RADICAL pt. 2 – Too hungry for words

True or false:

All religions (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.) lead to God. - John 3:16, John 14:6 FALSE

After we say the “sinner’s prayer,” we can live however we want. – I Peter 1:14-15, Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:22-24 FALSE

God guarantees his followers peace and prosperity. No adversity. All we need is the faith to believe. The reason we experience adversity and poverty is because we do not have enough faith in God and his promises. Book of Job; Matthew 7:13-14 FALSE

I am a good, moral person who does not need religion to enjoy the afterlife. Romans 3:10-18, 23; Isaiah 64:6 FALSE

How do you know if the statements above are true or false? How would you respond if someone approached you with these statements?

Our responses must be grounded in the Word of God. Problem: Too many church attenders never crack open their Bible between Sundays. Their diet of God’s Word is solely Sunday morning. BUT, is it God’s Word that brings them to church? Read Radical p. 27 first paragraph. A church attender who minimizes or ignores the word of God is a person doomed to a life of uncertainty, doubt, despair, and anxiety. Read Matthew 7:24-27.

Read Hebrews 5: 11-14; 6:1-3

1) The author said he had much to say about Jesus and his relationship to a priest named Melchizedek, but he couldn’t because he said the audience to whom he was writing was “dull of hearing”. What do you think he meant by that? Either you “tune out” somebody trying to tell you something or they repeat the same thing over and over until it becomes “white noise” – you can’t hear it. Husbands, we can be dull of hearing when our wives are trying to tell us something. You hear her talking but its not sinking into our brain what’s she’s saying

2) Why were people in the audience “dull of hearing”? Still drinking milk … they’re happy drinking milk. They should have moved on to eating solid food.

3) What does the author consider to be “milk”? Elementary teaching about Christ.

Repentance from dead works – knowledge of salvation
Faith toward God – believing in God
Instruction about baptisms/washings – public acknowledgement of salvation
Laying on of hands – associated with prayer (blessings, commissioning, healing)
Resurrection of the dead – believe in life after death
Eternal judgment – believe in a final destination – eternal reward or eternal punishment

The author tells his audience they should have long moved from these teachings. In fact they should be teachers themselves. But they’re content with drinking milk.

4) Read vs. 14. What problem does one who only drinks milk encounter? Not accustomed to the word of righteousness. Have a difficult time discerning between what is right and what is wrong. Why do they have this problem? He/she is still a baby. There has been no growing in the knowledge of Christ … no maturing in their faith. Example of Elyse – if Kim and I feed Elyse only formula/milk for the first five or ten years of her life. No meat, vegetables, fruit, how well developed physically will she be? What problems could develop? More susceptible to illness.

Example of a new Christian - According to Jesus, a new believer is someone who has been born again. They are babe in Christ. If that new believer lives off nothing but spiritual milk for 5, 10 years – How to be saved, baptized, quote John 3:16, attend church on a regular basis, only time he/she prays is blessing before eating, knowledge of heaven and hell. How well developed spiritually is that Christian? What problem will that Christian have? A difficult time living a righteous life because they can’t discern good from evil. Read Ephesians 4:14-15. Easy prey to temptation. Constant struggle with the flesh.

Imagine a church full of people living off nothing but milk? Or is that hard to imagine? Examples Corinth and audience in Hebrews. Content with milk. Not good.
5) What is the benefit of solid food? Through practice/constant feeding on solid food have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

6) What is solid food? Author of Hebrews doesn’t say. Read II Peter 1:3-8 you can find examples of solid food.

Applying all diligence to your faith add …

Goodness/virtue/moral excellence
Knowledge of God
Self-control
Steadfastness/perseverance/patience
Godliness
Brotherly affection/kindness
Agape love

Constant feeding on these, you will be mature/fruitful discerning what is good and evil. Where can you go to find solid food? Get fed the list? Church – worship service, Sunday School, Bible studies, quiet times, family devotionals. Be sure you are feasting. Put what you learn into constant practice.

Be sure your diet is well-rounded. That you are not neglecting one of these foods. Ex. I love meat and veggies, not crazy about fruit. Consequence, I’m missing out on important nutrients that keep me healthy and strong. Same can be true spiritually.

7) What can happen to a Christian if he/she goes on a diet from solid food? Quiet times become less often, don’t attend Bible studies, become dull of hearing during sermon time. No longer taking in solid foods (point to list). Become more susceptible to temptation, struggle with the flesh becomes more contentious.

Through constant use we’re more aware of temptation, we sin less. The struggle with the flesh lessens. We don’t give in to its desires so easily.

APPLICATION

By reading God’s Word we learn about all facets of who God is (God of love and wrath, God of mercy and judgment) and who we were pre-Jesus (filthy sinners in need of cleansing salvation) and who we should be post-Jesus (holy and service minded.)

This week read the book of Philippians. Next Sunday, I would like someone to voluntarily share what insight they gained about God/Jesus and himself/herself.

Examine your spiritual diet – are you drinking milk or are you eating solid foods? According to Hebrews, the way to determine this is whether we are having a difficult time living a righteous life. If so, you need to be eating solid foods like the ones found in II Peter 1:3-8. Feast upon the buffet of God’s Word where these foods are found. Results – You will become a maturing, healthy Christian who is able to live a more righteous, godly life.

Mature Christians – Compare your spiritual diet to list of solid foods found in II Peter 1:3-8. Is one of these lacking/missing in your diet? Examine your spiritual diet to see if you need to enhance/add one or more of these solid foods to your diet. Talk to your spouse to get his/her opinion. More importantly, talk to God about it.