Text: Hebrews 5:11-6:1, Title: Let’s Eat Steak, Date/Place: NRBC, 2/4/06, AM
A. Opening illustration: the movie Outbreak was the story of an epidemic of the Motoba bacteria that came over from a foreign country and began to be spread through the air to people in an entire town, so much so that the computer models generated the spread of the disease to the entire nation within a matter of weeks. It had a 100% mortality rate in humans within days of infection. They were going to bomb the whole city. The church today is in an outbreak of immaturity and weakness in deep truth. Literature, sermons, ministries…
B. Background to passage: the writer here is in the middle of an extended argument that takes up most of the rest of the book about Jesus be superior to the Old Covenant priesthood, sacrifices, laws, ceremonies, etc. He is speaking to a congregation of Jewish Christians that are wavering in faith. Some of which are truly saved, and some of which are simply part of the church. And he is about to talk about the link between the person of Jesus and the office and function of Melchizedek from the OT. But he stops to give a well thought out warning and admonition to his readers about their sliding state of immaturity in the faith. Think of this as a loving pastoral rebuke as opposed to a blazing, stinging, piercing comment. It is done to get their attention, and rattle their sense of self-sufficiency. Context is key.
C. Main thought: Our text give us four truths about spiritual sluggishness and immaturity.
A. It is blameworthy and dangerous (v. 11-13)
1. The writer tells us that the reason that the things that he has to say about Melchizedek are literally difficult to interpret is because the readers have become (perfect tense) spiritually sluggish. It was used of slaves who “stopped their ears” with laziness, and didn’t do what their master said. This word is only used one other time in the NT—read it. The opposite of it is to be diligent or earnest about hearing a message. In v. 12 he says that they ought to be teachers. “Ought” is a word that communicated duty. And he is not talking about being formal teachers, but being people who can instruct others in the faith personally because they themselves are well-taught. It seems that they were not always this way. It is not that they never grew, because they became dull. But after some growth, they got content and seemed to settle in at a particular level. And once they settled and began to coast, they began to lose that which they had been taught. Not only did they lose knowledge, but they began to lose their taste for the deep things of God. The word in v. 13 translated “unskilled” really means “inexperienced” because of a lack or knowledge or capacity.
2. Heb 6:12, 2:1, 3:12, 4:11, Luke 9:44, Deut 32:46, Pro 2:2, Mark 4:23, Phil 2:12, Luke 8:18, John 15:2,
3. Illustration: A man, after 25 years with one company, was still doing the same old job and drawing the same salary. Finally he went to his boss and told him he felt he had been neglected. “After all,” he said, “I’ve had a quarter of a century of experience.” “My dear fellow,” sighed the boss, “you haven’t had a quarter of a century of experience, you’ve had one experience for a quarter of a century.” The farmer who was not making much progress, but was established, as he sat on the wagon full of logs that was stuck in the mud, Sunday evening arrived. As I watched them get off the plane, my friend seemed almost despondent. I almost didn’t want to ask, but finally I said, “Well, how was the reunion?” “Tim,” the man said, “it was one of the saddest experiences of my life.” “Good grief,” I said, more than a little surprised. “What happened?” “It wasn’t what happened but what didn’t happen. It has been forty years; forty years—and they haven’t changed. They had simply gained weight, changed clothes, gotten jobs…but they hadn’t really changed. And what I experienced was maybe one of the most tragic things I could ever imagine about life. For reasons I can’t fully understand, it seems as though some people choose not to change.” There was a long silence as we walked back to the car. On the drive home, he turned to me and said, “I never, never want that to be said of me, Tim.” Life is too precious, too sacred, too important. If you ever see me go stagnant like that, I hope you give me a quick, swift kick where I need it—for Christ’s sake. I hope you’ll love me enough to challenge me to keep growing.” “Passivity produces perpetual babies, who may discover that they are doll-Christians and not living Christians at all.”
4. You are responsible for your growth. We are commanded to grow. God has a part to, but God is always faithful. And we will have to give an account for how we have pursued God and a growing relationship with Him. You cannot simply just maintain. You are either gaining ground or losing it. If you stop gaining you will begin to lose your taste for Christ and the meat of the Word, and you will have to regain ground lost. God will not entrust you with great spiritual truth, if you cannot receive what He has already given you.
B. It is fought with volitional thought and obedience (v. 14-1)
1. The key in the movie Outbreak was finding a little money and producing an antibiotic. The key to progressing in the Christian life is making a conscious decision and following through with it. He says that those who are mature are the ones that because of their use of their spiritual senses (their obedience to the knowledge that they have) have developed a discerning heart. Discernment is a mark of maturity along with self-control, wisdom, knowledge, and obedience. We see an indication here that there were levels of Christian education very early in the Christian movement. And so the writer says that we should leave the basics, and press on toward maturity. But didn’t he just say…? Sometimes the best way to deepen the walk of faith is to stretch it. So he says, “Let’s go eat steak!” Let’s move on to perfection or completion or fullness in Christ. However, the verb is passive, pointing to the Sov of God in sanct.
2. Jam 1:22-25, Matt 7:26, 11:12, 2 Pet 1:5, Eph 4:13-14, Luke 11:32
3. Illustration: Sue, the singles coordinator, confronting the leader/teacher about his lack of concern in ministering to individuals. Sermon Tasters “The startling truth is that, if you stumble over Melchizedek, it may be because you watch questionable TV programs. If you stumble over the doctrine of election, it may be because you still use some shady business practices. If you stumble over the God-centered work of Christ on the cross, it may be because you love money and spend too much and give too little. The pathway to maturity and to solid biblical food is not first becoming an intelligent person, but becoming an obedient person. What you do with alcohol and sex and money and leisure and food and computer have more to do with your capacity for solid food than with where you go to school or what you read.” –Piper, “Human beings grow by striving, working, stretching; and in a sense, human nature needs problems more than solutions. Why are not all prayers answered magically and instantly? Why must every convert travel the same tedious path of spiritual discipline? Because persistent prayer, and fasting, and study, and meditation are designed primarily for our sakes, not for God’s. Kierkegaard said that Christians reminded him of schoolboys who want to look up the answers to their math problems in the back of the book rather than work them through...We yearn for shortcuts. But shortcuts usually lead away from growth, not toward it.”-Yancey
4. So, I beg of you along with the author of Hebrews, put into practice what you have heard. Do not be a sermon taster. Being a disciple is for every Christian. Become a Talmeed. Know Christ, and progress in your walk with Him toward intimacy, maturity, depth, and height. You can never reach the ultimate. You will never arrive. Do not create a dichotomy that says that certain disciplines and certain knowledge is only for the “really spiritual” Christians and not for the “normal” Christians. We are all called to grow up into the full stature of Christ and be mature. This will do wonders for our church, our families, our attitudes, our depression, our marriages, our finances, and our entire outlook on life!
A. Closing illustration: Barna notes “Our most recent surveys indicate that about half of all adults listen to preaching or Bible teaching in a typical week; one out of three read the Bible; one out of ten study the Bible during the week; fewer than one out of every twenty-five devote themselves to memorizing at least one new Bible verse during a typical week. Less than 2 percent are committed to all four of these practices on a weekly basis. It’s no wonder that Americans have tremendous spiritual hunger, but no consistent spiritual growth” “You’re never too old to grow up.”
Further Practical Application
• Make better use of small blocks of time for growth
• Spend it reading/listening to deep teachers – theology is most practical 1 Thess 4:5
• Make a list of things to put in practice after hearing or reading – Jennifer’s pres
• Practice the spiritual disciplines of reading, praying, fasting, meditating, scripture mem, and evangelism. Story of Dawson Trotman and the Navigators in the 1920s
• Spend time with more mature Christians with a deep walk
• Spend time with less mature brethren instructing them in their walk
• Participate in service and ministries in the church
• Do what you already know to do
