Here we are at the third warning "dullness of hearing" the word of God is preached in every language in the world, it is taught in every corner of the earth, but.....if noone took the time to listen to what it says, or how it can affect their life what good is it? The writer of Hebrews in the 5th chapter was conveying this ... he built upon the basic time span of the word being spoken and the importance of its content then he says ... " we have expressed so much to you and yet you all are so slow to listen"... what is the danger of not listening?
" Hebrews 5 : 11-14 " Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
How long have you been going to church? How many sermons have you heard? How many Sunday School lessons have you sat in? How many souls have you reached out to and taught what you have heard with the exactness that you were taught? These are questions that we must ask ourselves as we continue to go forth for the Lord. Was I just sitting in church not really listening to what was being preached? Did I really pick up on what the Holy Spirit was trying to convey during the Sunday School Class or did I sit there absorbed in something else? Have I really been spreading the truth or what ( I ) consider to be the truth when I speak to others about Jesus? I know these are hard questions, but my goodness let us realize how important it is for us to really listen to God's Word, preached and or taught, and take it to heart, because there has to come a time when we should put on the shoes of the gospel and take it to the world ourselves!
Now this also touches on another subject, who have you been listening to? Preaching and teaching God's word is a "CALLING" .... it is not just something you can pick up in college or be awarded with behind a framed diploma, it is a CALLING that God made in your life, He will give you what is required and sufficient to do the job He has CALLED you for. Am I against Theology being taught in college? Lord no....but what I am saying is the heart of the matter is not how much education you have acquired but how you have acquired it! And who it is you are listening to. Are they led by regulatory policies set up by men or were they CALLED by God and spiritually influenced by the Holy Spirit? Big difference when it comes to being qualified to preach and teach the word!
Babies have to drink milk for a long time before they can digest something solid, so it is with new converts, I remember preaching once in a church that asked me to fill in as their Pastor was going through some medical problems, the first sermon God gave me was on Dullness of Hearing, "Have you been really listening to what your Pastor has been preaching? " You would be surprised at the responses I got, an awful lot of arm folding in the pew sprout up! Then the Holy Spirit directed me to ask, " Have you been being fed bologna or steak?" Have you any idea how hard it is to be honest with folks who have been going to church for decades, how important it is to be directed by the Holy Spirit when it comes to delivering these kinds of sermons?
I was expecting to be tar and feathered after service, but many came up to the altar and many more came to me after service and asked for individual prayer as they felt like they were weak in their commitment to listening, and even the Pastor called me and said that God was dealing with him on the very same sermon, but he was worried about offending some of the congregation......it takes a strong fed preacher to deliver the truth, without waver and without concern over offending someone. This is why it is so important to listen with your heart, learn with your mind and deliver God's word with a luster that would outshine any outside interference, this is why this warning against dullness of hearing, is so important to those who are called and in their earliest stages, and for those who are trying to live by Faith......please listen to your Pastor today, grow with him, it could definitely help you and I to discern good from evil down the road.
