How to Know You Missed Something
Hebrews 5:12 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.
Intro: As we launch our Discipleship Program here at Calvary, I feel compelled to preach on this subject again. Last week, we looked at the Secret to Discipleship. Tonight, I want to look at how to know if you need to be discipled. It is my belief that many Christians have received a solid foundation. I also believe that many haven’t. In our text, Paul had an idea of what was wrong with these people.
A. They were UNINTERESTED. …dull of hearing – vs. 11
B. They were UNSTABLE. …need that one teach you AGAIN – vs. 12
C. They were UNSKILFUL. …unskilful in the word – vs. 13
C. They were UNDEVELOPED. …who by reason of use… – vs. 14
You may have missed something because you were not blessed to have a teacher.
You may have missed something because the pastor didn’t make it a priority.
You may have missed something because the church didn’t take you under their wing and disciple you.
Or – you may have missed something because you were taught, and you didn’t think it was important.
You may have missed something because it was delivered unto you and you didn’t implement it into your life.
You may have missed something because you were preoccupied with other things.
You may have missed something because you didn’t understand it and didn’t care enough to ask questions.
You may have missed something because you never associated with people that did understand it.
Here are a few ways you can tell if you missed something in the area of discipleship.
I. If You are Confused by the Word
Even though the Bible covers a lot of subjects, many of them are built on a few simple truths.
If you missed those simple truths, you will be confused about many things in the Scriptures.
God’s desire is for us to understand.
Remember – God is not the author of confusion. (I Cor. 14:33)
Failure to understand the Bible and the truth is a sign of an unbeliever; not of a Christian.
Ephesians 4
- 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
- 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Unsaved people have a legitimate reason to be in a perpetual state of confusion.
I Corinthians 2
- 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
- 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
- 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
- 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
With salvation and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit comes a supernatural ability to know and learn.
- John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
- 1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
A Christian that never understands, that stays confused, where nothing makes sense MISSED SOMETHING.
Ephesians 1
- 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
- 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
It is the desire of God for every Christian to have the spirit of wisdom and revelation.
It is God’s will for every believer’s eyes of understanding to be enlightened.
Trust me when I say, if you are always confused by the Word of God, you missed something somewhere!
II. If You are Carnal in your Walk
I Corinthians 3
- 1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
- 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able.
- 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
Let’s be clear; everyone struggles with their flesh.
Some more than others, depending on their background.
But as a believer, God has made multiple provisions for our spirituality.
If we are not spiritual, we are simply not taking advantage of those provisions.
A person that has been saved for any length of time and is still carnal, and mark it down, they missed something.
III. If You are Critical of the Workers
One thing I have noticed about weak and stagnant Christians; they are many times critical.
They are not critical of themselves, or of their failures, but of those that are trying to live for God.
They always seem to have something bad to say about the ones that are working and serving.
They will hurt you before they will help you.
They never have time to sow the seed, but they always seem to find time to sow discord.
They don’t give, but they love to gossip.
They won’t hold your hand, but they will hold a grudge.
They don’t mind missing church, but they never miss a game.
They never side with the pastor, but they always side with the disgruntled.
The only improvements they can think of for the church has to be done by other people.
They always seem to blame their failures on people that are successful.
This group is small and tightknit because the rest of the church doesn’t understand them.
They have thin skin and thick skulls.
They never make mistakes because they don’t do anything.
I’m going to say this as nicely as I know how, you definitely, without a doubt, missed something in your discipleship.
If you are critical of how the money is spent, but you don’t tithe, you missed something.
If you are critical for never getting visited, but you never visit, you missed something.
If you feel the church owes you something, but you never feel you owe the church anything, you missed something.
If you get upset because you asked the pastor once to do something for you and he didn’t, yet he’s preached to you a hundred times to do things and you still don’t, mark it down – you missed something.
IV. If You are Conformed to the World
We are saved OUT OF THE WORLD.
- John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
We are commanded to COME OUT OF THE WORLD.
- 2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
We are told NOT TO LOVE THE WORLD.
- John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
We are told that WE ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD.
- John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
- John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
A believer that won’t be transformed but is conformed to this world MISSED SOMETHING.
A child of God that feels comfortable around unbelievers DEFINITELY MISSED SOMETHING.
- Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
LOOK AT Ephesians 5:1-12
This passage is crystal clear about several key aspects of the Christian life.
A. We should be following God. (vs. 1)
B. Walking in love does not mean walking with sinners. (vs. 2; Psalm 1:1)
C. Children of God (vs. 1) are not the children of disobedience (vs. 6)
D. Children of God can be deceived by vain words (vs. 6)
E. The fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth; not tolerating sin.
F. Fellowshipping with children of darkness is strictly forbidden.
G. You are not to conform or company with children of darkness but confront them.
Conclusion: The Apostle Paul was passionate about those that missed something along the way. He prayed fervently that they would figure it out and that God would show it them. Look at these two verses:
- 1 Thessalonians 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
I Corinthians 1
- 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
- 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
- 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: