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Bethel Mennonite Church - Gladys VA

A Conservative Christian Church (and podcast)

Spiritual Stairways

December 27, 2015

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Jacob in his dream saw a ladder/stairway, on the ladder where angels going up and down. God was at the top of the ladder and he spoke a blessing and encouragement on Jacob.

Spiritual progress for us here on earth is usually in “steps” as well. The angels on the ladder didn’t make great leaps from earth to heaven. Instead they made a bunch of smaller steps… steps that led them up and down the ladder.

Romans Ladder Down

Romans 1:18-32

“When they knew God.” Everyone of us has a starting place. In some way these people had some kind of knowledge of God. This place of knowledge of God was the starting place for these people Paul is writing about.

The people spoken of here decided that they didn’t want to acknowledge God, give him honor or offer thanks. They turned away from God and started to move down.

The result was cloudy/empty thinking. They lost touch with the truth that would make a difference in their lives and in eternity.

Man can rationalize and convince himself, but if it doesn’t line up with what God says… it is wrong.

1 Corinthians 10:13

These people didn’t acknowledge and worship God. If we are constantly acknowledging and worshiping God we will be drawn towards God.

Romans Ladder Up

Romans 5:1-5

Again we see that there is a starting place for this ladder, a foundation that you can work from. It is important to make sure that your ladder is securely set on the ground and is at the proper angle.

Faith in Christ is a gateway to the grace in which we stand. It is here in this grace that we can rejoice in the hope that we have in God. Once this is in place, we are ready to start climbing.

We will face hardships and tribulations in life. We can and should endure them because we are God’s children. Hebrews 12 talks about tribulation and that they are grievous, but that they always have a purpose.

Paul asked that God would take away his thorn in the flesh. He asked three times. God’s reply to him was that, “my grace is sufficient for thee.” Paul then said that he would glory in his infirmaries because of the power of Christ working in him.

We can blame God and be angry at the situation. This doesn’t help us as we climb the ladder, not in the least. In fact it is counter productive to the idea of climbing the ladder.

A christian’s life is constantly made up of small choices that are made in light of God and God’s design for our lives. When we make a habit of making the correct decision in the small things, our character is shaped and grows slowly over time.

Loving, knowing and experiencing God’s love leads to having a hope that can hold us through to the end. Paul suffered trials, health issues, beatings, no money, etc… but he could sing and worship through it all. Paul knew that God loved him, he had a hope that was built on experience.

Conclusion

2 Peter, Hebrews 4, Luke 13, Philippians – There is a serious effort that needs to be made as we go about our Christian lives.

God wants us to climb ladders. He has provided us with everything that we need for spiritual life. May we be constantly pressing on the upward way. Let us give all diligent to grow and go higher and closer to God.

Related Sermons:


  1. Gaining Spiritual Perspective
  2. Continue Earnestly In Prayer
  3. Hope in God
  4. When They Knew God
  5. The Answer to Separation from God and Hopelessness – Redemption

Filed Under: Leon Yoder, Sunday Morning Message Tagged With: 1 Corinthians, 2 Peter, Genesis, Hebrews, Luke, Philippians, Romans

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