WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

INTRODUCTION

ILLUS: I routinely come home and ask “What’s for Dinner?” What if today when I ask, and “Milk, just milk!” I drink milk at breakfast - on cereal, and chocolate milk. But a whole meal of milk? I need some solid foods - meat, fruits, veggies, bread, and a wholesome dessert. For babies milk is just fine, as we get older we need more than milk - meat, solid foods. What will you have for dinner today?

Milk and meat or solid food make great illustrations for our spiritual life. What type of spiritual food do you consume? Milk or meat/solid food.

Those two types of food are found in two parallel texts in Epistles: 1 Cor. 3:1-3 and Hebrews 5:12-14, (to me proof that Paul wrote Hebrews). What IS your spiritual diet? Milk for infants or meat for mature people?

I shall read both texts, but main text for this message - Hebrews 5. READ

1. Milk

• A basic source of nutrition infants need is milk, all they can handle.



• For new Christians, the basic spiritual nutrition they can handle is v.12 “elementary truths of God’s word...milk” = the basic facts, the first facts about our faith, the easy to understand concepts.The A-B-C’s, 1-2-3’s
ILLUS: “Jesus loves me this I know” “The B-I-B-L-E” - Trey is learning. I as a kid I learned a song titled “S-A-L-V-A-T-I-O-N” - I still sing the words in my mind, that is the only way I know how to spell Salvation.



• But the stage of life for infants drinking only milk is short lived, within months they need solid food, in a few years they are eating full meals.
ILLUS: Trey is nearly two years old, he is up to milk AND chicken nuggets, bread, cake.



• The brand new baby Christian are as “not accustomed to the word of righteousness for he is an infant.” Also - turning vs. 14, they cannot distinguish “good and evil” very well.



• This is OK for a while, the basic truths are great to possess, but maturing Christians need more. If they don’t make the transition to solid food, prolong spiritual infancy with just milk becomes a spiritual tragedy.



• Writer of Hebrews chastises them “by this time you ought to be teachers”



• 1 Cor. 3:3 NASV calls these spiritual infants “fleshly” NIV uses the term “worldly” = not interested in things of heaven, but mostly about things in this world, their own selfish interests. Spiritual infancy is inexcusable.
QUOTE: Charles Erdman: “There is no disgrace in being a babe, but prolonged infancy is pitiable, and arrested development is deplorable. Regeneration does not denote moral perfection, but the beginning of a new life. There must be growth for that state of a babe to that of a mature man.”



• A Christian who just drinks the milk of the word too long and nothing else might have some of these characteristics
• Might know some books of the Bible, but needs index for Matthew



• Might read the Bible sometimes, but find most too difficult



• Might pray when they think of it, or in crises



• When asked how God is working - default to their salvation story, but can say nothing else since nothing else is happen in spiritual life



• Loves salvation sermons, but not the lifestyle ones, for they step on their toes, or they apply to other people.



• Eventually church attendance drops off, easier to stay home and watch Schuler or Stanley or just sleep



• Worse - 1 Cor. 3:3 “for you are still fleshly… jealousy and strife among you...” In other words, as spiritual infants they cause problems in the church - often instigators of jealousy and strife



• “walking like mere men” - no difference between “Christians” and masses of ungodly people of the world.



• Spiritual infants are called carnal Christians, or nominal Christians. The really fringe ones - CE Christians (Christmas and Easter), like to play games with the church, don’t they know we can tell?



• The Bible stresses spiritual maturity. “Grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 3:18



• Ephesians 4:15 “speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” Milk Christians don’t grow up.
ILLUS: Barna 60% of evangelicals base moral decisions on the Bible, 40% do not. 54% of church attendees give money monthly, 46% do not. 65% born again people read their Bible during the week, 35% do not. 55% of born again people shared their faith past year, 45% do not. 54% of born again understand some importance spiritual gifts and claim to do them, 46% do not.



• You can see who the spiritual infants are - those who do not. They are milk drinking only Christians. Worldly, have their fire insurance to keep them from hell, but not too interested in the deeper life, spirit filled life, or the Christ like life. They are physically grown up people acting like spiritual babies. They come to church content to use a sippy cup.



• Have I stepped on your toes? Did I describe you? Like the writer of Hebrews, we don’t want you to stay that way

2. Meat - Solid Food. 6:1

• Advance to solid food for your spiritual diet. The older one gets in faith the more they should love the Lord, the more interest they should have in spiritual things, the deeper the desire to know and live the Bible, the more need they have to pray, and the stronger their commitment to serving Lord



• “because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil”



• “practiced,” “trained”- words describing an athlete employing all their time and energy improving the skills. Discernment, Christian living.



• turning v. 13 around they have become “accustomed to the word of righteousness” = skillful in becoming righteous, build upon salvation.



• 1 Cor. 3:1 calls these people “spiritual”



• What types of spiritual food is solid food, word of righteousness:
Adam Clark writes about specific solid food items: “the atonement, justification by faith, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of Christ dwelling in the souls of men, triumph in and over death, the resurrection of the body, the glorification of the body and soul in the realms of blessedness, and an endless union with Christ in the throne of glory.” (Adam Clark)



• We can add apologetics (defenses of our faith), spiritual disciplines, Biblical history and prophecy, in depth study of the Bible.



• This is the strong meat, the rich food which genuine Christians seek to receive, digest and grow thereby. Infants in Christ “Say what?”



• Also mature Christians are not content to just know Biblical facts, but they want to be improved by them, and not just content to know about Christ but they desire to experience Him.



• A Christian who eats the solid food of the word of righteousness, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil, who are maturing might look like this:
• Knows the books of the Bible and how to find them.



• In fact is a regular student who reads, studies, practices.



• Know by experience the power of prayer



• When asked how God is working in their life can tell a story about the past month or the past week.



• Are amazed at the grace of God in his/her life



• Rejoices in salvation sermons and others getting saved, but also willing to practice the lifestyle sermons, doesn’t complain when toes get stepped on



• Has assurance of salvation, and can take opportunities to witness



• Their church attendance is consistent, feels bad when they miss



• Is an asset to the church - serves, gives, prays, is faithful and loyal



• Is a good follower and a good leader when called upon



• You can carry on an intelligent spiritual conservation with them, they are a joy to be around, the love for the Lord radiates from them.



• Now every one is at a different stage of their faith, but not at the same stage as a year ago. It is obvious to those around, including milk drinkers only, that God is at work in their life and they are excited about their faith.



• They are the meat and potatoes Christians. They continue to drink milk - learn more basics, but also enthusiastic partakers of solid food: spiritual meat, veggies, fruit, whole grains, and even desserts



• The church of Jesus Christ needs more maturing believers. Our church motto “Growing Disciples for Jesus Christ” - 2 Peter 3:18. If we are truly growing in Christ you should be more mature this Oct than last Oct.



• Are we as a church doing our job? Are you as a part of our church family growing in Christ? Is this you - Psalm 1:1-3?

CONCLUSION

What are you? A sippy cup Christian or meat and potatoes Christian? The Bible calls you to grow up in all aspects of Christ.