From Bottles of Formula to Formulated Battles: The Progress of Spiritual Growth
Where Are You At on the Spiritual Growth Chart?
Sermon by Thomas A. Gaskill
August 14, 2011
Scripture Text:
Hebrews 5:11-6:3 NIV
(11) We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.
(12) In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!
(13) Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.
(14) But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
(1) Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
(2) instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
(3) And God permitting, we will do so.
Main Points:
1. Infant: Me Want – God Is Centered On Me – Believe and Receive – Desire Blessings from God
2. Child: Me Do – Look At Me – See What I Can Do For God – Obey God – Duty to God
3. Adolescent: Mold Me – Becoming Like Christ – See What God’s Grace Can Do – Trust God - Dependent on God
4. Adult: Search Me – Love Walk With God and others – Centered On God – Delight in God
Sermon Body:
1. The Scripture tells us “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.”
a. I want to begin by saying that this stage is not bad in and of itself; it is the first step in progressing in spiritual growth. When a person is born again, it necessarily follows that they are infants in Christ. This person is at the “Me Want” stage of life. They have believed and received Christ as their personal Savior. This is the stage of spiritual life characterized by desiring God’s blessings. Just as a baby cries until it is fed, cries until somebody changes the dirty diaper, cries until somebody holds them, cries until rocked to sleep, cries until a ride in the swing happens, etc…; so the new believer is at a self-centered stage of their spiritual life. They came to Christ to escape the torments of hell. They came to Christ in hopes of obtaining God’s blessings. They came to Christ to feel better about themselves and life in general. They came to Christ to be comforted. They came to Christ to be assured a trip to heaven.
Again, I repeat, this is a perfectly normal first stage in spiritual growth. Nothing wrong as far as this is concerned. However, it is not normal or good for a person to remain as infants. The born again Christian must be weaned from their bottles of formula and progress into childhood.
2. We can see Childhood referred to when our Scripture text mentions the elementary teachings about Christ. Elementary school is for children. Here the child learns the alphabet, how to count, tie their shoes, read, and write. Spiritual children are in spiritual elementary school. Again, I want to emphasize that this is a good and necessary level. All children should have the opportunity of an elementary school education. However, it is not good for a child to remain in elementary school for an extended period of time beyond what is good and necessary. Churches need to implement “No Child Left Behind” and seek the advancement of all of God’s children. Nevertheless, even with “No Child Left Behind”, there are still some who are determined not to advance regardless of what opportunities come their way.
a. How many of you have ever supervised recess at an elementary school? Something that is characteristic, that I have noticed, of elementary aged children is that they want to be watched. They want attention. They are thinking “look at me, see what I can do”. This is still a self-centered stage of life but not as much so as the infant stage. The child is learning to use and enjoy new found abilities as their bodies and minds continue to develop. Again, this is perfectly good and natural. This is the stage of life that much teaching and encouragement is needed in order for steady progress to be made. The elementary age child learns and recognizes the importance of obeying those in authority. They muster up their own strength to obey and they are eager to be recognized for their accomplishments.
b. Likewise, the born again Christian who grows into childhood needs much teaching and encouragement in spiritual elementary school. The child of God needs to learn about repentance from sin. The child of God needs to learn about faith in God and be instructed about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. As the person at this elementary stage learns these things they have a sense of duty to God and seek to obey Him. This person attends church out of duty. Sometimes he or she will eventually attend Sunday School out of a sense of duty. The child will repent of big sins in obedience to God. The child of God might even tell others about their faith out of a sense of duty. The infamous “scalp hunters” arise at this stage of spiritual growth. They will go out and tell as many as they can about this new found faith they now have and then come back to church and think “look at me, see what I can do for God!”
i. The problem with remaining at this level is that burn out is the eventual result as they labor in their own strength out of duty to God. The person at this elementary stage of spiritual growth will sometimes say “Praise God, I’d rather burn out than rust out!” But surely there are more choices than just these two! These are not the only two choices to choose from.
1. Listen to this illustration I found online (it was contributed by Matthew Sickling at sermoncentral.com):
“Back in the 1800’s a young man was looking for a job and went to the local logging company to apply for one. The foreman asked him if he could cut a tree down with an ax. The young man said yes, and proceeded to take his ax, walk over to a tree and drop it like an old pro.
The foreman was impressed and hired him. On Monday, the young man outperformed everyone else on the crew. But, each day after that, he got slower and slower and by Friday, he barely managed to cut down one tree.
He worked just as hard; swinging his ax, hitting the tree over and over again, but it just didn’t work as well as it did on Monday. Finally, the exhausted young man laid down his ax, and sat down.
At this point the foreman came over and told the young man he knew what the problem was. He explained to the young man that he had been so busy cutting trees down that he had forgotten to sharpen his ax. Consequently it had become dull and was essentially useless since it had not been kept in good condition.
[Loved ones], the number one excuse that Christians give for not reading the Bible is that they just don’t have time, that they are just too busy. Yet, when we neglect God’s Word, we are like an ax that has been neglected. We become spiritually dull and are essentially useless.
So the first tool God uses to sharpen us, and build our character, and make us more like His Son is His Word.” (end of quote)
3. This brings us to the next level or stage of spiritual growth known as adolescence. In the natural, this is the period of growth that a person undergoes beginning at puberty and stretching into young adulthood. It is during this time that the person undergoes some major changes in their life. They grow tremendously fast compared to their younger years. Developmental changes occur in their voices. Changes occur throughout their bodies. Muscles expand and they tap into new strength. The way they identify themselves begin to morph towards adulthood. They no longer identify themselves as children; if fact, it would be an insult to call an adolescent a child. The adolescent is putting childish ways and thinking behind them and are pressing into their future. They are looking at long-term carrier options and how will they live the rest of their lives. What direction will he or she take in life? This is a major question as the adolescent approaches adulthood. They realize there is much more to life than what they have experienced. They want to live life to the fullest that they possibly can. The adolescent will go through high school and possibly enter college in pursuit of this dream.
a. We can see this level in our Scripture passage when it mentions training. These people of God are in spiritual training to distinguish good from evil. This is pursuing the sanctified / holy life of Christlikeness. How many of you here this morning know you are called by God to be holy? We are called to be followers of Christ. A follower is someone who becomes more and more like the one whom is being followed. Our very label “Christians” reminds us of the call to be Christlike. Amen!
b. The adolescent stage of life is the place where youth exercises trust in God and says to Him “mold me” – the hearts desire is to become like Christ. This is the place in life that we recognize God as the Potter and ourselves as the clay and instead of relying on our own strength we turn our focus upon the Almighty and passionately say “See What God Can Do!” Instead of only desiring God’s blessings all the time and seeking to do things for God in our own strength, the adolescent becomes increasingly dependent on God. Dependent on God for direction in life; dependent on God for true identity; dependent on God for purpose and ultimate fulfillment in life.
4. When a person enters adulthood, they progress in their calling and look forward to entering into retirement. A person can always hear comments coming from their lips, such as, “after I retire”, “when I retire”, “I look forward to the day I can retire”
a. Loved ones, spiritually, we have the best retirement plan of all!!! We most certainly have a glorious retirement lying ahead and available for us here and now as we have a retirement from our own works and enter a holy rest in Christ’s righteousness.
b. Adults in the natural, who are in their dream carrier, delight in their work. Likewise, spiritual adults are on a love walk with God and others. The lives of spiritual adults are so centered on God that their greatest delight is in God! The adult says to God “search me”. They say this with the desire to draw closer to God.
c. Our text says “solid food is for the mature”. As a person enters into spiritual adulthood, they delight themselves on solid food. Jesus describes this food when He said “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (NIV John 4:34) And again, Jesus told the devil that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (NIV Matthew 4:4).
i. Food nourishes and should give a desire for more as this nourishment is experienced. Doing the work of God as an adult does not cause burn out or rust out. It does result in all out passion for God. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
5. Conclusion:
Main Points Reviewed:
The infant thinks: Me Want – God Is Centered On Me – The infant has believed and received; they are born again. The infants sole desire is blessings from God.
The Child says: Me Do – Look At Me – See What I Can Do For God – The child obeys God out of duty and a desire for recognition.
The Adolescent, like the clay in the potter’s hand, surrenders and says to God: mold me that I may be like Christ. See What the grace of God Can Do – They have a deepening trust in God. They are dependent on God to lead, guide, and direct.
The spiritual adult: their heart cries out to God: “Search Me that I may have a deeper love walk with Thee!” The mature are centered on God. He is their greatest delight. The adults strength is renewed as they walk by faith and not by sight. Adults live and abide in God’s might.
Philippians 3:14 NKJV I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Infants have bottles of formula; it is the adults, however, who are formulated for spiritual battle.
God’s grace is sufficient for going from bottles of formula to formulated for battle! Look to Him to grow you in grace.
Press on to your higher calling in Christ Jesus
Invitation
