Hebrews
5:11-6:3
Twelfth
Sunday after Pentecost
August 23,
2009
Hebrews
5:11-6:3 (New International Version)
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I’d like to begin today by picking up a
thought Pastor Rath mentioned in his sermon last week. It has to do with education being a lifelong
process. In other words, when children
graduate from grade school, education isn’t complete. One has to go on to high
school. When students graduate from high
school, education shouldn’t stop there either.
In today’s global economy, one needs to go on to a tech school, some
apprentice program, or even college.
When that’s over, education can’t stop there either. Most workers need to continue on in taking
more classes to stay current with their field of labor or expertise. Even pastors continue on with their education
by attending circuit study meetings, pastoral conferences, and summer classes
at the Seminary. Education is a
life-long endeavor.
This weekend we are observing Christian education weekend. With the start of the new school year for our
Christian elementary school, Lakeside Lutheran high school, Sunday school, and
fall Bible classes we want to highlight the importance and necessity of
continuing in our training in God’s Word.
We need that reminder because sometimes people think that training in
God’s Word ends with confirmation. But nothing could be further from the
truth. That truth, which comes to us
again through these words from the letter to the Hebrews, is this: CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION IS A LIFELONG ENDEAVOR!
I. In involves constant training in the Word.
II. It
requires sacred help from above.
Speaking of education, an important part is
taking tests, which for most people usually isn’t a pleasant experience. The
Hebrew Christians to whom these words were written were undergoing a test that
wasn’t a pleasant experience either. It
wasn’t a written exam. Their faith was
being tested. They were being persecuted
for their faith. Some had been arrested and others their jobs and possession
were taken away. Here was the test: Were they going to remain faithful to Christ
and what they had been taught about him, or were they going to reject him and
go back to their Jewish religion with all of its customs? The sacred author whom God used to write this
letter carefully reminder those Hebrew Christians that if they failed the test
and went back to Judaism which had rejected Jesus as the Savior, the Savior
would reject them. The entire book is a
call to remain faithful to Jesus who is the only Savior.
Part of the problem though wasn’t just the physical pressure of persecution
from the outside it was also sinful laziness and carelessness toward the Word
of God coming from the inside. Listen to what the opening verses say: 11We
have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to
learn. 12In fact, though by this
time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary
truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being
still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who
by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good
from evil…
In the verses just prior to these words, the author had explained the beautiful
truths about how Jesus is our Great High Priest. Unlike the Old Testament high Priest who was
a sinner and had to keep sacrificing animals over and over again for his own
sin and for the sin of the people, Jesus is the sinless Son of God who offered
up once and for all time the one sacrifice that could pay for all sins. In fact, his priesthood was like that of the
Old Testament priest named Melchizedek.
Now time won’t allow us to go into great deal to discuss that and the writer to
the Hebrews couldn’t go into great detail about that either, not because of
lack of time, but because his readers’ ears had become dull and they were slow
to learn these things. They had already
been taught the basic truths, the ABC’s of Christianity if you will, and they
should have been able to move on in their knowledge of God’s Word. But they had gone backwards. Rather than going on into meatier matters,
they, like infants, were still on milk.
Now, the author is not belittling babies in the faith or disparaging
fundamental truths. There will always be
babies and adults in the faith and God’s Word contains milk for the babies and
solid food for the adults. But babies
are not to remain babies nor are the mature to revert back to childhood. Growth in faith is essential, but it can only
come from “constant use and training” in the Bible.
What appropriate thoughts on this Christian Education Sunday. What is our school all about or our Sunday school,
our confirmation classes, our Bible classes for adults, our Lutheran high
school, our Sunday services, the Daily
Meditations, the monthly Bible reading guide, or the Forward in Christ magazine?
These things are like a wonderful smorgasbord offering variety of
spiritual food from God’s Word. But you
can’t just pick and choose every now and then.
We need a steady diet. We have to guard against a childish attitude like
that of the Hebrew Christians which says or thinks things like “I’ve heard that
all already,” or “Boring” or “I already went to confirmation classes.”
Christian education is a lifelong endeavor!
Why? So that we can be Bible geeks knowing a lot of Bible trivia? No. So we can grow in our understanding of
how sinful we are and how much we need a Savior. So that we are better equipped
to distinguish between right and wrong as we go through life; Or as Paul
explained it to the Ephesians, “So that we can grow up and no longer be infants tossed
back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching
and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will
in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that
is Christ.” As long as we live in this
world we all need constant training in the Word. Christian education is a lifelong endeavor.
II. Christian Education is not only a lifelong endeavor that involves constant
training, but it is an endeavor that requires sacred help from above.
The Christians to whom these words were originally written were probably not
much different than us. To be sure, they
lived at a different time and place, spoke a different language, and had a
different ethnic background. But they were Christians who, just like us, had
been taught the basic doctrines of God’s Word about true repentance which
involves turning away from sin and trusting in God’s promise to forgive. They had also learned about the importance of
baptism, and the resurrection of the dead, and how the world is going to end
and on judgment day all believers in Christ will be taken to heaven together
and unbelievers will be condemn to hell.
But they were like us in other ways too.
As one looks through this sacred book you will see that they were having
a difficult time dealing with suffering and its purpose in the lives of God’s
people. They also had struggled with
issues about marriage and about money matters, and being content with the
things God had given them in life. Like
us, they were wondering, “How do I handle these things?” The answer is found in
the constant use and training in the Word of God.
Now if they had to do that on their own, they surely would have failed. They
needed help and not just any help. They
needed sacred help from above. And
that’s what God promised. Listen to the
final three verses and see if you can hear what I mean about getting sacred
help from above. 1Therefore let us
leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying
again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith
in God, 2instruction about baptisms,
the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.”
How can we grow to maturity in our faith?
“God permitting we will do so.”
And is God permitting? He surely
is. That’s why he gave us his holy
Word. His Word, the Bible, is not just
any word. The Holy Spirit works through
it making it “living and active, sharper than any double-edged word, able to
penetrate the heart even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow.”
But God provides other help. Think of
the pastors and teachers God gave the Hebrew Christians. In chapter 13 God told them to remember those
teachers and to consider the outcome of their way of life, to imitate their
faith, and to obey them because they were watching over their souls. That’s the
sacred help God gives from above too.
Again, what appropriate thoughts on this Christian education Sunday! God has not only given us his Word to use in
our schools, in our Bible classes, in our pulpits, and in our homes he also
gives us pastors and teachers to help us learn his word and to apply it to our
lives. Since the office of the ministry
is a divine institution, it is God himself who gives to his church pastors and
teachers! Why? Paul answered that too in his letter to the Ephesians. “So that
the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in
the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ.” Yes,
Christian education is a lifelong endeavor involving constant training in the
Word, and thank God, we have sacred help. So let us use the Word God gives us
and let us look to the leaders God has given to help us study that word.
But what’s it all about? What’s the
endgame or the ultimate goal of Christian education? The ultimate goal is to strengthen faith so
that we can go to heaven when we die.
That’s our endeavor as Christians.
That’s the goal of faith, and we shall reach it. Not because of our knowledge, or insight, or
wisdom. We shall reach heaven because of
what Jesus did. He is our perfect
Savior. He lived for us. He died for our
sins, yes even for the sin of despising the use of God’s Word. When you know and believe that, by the grace
of God, you have all that you need. And
when life is over, our Christian training shall end. Then and only then shall the need for
Christian education end. For then we shall be in heaven and we shall receive
something truly precious! It won’t be a diploma, but the crown of everlasting
life. What a graduation service that will be!
Amen.