When our son was born he was feeding very well. We found out later he had acid reflux. He was basically on a starvation diet because he wasn’t eating very much and he wasn’t keeping much down at all.
When I went to Ranger school I lost about 20 pounds in just a few weeks and I was fortunate to go through in the winter when you get 2 meals a day. In the summer, they only get 1 a day. We are put on starvation diets.
How’s your diet?
Hebrews 5:12-6:3
Starvation vs. Gluttony
Starvation – many Xns can’t share, explain or defend their faith
- we did a canvas of our community – I
was surprised how many people, when
asked how they would get to heaven
answered “good works”
– what an insidious disease good works is
- it not only negatively affects
you and potentially sends you to
hell
- but worse yet people who believe
they will get to heaven by their
good works don’t tell people about
Jesus because they think they’ll be
saved on their own merits
- What does taking a casual attitude
toward bible study say about your relationship with Jesus? Psalm 25:4-5
Gluttony – selfishness – "become so heavenly that you are no earthly good"
- Actually you don’t need to know much in order to share your faith in Christ, however, you need to know more in order to continue to help your friends, co-workers, friends to grow in their faith
- One of the reasons we have begun this contemporary worship service – to make the word of God accessible to new people
- Brochure
- Invite cards
- Witnessing has a cyclical effect
(telling people about Jesus will
lead them to ask questions that you
don’t have the answers to so you’ll
read your bible to find out and
tell more people what you’ve
discovered)
- Hoag’s ladder of learning
affirms this – 5% of what you hear
but 95% of what you teach
Jesus promises us an abundant life – I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
How does it come about?
1 Peter 2:2 – Like newborn babes, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation
John 15:4-8 – stay connected to Jesus – church, Bible class, Lord’s Supper
Hugs – you need 4 a day to just sustain, 7 in order to grow – you have nothing to do with your salvation but you have something to do with your growth in the faith
One member who went through new member class said that he can’t help but go to Bible class because there was so much that he still didn’t know about the Bible and he wanted to learn it - voracious appetite for God’s word
