Discipleship Involves Growth Series

Malnourished Christians is a real problem today. In a few weeks I’m going to be preaching about our world-view. A world-view not based on the Word of God invites disaster for the Christian and the church. A survey done by Probe Ministries a year ago among 3,000 Americans reveals among U.S. born-again Christians between the ages of 18 and 39, more than 60% say there’s more than one way to salvation, including Jesus, Buddha, and Muhammad. More than 30% say Jesus sinned while living on earth or they’re not sure whether he did.[1]

What a sad state of affairs. No wonder the church (as a whole) is in a such sad shape today. The church no longer has the influence it once had in American life. When someone comes to the point in their live where they realize they are bound for an eternity of torment, and they cry out to be saved and they come to that point of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus, their journey has only just begun. That point of salvation is most important and not to be trivialized. We have been justified but the sanctification process has only just begun. We have been called to a changed life and our being disciple (student) of Jesus has just commenced.

The message this morning deals with just that. One of my commentators, Kent Hughes, explained:

"The truth is, there is simply no such thing as a static Christian. We either move forward or fall back. We are either climbing or falling. We are either winning or losing. Static, status quo Christianity is a delusion!" [2]

Hebrews 5:11–6:3

A few years ago I read an article entitled, “Milk, Meat, and the Malnourished Church” by Steven Furtick, Lead Pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

He made some interesting observation about the church today. He mentions that many complain about not being fed at church as it relates to the worship experience. Let me give you some interesting quotes from the article: [3]

“Most American Christians aren’t malnourished because of what they’re getting fed on Sunday. They’re malnourished because they don’t feed themselves Monday through Saturday.”

“The crisis facing the church today isn’t what people are getting fed on Sundays. It’s what they’re not feeding themselves the rest of the days.”

"It is the shepherd’s job to feed the sheep (John 21). And feed them well based on their needs and faith development. But it’s also the sheep’s job to eat …"

"If you refuse to study the Word, apply it, pray some during the week, join a small group and dig deeper with others, there’s not much we can do to help you. Your malnourishment won’t be cured by anything we give you on Sunday."

There is a responsibility from the pastors and teachers of the church, but there is also a responsibility on the part of the individual disciple.

The writer of Hebrews faced this problem when he wrote to Jewish Christians. One of the purposes for this letter to the Hebrews was to explain to these Jewish believers how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament. He explains how Jesus fits in the big picture of where they have been. This called for some in-depth instruction.

Hebrews 5:11 Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.

Concerning who? Who is the “him” being referred to here? “Him” in context was the Old Testament priest and king named Melchizedek. We read about him in Genesis 14 and his encounter with Abram. The writer of Hebrew will spend some time (Hebrews 5-7) on how Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Time does not permit me to elaborate on this. This is a whole study in and of itself. But this is part of the in-depth instruction this writer wanted to give. But the writer of Hebrews wants to go deep into the teachings about Jesus, but his listeners are “dull of hearing.” They are unable to absorb these deep truths from the Word. Jesus had the same problem with His disciples:

John 16:12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

Why can they not take this advance teaching? As we will read, they are still working on the basics, the elementary things of the faith. They are still learning their ABCs. So the writer of Hebrew chastises them:

Hebrews 5:12 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.

These Jewish Christians had been believers for some time. They had been in the faith, but there was a danger of many of them slipping back where they had come from. Forgetting the basic fundamentals of the faith. Where many were slipping, they should have been to the point where they are teaching others. We have people who have been in Sunday School all their lives but never taught anyone.