Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
August 26, 2001 A.M.
Going On Toward Christian Maturity
Reading - Hebrews 5.11-6.3
What does it take for the church of Christ in Bella Vista to become... The true family of God?
Well...
-We could talk about the right name over the door...
-About the kind of worship God desires...
-Church organization...
-What one must do to be added to the household of God.
But... We in this church have already accomplished these things.
So... The Hebrews writer says... Now it’s time to move on to Christian Maturity.
-Now it’s time to leave the milk and get into the meat,
-It is time to grow up,
-Time to mature in our Christian walk.
Certainly we are not to forsake or forget these elementary truths that we have already accomplished... But we need to move on to those concepts that we have not yet accomplished.
This is what's wrong in many of our churches today... There is no moving toward maturity.
Can I say this and you not get mad at me?
What we want to hear from our pulpits are...
-Sermons on first principles...
-Sermons on things we are already doing...
-Sermons that make us feel good...
-Sermons that point out our strengths.
That's why sermons on baptism are amened and sermons on materialism are criticized.
We love comfort zone preaching... Don't we?
The question is this... Does comfort zone preaching move any of us toward spiritual maturity?... It's not likely.
I believe Paul addresses this very problem... When he wrote to Timothy saying... Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
So let us be mature enough to listen and make use of sermons and Bible lessons that step on our toes and instruct us on how we can move on toward maturity.
Here is the third point that I want you to set aside and let soak throughout the lesson tonight.
Immature Christians... Those who stand still... Or slide backward...Are robbing themselves of many blessing that they could be enjoying...Blessings that are rightfully ours... If we would work to move forward.
You remember Israel wanted to go back to Egypt... Back to their comfort zone. At least they knew what to expect from Pharaoh. They were not willing to be challenged with new thoughts... New plans... New pains... New uncertainties... New labors... New toils... New hardships... and New challenges.
So... With the exception of two men... The entire congregation failed to inherit the promises... the blessings... that God had made possible for them in the promised land.
We in the church... Spiritual Israel... Can... and do make the same mistake.
You see... Genuine New Testament... Christ-like preaching is afflicting the comfortable... And comforting the afflicted.
First let’s examine our reading and seek out some marks of spiritual immaturity.
Note verse 11... The Hebrews writer says the immature are DULL OF HEARING. The Greek word translated dull means lazy... sluggish... slothful. The only other time it appears in the Greek New Testament is in Hebrews 6.12 where it is translated SLOTHFUL in the King James.
What we are seeing is spiritual apathy and laziness that keeps us from growing.
This dullness... This lack of motivation... Prevents spiritual development.
Listen as I read Hebrews chapter 2 verses 1-3... We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.
One of the first symptoms of spiritual regression is dullness... The lack of enthusiasm for the challenges that come to us from...
-Reading...
-Preaching..
-And teaching truth.
May God help us to not stay in our comfort zones when we are challenged to... by the Word, to accept more responsibilities within the kingdom... within the church.
Can I be specific?
-If you are encouraged to teach a Bible class... and your qualified to teach... Say yes.
-If you’re asked to serve as an Elder or deacon of this great fellowship...and your qualified...Say yes.
-If you’re asked to serve the church in any capacity that you are capable of serving in... Say yes.
-If you’re asked to visit the sick... the shut-in... or fix food for a funeral dinner... Say yes.
-If you’re asked to deliver meals-on-wheels... And you have the wheels... Say yes.
-If you’re asked to drive the van... Say yes.
-If you’re given the opportunity to be a greeter and handout worship bulletins... Say yes.
-Ladies... If you’re asked to serve in the attended nursery... Say yes.
-Elders, if someone is absent from services... Say yes to a phone call or a personal visit.
-Deacons... If you are asked to serve in a new assignment... Say yes.
-If we are challenged... Convinced from the Word to do something... Say yes.
-If we are challenged from the word to leave off some sin in our lives... Say yes.
Let’s not be like Israel and miss out on some great blessings that God has prepared for us, because we will not accept the challenge from the Word and His Divine providence.
God help us not to be dull of hearing... apathetic... or sluggish... but Mature!!
A second sign of immaturity is our failure to share the Gospel WITH OTHERS.
When we should be teachers... We need to be taught again the first principles. I suppose nothing is a sign of maturity any more than being a capable effective teacher.
Teaching others means...
1. That we have already accomplished something... and are qualified to help others.
2. Or that we have not accomplished it... But are striving and are willing to share our knowledge and experiences with others who are struggling also.
This is why older ladies are under New Testament command to instruct the younger women on how to live.
You see church...
-If we know the Bible better than a fourth grader... Then we are qualified and commanded to teach fourth graders.
-If we know how to be a good parent, and wife... Then we are qualified to teach parenting and wifing classes.
-If we are Elders... Then we are by command to teach... It's one of the qualifications.
-If we are deacons... We are commanded to serve.
We have many men and women in this audience who are equipped to use their Bible knowledge and life experiences to teach and assist others
Indeed... Christian maturity is a willingness to share what we know with others.
A third sign is A Need For A Baby Food Diet.
The Hebrews' writer says... Milk is for babies... Only the mature are ready for the meat of the word.
No. No. We never outgrow our need for milk... First principles... But a constant diet of first principle preaching and teaching leads to apathy and immaturity.
First principles... Faith... Repentance... Confession... and Baptism... Need to be preached from our pulpits... but not exclusively... Not as a study diet.
The Hebrews' writer says... First principles are for the immature... So... Let’s leave it there.
Because... You see... God has some other areas in which He would like to see us grow in. He has prepared some great blessings for those who are willing to be challenged by ALL of His word... Not just by first principles.
Another sign of immaturity is not knowing how to use the Word of God.
Solid food is for the mature... Who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Christian maturity is evidenced when we are able to apply the word of God to life and become knowledgeable in discerning what is good and what is evil... What is right and what is wrong.
Some of us have been in the church for 40 years and still don't know how to take this book and determine what is false doctrine and what is truth... What is right and wrong for us.
What a joy it is... What a blessing... To come to that point in our life where we can... By ourselves... Take the word of God and determine... On our own... What kind of people God would have us be.
Well... With these things in mind... What do we here tonight need to do in order to help us move on toward this Christian maturity?
First and foremost... We must understand that God will help us.
We must know tonight that God has never asked us to do anything that He has not... Or will not equip us to do... To accomplish.
-What if Noah had said... I can't build such a boat?
-What if Abraham had said... I can't leave my homeland?
-What if Sarah and Moses' mother had said... I've already done my part... Let someone else teach.
-What if Moses had refused to lead Israel?... He did try... But you see... God did not accept his excuses... And neither will He entertain ours.
-What if David had said... I can't fight a giant... I'm not equipped.
-What if Daniel had said... I can't live a distinctively different life here in Babylon... It’s just too hard?
-What if Rahab had said... I am afraid I'll be caught... You fellows are on your own?
-What if John the Baptist had said... I want to be like all the other Rabbis of my day.
-What if Mary had said... I will not accept this Holy Spirit pregnancy.
-What if the prodigal son had said... I was born this way... This pig pin is a disease... I can't say no to these sins?
-What if Peter had said... I can't preach to thousands on Pentecost?
-What if Paul had said... Well, the Gentiles will never respond to this Jesus stuff?
Church all of these people were not capable of accomplishing what God had in mind for them... on their own.. But with God's help they were successful.
And just think of the blessings they received... And the blessings we enjoy today, because they believed in the power of God to work in their lives.
I challenge you to believe in the power of God and His promise to providentially work to our life to accomplish and withstand whatever He places in front of us.
Secondly... We need to understand the all sufficiency of His Word.
We, as God's people, need nothing more than the Word of God to become His people and person. Everything we need in order to move on toward Christian maturity can be found in His Word... If we will but submit to it.
Paul tells us this in 2 Timothy 3.16... All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
You see...
-Our counseling ought to be done from the book.
-Our teaching should be from the Bible.
-We must understand that victorious living... The good life is a product of living by the Word.
Scripture is what we must adjust life to in order to be a recipient of the blessings God has designed for us. No wonder Paul admonishes us to...study...to show ourselves approved of God.
Thirdly... We must continue to be close in fellowship.
I believe the Bible to teach that we are created for relationships... A right relationship with Him and with one another.
Church... There can be no genuine maturity until and unless we are able to get along with one another as a spiritual family... You see...
-Maturity is working together.
-Maturity is looking beyond one another's faults.
-Maturity is looking for the good in one another.
-Maturity is forgiving one another.
-Maturity is a willingness to share God's blessing with one another.
-Maturity is weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.
-Maturity is being careful with the reputation of a brother.
-Maturity is not thinking oneself superior to another.
-Maturity is humility.
-Maturity is serving one another.
In light of these statements are we maturing?
INDEED!!!... What great blessings God has for those who understand and practice genuine fellowship.
Number four... Maturity involves total commitment.
In the Lord's church today... We don't like to talk much about absolute and total commitment.
Listen... If I understand my Bible correctly... It teaches us total commitment to God or no commitment at all... God has always demanded...
-Absolute allegiance...
-Absolute loyalty...
-Total commitment...
The first commandment from Sinai was... No other Gods before Me.
The first commandment from the lips of Jesus... Love God with all our heart, mind, body and soul.
You see church... God will have no rivals... He will have no contenders for our loyalty.
God's place in our lives must be FIRST AND FOREMOST... TOP DRAWER STATUS.
I wonder what GREAT BLESSING you and I are missing out on tonight... Simply because we will not give Him the status that HE REQUIRES... and TRULY DESERVES in our lives.
Number 5... We need to become noticeably different people.
There is more that should make the church at Bella Vista distinctively different than just doctrine. We must also be different in life-style... You see church...
-When we drink like the world,
-Think like the world,
-Hold the same attitudes as the world
-Dress like the world,
-Do business like the world,
-Have the morals of the world,
-Watch the same video materials of the world,
-Treat each other as the world treats one another,
Are we any different than the world?
Listen to Peter... You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light... You are the people of God... You have received mercy.... So... I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Folk... The communities of Bentonville, Bella Vista and Rogers will begin to notice the churches of Christ when we begin to live as mature Children of God in every respect... AMEN?... AMEN!!.
In the summer of 1965... Joe Banks ... Georgia and I along with Jack Paul went to Montana for a campaign... Jack used to tell a story about visiting a thoroughbred horse ranch.
He rubbed his hand on the shoulders and back of a thoroughbred and said... What a beautiful animal... Yes, said the owner... But he is a plug. He went on to explain the difference between a plug and a mature race horse. He said... The more you beat, the more you whip a plug the faster he will run... But a real race horse, all your have to do is touch him and he's off and will run faster and faster and faster with all his strength until he drops or you stop him.
Doesn't that describe a genuinely mature Child of God?
Some of us do what we've gotta do... In the church... Because the preacher... The Elders... Or Bible teachers whip us... shame us... make us feel guilty.
But then there are those genuine folk... That all your have to do is touch them with truth and provide them with an opportunity to serve... And they are off and running.
May God help us be become more mature and enjoy the blessing God has prepared for that maturity.
