R686 Spiritual Sluggishness

Getting overwhelmed by the world around us developing some spiritual sluggishness based on the Dr. Don Wilton today as we overcome that spiritual sluggishness know that we are here for you.

Would love to speak with you at 866-899-WORD 24 hours a day were here for you. 866-899-9673 filling this place with liquors like you and me and I'm grateful for the manifold expression of love by my beloved friends we going to be starting something that begins in Hebrews chapter 5 in verse 11 that carries with it singular significance. I share with you from my pasta talk that I have agonized over this past I have lost many of our faithful people to pray for us and to pray for you because I believe within Baja that if you are willing to open your heart and you willing to submit your self and your life to what God saves to us on this Lord is good but God will give to you something that no man can give to you, your life will never be the same again. Now let me show you why I say these things. Hebrews chapter 5 in verses 11 through 14 the writer to the Hebrews under the inspiration of the Spirit of God saves. We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.

In fact, one could imagine that by this time you ought to be teachers, but it seems to me the spirit of God say is that you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. Anyone who lives on milk continuing to be an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness, but solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained them soon to distinguish good from evil by God writing his word upon our hearts as we study his word this morning. You might say to me pasta what is this all about, but I'd like to begin by sharing with you three very important principles. I want you to write these principles upon the annals of your heart. I believe that these three principles summarize what God is saying to his church right through these particular pages on this particular Sunday morning as God has spoken way back there at the institution of the New Testament church and to that Jewish audience to whom these comments are addressed. Yet they are they all vital and critical number one principle number one religious tradition makes spiritual conviction hard to accomplish. That is the first principle that we going to discover Joe this morning. I'm very grateful.

I get many many letters I want to go on record on saying to those hundreds upon hundreds of people who write to us how deeply grateful we are. I get laid is about all kinds of things. I even get latest from time to time because my tire doesn't match my suit and I understand that I get laid is about my hairstyle and I've had one or two telling me just how good-looking I am and I'm just very grateful for that. But I had a very special later. Sometime ago from a very special person that was a sweetly it was a wonderful later this particular person reminded me that they worship with us Sunday by Sunday and they consider themselves to be a part of first Baptist Church of so many thousands of people do by way of television that just warms my heart and this particular person in complementing the church and celebrating the word of God. That is the centerpiece on the mantelpiece of this church told me all these things and then say but not if you've ever had someone say a lot of nice things to you and then suddenly they comes that pregnant polls, but you know something's going to follow while there was absolutely no antagonism.

In fact, the preceding great love. It was a warning to me and basically and I just summarize it. The warning laws that even though this person believed in the Bible and was deeply grateful that this person wanted to remind me that this person had grown up in a certain religious persuasion that the tradition of this person's homeroom sainthood around a particular religious persuasion and denomination and then this person pointed out to me that is part and parcel of their religious tradition there were certain things that they knew they were substitutes that they made for the Lord Jesus Christ.

But they certainly did not discount old and mad that Jesus Christ was the son of God. This person pointed out to me that because of the tradition of the church from which this person came that they were told from the youngest age that they were certain things that were quiet. Okay, because they were part of tradition and that I needed to be very careful not to leave the impression that because the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the only way that he indeed is the only way because there are many wonderful religious traditions that don't teach that quiet exactly that way, beloved friends when we come to Hebrews chapter 5 in verse 11.

The first principle we deign to discover is this that religious tradition makes spiritual conviction very hard to accomplish number two that fundamentals all the feeders to fight but I'm going to submit to you that the elementary doctrines are about faith.

The fundamentals of our faith are not within themselves. The door that opens our way to God the father and understanding or a hearing all those fundamentals does not mean that I am a born-again Christian fundamentals of our faith are simply feeders, they are part of God's plan whereby God by his spirit opens our hearts in order to help us to understand the great truths of God in Christ Jesus.

Principle number three hearing the gospel and believing the gospel are two different things. Evidently here in the context in which this was written to a predominantly Jewish audience.

There was no doubt that these people had heard the things concerning the Messiah. In fact, I'm going to take it one step further.

They were right, very deeply, sincerely religious people.

You could not follow the Jewish people on sincerity. As far as religion was concerned.

I'm going to tell you that for over 164 years just in this church alone there has been much hearing on the gospel from the youngest age to the oldest. I we are a people of the book, but the third principle that we going to learn here in this passage is that hearing the gospel and believing the gospel are two different things. You can go back to John chapter 2 is we lead into that great account of Nicodemus believing man and and I'm leaving God. Some people said listen, we know you are the son of God because we read about two and Jesus did not commit himself unto them. Nicodemus was a good example. Nicodemus was somebody who was well-versed in all all the fundamentals of the faith, but he was not born again. Jesus said to Nicodemus, you must be born again that you draw your attention to verse 11 in chapter 5. You may notice something here because the spirit of God says we have much more to say about this to say about what well we know about the older approaches that we closed. With that in verse 10, but older things that God has already told us just right there in this letter to the Hebrews, the writer begins with the need to explain the spiritual significance of what has been saying why the new covenant is superior to the old covenant why Christianity is superior to Judaism. Why the new high priest is superior to the old high priest why the sacrifice of Jesus is superior to the old sacrifice of the Old Testament. Why the new mediator is superior to the old mediator why Jesus Christ is superior to the prophets why in days gone by. God spoke through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his son and the right to say is I have great need through the spirit of God to explain these things to you cannot, there is a heart cry that comes out from the word of God. Why, in fact, in verse 12, which is steeped in sarcasm, the right to even say is you would think by this time, after all the things that you about all your upbringing about all the opportunities.

After all, you've been told to roll the opportunities you been given after all the time. That is been invested in you.

You would think that by now you have become teachers eyes talking about teachers in the fray.

I teacher is someone who has taken hold of the truths of God in Christ Jesus, who has maturity in Christ has become a disciple, Mica evangelism my friends is incomplete until the evangelize become the evangelists.

What is a teacher. The teacher is someone who is heard and believed I teacher is someone who is paying the price. Through commitment and study.

I teacher is someone who is taken hold of the truth. I teacher is someone who is willing to invest in someone else. So why were these things so hard to explain. Well, there are three reasons that the writer to the Hebrews gives to us here in this text, God will write these things upon our hearts.

Number one, number one, these things are hard to explain because they were slow to learn that Sal subject to the spiritual sluggishness that you love that word. The word is slow to learn. We derive our word slugger door to be slow and sluggish. It speaks and reeks of a great run. A lot of students we use a modern-day terminology. It's like tapping blood out of a brick gather right into the Hebrews says these things are hard to explain all the truths about the superiority of the Lord Jesus Christ number one because they were slow to learn, my beloved friends. Let me share with you some of the consequences of spiritual sluggishness. You know that it is possible that here today worshiping with us literally thousands upon thousands of people worshiping right now with First Baptist Church Spartanburg seated at your TV safer in that room or in your home or in the century.

You know that there are literally hundreds of thousands of people now within the sound of my voice that all guilty of spiritual sluggishness you could let me share with you a few consequences of spiritual sluggishness number one spiritual sluggishness produces a gradual hardness of the heart works. Many people like myself, you grow up in the church or sit under the preaching of the gospel friend if I was to take a survey of this congregation here in downtown Spartanburg right now. Upstairs and downstairs.

I would guarantee you one thing, about 80% of Matsumoto Jesus Christ would testify that we gave our hearts to Jesus at a very young age. That's why Jesus said, suffer the little children to come to me, and forbid them not, did you know my friends that the older you become the last lie. Is that you going to give your heart to Jesus Christ the people give their hearts to Jesus at my age, absolutely. It's happening here every week, but it becomes less and less likely because what God is trying to say to us here. He looks at this Jewish audience and he says you have subjected and submitted your self to the teaching concerning God Jehovah and you are slow to learn. You have put these things aside, you have heard them but you have refused to believe the only you become, the less likely it is that you gonna be born again. Did you know that spiritual sluggishness prevents growth from taking place.

Spiritual sluggishness penalizes potential. Did you know terror in this passage that the right to say, as we would've thought that by this time you would be teachers that potential. I have a family member in my own family. My extended family who is one of the most gifted ladies you ever met. I mean this this lady has bought every gift you could ever imagine.

She's got the character she's got the personality. Not only that she has grown up under the teaching and preaching of the word of God. She didn't drop on the outside of the church. She grew up on the inside of the church, but because she is spiritually sluggish. She has been all of her potential for Christ. You know that there are people in this congregation today that have broad limited potential for Jesus Christ, but you are not being used of him because you are spiritually sluggish. You have the things but you have refused to believe I have met fathers who brought wonderful homes and swimming pools have got all kinds of facilities of God children and beautiful wives. They brought everything that opening shot and you'd look at them in your insight will that daddy's got it all, but he is spiritually sluggish.

He comes to church on occasion and he goes through the motions and from when he was the youngest person he sat under the preaching and teaching of the word of God, but he has refused to turn his life to Jesus Christ and to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Jesus Christ. He is virtually sluggish and he is being wrong.

All of his potential. One of the consequences of spiritual sluggishness provokes sadness, heartache, and even tragedy.

One of my favorite subjects to talk about his day to all young people suddenly looked up. I have five Golden rules for basic you want them quickly.

All the moms and dads got out of. Five Golden rules for dating number one.

Pray earnestly number two preserve integrity you lose your integrity, you're in trouble. Number three.

Protect your spiritual principles number full partner carefully. I'm going to tell you that the greatest gift God ever gave to me outside of my wife was my daughter.

She is the love of my life I have given her permission to start dating when she is 47 years of I and she knows when she turns 47 when some man decides that he wants to take out some way when he knocks on model.

The first thing he's gonna do is look down the barrel of a shotgun any more questions with all the love in my heart, my friends, and by God's grace I want to be interested profoundly deeply interested in who my daughter partners herself with all I've heard it all, all, I'm just in love with him but you don't seem to understand.

He's a cutie pie I tell you cutie pies only skin deep darling. All I know he drinks a little but you know he'll get over that off primary him know he want what I know that he's got a temper, but you don't seem to understand. See folks God's word says do not be unequally listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word. Don't go away.

He'll be back with the rest of today's message in just a moment, but I want to encourage you to visit our website TE W online.org many folks are asking about the call for courage resource you in this day and age we may be unsure about what the future holds for Christians in America. This answers that question and you'll find it on our website TW online.org. Now back to today's great teaching Dr. Don Wilton.

These are very good principles, not a religious tradition. It's about believing it. Number five, perseverance, and falsely don't give up you say to me what is spiritual sluggishness do spiritual sluggishness means that a young person who is spiritually sluggish can even sit in this worship service guarantee you God forbid that there is at least one teenager right here right now sat under the preaching of the word of God, you got a mother and father who love you. You go to Sunday school. You've heard the truth you've heard safe back to get up here going on. Quieter, you been on recent tours. You've heard the word but you do not believe you are spiritually sluggish. Let me tell you what that produces, produces and provokes sadness, heartache and even tragedy. There's a second reason why these things were hard to explain, and that was because they only wanted Luke what the Bible tells us there in verse 12. What kind of person would only want cloak.

Such a person tomorrow disseminates instead of messages from God's word.

Someone who only one smoke one stories instead of substance abuse ever heard someone say to you what I want to go to that church because I just love all the stories, the preacher tells overtime.

They make me feel so good.

Such a person prefers entertainment instead of spiritual chastisement from God through his word. Such a person craves wonderment instead of worship. Such a person insists on personal preferences instead of absolute truth, the picture that is painted here is a dramatic picture of the church. There is 1/3 reason why these things were hard to explain because they were not acquainted with righteousness. That's what the word says in the second part of verse 13 which means number one, they have not believe in Jesus Christ the righteous one. It means these things are hard to explain because these cannot distinguish between good and evil. These things are hard to explain because these people about whom the Spirit speaks have not made themselves accountable to God. What a tragedy now want you to look back at verse 11.

Again, we have much to say about this but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn.

In fact, one would've thought that by this time you ought to be teachers, but evidently it seems to me that you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food.

Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness, but solid food is for the mature by constant use to train themselves to distinguish between good and evil, you might say to me, pasta what is one of the goals and prayers that you have few children. I don't mind telling you one of them amongst many is that my sons and my daughter would grow up with the capacity through God to be able to distinguish between good and evil to be able to know the difference between right and wrong based upon who God is. You see, my beloved friends.

There's a message here to the church. There's a message that runs so deep.

It's a message that religious tradition makes spiritual conviction hard to appropriate and to accomplish this, a message that fundamentals are merely feeders to our faith. We are not saved by virtue of the doctrines we believe what this is all about is that hearing the gospel and believing the gospel ought to entirely different thing.

And so we come down to a celebration like this and I don't mind telling God is knocking at your heart's door God by his Spirit is calling you to stand up and be counted.

God is calling you increase heart.

God is the morning of you that you lay aside all those things that so easily mistake that you turn your back on so that you look pretty sign. Just as I am, without one plea but not the same for me and that wouldn't be dismayed to come to the Lamb of God, be there for you, Lord, you can count on may can count on me. God is more than ready for you in using this broadcast to let you know he loves you and is a great plan for your life, per Dr. Wilton as he's been preaching from the pulpit now. As he steps in the studio with this. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now, dear girl, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me, the cross today. I repainted my son and by faith I receive you into my awful Jesus night my friend welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting your life to Christ. We dedicate your life to Jesus.

Welcome to the family and let's celebrate with you to tell somebody give us a call right now it 866-899-WORD. Let us celebrate pray with you and put some free resources in your hands.

Dr. Wilton. Once you have her number is 866-899-9673 and were online as well.

TW online.org we have many resources for you including this with Dr. Don sharing with you next. You not love to be a part of daily devotional love to be able to sing The Encouraging Word daily devotional. God sees to each one of us through his word every day. You can become part of that and receive one your self from me just go online to TW online.org W online.org and get a copy of The Encouraging Word Bible devotional today email us at online@tewonline.org that's TW online.org or call any time 866-899-WORD