About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Our granddaughter Harriet is getting more and more teeth. I know because she bit my finger on Monday! Now she is getting ready for more solid food instead of milk and oatmeal. The Jewish Christians that were the recipients of this letter were undergoing trials and suffering for their faith. They were not ready for it because they were not fortified with the word of God. They were more susceptible to giving up or falling for false teaching because of their dullness of hearing.
In America, we are becoming dull of hearing. The basics of the faith have been neglected in our pulpits and Bible reading is at an all-time low. Constant practice is a rarity these days with our small attention spans. We need milk. We need to know that the Bible tells us we need a Savior and his name is Jesus Christ. That is a great place to start, with the water of life. Then we can move on to solid food.
Dear Lord, thank you for the solid food of the word of God about the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ. Help us to learn who you are and who we are in the pages of the Bible. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church