This document discusses growing up spiritually rather than just growing old. It argues that true spiritual maturity requires experience, not just exposure to teachings. Jesus wants believers to aggressively pursue spiritual experience through exercising their faculties and allowing Him to strengthen their weaknesses. The document cautions against merely perpetuating religious rituals and instead encourages partaking in Jesus' suffering. It uses the example of Nicodemus, who knew religious teachings but lacked true understanding until he was willing to be taught as a child about eternal things. The key message is that believers must strive for spiritual growth and maturity rather than remaining content with basic teachings.

1. Grow Up! Not Grow Old!
Heb 5:6:1-8
? Who qualifies as our Perfect High Priest?
Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and]
the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto
him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 1:6, “And
hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him…”
? How many persons can qualify as High Priests? Heb 5:1…”EVERYONE”
>>Persons who qualify must understand 2 things:
1: Privilege to be chosen// >> 2: A right they cannot earn
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Look at the Resume of THE EARTHLY High Priest
3: Job description: Vs.1 offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
4: Interests: Have compassion: ignorant>and those who are going astray
Heb 5:2
1: Prerequisites: vs.2 subject to weakness/& called by God.
2: Previous Experiences: vs.2 Alienated from God//vs.7 fears God’s
Judgements / needs mercy and grace
5: Priestly aspirations Vs.8 Learn obedience
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Jesus the King of Kings is asking his subjects…“have you grown up?
or are you still in need of cow’s milk?” Heb 5:13, 14.
This quote says…“Our lives begin to die the day we become silent about
things that matter.” What mattered to Nicodemus was…
How could a man enter into his Mother’s womb and be born again? Vs.12
“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to
teach you again the first basics of the oracles of God.” Why? Because you
have become silent about things that matter: What Matters…
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• Now, you ought to teach others, but instead, others must teach you.
• You should have learned; but instead you are still ignorant.
• You should be always learning but you’re never coming to the
knowledge of truth...
• You’re always receiving. Yes! But what are you dispensing?
• Others are praying for you; but are you praying for them?
You’ve grown old; but you haven’t grown up!
One writer pens these words: “If you don’t have integrity, nothing else
matters. And if you have integrity, nothing else matters.” Vs.14…but solid
food belongs to those who are full of age, [mature] that is, those who have
their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
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2. ? Do you know why we haven’t gotten it? Mark 9: 38-41Co-operation>Christ
Chapter 6:1, “Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary [basic]
principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection…” It’s not that you can’t
leave; but that you’ve not matured.
Two basics reasons:
1: It’s not exposure but experience.
1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as
a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish
things.” Vs.4 Leave the basic discussions and grow up, not grow old. Paul
in Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus. “It’s not exposure but experience.”
Basketball: Full Court Press: Gymnasium: Bench Press Home: Iron Press.
• Gold/suckling babes/grape juice
• /wrinkles/wisdom/wheat/salary/man>work out
? Message: Jesus wants you to aggressively pursue experience by exercising
your mental/physical faculties, and by him heating and straightening out
your defects. Romans 7:19, “For the good that I would I do not…”
Grown old but haven’t Grown up!
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2: Strive not to be perpetrators but partakers …Chapter 6: 4, 6
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted
of the heavenly gifts, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, if they
fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for
themselves the Son of God , and put him to an open shame.”
You were once:
• Partakers in sharing his suffering; now you’re perpetrating
his crucifixion
• Covering his shame: Now you are exposing his nudity.
• Enlightened; now you have become darkened
• Fellow converts; now you’ve become convicted felons
• Confessed his name; but now you’re criticizing his nobility
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? Would you have done differently on orders by the King?
• Those men were religious…but they refused righteousness>Rom 10:3
>>They knew Christ was innocent. But they still collaborated with the king
a carried out a guilty verdict
>>Soldiers praised a prosecutor who subverted Truth but prosecuted Christ
who died for their sins: Pro.28:21[Transgress for a piece of bread.]
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3. >>They deny his Lordship. John 5:18, “Jesus said: God was his Father,
making him equal with God.” Titus 1:16, “They profess that they know God;
but in works they deny [him] by being disobedient.”
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? If they simply refuse to grow up Vs.8 Heb 6: They’ll bear thorns, briers //
God will reject them // they’ll be cursed
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So the question is this:
? Can officiating Kings and Priests still be rejected by God while officiating
in church? 1 Samuel 3:14, “And therefore I have sworn unto Eli’s house
[High Priest] that the iniquity of his house shall not be purged with sacrifice
nor offering for ever.”
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Ephesians 4:15, “That you may grow up into him in all things, which is the
head, [even] Christ.” Luke 2:52 says, “Jesus increased [grew up=maturing]
in wisdom, and stature, and in favour with God and man.” So much so, that
when [Jesus] spoke…Children understood him…but he confused the
intellectuals.
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John 21:25…“The world could not contain his writings/ ideas.”
• Joseph instructed Jesus in carpentry work, knowing he was God’s
Son; yet, he hastened in obedience.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.”
•
Nicodemus: [Jewish Ruler & Teacher]: John 3:9, “How can these things
be?” vs.10 of John chapter 3: [Message Bible] “You’re respected teacher of
Israel and you don’t know these basics?
You see:
Nicodemus knew: basics of Torah in theory/basics of Salvation>practice
Nicodemus exposed: Animal sacrifice/ but had not yet experience>Saviour
Nicodemus had grown old as a teacher and ruler. Now, he was about to grow
up as a child learning things that matter. Eternal things!
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? How did he manage to do that? 6:1 “Leave” Exposure / Experience
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