Its Time to Grow Up!

Dr. George Bannister

Woodville Baptist Church

Following Jesus: The Letter to the Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Hebrews 5:11–14

Spiritual Growth

0 ratings

· 21 views

Notes

Transcript

TEXT: Hebrews 5:11-14

Hebrews 5:11–14 (NLT)

11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

INTRODUCTION:

I. CHRISTIANS CAN BECOME DEAF TO THE TRUTHS OF SCRIPTURE (Hebrews 5:11).

Hebrews 5:11 (NLT)

11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

(Περὶ οὗ πολὺς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος καὶ δυσερμήνευτος λέγειν, ἐπεὶ νωθροὶ γεγόνατε ταῖς ἀκοαῖς·)

A- Some Christians are never able to move on to maturity in the faith.

1- They never become capable of understanding difficult teachings.

(1 Corinthians 2:13-15)

1 Corinthians 2:13–15 (NLT)

13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.

B-Some Christians suffer from spiritually lazy ears and dulled senses!

1- Their spiritual ears are never able to tune in to the deeper teachings of the Spirit.

II. CHRISTIANS ARE TO GROW IN CHRIST SO THAT THEY CAN TEACH THOSE WHO ARE NEW IN THE FAITH (Hebrews 5:12).

Hebrews 5:12 (NLT)

(καὶ γὰρ ὀφείλοντες εἶναι διδάσκαλοι διὰ τὸν χρόνον, πάλιν χρείαν ἔχετε τοῦ διδάσκειν ὑμᾶς τινὰ τὰ στοιχεῖα τῆς ἀρχῆς τῶν λογίων τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ γεγόνατε χρείαν ἔχοντες γάλακτος, οὐ στερεᾶς τροφῆς.)

A- The expectation:

1- Believers ought to grow up and disciple younger believers.

a. Jesus illustrates this principle when he restored Peter.

(John 21:15-22)

John 21:15–22 (NLT)

15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”

21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

B- The tragedy:

1- There are immature believers who permanently need to be discipled and remain unable to disciple others.

2- They never get beyond the first principles of the God’s Word.

3- We are to grow in Christ. (2 Peter 3:17-18)

2 Peter 3:17–18 (NLT)

17 You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.

18 Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.

C- The acid test for spiritual maturity:

(Hebrews 5:13-14)

Hebrews 5:13 (NLT)

13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

(πᾶς γὰρ ὁ μετέχων γάλακτος ἄπειρος λόγου δικαιοσύνης, νήπιος γάρ ἐστιν·)

1- Fixation on spiritual milk - the elementary principles of God’s Word- means that you are stuck in spiritual infancy (νήπιος).

2- Fixation in a spiritually immature state means that a person is unable to understand right from wrong (ἄπειρος λόγου δικαιοσύνης).

(1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

1 Corinthians 3:1–3 (NLT)

1 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ.

2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready,

3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

3- Christians who are partaking of and utilizing the meat of the word are mature. (Hebrews 5:14).

Hebrews 5:14 (NLT)

14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

(τελείων δέ ἐστιν ἡ στερεὰ τροφή, τῶν διὰ τὴν ἕξιν τὰ αἰσθητήρια γεγυμνασμένα ἐχόντων πρὸς διάκρισιν καλοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ.)

4- Only disciples who are partaking-of and putting to use solid spiritual food are mature.

5- Solid spiritual food is utilized through spiritual training, resulting in heightened ability to recognize God’s will.