joshmetts

Hebrews 5:11-6:12

As I was reading through this section of Hebrews God really got my attention. I have come to notice a lack of spiritual maturity in believers, at times I feel that the church as it stands today contributes to this spiritual immaturity that we see in our churches. People come to Sunday school, to the worship service, maybe a mid-week gathering. One thing that has bothered me about Sunday School, Worship Service is that it is a place were there can be next to no accountability. I have felt that our expectations in church are so low, at times I feel that we could really challenge people to step up and do so much more.

Looking at Hebrews 5:11 it starts out with strong words, my guess is to get their attention. (It certainly got my attention!!) “it’s hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.” These Jews seemed to be stuck in what they knew about Jesus. Just before this it says of Jesus that he was obedient and made perfect. It looks as if they were not moving beyond the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s as if the author is urging people to move, to act, to do something with what they knew about Jesus. But they were stuck. We see that in just the next verses Hebrews 5:12-14.

How many people in our churches today should be teachers, should be discipling others? But are just satisfied with coming sitting in a classroom or worship service and never doing anything with what they are hearing. As I read through Jesus’ teachings, it is clear that all believers should be moving to make disciples, showing love to other in His name. Every single person that attends church has access to the exact same Word of God that preachers and teachers have, but how many of us spend time really studying and getting into God’s Word. I have said this to our students in our student ministry several times, “My greatest desire is to put myself out of a job.” How great would it be to see students, adults, fully engaged in God’s word so much that Pastor’s roles change within the church. I think we as a church need to raise the expectations of what God really wants us to do as Christians.

Moving on into Hebrews 6:1-12, it is powerful once again with how the author opens this chapter. “Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God…” Now I think that often times we go through some of the same type sermons or teachings again and again, would we really need to do that if people would take the time to study it on their own. I understand that repetition helps, and think it is necessary to an extent. Some pastors and teachers are really good at helping people see different things that God is showing us and that is awesome!! I was talking to a guy this past week and as we talked about His coming to know who Christ was, he made a statement that stuck with me. He said that his first few times in church, he felt insulted by the pastor because week in and week out the same theme was being repeated. I think he really hit the nail on the head, we need to be challenged, but I think that it should come from not only Pastor’s and teachers, but from one another. Other Christians in the church should be challenging one another to live out the gospel.

There are other theological debates that can be pulled from this passage, but what I want to focus on is this challenge to Grow Up Spiritually. At the close of this section, Hebrews 6:11-12, there is another challenge to keep on loving others because of the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Vs. 12 grabs my attention, “so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Other versions say “so that you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent.” Being indifferent and spiritually dull is one of the biggest problems in most churches today. People are complacent, they are satisfied with the way “their church” is, it’s comfortable. We will not change lives, we will not transform lives the way that Jesus can and does with a building that has people who are complacent. We should be on fire, we should be excited about what God is doing in our lives and the lives of others. This needs to be celebrated. We will not be the church that God wants us to be until we challenge one another to grow to the spiritual maturity that is addressed in this passage of Scripture. We should always be growing as followers of Christ. If you feel like you are stagnate, it could be that God is calling you to something more in your life.

In my mind Church would look really different if we were to challenge one another to grow. Church as it stands now, really is more about spoon feeding people. Each week people return for another feeding. In another post I will go into more detail as to how church could look different.

Hebrews 5:11-6:12 (Dwell on it, what is God saying to you?)

Ephesians 4:11-16 (a passage that speaks to what the body of Christ should be doing, unified as the body of Christ.)