GROWING IN SPIRITUAL MATURITY

Sermon Outlines for Growing Christians Spiritual Never-Never Land (Hebrews 5:11–6:3)

Spiritual Never-never Land

Hebrews 5:11–6:3

Introduction

Peter Pan is J. M Barrie’s classic tale of a boy who refuses to become a man. In similar fashion some Christians refuse to grow up in Christ. According to our text spiritual maturation requires a progression:

I. From Learning to Living

You are slow to learn … being still an infant … not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness (Hebrews 5:11, 13).

A. Some Christians suffer from a learning disability. This was the case for the Hebrew Christians.

1. The problem was not an intellectual one; it was spiritual.

2. Their ignorance was willful, evidencing itself in a conscious refusal to learn.

3. This resulted in an arrested spiritual development. They were still in grade school when, by now, they “ought to be teachers.”

B. Spiritual ignorance, willful or otherwise, is always treated as a serious problem in Scripture.

1. The prophet Hosea warns that “a people without understanding will come to ruin” (Hosea 4:14).

2. On numerous occasions Paul prefaced his teachings to the churches by declaring that he did not want them to be ignorant (Romans 1:13; 1 Corinthians 10:1).

C. True spirituality is a “subject” which cannot be learned in a classroom.

1. It must be learned experentially by living in right relationship with God.

2. Using the model of an athlete who systematically trains to compete, he suggests that righteousness is acquired through regular practice (5:14).

II. From Lingering to Leaving

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1).

A. Some Christians prefer the security of perpetual preparation for service to the challenges of actually living for Christ in a sometimes hostile world.

1. Instead of building upon the foundations of their faith, they continue to lay those foundation again and again.

2. Instead of seeking new experiences in Christian living, they are content to repeat the old ones.

B. A religion is a good place to hide from God.

1. Affirming doctrine is much easier than living in devotion.

2. Performing liturgy is much easier than practicing piety.

C. There is no “status quo” in righteousness.

1. To stand still is to begin to slip backwards.

2. As the author goes on to warn (6:4–12) arrested spiritual development may ultimately lead to apostasy.

Conclusion

Peter Pan is a charming plot for a play, but it is a crippling plot for a life. Those who follow this path never reach their spiritual potential. The gospel calls us to grow in Christ continually.

Illustration

As a college teacher I once enrolled a student in a class only later to learn that he had just completed a similar course at another college. When I asked him why he was willing to invest time and energy in a class he had already taken, he replied, “Because I know I can do well in it. I won’t have to study in order to pass.” Five years later, this same student was still taking classes even though he had enough credits to graduate. Preferring the inherent security of his educational “nest” to the unpredictable and imposing “real world,” he was intentionally prolonging the preparation phase of his life at the expense of the productive phase. Some Christians do much the same in the church.

Hebrews 5:11–6:3 ESV

11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 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, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 1 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, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.

Heb 5:11-

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Peter Pan is the classic tale of a boy who refuses to become a man. In similar fashion, some Christians refuse to grow up in Christ. According to our text spiritual maturation requires a progression:

I. We Must Grow From Learning to Living

You are slow to learn … being still an infant … not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness (, ).

A. The Hebrew Christians seemed to suffer from a learning disability.

1. The problem was not an intellectual one; it was spiritual.

2. Their ignorance was willful, evidencing itself in a conscious refusal to learn.

3. This resulted in an arrested spiritual development. They were still in grade school when, by now, they “ought to be teachers.”

B. Spiritual ignorance is always treated as a serious problem in Scripture.

1. The prophet Hosea warns that “a people without understanding will come to ruin” ().

2. On numerous occasions Paul prefaced his teachings to the churches by declaring that he did not want them to be ignorant (; ).

C. True spirituality is something that cannot be learned in a classroom.

1. It must be learned experientially by living in right relationship with God.

2. Using the model of an athlete who systematically trains to compete, he suggests that righteousness is acquired through regular practice (5:14).

II. We Must Grow From Lingering to Leaving

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity ().

A. Some Christians prefer the security of preparation to the challenges of actually living for Christ in a sometimes hostile world.

1. Instead of building upon the foundations of their faith, they continue to lay those foundation again and again.

2. Instead of seeking new experiences in Christian living, they are content to repeat the old ones.

B. A “religion” is a good place to hide from God.

1. Affirming doctrine is much easier than living in devotion.

2. Performing liturgy is much easier than practicing piety.

C. There is no “status quo” in righteousness.

1. To stand still is to begin to slip backwards.

2. As the author goes on to warn (6:4–12) arrested spiritual development may ultimately lead to apostasy.

Conclusion

Peter Pan is a charming plot for a play, but it is a crippling plot for a life. Those who follow this path never reach their spiritual potential. The gospel calls us to grow in Christ continually.

Illustration

I once heard of a college student who enrolled in a class he had just completed at another college. When asked why he was willing to invest time and energy in a class he had already taken, he replied, “Because I know I can do well in it. I won’t have to study in order to pass.” Five years later, this same student was still taking classes even though he had enough credits to graduate. Preferring the inherent security of his educational “nest” to the unpredictable and imposing “real world,” he was intentionally prolonging the preparation phase of his life at the expense of the productive phase. Some Christians do much the same in the church.

Let’s not be like the Hebrew Christians. Let us be willing to grow up into maturity to serve the living God!