STUCK IN FIRST GRADE
By Pastor Jim May
We have recently seen some of your youth step out into the world and begin to build their way into the life of adulthood. For at least 12 long years they have gone to school day after day, and spent hours upon hours, hearing the same things being taught to them over and over again. I know that there were many days when they would come home and would probably think to themselves, “why did I even go to school today? I didn’t learn one thing new. It all seems to be such a waste of time.”
Yet they continued to go, through the days of boredom and the days when they would rather have been anywhere else but in that classroom. Perhaps their thoughts were that they could be earning money on a job instead of wasting time listening to a teacher try to teach them something that they thought they would never use again when school was over. Perhaps they would think, “Why am I wasting my life sitting here when I could be out running around with friends or enjoying life and having fun?”
Through countless hours of homework; through all the disappointments of failed exams; through all the boredom of trying to learn things that didn’t seem to matter; they persevered and overcame. Today, they are no longer students in school for they have graduated and stepped into a whole new facet of life. They are no longer students in high school, but they have now become the students of life and enrolled in the school of “hard knocks” where lessons that must be learned are often learned by making costly mistakes.
But that day of graduation would never have come if they had not learned the very basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. The knowledge and education that they have today is all based upon what they learned in the very beginning.
I know of many who have had to repeat the 1st Grade because they couldn’t grasp the basics.
I remember my 1st Grade Reader like it was yesterday. “See Perky Run! Perky runs on four feet! Perky is a Dog! Does Jane see Perky Run?” On and on it goes, in simple, easily grasp, easy to learn, phrases and words that lay a foundation for what was to come. Your first reader was probably not about Perky, but it still was designed to be simple and to establish a foundation upon which everything else was built.
From “See Perky Run and 1 + 1 = 2” we have progressed, learned and practiced, until now we can read about “illogical exegesis of scripture that creates error in extracting the truths of eschatology”, and “the straight line that bisects the vertex angle of an isosceles triangle is the perpendicular bisector of the base.”
The first thing that is absolutely necessary in the education of a child is for that child to have a “teachable attitude”.
If any of you have had the opportunity to be in a classroom setting in recent days you can’t help but notice that there are some students who have a teachable attitude and there are some who don’t. The fact is that you cannot teach anyone, anything, unless they are willing to listen, to hear, to learn, and then to put what they have learned into practice.
And that is where I will begin to try to perform a proper exegesis of scripture for you this morning and will do my best to rightly divide the Word of Truth so that we may all grow in grace and mature into the men and women of God that God intends for us to be.
I want to use an example in the Old Testament again this morning to present to you a picture of where “the self-proclaimed church” is today. Not only will this passage give you a picture of the modern church, but it will also give you a picture of what the attitude is of most of those who are called Christians as well.
Let us read Isaiah 28:9-16, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people, which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."
Israel, it seems, is a nation that was always in trouble. It must also be noted that they are still a nation in trouble in this very hour. In fact, the final destiny of every nation on earth hinges on what happens in Israel. As we come down to these closing days of the Church Age and the world enters into that period known as “Jacob’s Trouble”, or the Tribulation, Israel will becoming more into focus as the center of everything that happens to usher in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
(If you want to know more about this subject, plan to be with us beginning this Wednesday evening as we begin a series of studies in both the Book of Daniel and Revelation as they relate to world history and prophecies concerning the end times and the Tribulation. It’s a study that you won’t want to miss. It will stir your soul and give you a sense of urgency to get the message of the gospel to everyone you meet.)
At the of the writing of this passage in Isaiah, Israel was filled with religious leaders whose only thought was for their self-gratification. They indulged in wine and strong drink until they were often intoxicated. Not only were they intoxicated with alcohol but they were intoxicated with wealth, power and recognition that they gained by their high position in the society of Israel.
Isaiah 28:7-8 says, "But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean."
If there has ever been a picture of the ministry of the modern day church is scripture, this is it. It is also a picture of most modern day Christians.
The leaders of many churches are far more concerned over the wealth and power gained by their position than they are about the condition of the souls of those who sit on the pews.
-Their message to the church is that “money cometh” to those who are faithful and filled with the “right kind of faith”.
-Their message is that God is a healer and Deliverer and that he will perform miracles for you “for a price, or a gift of so man dollars”.
-Their message is “Send us your gift today, and we will send you a “gift” of some sort and the rest will help us pay for radio and TV time, so we can have more time on the air to spread the news that we need more money for radio and TV airtime, to beg for more money.”
-Their message today is that God Loves You and that as long as you stay faithful to the church, and “loyal to my ministry”; God will bless you.
-Their message is that if you will come to “my crusade”, God will perform a miracle for you, right after we pick up the offering.
-Their message today is, “Come and hear us perform in music and song, an offering will be taken at the door for $10 per person and there is limited seating, so come early. Incidentally, a “love offering” will be received during our intermission. Come and be blessed by the “anointed singing and music”.
As the leadership leads, the congregation will follow (at least those who won’t spend time to rightly divide the Word of Truth for themselves). The Bible is right on track when it calls us “sheep for the slaughter”. We will follow anyone, anytime, anywhere, as long as they mention Jesus.
Now I know that I’m speaking to the wrong crowd here this morning. None of you have ever been caught up in these kinds of ministries, have you? None of you ever thought that your financial condition was due to your faith in Christ and that if you only had more faith you could be more successful? None of you have ever sent in a donation to a ministry that you only know about because of either TV or radio programs and have never personally checked out? None of you are guilty of supporting those who make their living by bilking gullible Christians of their hard-earned money through their performances and yet their lifestyles were no where near what a Christian’s lifestyle should be? None of us are guilty, or are we?
Thank God, not all radio and TV ministries are bad, but many are. Thank God that there are some Christian singers and musicians out there who are doing what they do out of love for God and to worship him, but there are many who wouldn’t step foot into the front door unless they were paid a fee up front. I believe that there are a lot of them that were never called into a full-time ministry and now they have to force themselves upon churches in an attempt to prove their “calling”. I believe that if you are truly called, God will open the doors and you won’t have to beg, plead and shove your way into the doors to preach and sing.
I have one preacher who has called my several times, begging and pleading to come from a northern state to preach a three day revival at our church. He says that he has been called by God and that God has laid us on his heart. Then, in the same breath, he says that he walked away from his job to go full time, and that he has to have somewhere to go every night to receive offerings so that he can make it. My friend, that’s one preacher who will not set foot in this church to preach because God hasn’t spoke to me to let him come and I’m not convinced that he is coming for the right reasons. In my opinion, he is a prime example of a man who stepped out ahead of God and now he is paying the price for his mistakes.
But what about Israel? What did Isaiah have to say to them under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost?
Isaiah begins with a question. God is asking through Isaiah, “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?”
God could not teach those who where intoxicated with wine or with their own power and wealth and the things of this world. They were not teachable. They refused to hear and obey the Word of the Lord. They were leaders all right, but they were leading Israel into deeper sin and not toward righteousness. They were leading Israel to judgment and destruction, not to deliverance and into the place where God wanted his chosen people to be. These religious leaders were “sots”, drunk with the world around them, and their hearts were hard and their minds were numbed so that they were ignorant and foolish.
How could God teach them when they wouldn’t hear? How could they teach what they had not known or experienced for themselves?
There are too many preachers, and Christians, today who are trying to preach what they don’t know and give what they don’t have. How can we preach salvation to the lost if we aren’t saved ourselves? How can we preach the anointing and baptism in the Holy Ghost if we don’t have that anointing and we have never been baptized in the Holy Ghost?
God says that He might as well use, “them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” What an indictment against the ministry in Israel and the church! God says that he might as well use toddlers, First Graders, if you will, to teach and preach his Word to the people because the people wouldn’t hear anyway.
If you come to church week after week, service after service, and sit on the pew, listening to what comes from the pulpit and it has no effect on you, and you aren’t willing to hear it or change your life to be more like Jesus, then WHY DO YOU COME AT ALL?
If the sermons don’t effect you in any fashion, then why don’t I just go get one of the kids out of the nursery or out of children’s church and let them stand here and speak to you if they will. You would get just as much out of it.
That’s what God was saying about Israel and I believe He is still saying the same thing about the church of today and about those Christians whose lives don’t seem to be affected by the preaching of the Word that goes forth.
“For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.”
God has done all that He can do to simplify His message to the church. He brings us through the growth process to spiritual maturity one step at a time. He starts us off in 1st Grade, spiritually speaking, by giving us the 10 Commandments to let us know where we have already fallen into sin. He repeats them over and over to us until we begin to know what’s right and wrong.
Thou shalt not lie. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not have any other gods before me. Thou shalt not covet. On and on they go, over and again until we learn them well so that there is no excuse for not knowing that we need a Savior.
Then He takes us a step further in our 1st Grade education to tell us that there is a Savior. He brings us to John 3:16 and says that “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life”.
That’s 1st Grade teaching in God’s Kingdom. That’s the beginning, the foundation on which all else rests, but it doesn’t stop there. God continues to try to teach us to grow in His grace. He tries to bring us into deeper knowledge of living a holy, sanctified life; of having a closer relationship with Jesus; of getting into the deeper things and searching out the Word of God; of learning to be faithful, committed and dedicated to the work of the Lord; of ministry to the Body of Christ.
Line upon line, repeating his message over and over again, in the simplest way possible, God tries to take us deeper into his will. He uses “stammering lips” of ministers who almost sound over simplistic sometimes because God knows that’s the only way most will ever understand. You can’t teach 1st Graders trigonometry because they don’t know the basics and can’t do even the simplest equations yet. You can’t teach people the deeper things of God until they have understood and begin to practice the simple teachings of God’s Word first!
Those who listen and begin to learn count that basic teaching as something wonderful. We love to hear about God’s love, mercy and grace. But we have to go into deeper things now. It’s time get out of the 1st Grade and move on. We need to learn more about living in victory. We need to learn more about God’s will and how to walk in it. We need to learn more about faithfulness, spiritual discernment and waging spiritual warfare. We have to build upon the basics and continue to grow.
God again speaks through Isaiah and says, “But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken… ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Israel began to mock those simple teachings of the prophets. They claimed to have a lock on God and made fun of the message of repentance and judgment to come. They ignored the warnings, thought little of the simple messages from God and thus set themselves up for judgment. Their failure to learn the basics and heed the basics set them up for falling away from God’s grace, being broken by the power of sin, snared in their own trap of rebellion, and finally taken captive by their enemies.
The problem that I see all to often is that most people stop growing at the 1st Grade. They are destined to repeat the 1st Grade, spiritually, again and again. They fall into sin, repent and come back to Christ doing their first works again, then fall into sin, repent and come back. The same cycle repeats itself because they never get past the 1st Grade and get into the deeper things of God. They are like little children who are hard to wean from the bottle and refuse to eat regular food. They are comfortable being newborn babes and they don’t want to step out into a world where they have to change and grow. They don’t study the Word of God because that means they might have to meditate, or think, and thinking isn’t one of their best traits. They don’t want to hear anyone teach on anything that is too deep because they might just have to “chew on the message” to get what is in it for them. They just like to swallow without chewing and so they swallow anything that comes along, even when it isn’t the real truth.
Some people, when you try to talk to them about anything deeper than the basics of God’s Word, don’t want to hear it. They refuse to change. They refuse to learn faithfulness, commitment and dedication. They are convinced in their own mind that none of these things are necessary for obedience to enter into the Kingdom of God.
They are convinced that they still live in the world and claim to the Christians. They are convinced that they don’t have to be faithful in church and still be strong. They are convinced that their own self-righteousness is enough. They are convinced that their own good works are all that are necessary. They believe that they are going to make Heaven their home just because they have the want to and they refuse to be guided or controlled by anyone other than their own desires. They are stuck in the 1st Grade and I don’t believe that these dear people will ever grow a step further in God and they will never be able to graduate and enter the gates of Heaven.
How many people do I meet who are uncommitted, undedicated, and who are living half-hearted lives and believe that somehow, when it’s all said and done, that they are going to make it through. They are deceived! They are stuck in the 1st Grade.
God continues on with his message to Israel by saying this:
Isaiah 28:16-18, "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."
God’s love for Israel is boundless, just as it is for you and I. Here he promises Israel a Messiah. He has sent his only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Savior of the World. Jesus is the foundation, the tried “stone” that lived without sin and died for my sin and yours; the precious corner stone, that there is a way of deliverance for all who will believe on him.
Yes Jesus is the Savior and God has given us a way to escape judgment, but for those who remain stuck in the 1st Grade, believing in their own devices and way of life for salvation, Jesus is also the Judge of the Earth.
We will not be measured by our own measurement but by his line and his plummet. We have to measure up to what God expects of us and not what we are convinced is right, but by what the Word of God says is right.
Self-righteousness won’t measure up! Good Works are not good enough! Just learning the basics and then playing around in the world won’t measure up! We must grow in Christ and do all that we can to measure up to God’s Word and learn to be as much like Christ as we can become. Our lives must produce the fruits of the Spirit and the works that come of a heart of true repentance. Works of righteousness and a life that fully committed to Jesus are a requirement, not a suggestion.
We can either remain stuck in the spiritual 1st Grade and face the judgment of our holy, righteous God and his wrath for our disobedience, or we can grow in Christ.
