When Ya Gonna Grow Up Series

Hebrews 5: 1 – 14

When Ya Gonna Grow Up

1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” 6 As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek”; 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first 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 unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Have you ever heard or were told, ‘When ya gonna grow up?’ In a way it sounds kind of humorous, yet if you are on the receiving side of this comment it doesn’t sound so funny.

On this subject I read a few great quotes. I want to share a few of my favorites with you;

“I don't want to be a man," said Jace. "I want to be an angst-ridden teenager who can't confront his own inner demons and takes it out verbally on other people instead.""Well," said Luke, "you're doing a fantastic job.” ¯ Cassandra Clare, City of Ashes

“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.” ¯ Anne Frank

“One of the oddest things about being grown-up was looking back at something you thought you knew and finding out the truth of it was completely different from what you had always believed.)” ¯ Patricia Briggs, (Bone Crossed

Yes, will you grow up? It sounds like a kind of a weird statement. Isn’t this a natural thing to do –to grow up? Yes we know that some children face mental difficulty and for them this cannot be done. But for a normal healthy adult it would sound quite ridiculous if we heard him saying, ‘momma or dada’, wouldn’t it?

In today’s study we see the author directly confront Christian believers that this is exactly what they are doing spiritually. They are not growing up. Even though they confess that they have been Christians for many years they are still babes in their knowledge of the truth of God.

As we begin this chapter we follow the writer’s continued thoughts regarding the High Priest. He will compare what was displayed on earth in comparison to what is going on in Heaven.

1 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

We begin with the characteristics of the earthly High Priesthood (5.1-4).

• 1) Is taken from among men (verse 1).

• 2) Is appointed for men for the offering of gifts and sacrifices (verse 1).

• 3) Can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, because like them he is weak and sinful, and so has to offer sacrifices for sins first for himself and then for his people (verses 2-3).