Hebrews 5:11-14, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, Philippians 4:8-9
March 9, 2025
preached by Pastor Ryan Bouton
Download

Time of Reflection Quotations

“For the mind does not require filling like a bottle, but rather, like wood, it only requires kindling to create in it an impulse to think independently and an ardent desire for the truth.”

~ “On Listening” found in Moralia by Plutarch (c. AD 46-120s) a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi

“Self-education is the only possible education; the rest is mere veneer laid on the surface of a child’s nature.”

“The question is not, – how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education – but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”

~ Charlotte Mason, (1842-1923) a British educator and reformer in England

“Over the centuries catechisms were the traditional way of teaching the Christian faith. From Roman Catholics to Lutherans to Baptists, it was the accepted means of passing on the faith to new converts and to the next generation. There was sound reason for this. The simple question-answer format of catechisms facilitated their memorization and thereby inculcated the basic building blocks of a truly Christian mind. Unfortunately, over the past hundred years or so, nearly every Christian tradition and denomination abandoned the priority of catechetical teaching for its children. The reasons seem to be that they were swayed by the notion that such rote memorization was too crude a form of education and that knowledge of doctrine really did not matter much anyway.

It is our opinion that this trend has been disastrous for the church, not to mention the state of biblical knowledge in the broader culture. It is our prayer that the use of this material will prove fruitful in reversing the current malaise of doctrinal ignorance among professing Christians and their children.”

~ Family Devotional Guide by Don Willeman (Th.M.), founding pastor of Christ Redeemer Church

What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31) and to enjoy him forever. (Ps. 73:25, 26)

~ Westminster Shorter Catechism

Sermon Passage

Hebrews 5:11-14, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, Philippians 4:8-9 (ESV)

Hebrews 5

¹¹ 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.

1 Corinthians 13

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Philippians 4

⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.