Jump Start # 2414

Hebrews 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for some one to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

Our verse today is a familiar one. By now, you ought to be teachers. But they weren’t. They couldn’t. You can’t teach what you don’t know. Teachers here, is not standing in front of a Bible class on Sunday morning. I doubt that they had Bible classes the way we do. Teacher of God’s word, to anyone. As the first disciples were scattered, in Acts, they went about teaching and preaching God’s word. The kingdom exploded because those early disciples were teaching God’s word. This is the format that this passage is directed towards.

By now, by this time. Sadly, all these years later, not much has changed. We fill church buildings with folks who stumble over the most basic questions. Someone asks them a question at work, and they have no idea how to answer, nor what the answer ought to be. We sit in Bible classes and listen to sermons for decades, yet so many still do not know. We’ve got too many folks stuck in the third grade spiritually and they have been there for years.

Now, why is it this way?

First, there are too many demands of our time. Time is an interesting concept. The word is used more than 700 times in the Bible. We keep time. We use time. We waste time. But we can’t bank time, nor can we make any more time. The busy CEO has the same amount of time as the bored college student. The kid at home playing video games has the same amount of time as the military pilot who is jetting across the skies. The cancer patient who is dying, has the same length of time in a day as the professional athlete. It is interesting how a two hour movie seems to fly by and sitting in the waiting room of a car repair place seems to last forever. Waiting in traffic seems long. Sitting through sermons can seem long. Vacations seem so short.

We have so many gadgets and technology that allows us to do things so much faster and better, yet, we seem to have no time. Our dishes are washed by machines. Our clothes are washed and dried by machines. It once took our grandparents all day to do those things. We toss them in, push a few buttons and go on our way. Why don’t we have more time? Too many demands. We stuff our days and our weeks so full that we can barely breath. From the moment we are up until the moment we crash in bed, we are on the go. Little time to think. Little time to connect with God. Little time to pray. Little time to open God’s word. And, absolutely no time to learn how to teach.

Second, we allow interruptions to dominate us. I’ve noticed young parents, when in a conversation and their child comes up, they won’t allow that child to interrupt. Yet, their phone vibrates, and they’ll check that, mid-sentence. Interruptions often get us sidetracked and off schedule. They allow us to chase rabbits in life and not stick to the main thing we needed to do.

Third, we can take time for granted. We easily push things off until tomorrow. I’ll get to it later is an easy way to misuse and abuse time. We often put off the things we don’t like to do. We can always find time to do what we want to do. It takes time to learn to teach. This is one thing that we put on the back burner. It’s important, we say, but not a priority. It’s not on the “To Do” list for today. We’ll get to it. But when? That’s the problem.

We need to learn to be time conscious. Time is limited. Time cannot be retrieved once it’s gone. Time is one of God’s gifts to us. Each day is a blessing and a gift. Being efficient, being organized, and being a good steward of time will help you. Make lists if you need to. Get things organized in your mind. Learn to plug the leaks in your time schedule. Sitting in traffic? Pray. Have a Bible with you and read. Sitting in a waiting room? Pray. Have a Bible with you and read.

Not having specific goals and worrying too much about the past and fearing the future can certainly squeeze any joys out of today. How often do we waste time on things that do not matter. Arguing about politics when we do not live in Washington, and are not in the position of doing anything is really a waste of time. Watching mindless TV shows for hours on end is a waste of time.

Use your time to build relationships, especially godly ones and especially with the Lord. Use your time to learn more about time. Use your time to develop yourself. Use your time to serve others. Use your time to reflect, observe and be thankful. Use your time to make the most of today.

By now, you ought to be teachers. By now, what should you and I ought to be?

• By now, how many of us ought to be qualified and serving as shepherds in the church. But we are not. We are not ready yet.
• By now, how many of us ought to be mentoring younger Christians on how to serve Christ and how to be a godly parent. But we are not. We are not ready yet.
• By now, how many of us ought to be helping the kingdom grow by teaching and by generously helping others in remote places. But we are not. We are not ready yet.
• By now, how many of us ought to be preaching. But we are not. We are not ready yet.
• By now, we ought to be letting our lights shine and being powerful examples. But we are not. We are not ready yet.
• By now, we ought to have strong faith. But we do not. We are not ready yet.
• By now, we ought to be ready for Heaven. But we are not. We are not ready yet.

By now…sure makes a person think, doesn’t it?

Roger