A couple of years ago I preached a sermon series entitled "Look to Jesus" at Forest Community Church. This sermon comes from Hebrews 5:11-14 and is entitled "Grow Up, Learn, Discern." I will post the sermon notes below as well as a link to the video. Please be aware that the video may not completely line up to the notes below. We had some announcements before the sermon, so the sermon itself starts around the 3:00 mark on the video. Thank you for watching and reading!
Hebrews Series: Look to Jesus
Hebrews 5:11-14—Grow Up, Learn, Discern
Intro: The language of Hebrews shows a decided
interest in the words “hearing” and “obedience.” There is a very close
relationship between hearing God’s voice and obeying God’s commands. In Greek
the words “hear” and “obey” are even related. The point seems to be that
obedience demands attentive or responsive listening. Learn Obedience Like
Jesus.
The author of Hebrews utilized Psalm 95 and the incident at
Kadesh Barnea to drive this point home to his readers. Behind the formulation
of Psalm 95:7-11 stands the insight that listening and obedience are related
aspects of faith. Reluctance to listen and disobedience are related aspects of
unbelief. Listen and obey is the goal.
Hebrews 5:1-10 reminded us that Jesus listened and obeyed
(remember, he “learned obedience;” the reference here to learning and obeying
is similar to the expectation the author has for his readers). Jesus actively
obeyed God when he offered himself for us. He experienced fully the
significance of obedience. It is as the “Obedient One” that he has been exalted
(5:9). He is God’s Final Word—the final and complete Revelation of God—he is
the one to whom we must listen and obey. We need to learn obedience.
The insight that obedience begins with attentive listening
is essential to understanding Hebrews 5:11-6:20. The author of Hebrews has
introduced Jesus as a priest after the order of Melchizedek, but before
continues that line of thought he must deal with problems in his church. He
thinks that his friends are no longer listening to the voice of God as revealed
through Jesus, the final Word of God. They are acting as immature people, and
they need to grow up. In 5:11, he mentions that they have become hard or dull
or sluggish in their hearing. The development of a hearing problem is a
significant danger for men and women who are called to obey God. The close
proximity of 5:9 to 5:11 underscores the importance of attentive listening as a
prerequisite of obeying God. Starting with 5:11, the author now introduces the
central division of his sermon. He encourages his readers to grow up, to learn,
and to discern.
Hebrews 5:11-6:20 serve as the preparation of the congregation for the rest of the sermon. This section consists of two major sections: 5:11-6:12—the peril of spiritual immaturity; 6:13-20—a basis for steadfastness. The author offers two possibilities—promise or peril. “They may expose themselves to extreme peril by closing their ears to God, or they may find a basis for stability by listening to the voice of God as expressed through oath and promise.” Bill Lane, Hebrews: A Call to Commitment
This section can be divided into four paragraphs with
alternating tones: Paragraph 1 (5:11-14)—pessimistic; Paragraph 2
(6:1-3)—optimistic; Paragraph 3 (6:4-8)—pessimistic; Paragraph 4
(6:9-12)—optimistic. This alternation is the author’s way of trying to motivate
his readers by warning and encouraging them. He is calling them to attentive
listening and obedience in spite of the possible dire circumstances of their
future. Our focus today is on the first pessimistic section—Read Hebrews
5:11-14
Here the author admonishes his people to grow up, to learn,
and to discern. He reminds them that growing up requires practice. Failure to
practice causes immaturity. Point 1—Age Alone doesn’t produce maturity/the
marks of immaturity; Point 2—Maturity comes by constant obedience/practice.
Point 1—vv. 11-12: Age Alone Does Not Produce Maturity—the
marks of immaturity (Growing Up takes Practice): This pessimistic section
starts with a confrontation (5:11). The members of the church who received this
sermon have grown “sluggish” or “slow to learn.” They are not keeping pace with
their situation. There may even be a serious erosion of faith and hope within
the congregation. The lack is not due to time or growth. In fact, the author
notes that “by now” they should be teachers—people mature enough in the faith
to help others understand (5:12). Instead, they had regressed to point where
they needed someone to teach them “again” the fundamentals (i.e., the ABC’s) of
the faith—they needed milk, not meat (i.e., they have become infantile). They
had learned these things before, but due to their sluggishness in hearing and
obeying they needed some to go over their lessons with them again.
Ray Stedman (Hebrews, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series): “Immaturity is self-identifying. It has certain clear marks which provide a simple test that anyone can take to determine whether he belongs in this classification or not. There is an inability to instruct others.”
Immaturity is costly too. Our author will spell this out
more in chapter 6, but here he reminds his readers that stunted growth is NOT
healthy and is in fact deadly. If we aren’t growing in maturity, we are
languishing in the arrested development of immaturity. We need to move forward,
we need to be mature, we need to be teachers of each other.
These individuals had received a rich exposure to God’s
Truth, and yet they had regressed to being infants. The author is telling them
that they must resume their responsibilities as adults. They cannot remain in
an infantile stage in their hostile society. To remain immature will cost them
dearly, they must move to maturity. They must grow up, but to do so requires
learning and discernment. They must practice to grow up.
Point 2—vv. 13-14: Maturity Requires Practice—we must
learn to discern, and to do that we must OBEY. With biting irony, the
author addresses his audience as though they were on a “milk diet”
instead of on a steady diet of adult food (5:13-14). They are “inexperienced in
the word of righteousness.”
What is the reference to this “word of righteousness”? To what do these words refer? Right speech; Moral actions; Proper theology; General teachings of Christianity; Instructions about Christian righteousness; teaching about Messiah (and his righteousness). Bill Lane (Hebrews: A Call to Commitment) thinks it may refer to instruction that stresses the cost and responsibilities of discipleship. Lane notes that the phrase is used with regards to persecution (in some cases—Polycarp). The phrase may be a technical reference of some sort. Lane states “The expression ‘word of righteousness’ signifies instruction concerning a willingness to experience martyrdom.” He uses Polycarp as a model (Cf. Mark 8:34-38).
Perhaps the members of this church were recoiling at the
possibility of martyrdom due to persecution or the coming crisis. That is, they
were still paralyzed by the fear of death (Heb. 2:15). Their regression to
spiritual immaturity is a response to a life-threatening situation. The “adult”
Christian recognizes the moral claim of God on his or her life even if it
exposes the Christian to possible death. This is the situation that sets up our
next major warning passage in Hebrews 6.
Conclusion:
If we no longer want to be immature, how we may clearly
identify our arrested spiritual development and correct it? Are we concerned to
consider the serious consequences of this immaturity?
Are we on milk or solid food? The babes who desire only mild
doctrinal study are immature, whereas the mature desire solid food. Are we
feasting on the Word of God, or do we go to listen only to what you already
know. Is there a passion not for the religious fads, but for Christ and a
greater knowledge of Him? How do we grow up? How do we mature in the Christian
life? We grow by the use and frequent study of the Bible. We study it and
meditate on it and put it into daily practice. Luther: “I study my Bible as I
gather apples. First, I shake the whole
tree that the ripest might fall. Then I
shake each limb, and when I have shaken each limb, I shake each branch. Then I look under every leaf.” We need the
solid food of God’s Word. We must read it and obey it. We must put it into
practice. Get into the Word of God. All spiritual progress is made by putting
into practice what you already have received. Manna not eaten breeds worms.
Milk undigested turns sour. This week read the following: Jeremiah 32; Psalm
91; Amos 6; 1 Timothy 6; Luke 16.
Are we teaching others? These Hebrews had been converted
long enough to be ministering to others. Instead of teaching and making
disciples, they need someone to teach them and to disciple them. They are so
spiritually dull they need someone to teach them the same truths over and over
again. They have no interest in hearing and obeying God. When we make ourselves
available to God the Holy Spirit equips us to teach others. He nurtures us so
we can build up others (Ephesians 4). We need to be sowing the truth God has
taught us into the lives of other people. To be mature, we must ALL be teachers
giving from our increase to others. This week write down a list of the things
God has taught you in the past few months. Then make a point to share that list
with someone else. Put obedience to your hearing!
Finally, walk in truth. This week obey God as he makes his
desire known. Listen to him and then obey what you hear. Grow Up, Learn,
Discern.
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