Hebrews 5:11 – 6:12
“Christian Maturity”
This is one of the most
misunderstood passages of Scripture.
There are two reasons for this.
First, people try to impose a theological grid to explain away the
meaning. The problem is that nobody has
the right to alter Scripture. Second,
bad brewed theology flips this into something it is not. The problem is that nobody has the right to
bully another.
The author of Hebrews has
just opened a serious discussion on Jesus as our High Priest. To dive into this subject requires skill,
patience, and maturity. It is at this
point we stop to ponder our maturity BECAUSE where you are and what direction
you are moving will determine how you deal with the following subject matter.
Four “simple” lessons about
Christian maturity:
I. If you
don’t grow you die. [5:11 – 14]
A. Law of nature… definition of living – “grows from the inside out.”
1. Dead things
do not grow from the inside out… no energy, no process, and no life.
2. Dying things
have ceased to grow.
B. Christian maturity knows “it’s not about me.”
1. [v 11]
“BECAUSE you no longer try to understand.” [NIV2011]
a. “The
verb implies a deterioration on the hearer’s part.” [Vincent]
b. This
unwillingness to understand is sometimes translated sluggish, lazy, and stupid.
c. Literally
it means “no push.”
2. [v 12] “You
need milk, not solid food.”
a. The
image here is of a baby needing to be fed.
b. Mature:
someone who is capable of feeding themselves. (“trained by constant practice” ESV)
3. Simply put
the mature understand it is not about what they like or want.
a. Other people and common goals become more important than the self.
b. Children…
the world revolves around them. Adults… the world revolves
around what must be done.
II. If you
don’t stand firm you will fall. [6:4 – 6]
A. This is NOT an accidental falling… deliberate, systematic.
(“entire and willful
apostasy.” JFB)
1. The word
“impossible” is a hard one… BUT…
a. It is
the same word (idea) that says it is “impossible” for God to lie [Hebrews 6:18].
b. It is
the same word (idea) that says it is “impossible” to obtain forgiveness through works or ceremony [Hebrews 10:14].
c. It is
the same word (idea) that says it is “impossible” to please God without faith [Hebrews 11:6]
2. If you have
a Bible that includes the word “if”… it’s not in the text…. The
text says “and”
a. These
are people who HAVE been enlightened, who HAVE tasted the heavenly gift, who HAVE shared in the Holy Spirit, who HAVE tasted the goodness
and power [vv 4 – 5]
b. All
those words (ideas) are in the past tense, indicating they were possessed and experienced.
***** These are believers who
have willfully walked away from Christ. *****
3. How can we
do this?
a. Stop
attending church… out of the habit means we’ve put something else as our priority.
b. Willful
and habitual sin… breaks our relationship with God.
c. Deliberate
renunciation of Christ…
B. Christian maturity means they are “all- weather” Christians.
1. There are
those who follow when things are “bad.”
a. They
look to Jesus to do something...
b. They
gain comfort and support from the church in need.
c. BUT
when the pressure is off, they are on their feet… they vanish.
2. There are
those who follow when things are “good.”
a. The
enjoy what is happening…
b. BUT
when pressure comes, they find themselves on their back, or they get
lured away by a better offer
(even a “better” church)… they
vanish.
3. How it works…
a. God
still speaks and works…
b. …but
we train ourselves to respond or NOT respond.
III. If you
plant the right crop you thrive [6:7 – 10]
A. “Land that drink in the rain…” [v 7]
1. Think of it
this way: God provides with what we need to grow a useful crop. [v 7]
2. That’s the
goal… “USEFUL”
a. The
word here means “appropriate” in the context of well placed.”
b. The
contrast is land that is overrun by thorns and thistles.
B. Maturity understands you harvest what you
plant.
“You cannot fool God, so don't make a fool of
yourself! You will harvest what you plant. [8] If you follow your selfish
desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will
harvest eternal life.” [Galatians 6:7
– 8 CEV]
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due
season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
[Galatians 6:9 KJV]
1. This means
we are going to have to guard what goes in… GIGO [Garbage In, Garbage
Out]
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you
do flows from it.” [Proverbs 4:23
NIV2011]
2. It’s what’s
in your heart that matters…
a. In
your heart are the things that motivate you.
b. In
your heart you hold your priorities.
c. In
your heart you decide.
IV. You win if
you press forward. [6:11 – 12]
A. The only way to “lose” is to quit.
1. We are told
to “show… diligence to the very end.” [v 11]
a. Full
assurance comes from our diligence…
b. Full
assurance is not an opinion, not construct, not wishful thinking… it
is the evidence of persevering grace
[John Wesley].
2. “We do not
want you to become lazy…” [v
12]
a. Same
word as in verse 11… This unwillingness to understand is sometimes translated sluggish, lazy, and stupid.
b. Faith
and patience are required in a world that is losing energy.
B. Maturity knows that you get out what you put
in.
1. Feel God has
left you short? Seriously, what
effort have you made?
a. Think
of it this way: a tool box verses a job. If you don’t used the
tools
to do the job then why are you
complaining?
b. What’s
your excuse?
2. Thing is…
our sinful nature uses our sinfulness to make us useless to God.
a. Ever
wonder why we put so much emphasis on being useful in the church and in our community?
b. Disciples
are not spectators… spectators are complainers… complaining is useless.
In Sault Ste. Marie Herbert
J. Taylor developed “The four way test” for business dealings. Today I’d like to suggest “the four way Jesus
test” in conducting our spiritual life.
The four way Jesus test:
1. Is it about Jesus? (Self
or Christ…)
2. Is it Jesus we are
following? (In good times or
bad…)
3. Is it what Jesus
wants? (Harvest what you plant…)
4. Is it abundant life
in Jesus or slow death in self? (Your choice…)