PREPARATION FOR GROWTH

Luke 2:52

52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

I. CONSISTENCY OF EFFORT IS THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION TO GROW

2 Peter 1:5-11 ESV

5  For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,  6  and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  7  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.  8  For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9  For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  10  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.  11  For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

II. CONSISTENT WISDOM IS HOW YOU GROW WISE

Luke 5 New Living Translation

The First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.  2  He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets.  3  Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the Crowds from there. 4  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 5  “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.”  6  And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear!  7  A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 8  When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”  9  For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.  10  His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”  11  And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

James 3:13 ESV

“Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in meekness of wisdom.”

Proverbs 12 English Standard Version

12 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

III. CONSISTENCY OF CHARACTER, GROWS A KINGDOM CULTURE

Genesis 39 English Standard Version

Joseph and Potiphar's Wife

39 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.  2  The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.  3  His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.  4  So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.  5  From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field.  6  So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.  7  And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, “Lie with me.”  8  But he refused and said to his master's wife, “Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.  9  He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”  10  And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

Genesis 39: 20-23 ESV

20  And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.  21  But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.  22  And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.  23  The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the LORD was with him. And whatever he did, the LORD made it succeed.

Matthew 24:3-14 ESV

3  As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  4  And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.  5  For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.  6  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  7  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.  8  All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. 9  “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.  10  And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.  11  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.  12  And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.  13  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.  14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.