I see them with courage and fancy,
glad in their brilliant array.
Shouting the name of their leader,
hear them exultingly say, not to the strong is the battle,
not to the swift is a race, yet to the true and the faithful,
victory is promised through grace.
Conquering now and still to conquer,
who is this wonderful king?
When are the armies which he leadeth,
while of his glory they see?
He is our Lord and Redeemer, Savior and monarch divine.
They are the stars that forever ride in his kingdom,
will shine, not to the strong is a battle,
not to the swift is a race, yet to the true and the faithful,
victory is promised through grace.
Conquering now and still to conquer,
Jesus the ruler of all.
Thrones and their scepters all shall perish,
crowns and their splendor shall fall.
Yet shall the armies thou leadest,
faithful and true to the past,
find in their mansions eternal rest when their warfare is
past, not to the strong is a battle,
not to the swift is a race, yet to the true
and the faithful, victory is promised through grace.
Amen.
Wonderful singing.
Let's start off our service with a word of prayer.
Dear God, Heavenly Father, we thank you so much,
Lord, your God, for allowing us to be here in your house
this morning.
We do pray that you please, Lord God,
just bless every aspect of the service.
I do pray that you please bless the singing unto you,
Lord, your God.
And I also do pray, most of all,
that you please just bless the preaching of your word,
that you would help us to be attentive of your word
being preached.
And also please just feel our passion
through the Holy Spirit, Lord God,
guide him through the scriptures,
bring to remembrance of the things
that he has studied, Lord God.
And I pray that you would please, again,
just bless us for being here, Lord God.
And I pray now these things in Jesus' name, amen.
You may be seated.
Song number 296, follow on.
Song number 296.
Song number 296, seen on that first verse.
Down in the valley with my Savior,
I would go where the flowers are gloomy
and the sweet waters flow.
Everywhere he leads me, I would follow, follow on,
walking in his footsteps till the crown be won.
Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.
Anywhere, everywhere, I would follow on.
Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.
Everywhere he leads me, I would follow on.
Down in the valley with my Savior,
I would go where the storms are sleeping
and the dark waters flow.
With his hand to lead me, I will never, never fear.
Danger cannot fright me if my Lord is near.
Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.
Anywhere, everywhere, I would follow on.
Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.
Everywhere he leads me, I would follow on.
Down in the valley or upon the mountain steep,
close beside my Savior would my soul ever keep.
He will lead me safely in the path that he has trod,
up to where they gather on the hills of God.
Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.
Anywhere, everywhere, I would follow on.
Follow, follow, I would follow Jesus.
Everywhere he leads me, I would follow on.
All right, great singing.
Thank you for being here this morning.
Just a few announcements here before we sing our next song,
which will be the song sheet.
If you did not get a song sheet,
go ahead and raise your hand
and one of the ushers can get one for you.
We're gonna be singing farther along,
and so that'll be the next song there.
If you did not get a bulletin, raise your hand.
The ushers can get one for you.
The services are as follows.
Sunday morning is at 1030 Sunday evening at 5 p.m.
And then we have our Thursday night Bible study
at seven o'clock,
currently going through the book of 2 Samuel.
Hope to see you on Thursday evenings.
You see the schedule to the fall program there on the left,
as well as the point system
and the rewards there at the bottom.
Some of the upcoming church events.
Today is the pie baking contest.
And so let me read this real quick.
Winners for the pie baking contest
will be announced after the service, okay?
So I'm gonna be preaching a really long sermon.
And then after I'm done preaching that sermon,
and then we sing one song.
We might even have a baptism or something,
you know what I mean?
Things happen after the service.
But after that is when I will announce
the first prize winner, second and third.
First prize will receive $100 gift card,
second prize 50, third prize 30.
And so may the best pie win.
Now judges will judge during the offertory.
Please do not leave service early
to get pie before church is over.
And winners are announced.
Also, do not go out there during the service
to go get a piece of the pie.
You say, why would you even have
to make that announcement?
Because that's what happened last year, okay?
People were sneaking out, you know,
because they have to go get coffee or something.
And the guy would get their coffee and their water.
Oh, you know, and then they like, what is that?
And then they just go over there
and temptation is before them.
And they no longer esteem the words of his mouth
as their necessary foods.
Now they're esteeming the pie.
And so Brother Maury, I think he's still out there.
He's guarding the pies.
But ushers, just make sure, you know,
if whoever's the doorkeeper of the house of God,
make sure that you are just watching people
and making sure they're not, you know,
going over there and sneaking in a couple bites
or something like that, okay?
So just keep that in mind.
But looking forward to tasting some pie
and looking forward to seeing who the winners are.
There's some pretty elaborate pies out there.
Ladies prayer meeting and cookie exchange
will be on Saturday, October 29th.
Ms. DJ's baby shower is on Sunday, October 30th.
And then of course we conclude our fall program
with the annual Thanksgiving banquet
on Tuesday, November 22nd.
You can see the location there.
Please make sure that you pay attention
to what's on the bulletin.
You know, don't message me or text me like,
hey, so what city is it in?
When is this gonna be?
We've spent all this time on this bulletin,
this nice little bulletin that Chris Cervantes
makes for us.
You know, he even puts their location,
please RSVP, fwbcla.org.
So, and we give these out every week.
And so make sure you pay attention to that.
Next week is Teens Sunday and Teen Night.
I will be inviting all of the teens
after Sunday night church to Yogurtland on pastor.
And so hope to see you guys there.
And then the following Sunday will be
Apple Cider Fellowship
after the Sunday night service as well, okay?
Now let's go ahead and do our favorite thing
of the week, which is fill out those beloved point
sheet, quarter sheet that the ushers
I'm sure handed out already.
So go ahead and play some music.
Brother Eric, you know that one song?
There you go, that's the one.
All right, go ahead and fill out
your quarter sheets right now.
If you did not get a pen, go ahead and raise your hand.
Brother Mark needs one.
We'll take a few minutes for you to fill that out.
Using the, you know, you gotta be honest, okay?
And so make sure you are actually putting,
if you went to the services, you went soloing,
you brought a visitor.
Now most of you have probably already filled it out
because just people of character, all right?
As soon as you got it, you got it.
All right, ushers, go ahead and collect these.
Little more oomph, Brother Eric.
Little more oomph.
It'll help the ushers.
There we go.
All right, as they're collecting that,
make sure you have no food or drink allowed
in the main auditorium except for water and coffee.
Don't loiter in the Foyer Fellowship Hall
during the preaching service, but especially today
because there's pies out there.
We don't want to tempt you.
And then quiet time, of course,
is between 3 p.m. and 4.15 throughout the whole building.
Thank you, Brother Eric.
Make sure you silence your phones during the preaching
so as to not be a distraction during the service.
And that is it.
Let's go ahead and sing our next song farther along
if you want to get that sheet out.
Hey man, if you don't have a song sheet,
please raise your hand and one of the ushers
will come by and get you one.
Anybody need a song sheet?
Looks like we all got it.
We'll sing it on this first verse, farther along.
Sing it on that first.
Tempted and tried, where art made to wander.
Why it should be thus all the day long
while there are others living about us.
Never molested, though in the wrong,
farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all by and by.
When death has come and taken our loved ones,
it leaves our home so lonely and fear.
Then do we wonder why others prosper,
living so wicked year after year.
Farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all by and by.
Faithful till death set our loving master
a few more days to labor and wait.
Toils to the road will then seem as nothing
as we sweep through the beautiful gate.
Farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all by and by.
When we see Jesus coming in glory,
when he comes from his home in the sky,
then we shall meet him in that bright mansion.
We'll understand it all by and by.
Farther along we'll know all about it.
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all by and by.
Amen, wonderful singing.
At this time, our ushers will be receiving the offering
and please turn your Bibles to Hebrews chapter five.
Pomp and Circumstance.
You
Good morning today. We're in a Hebrews chapter number five Hebrews chapter number five
Hebrews chapter five in the Bible reads
Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men and things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins
who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity and
My reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins
And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made in high priest
But he that said unto him thou art my son today
I've begotten thee as he sayeth also in another place thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek
Who in the days of his flesh?
When he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto them unto him that was able to save him from death
And was hurt and that he feared though
He were a son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect
He became the author of eternal salvation that all of them that obey him called of God and high priest after the order of Melchizedek of
Whom we may we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing your dole of hearing
For when for the time you ought to be teachers you have need that one teach you again
which be the first principles of the oracles of God and I become such as of need of
Milk and not of strong meat for everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness
For he is a babe
But strong meat belongeth to them that are a full age
Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Let's pray dear Lord
Thank you for the congregation here today Lord and for pastor as well
I pray that you bless him and fill him with the spirit as he preaches your word and that we are edified by the
Preaching today Lord and just bless the service and every aspect of it. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen
Amen
Okay, we are in Hebrews chapter number five and look down at your Bibles at verse number 12
It says for when for the time he ought to be teachers you have need that one teach you again
Which be the first principles of the oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong
Me for everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness
For he is a babe but strong meat belongeth to them that are a full age
Even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil
And what I want to preach on this morning is how to quantify spiritual maturity how to quantify
Spiritual maturity. I want to talk about how is it that we can measure whether you've spiritually matured in your Christian life
Whether you've matured in the Lord Jesus Christ in your walk with God or as the Bible puts it here
Whether you are of full age now, obviously, you know, we understand that as Christians. We're constantly growing
It's a the the process of sanctification is a lifelong process
We always have to learn how to walk with God and learn more knowledge and increase and our understanding of God's Word
But I personally believe that you can measure whether you have essentially become a mature Christian
In your walk with God according to God's Word now make no mistake about it
Obviously, we're never gonna become perfect this side of eternity. We're never gonna become without
Sin, or you know have deficiencies in our lives or be defective in a certain area in our life
Because of the fact that we have our sin nature
We fall short of the glory of God still
We have that old nature that kind of holds us back from reaching our spiritual potential so to speak
Because of the fact that we're waiting for that resurrection to wit the redemption of our body
But that's not to say that we should not put a considerable amount of effort into maturing spiritually, right?
I mean you think of the Apostle Paul who said not as though I have already attained or were already perfect
But I follow after if that if that I may
Apprehend that which I am apprehended of the Bible tells us brethren
I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do
Forgetting those things which are behind reaching forth into those things which are before I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
Calling of God in Christ Jesus and you think of the Apostle Paul, you know
That's someone who we would say had a great deal of understanding of God's Word
He was a mature person in the Lord. He won souls to Christ. He did a lot of missions work
He started churches. He loved the Lord
I mean we've learned so much from the Apostle Paul yet
He himself understood that he had to continue to grow in his in his in his Christian walk and continue to strive and make an
effort
To grow and mature and so we as God's people should also endeavor
To not stop and think to ourselves. I've already arrived. You know, I don't need to work on anything else
No, we all got to continue to work on ourselves as Christians as children of God
But I do believe that the Bible specifically teaches us that or gives us indicators that we have grown
spiritually or that we have reached full age or as the Bible also puts it here in Hebrew chapter 5 of
Full age maturity or also as the Bible puts it perfect now
Perfect in the Bible isn't used the way we do use it today. Okay, sinless perfect just means complete entire mature of
Full age now you think about the fact that Noah for example
was referred to as a just man and
Perfect, right, you know Joe was referred to as a perfect and upright man and one who has chewed evil
Doesn't mean they're sinless it means that they were mature there are people of full age
And in fact when you think about what the Bible says about the local New Testament Church
It tells us in Ephesians chapter 4 that he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers
for the what
perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ and then he says to we
All come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man
Right unto the measure and stature of the fullness of Christ and then he goes on to say that we henceforth
Listen to this be no more children
Toss to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine etc. So obviously the Bible is constantly admonishing us instructing us
Encouraging us to don't for us not to remain a babe in Christ not to remain a child in Christ
But rather to grow into spiritual maturity, you know in James chapter 1 when referring to trials
He says knowing that the trying of your faith work of patience
But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire
Wanting nothing and so obviously God wants us to be entire. He wants us to be mature
He understands that you know going through trials and difficulties
Matures us it helps us to be people who are not lacking anything spiritually
Psalm 37 talks about marking the perfect man, you know and the upper beholding the upright man
For the end of that man is peace
So if we're to mark the perfect man
That means there are some qualities that a mature person would have that we would be able to recognize and say, okay
This person obviously has the distinguishing marks of a mature individual of someone who is a full age
They're a perfect man. They're a perfect woman, etc
2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16 when talking about the Word of God
Says that all scriptures given by inspiration of God
It's profitable for doctrine for a proof for correction and instruction and righteousness
Listen to this that the man of God may be what perfect
Right, and he says thoroughly furnished into all good works and so over and over again
We see that this concept that God wants us to be perfect. He wants us to be entire
He doesn't want us to be lacking anything spiritually, you know
The Apostle Paul when he's addressing the church at Thessalonica
Said that he was praying for them exceedingly day and night that he may perfect that which is lack
In their faith and so that's what I want to do this evening or this morning
Excuse me is talk about how is it that we can measure whether you have grown?
To spiritual maturity whether you have reached full age as the Bible puts it now before I get into those specific points
I want to give you some things that are not necessarily the best indicators that you have matured spiritually, okay
That people would think yeah, this is a good indicator that I've matured spiritually
But these aren't the best indicators. Okay, number one spiritual growth cannot be measured based upon these things number one
How long you've been saved for?
Okay
You can't really measure whether someone has spiritually matured or has reached full age
Based upon how long they've been saved for okay
You say why is that well because of the fact that just because someone has been saved for a long time
Doesn't necessarily mean that they have utilized that time to invest in their spiritual growth
You know, you can have someone who's been saved for 10 years
But has only read the Bible 3 out of those 10 you can have someone who's been saved for 20 years
But they haven't been attending church or they've only attended church 5 out of those 20
You know you have someone who has been saved for 30 years, but they've only been so winning
You know 10 or you know 5 years out of those 30 or whatever may be and so, you know
When someone says well, I've been saved X amount of time, you know, that's great
But it doesn't it's not necessarily the best indicator whether someone has reached full growth full age
They're spiritually mature and I'll give you an example
Years ago when I was a brand new Christian
There's an individual that was very mad at me. Okay. They're very upset at me. I had offended them somehow and
They were bringing this railing accusation against me and I don't exactly remember what it was
But I remember that they were like threatening to go to the pastor and and just kind of rat me out or something
Just tattletale on me and so so that he can get on me or whatever and and they were saying, you know
You know you did this and I told that person
Well, do you have any other witnesses to this?
Because out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established and this is what this person said
I've been saved longer than you
And I'm thinking to myself
It doesn't look like it though, you know, you obviously, you know
You haven't grown much and so that taught me that just because someone has been saved for 40 years 50 years
Doesn't necessarily mean that they're spiritually mature. Okay, and so that's not the best indicator of maturity
You can't use you know, oh man, I've been saved for this amount of time
That's why I am mature in the Lord. It doesn't necessarily work that way
How about this, you know spiritual growth cannot be measured based upon how long you've been saved
But it also can't be measured based upon how long you've been in church or how long you've been a Baptist. Okay
So why is that? Well for one?
Sometimes say people go to bad churches
They go to some bad church with the false prophet as the pastor teaching false doctrine
Obviously, they're not gonna
You know grow spiritually or mature in the Christian walk if they go to some lib church
where the pastor's not even say he preaches a repent of your sins gospel and you know does all types of nonsense or
You know, maybe they do go to a decent church, but the pastor doesn't necessarily teach a whole lot of deep doctrine
You know
They're not he's not necessarily perfecting the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ
Or how about this a person goes to a really good church
But that individual is a hearer of the word and not a doer and therefore they deceive their own selves
You know someone can come to this church and not mature at all and not grow and not you know, spiritually
Increase why because they're just not putting into practice that which is being preached and not getting involved
They're not soul winning. And so that isn't necessarily the best indicator that someone has matured
Spiritually based upon how long they've been in church. Well, I've been in church all my life or whatever
Yeah, but I mean what have you done with that time though? Have you applied the preaching of God's Word?
Have you gotten involved? Have you changed? Have you been renewed?
Etc. So I'm talking about the indicators or the I'm talking about the
The factors are the elements that are not necessarily the best indicators. So one how long you've been saved for
Two how long you've been in church three. How about this being a second or third generation Christian?
Isn't necessarily the best indicator whether you've matured spiritually, okay
Well, I grew up in a Christian home. Yeah, but have you stewarded that?
That which has been given to you, you know, the lines are falling upon you in pleasant places
And yeah, you know you have a goodly heritage, but have you actually used that heritage to actually mature spiritually?
Okay, just because you're a second third fourth generation Christian doesn't mean anything because of the fact that God doesn't have grandchildren
He only has children
right
every person has to make a decision to believe on Jesus Christ and then thereafter to read God's Word and
And apply it and serve the Lord and follow Jesus Christ
just because you're a second or third generation could just because your mom and dad are Christians you grew up in a Christian home or
Your grandparents are Christians or they were pastors or their missionaries means nothing to you
You don't become a Christian by osmosis just because your mom and dad and grandparents
Or whatever are believers. Okay
It's not the best indicator and then lastly
Here's another one. That's not necessarily the best indicator of spiritual maturity
Attending or graduating from a Bible college seminary or some sort of Bible Institute. Okay, I
Know why you're laughing, okay
You're like I know that already but let me let me make a couple things clear here
You know because sometimes people can get this attitude that because they attended some sort of seminary or Bible college that somehow they've arrived
Spiritually, okay, they've matured because they've learned the Bible. They've wasted. I mean they've invested four years of
You know Bible college or whatever
They've been involved in ministry and all these things and that can you know cause them to think oh, man
I'm just like really spiritually
I'm like the cream of the crop which is a message that a lot of leaders will feed their people
They'll say the Bible college students
They're like the cream of the crop and they'll often say, you know
If you really want to learn deep doctrine, you got to go to Bible college because that's where you know
The the cream of the crop are those are the ones who really want to learn doctrine or whatever and you know
They can get this attitude. Oh, I've matured spiritually because I went to college. I'm attending a college
Whatever maybe and I'll give you another example of this. Okay
years ago
Someone got into a conversation with brother David Rios and David Rios wasn't a part of our church
I mean we didn't have this church actually at this time and
He was he was getting in conversation with this with his Bible college student and they were talking about end times prophecy
Okay, and and David was trying to explain to him that you know, the the Raptors after the tribulation
You know, it just explaining it to him and this guy was just not having it
You know, he was just like no, it's it's pre-trip blah blah blah
And I just so happen to walk up while they're having this conversation and
the guy looks over at me and he says
He says Bruce
You know tell this guy
That the rapture is before the tribulation and here's the thing like, you know, I didn't want to cause any trouble
I'm not you know, I didn't want to stir the pot. I didn't want to get in trouble my old church
You know, I wasn't trying to become controversial
But I thought to myself well if this person is sincere about looking for the truth and he's asking and this opportunity is provided
You know, why not answer him in a meek way where I can present the truth and love and you know
Maybe he can understand what the Bible actually says about this
So I said well, you know
When you compare Matthew 24 mark 13 Luke 21
And then you kind of compare it to the rapture passages such as first Thessalonians chapter 4 and then you compare that to Revelation 6
You know, you kind of come to the conclusion that it's after the tribulation and he was just kind of like
They got him, you know, it was like they got him to kind of thing, you know, and then
He's like Matthew 20. He's like Matthew 24 is about the Jews
And then you know meekly I was just trying to explain to him like well
not necessarily it doesn't say anything about Jews as the elect and I said if you look at context and I said I
Said I said his name and I said what is context, you know, cuz I was trying to have this conversation with them
And this is what he told me. He looked at me and he said how are you gonna ask me that?
He's like, I'm a Bible college student
And that's when I knew the conversation ended because I thought to myself well this guy's an idiot
You know, this guy is paying all this money
He doesn't even know what context is and he expects for me to just be like, oh, I'm sorry
Oh great one of Bible College. I
Forgive me your highness for not recognizing you as this cream of the crop or whatever
You know and you know, he got mad or whatever
But it showed me that just because you go to Bible College doesn't mean anything
Just because you go to Bible College or attend a Bible College doesn't mean you've actually matured spiritually now
I don't want to throw out the baby with the bathwater
Because in general yes
There's a lot of bad people to go to Bible College or they don't mature spiritually at all
But there are those who do go to Bible College and actually benefit from some things in there
And in fact, your pastor is a graduate from Bible College, believe it or not, but I survived Bible College
In spite of Bible College and there's people there's people in here who went to Bible College
You know Marcus went to Bible College and you know, it didn't do him much, you know, and then you hit no
I'm just kidding. You know Ulysses went to Bible College. There's a couple people that went to Bible College here
Did you go to Bible College? Yeah, brother Ron. I'm calling him out to you
He went to Bible College
But it's not necessarily the best indicator of
Spiritual maturity even though a lot of churches will tell you
Oh, if you're really serious about you know, walk with God
If you're really serious about full-time Christian service, you will go to Bible College. Okay, not necessarily the best now
Here's the thing though
Notice that I said they're not the best indicators of spirit of spiritual maturity
But they can aid in your assessment of whether someone is spiritually mature or not
So what do you mean by that?
Well, if you look at a person and you recognize you see them you assess them you say this person is very mature
Spiritually, they kind of they got their stuff together and you know, they they they know God's Word
They seem to be very spiritually mature and then you ask that person how long they've been saved for and if they say
30 years for you to like oh, yeah, that makes sense
You know, you've obviously utilized those 30 years to actually walk with God and and and utilize it
So the amount of time that they've been saved can actually confirm your assessment that they're spiritually mature
But it can actually be counterproductive for them as well
Because if they're not mature if they are worldly, they're not mature
They don't know anything about the Bible, but then they say they've been saved for 30 years
Then it's just like okay this person obviously did not utilize that time
Right and the same goes for everything else, you know
If you see a spiritually mature person and you ask them how long they've been in church
They say I've been in church for 15 years 20 years. You're like, okay that makes sense
You know or yeah, I grew up in a Christian home
My grandparents are missionaries my mom and dad raised me in a fundamental Baptist Church or and some sort of church
Then you would say okay that makes sense. You've obviously stewarded that very well or you know
I went to a Bible college or whatever, you know
I don't know if they would want to divulge that information
But in general these would aid in your judgment or your assessment of them that they are
Mature people, but they're not the best indicators in and of themselves
Okay
So don't judge yourself that you're spiritually mature just because you've been saved for a long time
Because the reality is this someone can be saved for 10 years
Another person can be saved for five or three to five years
But the person who's been saved for three to five years is more mature
Than the person who's only been saved for 10 who's been saved for 10 years
Okay, because they're actually utilizing that time to read God's Word and put spiritual things first and do those things
And so I just want to say that and then the next thing I want to mention here by way of introduction is the fact
That obviously Hebrews chapter 5 is not your quintessential chapter or passage on spiritual growth
Okay, or spiritual maturity
Obviously we can point to a lot of passages in the Bible that can help us quantify and measure whether we spiritually grown or matured
But obviously not at the exclusion of using Hebrew chapter 5
I think Hebrew chapter 5 is a great passage of Scripture that we're gonna go through
This morning to kind of make that assessment now you're in Hebrew chapter 5
Let me give you let me give you the points now number one. How is it that you can quantify?
How can you measure? How can you determine? How can you assess whether you have matured spiritually number one?
Do you have a firm grasp on the basics?
Do you have a firm grasp on the basics? What do you mean? Look at verse 12?
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers ye have need that one teach you again
Listen to this which be the first principles of the oracles of God
So obviously he's dealing with someone or dealing with a group of people who have been saved for a long time
They adhere to the Word of God or claim to and he's telling them, you know for the amount of time that you've been a
Christian for the amount of time you've been a believer
You would think that you're able to like teach someone else, but it looks like someone needs to teach you again
The first principles of the oracles of God and another way of saying the first principles of the oracles of God is the basics
Okay, the basics of the Bible the basics of doctrine and let me explain to you what that means that doesn't mean
end times proper prophecy
It doesn't mean you know, it doesn't even mean the reprobate doctrine
it doesn't mean
You know replacement theology because those aren't basics as much as you would some of you would want it to be like the basic
Doctrines of the faith. Those aren't the basics. Okay
You said well, what are the basics? Well chapter 6?
Explains to us what those first principles of the oracles of God are look at verse 1
therefore
Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ
Referring to those first principles, right? Let us go on into perfection now. I want you to notice that
So if he's gonna go on to perfection
That means that those doctrines of Christ those principles
Those first principles are just basic their foundational things
He says let us go on to perfection not laying again the foundation
You know the principles of repentance from dead works and faith toward God of the doctrine of baptism
And of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment
So he gives a couple basics that Christians in general should just know right off hand. Okay
Now what is the first one repentance from dead works and faith toward God? He said what is that?
Well at its most basic level, it's salvation
Because when he says repentance from dead works faith toward God
He's referring to repenting from what you're trusting in for salvation and placing your faith in God
And of course more specifically Jesus Christ
This is what this is referring to and so in order for you to assess yourself and say well, I'm spiritual mature
Well, do you understand the doctrine of salvation?
Do you understand what repentance from dead works and faith toward God is now again the basics of it though?
You don't really necessarily have to understand
imputation
You know justification glorification and also in sanctification and that whole process
You don't necessarily have to understand every nook and cranny of
The doctrine of salvation because you can go pretty deep on that doctrine just the basics of it though
Like are you able to communicate to someone else that you're saved? And why is it that you're saved?
If someone were to come to you and say what I have to do to go to heaven
Obviously, I'm not saying that you have to know the whole Romans Road and all the verses
But can you just say what's because I believed on Jesus Christ, which means that I trusted in his death barrow and resurrection
I know that he's sufficient to save me and then I can never lose my salvation because it's a gift from God
He said well, that's pretty basic. Yeah. No, it's pretty basic, right?
But you'd be surprised. There's a lot of people out there. They don't even know that basic truth
They don't even know how to word it like, you know
what do you have to do to go to heaven like have no God and relationship with God and
You know, they just kind of give all these iffy answers, but it's because they're not spiritually mature
And obviously it's you know, it might be because they're either they're not saved
But even if they are saved
It's because maybe they don't go to a good church or they haven't applied themselves to actually study God's Word and learn those basics
Okay
Learn the basics that you don't have to do works repent of your sins to be saved
It's repentance from dead works not from sin, but from dead works faith toward God
Now verse 2 gives kind of a couple things here that may third for a loop
He says of the doctrine of baptisms and of laying on of hands
Okay, now we obviously understand that baptism comes after salvation and laying on of hands is referring to ordaining someone
Right, you are confirming someone you're a daining an evangelist or a daining a pastor not you
But you know Church Authority is doing that and I think what the Apostle Paul is trying to address here
Is that you understand Church Authority?
Because these things are done under the authority of a local New Testament Church
You understand like not just anybody could baptize someone it's like well, you know, you got saved I got saved too
All right, let me baptize you and then when I would you come up then you could baptize me doesn't work that way
You know an ordained person has to be the one, you know implementing that
baptism and only an ordained person can lay hands on someone and
You know confirm them in order for them to go out and and be an evangelist or a pastor or deacon or whatever
Maybe so, I think what this is referring to is the fact that you just have a basic understanding of Church Authority
Now if you understand Church Authority you understand that church is important
So I believe what this is referring to here is the general understanding that church is not something that we should undermine
Right. It's a place where we need to be the church was bought by the blood of Jesus Christ
Okay, you know the Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but so much
The more as you see the day approaching now mature Christians recognize that
They're like, oh, yeah church is important for sure
Like I'm I'm gonna be in the house of God all the days of my life and they understand Church Authority
So it's not like well, let's all be leaders here
Let's all run this thing
Let's all try to figure out what we can preach
Let's all get a psalm. Let's all get a doctrine. Let's all get a hymn doesn't work that way
You see a mature person understands authority
Mature person reckon, you know recognizes the authority in the home and recognizes the authority in the church
Just has a basic understanding of that
Okay, and of course he goes on to say of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment now
It should be given that when you get saved you understand that you will resurrect one day
And in fact, if you don't believe in the resurrection, then you're not saved
Okay, which is why the Apostle Paul is questioning the salvation of the Corinthian Church because in chapter 15
they're questioning whether there is a resurrection and
It's another reason why in second Corinthians chapter 13. He's like you guys might be reprobates
except Christ be in you because it's like if you're like rejecting me as your authority if you're rejecting the
The essential doctrine of the resurrection, are you even safe? That's why in my personal opinion
Even if there's a saved preterist out there
None of them are spiritually mature
You say why because their doctrine of the resurrection is all weird
We've already resurrected
Even though the Bible literally says, you know in in second Timothy or first Timothy, you know that there's people out there
Hymenaeus who were teaching that the resurrection is passed already and
That's not referring to some person with legitimacy. It's referring to a false prophet that was teaching that
Understand and so when a person comes to me and says all the resurrection is passed already the rapture is passed already
But they give me a clear testimony of salvation. I would say this person's a babe in Christ person
Oh, no, nothing. You don't even know the first principles of the doctrines of Christ
He doesn't even know the simplicity of the resurrection and what it means and the fact that it's not here yet
Okay
And any person who believes it's past is like where's these good? This is my glorified body the socks
You know, it's not our glorified body we still have our natural bodies
It doesn't take a rocket scientist or a theologian to know that but you'd be surprised how many Christians can fall into those traps
you know, it's because they're tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine and
The Bible labels those individuals as children because children believe anything
So and of course eternal judgment referring to what?
hell
so you have to have a basic understanding of hell and
Understand that it exists understand that it's fire and you know, obviously there's there's deep doctrine
You can learn on hell and you know, sometimes people get confused about hell and the lake of fire
But they understand that ultimately whoever goes to hell they're gonna go to the lake of fire
So this isn't saying that you have to be
You know have the pastoral knowledge of doctrine it's just saying if you want to be spiritually mature
It doesn't matter how well you can comb your hair or how well you can dress on Sunday or how well you know how?
To speak Christian ease, you know, it's like do you know these basics?
You have a firm grasp on the basics now think about this
you know the basics the people who need to learn basics are babes in Christ, right and
You wonder why these churches out there only teach really basic things and they never get into the deep things
It's probably because the churches are only filled with babes in Christ
You know, thankfully we have mature people in our church, but we also have babes in Christ because you're actually supposed to have both
Supposed to have spiritually mature people because it shows that people are growing
But you also want babes in Christ because that means you're reaching new people
If you're only preaching to babes in Christ, and there's no one maturing that's a problem
But if you're only preaching to mature people, that's a problem because that means you're not reaching anyone new
So sermons should be geared towards the spiritually mature, but also those who are babes and children in Christ, okay, and
So do you have a firm grasp of the basics and it's just like oh man, what am I gonna do?
Just learn these things
Esteem these doctrines
Don't think to yourself don't undermine the importance of them don't recognize
Well, that's Hebrews chapter 5 and yeah, you know, I just I don't think I didn't you really learn that
I'm never gonna be a pastor. Yeah, but you're a Christian though, and
These are things that just Christians should know
you know
people have
You know come up with this concept that just learning any kind of doctrine is like only for pastors and those who do full-time Christian
Service, I mean this is what this is the main narrative at old IFB churches
Or it's just like if you ask a doctrinal question, they're like, oh, yeah
You should go to Bible college then if you really want to learn that it's like what in the world why?
Can't you just learn that in church? Can't you just teach that from the pulpit?
But it's just like in their minds is like oh, you know
Church is only for how to overcome depression how to make it through the week how to you know
Become a good giver in church and how to but I guarantee you they know all the passages about giving though
Whereas you know the Apostle Paul says I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you and
The whole entire Word of God is profitable
So it should be my endeavor as a pastor
That throughout the years as a pastor that I endeavor to just teach all the counsel of God as much as I possibly can
Okay, and so number one. Do you have a firm grasp of that? Do you understand that?
Well, if you do then you're on your way if you don't that's okay that can change today
Because again, you don't need to dive in deep in that particular doctrine
You just need to have a basic understanding of it and not be swayed
In
Salvation not be swayed if someone comes at you with some question about the resurrection not be swayed
When someone tries to deceive you about hell not be swayed into thinking the church is not important
Well, you could just watch online. Of course, you could just watch online if you're sick or something, but that's not church though
Like we don't count people
If they like my wife is at home with with sick kids right now
I'm not like hey, brother Elise's make sure you count my wife and my kids for church attendance because
Technically, they're watching, you know
You guys are here with us in spirit doesn't work that way. Okay, and
It hasn't worked that way for thousands of years. Okay
You're in Hebrew chapter 5. What's another way to quantify?
Spiritual maturity number two. Have you developed basic Christian conduct?
So obviously, you know you have there's certain basic knowledge that you have but there also has to be basic Christian
conduct
That would you know essentially measure you or determine whether you are spiritually mature
Now in a church like ours
I personally believe you know, the doctrine is pretty settled like a lot of people know doctrine and even deep doctrine
Sometimes it's the conduct
That has not caught up with the doctrine
Sometimes it's just like you have this this individual who just knows a lot about the Bible
But they're just as worldly as the days long still
Or they just don't know how to conduct themselves as a Christian and I know people are getting uncomfortable right now
which which shows me that you know what this needs to be stated and
Recognized you know what God expects for our conduct to be on par with our doctrine as well
He wants you to behave like a Christian
Behave like a believer look like a believer talk like a believer and not just believe right he wants you to act right, too
Okay, and in fact the Bible talks about you know in Philippians chapter 1 the Apostle Paul talks about our conversation becoming as the of
the gospel of Christ
What does that mean? Well, the gospel is pure
The gospel is without error. And so he wants us to have a conversation
Conducted as above reproach that is not
you know
Contrary to God's Word this doesn't mean that you have to be perfect because we all make mistakes
We all you know fall short of the glory of God and we have our moments when we become carnal
We come fleshly and become worldly, but this shouldn't be the norm in your Christian life though
Okay, look at Hebrews 5 verse 12. It goes on to say for when for the time he ought to be teachers
I'm sorry. I forgot to mention one thing when it comes to knowing the basics one way
You know that you know, the basics is if you can simply teach the basics
Because when you know something it's easy you can transmit it to someone else on a basic level
It's like why I know it. I just can't communicate it
Well, you can communicate that you believe on Jesus Christ and that's what someone has to do, right?
But he goes on to say for one for the time you ought to be teachers
You have need that one teach you again
Which be the first principles of the oracles of God and listen to this and our becomes such as have need of milk
And not of strong me for everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness
For he is a baby. You say what does that have to do with Christian conduct? Sounds like it's just referring to God's Word
Well, go to hold your place here. Go to 1st Corinthians chapter 3 1st Corinthians chapter 3
So he's telling these Hebrews
He says you're becoming
Like one that just needs the milk again and not the strong me
You're unskillful in the word of righteousness
Therefore you need that milk
Which basically means that you're a babe in Christ. Okay now do not take that label as a
Condescending label like oh man. He's saying I'm a babe in Christ. We all started off as babes in Christ
Okay, we're born again and we're a babe in Christ and we have to mature spiritually and grow on the Lord
The the point is is that you don't remain a babe in Christ
You should not be satisfied
With just staying a babe or a child in Christ your goal as a Christian should be I want to mature in the Lord
I want to mature in the Lord. I want to increase in my knowledge and in in spiritual stature
I want to be able to know the Lord through his word and in prayer
I want to be a person of discipline and Christian conduct look at 1st Corinthians chapter 3
Verse 1 relating it to the milk and the meat he says and I brethren
Could not speak unto you as unto spiritual
But as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ now look up here real quick
What is he relating a babe in Christ to someone who is what?
carnal
Carnal means, you know like carne. I know I said that really white carne
carne, okay
So someone who's carnal is not spiritual
Someone who's someone who's not spiritual is essentially a babe in Christ doesn't mean they're not saved
They're just kind of worldly they're carnal and then he says in verse 2
I have fed you with milk and not with me for hid the tree. You were not able to bear it neither yet
Now are you able for you're yet carnal? Why?
Whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions. Are you not carnal and walk as men for while one saith?
I am of Paul another I am of Apollos. Are you not yet carnal?
So, what is he comparing being carnal and a babe in Christ to someone who just doesn't know how to have Christian conduct
Someone who just constantly striving having divisions having problems just fighting with other people
envying
strife divisions
Kind of placing themselves in certain camps or whatever. Maybe this is carnal my friends
this is something that babes in Christ will do and what he's specifically referring to is the fact that
Someone who needs the milk of the word needs to be taught how to act, right?
You know our children need to be taught how to act right because they're children
But adults should know how to behave themselves
They need to know this is right. This is wrong. And because this is wrong
I will not partake of this and because this is right
I'm gonna strive and endeavor to behave in this manner and not be a carnal person
You know, you say well put the cookie on the bottom shelf, you know, don't fight with one another in here
You should not be bickering or fighting with each other in here over trivial things
Okay, there should never be strives in the church where you guys are striving together
Over something that you guys disagree with or over some comment that was made
We should have we should be people of full age who are able to resolve conflict that when there is conflict you apologize
well, that wasn't my fault, but you know what I've learned is just
Apologizing and taking the blame makes me live a happier life because then we could just move on with our lives
But the babe in Christ doesn't see that the babe in Christ wants to be the one who's right
Like no, no
This person needs to know that I was right and they're wrong and then what then you have like this awkward relationship in church
Or something like that, you know being the person who's a full age and say you know what you're absolutely right
I wronged you and I'm really sorry about that. Please forgive me and
Let me go buy you a burger or something like that
You know, let me go buy you a coffee like no, I don't know about that
Yeah, cuz you're a babe in Christ
See the babes in Christ don't like that the babes in Christ like to have the last word
the babes in Christ
Enjoy fighting and striving and causing division the person who's a full age. They want the meat
like why are you telling me this on how to not fight with each other I already know this give me the meat of
the word and
Sometimes people want the meat of the word, but they actually need the milk
You know, they want to know all the
intricacies of revelation
They want to know all the thousand two hundred sixty days the thousand three hundred thirty five days
They want to know Daniel 70th week, but they don't even know how to conduct themselves as a normal Christian in a church
Folks get that down first and take the rest of your life to learn end times Bible prophecy
You know learn how to speak to people in church learn how to be a respectable person in church
Learn you know learn how to not be in a nuisance in
Church first be a person who people like to be around, you know be a person who's friendly well
You know, I have something to say and I always want to say it. Well, it's because you're a babe in Christ
You're a babe in Christ and according to the Bible. You're a fool, too
Okay, because you just want to pour out foolishness and your ascent
You should just have a sign over your head that says babe in Christ when you say those things
I am carnal, you know, like when you say something dumb, you know, just just pull out a sign and say
And so so that that person will be like, okay, it makes sense, you know
I'm gonna make a sign. I'm just
We'll put it at the ushers table
You can pick them up on your at your discretion
What I'm saying is that
How can you tell if someone is a full age if they've matured spiritually?
Well, you know, they don't really involve themselves with this nonsense
They're not about division
You know, let me say this. They're also not about division with leaders
Yeah, I go to first works, but I'm all about pastor humanity though, that's my that's my pastor
That's such a stupid thing to say
You know, oh, yeah, I really like you know
Pastor man here, you know, he's my past. He's my pastor, but I
Rather just go to pastor Shelley's church though or something, which I don't blame you by the way
I definitely don't blame you because I love pastor Shelley
I think he's a great preacher and a great leader and you know
If he was across the street, probably everyone here would go over there because he's such a great leader
But here's the thing wouldn't it be carnal to think that way though
Wouldn't it be carnal to just and to think that or even to say it, but you know what it's happened before
And it's just an indicator that you're a babe in Christ because the Apostle Paul is just like why are you saying that you're of me?
And that you're of Apollo's we're not gangs here
Not gang banging here this isn't Christian gang banging
Or you know, I rather listen to pastor Steven Anderson. I rather listen to so-and-so. I think that they're better
We're all on the same team my friends and if you're not satisfied with my preaching
Don't worry Church is almost over you can pop listen to whatever your favorite preacher is afterwards
But you know, I'm a church Christian would just be like, you know, I just love preaching just in general
He said do you have a favorite preacher? I have favorite preachers. I just like listening to my friends
You know and I don't necessarily have time to listen to everyone but you know when I do this
There's pastors that I prefer listening to not because I think that they're better than anyone else
But you know, sometimes pastor Joe Jones has a good title
I
Just like hey, this looks interesting, you know
And then you know, yeah, he has those thumbnails with the corn flakes or whatever and then you tap on it
It's it's you know, it's it's clickbait because there is no corn flakes on the pulpit or whatever
I'm just saying, you know a babe in Christ wants to cause that division and say, you know
This one with this person is better. This church is better, you know this purchase this this church is not as esteemed
First of all, these are all God's churches
Right
So it's like
Jesus Christ bought our church with his blood and Jesus Christ Jesus Christ bought Mountain Baptist Church with his blood as well
So does that you know just because they have they're like a smaller church
Does that mean that their church is less esteem in the eyes of God than ours?
No, they're they're highly both of us are highly valued in God's eyes because they're both his churches and
So a mature person recognizes that a babe in Christ is carnal and wants to cause that division
Okay. Well, I'd rather be baptized by you know, so-and-so or whatever that's carnal
Just get baptized. And in fact, you know, the Apostle Paul said I thank God that I baptized none of you
And then he named a couple he's like but then that's it. That's the only people I baptized
The reason he says because then they would have used that to say. Oh, yeah, you should pause baptism is like awesome
Like
He watched it, you know, it's just like
Just get baptized
But let me say this if you're saved you haven't been baptized grow up become a full agent get baptized today
Stop being such a babe in Christ
You know, what do you got rabies or something? You're afraid of water?
You know, you're afraid of obeying the Lord
Well, I got baptized years ago. Yeah, but did you get saved before you got baptized?
Well, no, then it doesn't count. You just took a bath
You went inside a jacuzzi is what you did
Okay, get baptized. Stop being a babe in Christ and don't don't think that you're a full age if you haven't been baptized
I mean that's like the least of the commandments there
That's like the first commandment that God gives you and if you think you can just be a full-age Christian and a mature Christian
But just completely ignore
Baptism, you know, you're obviously I'm still a babe in Christ. You're still carnal. Okay, and
So have you developed basic Christian conduct go to Titus chapter 2 Titus chapter 2 you said well
You know, he said milk of the word and meat of the word folks what we believe often determines how we behave
Right and the doctrine that we learn. Yes, we learn for it to have knowledge
But we also learn it so we can change our lives so we can change the way we behave
Look at this example here in Titus chapter 2 verse number 1
He says but speak out the things which become sound doctrine
What is he gonna get into salvation?
The mark of the beast
What is he gonna get to the rapid rate doctrine? Like what? What's that sound doctrine? Okay, let's look that the aged men be sober
grave temperate sound in faith in charity in patience
The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as become a holiness not false accusers
Not given too much wine
teachers of good things
That they may teach the young women to be sober to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chase keepers at home
Good obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God be not blasphemed, you know
Sounds like sound doctrine is synonymous with your behavior
He's like when you go to that church, make sure you preach sound doctrine
All right, what which doctrines tell them how to behave themselves in the house of God?
teach them how to like fulfill their own their god-given roles and
Nothing annoys me more than someone who has all the knowledge up here
But they're just as worldly and as carnal and their actions as the day is long
Okay, they you know, they have all the knowledge of salvation and all these things but online
They're just you know, these women are just rebuking man, and they're just loudmouths online or whatever
Maybe you know, that's not Christian conduct my friends
Or just young men who just have all this knowledge
But they're just super disrespectful. They don't know how to hold their tongue
They don't know how to just keep their mouth shut in a conversation with grown men
Okay, you know I told my son and he's six years old
I tell him when grown men are speaking you don't just get involved in the conversation and interrupt because he's a child
He needs to learn those things, you know, what's that is when someone who is a physical age can't seem to understand that as well
And just blur it out some disrespectful comment they say some some inappropriate thing
They just say something that's just completely, you know off the wall
Not Christian not becoming of sound doctrine
So someone who's a full age recognizes. I'm not gonna say anything
And in fact the reason that person wants to say something
Is because they want to be esteemed as being a person of knowledge, but they have it backwards
The Bible actually says if you want to be esteemed as someone who has knowledge
You just shut your mouth and then people say hey, this guy's pretty knowledgeable because he's not saying anything
Okay
He says in verse 6 young men
Likewise exhort to be sober minded and all things showing thyself a pattern of good works and doctrine showing uncorruptness
Gravity sincerity sound speech
Would you look at that?
That cannot be condemned that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed having no evil thing to say of you
And then of course he goes on to the employees there. What do we see?
Is it sound doctrine is synonymous with your behavior. You want to be a full age learn Christian conduct and
You know what?
Like I've known churches that maybe don't necessarily aren't the best when it comes to doctrine and it's unfortunate
But you know their conduct is really good though
Their conduct they they know how to behave themselves as Christians. They know what's appropriate. They know how to be discreet
they know their biblical roles and
We need to make sure we don't undermine the importance of that, okay
Let me read to you from oh go to James go to James chapter 3
And then we'll go back to Hebrews chapter 5 look at James chapter 3 verse 1
He says my brethren James chapter 3 in verse number 1 my brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater
Condemnation for in many things we offend all if any man offend not in word the same is a what?
perfect man and
Able also to bridle the whole body the Bible says so God says a spiritually mature person a man who is perfect a woman
Who's perfect?
complete entire wanting nothing
Someone knows how to control their their their tongue. Okay. Now this is important in church, but it's important in marriage, too
Amen
You control your tongue with your spouse and don't just fly off the handle and and just say everything
Did you wanted to say since last Sunday, you know to your spouse, you know, if you do that
It just shows that you're spiritually immature
You need to make sure that you recognize, you know
A spiritually person as someone who's a full age can bridle the whole tongue a bridle the tongue and therefore bridle the whole body
Go back to Hebrews chapter 5
So we see here that in order for you to quantify spiritual maturity
You have to obviously have a basic understanding a firm grasp of the basics of the Bible the first principles of the oracles of God
But you also have to have good Christian conduct
Okay, and let me say this is that obviously we're a brand new church, you know churches is five years old
It's not only new in the fact that it was established just not too long ago
But there's a lot of first generation Christians here and with first generation Christians comes first generation worldliness
first generation conduct first generation
Conversation referring to conduct and so, you know, we got to put in a lot of work folks
You understand we got to put in some work to be to to get that out of our lives and be spiritually mature
So that our next generation is better than us
We want our next generation to be better than us the Bible refers to our children as arrows, right?
Why do they refer to them as arrows because arrows can go farther than we can ever go
You shoot them out and they go far
But you know what if you choose not to you got to put in the work for this generation in order for the next
Generation not to continue to struggle with the things you struggle with
Understand to be a full age and learn these things early on in life
I wish I would have learned these things. I wish I would have gotten saved obviously earlier in life
You know when I was young
You know when I was a child and learn these things as a child, but you know
That's just not our line life, you know, and so we need to put in the work now for the next generation
Here's the next thing. How is it that we can quantify his spiritual maturity number three. Can you digest spiritual meat?
Can you digest?
Spiritual meat Hebrews chapter 5 verse 13 says for everyone that uses milk is unskilled for in the word of righteousness for he is a babe
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age
Now, what does this mean?
Digest what I mean by digest meat. Okay. Well look at verse number 10
He says called of God and high priest after the order of milk is a deck
Look at verse 11 of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered seeing your dull of hearing
Now I remember reading this in times past and thinking to myself like oh, he wants to talk about milk is a deck
But he can't talk about milk is a deck because they're bored with that type of teaching or they're just disinterested, right?
So he's not gonna talk about it, but it's actually not true because in Hebrews chapter 7
He spends an entire chapter talking about milk is a deck
What he's actually saying here is what the text actually says
He says we have many things to say and to be uttered because you have grown dull of hearing
So it's like because you've become disinterested in this particular doctrine because you're apathetic
Therefore I need to preach it to you again
It's basically what he said in Philippians chapter 3 where he says, you know
He does the Philippians for me to write the same things to you is not grievous but for you it is safe
Basically, I need to repeat myself now if someone is dull of hearing what does that mean? It means they're not really sharp
They're not smart about these things if you've grown dull of hearing it does mean that you've grown bored with God's Word
you've grown bored with specific doctrines and
And
When that happens we need to teach those doctrines again to kind of reignite you and help you to be sharp again
Okay, now let me explain what I mean
We never want to become a church
Where we need a pep rally every Sunday
Where you need me to just hang off these mics and just like
Doing backflips and all this stuff, you know
Those are fun sermons and I like those sermons because that's naturally how I want to be sometimes
But you know, sometimes we just need to teach basic stuff and
If you're in church
You just kind of like glazed over
When we talk about being a full age
It kind of shows me and it shows everyone it should show you that you have grown dull of hearing
Because what essentially you're saying is that this isn't as fun or as important as other things
Can you please talk about faggots?
Can you please preach about reprobates?
Can you please preach about transvestites and all these things like I want to hear something like that
But no you're grown dull of hearing
You need to listen to other things. You're dull. You're not your sword spiritually speaking. It's not sharp
Okay, therefore when the Word of God is being given to you, you're just thinking about those pies
You're just like
Everyone's laughing because you know, it's true. You're like, how did you know that?
He says I have many things to say hard to be uttered seeing that you're dull of hearing now think about this because you know
I've been thinking about a certain passage for a while and
It's it's the passage that states in the book of Proverbs iron sharpened it iron, right?
Well, I was thinking, you know someone who has grown dull of hearing that's something that's in here
But you'd be surprised how much that affects
here
Like it affects your countenance
When you become apathetic towards the things of God, so I don't know about that. Well think about this, you know, what did God tell?
Cain
Why has thou countenance fallen?
So he essentially
Determined his the spiritual state of Cain based upon his countenance. You know, he's just like
You know everyone's fixing their countenance right now
There's just like
You know, I just wanted to have a good guy everyone just smiling now. Everyone's really interested. You know, it was just like
But you it's true though your countenance does essentially communicate what's in your heart and
I was thinking about that passage because it says
Iron sharpened its iron. Listen to this. So a man sharpened at the countenance of his friend
You're basically saying like fix your face
You know stop looking so disinterested with God's Word, you know, that's not the face you make when you play your video games
It's probably not the face you make when you're you know, doing whatever activity, you know, because you're probably interested in those things
Understand whereas someone who is actually interested in God's Word, you know, I'm not saying you have to just be
You know, he's just like wide-eyed or whatever. Look at I'm just saying, you know, what is your level of interest in God's Word?
What is your level of interest or apathy in God's Word understand have you grown dull of
Hearing God's Word
Do you need a pep rally every Sunday to keep you interested in on your toes when it comes to the Bible or can you?
Listen to something really basic or deep and I don't even have to raise my voice and you're like, you know what?
I really like this sermon now. I'll be honest with you. Like I love the the sermons were
You know the pastors just screaming and yelling, I mean, I'd love to do that
But I actually really enjoy other sermons where pastors are just not necessarily raising her voice the whole time
You know, I'll give you an example, you know, and I don't think he'll mind me saying this and if he does then
I'm too bad pastor Robinson. Sorry, you know, but pastor Robinson is not necessarily one who wouldn't necessarily
Be bombastic all the time, you know, he can get that way
Of course, I've seen him get that way, but I enjoy the sermons where he preaches where he's just like teaching the Bible
And I I'm just like eating it up when he's when he's preaching and I'm listening at work and and you know
I'm doing things I'm listening. I'm just eating it out. I'm like, man, that's good. I like that. I taste really good
whereas other people are just like
Because they want to get excited they want to get all you know, I remember a long time ago
All this stuff happens a long time ago
Well, I was in Bible college. There is there is a vegetarian and that does problem number one
there's a vegetarian who's in Bible College, okay, and
You know, and by the way, I am against vegetarianism and veganism because the Bible's against it and
but he was vegetarian and he was really emotional like a really emotional person and
And he's just like he's he was extremely like you couldn't you had to like walk on eggshells around him because he was so
Emotional he was so easily offended
I mean you just couldn't say anything and then you know
He was one of those vegans and vegetarians who like try to recruit people like we'd have these conversations
He's like, oh man, I have these persimmons and man
It's just like it's like the best and I'm just there with the burger like really I'm just like
You know and you know and let me just say this let me just chase a rabbit most vegans and vegetarians they want to eat
me
Okay, that's why they make the meatless burger because they're trying to get you know their food to taste like meat
Which is kind of stupid because they say they say like meat is murder
So it's like so what does that make your meatless burger?
It's just like a like a parody of a murder something like you're acting like you're murdering an animal or something
according to what you believe, but I remember you know this guy he just
sung the praises of fruits and vegetables and that's all he would eat and I remember one time after
Like a Wednesday night service at the church plant. We used to have this thing called
We we eat McDonald's every Wednesday
That's what we would say and we would go to McDonald's after
Wednesday night at church to drown in our sorrows for being single and serving the Lord. So we're just like
cheeseburgers and all this stuff, you know and
You know, we're going there but he was with us because he was certain he was in the ministry with us
And he went with us and I and I went to the dorms and I dropped him off
I said I'm dropping you off because we're gonna go eat McDonald's right now
And I'm not trying to like be offensive to you, but we're gonna do this though
And then he's like no, no, let me go with you. I'll go with you
I won't eat I'm like, you know, you probably shouldn't though
Like I'm trying to respect you and your beliefs and stuff
I'm not trying to put it like a stumbling block before I hear something
I'm just letting you know that I'm gonna do it. You know what I mean? And so he's like no no, no
It's fine. Don't worry about me. I want to go. I'm like, all right, you know and mind you
This is the guy who would just constantly preach this doctrine
Constantly get on us and you know
You're eating that meat and it's gonna destroy your mind and blah blah blah as I'm like eating it
I'm just kind of like, okay
so we get to McDonald's and we're ordering and
Then I turn around or I bring my food back to the table and we're like, where's this guy at?
And he comes back with this massive burger
I'm like, what are you doing? He's like, I can't take it anymore
and he's just like
Killed it
And I'm just like no
You're
Ruining your life
You know it's fighting him the french fries. I'm like
And then he's just like this is so good. I miss this so much, you know, he's just like
But I remember that this guy was so emotional
He's so emotional not just like, you know easily offended
But even like in chapel services where preaching was like if you weren't hanging off the chandeliers
They would say like hanging off the chandeliers he would just come just didn't care about what was being preached
I mean when you talk about countenance being fallen, this was the epitome of that like you're just like
And if you raise your voice even like a decibel, you know, you just be like
But then when he realized that you weren't necessarily gonna go crazy or anything then his countenance would drop again
Because to him he just wanted to hear something that would get him physically going or something like that. You understand?
But this isn't a rock concert my friends. This isn't a concert. This isn't a play
This isn't entertainment. This is God's house where you're coming to hear God's Word and learn the Bible now
Thankfully, you know, we keep it fun around here. Sometimes, you know, especially my stories, right?
but you know more often than not you should be just content with
Hearing God's Word and and not want you know, your your ears to be scratched. Okay people who want
You know, they want to heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. Just tell me what I want to hear
Tell me how to get to the week entertain me. No, you need to digest spiritual meats sometimes
You need to be told how to be a husband sometimes
You need to be told how to be a wife sometimes
You need to be told, you know, hey, that's worldly. You need to stop that you need to be told
Hey, this is evil. This is wicked. You need to be told who Melchizedek is
You need to be told the strong meat
You need that meat of the word you understand and and stop sucking on that milk for so long as a babe in Christ
It's time to move on
Okay to the meat of the word
Hebrew chapter 5 here's the last thing
How is it that we can quantify?
spiritual maturity with lastly have you and here's the biggest one, okay, because
the first three
Even a babe in Christ can get away with it for a little bit like they can learn these things pretty pretty fast
Okay, and and develop those things pretty quickly, you know, they can learn God's Word the basics they can learn the basics they can
develop good Christian conduct
They can also
You know start eating and and appreciating spiritual meat but this one right here
You just can't get oh, you just can't do this in a week
This is actually gonna take you a long time
Number four have you developed discernment?
Also known as judgment
This is what will call will will help you to realize if you are a full age
Okay, look at Hebrews 5 verse 12 14. Excuse me. It's a strong meat belonging to them
They're a full age even those who by reason of use
Have their senses
exercise to discern good both good and evil the Bible says so spiritually mature person
Has exercised their senses. What are their senses hearing and seen?
They've exercised them in such a way that they can look at a situation and make a godly assessment based upon that
Because there's a thing wouldn't you agree?
That if you're to put two people together
Maybe once a babe in Christ and one is spiritually mature and if they're to look at one situation
Both of them will come out with two different conclusions
I've been in situations where I see something I'm like, okay, this is bad and other people are like
well, I didn't see that which is because they don't they don't have that discernment and
Discernment is something that you just can't get right off the bat
There's no shortcuts to discernment
Like well teach me your ways. Okay, show me your tricks
There's no tricks to get discernment because one of the only ways to one of the the best ways and the only ways to
Get discernment is by experience
Yes, you have the same Holy Spirit that I have
however, you have not exercised your senses to discern both good and evil and the Holy Spirit
Cannot just
Streamline your maturity to get you to judge things properly. Sometimes that takes years. Okay to develop and
So, you know, that's why the Bible says he that is spiritual
judges all things
because they basically can discern situations and
And and put a difference between the holy and the unholy between that which is profane between that which is unclean and clean
And be able to determine is this right? Is this the right decision to make is this the right thing to do?
Sometimes based in Christ, they don't just don't know those things. It doesn't mean they're they're a bad person
It doesn't mean that they have a bad heart. It just means they're spiritually immature. Okay?
Turn with me if you would to Matthew chapter 16, we'll finish there
So you need experience
So, you know, I know you're listening to those first three like got it check
check
You know conduct. I could get that this week
I'll come in a sure in Thai next week
Let everyone know how mature I am. You know, I won't say that stupid thing. I was planning to say after the service
That's easy, you know
I'm really interested when pastors preaching and then you'll say oh this guy's matured, you know
just you know
Pay attention really hard, but this is one you can't
You can't you know fabricate
you can't
You know streamline is
proper judgment
You know and this comes with time it comes with obviously reading God's Word
It comes when you get married
Because we for some reason I believe that when you get married
God kind of gives you just a little level of discernment because now like you're responsible for another life
And so he's just like he gives you a measure of wisdom that you didn't previously have before okay
It comes when you have children and it just comes the longer you are a Christian
The longer you are faithful the more you read God's Word and you're faithful the more
Discernment God gives you to judge righteously and this is the last point that I want to make is that
Do not mistake this with judging that which is out there
Like well, I have good judgment because I know Biden shouldn't be president
But folks a five-year-old knows that about that Biden shouldn't be president
You know my son knows that Biden shouldn't be president. That's not very you know, that's not necessarily impressive
Okay, you know don't
Determine you can't determine if you are a full age just because of what you can discern out there
We're talking about spiritual matters. And in fact look at Matthew 16 verse 3
Jesus is trying to get this across to the Pharisees
He says and in the morning it will be foul weather today for the skies red and lowering
Oh you hypocrites you can discern the face of the sky, but can you not discern the signs of the times?
He said you can discern things that are just out there the weather
You know, you knew that Bitcoin was gonna do bad and cryptocurrency and all this stuff. You knew all the conspiracies
You know all these things that you know, Alex Jones was talking about you had wisdom about that
But can you discern the signs of the times? Can you actually discern the Bible and spiritual matters?
Because look social media is filled with a lot of babes in Christ who think that they are full age
They know absolutely nothing about the Bible. Okay, and I'm not impressed with that knowledge
I don't even consider that discernment a lot of it's just common sense
But discernment isn't common sense
Discernment is beyond common sense. It's spiritual sense
Understand even it would recognize and assess the situation and and and put that difference between the holy and unholy
Profane the clean and unclean etc. And so what's the sermon this morning?
It's just I'm just trying to show you how to quantify spiritual maturity
okay, and I hope that as you're listening to the sermon you would desire that and
Say, you know, I want a spiritual mature. I don't want to be a babe in Christ anymore
I don't want to be a child in Christ
I'm going to endeavor and put in the effort to do all these things and if you're like, yeah
But it's gonna take so long. Well, that's why you're a babe in Christ
Spiritually the person who's mature and recognizes
I will take as long as it needs for me to mature in that area and I'm gonna put in the effort to do
So as well, okay
And so don't be someone who just uses milk get that strong me learn the first principles of the doctrines of Christ
grow in your discernment grow in your judgment and
That's it. Let's pray father. We thank you so much for your word
I pray God that you'd help us as your people to grow spiritually but also to mature
And obviously even when we've reached the stage of of maturity
The the road doesn't stop there. We need to continue to grow and learn and
Read God's Word because obviously we can regress we can go backwards and I pray Lord that you'd help us to do
so help us to continue to press forward reach forth into those things which are before and
Forget those things which are behind help us to press towards the mark Lord to spiritual maturity. We love you
We thank you pray these things in Jesus name. Amen
So
Number 51 as our last song where we'll never grow old song number 51
Song number 51 seen on that first verse. I have heard of
On the faraway strand is a beautiful
Oh
Built by Jesus on high there we never shall die
Never
Never grow old in a land where we'll never grow old
Never grow old
Never grow old in a land where we'll never grow old
In that beautiful home
Where we'll never more roam
We shall be in the sweet by and by
Happy
Praise to the King through eternity
See tis a land where we never shall die
Never grow old
Never
Never grow old in the land where we'll never grow old
When our work here is done and the life crown is won and
our troubles and
Trials
All our sorrow
And our voices will blend with the loved ones who've gone
Never grow old in a land where we'll never grow old
Never grow old
Never grow old in a land where we'll never grow old
So that was the spiritual stuff let's get into the carnal stuff
the winners of
The the pie baking contest now. I want to let you know that I selected people who are a full age to judge this
So don't get don't get mad if you didn't win. Okay. All right. Can I get a drumroll here?
Let's let's talk about the third prize winner
to the pie baking contest
Wait a minute. Hold on a second
You put one two and three that's first second third. Okay. I just want to make sure okay
I see all kinds of numbers on here. All right. Oh, I see what you're doing. I see you
All right, drumroll again
The winner
For the third prize pie baking contest 2022 first works BC and I'm California
Number one
Is is that you brother Maury? Oh
Who's number one, did you ladies remember your numbers? Oh
Okay, okay miss Courtney congratulations miss Courtney
I
For some reason thought you were clapping for your wife I was like such a good husband. He's happy. All right. All right
second place
for the pie baking contest
2022
the second prize winner is
number two
Can I get up a raised hand please who's number two? Oh
Oh
Okay, Caitlin
Can you all can you all come in here? What do you guys you guys are disobeying the rules here? All right
Congratulations number two
All right
For the champ
The winner to the bragging rights for the rest of the year until next year's fall program
the best pie at first works Baptist Church is
number
16
Miss Ariel
You all will get rewards in heaven and so
Congratulations now you will be sending you your your gift cards after the service. All right. All right, that's pretty much it. You are dismissed