WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.160 If you're looking at Hebrews chapter 5, hear the word of God. 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:05.160 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:36.299 Everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness since he is a child. 00:00:37.899 --> 00:00:45.780 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 00:00:45.780 --> 00:00:50.280 Therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity. 00:00:50.280 --> 00:01:01.420 Not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 00:01:02.100 --> 00:01:03.539 And this we will do if God permits. 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.960 For it is impossible. 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:21.879 In the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God, 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:29.579 and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance. 00:01:29.579 --> 00:01:36.620 Since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm, and holding Him up to contempt. 00:01:37.539 --> 00:01:45.659 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 00:01:45.719 --> 00:01:53.840 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless, and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:59.239 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things. 00:01:59.579 --> 00:02:01.379 Things that belong to salvation. 00:02:01.700 --> 00:02:10.560 For 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. 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:15.479 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:18.219 To have the full assurance of hope until the end. 00:02:19.060 --> 00:02:22.500 So that you may not be sluggish, or dull. 00:02:24.259 --> 00:02:29.340 But imitators of those who through faith and patience, inherit the promises. 00:02:29.580 --> 00:02:32.680 May God bless the hearing of His word. 00:02:37.380 --> 00:02:43.760 In 1678, John Bunyan wrote his classic, The Pilgrim's Progress. 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:50.419 It is a very encouraging allegory of the Christian life. 00:02:51.560 --> 00:03:04.519 Just like Christian, we put our faith in Christ, and we are on a journey from the city of destruction to the celestial city in the heavenly Mount Zion. 00:03:04.520 --> 00:03:14.680 And just like Christian, we are to hold fast to Christ all the way to the end. 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:24.379 Well, early on in the pilgrim's progress, soon after Christian, the main character, enters through the wicked gate. 00:03:24.379 --> 00:03:28.979 He encounters the interpreter's house. 00:03:30.019 --> 00:03:32.340 And the allegory is likely of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:32.780 --> 00:03:36.599 And the interpreter brings him through the house and opens various doors in various rooms. 00:03:36.840 --> 00:03:39.319 And he's showing him things one after the other. 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:43.979 And one of the things, one of the doors he opens to is a bit shocking. 00:03:43.979 --> 00:03:51.359 He opens the door to a man who is sitting by himself in an iron cage. 00:03:53.359 --> 00:04:00.179 Christian asks him who he is, and it turns out this man was once a flourishing professor of Christ. 00:04:00.579 --> 00:04:02.479 Professor in the sense he professed Christ. 00:04:03.299 --> 00:04:06.539 He too was once a pilgrim, or so he says. 00:04:06.539 --> 00:04:17.000 When asked what happened, the man in the iron cage says, I left off to wander. 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:19.779 He left the path. 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:23.599 And so hardened his heart that he can no longer repent. 00:04:24.519 --> 00:04:26.839 He had crucified Christ a second time. 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:32.560 He had fallen away from Christ. 00:04:32.560 --> 00:04:38.399 And so Bunyan, it's Bunyan's picture of what we've read here in Hebrews 6. 00:04:39.060 --> 00:04:40.339 Someone who's fallen away. 00:04:41.420 --> 00:04:43.660 Someone who's become apostate. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:56.040 Apostasy is when someone who has at one point professed Christ turns and flat out rejects Christ. 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:01.040 Hebrews uses very strong language for this. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.040 It's a refusing to listen to Christ. 00:05:04.140 --> 00:05:05.920 It's a trampling Christ underfoot. 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.640 It is a profaning of his blood. 00:05:09.100 --> 00:05:11.439 It is an outrage to the Holy Spirit. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:20.600 The interpreter who is with Christian points to that and says, 00:05:21.660 --> 00:05:27.920 let the meaning of this be an everlasting caution to the pilgrims. 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:31.420 And what Christian responds is this. 00:05:32.060 --> 00:05:37.819 Upon seeing this, Christian says, well, this is fearful. 00:05:39.500 --> 00:05:43.080 And he cries out to help to God to be watchful and sober. 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:49.480 And then he turns to the interpreter and says, sir, is it not time for me to go on my way? 00:05:49.480 --> 00:05:52.580 He heeds the warning. 00:05:52.580 --> 00:05:57.439 And then presses on to the celestial city. 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:04.420 Brothers and sisters, this morning we have the third warning of the book of Hebrews. 00:06:04.420 --> 00:06:09.900 We must heed the warning to dullness. 00:06:11.100 --> 00:06:16.340 And earnestly hold fast to Christ all the way to the end. 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:18.960 And this passage unfolds in four ways. 00:06:19.120 --> 00:06:21.080 There is a rebuking of the dull. 00:06:22.020 --> 00:06:23.800 There is an exhorting of the dull. 00:06:23.980 --> 00:06:26.220 There is a warning of the dull. 00:06:26.220 --> 00:06:29.820 And then finally, there is this encouraging of the dull. 00:06:29.940 --> 00:06:34.520 This passage is a warning to the spiritually dull among us. 00:06:35.620 --> 00:06:39.920 To earnestly hold fast to Christ to the end. 00:06:41.360 --> 00:06:47.080 So let's look at this rebuking of the dull in verses 11 through 14. 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:49.240 I've been using that word dull a lot, haven't I? 00:06:50.620 --> 00:06:52.960 You might be saying, hey, what's up with all the dull language? 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:58.500 In 5.11 we read this. 00:06:58.599 --> 00:07:00.039 About this we have much to say. 00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:09.759 This is the writer of Hebrews saying, hey, I really want to talk to you guys about the high priesthood of Jesus in the order of Melchizedek. 00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:11.120 It's hard to explain. 00:07:11.359 --> 00:07:13.179 Not because the concept's hard. 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:15.259 It's because you've become dull of hearing. 00:07:17.039 --> 00:07:17.599 Dull. 00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:19.219 Verse 11. 00:07:19.220 --> 00:07:24.600 And then if you look at chapter 6, verse 12, we read, so that you may not be sluggish. 00:07:26.440 --> 00:07:30.100 Sluggish and dull in 5.11, it's the same Greek word. 00:07:31.340 --> 00:07:34.480 This whole passage is framed in dullness. 00:07:36.980 --> 00:07:39.880 This is written with the dull in mind. 00:07:43.200 --> 00:07:44.220 Dull Christians. 00:07:44.220 --> 00:07:49.840 In verse 11, we read, about this we have much to say. 00:07:49.940 --> 00:07:53.400 And it's hard to explain since y'all have become dull of hearing. 00:07:53.900 --> 00:07:54.220 12. 00:07:54.620 --> 00:07:56.600 For by this time y'all ought to be teachers. 00:07:56.740 --> 00:07:58.540 Y'all need someone to teach you again. 00:07:58.660 --> 00:07:59.140 Y'all again. 00:07:59.240 --> 00:08:00.780 The basic principles of oracles. 00:08:00.940 --> 00:08:02.240 Y'all need milk, not solid food. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:04.120 They've become dull of hearing. 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:06.220 It's a chronic immaturity. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:10.160 Nothing wrong with being immature. 00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:13.660 Nothing wrong with coming to Christ and being immature and learning the things. 00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:17.180 This is not talking about that kind of immaturity. 00:08:17.260 --> 00:08:19.020 This is a chronic immaturity. 00:08:19.180 --> 00:08:23.080 This is someone who became a Christian and years later, they're still in the same spot. 00:08:23.180 --> 00:08:25.540 Needing the same basic teaching again and again. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.140 It's kind of spiritual dullness. 00:08:31.139 --> 00:08:34.539 And why the warning of apostasy is this. 00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:45.639 When someone is chronically immature, they're not demonstrating fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:08:46.100 --> 00:08:47.799 It's like stunted growth. 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:54.000 And so what's confusing about that is you don't know whether or not they're a genuine believer 00:08:54.000 --> 00:09:00.440 or they're someone who just made a profession of Christ but isn't genuinely converted. 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:09.799 And so into that concern, this writer of Hebrews writes this warning. 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:12.059 He starts off with a rebuke. 00:09:12.519 --> 00:09:22.659 And notice that he spells out this kind of contrast between the immature and mature in verses 12 through 14. 00:09:22.659 --> 00:09:27.579 He says, of the mature, they're teachers of the oracles of God. 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:29.620 They've got a handle on it. 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:31.959 They know what God's word says about certain things. 00:09:32.019 --> 00:09:34.120 They can teach it to others. 00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:39.299 But the immature need to be taught the same things again. 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:42.039 It's a difference between maturity and maturity. 00:09:43.620 --> 00:09:48.139 The mature, verse 12, they eat solid food of scripture. 00:09:48.139 --> 00:09:53.179 The mature, robust doctrine of the soul, steak, mashed potatoes. 00:09:54.580 --> 00:09:58.159 The immature just stick to bottles of milk. 00:10:00.819 --> 00:10:05.120 The mature have had the powers of their discernment trained by constant use. 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:07.299 That means that they are hearing God's word. 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:09.819 It's penetrating their hearts and that they're living it out. 00:10:09.820 --> 00:10:11.660 God's word. 00:10:11.780 --> 00:10:18.000 They're being trained by the words of righteousness to live for God. 00:10:18.640 --> 00:10:21.240 They are discerning good and evil and walking in the good way. 00:10:22.260 --> 00:10:25.180 But the immature are unskilled in the word of righteousness. 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:29.280 They need serious help. 00:10:30.280 --> 00:10:31.920 They are untrained. 00:10:33.060 --> 00:10:34.680 They need to be spoon-fed. 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:39.259 It's not obvious to them what's the difference between good and evil. 00:10:42.659 --> 00:10:43.219 Immaturity. 00:10:43.459 --> 00:10:50.319 The immaturity being talked about here is a chronic dullness of soul. 00:10:51.399 --> 00:10:54.620 It's an unskilled in the word of righteousness. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:59.879 Do you notice how maturity is being defined in terms of one's relationship to God's word? 00:11:00.539 --> 00:11:02.339 Does it penetrate your heart or not? 00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:13.339 So spiritual dullness, it starts when you start drifting from God's word. 00:11:15.019 --> 00:11:21.579 When you start hardening over and God's word ceases to penetrate your heart deeply. 00:11:21.580 --> 00:11:28.259 If God's word is not feeding your soul. 00:11:29.160 --> 00:11:31.560 If God's word is not enlivening your heart. 00:11:32.060 --> 00:11:35.520 If God's word is not informing your perspective, directing your steps. 00:11:35.800 --> 00:11:39.960 If God's word is not generating love for the saints. 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:40.900 Do you know what? 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:43.879 You're going to be believing someone else's words. 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:52.419 So this is a rebuke for the spiritually dull among us. 00:11:52.779 --> 00:11:53.860 The chronically immature. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.860 Those who have not grown significantly. 00:11:57.100 --> 00:11:59.659 They're not bearing fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:03.899 Our grandson Hudson just turned four months old. 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:07.039 Which means he's just a couple months out from solids. 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:08.120 I can't wait. 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:11.980 Can't wait to see his face when he put carrots in his mouth. 00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:17.620 Could you imagine if Hudson is eight years old and his mom's like, 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:19.840 Hudson, do you want another bottle now? 00:12:21.259 --> 00:12:21.960 You know what you'd say? 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.360 If Hudson was just drinking bottles of milk still at eight years old, 00:12:26.419 --> 00:12:28.200 you'd be like, what's wrong with Hudson? 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:30.580 That's not right. 00:12:30.580 --> 00:12:37.159 But there is a danger of spiritual dullness. 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:42.060 You start moving into a gray zone. 00:12:43.740 --> 00:12:44.259 Spiritually. 00:12:46.659 --> 00:12:49.179 So let me ask you, do you have a hunger for God's word? 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:55.080 Are you regularly consuming God's word? 00:12:55.620 --> 00:12:58.399 Not just milk, but are you starting to take in solids? 00:13:00.139 --> 00:13:02.419 Are you getting stretched by God's word? 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:04.519 Are you getting exposed by God's word? 00:13:04.680 --> 00:13:06.519 Challenged, comforted by God's word? 00:13:06.519 --> 00:13:11.019 Are you living out God's word? 00:13:11.019 --> 00:13:15.639 This is a rebuke of the spiritually dull, 00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:18.679 those who are chronically spiritually mature. 00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:19.779 And here's the thing. 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:23.279 If you want to go on to maturity, 00:13:23.579 --> 00:13:26.039 if you want to move from milk to solid food, 00:13:26.299 --> 00:13:27.360 do you know what that means? 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:29.579 You're going to get stretched. 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:30.919 You're going to get challenged. 00:13:31.220 --> 00:13:32.439 You're going to need to concentrate. 00:13:32.860 --> 00:13:34.539 You're going to need to think carefully about how 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:36.860 this word of God applies to my life. 00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:37.680 It takes effort. 00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:40.700 Nobody drifts into maturity. 00:13:42.700 --> 00:13:45.080 You can't become mature without God's word 00:13:45.080 --> 00:13:46.899 playing a significant role in your life. 00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:52.659 So we start with this rebuke of the dull, 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:56.539 and then we move on to this exhortation of the dull 00:13:56.539 --> 00:13:57.860 in chapter 6, 1 through 3. 00:13:57.860 --> 00:14:03.139 He says, therefore, let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ 00:14:03.139 --> 00:14:05.320 and go on to maturity. 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:08.659 This leaving the elementary doctrines of Christ. 00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:12.360 Yes, Jesus is your Savior, but He's so much more. 00:14:13.019 --> 00:14:15.519 He is a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:17.139 Let's get to talking about that. 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.620 Let's move on from the basics to advanced teaching, 00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:24.980 and you will find advanced joy. 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:30.399 He tells them they need to leave the basics. 00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:35.159 They need to leave the laying again a foundation of repentance 00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:38.060 from dead works and faith in God. 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:40.759 What that is talking about is we're repenting. 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:44.240 We're leaving this idea that I'm saved by my works, 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:47.240 and we're moving to this biblical truth 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:49.899 that we're saved by faith in God's grace. 00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:53.000 We're laying a foundation. 00:14:53.799 --> 00:14:54.899 Now let's move on. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:55.940 Let's build on that. 00:14:57.980 --> 00:15:01.720 Let's move on from instructions about washings. 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:06.240 It's not washing your hands that can clean your internal heart. 00:15:06.560 --> 00:15:07.720 It's only through the blood of Jesus. 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:11.080 Let's move on from laying of hands and the resurrection of the dead 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:16.279 and eternal judgment that day when we all stand before the throne of God 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:20.019 and have to give an account for our lives, Matthew 25, Revelation 20. 00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:22.340 So let's, these are good. 00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:23.779 These are necessary, but we got to move on. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:31.120 When he says we leave these things, he's not saying we disregard them. 00:15:32.340 --> 00:15:35.399 He's saying we build on them. 00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:37.399 Build on those foundations. 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:41.039 Go on to maturity. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:48.799 We are to move from milk to solid food. 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:54.319 Solid food will grow you. 00:15:56.319 --> 00:15:57.360 Milk is good. 00:15:57.659 --> 00:16:01.079 Solid food, man, that is really good. 00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:14.780 When you are eating the solid food of what the Bible teaches about God, 00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:18.280 there's a class going on, TDI class. 00:16:18.400 --> 00:16:20.200 Les is teaching it about the doctrine of God. 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:23.940 And as you learn more and more about who God is revealed 00:16:23.940 --> 00:16:27.280 and the truth of scriptures, it is solid food for the souls. 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:30.839 You're like, you are awesome and I'm little. 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:35.500 It stirs your affections. 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:36.899 It grows you in your worship. 00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:42.860 When you move from milk to solid food, you will start to see the depth of your sin. 00:16:43.220 --> 00:16:47.399 God's word penetrating your heart will expose the depth of your sin 00:16:47.399 --> 00:16:50.379 and the depth of God's grace. 00:16:53.620 --> 00:17:00.059 When you encounter hardships, the solid food will keep you anchored. 00:17:00.059 --> 00:17:11.779 When you encounter the complexities of life, the solid food doesn't give you overly simplistic answers. 00:17:12.419 --> 00:17:18.639 God's word gives you nuanced explanations of the complexities of life. 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:21.339 We move on to maturity. 00:17:21.339 --> 00:17:27.459 God's word will challenge your thinking. 00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:37.039 God's word will help you understand people in the nitties and gritties of humanity. 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:50.359 In order to go on to maturity, you will be stretched and challenged and exposed and made uncomfortable by God's word. 00:17:50.659 --> 00:17:53.680 But God's word is also going to comfort you. 00:17:54.379 --> 00:18:00.960 And it's kind of like bring in knowledge and goodness that you will be grown through the stretch. 00:18:03.879 --> 00:18:05.980 No one drifts into Christian maturity. 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:07.440 No one. 00:18:09.659 --> 00:18:11.559 You don't become mature by accident. 00:18:15.319 --> 00:18:18.879 It's by moving from milk to solid food. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:22.799 Maturity. 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:29.899 Maturity is being skilled in applying God's word to your life. 00:18:32.619 --> 00:18:35.119 You're training yourself in God's word. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:44.399 One of the classic explanations of the difference between those immature and those mature is immature are that they need someone else to feed them God's word. 00:18:44.399 --> 00:18:48.879 The mature are able to feed themselves with God's word. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:52.120 And respond and respond and grow. 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.560 Let me ask you this question. 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:08.460 Do you really want to settle for a bottle of milk when you can have a multi-course steak dinner? 00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:09.460 Don't settle. 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:11.860 Don't settle. 00:19:11.860 --> 00:19:15.059 Move on to maturity. 00:19:16.340 --> 00:19:18.160 Press into your Bibles. 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:22.440 Now you may be asking this question like, well, how do I do that? 00:19:22.580 --> 00:19:23.600 What does that look like? 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:30.119 You press into maturity by consuming God's word. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:33.159 Sunday morning. 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:34.419 Sunday after Sunday. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:38.019 I am committed before God and to you. 00:19:38.019 --> 00:19:40.319 I am not going to water down what the Bible says. 00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:42.059 I can't. 00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:44.680 It would be unloving to you. 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:48.379 And so I'm going to give you meal after meal. 00:19:49.639 --> 00:19:50.160 And you know what? 00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:52.339 It's going to take, it's going to require you to concentrate. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:57.500 It's going to require you to follow nuanced arguments because that's what the Bible does. 00:19:57.500 --> 00:20:06.420 And what you're going to find is as you rise to it, you're going to find God's grace transforming you. 00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:10.599 Sunday after Sunday. 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:17.319 The preaching of God's word, the hearing of God's word, that is one way that you move on to maturity. 00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:19.579 Another way is you're reading your Bible daily. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:22.019 You're having a quiet time or a devotional. 00:20:22.119 --> 00:20:23.079 You're opening up your Bible. 00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:27.179 I'm in 2 Corinthians right now and I am being stretched. 00:20:27.899 --> 00:20:29.319 God is growing me unto maturity. 00:20:30.159 --> 00:20:32.899 We have other classes like the Discipleship Institute. 00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:39.319 These are designed to grow you, to feed you, to give you solid food. 00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:45.839 There's great books out there, plenty of podcasts, other preachers. 00:20:47.199 --> 00:20:52.259 One of the best things that you can do in order to be stretched and to grow unto maturity. 00:20:52.259 --> 00:20:52.980 Do you know what it is? 00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:56.879 You saddle up next to a more mature Christian. 00:20:58.339 --> 00:21:01.000 You saddle up next to them and you imitate what they're doing. 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:03.319 You're like, okay, I want to be like that. 00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:05.460 Hey man, what are you doing? 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:08.179 Can you show me? 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:11.019 And you know what that person is going to say to you? 00:21:11.639 --> 00:21:13.259 It's going to have something to do with God's word. 00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:23.420 We have moved from a rebuke to an exhortation. 00:21:24.220 --> 00:21:26.539 Go on to maturity, brothers and sisters. 00:21:26.539 --> 00:21:30.740 And now we move to the warning. 00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:33.620 The warning of the dull. 00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:35.259 This is in verses 4 through 6. 00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:40.519 I'm wondering if you were arrested by this when you heard it. 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:49.960 For it is impossible, verse 4, for those who have fallen away to restore them again to repentance. 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:52.779 What a warning. 00:21:52.779 --> 00:22:02.059 Now I've been trying to take some pains here to help you understand the context of which this warning falls. 00:22:02.059 --> 00:22:14.099 The writer of the book of Hebrews is writing verses 4 through 6 in the midst of addressing spiritual dullness in the church. 00:22:14.099 --> 00:22:24.119 It's a way of calling for people to go on to maturity. 00:22:27.659 --> 00:22:34.679 Spiritual dullness is those Christians who are professing to be Christians, but they're not evidently growing. 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:41.279 And what the concern is, is that that could be symptomatic of early onset apostasy. 00:22:41.980 --> 00:22:43.859 If you're not growing, why not? 00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:48.759 Is it because you're not laying hold of the means of grace? 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:51.500 Or is it because you've not been born of God? 00:22:53.740 --> 00:22:57.539 And so he is writing this particular warning, and it is stark. 00:23:00.159 --> 00:23:03.119 Because there's this kind of like spiritual gray zone. 00:23:07.219 --> 00:23:10.639 When someone, apostasy again, is like when someone professes Christ. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:15.960 And they may even have some pretty profound experiences. 00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:20.420 But eventually they come and reject Christ. 00:23:20.600 --> 00:23:22.400 They turn from him. 00:23:22.800 --> 00:23:23.860 They deny him. 00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:31.059 And what I believe is that if someone does that, they've not been genuinely converted. 00:23:32.219 --> 00:23:34.099 They were never a Christian to begin with. 00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:35.959 And there are reasons why I believe that. 00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:44.700 I believe that because of my understanding of God's sovereign role in the election of Christians. 00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:51.120 I believe that because of the efficacy, the power of Christ's death. 00:23:51.299 --> 00:23:55.360 I believe that because of the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:01.159 I believe that because God's love. 00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:05.839 Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, Romans 8. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:10.079 I believe this because of the solid food of God's word. 00:24:13.659 --> 00:24:15.399 What is this warning all about then? 00:24:17.939 --> 00:24:20.539 How are we to think about these warnings? 00:24:20.699 --> 00:24:24.059 Because this is one of five warnings in the book of Hebrews. 00:24:24.299 --> 00:24:26.419 How do we make sense of these things? 00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:37.920 Well, think of these warnings as a means of God's grace for genuine Christians to keep on the journey. 00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:43.240 Do you remember Christians' response to seeing the man in the iron cage? 00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:45.440 This is fearful. 00:24:46.620 --> 00:24:47.400 Help me, God. 00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:51.320 Help me to be watchful and sober that my heart not grow hard. 00:24:52.019 --> 00:24:53.620 And now it's time to get going. 00:24:54.560 --> 00:24:56.360 I got to get on the road. 00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:58.180 I'm moving to the celestial city. 00:24:58.620 --> 00:25:01.759 It motivates genuine Christians. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:07.120 So let's dive into this little passage. 00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:11.779 The first thing I want you to notice in verse 4 is the word case. 00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:16.560 For it is impossible in the case of those who've once been enlightened but fall away. 00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:18.200 Now look at verse 9. 00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:25.480 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things. 00:25:25.480 --> 00:25:27.680 Things that belong to salvation. 00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:38.240 And so what's going on here is that the writer of Hebrews is using a hypothetical situation, a case scenario, to address something to his audience. 00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:40.440 Notice the people he's calling beloved. 00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:45.740 The people he's calling beloved, who is confident of better things, things regarding salvation. 00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:50.259 He's not saying that this church has fallen away. 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:52.960 He believes that they're actually saved. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:57.819 But he's warning them with this case of those who've fallen away. 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:04.660 Notice five descriptions of those who have fallen away. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:06.039 Verses 4 and 5. 00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:09.000 Who have once been enlightened. 00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:12.659 Who have tasted the heavenly gift. 00:26:13.099 --> 00:26:14.319 Have shared in the Holy Spirit. 00:26:14.420 --> 00:26:16.319 Have tasted the goodness of the word of God. 00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:18.599 And the powers of the age to come. 00:26:18.659 --> 00:26:19.319 And then fall away. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:20.839 What is going on here? 00:26:20.879 --> 00:26:23.379 Because that sounds like a Christian. 00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:28.519 Once enlightened, at some point they understood the gospel. 00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:30.099 Tasted of the heavenly gift. 00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:34.359 They've experienced some kind of saving experience. 00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:35.919 Shared in the Holy Spirit. 00:26:36.219 --> 00:26:39.159 They have experienced something of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:40.619 The presence of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:43.259 They've tasted of the goodness of God's word. 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.059 They have left a service and said, boy, that was a good sermon. 00:26:49.959 --> 00:26:53.379 They have tasted of the powers of the age to come. 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:58.120 They've been affected by the promise of a heavenly. 00:26:58.920 --> 00:27:00.320 A new earth. 00:27:00.820 --> 00:27:01.920 A new heavens. 00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:02.860 A new Jerusalem. 00:27:04.260 --> 00:27:05.540 It sounds like they're Christians. 00:27:05.860 --> 00:27:06.340 But you know what? 00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:07.260 I don't think they are. 00:27:07.380 --> 00:27:07.840 Do you know why? 00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:08.840 I've got three reasons. 00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:09.380 Can I tell you? 00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:12.060 Here's reason number one. 00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:14.240 The parable. 00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:20.380 Jesus gives this parable in Mark chapter 4. 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.640 It's the parable of the sower. 00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:27.620 The sower is sowing seed and he casts the seed wide. 00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:30.000 And some of that seed falls on a path. 00:27:30.280 --> 00:27:33.720 Some of that seed falls on rocky soil. 00:27:34.060 --> 00:27:36.640 Another of that seed falls among thorns. 00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:40.080 And then the final group of seed, it falls among good soil. 00:27:40.380 --> 00:27:42.580 So there's four different soils talked about. 00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:45.380 But there's only two different kinds of people there. 00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:53.640 And the people, you know it's two different kinds of people based upon their fruitfulness. 00:27:53.640 --> 00:28:01.700 The seed that falls on the hard ground, birds come and pluck up, bears no fruit. 00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:08.940 The seed that falls upon the rocky soil, it shoots up fast and then the heat of day dries it up and it withers. 00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:09.820 No fruit. 00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:17.040 And then the seed that falls among the thorns, it starts to grow up but gets choked out by the thorns. 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:17.940 It bears no fruit. 00:28:19.339 --> 00:28:20.480 These are not Christians. 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:23.399 No. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:35.859 The real Christian is the good soil in which the word of God falls and it goes down under the surface. 00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:39.279 And it yields 30, 60, 100 fold. 00:28:40.419 --> 00:28:41.199 So do you know what this means? 00:28:42.819 --> 00:28:50.259 We will be with people who have responses of like soil two and three. 00:28:52.339 --> 00:28:53.719 They'll hear the word of God. 00:28:53.959 --> 00:28:55.619 They'll shoot up but they won't last. 00:28:55.879 --> 00:29:01.059 They'll hear the word of God but then they'll get choked out because their real treasure gets exposed. 00:29:02.959 --> 00:29:04.079 So there's the parable. 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:06.539 That's the first reason why. 00:29:07.679 --> 00:29:13.159 I don't think these people who are having these experiences in Hebrews chapter 6 are actually genuine Christians. 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:15.919 The second reason why is precedent. 00:29:18.159 --> 00:29:24.619 In Hebrews chapter 3, the writer does this exposition of Psalm 95. 00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:25.199 Remember that? 00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:29.779 And he's pointing back to the wilderness generation. 00:29:29.779 --> 00:29:32.980 And he keeps on saying today if you harden your voice. 00:29:33.379 --> 00:29:34.920 If you harden your heart. 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.279 If you hear his voice and harden your heart. 00:29:36.639 --> 00:29:37.920 You will not enter my rest. 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:47.320 That generation is an example of a people who were experiencing the power and the presence of God. 00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:50.060 Yet they didn't enter God's rest. 00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:59.000 It's an example right from Hebrews of a people who've had experiences yet their unbelief caught up with them. 00:29:59.379 --> 00:30:00.440 And they were not allowed in. 00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:07.259 That tells me that these people who've had these experiences in 4 and 5, they're not genuine believers. 00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:10.339 But the third reason. 00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:13.240 Blasphemy. 00:30:16.180 --> 00:30:20.500 That little phrase, fall away, in verse 6, and then have fallen away. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:24.099 You can read that and you're like, well, man, that doesn't sound so bad. 00:30:25.119 --> 00:30:27.019 It sounds like something happened to those people. 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:28.400 Not that they did something. 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:32.000 But then you start reading the rest of Hebrews. 00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:36.780 And you start understanding what the rest of Hebrews has to say about these people who've fallen away. 00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:39.420 That they're the ones who've hardened their hearts. 00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:43.720 Turn in your Hebrews to chapter 10. 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.960 It's another warning passage. 00:30:47.640 --> 00:30:52.400 Of these people who have fallen away, the writer says this in verse 26. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:58.720 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. 00:30:58.800 --> 00:30:59.680 Look down at verse 29. 00:31:00.180 --> 00:31:06.360 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God? 00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:09.500 And has profaned the blood of the covenant. 00:31:09.820 --> 00:31:10.340 His blood. 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:12.660 By which he was sanctified. 00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:15.420 And has outraged the Spirit of grace. 00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:18.680 That's those who have fallen away. 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:23.340 If you look at chapter 12, verse 25. 00:31:23.840 --> 00:31:26.279 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. 00:31:26.900 --> 00:31:35.460 For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:36.100 And who's that? 00:31:36.380 --> 00:31:36.980 That's Jesus. 00:31:37.980 --> 00:31:39.519 Exalted at the right hand of God. 00:31:40.840 --> 00:31:41.580 So check it out. 00:31:43.820 --> 00:31:46.660 These people who are having an experience of the Holy Spirit. 00:31:47.120 --> 00:31:48.360 They share in the Holy Spirit. 00:31:49.360 --> 00:31:52.200 But then they turn around and they reject Christ. 00:31:53.460 --> 00:31:55.140 They trample him underfoot. 00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:58.039 They profane his blood. 00:31:58.460 --> 00:32:00.279 They outrage the Holy Spirit. 00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:01.299 Do you know what this is? 00:32:03.840 --> 00:32:05.279 It's blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. 00:32:06.680 --> 00:32:10.720 And that's why it's impossible to restore them to repentance. 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:21.539 They are so hardened that they have removed themselves from the reach of God's grace. 00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:24.099 That's how far this has gone. 00:32:25.159 --> 00:32:30.240 So these people who have fallen away, this isn't some kind of temporary questioning of your king. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:33.920 This is a settled rejection of him. 00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:38.759 And that's why it's impossible to restore them to repentance. 00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:45.400 In Mark 3, Jesus talks about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. 00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:53.079 It's not attributing the truth to Jesus of what the Holy Spirit witnesses to. 00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:59.119 And so that's why they are crucifying him again. 00:32:59.119 --> 00:33:04.019 These people who reject Christ, who hold him to public shame. 00:33:04.099 --> 00:33:04.839 Do you know what this means? 00:33:05.639 --> 00:33:07.139 They have become, they're his enemies. 00:33:07.140 --> 00:33:14.180 They're saying, yeah, you know, the Romans and the Jews, when they, those people who crucified him because they rejected him. 00:33:14.300 --> 00:33:15.940 That's who you're lining up with. 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:17.340 That's who they're lining up with. 00:33:19.020 --> 00:33:20.740 They're holding him in contempt. 00:33:20.940 --> 00:33:23.660 They're saying, you are not the son of God. 00:33:24.140 --> 00:33:27.500 You are not the high priest in the order of Melchizedek. 00:33:27.600 --> 00:33:28.759 You are none of that. 00:33:29.040 --> 00:33:30.740 There's no salvation in you. 00:33:31.280 --> 00:33:33.840 That's how horrific this is. 00:33:37.140 --> 00:33:52.620 I believe, based upon these reasons and the solid food of the Bible, that a genuine Christian can never fall away from Christ. 00:33:54.180 --> 00:33:55.840 But this is a real warning. 00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:59.460 We can't dismiss it. 00:33:59.460 --> 00:34:08.340 We need to see the seriousness of this and heed it. 00:34:11.380 --> 00:34:18.579 In verses 7 and 8, we have this illustration that actually clarifies what I've been telling you. 00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:35.960 For the land that is drunk, the rain that often falls on it and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 00:34:36.440 --> 00:34:39.519 The land is talking about a certain kind of people. 00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:54.960 So a people who have drunk the rain that often falls on it, God's word falling down, and produces a crop, fruit, useful to those who've cultivated it. 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:56.480 They're blessed by God. 00:34:57.780 --> 00:34:59.199 So you hear God's word. 00:34:59.300 --> 00:35:00.259 It penetrates your heart. 00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:02.960 And you respond in repentance and faith. 00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:06.860 And you press on, holding fast to Christ. 00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:08.280 Blessing. 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:10.500 Verse 8. 00:35:11.720 --> 00:35:16.860 But if it, land, people, bears thorns and thistles. 00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:19.820 Maybe God's word is reigning upon them. 00:35:19.880 --> 00:35:23.099 It's not penetrating their heart because they're bearing thorns and thistles. 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:24.320 That's not useful. 00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:25.800 That's worthless. 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:28.920 Near to being cursed. 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:30.980 And what is that curse? 00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.199 What are they approaching? 00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:35.199 And its end is to be burned. 00:35:35.860 --> 00:35:37.720 The land will be burned. 00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:42.079 It's a picture of eternal judgment for rejecting Christ. 00:35:44.179 --> 00:35:51.599 And so what we have here, this warning to the dull is a serious warning because the writer is saying, 00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:54.500 Hey, your being dull is not okay. 00:35:57.199 --> 00:36:02.820 Your chronic immaturity starts to raise questions of whether you've been genuinely converted. 00:36:02.960 --> 00:36:06.099 So heed the warning. 00:36:10.099 --> 00:36:11.599 Here's some questions for you. 00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:41.599 Who's going to do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do what you do 00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:45.799 those two questions with any other name but Jesus, we need to talk. 00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:59.099 Now, if you're sitting in your pew and you're concerned of being dull, do you know what the 00:36:59.099 --> 00:37:09.259 solution is? You turn your gaze on Jesus and you go. You go to him. Saddle up next to a mature 00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:14.760 Christian. And if you're sitting in your pew and you're afraid of losing your salvation, you turn 00:37:14.760 --> 00:37:20.940 to Jesus, his finished work, and you move from milk to the solid food that is going to settle you. 00:37:26.120 --> 00:37:31.300 When warned, when Christian was warned by the man in the iron cage, remember what he said? 00:37:31.300 --> 00:37:38.800 Well, this is fearful, but it didn't paralyze him. He cried out for help. 00:37:39.260 --> 00:37:44.240 God, would you help me be watchful? And would you help me be sober, keep my heart from getting 00:37:44.240 --> 00:37:48.620 hardened? Because today I'm hearing your voice. I'm not going to harden my heart. I'm going to press 00:37:48.620 --> 00:37:55.940 on. It's time to get on our way. Let this motivate you. It's a means of grace to that end. 00:37:55.940 --> 00:38:06.900 And now we move from warning to encouragement. In verses 9 through 12, this passage doesn't 00:38:06.900 --> 00:38:10.220 wrap up with a word of warning. It wraps up with a word of encouragement. 00:38:11.900 --> 00:38:17.980 In verse 9, though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things. 00:38:17.980 --> 00:38:25.039 He moves from this case situation of apostasy back to the church. And he says, in your case, 00:38:25.460 --> 00:38:29.559 hey, we're confident of better things, things of salvation. And now we have to ask, well, 00:38:29.639 --> 00:38:40.400 what is he basing that on? What is he seeing? Verse 10, for God is not unjust so as to overlook 00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:52.680 your work. He bases this on God's fairness. God is not unjust. He's fair. He's just. But what is God 00:38:52.680 --> 00:39:01.300 seeing? For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his 00:39:01.300 --> 00:39:08.820 name and serving the saints as you still do. Now there's the fruit. It's not experiences. 00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:21.619 It's love. It's love. Love for the saints and serving them. That's the cardinal virtue of a 00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:29.340 Christian. That is the first things where God shows up. He changes a person's life and he totally flips 00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:36.780 them. And instead of living for themselves, they start to live for God and others. This is fruit of 00:39:36.780 --> 00:39:44.820 repentance. This is fruit of conversion. And so the author, having warned them of apostasy, 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:49.640 now encourages them with a vote of confidence and says, hey, God sees what you're doing, 00:39:50.480 --> 00:39:58.080 both past and future serving, past and present serving. So he encourages them 00:39:58.079 --> 00:40:08.880 to be Christ-like because Jesus in his love for his father came not to be served, but to serve and to 00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:21.039 give his life as a ransom for many. In verses 11 and 12, I'll wrap this up. He spurs them on with one 00:40:21.039 --> 00:40:27.719 more thing. See the word earnestness. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness, 00:40:27.920 --> 00:40:32.900 to have the full assurance of hope until the end so that you may not be sluggish. Do you know what the 00:40:32.900 --> 00:40:39.400 opposite of being dull is? Being earnest. And throughout the New Testament, that's translated 00:40:39.400 --> 00:40:49.480 into a few different words. Words like eager, words like zealous. In 2 Peter 1.5, it's make every effort. 00:40:52.920 --> 00:41:03.160 And we are to hold fast earnestly our hope all the way to the end. And I'm going to preach on that 00:41:03.159 --> 00:41:11.759 hope next week. You can see it. Verse 19, we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, 00:41:11.879 --> 00:41:17.019 a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our 00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:26.739 behalf. He is our hope. And so we saddle up next to people and imitate them, verse 12, who by faith and 00:41:26.739 --> 00:41:33.099 patience are themselves holding fast to Jesus all the way to the end. And we earnestly saddle 00:41:33.099 --> 00:41:40.559 up next to them and hold fast to our hope as well, all the way to the end. Heed the warning. 00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:49.860 Earnestly hold fast to your hope. This passage is about spiritual dullness, 00:41:51.159 --> 00:41:58.360 a chronic immaturity that can be symptomatic of early onset apostasy. And so it requires rebuke. 00:41:58.360 --> 00:42:03.320 It requires exhortation. It requires warning. It requires encouragement. 00:42:07.180 --> 00:42:13.820 After Christian sees the man in the iron cage, he heeds the warning, seeks God's help, 00:42:14.820 --> 00:42:18.380 and continues on his journey to the celestial city. 00:42:18.380 --> 00:42:23.500 He holds fast to Christ all the way to the end. 00:42:27.340 --> 00:42:28.300 And so must we. 00:42:30.700 --> 00:42:31.619 Let's pray together. 00:42:33.460 --> 00:42:34.260 God in heaven, 00:42:34.260 --> 00:42:34.300 God in heaven, 00:42:37.300 --> 00:42:39.200 would you 00:42:39.200 --> 00:42:42.099 have your way 00:42:42.099 --> 00:42:44.200 through your word 00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:45.939 in our hearts? 00:42:46.980 --> 00:42:48.199 Would you, 00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:49.239 Lord Jesus, 00:42:49.619 --> 00:42:50.719 would you help us, 00:42:51.159 --> 00:42:51.879 strengthen us, 00:42:52.279 --> 00:42:53.099 encourage us 00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:56.079 to say no to spiritual dullness, 00:42:56.619 --> 00:42:57.679 to drift, 00:42:58.980 --> 00:43:00.279 and to say yes 00:43:00.279 --> 00:43:02.179 to going on to maturity, 00:43:02.859 --> 00:43:04.059 to say yes 00:43:04.059 --> 00:43:06.399 to moving from milk 00:43:06.399 --> 00:43:07.419 to solid food. 00:43:08.299 --> 00:43:08.980 Grow us, 00:43:09.119 --> 00:43:09.319 God. 00:43:10.299 --> 00:43:11.460 Grow us by your word. 00:43:11.519 --> 00:43:12.419 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:43:12.919 --> 00:43:13.219 Amen. 00:43:13.219 --> 00:43:14.339 Amen. 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.339 --> 00:43:14.339 00:43:14.340 --> 00:43:44.320 Thank you.