Summer Scripture Series: Grow Up
This week, we continued our Summer Scripture series, where Pastor Robbie and others are going through the Book of Hebrews, verse by verse, to bring out their immediate meaning. This process of ‘exegesis’ is important to bring out the originally intended meaning of the author to their original audience!
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Pastor Robbie spoke out of Hebrews 5:11-6:3 saying, ‘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, 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. And this we will do if God permits.
The title of the message this morning is Grow Up. And look, I know what you’re thinking. Depending on how you say that phrase, it can be kinda offensive. It can hurt my feelings. It can rub you the wrong way. Like when your friend is whining about laws or restrictions or about having to wear a mask, and you hit them with a “just Grow Up.” Or when you’re younger and you want to do something outside of the rules, but your little sibling tries to convince you not to, you hit them with a “grow up,” So when I say that the title of the message today is Grow Up, do I mean for it to chastise you or remind you? Do I mean for it to be exhorting or encouraging? Am I trying to rebuke you or redirect you? And the answer to those questions is: Yes. Because that’s what the original author, the preacher that brought these words to the Hellenistic Jewish Christians, that’s how he approached this.
There is a doctrinal feast, ready to be laid out for the Hebrews and for us, but there is an obstacle, something that makes him pause right in the middle of this conversation. The obstacle is going to make it hard to get the food on the table the right way. The topic of Jesus’ high priesthood is apparently something of deep and transformative importance—something worth a few chapters of biblical meditation. But the doctrinal immaturity of the Hebrew Christians is making this rich feast a difficult one to serve. So his response is to issue a loving, pastoral rebuke. Hopefully, church, you have a capacity for that—for the correct, loving, shepherd-hearted rebuke of a faithful pastor.
There are four parts to his rebuke, four ways that they need to Grow Up in, that will help us understand the text and rightly respond to it:
1) They are Dull of Hearing (v5:11).
The dullness of hearing that he’s talking about is specifically, in this context, a dullness to hear the Scriptures. These are Hebrew Christians, Christians who not only have the apostolic teaching of the New Testament, which as they read this letter was still being written and circulated and read in churches—but also the Old Testament Scriptures. They knew the Bible—or they should have.
2) They are Doctrinal and Spiritual babies (v5:12-14).
Which implies, right, that the Bible is a thing that takes skill to use correctly. You have to grow up into this book. A child can open it and God will wonderfully, simply meet him there! He’s a good good Father and meets us where we are when we first come to him. My kids hear and understand as we read it together at home. But as you grow up, you will need to grow up in your understanding and work in this book.
3) They weren’t building on the Foundation (v6:1-3).
What that means is that there is not one particle of wisdom, truth, doctrine, or anything that is not to be found in Christ. Doctrinal maturity isn’t advancing past Christ, it’s building on Christ. The picture is of a house with a foundation. The foundational doctrines are those that hold up the structure above. Just as you don’t start building a house by putting the shingles on, you don’t start your theological discipleship by settling the dispute between Armenian and Calvinism. We start by getting the whole “Christian” thing right.
4) They have had plenty of time (v5:11-12).
The spiritual immaturity that we’re talking about in this text has nothing to do with time. There are many in the Church today who are the equivalent of a 29-year-old who can’t tie his shoes! The author says that they should have been teachers by now! That’s a strong statement since we know from elsewhere in the New Testament that not many should be teachers since teachers will be judged more strictly. Teachers are responsible to handle high theology with a clean conscience and a ready mind. That’s where the Hebrew Christians should have been; this wasn’t that they didn’t have enough time.
Do you see how all of these issues really find their connection in the knowledge and love of the Word of God? That’s it, right, that’s the needful thing. Do you want to be mature? Do you want to be able to discern good and evil? Do you want to be able to teach others and help others mature? Then love and live in this book! It’s all here, church. And can I qualify that I am not discrediting any other form of communication with the Lord in this sermon, but I felt the Lord teaching and stretching me in this week, so this is what I came to share with you today. Church, it’s time for many of us to Grow Up.
SOME KEY TAKE-AWAYS
Summer Scripture Series: Grow Up - Similar to how the author of the Book of Hebrews addressed their audience, there are many people in the church who have ceased in their maturation - we are called to do better for the sake of our relationships with Christ.
Main Scripture Passages: Hebrews 5:11-6:3
Ancient Errors for All People: They are Dull of Hearing (v5:11); They are Doctrinal and Spiritual babies (v5:12-14); They weren’t building on the Foundation (v6:1-3); They have had plenty of time (v5:11-12).
Some Practical Ways to Help: Be here every Sunday - or whenever you’re able; Get involved in a Missional Community - be in community with other believers seeking the same thing; Cultivate a mentality that loves reading and studying Scripture; Leave immature things behind.
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