Good morning, church.
If you will, please turn your copy of God's Word to Hebrews chapter 5.
!
He reads,
Chapter 6, verse 1.
Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity.
So this morning, we pick up in our study of Hebrews with a new section in the text,
or a new subdivision in what the author of Hebrews is trying to communicate.
In this section, most commentators agree, starts with the beginning of our text,
in chapter 5, verse 11, to chapter 6, verse 12,
and is bookended by the same Greek word,
and it's only used in these two places in the New Testament,
and this is the word for dull or sluggish.
So if you look in verse 11, it says,
Since you have become dull of hearing, and then flipping over to chapter 6, verse 12,
it says,
Now, a cursory reading of chapters 5 through 7 of Hebrews demonstrate this section as an obvious pause in the writer's argument.
But the purpose of this pause is not totally clear,
and there's no real consensus among commentators on its purpose.
However, I believe that this section plays an important role in our understanding of the larger goals,
of what the author of Hebrews, and therefore our Lord,
is seeking to accomplish in writing to the Hebrew believers and writing to us today.
So for the sake of context, I'd like to remind us of the condition of the Hebrew church,
and take a quick look at where we've been in Hebrews so far,
and where the author is in persuading his listeners of the argument that he's trying to make.
So we've learned already that the Hebrews are heavily persecuted people.
We're told in other places in the text that their property has been plundered,
that they've been imprisoned,
and that they should soon expect to shed blood for their faith.
Based off of the author's writing, they're a pretty beat-up congregation.
We've also noted how they were being tempted to conform to the acceptable version of religion to the people around them,
and for the Hebrews, this was Judaism.
These Jews would have been cast out of their families and communities,
and would have been at an extreme economic disadvantage for claiming Christ as their Lord.
So they were tempted to practice their religion in private,
or simply believe that they were worshipping the same God,
so what was the hurt in going back to the old religion?
So let's turn back to Hebrews 1 and remind ourselves of the way that this author addresses their persecution and temptation
by looking at the author's thesis in chapter 1, verses 1 through 4.
And again, I just briefly want to go through where we've been in Hebrews so far,
so that we can understand what this segment of Scripture is doing in the author's argument.
So again, Hebrews chapter 1, this is kind of the thesis for the rest of the book.
Chapter 1, verses 1 through 4, he writes,
I want to pause.
I think a lot of times, as we're taking notes in sermons,
we kind of skip through the introduction with our notes,
and wait for the body of the sermon where I give you the three points, which I'm going to do.
But I would encourage you not to skip this particular introduction,
not because others aren't good or important,
but there's a lot of things to point out in the introduction that will have relevance to the points that we're making later.
So if you haven't picked up taking notes, and you're ready to, I would encourage you to do so.
Okay, so from the beginning, the author of Hebrews asserts that Christ is supreme.
He's the supreme inheritor and heir, the creator and sustainer of all things,
the radiator and representer of God, the purifier of his people, and ruler over all.
He says this at the beginning, and then spends the next 10 chapters and 18 verses proving it
by demonstrating how Christ is higher than angels, greater than Moses,
a sympathetic and eternal high priest, greater than Aaron,
and begins discussing how he's like the mysterious Melchizedek, and then pause.
He inserts the section.
After this section, he returns to spend a whole chapter talking about Christ's high priestly office,
and how it's after the order of Melchizedek.
And then he proves the covenant ushered in by Christ is better,
that the earthly dwelling place in the Old Testament temple was a shadow of the heavenly one that Christ dwells in.
And then gloriously and climactically, the author demonstrates Jesus as the perfect and eternal sacrifice for his people.
So let's turn to the end of this author proving his thesis, chapter 10, verse 11.
And it reads,
Every high priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins,
he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us,
For after saying, this is the covenant that I will make with them,
and after those days declares the Lord,
I will put my laws on their hearts and write them on their minds.
Then he adds,
I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
And then drop the mic.
The thesis has been proven.
Right?
Everything else, if you look forward in Hebrews from this point,
is building on the implications from the thesis that he has proven in chapter 10, verse 18.
Or through chapter 10, verse 18.
But that begs the question,
why pause for a whole chapter in the middle of this beautiful exposition?
Especially when you're so near to the end.
You're ramping up, and then you pause, and you insert this section.
So to understand this question,
we need to see one more point about this particular section of Scripture
in our text this morning that stands out.
So our text, verses 11 through 14,
offer the only rebuke in the book of Hebrews.
Now as I was discussing this with Nathan yesterday,
I was like, I think this is the only rebuke.
And he was like, I'm not sure.
Let's double check it.
So I double checked it.
And this is the only rebuke.
There are plenty of other warnings.
There are heavy warnings, which we'll look at in a second.
Serious ones that we need to take seriously.
But this is the only charge that he brings against the church.
And like I said, there are plenty of serious and heavy warnings issued along the way.
And I want to look at some of these warnings,
because he gives some heavy warnings,
and yet only one rebuke.
So that says something about the rebuke.
So you don't have to follow along.
You're welcome to if you want to.
But like in chapter 2, verse 1, he says,
we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,
lest we drift away from it.
Chapter 4, verse 1,
let us fear lest any should fail to reach God's rest
because of disobedience or unbelief.
Or 10, 26,
if we go on sinning deliberately,
after receiving the knowledge of truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.
Followed by, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Or lastly, in chapter 12, verse 25,
see that you do not refuse Him, God, who is speaking,
ending with,
for our God is a consuming fire.
Now, these are serious warnings.
This is heavy.
He goes on, I mean,
he's warning them not to drift away,
not to fall away from the faith,
not to fall into the hands of a living God.
And I point these things out to say
that an author who feels the need over and over
to warn these Hebrews to fear and to take heed,
to be careful and diligent,
issues but one rebuke in the text.
So this tells us two things.
Firstly, we really need to understand this text.
And secondly,
he probably placed this passage where he did,
in the middle of a greater exposition,
to grab his reader's attention.
So before we move into the next body of text,
I need to zoom in a bit
and point out one last clue in our text,
which indicates the role of this section
from 5.11 to 6.12.
So, if you'll flip back to chapter 5,
we'll sit there for a minute.
So, verse 11 in our text,
the beginning of it reads,
Now, many commentators read this verse
and believe the this and about this
brings the focus back to what he has previously been discussing,
Christ as the eternal salvation
and throws in there after the order
or the priesthood order of Melchizedek.
And so it seems when you read the English translation,
the NASB actually translates this
about him,
there is much to say.
And I want to point out something
that Nathan's pointed out a couple of times,
that in Hebrews,
the author is writing in the highest form
of the Greek language,
far higher than the rest of the New Testament.
And so it gives some translation issues
because normally in translation,
you're able to see,
oh yeah, this word is used in this way,
in these different contexts.
But there's a lot of words
and idioms and phrases
in the Greek
that are only used once
or maybe twice
in the whole New Testament.
And so sometimes it becomes difficult
to point out
or to pin down
exactly what the author
is trying to say.
So this is a good example
of how we can miss an important point
if we're not careful.
And I'm by no means a Greek scholar,
but I've read a couple.
And so I want to be careful
with this particular phrase.
So this phrase
in the beginning of verse 11
is a Greek idiom
commonly used by orators
to serve a particular purpose.
And it's probably better translated
about these things
we have much to say.
Because that's how other Greek writers
would use this phrase.
They would say,
about these things
we have much to say.
So William Lane
in his commentary,
which I'll be referencing
a couple of times,
demonstrates that speakers
would use this particular phrase
to get their listeners
to perk up
because they were about
to make their main driving point.
It's a phrase
they would be speaking
about something
and right before
they're about to get
to the driving point
in their argument,
they would use this phrase.
About these things
we have much to say.
So then our author
was not on a roll
and then randomly decides
to drop in a rebuke
that points backwards,
lamenting the fact
that further teaching
cannot be given.
Rather,
as he picks up steam
and is about to make
his most important point,
he pauses.
He perks up his audience's ears
to buckle up
and issues then
the only rebuke
in this treatise
that they're being lazy
in their hearing.
He then goes on
to reveal,
or to, sorry,
revel in the glory of Christ
as the perfect high priest
and perfect,
all-sufficient sacrifice
for his people.
Okay,
so we understand
the purpose
of this greater section,
to look forward
to what's about to happen.
Now we need to understand
this rebuke.
So,
my three points.
In our text this morning,
we'll see
point number A,
the call to hear,
the call to hear well.
Point B,
the call to teach
in verse 12,
the first part of verse 12.
And thirdly,
point C,
the call to grow
12B,
through the end
of our text
in verse 14.
And I'll repeat
those as we go.
So,
first of all,
point A,
the call to hear
or the call to hear well.
So,
if you think about this text
for like three seconds,
then you know
that the writer
is not claiming
that the Hebrews
get their ears checked.
But something is wrong
with the way
that they are hearing
or the way
that they are perceiving.
So,
to understand
what the author
is trying to rebuke
the Hebrews for
and therefore
warn us against,
we must dive a bit deeper
into the concept of hearing
as it's used
throughout the scriptures.
And as we do so,
we'll see that
this accusation
of being dull
or sluggish,
lazy in hearing
is not merely
an encouragement
to pay attention
or to take notes
during a sermon.
Not a bad idea.
Nor is it a call
to listen
for special revelation
in your prayer closet,
but is a sharp rebuke
against idolatry
and a call
to turn away
from disobedience.
So,
hearing
or the inability
to hear
is associated
with a few
key concepts
both in the Old
and New Testaments.
So,
first of all,
a failure to hear
is associated
with idolatry.
So,
failure to hear
is associated
with idolatry.
If you will,
please turn with me
to Psalm 115.
Psalm 115.
Now read verses 1-9.
He says,
Not to us, O Lord,
not to us,
but to your name
give glory.
For the sake
of your steadfast love
and your faithfulness.
Why should the nation
say,
where is their God?
Our God is in the heavens.
He does all
that He pleases.
Their idols
are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths,
but do not speak.
Eyes,
but do not see.
They have ears,
but do not hear.
Noses,
but do not smell.
Hands,
but do not feel.
Feet,
but do not walk.
And they do not make
a sound in their throat.
Those who make them
become like them.
And so do all
who trust in them.
O Israel,
trust in the Lord.
He is their help
and their shield.
So,
based off this passage,
we see that every object
created has a purpose.
And its worth
to its creator
is derived
from its ability
to fulfill the purpose
for which it was created.
So the mouth
is created to speak,
yet it's silence
on the grave and idle,
and it is therefore
worthless.
And so are we.
If the measure
of our worth
as a creature
is in fulfilling
the purpose
for which we are created,
so are we,
as we trust in things
to satisfy,
as we trust in idols
to do what only God
can do.
When we're created
for the specific purpose,
to worship God
and to be satisfied
in Him,
and then to bring Him glory
by teaching others
to do the same.
Calvin famously
once proclaimed
that the human heart
is a perpetual factory
of idols.
And if this is the case,
we must seriously
guard against idols
taking the affection,
the treasuring,
the time,
the energy,
and the mental capacity
that we devote
to things,
to people,
to relationship,
to status,
that only belong
to our Lord
as the one
who can satisfy.
So what idols
are you trusting in today
that you need
to cast aside
so that you may hear
as you ought to hear?
Secondly,
hearing is associated
with understanding
the things of God.
So in the New Testament,
our Lord often
ended His parables
and other sections
of teaching
with the phrase,
those who have ears
to hear,
let them hear.
He explains this concept
to His disciples
more clearly
in Matthew chapter 13
when they're asking
why He speaks
cryptically
to the people
in parables.
So if you will,
please turn again
with me
one of the last places
to Matthew chapter 13.
starting in verse 10.
And again,
oh yeah,
it says in the text.
Never mind.
So in verse 10,
it reads,
Then the disciples
came and said to Him,
Why do you speak
to them in parables?
And He answered them,
To you
it has been given
to know the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven.
But to them
it has not been given.
For to the one who has
more will be given
and he will have
an abundance.
But from the one
who has not,
even what he has
will be taken away.
This is why
I speak to them
in parables.
Because seeing
they do not see,
and hearing
they do not hear,
nor do they understand.
Indeed,
in their case,
the prophecy of Isaiah
is fulfilled that says,
and this is from Isaiah 6,
You will indeed hear
but never understand,
and you will indeed see
but never perceive.
For this people's heart
has grown dull,
and with their ears
they can barely hear,
and their eyes
have been closed,
lest they should see
with their eyes,
hear with their hearts,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and turn,
and I would heal them.
But blessed are your eyes
for they see,
and your ears
for they hear.
So Christ makes
an important point
that two people
can hear the same teaching
or the same information
about the kingdom of God.
One understands,
and the other
doesn't understand,
because one has
or has been given
the ears to hear,
and the other doesn't.
So this can lead us
to question God's authority,
or it can well up
in us
in expressible gratitude.
What a joy
that we have,
that we've been given
to know the secrets
of the kingdom of God.
This is a privilege
not to be squandered.
If you can perceive
the secrets of the kingdom,
by all means,
pursue them.
Those who have ears to hear,
let them hear,
and let them hear
abundantly.
And lastly,
hearing is equated,
not merely associated,
but equated
with obedience.
It's the third sub-point,
hearing equated
with obedience.
So this concept
is especially clear
in the Old Testament
because of the word
used for hear
in ancient Hebrew.
And there's actually
an awesome Bible project
video on this word,
the Shema.
There's a whole series
on this text
in Deuteronomy,
chapter 6,
verses 4 through 5,
called the Shema,
which we'll talk about
a little bit.
But it's this word,
Shema,
which is translated here.
So in the Greek,
and obviously in the English,
there are two different words
for hear,
something that you do
involuntarily with your ears,
and obey,
something that you do
with your will,
affection,
and action.
However,
fascinatingly,
in Hebrew,
they're the same word,
Shema.
So listen to a few examples.
Deuteronomy 5.1,
this is the Ten Commandments,
says,
And Moses summoned all Israel
and said to them,
Hear, Shema,
O Israel,
the statutes and the rules
that I speak in your hearing today,
and you shall learn them
and be careful to do,
Shema,
them.
Deuteronomy 6.4-5,
which is again,
the Shema.
Hear,
Shema,
O Israel,
the Lord your God,
the Lord is one.
You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your might.
And then in Exodus 19.5,
Now therefore,
if you will indeed obey,
Shema,
my voice,
and keep,
Shema,
my covenant,
you shall be my treasured possession
among all peoples,
for the earth is mine.
So then to be dull in hearing
is to be sluggish or lazy
in obeying the knowledge
that we have received.
So the degree to which you hear
is then the degree to which
you respect the authority
of the one speaking.
So let's unpack that a little bit.
Because when you respect
the speaker's authority,
you don't merely take in
the information,
but you do so in such a way
that it produces the action
intended in the hearer
from the one who's communicating it.
So I'll say that again.
When you respect the speaker's authority,
you don't merely take in information,
but do so in such a way
that it produces the action
intended in the hearer
from the one communicating it.
So there's a responsibility
that comes with the way
that we are to hear.
There's a responsibility
with how we hear the word of God,
and the degree to which
we are truly hearing
is the degree to which
we respect God's authority,
which is also the degree
to which we obey the word
that has been spoken.
So I have maybe a silly example
that I think will help
illustrate this point.
And if my mom were here today,
she would attest to the truth
of this story.
So I had good parents,
which means that I had chores
growing up.
And when I was seven, eight, nine-ish years old,
one of my chores,
least favorite chores,
was cleaning the bathroom.
And as an eight-year-old boy,
like most eight-year-old boys,
I wasn't too concerned
with the details
of what it meant
to clean the bathroom.
So when mom says,
clean the bathroom,
what I take that to mean is,
make the bathroom look clean,
which are two different things.
And if you've ever cleaned a bathroom,
you know the difference.
Make the bathroom look clean
means when you walk into it,
do you think,
oh yeah,
this is a pretty clean bathroom.
But clean the bathroom
is like getting the mildew
out from under the ring
in the sink,
or scrubbing the shower floor
so that it's as white
as the walls.
And so there's a difference
in the way that I'm hearing
as an eight-year-old boy.
And so you get that picture
in your mind,
but then imagine that
as an eight-year-old boy,
I'm playing Donkey Kong Country
on my Super Nintendo,
and mom walks in,
and she says,
okay,
it's time to clean the bathroom.
And I say,
yeah, yeah,
okay,
I'll clean the bathroom.
And then she's explaining
what exactly she wants me to do.
And instead of asking the question,
okay,
is this the deep cleaning,
or is this like
make the bathroom look clean
because guests are coming over,
which is instead of asking that,
I just keep playing my video games.
And she says,
okay,
clean the bathroom.
And I'm like,
yeah,
okay,
I'll get to it.
Just give me a second.
And then she's like,
no,
I want you to listen
to what I'm saying.
And I'm still playing the game.
Haven't paused it or anything.
I don't know if you can pause
Donkey Kong Country,
but I haven't paused it.
And she's still saying,
no,
I want you to like
really deep clean it,
get under,
you know,
the ring in the sink
and get behind the toilet
to whatever mess is back there
and all these other things.
And if I'm still paying attention
to the video game
that's in front of me,
then while I may be
receiving the information
in one way,
I'm not heeding it.
And I'm certainly
not going to transfer that
into the action intended
of the one who's speaking
because my attention
is elsewhere.
What she really wants me to do
when she says,
clean the bathroom,
is pause,
put it down,
look her in the eyes
and ask,
what do you mean?
And to say,
do you want me
to do a deep cleaning?
Do you want me
to get the mildew
or is this just
a shallow cleaning?
Right?
And so she wants my attention
as she's telling me something.
And even though I may feel like
as an eight-year-old boy
that I know what she means,
that assumption
can be dangerous
and it can lead
to disobedience.
Right?
And so it is often
as we approach
the Word of God,
our attention
is elsewhere.
We're not really engaged.
We think we know
what we ought to be doing,
but we're making
a dangerous assumption
when we do so
because we may not
be hearing
as He
has intended us
to hear.
So we interpret
what God is saying
to our advantage
or in accordance
to what we already
want to hear,
seeking to do
the minimum required effort
to count
for obedience.
So often in the Christian life,
the problem is not
that we don't have
the right information,
but it's that we've forgotten
the God who has spoken
the information to us.
We hear,
but we don't heed
and obey.
So to not be dull
of hearing then
is to consume the Word
in such a way
that it produces
obedience.
So again,
the responsibility
in your hearing
of the Word of God,
whether that's you
listening here today
or in your personal time,
is to see how it's supposed
to be working out of you,
how it's supposed
to be applied to your life,
how you are to obey.
And this isn't something
that can be done
quickly
or with
half of a brain,
but you have to be
engaged.
So according to our
three observations
about hearing in the Bible,
to not be dull
of hearing,
we must be free
from idols,
able to understand
or perceive
the things of God,
and must take it
in in such a way
that it produces
the action
that it commands,
that He commands.
Therefore,
the author's rebuke
back in Hebrews
of being lazy
or sluggish
or dull
of hearing
on the part
of the Jewish believers
carries a great deal
of weight,
directly related
to the way
that they are
respecting
the authority
and the supremacy
of God,
which is why
it makes sense
that the author's thesis,
if this is a dull
of hearing people,
is Christ the supreme
over all.
As they see
Christ the supreme,
they begin
to pay attention,
they begin to hear
as they ought to hear.
So we should fear
this spiritual condition.
With all the warnings
that were given,
this is the rebuke.
We should fear
having this spiritual
condition for ourselves
and yet many
in our country,
our county,
and maybe in our midst
have likely
grown accustomed
to it.
We read
and we hear
the commands
of Scripture
and we feel
conviction in the moment,
yet we lose focus
a few hours later
when the next wave
of distraction hits.
We know we're commanded
to read
and to pray regularly,
to grow deep
in relationship
with believers,
to get accountability,
that we tell ourselves
we don't know
where to start,
that we don't have
the time to commit,
that we're too busy
and we don't know
where to start.
We're often prideful
about our appearance,
too prideful
to break down
and ask for help.
Or maybe you felt
conviction for years
to talk to a co-worker
or a neighbor
about the Lord
that haven't made
the sacrifice
of an evening
with your family
to be hospitable
to your neighbors
as the Lord
is hospitable to you.
Instead of trusting
that God has commanded
that which is best
for our flourishing,
spiritually or otherwise,
we buy into the lie
that whatever feels best
to us
should guide the decisions
that we make.
We judge the worthiness
of the command of God
in our lives
based off of the temporary
satisfaction and joy
that it brings
rather than trusting
that He has spoken,
that we are His creatures
and that He designed us
specifically
for His purpose.
When we don't get
emotional satisfaction
from obeying these commands,
we must see that the problem
is with our emotions.
Sometimes we need to obey
because He has said so
and allow our emotions
to catch up
as we trust our great Lord.
As we've seen,
this rebuke of sluggish hearing
is not merely a call
to perk up and listen,
but is meant to be
a serious wake-up call,
both for them
and for us.
So the Hebrews, too,
had the necessary information,
but they weren't applying
what they had learned,
and therefore
they could not mature
or bring others
into maturity
in their walk
with the Lord.
And this brings us
to our second point,
answering how the Hebrews
failed to hear
as they ought
the call to teach.
So,
point B,
the call to teach.
This is in
verse 12.
So if you're not back
in Hebrews,
please flip there again.
So verse 12.
For though by this time
you ought to be teachers,
you need someone
to teach you again
the basic principles
of the oracles of God.
You need milk,
excuse me,
not solid food.
So,
very simply,
note the word for
at the beginning
of verse 12.
It would seem
to this author
the first indicator
that he points out
in the Hebrew
sluggish hearing
is not an understanding
but rather an action.
They were dull of hearing
because they weren't
yet teaching others.
Get that logic flow.
It's not that
they didn't understand
that they were
supposed to be teachers
given the sharpness
of this rebuke,
but it is that
they weren't applying
what they knew
they ought to be doing.
So,
hear this clearly
this morning.
Believers are meant
to be teachers.
All of us.
There's not something
reserved for
ordained clergy,
for missionaries,
or for people
on stage.
And while teaching
may seem like
a daunting task,
it can take many forms,
most of which
have nothing to do
with standing
behind a lectern
and speaking publicly,
and all of which
are essential
to the life
of the church.
Many find themselves
wondering what their
place in the church is.
Some of you here
likely feel that way.
While each of us
have different gifts
and will certainly
exercise them
in different ways,
we are all meant
to teach
in some way.
So,
I want to look
at a couple
of ways
in Scripture
that we're
called to teach
one another
and those outside
of the congregation
really quickly.
I don't think
I want you guys
to turn anywhere
maybe to Matthew 28
if you want to move
in that direction.
So,
first way that
each believer
is called to teach
is through
rebuking,
admonishing,
and or counseling.
So,
Paul writes
in Colossians 3
to the church
at Colossae,
let the word
of Christ
dwell in you
richly.
How?
Teaching and
admonishing
one another
in all wisdom.
So,
teaching and
admonishing,
which is like
a soft rebuke
or correction
in instruction.
Secondly,
in encouraging
each other.
First Thessalonians
5,
14,
we urge you,
brothers,
admonish the idle,
encourage the faint-hearted,
help the weak,
and be patient
with them all.
Again,
written to
the church.
Thirdly,
in discipling,
and that takes
so many different forms,
but one example,
a good one,
in 2 Timothy 2,
chapter 2,
Paul shows
four generations
of discipleship.
As he writes
to Timothy,
he says,
what you have heard
from me
in the presence
of many witnesses,
entrust to faithful men
who will be able
to teach others also.
So,
Paul is teaching
Timothy.
Timothy is
entrusting
this information
to faithful men
who will then
be able
to teach others.
It's meant to be
this family tree
of believers
teaching,
discipling
one another.
And then,
if you'll turn with me
to Matthew 28,
verse 18.
This is the Great Commission.
And I understand
we've probably heard
all these things before.
If you've been around here,
you have.
And you've probably
heard these things before
in your own churches,
but I fear that oftentimes
they're taught
as suggestions,
things that are
like beneficial
if you want to be
a deep Christian.
But note that
the rebuke
that's here
is not given
to the deep Christians,
but it's given
to the believers.
They're being sharply
rebuked
for not hearing
as they ought to hear.
So,
I encourage you
now,
hear this
as you ought to hear it.
We're all meant
to be teachers.
So,
the Great Commission,
Matthew 28,
starting in verse 18.
Jesus came to them
and said to them,
His disciples,
All authority in heaven
and on earth
has been given to Me.
Go, therefore,
and make disciples
of all nations,
baptizing them
in the name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe
all that I've commanded you.
And behold,
I am with you always
to the ends of the age.
So,
first thing to point out,
that it says
make disciples
of all nations.
It's not making converts
of all nations.
Converts are important.
That's the first step
in discipleship,
but it doesn't stop there
if we're going to mature
to the end.
Secondly,
Jesus Himself
took three years
of living
with His disciples
to teach them.
Living with them.
He's teaching them.
He's discipling them.
How much more
does it take
relationship with others
as imperfect teachers,
us,
to do the same?
Also,
note that
the task at hand here
is not simply
to teach
all that Jesus commanded,
while that is
a daunting task
in and of itself,
but He says
teach them to observe
or to obey
all that I've commanded.
And this takes a lot.
It takes devotion,
relationship,
love,
counsel,
and yes,
it takes teaching.
Now,
of course,
the power to do this
is not in ourselves,
right?
We know
that the Spirit
has to work
in the lives
of others
to do it,
but God
works through
His people
to accomplish
His purposes.
He doesn't need us
to do this,
but He has chosen
to invite us
into the work
that He's doing
in this world,
so He calls us
to teach.
Fourthly,
we teach
through personal evangelism.
You can listen
to this one.
2 Corinthians 2,
15-17 says,
We're the aroma
of Christ to God
among those
who are being saved
and among those
who are perishing.
To one,
a fragrance
from death to death,
to the other,
a fragrance
from life to life.
Who is sufficient
for these things?
For we are not
like so many
peddlers
of God's Word,
but as men
of sincerity
as commissioned
by God
in the sight
of God,
we speak
in Christ.
So it flows
out of us.
We speak
in Christ,
commissioned
by God
in the sight
of God
to believers
and to unbelievers.
And lastly,
a way,
these aren't
necessarily all the ways,
but a way
that we teach
is through parenting.
So I quoted
earlier from
the Shema
in Deuteronomy 6,
4-5,
and I'd like to read
that again
and go on
through verse 9
to demonstrate
this point.
You're welcome
to turn there.
You don't have to.
Pretty straightforward.
It says,
Deuteronomy 6,
starting in verse 4,
Hear, O Israel,
the Lord,
our God,
the Lord is one.
You shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your might.
And these words
that I command
to you today
shall be
on your heart.
You shall teach them
diligently to your children
and talk of them
when you sit in your house
and when you walk
by the way
and when you lie down
and when you rise.
You shall bind them
as a sign on your hand
and they shall be
as frontlets
between your eyes.
You shall write them
on the doorposts
of your house
and on your gates.
Each of the above,
rebuking,
admonishing,
encouraging,
counseling,
preaching,
evangelizing,
and discipling
are first and foremost
to be done
with our kids,
those in our immediate context.
And as God teaches here
through Moses,
teaching isn't merely
an event.
It's not that you're moving
from one teaching event
to the next teaching event,
but it's something
that happens on the way
as you're going.
And to get to this point,
you've got to believe
it first.
We read earlier
in 2 Corinthians 2
that we are not
peddlers,
but we are those
who are men
of sincerity,
which means
we've got to believe
it for ourselves.
We've got to hear it
right first,
and then we're able
to teach it
to others.
So God's people
were always meant
to be teaching people
in this way.
Israel,
a light to the nations
around them,
and now the church,
a light to one another
and to the world
around us.
The salvation
that you have
been given
was not merely
for you to know
and to enjoy God,
but for you to become
the means by which
God works in the lives
of others.
As we often say,
God doesn't need us
to accomplish this work,
but has chosen
to use this
as the way for others
to learn about
who He is
and what He has done
in creating the world
and saving the people
for His own possession
that He might dwell
with them forever.
So how are you
teaching the people
around you?
Do you meet with someone
in the church
on a regular basis,
both to teach
and to be taught
by sharing your struggles
and sharing how God
is working with your life?
Are you seeking
to build relationships
with unbelievers
so you can share
the good news
of the gospel?
Are you intentional
in your parenting
and in family worship
and with conversations
with family?
Do you seek
close enough friendships
with other believers
so you can speak truth
into their lives
that brings encouragement
or counsel
or correction
when needed?
While some of these things
are certainly easier
in some stages of life
than others,
I fear that we often
excuse ourselves
entirely from our role
as teachers
and neglect the work
God has given us
in the church
and in the world around us.
We may fall short
in this area
because we haven't
prioritized it
in our lives.
We may fear
losing social equity
in the eyes of others.
We may be doubting
the sufficiency of God
to work in
and through you
in the lives of others
or we may simply
be too selfish
with our time.
Like the Hebrew church,
we may not be teaching
because we need
to grow up
in the cheersome
in our relationship
with the Lord.
So join me
as we look at our
last main point
together in the text.
Point C,
the call to grow.
Second part of verse 12,
really looking at 6.1.
So turn back to Hebrews
if you're not there.
I'll go ahead and read
verse 11
to get the full picture.
It says,
About this we have
much to say
and it is hard to explain
since you have become
dull of hearing.
For though by this time
you ought to be teachers,
you need someone
to teach you again
the basic principles
of the oracles of God.
You need milk,
not solid food.
For everyone who lives
on milk is unskilled
in the word of righteousness
since he is a child.
But solid food is
for the mature,
for those who have
their powers of discernment
trained by constant practice
to distinguish good
from evil.
Therefore,
let us leave
the elementary doctrine
of Christ
and go on to maturity.
So,
looking at the call to grow,
I have three more
sub-points for you
if you're taking notes.
First,
and I'll go through these again
as we're going.
The Hebrew is growth,
secondly,
the assumption of growth,
generally,
and thirdly,
the means of growth.
So,
there are a few
reasonable ways
to interpret
this section
of our text.
And generally,
commentators disagree
on what the nature
of the Hebrews problem
is
and their lack
of maturity.
Some believe
that the author
is addressing unbelievers
who have made their way
into the church,
here from verse 11
through chapter 6-8,
and then changes audiences,
transitioning back
to speaking to true believers.
Secondly,
and more commonly,
some read this text
like the author
as saying
that the Hebrews
had believed the gospel
but had basically
stagnated at that point.
According to this reading,
the appropriate response
would then be
to go over
the basic truths
of the gospel
and to feed them
spiritual milk.
But this isn't really
what the author does.
While these readings
are possible,
based off of the
surrounding verses
and the general context
of the Hebrew church,
some of which
we've touched on,
I believe the most
reasonable approach
to understanding the text
goes something like this.
Though you should be teachers
and are ready
for solid food,
you have begun
to live as infants
in need of milk.
So instead of seeing
Hebrews
as the Hebrews
as having never matured,
I believe the text
and surrounding context
supports the position
that they have deviated
from the initial course
that they were on
and have four basic reasons
for why that's the case
really quickly.
So firstly,
as we said,
the author responds
with solid food
and not milk.
Commentator William Lane
mentioned earlier
points,
puts it this way.
He says,
it is commonly assumed
on the basis
of this passage
that the community
addressed
had failed to mature
in faith and understanding
and consequently
required rudimentary
instruction
rather than
the advanced
exposition
of Christ's priesthood
and sacrifice
presented in the rest
of the sermon.
The problem
with this reconstruction
of the situation
is that it is not
supported by the detail
of the text.
The author presupposes
advanced Christian instruction
and shows no inclination
to review with his hearers
the foundational elements
of the Christian faith.
So,
in other words,
if they really needed milk,
if he's literally saying,
this is kind of
where you guys are at,
then why doesn't
he give it to them?
He responds
with solid food.
He's been giving them
solid food so far,
and then continues
to give them
solid food.
These are not basics.
Again,
the highest form of Greek,
he's not giving them milk.
He doesn't take the time
to walk them through
the basics
of the gospel.
So,
that's reason one.
If this is true,
the problem was not
with their diet,
per se,
but with the digestion
of the diet.
They had the information
they needed,
but they weren't
putting it into practice.
They had become
dull of hearing,
but they weren't always.
Secondly,
they had already
demonstrated maturity
through the endurance
of suffering.
So,
he speaks in the past tense
in Hebrews 10,
32-33,
he says,
recall the former days
when after you were
enlightened,
you endured a hard
struggle with sufferings,
and sometimes being
publicly exposed
to reproach
and affliction,
and sometimes being
partners with those
so treated.
So,
they're pretty mature
if they're able
not only to suffer
for their faith,
but like tie themselves
to other people
who are suffering.
Thirdly,
they had demonstrated
maturity through hope
in a better abiding
possession,
being the hope
that they had in Christ.
So,
continuing on
Hebrews 10,
verse 34,
he says,
for you had compassion
on those in prison,
and you joyfully
accepted the plundering
of your property,
since you knew
that you yourselves
had a better possession
and an abiding one.
Therefore,
do not throw away
your confidence,
which has great reward,
for you have need
of endurance,
so that when you have
done the will of God,
you may receive
what is promised.
So,
again,
joyfully accepting
the plundering
of their property
because they were
looking to a better
possession.
Okay,
reason number four,
they had already
demonstrated maturity
through love
and through service.
So,
the next bookend
on this section,
again,
is Hebrews chapter 12.
So,
I'll read,
and you can turn there
if you're not already there.
It's just a page for you.
Hebrews 6,
10 through 12.
It says,
God is not unjust
so as to overlook
your work
and the love
that you have
shown for his name
in serving the saints
as you still do.
And we desire
each of you
to show the same
earnestness
to have the full
assurance of hope
until the end
so that
you may not be sluggish
but imitators
of those
who through faith
and patience
inherit the promises.
So as we've established in our study in the Hebrews,
these believers are under constant temptation to practice the culturally acceptable version of religion
instead of an uncompromising, obedient life devoted to God and His work.
The author is constantly reminding them of the hope that they were once holding on to,
but now seems to be slipping away.
He's saying to them in the midst of this constant temptation,
Stay strong. You have already endured so much. Keep enduring.
Don't give in now. Don't forgive the hope to which you once clung so closely.
Finish the race. Keep the faith. Stay the course.
The Hebrews needed this encouragement, and some of us need to hear it this morning.
They needed to be reminded of the way that they had once held on to hope so closely
and the fruit of righteousness that had produced in their lives
to the point where they were joyfully accepting the plundering of their property.
As we often do, they needed to remember the hope that they had in Christ
to stand before God as sons looking forward to the abiding city He has made for His people.
Okay, next.
In the call to grow, sub-point two, the assumption of growth.
So this is growth generally.
The assumption of growth.
Note the author's tone in the way that he speaks of maturing in the faith.
It's the same that he is saying about teaching.
He's expecting them to grow.
It's not an option.
It's an expectation.
And as we're teaching, sanctification, becoming more and more like Christ
as we are in longer relationship with Him,
is not reserved for a select few serious Christians,
those who want to get plugged in,
but it is a normative part of the Christian life
and an indicator of the genuine nature of one's faith.
2 Corinthians 3, verse 18 says,
And we, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,
are being transformed into the same image,
from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
So believers, every believer is being transformed to be more like Christ.
The negative of this statement.
If you aren't being transformed,
then it's possible you may not be a believer.
Now, this doesn't mean that if you've had a bad week or a bad month,
that you are all of a sudden no longer a believer.
The Christian life is a life of endurance through these ups and downs,
trusting that even though you don't feel,
you may not feel like you're growing in the moment,
that you continue to seek and obey that God,
or seek and obey, trust that God is growing you,
and that He will finish the work that He started in you.
Remember, the Hebrews themselves had stopped growing.
They had stopped applying the truth that they had once held on to.
And while the warnings and the rebukes were certainly warranted,
the author held out continued hope for this church.
If you read through Hebrews,
the warnings and even this rebuke are kind in so many ways.
There's a warning,
and then He assures them,
but I've seen these things in you already.
So there's like the warning,
and the point backward to the way that the Spirit was once working in them.
And so there's this kindness in the way that He gives these rebukes.
There's hope that's there,
but the point still stands,
that the trajectory of our life will have its downs,
but should generally be trending towards Christlikeness.
So, in your life,
when you look back on the past six months,
or the past year,
or two,
or five,
or a couple decades,
do you see yourself being transformed into the image of Christ,
or do you basically see yourself stagnant,
the same?
And again,
sometimes it feels this way.
Sometimes it feels like we haven't grown in a while,
but as we seek and trust in the Lord,
He transforms us to the image of His Son.
So thirdly,
the means of growth,
answering the question,
how then do we grow?
Very simply,
the consumption,
digestion,
and use of the right food.
So we saw from our study today,
how the content of what we take in matters,
but so does the way that we treat this content.
As believers,
we grow when we receive the truth of God's Word,
and apply it to our lives,
through believing He who said it,
and therefore obeying that which we have received.
So first,
we remind ourselves often of the milk.
We remind ourselves,
regularly consume the basic reality of the gospel,
this milk.
We daily speak to ourselves and to one another,
the fact that God created this world by speaking it into existence,
that He's holy,
totally separate from sin,
that He designed humanity with a purpose to obey Him,
and to submit to Him as their Creator,
and each one of us rebelled,
and decided that we knew better than Him,
that our version of right and wrong,
was more suitable for our lives,
than His version.
This sin separated us from God eternally,
making us enemies of God,
worthy of eternal spiritual death,
and physical death.
And this was our deserved status,
what we bought with our sin.
Then out of nothing that we could ever do,
out of no good thing that He saw on us,
or merit of our own,
God sent His Son Christ to be the substitute in our place,
to live a perfectly sinless life,
to then bear the wrath of God,
the punishment that we deserved.
Christ died,
rose three days later in accordance with the Scriptures,
and is now exalted on high with the Father,
until the day when He returns for His bride.
Us, His people,
those who have placed their faith in these truths,
and have turned away from their sin,
seeking instead to obey God's commands,
and now await His return.
So this is our spiritual milk.
This is the basics.
And if there are any of you in this room,
who haven't turned from their sin,
and begun to pursue right relationship with God,
through a life of obedience,
don't harden your hearts this morning,
place your faith in Christ today.
Secondly, we grow by seeking after solid food.
The solid food is the deep truths of God.
God gave us brains,
so that we could understand and process a great deal.
And the more we're able to understand the nature and the character of God,
the more we're able to know, appreciate, and worship Him,
which is why He created us.
In addressing the question,
which is the greatest commandment,
Jesus answered in Matthew 22,
something that's very familiar to us now.
He said,
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
and with all your mind.
John Piper comments on this text in his book called Think.
He says,
I take this command to mean that we direct our thinking in a certain way.
Namely, our thinking should be wholly engaged to do all that it can
to awaken and express the heartfelt fullness of treasuring God above all things.
I'll read that again.
Our thinking should be wholly engaged to do all that it can
to awaken and express the heartfelt fullness of treasuring God above all things.
So then,
to fail to study His Word
and seek after a deeper and deeper knowledge of Him
is to fall short of the design that He has for your life,
and it's to neglect the growth and maturity that is ours in Christ.
Again,
thinking back to Psalm 115,
we don't want to become like our idols,
not fulfilling the purpose for which we were created.
We were designed to know Him deeply and intimately
and to grow in this knowledge which satisfies our souls.
And when we fail to do so,
we inevitably fill the void with the first available idol
and settle for that which our hearts were not meant to love and to treasure.
So speak zealously after the knowledge of God as a treasure to be found.
Hear and heed His voice as you ought
and do the work He has designed you to do.
So we've seen our text this morning.
A sharp, three-pronged rebuke of the Hebrew believers
warning us not to be dull in our hearing,
to be diligent in teaching,
and to seek maturity in our relationship with the Lord.
May we be a church
zealous for deeper knowledge of the Lord.
May we have ears to hear
and eyes to see the truth of God.
May we continually pick up
the glorious task of teaching
as the means by which God saves
and perfects a people for His possession.
Let's pray.