Peter Pan Syndrome

Peter Pan Syndrome (growing in Christ)

Intro.

A. Eph. 4:13-15

1. One cannot achieve maturity without growth.

2. The purpose of the pattern that Christ gave the church is to help us to reach that maturity. The measure or standard of maturity is Christ Himself: v. 13 "the measure of the stature of Christ".

a. The Christian that does not think and live and love his neighbor as Christ does, remains as if he were still a baby or adolescent and not mature.

b. v. 15 "may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"

B. It is possible to observe at least 5 stages of growth: 1. birth, 2. infancy, 3. childhood, 4. adolescence, 5. adulthood.

I. Characteristics of the five stages.

A. Birth through infancy. (stages one and two)

1. John 3:5; Rom. 6:3-7; 1 Peter 1:22-23

2. Babies are born crying. They are hungry. They are afraid. They are very needy: someone must feed them, someone must dress them, button their shirts, tie their shoes, carry them, put them to bed when it is time to go to sleep. They cannot situp by themselves. They do not walk or talk. The ONLY THING THEY CAN DO IS CRY.

3. The cry means something: I am a baby. I cannot do anything for myself. HELP ME!

4. 1 Peter 2:2 needs milk and not strong meat. (not even cereal or juice)

5. Speaks the language of Ashdod (Neh. 13:24). Has come out of the world and still speaks like the worldly. They are fragile and dependent on the more mature and need a lot of patience on our part. They are very hungry. They cry out, HELP ME!

B. Childhood. (stage three)

1. The stage of rapid learning. They learn to walk, talk, fee themselves.

2. In Christ, it is the time of learning the basics of the Faith and of the Bible.

3. Very curious about everything and completely open-minded. They are impressionable, sensitive, and full of curiosity. They devour their Bibles, read tracts, and buy books on many subjects. The Bible is precious in their sight. With each thing that they learn a thousand questions spring up. They cry out, TELL ME, I WANT TO KNOW!

1 Thessalonians 2:13 -- " when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. "

4. Notice also the Ephesians, Acts 20:20, 31 Paul taught them publicly and from house to house, day and night for three years. They wanted more and more. Sometimes is not possible to satisfy the apetite that some for the Word. They don't want to quit talking about the Sacred Word.

C. Adolescence. (stage four)

1. This is the most dangerous stage in many ways because at this stage they are competente enough to harm not only themselves but also many others.

2. Usually this is the stage of IRRESPONSIBILITY (independence and rebellion)

a. Seem less dependent. The problem is that they think that they are the most intelligent, more than their elders and sometimes become extremists.

b. They are neither babies nor are they adults but they separate themselves from the counsel of their parents before they are ready to be responsible.

c. Their cry is SHOW ME! They are very demanding and very impatient.

3. This is usually a time SCEPTICISM. The question everything and everybody. They don't trust blindly in anybody .

a. Reminds of Doubting Thomas: John 11:16 "Let us also go, that we may die with him. " and John 20:24-27 Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

D. Maturity (stage five, the most glorious stage)

1. Mature adults are stable, productive, responsible toward the family, as well as toward their neighbors and everyone else.

2. Adults know how to sucede in life. They know the importance of personal discipline. One must deny himself.

a. The mature are interested in others in the world, his "neighbor" and the needs of others.

b. The mature bear the weaknesses of others and are patient and helpful or attentive. Many depende on the mature and many trust him.

3. The competente adult cries to others, FOLLOW ME!

a. The influence of the mature serves at a guide to others. He walks in the better and wiser pathway. He does not say, "It does not matter to me what others might think."

b. 1 Cor. 11:1 Paul speaks in this manner, "Be ye imitators of me as I imitate Christ."

-- Philippians 4:11-13

-- 1 Cor. 9:19-23 We must always realize that what we do affects others and the opinion of others matters; the likes and dislikes of others is important.

II. What is the effect of spiritual adolescence on the church?

A. The fairy tale of Peter Pan.

1. Peter Pan was a boy who wanted to never grow up. He did not long for adulthood. Spent his time playing and doing whatever he pleased in Never Never Land, the land of fantasies and pretend.

2. Some Christians wish to remain in this land. Peter Pan sometimes lives in the church.

B. The adolescent is contencious and quarrelsome.

1. Church in Corinth is an example: contencious, divisive, selfish, self-centered.

2. 1 Cor. 1:1-12 division into "clicks", groups loyal to one camp or another led by some man or group of men. Smacks of politics in the church.

3. Divisions over the Lord's Supper: 1 Cor. 11:17-34

-- remember John 17:21-23; John 13:34-35 unity is what confirms that we are truly disciples of Christ.

4. Selfishness and fraud among brethren, 1 Cor. 6:1-8

5. Tolerance of immorality in the church, 1 Cor. 5.

6. Demand a lot of others but very little of themselves. At the same time they are both extremists and loose or liberal.

C. The adolescent is fleshly.

1. 1 Cor. 3:1 exhibited in the politics of holding to certain leaders

a. certain brethren are above criticism or correction.???

b. which follower of Christ is above criticism?

2. 1 Cor. 14-16 use of spiritual gifts showed their carnality.

a. the gifts were just another excuse to call attention to oneself.

b. Why does God give us so much and so many gifts? God tries us to see if we will serve Him and be a blessing to others.

c. Paul responds: 1 Cor. 14:20-26 Let all things be done to edify, v. 36-40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

d. The mature and responsible would say: How will this action affect others?

e. Can Christ trust us to do what is right and just?

D. The adolescent is immoral.

1. The church in Corinth tolerated fornication in the church.

a. 1 Cor. 5:1-2 Paul did not rebuke the fornicator but rather the church for her lack of discipline and for no having done something to correct the scandal.

b. The church obeyed him and thus vindicated herself, 2 Cor. 2 and 7.

2. We must grow in our attitude about immorality andnot think as the world. Fornication is death.

a. Prov. 9:13-18 the dead are there

b. 1 Cor. 6:15-16, 18 flee fornication

c. Eph. 5:3-11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

E. The adolescent abuses his new liberty and knowledge. His new knowledge makes him arrogant.

1. 1 Cor. 8:9-11 Well-being of others is more important than what I want or believe might okay.

2. What was Jesus point in the Parable of the Good Samaritan? Luke 10:30-37

a. Who is my neighbor? The Jews did not know.

b. The obvious answer was -- He who proved to be a neighbor by showing mercy on the injured man.

c. We will never amount to anything until we learn the lesson of the Good Samaritan.

Conclusion

A. It is not normal to remain immature, childish... a spiritual dwarf.

B. The adolescent is not a good model for us. Only Christ and His imitators.

C. Man cannot mature outside of Christ and the new birth.