 2:40
What would we know of the Christmas story if the child had never grown into manhood and died on the Cross?
It is also said of John that he grew and waxed strong in the Spirit and the Grace of God was upon him. Luke 1:80
I: There is no room for arrested growth if the grace of God is to be upon us.
1. The baby must advance beyond the bassinette beyond the baby bed and venture beyond the 4 walls of home.
2. He must learn more than cooing and crying.
3. His continued growth will lesson the burden of those that care for him.
4. If he remains on baby food, talks baby talk, and depends upon others, he becomes a dwarf.
We all love new-born babies, but our heart would be broken if told they would never grow.
II: “The child grew and waxed strong.”
1. Christ grew Mentally, Physically, and Spiritually.
2. He was tempted and tried at every stage of life, but not once did he stop growing.
3. The new born baby in Christ must grow or become an invalid.
4. Hebrews 6:1-3 tells us the milk of the word is the foundation, but that we aren’t to stop with the foundation.
III: Arrested growth – It’s cause, dangers, and heartaches:
1. The causes of arrested growth:
a. Improper diet, brought about by laziness in prep. (the baby that died in Doston’s Hospital).
b. Lack of exercise: A lazy Christian that refuses to exercise & share responsibility soon is stunted in growth.
c. Unconfessed & continual sin eats like Cancer.
d. No time to study & pray.
2. The dangers of arrested growth:
a. Lost influence, family, and friends.
b. Depends upon someone else to chew their food.
c. Swayed by strange winds of doctrines.
d. A danger to the cause of Christ in home, at work, and in the Church.
e. The danger of letting others go to Hell while we prattle.
3. The Heartaches of arrested growth:
a. What father would be proud of a 20 yr. old son playing stick horse while the fields went unplowed?
b. What mother wouldn’t weep over a 20 yr. old girl that played dolls while the house went unkept?
c. The dwarfed Christian is a heartache to his family, his church, but most of all to his Heavenly Father.
d. The Heartache of a wasted life follow us into eternity.
Shall we grow through study, prayer, and service this yr. of 1955, or shall we continue to be content with warm bottles?