1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,120 Somebody about Jesus, I'm gonna hear this morning. 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,160 That's really, really cool. 3 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:05,920 If you have your Bibles, go to Hebrews. 4 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,540 We're gonna be in Hebrews five at the end 5 00:00:07,540 --> 00:00:10,800 and then chapter six, as you may well know. 6 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,960 Hebrews chapter five, chapter number six. 7 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,960 I am so glad to have spent a large part of yesterday 8 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,560 and today to be able to see Pastor Herb and Miss Judy. 9 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:25,760 Are you glad they're here this morning? 10 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:27,440 We love them so much. 11 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:31,600 Anybody here miss them? 12 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,560 I miss them, yeah. 13 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,720 We miss them, but we're so glad that God, 14 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:38,960 and we're glad that God brought them. 15 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:41,280 And man, make sure if you haven't seen them already, 16 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:42,640 go by and see them today. 17 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,480 And we're just so thankful for the ministry 18 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:46,480 that God had for them here. 19 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:48,640 And the minute, you know what was so cool 20 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:50,080 about Pastor Herb and Miss Judy is 21 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,000 they're not out of the ministry. 22 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:53,480 They're still doing ministry. 23 00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:55,400 And so we're really grateful for that. 24 00:00:55,400 --> 00:01:00,400 I grew up playing sports. 25 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,440 I love, love, love as you guys know. 26 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:04,000 I love playing basketball. 27 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:07,360 And as a player, one of the things 28 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,120 that I really enjoyed was just developing, 29 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,880 getting better and having coaches that coach me 30 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:16,440 and help me get better at what I do 31 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:20,340 and learning you have to be able to shoot a layup 32 00:01:20,340 --> 00:01:21,800 before you can shoot a three pointer 33 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,560 and dribble and pass well before you can do an alley-oop. 34 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,560 And I never got to the alley-oop part. 35 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,880 I passed a couple, but that's about it. 36 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:32,680 But there's that development that happens. 37 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,600 You start with the simple 38 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,600 and you go on to the more complex. 39 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:41,680 And I love now that I can't hardly run. 40 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:42,880 I wheeze a lot. 41 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,600 You laughed a little too hard, Megan, when you just now. 42 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,680 I love being a coach, not necessarily of sports, 43 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:56,320 although one of the hazards of being a pastor and a dad 44 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,880 is sometimes you use your family too much as illustrations. 45 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:00,480 But I'll go ahead and do it. 46 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:01,760 And is Milana even in here? 47 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:02,800 I don't know. 48 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:03,640 I don't think she is. 49 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:05,000 She's probably in junior church. 50 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:07,760 My girls are playing volleyball now. 51 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,280 And to see them, they started two seasons ago. 52 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,520 And to see Milana and Audrey go from their first season 53 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:14,920 to the end of the season. 54 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:15,880 How many of you guys have experienced 55 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,040 seeing your kids develop over time? 56 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:19,920 And you see somebody else coaching them 57 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:22,440 and it's like, wow, you're listening and obeying. 58 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,960 Some other adult and that'd be nice to do at home. 59 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:28,520 And so anyway, but to see people start to get it 60 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:29,360 is just so fun. 61 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,280 How many guys have ever trained somebody 62 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:34,080 and got a thrill about seeing them go from not being able 63 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:36,000 to do something to then being able to doing it 64 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:36,840 and then mastering it. 65 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,200 And how many of you guys ever coach somebody 66 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,000 that got better than you did? 67 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,960 That's just a thrill to see that happen, 68 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,840 to go from not being able to do something to doing something. 69 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:47,360 And that's a big part of what it means to be 70 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,960 any kind of leader, but it's a big part of what it means 71 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:51,480 to be a pastor. 72 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,520 The Bible says that God gave leaders in the church, 73 00:02:58,120 --> 00:03:01,800 apostles and prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers 74 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,320 for the perfecting of the saints, 75 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,760 for the growing of the saints, the maturing of the saints, 76 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:07,080 for the work of the ministry. 77 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,520 So my job as a pastor is not to execute all the ministry. 78 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,480 My job is to be a coach for you to help you go do the ministry 79 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,680 because there's way more ministry than just I can do. 80 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:19,080 You have a ministry to do too. 81 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:20,480 You know that, right? 82 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,080 If you're a child of God, 83 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:23,560 if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, 84 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,400 then God's called you to be a fisher of men. 85 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:27,640 That's what he's called you to do. 86 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:29,960 And some of you who aren't even saved yet, 87 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,200 God wants to help you to come to know Christ 88 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,200 and a big part of why he wants you to come to know Christ 89 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:35,880 is because he loves you and he cares about you. 90 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:36,960 He doesn't want you to go to hell 91 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:38,240 and he wants you to go to heaven, 92 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,200 but he's also got some people for you to tell too. 93 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,000 Some people for you to connect with and to reach. 94 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,760 And so that's a big part of it. 95 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,760 So coaching can be this amazing experience. 96 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:51,400 When you see someone go from point A to point B 97 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,360 in any skill set, it's amazing. 98 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,160 That's one of the reasons I'm excited about tonight. 99 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:56,800 Did you hear about tonight? 100 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,320 We're having a family service 101 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,160 and in our family service, 102 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,720 the teenagers are taking over 103 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,480 and I'm a little bit nervous, 104 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:06,520 but I'm excited. 105 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:10,160 They've been working on it and Miss Dawn and Noah, 106 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,040 Ellie, it's been coaching our teenagers to get them 107 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,520 helped and ready for the music and for the, 108 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,200 and Miss Peggy, they're all kind of working 109 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:18,320 so these kids can come up. 110 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:19,160 And you know what? 111 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:20,320 They're not the church of the tomorrow. 112 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,040 They're the church of right now. 113 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:23,280 They're a part of us right now 114 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:25,320 and they have a ministry for us to us 115 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:26,920 and with us right now. 116 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,240 Do you believe that? 117 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,680 We love them and we care about them 118 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,560 and we're excited about seeing them do that. 119 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,520 And so that's all a part of what we're trying to do. 120 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,360 And the connection I'm trying to make this morning 121 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,120 between this introduction, getting to the text for today, 122 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:43,040 is to tell you this, 123 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,200 God has an incredible plan for your life. 124 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:50,240 God has an incredible plan not for your life, 125 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:51,720 for your life. 126 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,760 Point to who I'm talking about. 127 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:55,080 Everybody point to who I'm talking about. 128 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:56,440 Yeah, I'm talking to you. 129 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,120 God's got a plan for your life. 130 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,960 Ephesians 2, 8 to 10 tells us that he says, 131 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:03,680 for by grace are you saved through faith 132 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:05,840 and that not of yourselves, it's a gift of God, 133 00:05:05,840 --> 00:05:07,680 not of works lest any man should boast. 134 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:08,520 You know what that means? 135 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:13,520 You are saved by grace when you put your faith in Jesus. 136 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:15,800 God doesn't have to give you salvation, 137 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:18,760 but he does because of Jesus. 138 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:19,960 It's not by works. 139 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,440 We don't get saved by doing good things, 140 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,240 but he says this, for you are his workmanship, 141 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:29,440 his poyema, his poetry, his masterpiece, 142 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:34,080 created in Christ Jesus unto good works, 143 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,520 which God has foreordained that you should walk in them. 144 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:37,560 You know what that means? 145 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,580 God made your personality the way you are. 146 00:05:42,080 --> 00:05:45,200 God gave you the talents and the gifts and the abilities 147 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:46,160 that he's given to you. 148 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:49,340 When you got saved, you got spiritual gifting. 149 00:05:49,340 --> 00:05:51,160 There's a spiritual gift that he's given to you 150 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:52,560 and a diversity of gifts. 151 00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,320 You know not everybody hears the same, right? 152 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:56,720 You're like, I can tell. 153 00:05:58,800 --> 00:05:59,800 Not everybody's here the same. 154 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:01,560 I'm glad not everybody's like me. 155 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:05,360 I thought you guys would aim in that a lot more quickly, 156 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:06,600 right? 157 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:07,800 Not everybody's the same. 158 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:12,600 God has shaped us and put us where he is, where we are, 159 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,280 and when we are, and with the gifts 160 00:06:14,280 --> 00:06:15,680 and the abilities that we are, 161 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,120 and when we get saved, when we get put in the body, 162 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,640 God places people in the body. 163 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,160 Not everybody has the same gifts, 164 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,800 but he's places here for a function, for a reason. 165 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:30,160 Here he calls it, he says that he created us in Christ Jesus 166 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:31,520 unto good works. 167 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,720 We're not saved by good works, but we're saved to them. 168 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,600 God ordained them that we should walk in them. 169 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,920 And so what I wanna tell you about that today is this. 170 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,480 Spiritual maturity is the condition 171 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,360 where we are most likely to fulfill 172 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:49,160 what God would have us to do. 173 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:55,800 Spiritual maturity, growth in Christ after we're saved 174 00:06:55,800 --> 00:07:00,000 till we are of full age, as Hebrews five calls it, 175 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,920 is a spiritual condition that God's kind of prompting us to. 176 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,120 He wants us to grow up. 177 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,720 And as we grow, he wants us then to use the things 178 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,760 he's done, that's what he says when he says he's working on us, 179 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,160 or his workmanship, he's growing us through his word 180 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:18,160 and through his church and through his leaders 181 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:19,160 and through the Holy Spirit. 182 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,320 He's growing us to do the things that God's called, 183 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,320 and he's gifted us to do what God's called us to do. 184 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:29,840 And that means God's got a plan for you. 185 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:34,360 And we need you and you need us, amen. 186 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:35,800 That's what it means. 187 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,960 And can I tell you that God's plans for you 188 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,120 and God's plans for your life are so much better 189 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:42,960 than your plans? 190 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,760 They are so much better than your plans. 191 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,720 And sometimes God's plans become your plans, 192 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,920 and that's a great place to be. 193 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:50,880 We're walking through Hebrews, 194 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:53,560 the book of Hebrews verse by verse, 195 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,080 and this week we come to Hebrews chapter six. 196 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,120 This is one of the most debated passages 197 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:00,760 of the scripture in the Bible. 198 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,080 So much so that as you go read commentaries about it, 199 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:09,160 sometimes people just skip the whole section. 200 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,240 Please pray for me this morning. 201 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:15,600 It's actually not that hard. 202 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,680 Many commentators skip it, 203 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,480 but because of verses four through six, 204 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:23,400 which if you read verses four through six 205 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:25,640 out of its context, 206 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:29,040 some take it to mean that you can lose your salvation. 207 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:32,040 And I'm here with good news this morning. 208 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,080 Once you're saved, you're always saved. 209 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:36,440 If you could lose your salvation, 210 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,640 you probably would have already lost it. 211 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,640 If you could lose it, you already have, 212 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,400 because we can't keep our salvation, 213 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:47,360 we can't save ourselves, 214 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:48,880 why do you think we could keep it? 215 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:50,880 And the Bible's so clear, 216 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,480 it's important that we know 217 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:54,560 that the correct way to interpret scripture, 218 00:08:54,560 --> 00:08:56,440 and there's a lot of principles in that, 219 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:58,600 but two principles I wanna bring up today 220 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,000 that have kind of governed our interpretation of this, 221 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:04,800 number one, context is king. 222 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:05,960 Context is king. 223 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,240 Don't read verses, read passages. 224 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:12,360 Don't take a verse and read it 225 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:14,440 and pull it out of its context and read it. 226 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,320 That's what so many people do. 227 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:17,880 I've even had that happen to me. 228 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,480 This is one of the hazards of being a teacher, 229 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:22,680 Sunday school teacher, a pastor, 230 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:24,600 anybody that gets up and with authority, 231 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:25,840 preaches God's word, 232 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,080 is that people then come to you with Bible questions. 233 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:30,600 And I've read the whole Bible. 234 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,560 I'm acknowledged in it and so yeah, 235 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:33,720 sometimes people bring me a verse 236 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:35,720 and they'll read it to me out of context 237 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,760 and at first there's a little bit of like, oh no, 238 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:39,680 that is a good question. 239 00:09:39,680 --> 00:09:40,520 What's the answer? 240 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,920 You know what, 99.9% of the time, 241 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:45,960 what they're assuming about that passage, 242 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,640 you just gotta go and read the whole thing. 243 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,880 And then once you put it in this context, 244 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:51,960 it's no problem. 245 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:53,600 And that's kind of what's going on here. 246 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,120 So there are no verses in the Bible. 247 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:00,120 Paul, when he wrote Ephesians, didn't start chapter one. 248 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,120 Verse one, that's not how it happened. 249 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,800 We put those in there so that you can have bigger Bibles 250 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,680 and smaller Bibles and different things 251 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:08,400 so that when I say Genesis chapter one 252 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,520 or Romans chapter three, you can get there. 253 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,120 I don't have to go page number 763. 254 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:14,760 Does that make sense? 255 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,520 It's a tool that we used to all get on the same page. 256 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:19,520 But those verses aren't necessarily, 257 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:21,880 those chapter headings and verses aren't necessary, 258 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:23,320 they're not in the Bible. 259 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,320 They're not in the original language. 260 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,400 And so sometimes what happens is, 261 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:30,120 you're in the middle of a thought 262 00:10:30,120 --> 00:10:32,440 and then it goes chapter six. 263 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,400 And you think, well, it's a new topic 264 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:39,160 because there's a chapter there, 265 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,560 but the topic hasn't changed. 266 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:44,200 That's what I wanna show you today, Context is King. 267 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:46,360 Number two, here's the other thing I wanna tell you, 268 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,840 never let a difficult passage of scripture 269 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,000 be at odds with the clear teaching in scripture. 270 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:54,240 Don't let that happen. 271 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:59,240 Jesus said what can separate you from the love of Christ. 272 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,200 Jesus said, God said that, 273 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,120 Jesus said, if any man be in me, 274 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,480 then he's in my hand and I'm in the Father's hand 275 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:10,720 and no man could pluck them out of my hand. 276 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:13,880 And he said, I and the Father are one. 277 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,200 So the Bible is very, very clear. 278 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:17,560 You can't lose your salvation. 279 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:18,680 The Bible says in Ephesians, 280 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:21,040 don't grieve the Holy Spirit of God, which is in you. 281 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:21,880 Why can you grieve them? 282 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:25,480 Because he can't leave and we sin. 283 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,520 That's how we grieve them. 284 00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:28,680 So you can't lose your salvation. 285 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:29,520 The Bible is so clear. 286 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:30,600 If you wanna talk about that, 287 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,600 if you're worried about your salvation 288 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,280 or losing your salvation, come see me. 289 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:38,600 We'll grab coffee and I'll help you understand that, 290 00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:39,440 think through that. 291 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,720 This is not a passage about someone being saved 292 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,480 and losing their salvation. 293 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:49,080 This is a passage about what a company's salvation, 294 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,240 God's desire for every person that gets saved 295 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:56,120 is spiritual growth, spiritual maturity. 296 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,880 This is talking to the Hebrews on the day of the writing 297 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,000 of this passage, who were saved, 298 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,480 but were tempted to backslide to what their life looked like 299 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,440 before they were saved. 300 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:10,400 The text applies to us then, 301 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,960 in regard to being a backslidden believer. 302 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,640 They're saved, they're going to heaven when they die, 303 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:19,880 but they're not living in full maturity. 304 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,280 They are not moving on into perfection 305 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:25,320 or into maturity as six verse one says. 306 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,800 They're not becoming all that God intends them to be. 307 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:28,960 They're not at rest in him, 308 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,440 they're not bearing fruit in their lives as believers. 309 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,320 And I'm gonna say this by faith. 310 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:39,920 We all want to move into what God has for us, don't we? 311 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:43,000 Anybody here wanna grow? 312 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,920 Anybody here wanna fulfill those plans 313 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,920 that God foreordained that we should walk in them? 314 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:50,160 That's what we want. 315 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:51,520 Who here wants to grow? 316 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,920 Yeah, I hope that if you're not saved today 317 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,280 that it will be very clear that you could be saved. 318 00:12:57,280 --> 00:12:59,120 If you're not saved, the Bible says 319 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:00,280 that you're dead spiritually 320 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,120 and you don't need to grow spiritually, 321 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,560 you need to be born again. 322 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:06,360 That's what needs to happen. 323 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,560 And so let me just pause here and say, 324 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:12,200 Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 325 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:14,280 He was both God and man. 326 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:17,840 Fully man, fully God. 327 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,280 God sent Jesus to live in this world. 328 00:13:21,280 --> 00:13:22,560 He was born of a virgin. 329 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:27,640 He had no sin nature being born of that virgin. 330 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,040 He never had that sin nature. 331 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,200 And then he never sinned. 332 00:13:32,200 --> 00:13:33,880 He never did anything wrong. 333 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,480 He kept the law that you could not keep. 334 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:40,080 And he did it for the right reason. 335 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:42,400 He did the right thing for the right reason. 336 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:43,640 He didn't do the wrong thing 337 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:45,280 and he did that for the right reason. 338 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:48,640 He did everything he could to glorify and honor God. 339 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,400 And then like our lesson talked about this morning 340 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,040 in Sunday school, if you're not in Sunday school, 341 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:53,880 you should go. 342 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:57,600 It talked about how that John chapter 12 343 00:13:57,600 --> 00:14:00,560 that unless a seed goes into the ground and dies 344 00:14:00,560 --> 00:14:01,840 and can't bring forth new life, 345 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:03,160 and that's exactly what Jesus did. 346 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,440 He died, he was buried and he rose again. 347 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,960 He died for our sin, he was buried, he rose again. 348 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:10,120 He rose again. 349 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:11,280 That's not a metaphor. 350 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,480 That actually happened in history. 351 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,360 Jesus really died. 352 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,120 He was really buried and he really rose again. 353 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,680 And the Bible says that if we would place our faith in him, 354 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,320 we can spend eternity with him forever. 355 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:26,760 Your sin could be forgiven. 356 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,640 God can legally dismiss your case. 357 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:31,960 The debt could be paid by Jesus. 358 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:33,360 He gives you his righteousness. 359 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:35,200 He takes away your sin and it happens. 360 00:14:35,200 --> 00:14:38,520 Not by works, not by coming to church. 361 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,400 You're not gonna be saved because you're Baptist 362 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:42,480 or because you're at Trinity. 363 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:44,040 You're saved because Jesus died for you 364 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,000 and you put your faith in him. 365 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,240 So just because, and like you cannot earn it, 366 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:51,080 you can't keep it. 367 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,320 And so if you're here today and you're not saved, 368 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,120 today's the day of salvation. 369 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:56,880 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ 370 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,320 and you shall be saved, the Bible says. 371 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:01,280 That's what you need to do. 372 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:02,600 Don't wait. 373 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:06,280 I don't recommend not even wait until the invitation time. 374 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,960 Do it now, call in the name of the Lord to save you. 375 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,280 Now for the rest of us, this is talking about, 376 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,160 these are talking to saved people, 377 00:15:14,160 --> 00:15:16,200 people who have already been born again. 378 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:21,080 And here's the idea that I want you to take away today. 379 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:22,960 We must respond to the call, 380 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:25,560 respond to the call to spiritual maturity 381 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:27,240 that we see in this passage 382 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:30,400 by understanding what spiritual maturity looks like. 383 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,840 Here are four truths about spiritual maturity 384 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,520 that will help us to think rightly 385 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:39,520 about the progress to which God's calling us. 386 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:40,360 Here's the first one. 387 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,240 The progress is about leaving, 388 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:43,760 this will blow your mind, ready? 389 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,360 Leaving spiritual immaturity. 390 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,920 Remember how I said there's no verses or chapters 391 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:49,760 in the Bible? 392 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:52,560 There's passages. 393 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,600 Well, this passage really kind of begins 394 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:56,640 where I was at last week. 395 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:58,160 To really understand the passage, 396 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:00,240 the whole passage, we must look like we've said 397 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:01,640 at its whole context. 398 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:05,320 And the subject change really happened back in verse 11 399 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:06,960 of chapter number five. 400 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:08,840 This is where the Holy Spirit through the author 401 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:12,520 begins to speak about the immaturity of his readers. 402 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,400 He identifies several sparks 403 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:16,600 of a spiritually immature person. 404 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,400 They're saved, these are someone who knows Jesus, 405 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:20,320 but they need to grow. 406 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:23,640 And let's look at each of these marks in this text, okay? 407 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:27,320 And briefly get us oriented to the rest of the passage. 408 00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:28,520 One of the things he calls them, 409 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,760 he says the mark of what's going on here 410 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:35,440 is dullness toward the word, dullness toward the word. 411 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,520 In verse 11, it says, of whom, and that's speaking, 412 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:40,600 let me catch you up if you weren't here last week, 413 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,240 he just referred to the high priestly office 414 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,760 of Jesus Christ and how that Jesus is not 415 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:49,120 after the order of Aaron, 416 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,440 but he's after the order of a guy named Melchizedek. 417 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:57,000 Melchizedek was this figure in the Old Testament, 418 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,080 historical figure, a real person 419 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,760 that gets brought up there in Genesis, 420 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:03,360 it also gets brought up in Psalms, 421 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:05,800 and then again here in Hebrews. 422 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,200 And it's this guy who was both a king and a priest, 423 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:09,360 which is very rare. 424 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:14,160 And the Bible says that Jesus is our kingly priest, 425 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:15,720 and he's after this order of Melchizedek. 426 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:18,320 And it's almost like the author of Hebrews 427 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:22,080 is getting into this very detailed, meaty passage, 428 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:24,200 and then he pauses and it's not like 429 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,640 he forgot his audience, but he then goes, 430 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,560 oh, I need to say something to my audience 431 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,480 who I'm giving this really incredible truth to. 432 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,240 And he says, here's what I'm having a hard time with, 433 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,480 verse 11, of whom we have many things to say 434 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,400 about this Melchizedek and Jesus' order, 435 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:42,880 and he picks it up at the end here 436 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,040 of chapter six into chapter seven. 437 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,480 He says, this thing I'm talking about with Jesus 438 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,240 and Melchizedek, I have a lot to say about this, 439 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:51,560 but it's hard to be uttered. 440 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:56,560 It's hard to be uttered seeing ye are dull of hearing. 441 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,960 God has a desire for them to grow in their learning 442 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,800 and in their obedience, but a spiritually immature person 443 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,360 as he's referring to here is dull of hearing. 444 00:18:04,360 --> 00:18:07,840 I told you last week that word dull is the word nothros, 445 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:12,840 which means not only dull, but slothful, sluggish, 446 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:14,640 or lazily, lazy. 447 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:19,640 So we're gonna say slothful, and I'm gonna say nothros, 448 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:22,440 and you're gonna say slothful, so you get it. 449 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,560 Nothros means slothful. 450 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:28,680 Okay, that's gonna come up later, so pay attention. 451 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:30,760 What does nothros mean? 452 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,320 You got it, lazy, dull, slothful. 453 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:38,320 Okay, it's the idea here that maybe they hear 454 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:41,960 what he's saying, but rarely do they seek out 455 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:43,920 the kind of thing he's saying. 456 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:48,000 It's the idea that maybe they hear what he's saying. 457 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,240 Hey, you're hearing what I'm telling you, 458 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:52,880 but you're not quick to obey what I'm telling you. 459 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,760 You know the Bible's not just for hearing. 460 00:18:56,960 --> 00:18:58,360 The Bible's for obeying. 461 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:03,520 In fact, if you get in the habit of listening 462 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:05,560 to the word of God or reading the word of God 463 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,360 and not obeying it, it's really bad for you. 464 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,760 Because you can get to the place where you get insensitive 465 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:13,920 to the word of God. 466 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:18,240 You get used to having something to do about it 467 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:20,080 and being disobedient. 468 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:25,080 And so he says, hey, one of the marks of immaturity 469 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:29,080 is slothful to hear, slow to hear, dull in hearing, 470 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:30,080 not able to hear it. 471 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,880 Now, letter B, the second mark of spiritually mature 472 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,480 is the inability to share, inability to share. 473 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,880 Chapter five verse 12 says this, 474 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:45,080 for when, for the time you ought to be teachers, 475 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,280 you have need that one teach you again, 476 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:49,880 which be the first principles of the oracles of God. 477 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:51,280 Notice that word ought. 478 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,080 God desire is for everyone who knows Christ 479 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,280 and has been born again to grow and influence 480 00:19:57,280 --> 00:19:59,080 and reproduce spiritually. 481 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:02,680 He says here that they ought to be teachers. 482 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:04,880 And teaching is merely sharing with someone 483 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,480 the things that you have both learned both in knowledge 484 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:10,680 and in experience and in obedience. 485 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:12,480 And he's saying, you should be at the point 486 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:14,680 where you're teaching others and you're not doing it. 487 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:18,280 A spiritually immature person can't share. 488 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,480 Instead of teaching and influencing, 489 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:22,280 they needed to still be taught. 490 00:20:22,280 --> 00:20:25,980 And that was the problem that they had in mark of immaturity. 491 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:28,680 Now, if you're a brand new believer, 492 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:32,280 it's not bad for you to be immature. 493 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:35,380 You are because you just been born, right? 494 00:20:35,380 --> 00:20:37,580 So don't take that the wrong way. 495 00:20:37,580 --> 00:20:39,480 But he says this is a mark of immaturity, 496 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,880 dullness to hear, inability to share, 497 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,280 letter C, a baby food diet. 498 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,480 A baby food diet. 499 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:48,980 Another indication of their maturity 500 00:20:48,980 --> 00:20:50,280 was what they call a baby, 501 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:51,680 what we'll call a baby food diet. 502 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:54,680 Look at chapter verse 12B. 503 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,280 And are become as such that have need of what? 504 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:00,580 What is it? 505 00:21:00,580 --> 00:21:03,380 Milk and not strong meat. 506 00:21:03,380 --> 00:21:05,680 For everyone that uses milk is unskillful 507 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,980 in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 508 00:21:08,980 --> 00:21:11,780 A mark of spiritual maturity is that 509 00:21:11,780 --> 00:21:13,480 all you can process is the milk. 510 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,780 They can't process the meat. 511 00:21:15,780 --> 00:21:16,980 They do not hear and obey. 512 00:21:16,980 --> 00:21:18,580 They're the first things. 513 00:21:18,580 --> 00:21:20,080 So it makes no sense that they would hear 514 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:21,680 the more difficult things. 515 00:21:22,780 --> 00:21:24,380 If they're a lazy or dull to hear, 516 00:21:24,380 --> 00:21:26,980 then they never move on to the bread or to the meat. 517 00:21:26,980 --> 00:21:29,780 I remember hearing about a famous preacher. 518 00:21:29,780 --> 00:21:31,380 I don't remember which one it was. 519 00:21:31,380 --> 00:21:33,380 I'm sure this has probably happened more than once. 520 00:21:33,380 --> 00:21:34,980 Where a guy came and took a church 521 00:21:34,980 --> 00:21:37,080 and he preached a message. 522 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:38,380 And then the next week he came 523 00:21:38,380 --> 00:21:41,180 and he preached the same message. 524 00:21:41,180 --> 00:21:42,480 And then on the third week he came in 525 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,880 and preached the same message. 526 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:45,880 And they're like, why preacher? 527 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:47,280 Why are you preaching the same message? 528 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,480 He goes, because you haven't obeyed the message 529 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,380 the first time I read it. 530 00:21:51,380 --> 00:21:52,780 We're not gonna move on until you obey. 531 00:21:52,780 --> 00:21:54,680 Now I'm not gonna do that. 532 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,480 But there's something to it. 533 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,480 Why would you obey the more difficult things 534 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,580 if you're not even processing the simpler things? 535 00:22:04,580 --> 00:22:06,580 He goes on to talk about two more marks. 536 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,780 Letter D, unskillfulness and using the word verse 13 537 00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:14,380 says this, for everyone that uses milk is unskillful 538 00:22:14,380 --> 00:22:17,380 and the word of righteousness for he's a babe. 539 00:22:17,380 --> 00:22:20,380 But strong meat belonging to them that are of what? 540 00:22:21,380 --> 00:22:23,080 Full age. 541 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:24,880 And what's the point of this strong meat? 542 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,080 Is it to be able to say, I can eat meat? 543 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:29,180 I'm really mature. 544 00:22:29,180 --> 00:22:30,580 Look how great I am. 545 00:22:30,580 --> 00:22:32,680 I can tell you all the disciples names. 546 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,280 I can tell you all the bigads. 547 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:37,080 I've memorized whole passages of scripture. 548 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:37,980 I know a lot. 549 00:22:37,980 --> 00:22:39,480 Is that the point? 550 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:40,280 No, it is not. 551 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:42,780 Man, there's a lot of people like I told you last week 552 00:22:42,780 --> 00:22:46,980 who are incredible at Bible Jeopardy and their babies. 553 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:49,280 Cause it's not just about, 554 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:51,380 there's some people that are spiritually fat. 555 00:22:52,580 --> 00:22:54,080 They've taken in a lot of God's word, 556 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:56,980 but they're not living it out. 557 00:22:56,980 --> 00:22:59,280 And so he says, what's the point of strong meat? 558 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,580 It's for those who are full age of full age verse 14, 559 00:23:02,580 --> 00:23:05,280 even those who by reason of use, 560 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,680 reason of use of that strong meat 561 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:11,780 have their senses exercised to discern 562 00:23:11,780 --> 00:23:13,880 both good and evil. 563 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:15,680 You know what the point of the spiritual nutrition 564 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:17,280 of God's word is? 565 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,580 To equip you to go out and live 566 00:23:20,580 --> 00:23:22,680 what it is you're supposed to do. 567 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:26,980 To go out and live God's word in the world. 568 00:23:26,980 --> 00:23:28,380 You're not dismissed. 569 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:30,880 You're getting it. 570 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:32,980 You're getting it. 571 00:23:32,980 --> 00:23:34,280 That's the point. 572 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,680 Eat the spiritual meal so that you can go exercise. 573 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:39,380 Go live it out in the world. 574 00:23:39,380 --> 00:23:44,380 Now this leads us to this idea. 575 00:23:44,380 --> 00:23:45,880 Like I said in the introduction, 576 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,780 God has an incredible plan for your life. 577 00:23:48,780 --> 00:23:50,480 You are his workmanship, 578 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:54,180 which you will do as you're growing up in him. 579 00:23:54,180 --> 00:23:57,180 And that leads us to chapter six verses one through three, 580 00:23:57,180 --> 00:23:58,880 which although we've changed chapters, 581 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:00,980 we don't really change topics. 582 00:24:00,980 --> 00:24:04,680 We're still being warned about not growing up 583 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,080 or not maturing. 584 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,980 Here's the fifth mark of spiritual immaturity. 585 00:24:08,980 --> 00:24:12,680 Sometimes this is just way too simple. 586 00:24:12,680 --> 00:24:14,880 Not moving on to maturity. 587 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:16,780 In verse one it says, 588 00:24:16,780 --> 00:24:19,780 therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, 589 00:24:19,780 --> 00:24:22,780 let us go on unto perfection. 590 00:24:22,780 --> 00:24:23,780 You know what he's saying? 591 00:24:23,780 --> 00:24:27,780 He's saying, let's move on from just the milk and mature. 592 00:24:27,780 --> 00:24:30,780 Let's move on from the first things. 593 00:24:30,780 --> 00:24:35,280 Remember he's writing to these Jewish believers 594 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,680 and he says, you know that Christ is the one 595 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:39,980 that Christ is the Messiah. 596 00:24:39,980 --> 00:24:43,480 What has he been talking to him about for five chapters? 597 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,480 He's better than the angels. 598 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:50,280 He's better than Moses. 599 00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,080 He's the greater high priest. 600 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,280 He's the better rest. 601 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,480 All those things in the Old Testament are pictures of the real, 602 00:24:58,480 --> 00:24:59,280 the true. 603 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:00,680 Do you get it? 604 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:04,480 He's saying, these are the truths that you need to move on to. 605 00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:05,980 It's on these truths, 606 00:25:05,980 --> 00:25:07,980 these truths about Jesus Christ's identity 607 00:25:07,980 --> 00:25:10,080 that our salvation rests. 608 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:15,380 Hey, listen, if Jesus is not the Christ, are you saved? 609 00:25:15,380 --> 00:25:18,980 If Jesus isn't God, are you yet in your sins? 610 00:25:18,980 --> 00:25:20,980 Yes, we are. 611 00:25:20,980 --> 00:25:23,480 So the way we get saved is by putting our trust 612 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:27,180 in the one person who could save us, Jesus. 613 00:25:27,180 --> 00:25:28,680 Buddha can't save you. 614 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:30,380 Hinduism can't save you. 615 00:25:30,380 --> 00:25:31,980 Islam can't save you. 616 00:25:31,980 --> 00:25:33,280 Your mama can't save you. 617 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:34,080 Your daddy can't. 618 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:36,280 Are you with me? 619 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:38,180 I am the way, the truth, and the life. 620 00:25:38,180 --> 00:25:46,480 No man coming to the Father, but by me, not me, Jesus. 621 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:51,680 So he says, here's what he's saying, back to verse one, 622 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:53,880 leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, 623 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:55,280 let us go on unto perfection. 624 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,580 Now that you're saved, keep growing. 625 00:25:58,580 --> 00:26:03,480 But don't go back to not laying again the foundation of repentance 626 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,480 from dead works and faith towards God 627 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:12,680 and the doctrine of baptism, the fact that that letter's there 628 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:17,680 is key, and of laying on of hands and of resurrection 629 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:19,880 of the dead and of eternal judgment. 630 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,180 And this we will do if God permit. 631 00:26:23,180 --> 00:26:27,480 He is speaking here of the things that Jewish people 632 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:32,780 would have believed before they believed in Jesus. 633 00:26:32,780 --> 00:26:34,480 Okay. 634 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:39,080 It was a belief about salvation that was incomplete. 635 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,480 Repentance from dead works as a means of salvation 636 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:43,880 apart from Christ. 637 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,380 They didn't know about Jesus. 638 00:26:45,380 --> 00:26:46,680 They were looking to Jesus. 639 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:48,180 They didn't know it was him. 640 00:26:48,180 --> 00:26:50,580 And he's saying, don't go back to the way you thought about 641 00:26:50,580 --> 00:26:53,480 salvation before separating it out from Christ. 642 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:57,380 You have this tendency to go back to what Judaism was like before. 643 00:26:57,380 --> 00:27:01,480 There was repentance, sometimes a repentance like our repentance 644 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:05,280 was just going through the motions. 645 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,480 And it was our repentance that was devoid of Jesus. 646 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,180 But now that we have Jesus, we understand that our repentance 647 00:27:10,180 --> 00:27:13,580 and our faith ought to be in Christ. 648 00:27:13,580 --> 00:27:17,180 He says, and a faith towards God. 649 00:27:17,180 --> 00:27:20,780 This is a faith that's in God the Father 650 00:27:20,780 --> 00:27:23,780 but not acknowledging God the Son. 651 00:27:23,780 --> 00:27:27,480 He goes on to say of the doctrine of baptisms. 652 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:31,280 That word baptisms, there's multiple, it's a plural. 653 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:35,180 And the word baptisms could also be called washings. 654 00:27:35,180 --> 00:27:38,780 There was ceremonial washings that they would do in the temple 655 00:27:38,780 --> 00:27:41,480 and in the on different days as part of what they would do 656 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:44,880 and worship to God and trying to go back to that. 657 00:27:44,880 --> 00:27:46,780 The laying on of hands and talking about here 658 00:27:46,780 --> 00:27:49,980 when they would sacrifice an animal, 659 00:27:49,980 --> 00:27:52,280 when they would go back to those sacrifices before 660 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,080 one of the parts that they would do after they, 661 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:56,480 as part of sacrificing that animal, 662 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:58,680 they would lay their hands on that animal 663 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:03,680 as a picture of that animal becoming the substitute 664 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:05,580 that would atone for their sins. 665 00:28:05,580 --> 00:28:07,180 Does that make sense? 666 00:28:07,180 --> 00:28:09,780 And what he's saying is, 667 00:28:09,780 --> 00:28:14,180 don't go back to the old sacrificial system. 668 00:28:14,180 --> 00:28:17,280 Don't go back to the old way you used to think about salvation. 669 00:28:17,280 --> 00:28:20,380 Don't go back to that old way you repented, 670 00:28:20,380 --> 00:28:23,880 not understanding who Christ is. 671 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,680 It was partial, it was incomplete. 672 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,780 This baptism is talking about here is not Holy Spirit baptism 673 00:28:29,780 --> 00:28:34,180 or water baptism as a step of obedience, 674 00:28:34,180 --> 00:28:36,180 as a first step of obedience. 675 00:28:36,180 --> 00:28:38,880 The laying on of hands was, hey listen, 676 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:42,980 we have a better sacrifice. 677 00:28:42,980 --> 00:28:45,480 Those lambs were a picture of the lamb that would come 678 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:50,680 that would lay down his life for his sheep. 679 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:57,180 We hold the Lamb of God that takeeth away the sin of the world. 680 00:28:57,180 --> 00:28:58,380 He's saying don't go back to that. 681 00:28:58,380 --> 00:28:59,380 Jesus is greater. 682 00:28:59,380 --> 00:29:01,380 Resurrection from the dead and eternal judgment, 683 00:29:01,380 --> 00:29:04,880 as it says here, is exactly what they believe would happen. 684 00:29:04,880 --> 00:29:07,080 Jewish people, especially the Pharisees, 685 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:08,580 they believed in these things, 686 00:29:08,580 --> 00:29:11,680 but outside of Christ they were still spiritually dead. 687 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:13,280 They believed in God's judgment, 688 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:15,680 but they were in danger of God's judgment 689 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,180 because they had rejected Christ. 690 00:29:18,180 --> 00:29:20,480 All of these things, if not done by faith, 691 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:22,280 and done outside of a belief in Christ, 692 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,880 we're trying to pursue a relationship with God 693 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:28,080 on the basis of the law. 694 00:29:28,080 --> 00:29:32,180 And that still happens in so-called Christian denominations today. 695 00:29:32,180 --> 00:29:36,480 Sure Jesus died, but you got to do this and this and this and this. 696 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:42,280 It's Jesus plus something else dead works to bring you to salvation. 697 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:43,280 Can I tell you salvation? 698 00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:46,580 It's Jesus plus nothing, minus nothing. 699 00:29:46,580 --> 00:29:47,780 That's it. 700 00:29:47,780 --> 00:29:50,180 How are you saved? Jesus. 701 00:29:50,180 --> 00:29:54,280 That's how it happens. 702 00:29:54,280 --> 00:29:56,080 All of these things, if not done in faith, 703 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:57,480 and done outside of a belief in Christ, 704 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:01,480 we're trying to pursue a relationship with God on the basis of the law. 705 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,480 And the law can't save you. 706 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,980 Paul talks about this in Romans 9 where he says, 707 00:30:06,980 --> 00:30:07,980 what shall we say then? 708 00:30:07,980 --> 00:30:09,180 This is Romans 9.30. 709 00:30:09,180 --> 00:30:11,780 What shall we say then that the Gentiles, 710 00:30:11,780 --> 00:30:13,380 which followed not after righteousness, 711 00:30:13,380 --> 00:30:15,680 have attained to righteousness? 712 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:18,280 Even the righteousness, which is of faith, 713 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,780 but Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, 714 00:30:21,780 --> 00:30:24,480 having not attained to the law of righteousness, 715 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:28,080 wherefore, because they sought it not by faith. 716 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,980 But as it were by the works of the law, 717 00:30:30,980 --> 00:30:34,580 salvation was never intended to be by works. 718 00:30:34,580 --> 00:30:35,880 It was always by faith. 719 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,280 And he's saying, this is what's happened. 720 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:42,780 The Gentiles who didn't have the law and didn't try to follow all that law stuff, 721 00:30:42,780 --> 00:30:44,480 they're believing and they're being saved. 722 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:46,980 And then you had these Jews who were believing. 723 00:30:46,980 --> 00:30:49,680 They were trying to obey and practice the law, 724 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:53,780 but they thought that they would be right with God by keeping the law. 725 00:30:53,780 --> 00:30:55,980 And he says, what about them? 726 00:30:55,980 --> 00:30:58,380 And he says, they didn't seek it by faith. 727 00:30:58,380 --> 00:30:59,680 They thought about it by works of the law, 728 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,180 for they stumbled at that stumbling stone, Jesus. 729 00:31:02,180 --> 00:31:05,680 As is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone 730 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:11,280 and a rock of offense and whosoever believeth on him. 731 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:13,680 Who's the stumbling stone? 732 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:14,780 Who's the rock of offense? 733 00:31:14,780 --> 00:31:17,180 Who's the stone that is the head of the corner? 734 00:31:17,180 --> 00:31:19,480 The stone that the Buddha has rejected 735 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:21,280 has become the head of the corner. 736 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:24,880 Jesus Christ is the foundation stone. 737 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,080 And he says, whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed. 738 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:29,380 You know what that means? 739 00:31:29,380 --> 00:31:33,580 If God makes you a promise, he'll keep it. 740 00:31:33,580 --> 00:31:35,380 He'll keep it. 741 00:31:35,380 --> 00:31:39,480 If he said, believe in me and you'll be saved. 742 00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:39,980 Period. 743 00:31:39,980 --> 00:31:40,980 End of discussion. 744 00:31:40,980 --> 00:31:43,480 If you've been given salvation, that's a promise he's made to you. 745 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,680 You can't lose it. 746 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:49,880 I'll make you promises and let you down. 747 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:53,580 Let's meet at 11 on Friday, 1115. 748 00:31:53,580 --> 00:31:56,480 Where's Pastor Ben? 749 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:56,980 Right? 750 00:31:56,980 --> 00:31:58,080 Anybody ever have that? 751 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,780 Don't raise your hand. 752 00:32:02,780 --> 00:32:05,780 Anybody ever been let down by somebody? 753 00:32:05,780 --> 00:32:09,580 Jesus won't let you down. 754 00:32:09,580 --> 00:32:11,780 So here's what the writer of Hebrews is saying. 755 00:32:11,780 --> 00:32:13,480 Go on to perfection. 756 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:14,980 Go on to maturity. 757 00:32:14,980 --> 00:32:19,780 Move beyond just believing rightly about Christ when it comes to your salvation. 758 00:32:19,780 --> 00:32:24,580 And definitely do not go back to what you believed before you were saved. 759 00:32:24,580 --> 00:32:28,980 Don't go back to believing in the ceremonial law as the way you ought to worship God. 760 00:32:28,980 --> 00:32:30,080 Don't backslide. 761 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:31,480 Don't be dull. 762 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:32,180 Nothrose. 763 00:32:32,180 --> 00:32:34,580 What does nothrose mean? 764 00:32:34,580 --> 00:32:35,480 You got it. 765 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:37,780 Don't be dull of hearing. 766 00:32:37,780 --> 00:32:40,580 The ceremonial law that you believed before cannot save you. 767 00:32:40,580 --> 00:32:42,180 It cannot grow you. 768 00:32:42,180 --> 00:32:44,580 Jesus is who does it. 769 00:32:44,580 --> 00:32:47,980 And so here's what we're trying to do. 770 00:32:47,980 --> 00:32:53,880 We're looking at four truths about spiritual maturity that will help us to think rightly about the progress God's calling us to. 771 00:32:53,880 --> 00:32:56,480 We got to leave spiritual maturity. 772 00:32:56,480 --> 00:32:59,380 And this progress is about leaving spiritual maturity. 773 00:32:59,380 --> 00:33:03,580 This progress and sanctification, this maturity does not affect your salvation. 774 00:33:03,580 --> 00:33:05,280 Look at verse four. 775 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:10,680 I want you to understand verses four through six are all in this context and one sentence. 776 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:12,580 Here we go. 777 00:33:12,580 --> 00:33:18,580 For it is impossible for those who are once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost 778 00:33:18,580 --> 00:33:23,680 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come 779 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:29,180 if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance, seeing that they crucify to themselves 780 00:33:29,180 --> 00:33:35,380 and have gone and got it fresh and put him to an open shame. 781 00:33:35,380 --> 00:33:36,380 Look at what it says in verse four. 782 00:33:36,380 --> 00:33:39,080 It is impossible for those. 783 00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:41,380 Then he begins to give a series of statements. 784 00:33:41,380 --> 00:33:47,880 I think there are about four of them which give us every indication that the person being referred to here is a saved person. 785 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:53,780 He says those who are once enlightened, the word enlightened means the light has been turned on. 786 00:33:53,780 --> 00:33:57,480 The word once there means once for all being enlightened. 787 00:33:57,480 --> 00:33:59,780 It seems to be a description of a saved person. 788 00:33:59,780 --> 00:34:10,780 When you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal savior, the light comes on and you're brought out of darkness into God's marvelous light, once enlightened. 789 00:34:10,780 --> 00:34:18,580 The same word used in Hebrews 10.32 is translated differently. 790 00:34:18,580 --> 00:34:25,180 It says in Hebrews 10.32, it's the same word, but it's a different English word. 791 00:34:25,180 --> 00:34:38,180 In 10.32 it says, Bacauldo remembrance the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured a great fight of a thick of afflictions. 792 00:34:38,180 --> 00:34:40,480 The word illuminated is the word enlightened. 793 00:34:40,480 --> 00:34:42,580 This is a description of a person who's been saved. 794 00:34:42,580 --> 00:34:43,380 They've been enlightened. 795 00:34:43,380 --> 00:34:44,580 The light has come on. 796 00:34:44,580 --> 00:34:55,080 2 Corinthians 4.6, for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 797 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:56,180 So, do you see that? 798 00:34:56,180 --> 00:34:57,980 They've been enlightened. 799 00:34:57,980 --> 00:35:00,280 Then it says they've tasted of the heavenly gift. 800 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:02,580 Do you see that? 801 00:35:02,580 --> 00:35:03,180 You guys see it? 802 00:35:03,180 --> 00:35:04,880 Look at your Bibles. 803 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:05,880 What does it say? 804 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:07,880 They were once enlightened. 805 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:11,280 They've tasted of the heavenly gift. 806 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:13,780 That is a clear reference to the gift of salvation. 807 00:35:13,780 --> 00:35:19,580 Romans 6.33 says, the wages have sinned his death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 808 00:35:19,580 --> 00:35:22,780 Salvation is God's heavenly gift. 809 00:35:22,780 --> 00:35:25,480 He says that they've tasted of the heavenly gift. 810 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:29,080 There are some who say that the word tasted means that they just sampled it. 811 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:30,680 They didn't really partake of it. 812 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:36,280 They didn't really get it, but this word is used in another place in the book of Hebrews very significantly. 813 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,180 In Hebrews chapter 2 verse 9, we've already studied this. 814 00:35:39,180 --> 00:35:40,080 Here's what it says. 815 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:50,380 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, but that by the grace of God should what? 816 00:35:50,380 --> 00:35:53,880 Taste death for every man. 817 00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:58,880 He says here that on the cross Christ tasted death for every man. 818 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:01,380 Does this mean that Jesus got a little sample of death? 819 00:36:01,380 --> 00:36:02,880 No. 820 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:05,880 It means Jesus experienced the fullness of death on the cross. 821 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:07,080 Did Jesus die? 822 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,380 Did Jesus really die? 823 00:36:09,380 --> 00:36:10,380 Yes. 824 00:36:10,380 --> 00:36:13,180 So the word taste as it's used here does not mean sample. 825 00:36:13,180 --> 00:36:14,280 It means experience. 826 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:16,680 Back in verse 4. 827 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:18,280 You there with me? 828 00:36:18,280 --> 00:36:20,980 Walking through the phrase, phrase by phrase. 829 00:36:20,980 --> 00:36:23,380 Here's what it says. 830 00:36:23,380 --> 00:36:29,580 For it is impossible for those who are once enlightened and have tasted the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. 831 00:36:29,580 --> 00:36:36,080 That were partakers that there really means to take hold with someone, to become a partner with someone. 832 00:36:36,080 --> 00:36:42,480 When you come to Christ and you're saved, then you enter into a partnership with God the Holy Spirit. 833 00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:46,380 When God saves you, He wants you to grow and become everything He intends you to be. 834 00:36:46,380 --> 00:36:48,780 He wants you to become like the Lord Jesus Christ. 835 00:36:48,780 --> 00:36:52,080 He wants you to serve the Lord Jesus Christ. 836 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:54,680 He wants you to mature in the Lord Jesus Christ. 837 00:36:54,680 --> 00:36:57,980 So you and the Holy Spirit are in a joint project together. 838 00:36:57,980 --> 00:37:03,280 That's why in Philippians 2.12 it says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 839 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,380 Does it mean work into your salvation? 840 00:37:05,380 --> 00:37:07,780 It means now that you're saved, work it out. 841 00:37:07,780 --> 00:37:09,280 Do something with it. 842 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:16,280 Then in the right, in the next verse it says, for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 843 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:19,080 You see, you and I work out what God is working in. 844 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:21,880 That's what the process of sanctification is. 845 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:23,580 That's what Christian growth is. 846 00:37:23,580 --> 00:37:26,380 God is working in you. 847 00:37:26,380 --> 00:37:29,180 You're working it out in your daily life. 848 00:37:29,180 --> 00:37:32,380 That sounds like a safe person to me, doesn't it? 849 00:37:32,380 --> 00:37:33,480 Back to our text. 850 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:43,280 In verse 5, he says, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come. 851 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:46,380 A safe person has experienced the blessings of God's word. 852 00:37:46,380 --> 00:37:49,280 A safe person has experienced the powers of the world to come. 853 00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,880 That is, safe people get a little foretaste of heaven. 854 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,980 It happens all the time. 855 00:37:55,980 --> 00:38:00,280 You ever been reading your Bible and just got excited? 856 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:05,680 You ever been in a service and the worship and music was so sweet? 857 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:11,880 And then you heard the word of God and it just got up all in you? 858 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:16,480 You're like, no, I'm Baptist. 859 00:38:16,480 --> 00:38:19,680 It happens to us sometimes too, amen. 860 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:21,780 We've had those services here, haven't we? 861 00:38:21,780 --> 00:38:24,780 Where God just, man. 862 00:38:24,780 --> 00:38:31,480 Yeah. 863 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,580 Safe people getting a little foretaste of what's going to be like. 864 00:38:34,580 --> 00:38:36,280 Let's say people. 865 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:40,880 Verse 4 says, it's impossible for folks like that if they shall fall away. 866 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:45,580 That phrase in verse 6 fall away is not the word apostasy. 867 00:38:45,580 --> 00:38:50,280 It's not apostasy means like a falling away. 868 00:38:50,280 --> 00:38:51,880 That's almost like a permanent thing. 869 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:54,780 There's a different word for apostasy than the word that's right here. 870 00:38:54,780 --> 00:38:58,080 The word is a different word. 871 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:01,080 It means to deviate from the path. 872 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:04,780 It means to wander off course. 873 00:39:04,780 --> 00:39:07,780 Back in verse 1, he told us, let's move on to perfection. 874 00:39:07,780 --> 00:39:12,080 He's already been talking to safe people saying, hey, the problem isn't that you're not safe. 875 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:13,580 The problem is that you're dull of hearing. 876 00:39:13,580 --> 00:39:16,780 The problem is that you haven't grown up. 877 00:39:16,780 --> 00:39:18,780 You get it? 878 00:39:18,780 --> 00:39:21,880 So apostasy here is not them losing their salvation. 879 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:23,380 It's that they've wandered off course. 880 00:39:23,380 --> 00:39:28,880 Anybody know anyone in the Bible that wandered off course? 881 00:39:28,880 --> 00:39:31,680 Have you heard of David? 882 00:39:31,680 --> 00:39:35,880 Man after God's own heart? 883 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:37,480 Peter? 884 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:39,780 Denied Jesus three times? 885 00:39:39,780 --> 00:39:42,180 Peter, do you love me? 886 00:39:42,180 --> 00:39:43,780 Peter, do you love? 887 00:39:43,780 --> 00:39:47,380 Can a Christian backslide? 888 00:39:47,380 --> 00:39:50,580 That's a dumb question. 889 00:39:50,580 --> 00:39:53,680 Anybody here ever mess up? 890 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:57,080 Everybody here ever mess up for a period of time in a pattern? 891 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:00,380 Yeah. 892 00:40:00,380 --> 00:40:05,180 Grow up. 893 00:40:05,180 --> 00:40:07,080 That's the point of the passage. 894 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:10,080 Grow up. 895 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:13,280 Verse 6 is essentially saying that it's impossible for safe people. 896 00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:16,880 If they get off course, it's impossible to renew them to again to repentance. 897 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:19,880 The word renew means to restore them under repentance. 898 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:24,380 I've repented more since I got saved than I did before I got saved. 899 00:40:24,380 --> 00:40:26,480 Can you agree with that? 900 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:29,780 When I came to know Christ, now as I've tried to live out the Christian life, 901 00:40:29,780 --> 00:40:31,780 I've come to understand more about the Lord. 902 00:40:31,780 --> 00:40:37,580 It's kind of like when you put something you're making next to the standard, 903 00:40:37,580 --> 00:40:39,380 like that sidewalk I told you about last week. 904 00:40:39,380 --> 00:40:43,280 This is what a straight line looks like and this is what your sidewalk looks like. 905 00:40:43,280 --> 00:40:46,380 When you compare, the more you get to know Jesus, the more you realize, 906 00:40:46,380 --> 00:40:48,680 man, I messed up. 907 00:40:48,680 --> 00:40:54,580 He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be. 908 00:40:54,580 --> 00:41:01,680 That's some old school, Sunday school song, but it means something. 909 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:05,880 He says the backslide is a believer that it's impossible for anyone to get into repentance. 910 00:41:05,880 --> 00:41:08,580 Is this saying that when you backslide as a Christian, there's no way back? 911 00:41:08,580 --> 00:41:10,580 No. That's not what it's saying. 912 00:41:10,580 --> 00:41:13,080 How many of you have gotten away from the Lord at some point in your life 913 00:41:13,080 --> 00:41:15,280 and then you're repented and came back? 914 00:41:15,280 --> 00:41:16,980 It's not saying that. Here's the key. 915 00:41:16,980 --> 00:41:22,380 Up into this point, the verbs in the passage are all in a particular tense in the Greek language. 916 00:41:22,380 --> 00:41:24,280 They're definite in nature. 917 00:41:24,280 --> 00:41:27,080 They talk about something that's a definite action in the past. 918 00:41:27,080 --> 00:41:28,380 They were enlightened. 919 00:41:28,380 --> 00:41:29,680 They tasted the heavenly gift. 920 00:41:29,680 --> 00:41:31,080 They were partakers of the Holy Spirit. 921 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,780 They tasted that we're a good word of God. 922 00:41:33,780 --> 00:41:36,380 Definite experiences when they were saved. 923 00:41:36,380 --> 00:41:39,580 The tenses though of the verb change in verse six and it says, 924 00:41:39,580 --> 00:41:45,380 seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God or fresh to put him to an open shame. 925 00:41:45,380 --> 00:41:50,180 He's saying if they shall fall away, it's impossible to renew them again under repentance 926 00:41:50,180 --> 00:41:54,080 while they are in the condition of crucifying the Son of God or fresh 927 00:41:54,080 --> 00:41:59,080 and while they are in the condition of putting him to an open shame. 928 00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:00,480 Do you get it? 929 00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:01,580 Here's what it's saying. 930 00:42:01,580 --> 00:42:07,680 A backslidden believer is a pitiful believer because while they are in that backslidden, 931 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:14,280 unrepentant condition, they are not teachable. 932 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:15,380 They're not teachable. 933 00:42:15,380 --> 00:42:19,180 You can't do a thing in the world with them. 934 00:42:19,180 --> 00:42:22,180 Those Hebrews who were going back to that old way of thinking, 935 00:42:22,180 --> 00:42:28,180 knowing about Christ but wanting to go back to those old ways of thinking about salvation, 936 00:42:28,180 --> 00:42:33,780 they were saying that Christ's death were of no effect and that there was some other way to be right with God. 937 00:42:33,780 --> 00:42:38,080 Those of us who have been in the ministry for some time all have experiences with people 938 00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:43,280 who once served the Lord faithfully and who turned from serving to the Lord to other things. 939 00:42:43,280 --> 00:42:45,880 Some left their families, others left the church. 940 00:42:45,880 --> 00:42:50,280 And when they were sought by after those who were trying to help them to be restored, 941 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:52,980 they simply refused. 942 00:42:52,980 --> 00:42:56,780 They were hard and unrepentant. 943 00:42:56,780 --> 00:43:03,980 A believer can get into such an unrepentant state that it feels like a wasted time to talk to him. 944 00:43:03,980 --> 00:43:05,380 Talk about dull of hearing. 945 00:43:05,380 --> 00:43:06,180 Don't go there. 946 00:43:06,180 --> 00:43:06,780 Wake up. 947 00:43:06,780 --> 00:43:08,280 Move on. 948 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:10,280 Don't go backwards. 949 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:12,880 Go forwards. 950 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:14,780 Pastor Warren Wearsby said this. 951 00:43:14,780 --> 00:43:19,180 The writer's purpose was not to frighten the readers but to assure them. 952 00:43:19,180 --> 00:43:25,480 If he wanted to frighten them, he would have named whatever sin or sins would have caused them to disgrace Jesus Christ. 953 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:26,380 But he didn't do that. 954 00:43:26,380 --> 00:43:32,980 In fact, he avoided the word apostasy and used instead to fall by the wayside. 955 00:43:32,980 --> 00:43:36,080 Christians can sin unto death. 956 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:39,080 You know that, right? 957 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:44,480 Christians can be of no earthly good anymore. 958 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:45,680 So God just takes them home. 959 00:43:45,680 --> 00:43:48,180 This is God's chastening. 960 00:43:48,180 --> 00:43:53,380 A theme the writer of Hebrews will take up again in Hebrews 12, 1 to 29. 961 00:43:53,380 --> 00:43:57,780 So he's saying, don't go when you're trying to use a ceremonial law again. 962 00:43:57,780 --> 00:44:02,580 It's like you're crucifying God again or fresh. 963 00:44:02,580 --> 00:44:03,880 Don't go back. 964 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:05,280 You already know Jesus. 965 00:44:05,280 --> 00:44:06,280 Jesus is the only way. 966 00:44:06,280 --> 00:44:07,880 Those things were just pointing to Jesus. 967 00:44:07,880 --> 00:44:08,080 Go. 968 00:44:08,080 --> 00:44:11,780 Don't go back to what the old way was. 969 00:44:11,780 --> 00:44:13,780 Grow up. 970 00:44:13,780 --> 00:44:14,780 You're born again. 971 00:44:14,780 --> 00:44:16,280 Grow up. 972 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:18,080 Don't go back. 973 00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:20,780 And what I want to say to us. 974 00:44:20,780 --> 00:44:34,280 If you've been saved for a long time and there's a point in your spiritual walk that's a higher watermark than what's now, repent. 975 00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:37,680 There's rest for the people of God. 976 00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:40,080 One of the most miserable persons in the world. 977 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:45,980 One of the most miserable people in the world are the people who are saved and not living like it. 978 00:44:45,980 --> 00:44:49,580 You can't enjoy your sin like you used to. 979 00:44:49,580 --> 00:44:53,580 But you're also not enjoying the fellowship of God. 980 00:44:53,580 --> 00:44:58,880 Grow up. 981 00:44:58,880 --> 00:44:59,780 Lord, help me get through this. 982 00:44:59,780 --> 00:45:00,580 Number seven. 983 00:45:00,580 --> 00:45:01,580 Number three. 984 00:45:01,580 --> 00:45:02,980 The progress results in fruitfulness. 985 00:45:02,980 --> 00:45:04,480 Look at verse seven to ten. 986 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:06,180 I may have to come back to this next week. 987 00:45:06,180 --> 00:45:08,480 I may not be able to do it justice, but let's go. 988 00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:09,380 Verse seven. 989 00:45:09,380 --> 00:45:17,580 For the earth with shrinketh in the rain that cometh off upon it, and bringeth forth herbs, and meeteth for them by whom it is dressed, receiveeth, brusting from God. 990 00:45:17,580 --> 00:45:24,580 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh into cursing, whose end is to be burned. 991 00:45:24,580 --> 00:45:28,080 What that means is there's a fruit that should accompany salvation and spiritual growth. 992 00:45:28,080 --> 00:45:39,380 When someone gets saved, as they begin to grow in God's word and move on into maturity, to imperfection, because of that salvation and the indwelling spirit, there's fruit. 993 00:45:39,380 --> 00:45:42,980 Some of the things we do as we grow spiritually are of the Lord. 994 00:45:42,980 --> 00:45:46,480 Those things are of eternal value. 995 00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:48,380 Brother Rex was talking in our Sunday School class this morning. 996 00:45:48,380 --> 00:45:50,680 There's some things that I do that are of eternal value. 997 00:45:50,680 --> 00:45:53,280 There's some things that I do are wood, hay, and stubble. 998 00:45:53,280 --> 00:45:55,280 Gold, silver, precious stone. 999 00:45:55,280 --> 00:46:01,880 If I told you I have some gold and I have some silver and I have some precious stone, but I accidentally dropped it in a fire. 1000 00:46:01,880 --> 00:46:04,480 But if you, it's cooled off now, do you want it? 1001 00:46:04,480 --> 00:46:06,980 What would you say? 1002 00:46:06,980 --> 00:46:10,580 Sweet. 1003 00:46:10,580 --> 00:46:17,380 If I came to you and said I got some wood, some hay, some stubble, and I dropped it in the fire, do you want it? 1004 00:46:17,380 --> 00:46:18,980 What would you say? 1005 00:46:18,980 --> 00:46:19,980 Right. 1006 00:46:19,980 --> 00:46:24,480 It gets burned up and the things that has intrinsic value remain. 1007 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:26,180 Those are the eternal things. 1008 00:46:26,180 --> 00:46:30,480 The author gives a testimony of what he thinks of the fruit of these people. 1009 00:46:30,480 --> 00:46:34,380 He says in verse nine, how do you know this is not about salvation, Ben? 1010 00:46:34,380 --> 00:46:35,580 Look at verse nine. 1011 00:46:35,580 --> 00:46:42,480 But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation. 1012 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:44,380 Though we thus speak. 1013 00:46:44,380 --> 00:46:49,280 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work in labor of love, which you have showed toward his name, 1014 00:46:49,280 --> 00:46:53,380 and that you have minister to the saints and do minister. 1015 00:46:53,380 --> 00:46:58,280 He points to those things that they've done and are doing as a result of their spiritual growth, 1016 00:46:58,280 --> 00:47:01,080 the work, the labor of love, the ministry to the saints. 1017 00:47:01,080 --> 00:47:04,680 And by the way, how do I know I'm spiritually mature? 1018 00:47:04,680 --> 00:47:09,180 One thing that spiritually mature people do is serve. 1019 00:47:09,180 --> 00:47:10,680 They serve. 1020 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:12,380 Spiritual mature people are generous people. 1021 00:47:12,380 --> 00:47:16,780 They give, they do, they work, they reproduce. 1022 00:47:16,780 --> 00:47:18,980 Do you get it? 1023 00:47:18,980 --> 00:47:21,980 Babies are consumers. 1024 00:47:21,980 --> 00:47:25,180 Have you noticed? 1025 00:47:25,180 --> 00:47:29,180 All they do is get taken care of. 1026 00:47:29,180 --> 00:47:31,080 They don't serve. 1027 00:47:31,080 --> 00:47:31,780 They can't serve. 1028 00:47:31,780 --> 00:47:33,080 It's fine. 1029 00:47:33,080 --> 00:47:36,480 I don't ask my one year old to clean his room. 1030 00:47:36,480 --> 00:47:39,280 I do a little bit, but I don't expect this. 1031 00:47:39,280 --> 00:47:39,980 We got to help. 1032 00:47:39,980 --> 00:47:41,780 Have you noticed? 1033 00:47:41,780 --> 00:47:45,480 They're good at dirty in the room. 1034 00:47:45,480 --> 00:47:46,480 Right? 1035 00:47:46,480 --> 00:47:47,980 Babies are consumers. 1036 00:47:47,980 --> 00:47:49,780 Adults give. 1037 00:47:49,780 --> 00:47:51,080 Parents give. 1038 00:47:51,080 --> 00:47:53,780 Has anybody noticed that parents give? 1039 00:47:53,780 --> 00:47:54,780 Grandparents give. 1040 00:47:54,780 --> 00:47:56,080 That's the joy of it. 1041 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:57,480 Right? 1042 00:47:57,480 --> 00:47:59,180 Spiritual mature people result. 1043 00:47:59,180 --> 00:48:02,780 It's always a result in service and giving and generosity. 1044 00:48:02,780 --> 00:48:06,280 So, four things about spiritual maturity. 1045 00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:10,280 Last one, the progress demands diligent effort. 1046 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:11,980 Look at verse 11 and 12. 1047 00:48:11,980 --> 00:48:17,780 And we desire that every one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope and to the end. 1048 00:48:17,780 --> 00:48:22,480 The author is not saying that you have to stay diligent in order to be saved. 1049 00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:29,680 The author is saying that diligent focus must be made to stay close to the Lord so that the fruit of the mature Christian life can be present. 1050 00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:35,680 Progress in your spiritual life can be made as you rest in Christ. 1051 00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:38,580 So, work hard at staying in Christ. 1052 00:48:38,580 --> 00:48:42,180 In turn, not it positionally, but in fellowships. 1053 00:48:42,180 --> 00:48:44,680 How does that happen? 1054 00:48:44,680 --> 00:48:46,180 Here it is. 1055 00:48:46,180 --> 00:48:48,180 Verse 12. 1056 00:48:48,180 --> 00:48:48,980 Verse 12. 1057 00:48:48,980 --> 00:48:50,180 How do you stay? 1058 00:48:50,180 --> 00:48:52,080 How do you be diligent? 1059 00:48:52,080 --> 00:48:56,680 That you may not be... 1060 00:48:56,680 --> 00:48:59,180 Guess what the word is? 1061 00:48:59,180 --> 00:49:01,880 Nothrose. 1062 00:49:01,880 --> 00:49:04,880 What does nothrose mean? 1063 00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:07,080 There it is. 1064 00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:14,080 But followers of them who through faith and patient inherit the promises. 1065 00:49:14,080 --> 00:49:21,380 That word slothful is the same word in the Greek as the word dull of hearing, dull, back in verse 11. 1066 00:49:21,380 --> 00:49:27,080 When we take in the word of God as believers in Christ and we are not dull of hearing, 1067 00:49:27,080 --> 00:49:33,280 but listen to do what it says, we will grow in maturity. 1068 00:49:33,280 --> 00:49:39,980 When you drink milk and you eat bread and you take in meat and you do it for the reason to go have the nutrition to not be dismissed, 1069 00:49:39,980 --> 00:49:47,780 but sent to go work out what God wants you to do in the world. 1070 00:49:47,780 --> 00:49:51,380 Man, what an incredible life you find. 1071 00:49:51,380 --> 00:49:54,680 You get to fulfill all that God has in plan and in store for... 1072 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:57,680 I had a meeting this morning. 1073 00:49:57,680 --> 00:50:00,880 You guys wouldn't believe the meeting I had this morning. 1074 00:50:00,880 --> 00:50:10,180 God orchestrated the details of this area and this area and this area and somebody calling me and telling me about something that's going to happen. 1075 00:50:10,180 --> 00:50:11,880 And then I go, well, he would be good for that. 1076 00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:15,380 And I go over to this other guy and he goes, I've been praying about that for three months. 1077 00:50:15,380 --> 00:50:19,580 And I'm going, God did that. 1078 00:50:19,580 --> 00:50:23,380 God shaped the guy I'm recruiting to go do something. 1079 00:50:23,380 --> 00:50:27,780 And God had it in mind months ago, probably longer, further than months ago. 1080 00:50:27,780 --> 00:50:30,780 And he orchestrated, am I confusing you? 1081 00:50:30,780 --> 00:50:36,580 Okay, my point is God's got a plan. 1082 00:50:36,580 --> 00:50:44,780 He's going to grow his church and he's going to do it by growing his church, the assembly point to what I'm talking about. 1083 00:50:44,780 --> 00:50:48,380 Yeah, that's how he's going to do it. 1084 00:50:48,380 --> 00:50:53,980 And when we partner with him, he grows us and as he grows us, then we become everything he wants us to be. 1085 00:50:53,980 --> 00:50:56,080 So good news. 1086 00:50:56,080 --> 00:50:58,280 This passage is about losing your salvation. 1087 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:06,480 In fact, one of the most reassuring passages in the whole word of God is Hebrews chapter six to help us know you can't lose your salvation. 1088 00:51:06,480 --> 00:51:09,180 You can't stay tuned to next week. 1089 00:51:09,180 --> 00:51:10,880 You can't lose it. 1090 00:51:10,880 --> 00:51:14,280 You can't lose it. 1091 00:51:14,280 --> 00:51:15,880 We just have to grow up. 1092 00:51:15,880 --> 00:51:21,780 We must respond to the call to spiritual maturity by understanding what this spiritual maturity looks like. 1093 00:51:21,780 --> 00:51:34,680 It's progress that's leaving spiritual maturity, leaving dullness toward the word and inability to teach the word in the baby food diet and being unskillful in the word and not moving on to perfection. 1094 00:51:34,680 --> 00:51:36,880 It's not about your salvation. 1095 00:51:36,880 --> 00:51:42,080 It's about fruitfulness and God wanting to produce fruit in you when you stay connected to him. 1096 00:51:42,080 --> 00:51:51,180 And when you take in his word, his word gets into us and then his word as it gets into us is his word is what comes out of us. 1097 00:51:51,180 --> 00:51:56,680 And when it comes out towards my family, it's it affects how I parent. 1098 00:51:56,680 --> 00:51:58,380 It's affects how I do my marriage. 1099 00:51:58,380 --> 00:52:02,780 It affects how I when I do it as a pastor, it affects my ministry. 1100 00:52:02,780 --> 00:52:05,080 When I do it as a Sunday school teacher, it affects that ministry. 1101 00:52:05,080 --> 00:52:10,680 When I do it with a lost person, it looks like evangelism. 1102 00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:15,480 When I do it with other fellow believers and trying to grow them, it looks like disciple shit. 1103 00:52:15,480 --> 00:52:18,480 You get it? 1104 00:52:18,480 --> 00:52:21,080 God has an incredible plan for your life. 1105 00:52:21,080 --> 00:52:23,380 Grow up. 1106 00:52:23,380 --> 00:52:24,880 Grow up. 1107 00:52:24,880 --> 00:52:27,580 Don't go back. 1108 00:52:27,580 --> 00:52:31,780 Don't be unteachable. 1109 00:52:31,780 --> 00:52:33,280 What's the point of this message? 1110 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:36,880 The point of the message is, where are you being immature? 1111 00:52:36,880 --> 00:52:39,980 Where are you being dull hearing? 1112 00:52:39,980 --> 00:52:42,380 Are you saved? 1113 00:52:42,380 --> 00:52:44,780 Are you saved? 1114 00:52:44,780 --> 00:52:48,180 Do you know for sure that heaven's your home? 1115 00:52:48,180 --> 00:52:51,280 Do you know for sure that your sins forgiven? 1116 00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:55,280 Does God have some good works that he wants you to do in your fighting them on it? 1117 00:52:55,280 --> 00:53:00,480 Don't be nothrose. 1118 00:53:00,480 --> 00:53:02,280 Grow up. 1119 00:53:02,280 --> 00:53:09,880 Would you bow your heads and close your eyes with me? 1120 00:53:09,880 --> 00:53:18,080 There's nobody in here, God, that understands. 1121 00:53:18,080 --> 00:53:20,280 Let me start over. 1122 00:53:20,280 --> 00:53:24,080 You know I need to grow. 1123 00:53:24,080 --> 00:53:29,280 And I'm saying out loud to you in front of our church family that your desire is for me to grow. 1124 00:53:29,280 --> 00:53:31,280 I have not arrived. 1125 00:53:31,280 --> 00:53:33,480 And God, there's not a person in this room that's arrived. 1126 00:53:33,480 --> 00:53:37,280 You all have something you want us to grow in. 1127 00:53:37,280 --> 00:53:45,280 So God, as I pray this morning, as the invitation is beginning, I pray that you would prick, 1128 00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:50,280 your Holy Spirit would prick each and every heart to know where it is that they've been dull of hearing, 1129 00:53:50,280 --> 00:53:57,480 where it is that maybe we've been slothful, where there needs to be true repentance. 1130 00:53:57,480 --> 00:54:03,980 God, I thank you that our salvation isn't up to us. It's up to you. 1131 00:54:03,980 --> 00:54:06,680 You told us if you could lose it, you'd never get it back. 1132 00:54:06,680 --> 00:54:10,080 I'm so glad I can't lose it. 1133 00:54:10,080 --> 00:54:12,880 So God, I pray that for me, I pray that for our church family. 1134 00:54:12,880 --> 00:54:20,680 God, if there's someone here that doesn't know you as Savior, I pray that today that they would come to know you as Savior. 1135 00:54:20,680 --> 00:54:27,080 If there's someone here that needs to join the church and partner with our church family to grow in their walk with you, 1136 00:54:27,080 --> 00:54:31,480 I pray that today that they would make that step, that they come forward, 1137 00:54:31,480 --> 00:54:38,480 that they'd submit themselves to church membership so that we can help them to grow and partner with them in that. 1138 00:54:38,480 --> 00:54:42,880 If there's someone here that needs to be baptized, that they made that decision. 1139 00:54:42,880 --> 00:54:45,680 If someone here needs to know you, like I said, that they make that decision. 1140 00:54:45,680 --> 00:54:52,880 And God, if there's someone here, God, no one in here would be surprised that there would be others in here that need to repent, 1141 00:54:52,880 --> 00:54:56,480 that need to not be slothful, but need to be open to hearing and teachable. 1142 00:54:56,480 --> 00:55:04,880 So God, if you've convicted of sin and they're feeling led, would you lead people to respond to your word and the preaching of your word today? 1143 00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:27,880 God, may you do your work in this invitation, help us not to be slothful in Jesus' name. Would you stand?