Why We Lack Discipline

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.

Thesis/ Central Idea:

To renew our faith will require some form of discipline; however, we are unskilled and have trouble discerning good from evil.

Introduction:

As human beings we share common thinking

Common thinking is a base understanding of things and this thinking becomes comfortable for us

we often don’t want to stretch ourselves beyond common thinking perhaps because we are fearful and it can be uncomfortable to our flesh and carnal existence

You ever play the game “It” or “Tag”?

I’m thinking of the game where there is a Base where you are safe and a destination goal where you have to go in order to win

for too many of us Base is the world and we are afraid to be tagged It, so we stay on base never learning to navigate the obstacles that can get us to the destination goal

The Hebrew writer in our text today has just shared some wonderful teaching about the superiority of Jesus to Moses; the Law; and Angels; Aaron’s Priesthood

He wants to go deeper with his audience but cannot because they have become dull in hearing

they are in danger of going back to base

Needing someone to teach you again

This need is evident when you are not teaching others about the Faith

It is not only speaking of the formal role as teacher with students

but also teaching in any capacity

answering anybody who has questions about the Faith

You ought to be teachers

John 16:12 ESV

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

The Hebrew writer wants to go deeper in revealing truths to the recipients but they aren’t ready

Maturity and growth are an expectation of our Lord

Too many of us are still stuck on ground zero, the first square

Unsettled on the basic principles of the oracles of God

2 Peter 3:16 ESV

16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

With anything there things that are easy and things that are hard

Perhaps a better way to describe it,

there are things that are shallow and things that are deep

another understanding is

there are things that are first, before moving on to what is second

Being unsettled in the basic principles causes doctrinal error and common thinking

This also reminds me of...

1 Timothy 4:7–8 ESV

7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

[the refusal to go deeper or move to what is next creates those who are unskilled…]

Unskilled in the word of Righteousness

Another way of saying unskilled is: incompetent; inexperienced; uneducated; unqualified; unschooled.

Where your faith is concerned you are awkward; green; inadequate; inept; not up to; undeveloped; unequipped.

You need milk, not solid food

Isaiah 28:9–10 ESV

9 “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? 10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”

This is also why the unskilled are tossed too and fro with the challenges that this world produces

When it comes time for discernment, we are at a loss

[In other words…]

Trouble distinguishing Good and Evil

Our kindergarten spirituality has tricked us into believing we are not suppose to judge things

[We have…]

A childlike understanding

1 Corinthians 13:11 ESV

11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.

The unskilled reason as children

This is common thinking

We are not disciplined due to our decision to remain children in the faith

Not enough practice

Ezra 7:10 ESV

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

Make up in your minds to increase and renew your faith

Peter picks up this same theme in the epistle that bears his name, listen to his lament and edification...

2 Peter 1:3–15 ESV

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Conclusion:

Even if we aren’t teaching in Sunday School or Wednesday Bible classes, we still ought to be teachers

The world has questions and we should have answers

Begin by settling on the basic principles and confirm them in your living

Do whatever it takes to move off of milk and prepare for solid food

children are only needed for children's duties

and the church needs adults to help her continue to move forward

Our ability needs to increase at being able to discern good from evil

Like children we are swayed by common thinking

Common thinking that originates and propagates worldly, carnal existence

Common thinking keeps us at a childlike understanding

common thinking is the result of not enough practice in spiritual things

Get off of the base of worldly safety and begin navigating to the reward and promise that is found in scripture