Dear Christian friends:

In some ways you are mature: Body, mind, interests and work. But are you a mature Christian in faith, service and love? We need to become more mature. We often act like babies or children. Babies and children are very selfish. They don't want to share, cooperate or help. At home you see this often. Many people remain babies in heart and spirit while the body grows up.

Paul compares our spiritual growth with our physical growth and uses his own example. "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." (1 Corinthians 13:11) Paul was a very mature Christian. (Give examples)

Our goal should be to grow up and become like Christ or Paul or other mature Christians. Do we have some here in our church? (Rev. Ring told me about some of the mature Christians in the Pittsburgh church.) We can all grow more. We never become fully grown.

Paul shows that a mature Christian loves. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8) Love is patient and kind. It doesn't blow-up or lose self control.

Love is not jealous or boastful, but happy to see someone else have good times and success.

Love isn't selfish, like babies and children. It shares and let's the other person have their way, too!

Love doesn't get angry or seek revenge. Love doesn't rejoice in the wrong, but rejoices in what is right. It forgives.

Love suffers all things, endures all things and never ends like Jesus. (Ephesians 4:4-17 read it)

How do we become more mature? Remember how much Jesus has loved you and still loves you! "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5-8)

Chief of sinners though I be,
Jesus shed his blood for me,
died that I might live on high,
lives that I might never die.
As the branch is to the vine,
I am his and he is mine!

Oh, the height of Jesus' love!
Higher than the heavens above,
Deeper than the depths of sea,
Lasting as eternity.
Love that found me--wondrous thought!--
Found me when I sought Him not.
T.L.H. 342, Hymn, Chief of Sinners Though I Be

A girl and her younger brother rode to school with a pony and cart in North Dakota. A blizzard came up suddenly. The girl covered her brother with her body and coat. The next morning they found the cart. The pony and sister were dead but the boy was saved by the sister's sacrifice. (Hazel Miner, March 15, 1920)

So Jesus also saved us. Only by accepting Jesus' love can our faith and love grow mature!

Amen.