Teachings of Jesus (Part 24) Warning About
Being Spiritually Dull
I don’t know about you, but when I get over tired I become a bit dull witted. If I am totally exhausted don’t ask me my opinion about something super important, or figure something out that’s critical, and don’t expect me to study out or memorize something too difficult. I just can’t. Maybe there are times you feel the same.
But there are other times when we can be sharper than a tack when it comes to some things, and dull as can be when it comes to other things. For example there are some guys who are extremely proficient at their job but when it comes to understanding their wife’s or children’s needs the light bulb seems to go out, and they are dull witted when it comes to those relationships.
In our text today, in Luke 12, Jesus warns some about being dull witted. The warning is not so much about being dull witted when it comes to understanding things of this world, rather I believe He warns us about being dull when it comes to spiritual matters.
Listen to what He says in Luke 12:54-56 “54 He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does. 55 And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. 56 Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?”
So what is Jesus talking about here? What weren’t these people seeing? Why did He accuse them of not being able to interpret the times?
I believe He was saying this because despite the fact that He was there teaching the most incredible lesson maybe ever heard, and despite the fact that He doing the most awesome miracles ever seen, including feeding thousands with just a few scraps of bread and just a few dried fish, and driving out demons, healing all kinds of infirmities, and even raising some from the dead, some just did not recognize who He was; that He was the prophesied Messiah who was to come.
He said you guys can interpret the weather by what you see. How is it that you cannot interpret the present time. I can almost hear Him saying or thinking, ‘Are you so dull witted that you do not recognize who I am and how blessed you are to have Me in your presence?’ They did not see Him for who He was despite the overwhelming evidence.
And sad to say, at times we can be just as dull witted when it comes to spiritual matters. The facts, the truths, even God’s word may be right there in front of us saying something, but we still don’t respond or heed God’s promptings. We too can grow dull in regards to spiritual matters.
The author of the Hebrew letter also addressed members of the Church concerning this matter. Listen what he writes starting in Hebrew 5:7 “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8 Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.9 In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. 10 And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. 11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
6 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 2 You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. 4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. 7 When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. 8 But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. 9 Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 10 For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.”NLT
Here the author of this Hebrew letter said that he could not go on and talk to these people about deeper spiritual truths because he accused some of being spiritually dull and they didn’t seem to listen very well. And because of that, when they should have been teachings others, he said that they are like babies that can only handle milk, or baby food, and he doesn’t want to have to keep going over the fundamentals over, and over, and over.
So what’s the problem here? Why are these people so dull spiritually? What are some things that led to this condition in them which can also happen in us? And what are some things that we can do to prevent this from happening to us?
1) To begin with the first thing we see is the fact that Jesus mentions in 12:56 that these people were hypocrites. In other words they we phonies. These Jews who apparently claimed to know the Old Testament scriptures, including what it had to say about the coming Messiah really did not really know them as much as they thought because they did not recognize the Messiah now that He was there right in front of them.
Doesn’t it make you angry or upset when people claim to know something, or how to do something but then you find out they don’t. It’s like the guy who claims to be such a great auto mechanic, but when you take your car to him to fix something simple he botches it all up. He is just a bag of hot air and a phony who doesn’t really know his stuff.
A lot of times people seem to be a know it all, and that kind of arrogance may even hinder or even blind them to certain truths. It may entail being a bit stubborn and may lead on to become a but un-teachable; hence leading to becoming a bit dull spiritually.
In Matthew 5:6 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, they shall be filled.”
I believe if one wants to avoid falling into the trap of becoming spiritually dull, one needs be open minded and keep craving, hungering, and thirsting after God, His will, His word, and everything else you can learn about Him.
I believing it’s important for a Christian to keep reading, and studying and learning about everything we can concerning spiritual matters. That will help keep our minds fresh, interested , involved and willing to serve.
#2) The Hebrew writer accused those spiritually dull readers he was writing to of being like a baby who was not ready for solid food. As you know, babies cannot feed themselves. They must be bottle fed or fed with a spoon. Part of spiritual ignorance is being spiritual laziness. They have to wait for someone to spoon feed them.
You should never totally depend on a preacher to feed you every spiritual meal you get. If you have a question, sometimes the best thing you can do is study and look for the answers on your own. Buy some books, look things up on the internet. Study out spiritual topics on your own or with a friend.
In Acts, we read that the Bereans were considered more noble than those in Thessalonica because they did not let Paul just spoon feed them, rather they went back and studied out what he told them on their own.
#3) Another thing that will help you stay on fire and keep you on your toes is to make it a goal in your Christian walk to be able to get to the point where you can lead or teaching others what you yourself have learned.
The Hebrew writer wrote, “12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.”
If you don’t use and apply what you’ve learned, and if you don’t make an effort to teach others, then our worship and sermon time can easily go from something that should recharge and exhilarate you to become just another form of entertainment or another chore in your life.
4) And finally I also believe one essential thing that will help us from becoming spiritually dull is to put into practice what you have learned from God’s word; especially taking the time to show love and help others.
The Hebrew writer wrote, . 11 Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 12 Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.”
The Hebrew writer also lets us know that’s there is a real danger of falling away. Many of us know people who have turned their back on Jesus, and His Church.
Don’t allow yourself or others to fall that far away. Make a real effort to stay spiritually connected to God, the Church, and your fellow Christians. If you don’t, over time you may just find yourself slipping away and growing spiritually dull.
This does not happen overnight. It can happen very slowly over time. I say, take steps so that it does not happen. Listen to good Christian music, Fellowship with believers inside and outside the church. Read your Bible and some good Christian books. Make plans to teach a class, and guys offer to preach on some Sunday. And choose to move on to maturity and grow as a Christian.
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
All comments can be emailed to: bfronzek@gmail.com