Hebrew 5:11-14

Good morning, church.

If you will, please turn your copy of God's Word to Hebrews chapter 5.

Hebrews 5 · chapter mention

!

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.

Hebrews 1 · chapter mention

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

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

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.

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

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,

Deuteronomy 6:4–5

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,

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,

Matthew 28:18

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,

Hebrews 10:34

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.

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

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,

2 Corinthians 3:18

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,