Jump Start # 3310

Hebrews 5:11 “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”

It is an age old problem that teachers struggle with. How do you get students interested in what you want to teach? The school teacher faces this. The Bible class teacher faces this. The preacher faces this. And, this can’t be blamed on a visual, video game generation. Here in our passage, the Hebrews were “dull of hearing.” In Corinthians, Paul said, that he fed them milk because they were not able to receive solid food. It wasn’t that they were too young in the faith. The problem was that they were still fleshly or carnal.

And, this is the typical picture in far too many places. The Bible class teacher has researched and studied the material to be presented all week. He has passages, quotes, ideas that he is ready to share with the class. As he asks his first question, blank and bored stares is all he receives in return. Quickly, the energy and enthusiasm of the teacher escapes him. He is struggling. No one seems to be interested. No one seems to care. Minutes seem like days. When will the class end, the teacher wonders. When the bell finally rings, the teacher feels a great relief, this is almost over. As the teacher drives home, he feels like a failure. He already dreads having to teach the next class. He tells himself that he is a lousy teacher and that he will never do this again.

And, in such settings, one by one, the teachers drop out. Only a few brave souls teach and it’s the same ones year in and year out.

Some thoughts about all of this:

First, often people are given a topic, a class book and told to teach but they have never been taught how to do that. Just handing someone a class book does not help with people who sit and stare. How does the teacher deal with the guy who wants to dominate the class time with his own agenda, which often has nothing to do with the subject at hand? How does the teacher get others to participate?

Maybe it would be good to have a class about how to teach before one is put in that position. Experienced teachers can share insights and tips that help the class.

Second, the method of teaching must be looked at. One doesn’t have to teach every subject or even every class the same way. Lectures serve a purpose but not all the time. Verse by verse is not the only way to go through a book of the Bible. Look at themes. Look at questions. Look at different insights. Bring some freshness to the way you teach.

Third, there is a huge responsibility placed upon the students in the class. Both the Hebrew and the Corinthian passages points the problem not to the teacher, the subject, nor the method of teaching. The problem was shallow faith of the students. The dull of hearing was the students problem, not the teacher. They became that way because they were not interested spiritually.

People need to see why and how what is being taught is relevant to their lives. How will what you are teaching help them on a Tuesday afternoon? Getting the words off the pages of the Bible and into our lives, putting shoes on those verses, will help the class not only remember, but to turn and use those verses in their walk with the Lord. Challenging questions that make people think beyond the obvious helps.

Connecting class to daily Bible readings, or other daily habits will help make what is taught useful.

God wants us to be strong and mature spiritually. An adult still living on baby food is a problem. Spiritual maturity is a result of growth and development. It doesn’t just happen. A person may have been a Christian for decades, but his knowledge and maturity level may remain in the first grade. What we do outside the church building is important. Our personal study habits and offering classes other than just Sunday and Wednesday helps the development process.

Dull of hearing—what a disappointment to the teacher. What a hinderance to the church. What sorrow it brings the Lord. Time must be spent in helping these people grow and develop that is taking away from reaching and teaching others. Much too often we must cater to the weak faith of some and pour far too many resources into trying to convince some Christians that they ought to be Christians.

Later in Corinthians the expression is found, “Act like men.” The Ephesians were told, “Grow up”. I just wonder how many first grade level lessons are still needed for adults who have been Christians for decades? Something is tragically wrong when we continue to be spoon fed by preachers rather than digging in ourselves and learning God’s will.

I have much to say, our passage states. But your dull ears will not tolerate it. Shame on them. Shame on us when we act no differently.

Roger

Jump Start # 341

Hebrews 5:11 “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”

  The writer of Hebrews was explaining the similarities between Melchizedek and Jesus Christ. Melchizedek lived during the days of Abraham. He was both a king and priest. He was the king of Salem which later became known as Jerusalem. There was much to say about this.

  The writer could tell that this wouldn’t go over well. It wasn’t that he was not explaining himself—he was inspired by God. It wasn’t that the material was too complicated and difficult to grasp. The problem was the audience, the readers. They had become dull of hearing.

  Two thoughts for us to understand. First, it is important for teachers to know their audience. Understand where your audience is and start where they are at. Jesus always did. I’ve sat through sermons before wondering why the preacher chose that topic for that audience—it just didn’t seem to fit together. Some have the right topic but it is delivered in a much too complicated manner for the audience. When those moments happen, it’s a bomb. If the preacher is sharp, he can tell that the audience isn’t with him. If he is capable, he’ll make adjustments and try to connect  with the audience. If not, he’ll just plow ahead with what was planned. Know your audience. Know where they are spiritually. Know when they are tired. Know when things are on their minds. This is not a fact just for preachers, it is a fact of communication. Moms and Dads do well to understand  this when talking with the kids. Husbands and wives need to get this when talking with each other. It’s communicating. It’s talking and listening. It’s giving and receiving. Both are necessary.

  The other thought there, the most obvious, is that these Hebrew Christians had grown dull of hearing. Dull. That word brings the image of a dull knife that can’t cut. A dull college lecture that you have to sit through. Boring. Long. Tedious. Death. Have you been there? I have. Sometimes it’s the speakers fault. Here in Hebrews, it was the listeners fault. They became dull. It wasn’t a dull message. It was dull  listening. They were bored. They were tired. They didn’t want to hear.

  We must wonder if the Bible has gotten that way to us. Read a murder novel and we can’t put it down. We can stay with the crossword puzzle or sudoko. But a few minutes in the Bible and here comes the yawns. Could it be the way we approach the Bible? Have we started with the idea that it’s hard to understand, it contains long names and far away places and it doesn’t make a lot of sense. That may have a lot to do with it.

  Consider this. Could you tell the story of the Bible in your own words? I don’t mean simply, “Jesus died for our sins.” More than that. Could you sum up each book of the Bible and tell how it all fits together like a giant puzzle? That would help you. How can a person not like the Bible. It has wars, romance, fighting, giants, floods, dead coming to life, fiery chariots and fiery furnaces. It has God. It’s not a novel, nor is it a love letter. It’s the will  of God.

  I actually think dull of hearing is only a symptom of a greater problem, dull with God. It is easy for folks who go to worship services all the time to get to a point where they have heard just about everything about everything. They can explain, detail and remember all kinds of facts. But in all of this, have we lost the “awe” of God. Do we no longer get impressed and amazed at what Jesus has done? Do we fail to see the fascination of the Lord stopping and of all people, talking to little Zaccheus and calling him by name and inviting himself to his house? Do we see little things like Jesus talking to the dead before He raises them?

  It helps to read slowly. Look at the words carefully. Put yourself there. As Jesus reveals a parable, be a Jewish person in the audience and see how you would have reacted. The Bible is like treasure in a field. It’s there. You have to look for it. Do some digging. Spend some time. You’ll find it. Amazing lessons. Great depth. Wonderful things to add to your faith.

  From a preacher’s point of view, nothing is worse than a dull audience. I’d rather preach to four people who were eager and excited than four hundred who sit there and stare off in space. Dull listeners aren’t challenged. Dull listeners rarely change. Dull listeners fill a spot but there is no life in their eyes or heart. Dull listeners are death to preachers.

  Do you find yourself there? What do you plan to do about it? It’s kinda like a marriage. When you are first married, you just love to be married. You do things together. You help each other. You are always thinking of the other. Then time passes. You tend to take each other for granted. The marriage can become stale and boring. Something happens. You snap at each other. One threatens to leave because they are getting nothing out of the relationship. You are rattled to the core. To do nothing is the end of the marriage. You know you can change. You’ve done it before. So you do. You don’t watch TV every night. You go for walks. You talk. You find a way to get the fire back in the marriage. It’s the same with God. It’s the same with God’s word. Get rattled to the core. You can change. You’ve done it before.

  Roger