There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.
Hebrews 5:11-12 NLT
Abiding on my hard drive, I have notes for around 1360 sermons preached in our local church. That is only counting our two weekly services. That does not include bible school classes, special seminars, or leadership training. That means, on average, I have preached 1.75 hours per week to the regular attenders here for 15 years. That is nearly 57 days of teaching 24 hours per day. I really strive to provide a balanced and diverse spiritual diet, but even a cursory perusal of sermon topics tells me there is considerable repetition. (That’s not a bad thing, by the way).
Why am I thinking about this? Because I see in these verses from Hebrews an indication that there comes a time in the life of a believer when they ought to be doing some teaching themselves. In fact, if they don’t, they tend to become spiritually dull. It was never God’s intention that a person come to Christ, come to church, then sit and stare at a pulpit weekly ad infinitum. A review of Paul’s ministry reveals that, though he often checked up on the congregations he planted, he only stayed with them for a few months, three years at the most. He then appointed elders (some of whom were specifically responsible to teach, 1 Timothy 5:17) to care for them and moved to the next stop.
If you find yourself thinking, “Pastor just doesn’t have it any more. He doesn’t feed me like he used to,” consider that it might be a problem with your hearing, not his teaching. Ask this, “What have I done with the Word I have already received?” Many folks come to get healed, get delivered, get their family straightened out, or whatever. Having then been restored to some level of stability, they never move out of “give me” over into “me-give.” If you’ve been sitting in the same church for years, if you know the basics of the Christian faith, then consider telling someone else what you know. When your ears open up as a result, you may be shocked at how much better your pastor starts preaching.
pastorvirgil.com 