Last Week's Sermon

"The Importance of Deep Roots"

Hebrews 5:12-6:3 and Various texts

Rev. Bruce Goettsche.... August 24, 1997

Several years ago I began trying to read things written by the Puritans. I used to think that their writing was dry, dusty, and too difficult. But then I came to realize that the problem was not with the writers . . . it was with me. They wrote with a depth and passion that I was unaccustomed to. I was not mature enough to read their works.

That was when I decided I needed to work harder at spiritual growth. So every year I try to make one or two of the twenty five books that I read each year books that will stretch me . . .books that will make me work and dig. Books that will help me grow.

This morning I talk to you about Cultivating Deep roots. We've talked about going into the world to build relationships, we've talked about reaching those we come in contact with the words of truth. And last week we talked about helping those who stand with Christ draw support from the Christian community....the church.

But this is not where the journey along the river of grace ends . . . it is really just the beginning. We must grow and we must deepen. Today we often search for a "pop gospel". We are used to jingles, not hymns. We want stories not logical arguments. We want instant gratification rather than waiting on God's timing. We want Jesus to be our buddy rather than our Lord. In short . . . many are unprepared for a serious (and I might add, joyful) endeavor into the things of God.

Practically, this is important because under great strain a week rope will break. When the temptation is fierce the shallow believer is brought down. When the trials are overwhelming . . . the weak in faith crumble. When the questions are profound the weak are found without answers or find their faith shaken.

But the greatest reason for pursuing a mature and deep relationship with God is simple - God is Great. His greatness cannot be enjoyed and grasped unless we spend much time with Him. God is worth the effort.

Listen to Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of Hebrews 5:12-6:3

I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one-baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways' solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong. So come on, let's leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on "salvation by self-help" and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgement. God helping us, we'll stay true to all that. But there's so much more. Let's get on with it. [THE MESSAGE]

The Problem of Weak Christians

Let me suggest several simple reasons for some of the shallowness we see prevalent in Christian circles:

Faulty Expectations - When we "signed up" we understood the brochure to say: "Follow Christ and everything will be wonderful." We figured that it would be all mountains....no valleys, all sweet...no bitter. When it doesn't turn out that way, some lose interest.
Frustrated Desire for Intimacy. We desire a close relationship with God. We wanted a "personal relationship" but God still seems far away. We wonder what we are doing wrong. Others talk of "hearing from God" but we hear nothing. Nobody told us that this intimacy with God is developed like any other relationship - over time. We feel it is impossible so we set our focus on something else.
Superficial Commitment These are people who came to Christ on the wave of emotion. They were moved but they had no idea what they were being moved to. They failed to count the cost. As the wave of emotion diminished they tend to lose interest.
Spiritual Neglect There is no such thing as a static Christian. We are always either moving forward or moving backward. The Hebrews passage reminds us that mature people are clear about the essentials of the faith and they keep growing. Much of the time neglect moves in after a certain spiritual pinnacle is reached: you gain a certain amount of knowledge and then you figure you can stop learning. (This is why many people graduate from college and never read another book!); you attain a certain status (you are considered a strong Christian . . . you've arrived...you can go on to something else.); you have a certain experience like speaking in tongues, a vision, a warm "fuzzy", some great victory. In each case you reach the mountain top and then you conclude that you have "been there, done that". You lose interest and in the process, you lose ground.

Keys to Growing in Christ

Carve Out Regular time for Bible Study (Psalm 1)

In Psalm One the Psalmist tells us that the "blessed" man is the one who meditates day and night on the Law of God. This person is rooted and healthy. They are not content with a casual acquaintance with the Bible . . . they want to understand all they can.

During Great Awakening....Men and women studied shorthand in order that they might take down the sermons that were stirring the English-speaking countries. .. It was not at all unusual to see men with a portable inkwell strapped about them, and quill open thrust over an ear, hasten to join the long assembling on the village green. [F. R. Webber, ]

To this end let me suggest two things:

Read the Bible Daily. I think it is a good idea to read through a whole book of the Bible at a time. You don't have to read it in one sitting . . . but if you read systematically you will be reading things in their proper context. But you may need to use one of the many aids available today: the OUR DAILY BREAD devotional guide or Ligionier Ministries TABLETALK, or the FAMILY ALTAR, or DAILY WALK. All of these are helpful tools. But make sure you read the text first, then and only then the comments.
Sit under the teaching of Great Teachers. There are two thousand years of Believers who have gone before us . . . many of them have gained great insight into the Christian life. We should listen to these people. I encourage you to READ. Take advantage of the church library. Try to read deeply. Avoid the "pop theology" so prevalent today. Dare to work at reading something significant and deep. It will be worth the effort.

Make Time for Daily Communication With God (Phil. 4:6,7)

Paul tells us that prayer should be our FIRST recourse when the times are hectic. The problem we have is that we have the wrong notion of prayer. We think it means talking in Shakespearian English, using words that "sound spiritual", and ordering our prayer according to a certain pattern. The result is prayers that are plastic and more concerned with form than with the One we are talking to. The truth is that prayer is conversation. Conversation is the way we get acquainted. To become friends we must share our dreams, struggles, backgrounds, ideas. That's what God want us to do with Him.

I encourage you to set aside a particular time each day when you visit with God. Tell Him about your day, discuss your problems, recall past experiences you've shared. In short, be friends with God. Here are some practical tips:

Try to get alone with God at the same time every day
Try to be in the same location every day (it creates a special "sanctuary" in your life)
Keep a record of your insights and requests.

The mature Christian is a praying Christian.

Discipline Yourself to Make Practical Application of the Truth (James 1:22)

James is direct....we must DO the Word, not just learn it. A short time back I took the EMT course in town. I learned all about emergency care. I did great on all the tests and passed the licensing exam with ease. But do you know what happened? I didn't get called for an ambulance call for three months . . . and when that time was over I didn't remember the things I was supposed to do. Why? Because truth that is not practiced is lost.

There was a time in our church that we had a simple response. During a message I would say, "and all God's people said . . . ." and the Congregation would answer "So What!". The whole point of the litany was to drive home the point that truth is meant to affect the way we live. In order to grow you need to ask: Is there something I need to learn? Is there a truth I need to take seriously? Is there a warning I need to heed? Is there a character trait I need to develop?

We must work at applying everything: the messages we hear, the books we read, the Scripture passages we study. We can spend all our life speculating on prophecy or the end times . . . but we will not grow until we begin to allow the truth to penetrate the way we live.

Get Involved in a Small Group of Believers (Acts 2:46,47)

In the Book of Acts we see the church gathering in the temple and also gathering in each others homes. Both elements are important. Rick Warren Pastor of Saddleback Church says, "the church must grow larger and smaller at the same time." Our corporate times of worship are important as we mentioned last week. But we also need time to interact with each other. This much be done in small groups. There are many reasons for small group involvement:

Interaction. Ronald Sider says: "What happens when God grants the gift of genuine Christian fellowship? Deep, joyful sharing replaces the polite prattle typically exchanged by Christians on Sunday morning. Sisters and brothers begin to discuss the things that really matter to them. They disclose their inner fears, their areas of peculiar temptation, their deepest joys."
Accountability. People who know our struggles help keep us focused. They see when we are in danger of going astray . . . .they keep us honest.
Support. Corrie ten Boom wrote, "Be united with other Christians. A wall with loose bricks is not good. The bricks must be cemented together". We need the strength we can get from each other.

It is important that our church grows smaller as it grows larger. There are a number of small groups you can be involved in: the Choir, the Bell Choir, Sunday School Classes, the Women's Night Out, the Men's Breakfast, Prayer Group, Bible Study groups, Kum-Join-Us Class, Philathea Class, the Quilters, Youth Groups, Partners, and more. If you don't fit in one of these existing groups here's an idea - start a group of your own. Invite some friends over to share what you have been learning in your Christian walk. Do this regularly and the benefits will become quickly apparent.

There are certainly other disciplines that help bring spiritual growth things like: worship, giving, service . . . .things we have already talked about. (Go there) If you begin with these few things you will see real spiritual depth begin to develop in your life.

Conclusions

The Christian life is not static. You are moving forward or moving back. So where are you on the river of spiritual maturity?

Are you thinking about getting in the boat? Is talk of maturity premature in your case? Do you need to make that decision to trust Christ with your life and eternity? Friend . . . you will never enjoy the river of God's grace, unless you get in the boat. Stop thinking and take some action.
Are you in the boat but just sitting at the dock? You've made a decision to trust Christ but it was an event. You need to realize that following Christ is a lifestyle.
Are you in the boat and paddling some, then getting distracted and resting some? Do you understand what is happening? You are covering the same ground over and over. When you stop paddling the current of the world's culture begins to push you back. If your Christian life is boring, it may be that you need some new scenery. It's time to paddle further my friend. It's time to mine more of the riches of His grace.
Are you one who paddled really hard at one time and you saw great things and your heart was stirred but now you are tired and resting on your past experiences? You're drifting my friend! Christian discipleship is not about the past . . . it's about the present.
And maybe you continue to paddle even though you are at times weary. Maybe you continue to paddle because you believe the destination is worth the effort. Keep at it my friend . . .we are depending on you. Your faithfulness is spurring us on.

Do something positive about your spiritual growth . . . if you don't you will begin to drift away from your strength, your comfort, and your hope. You decide . . . are you going to move forward or backward . . . .it's impossible to simply stand still.

High in the Alps is a monument raised in honor of a faithful guide who perished while ascending a peak to rescue a stranded tourist. Inscribed on that memorial stone are these words: HE DIED CLIMBING. A maturing, growing Christian should have the same kind of attitude, right up to the end of life.

May God help us to live with that kind of intensity.

Bruce