Are You Teachable? - Hebrews 5:11-14

Warning Against Falling Away

11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

When I was younger my baseball and football coaches told me I was "teachable". I may not have been the most talented athlete on the team, but I took their instruction and put it into practice.  By obeying my coaches instruction, I improved and had success in sports.  "Teachability" is what the author of Hebrews talks about today.  He is concerned about the spiritual maturity of the Jewish Christians and whether they are growing up to understand and apply deeper spiritual truths.  But they can't learn what they aren't willing to be obedient and to put into practice.

The author compares them to babies who still need to be fed with milk.  This is not a compliment.  Though a new Christian will have to start with milk, an older Christian should have moved past the elementary truths of the faith.  And please hear me, this is not about acquiring more INFORMATION.  It is about being instructed in God's Word and then putting it into practice.  We learn by doing.  Just like one can't learn to throw a football, or how to play an instrument by reading a book, one can't learn what it means to be a disciple of Christ without obedience.  

The word "obedience" has been given a "bad rap" today.  People associate the word with legalism, or what people in cults do with their leaders.  But obedience is one of the most important concepts in the bible.  Why?  Because obedience is how we grow in faith.  We are given faith as a gift from God, but we grow in faith as we obey and trust God at His Word.  This is what we see in Jesus' life even through times of extreme suffering.    

The great need in the church is not for more information, or more slick marketing programs, but believers who are growing in the knowledge of God's Word and the application of it.  Note again, it is not knowledge for knowledge sake, but for the sake of putting it into practice.  How do I know this?

When I started on the journey to became a pastor, I believe it happened by starting to put into practice the basic principles which Jesus taught. By God's grace and the encouragment of other Christians, I experienced abundant life Jesus lived and promised to his followers. Don't get me wrong, I have had plenty of times of disobedience in my life, but by God's grace I am still growing up to full maturity in Christ one act of obedience at a time.

How about you?  Have you gone past the "being fed with milk" stage?  Are you ready for some steak?  As you begin to anticipate Jesus' birth spend some time reading God's Word, studying it with others, and most of all, asking the question, "What are you asking me to obey God?" Are you exhibiting a "teachable" spirit lately. Or, have you grown dull or lazy in your walk with Christ?  There is no time like the present to present yourself to God saying, "Here am I Lord send me!"  Bring on the meat!