Sermon June 17, 2018 "Maturity"

Overview

A Call to Spiritual Maturity

"Will you please grow up?" is the kind of plea a tired parent might whisper to children in a department store aisle—but it is also, in essence, what God speaks to His people through Hebrews 5:12: "Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God." The author's frustration is plain. These were not new believers, yet they still required milk rather than solid food. The remedy is given in Hebrews 6:1: "Therefore, let us go on toward maturity"—not by abandoning the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith toward God, baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment, but by building upon it. The same call sounds in Ephesians 4:11–14 and 1 Corinthians 3:1–2.

Scripture holds together two truths that at first seem in tension. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus tells us we must become like children to enter the kingdom—a call to childlike dependence upon Him for our salvation, since we cannot redeem ourselves through works of the flesh. Yet in 1 Corinthians 14:20, Paul writes, "Do not be children in your thinking… in thinking be adults." We are called to be childlike in dependence and mature in thinking.

The Word of God is the means by which God grows us up. Hebrews 5:13–14 ties immaturity directly to being "unskilled in the word of righteousness," while maturity belongs to "those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." The Greek word translated "dull" in Hebrews 5:11 carries the sense of lazy or negligent—a sobering diagnosis in our own day, when biblical literacy is shrinking even within the church. Deuteronomy 6:5–9 calls God's people not to word abandonment but to word immersion: binding His commands on hand and forehead, writing them on the doorposts, talking of them at home and away. Jesus prays in John 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth," and Paul reminds us in Romans 12:2 and 2 Timothy 3:16 that transformation comes by the renewing of our minds through Scripture.

Our resistance to growth is rooted in sin: we prefer ignorance because the Word exposes how far from Christ we still are. But here grace meets us. Jesus has already borne our immaturity, our laziness, our preference for milk over meat, paying for it all on the cross. The risen Lord now empowers the very thing He commands. Practically, this means Sunday morning alone is not enough. Maturity is cultivated through daily reading of Scripture, joining Bible studies, teaching the Word in our homes to children and grandchildren, gathering weekly to receive the Word as God's people, and belonging to a church laser-focused on proclaiming Scripture above all else. By His grace, may we be more mature today than yesterday—and more mature tomorrow than today.

Transcript

The Department Store was relatively quiet, save a few customers, a mother, and a couple of 0s

for kids. 6s

The kids were being, well, as kids can be, in a Department Store when they're trying 8s

to pass time. 13s

And for those of us that aren't in that stage anymore, there was some smiles I noticed upon 16s

the faces of those that were observing. 23s

The mother was doing her best to shop and also to watch your kids. 25s

At one point, she called the kids into the corner, away from most of the ears. 33s

And said, will you please grow up? 42s

Will you please grow up? 53s

Sometimes it comes from the lips of parents, doesn't it? 61s

And other times, it comes from the pages of Scripture. 66s

Would you please grow up? 73s

That's what we have today in the fifth chapter of Hebrews. 79s

It is a call to spiritual maturity. 81s

Look with me, please, at verse 5 or verse 11, excuse me, verse 12 of chapter 5. 86s

For though by this time, you ought to be teachers. 94s

You need someone to teach you again. 99s

The basic elements of the oracles of God, you need milk. 103s

Not solid food. 110s

This is a frustration, is it not being expressed by the author of Hebrews? 113s

We don't know for sure who wrote Hebrews. 118s

The best guest that Luther's guest was was a Paulus who was a teacher in ancient day. 122s

But we don't know for sure. 127s

So whoever it was, however, is expressing this divine frustration. 129s

That indeed, here were Christians who had been receiving apostolic teaching. 136s

And yet, there was this need to continually return to the basic foundational statements and truths of what it was they were teaching. 141s

Look again at verse 12, for though by this time, that means they're not new Christians, aren't they? 154s

But they have been receiving the teaching, the pontaching, a pontaching, and they should have been the author of Hebrews says, 164s

You should have been a teacher now of this. 174s

In other words, there should have been some basic level of understanding whereby you could communicate this truth accurately to others. 177s

What's the condition? 189s

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you. 191s

Again, the basic elements of the oracles of God. 199s

You need milk, not solid food. 208s

What were the basic elements here? 214s

The oracles of God here that was continually then needing to be reinforced. 216s

We get that as we slide into chapter 6. 222s

Look when we place it verse 1 of chapter 6. 226s

Therefore, let us go on toward perfection, or you can translate that maturity. 230s

Let us go on toward maturity. 238s

Here's the same theme again, leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ and not laying again the foundation. 240s

What's the foundation here? 251s

It's listed then for us. 253s

Repentance from dead works and faith toward God. 256s

We are not saved by what we do. 260s

We are saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 263s

We are saved by what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross, redeeming us on the cross. 268s

Not laying again the foundation. 277s

Repentance from dead works and faith toward God. 279s

That was a basic teaching then that had to keep coming back to it. 284s

Let's go over and over again. 289s

Go on. 292s

Instruction about baptisms. 294s

There was John the Baptist baptism. 297s

There was the Christian baptism. 299s

There were Jewish ritual washings. 301s

They should have understood by this point. 305s

The author is saying, should have understood here the distinctions between these. 308s

These are foundational truths that have been taught. 312s

You go on to say, laying on of hands. 316s

That's the placing of one hands upon the shoulder or the head of someone in times of prayer in blessing and commissioning. 321s

There had been teaching upon that. 330s

It was the basic foundational teaching that then had to be looped back and echoed once again. 332s

Resurrection of the dead that indeed when Christ comes again, 340s

all will rise and eternal judgment that those who reject Christ as Savior and Lord face an eternity of God's wrath and judgment in hell itself. 345s

There's one again of chapter six. 361s

Let us go toward maturity. 363s

Leaving behind the basic teaching about Christ not laying again the foundation. 366s

There's a time for milk and there's a time for solid food and the polos or whoever it was is saying. 376s

We have to still keep going back to the milk here. 394s

It's time to move on into maturity. 400s

The maturity. 406s

We hear that same theme in Ephesians the fourth chapter. 408s

They're the Apostle Paul writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says this in chapter four. 413s

He says the gifts he gave were that some would be Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. 419s

To equip the saints for the work of ministry. 428s

For building up the body of Christ until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, here it comes to maturity. 432s

To the measure of the full statue of Christ, we must no longer be children, he says. 447s

He also says in 1 Corinthians 3 and so brothers and sisters, 458s

I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh as infants in Christ. 464s

I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. 474s

Chapter 6 again. 486s

Verse 1. 488s

Therefore, let us go on toward maturity. 490s

Verse 12 again of chapter 5, 497s

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic elements of the oracles of God. 500s

You need milk, not solid food. 510s

But, doesn't God call us to be children? 519s

Doesn't it call us to be children? 528s

Why? 533s

In Matthew 18th chapter, scripture says, he, Jesus, called a child who he put among them and said, 534s

True the I tell you unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 542s

So on the one hand you have this call to spiritual maturity and on the other hand you have this call to be a child. 553s

So which one is it? 561s

Both. 565s

Both. 567s

We let the scripture interpret the scripture. 569s

Here in Matthew 18, it's talking about childlike dependency upon God. 574s

For all that we have, all that we are, childlike dependency upon Jesus Christ to redeem us. 580s

Can not turn to the works of the flesh to think that we can somehow redeem ourselves. 589s

No, it is absolute childlike dependency as a child is dependent upon the parent. 595s

So here is the call for us to be that dependent for our life, for our eternal life upon Jesus. 603s

We are to be the child. 615s

We are also to be mature. 618s

We're to be childlike in our dependence and mature in our thinking. 624s

Scripture tells us, first Corinthians 14, brothers and sisters, 634s

do not be children in your thinking. 639s

Rather be infants in evil. 645s

But in thinking, it all's. 650s

It all's. 656s

So how does that happen? 659s

To move into spiritual. 665s

Authority. 672s

We live in a day in which there is an increasing. 676s

What can be termed biblical illiteracy. 681s

One looks at society and you know that 50% of Americans can't name before. 687s

God knows. 700s

60% can't name. 702s

Five of the ten commandments. 707s

82% believe. 712s

The phrase. 715s

God helps those who help themselves. 717s

82% of Americans believe that that is found in the Bible. 720s

When Christians are asked the same question. 727s

Does the phrase. 732s

God helps those who help themselves. 734s

Is that found in the Bible? 736s

Christians do better on that question. 738s

By 1%. 744s

81% of Christians say. 745s

That Scripture says. 750s

God helps those who help themselves. 752s

A shocking number of people in one study said that the sermon on the mound was preached by Billy Graham. 756s

That is an amazing. 770s

Amazing statistic, isn't it? 772s

But then you look at the church specifically. 776s

Not just society as the whole. 782s

And you can pick your study. 786s

Pick your study. 789s

There's a constant theme that runs through all of the studies. 791s

And that is there is a decreasing knowledge of the Scripture in the church. 797s

A decreasing embrace of the Holy Scriptures in the church. 806s

Decreasing knowledge. 815s

Pick your study. 819s

They all say the same thing. 821s

There is a link between spiritual maturity and familiar and being rooted in the Word of God. 825s

There's a link between spiritual maturity and being familiar with and being rooted in the Word of God. 839s

Let me show you where that comes from Scripture. 851s

Look at verse 13. 853s

For everyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is unskilled in the Word of righteousness. 857s

There's the problem, right? 869s

What is being quaded here? 871s

But if you're unskilled in the Word of righteousness, if you are unskilled in the gospel, 874s

if you are unskilled in the Scripture, that is associated with the need for continued milk. 880s

I think of Deuteronomy, the sixth chapter. 891s

There it says this. 895s

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, with all your might. 896s

Keep these words that I'm commanding you today in your heart. 901s

Recite them to your children. 907s

Talk about them when you're at home and when you're away, when you lie down and when you rise, 909s

bind them as a sign on your hand. 915s

Fix them as an emblem on your forehead. 918s

That was a little box that used to hang right in front of the forehead of the people 921s

to where the Word of God was literally before their eyes as they walked around. 926s

By them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead. 932s

Write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates. 936s

That is a call to word immersion to be bathed in the Word of God. 942s

Why? 948s

Because there's a link between familiarity of the Word of God 949s

and spiritual maturity. 955s

There's a link between the two. 959s

It is word immersion. 961s

Our temptation is to word abandonment. 966s

Not a version. 974s

Here's the problem. 977s

Chapter 5 verse 11, please. 980s

Verse right before our text for today. 984s

The author writes, 988s

About this we have much to say that is hard to explain. 990s

Since you have become dull in understanding. 998s

You have much to say. 1003s

It's hard to explain. 1004s

Since you've become dull in understanding. 1006s

That Greek word there translated dull. 1011s

It means lazy or negligent. 1016s

What was the problem then? 1021s

With these early Christians. 1023s

They had become lazy. 1025s

They had become negligent in the study of the Word of God. 1027s

So when a Paulus is coming along and is teaching about the high priesthood of the Word of God. 1034s

Of the Lord Jesus Christ, he's getting blank stairs. 1040s

Why? 1047s

Because they're not rooted in the Word. 1048s

Because they were dull. 1051s

They were negligent. 1053s

They were lazy. 1056s

That is a temptation born out of our sinfulness. 1061s

In our sinfulness. 1067s

We don't like to be challenged and we don't like to be pushed. 1069s

And when we open up the pages of Holy Scripture, 1074s

We will be challenged and we will be pushed. 1077s

It will be revealed to us how much we have to grow. 1081s

It will be revealed to us how far from Jesus Christ we are in terms of our thoughts and words and our deeds. 1086s

And so in our sinfulness, we will by nature prefer ignorance. 1096s

Why? 1104s

Because ignorance is why. 1104s

It's bliss. 1107s

If I'm ignorant about how much I need to grow, 1110s

then I'm not challenged in my own grow. 1118s

And if the Word is the vehicle whereby my need for growth is exposed, 1123s

because I'm content in my ignorance. 1135s

See, that's the temptation. 1142s

The world of us isn't it? 1144s

The old Adam and old Eve in us. 1146s

Temt, Satan, camps us to move away from the Word of God, 1153s

to be content with the dribble of the Word 1163s

instead of the torrent and the washing of the almighty Word of God. 1170s

As the Word reveals this about us, 1184s

here comes this fresh blow of grace. 1189s

Because as we are revealed for the people that we are content in who we are, 1193s

when our sinfulness is revealed, here comes the fresh blow of grace. 1203s

The fresh blow of grace that says that Jesus Christ has taken all of our sin upon him at the cross, 1209s

including our immaturity and including our pensions to prefer milk instead of solid food. 1219s

He's born it. 1230s

He's paid the debt. 1232s

We are forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ. 1234s

And now that fresh blow of grace comes from the resurrected reigning Lord Jesus Christ, 1238s

that fresh blow of grace to give us that divine discontent of who we are, 1247s

as he empowers us to become who he makes us through his Word. 1260s

I want to be more mature today than I was yesterday. 1273s

And I want to be more mature tomorrow than I am today. 1283s

You too? 1297s

You too? 1299s

So how do we know when we're a mature Christian? 1304s

How do we know when we're a mature? 1309s

Well, on the one hand, the more you know, the more you realize you don't know. 1314s

So the more we know of holy scripture, the more we realize how much we have to learn of holy scripture. 1324s

Incredible book is it not? 1332s

Well, we have in the holy scripture, we have the mind of God. 1334s

God says, this is who I am and how I think. 1338s

We're an incredible book to study and to plum its depths. 1343s

And we will all die but having scratch the surface of it. 1348s

Isn't incredible book. 1353s

So the more we realize we know, the more we realize we don't know. 1355s

The more we grow, the more we realize how much we have to grow. 1359s

The more we see by grace of God, Christ exemplified in our life, 1366s

the more we will understand how far away from the perfection of Christ we are. 1370s

That's part of our maturity, right? 1377s

So on the one hand, how do we know? 1380s

When we're a mature Christian, we'll always always understand our self as the need for growth, right? 1385s

On the other hand, scripture does reveal to us a self awareness of maturity. 1396s

It's really interesting. 1404s

Paul says, Paul says it this way, Philippians the third chapter. 1406s

He says, let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind. 1409s

Now there's one who fully understood his need for growth, 1420s

who fully understood his own immaturity at the same time could then say, let those of us then who are mature. 1422s

So how did Paul then come to the self awareness that by God's grace, 1431s

he had been brought to some assemblance of maturity spiritually in his life. 1437s

Verse 14 helps us. 1445s

Verse 14 of chapter 5. 1447s

Solid food is for the mature. 1451s

So how then is mature to find, here comes the clause, 1456s

for those whose faculties that you mind have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. 1460s

Well, there's the mark, isn't it? 1475s

When God by His grace, trains our faculties to be able to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong 1478s

between good and evil, there is revealed why the apostle Paul can say in Philippians 3, 1487s

those of us who are mature. 1495s

Well, at the same time, understanding his profound need for growth. 1499s

You say, we enter into by God's grace, a level of maturity when we are able to hear something from the world, 1505s

and then say, how does that compare to the teaching of God's word that is consistent with it or that is the opposite of it? 1517s

There's a level of maturity there. 1528s

That comes through the training of what? 1532s

It comes through the training of our faculties. 1535s

It comes through the training of our mind. 1538s

It does not come by simply getting chronologically older, right? 1541s

That's a different level of experiential maturity where you say, you know, I've kind of gone through this kind of kind of road. 1550s

That's different from spiritual maturity, isn't it? 1558s

Spiritual maturity is not necessarily linked with chronological maturity. 1561s

Spiritual maturity comes through the training of the faculty. 1567s

It comes through the training of the mind. 1572s

It comes through the training of holy scripture. 1574s

Why listen to what Jesus says in John the 17th chapter. 1580s

He says, sanctify them in the truth. 1584s

Your word is truth. 1588s

sanctify them. 1591s

Set them apart. 1593s

Make them holy. 1594s

Make them more and more like Jesus Christ. 1595s

sanctify them in the truth. 1600s

So what is it then that God uses to make us more and more like Christ to set us apart to make us more and more spiritually mature? 1604s

It's His word. 1614s

It's the training of the faculty. 1615s

It is the training of the mind which gives us then the ability to discern truth from our error. 1617s

There's maturity. 1626s

There's maturity. 1628s

Paul says this in Romans 12, 1631s

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 1633s

Second Timothy the third chapter. 1641s

All scripture is inspired. 1644s

Remember that word means exhale. 1646s

It is exhale by God and it is useful for teaching, for proof, for correction and for training in righteousness. 1647s

How then do we become mature in our faith? 1659s

First we're all the work in progress. 1668s

We're all the work in progress. 1671s

But there is a self-awareness of maturity that comes when one can discern what is right, what is wrong, 1675s

what is good, what is evil, what is scriptural, what is non-scriptural. 1687s

That's a window-intimitory. 1694s

What is God's say to us today in this word? 1701s

But similar to the parent in the department store, 1707s

he turns and he says, 1712s

What do you please grow up? 1717s

Which please grow up? 1722s

But in his grace, he empowers the very thing he commands and he empowers it through his word, through his word. 1726s

We will not grow spiritually apart from being immersed in his word. 1743s

Doesn't happen. 1754s

God says, here's the tool and his grace, he says, 1757s

And this is what I do. 1760s

I'm going to keep taking you from the milk to the milk. 1764s

And that's his grace, he says. 1775s

Starts with a self, doesn't it? 1779s

Starts with a self. 1781s

It starts with saying, Sunday morning, for 25 to 30 minutes, that is not sufficient. 1783s

That's not a sufficient amount of the word that I need. 1790s

It means day after day after day reading in the Holy Scripture, 1795s

studying his word. 1799s

It means getting involved in the studies of words with the other people moving into Bible studies. 1802s

It means in the homes teaching our children and our grandchildren, the truth of God. 1808s

It means becoming teachers ourselves so that we might proclaim the great truths of Holy Scripture with clarity and with accuracy. 1814s

It means week after week after week gathering as the people of God on the Lord's day to receive His word. 1825s

To receive His word and then to be sent forth. 1837s

It means churches that like a laser beam are focused on the teaching of the word of God. 1842s

And everything else is a far second. 1851s

Everything else is far second to that. 1857s

It's the teaching and the proclamation of the word that must be paramount in a church. 1860s

It starts with a self, it's in the family. 1871s

It's together as we gather as the larger family of the body of Christ. 1875s

And how beautiful it is, isn't it? 1881s

That right now this morning in this place, 1885s

God who says, 1892s

for up is empowering and maturing us at this very moment. 1897s

How beautiful that is, how beautiful it is as God calls together His body grows us up and matures us together. 1907s

So that by His grace, we're going to be more mature today than we were yesterday and by His grace. 1926s

We will be more mature tomorrow than we are today, maturing. 1936s

Thank you. 1971s