Something I've found myself saying over the years as a Christian is "I wish the Pastor would expand on this" or "I wish we had more of this" or "if we would only go "deeper" into the message". Now I do believe that as we grow as believers we should grow in our knowledge. Hebrews 5:12 says this: "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, we need to grow, but do we need to rely on someone else to "go deeper"? Why do I ask questions and have thoughts about the Pastor's responsibilities like I do? I think it's because I get lazy. I get lazy in my own walk with Jesus and I start to rely on the Pastor or the church to "feed" me.
Here's the 1st way I use to get myself out of my laziness.
1st - Going deep doesn't mean ignoring the "simple" things. Maybe you've heard this particular "theme" sermon before. Maybe you've seen/read this verse a hundred times. We are saved by the "simple" faith & belief that it takes to have forgiveness, but it takes this same faith to sustain our Christian walk. We should grown in our knowledge through church attendance, through reading & studying the Bible, through associating ourselves with other Christian believers, and through prayer. However, we should not lose the wonder and excitement about the salvation story we already know. We shouldn't move past the gospel we know, but we should revisit it. It's amazing how when we clear our mind and forget what we think we know and read a verse again, hear a message again, or talk with others on the same subject again how we may pick up new revelations about it, gain new perceptions from others about it, or learn a new life application based on the stage of our life.
Don't go past the "simple" things!
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I think it is about all of that. We do grow in the word and in our relationship with God by doing those things that you mentioned, hopefully doing them frequently on a regular basis. That said we need to be fed too. Fed by a knowledgeable pastor who is well grounded himself, who has studied and is educated by other pastors/professors/leaders who have been fed themselves and who are also well grounded. The church like any family undergoes a growing process of its members. You teach your kids in the way they should walk and they will grow up in that way as the Bible states but they will need a combination of self learning and learning from knowledgeable others who are strong in their faith as they move into their own adulthood if they are to continue the walk.
ReplyDeleteGood post Troy. Another one that calls for personal reflection. thank you!
Gramps sure loves the Kenney Krewe!!
Thanks Doug, good comments!
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