“ Let’s Grow Up

Together”Hebrews 5:11-14

Let’s grow up…•Do you like the sounds of a laughing baby?•The sounds change as they grow into grunts, then words, then conversations•What if the body kept growing, but the mind decided otherwise?•Imagine a body 30 years old, with a 6 year old’s mind•Now imagine a Christian whose spiritual growth is abnormal like this...

Let’s grow up…•Unfortunately, many born-again Christians experience this kind of abnormal under-growth spiritually•After salvation, they are excited about their new faith, go to church often, and make new friends for outside activities•But then, they start to slow down in attendance; lots of excuses why– then church becomes an albatross, a duty

Let’s grow up…•It happens differently to others; some may attend every week, but don’t read their Bibles or pray regularly•When difficulties come, they don’t do well, or they listen to all kinds of crazy new doctrines because they have no Scriptural foundation•The “Author” gives us 3 marks of Spiritual Immaturity, as well as Spiritual Maturity– today may sting us all a little more than usual…

“11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.” Hebrews 5:11-14 (NASB)

A. Dull of Hearing…•Vs 11,

“11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”

Hebrews 5:11 (NASB)

A. Dull of Hearing…•Vs 11, These Jewish Christians had advantages over us– born in Israel, grew up familiar with the Levitical sacrificial system that pointed to Jesus Christ as Lord•They cut their “spiritual” teeth on this stuff– so they should have been able to understand deeper theological stuff and deep Christian growth– but that wasn’t the case– Why?

A. Dull of Hearing…•Because they had become – “dull of hearing.”•The Greek word for “dull” is ‘nothros’; it has a connotation of ‘laziness’•The word comes from two words, meaning “no” and “push”– they had “no push” to learn the Scriptures•We find the opposite attitude from the church of Thessalonica:

“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NASB)

Why does this happen?•2 reasons1. Some Christians become dull because they

choose not to grow up; this is where “backsliding” begins... (Fire Insurance)

•Remember the farmer I told you about…2. People become spiritually lazy because poor spiritual habits prevent healthy growth•“I’m too busy”, or “Don’t call me, I’ll call you, God…”

B. Inability to Share…•Vs 12(a),

“12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God...”

Hebrews 5:11-14 (NASB)

B. Inability to Share…•Vs 12(a), As children grow, they have to be taught to share; selfish is human nature•Ever hear of the “Sibling Property Rules”?

Sibling Property Rules•If I like it, it’s mine•If I am holding it, it’s mine•If I can take it from you, it’s mine•If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine•If it looks like mine, it’s mine•If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine•If it’s broken, it’s yours

B. Inability to Share…•Vs 12(a), As children grow, they have to be taught to share…•“Sibling Property Rules”•Not everyone is called to be a Bible Teacher, but everyone should yearn to share the Gospel with lost people•Some don’t because of fear of rejection or fear of tough questions

C. Baby Food Diet…•Vs 12(b)-13,

“…and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.”

Hebrews 5:12(b)-13 (NASB)

C. Baby Food Diet…•Vs 12(b)-13, Baby food is normally tasty and easy to digest– everyone loves a cold glass of milk, right? •The “milk” of the Word refers to what Jesus did here on Earth; His birth, life, death on the cross, burial and resurrection•The “meat” of the Word refers to what Jesus does in Heaven now as our High Priest, as well as all the teachings He gave us on Earth and what the Apostles taught us

C. Baby Food Diet…•Let’s compare the similarities of the physical baby and the spiritual baby• A physical baby can go from happy to hysterically crying in a matter of seconds•A spiritual baby can be swayed by every wind of doctrine•A physical baby sleeps a lot•A spiritual baby can spend much time spiritually asleep•A physical baby wants only his way, and is selfish•A spiritual baby is exactly the same! He / She expects others to cater to him/her and doesn’t care about others

D. Marks of Spiritual Maturity…•Vs 14,

“14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

Hebrews 5:14 (NASB)

D. Marks of Maturity…•Vs 14, Now, we are NOT saying that, spiritually, grown-up believers don’t need milk (the basic truths of Christian beliefs)•We ARE saying that one shouldn’t stop there!•We must make spiritual progress– as we learn the Word more in depth, we must apply it in our daily lives•There two principles we must learn to be able to accomplish growth in our spiritual walk…

The two principles…1. Good spiritual nutrition and challenging

exercise•I’m learning that to become the man God means me to be, I’m must go “ALL IN”•Anything I do, or take in my body, that makes me less perfect than the created Adam is wrong…•A pastor who is obese is a lousy example

The two principles…1. Good spiritual nutrition and challenging

exercise2. Keen discernment of both good and evil•A baby will put anything in its mouth•A baby Believer will listen/watch anything “Christian”, and be clueless if its true or not•As we grow, we learn to exercise our spiritual senses, and develop discernment

Take Home!!

•Don’t despise a spiritual challenge when God sends it; Like or no, He knows what we need to grow•Christian growth comes through hard-core, gutsy perseverance in applying and obeying what you learn from the Bible