“I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” - 1 Corinthians 3:2
I love to eat. Food is necessary for the nourishment and health of the human body. For me, food is more than that. Eating is an enjoyable experience. I must confess that my eating habits are not as healthy as they should be. I love fried chicken. What preacher doesn't? I enjoy biscuits and gravy. Any country boy loves brown beans, homemade cornbread and fried taters (yes, I said taters and not potatoes!). Perhaps that is why I am a man with great girth!
Like most Americans, my eating habits should be more healthy than it is. I should turn down that second helping. Yet the biggest problem facing American Christians is not their physical health, but their spiritual well-being. If you saw a 40 year-old man eating baby food or drinking milk from a baby bottle, you'd think something is wrong. Yet, far too many church members are feasting on spiritual milk and never maturing. One of the evidences of maturity is your diet. As a child grows, he eventually moves from baby food to solid food. Spiritually, there are church members who've been converted for years and never seem to get past spiritual baby food. They only feast on the milk and never touch the meat of the Word. In fact, many are repelled by strong meat.
Our pagan culture has so infiltrated the church that many who attend church expect to be entertained by lively, modern music and a short self-motivating pep talk. When they are exposed to strong preaching, they are easily offended and separate themselves from it.
Part of the problem, of course, is that there are tares among the wheat. Sadly, there are many unsaved church members. Yet the problem does not stop there. There are many genuine believers who are satisfied with spiritual baby food. They only feast on the milk of the Word. They have no desire for solid food. Why is this?
First of all, there is a lack of solid Biblical preaching in some areas. Many churches specialize on creating an entertaining environment each Sunday. The preaching of the Word is weak among some churches. A congregation can only feast on the meal provided from the pulpit. If a pastor refuses to serve the spiritual meat, it shouldn't be shocking that his congregation is stuck in spiritual immaturity. We need more preachers who feed his flock with the meat and potatoes of sound doctrine and Biblical truth. We shouldn't shy away from unpopular topics like sin, repentance and hell.
Also, there is a lack of real spiritual desire among those who occupy the pews. It is one thing to go to church, it is another thing to really desire God Himself. The local church should be a place of worship rather than entertainment. The church is to be a house of prayer, a sanctuary of fellowship and a place where the Word of God is preached. The Bible warns us, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Notice that this famine is not a famine of the preaching of the Word, but “... hearing the words of the Lord.” It used to be that Christians rejoiced to have their “toes stepped on,” during the sermon. Today, if sin is confronted, people get offended and either drop out of church completely or go elsewhere. Professing believers need to grow up. While milk can remain in a diet, there should be a progression towards the meat of the Word.
I love meat and potatoes. I love solid food. Meat and potatoes give me physical strength and they are also enjoyable to eat. Spiritually, we need to cultivate an appetite for the meat and potatoes of God's Word. Don't be content with a diet of baby formula. Move from the milk to the meat. Feast on the good things of God. Read, believe and obey the Word. Receive the full counsel of God, as given to us in the holy Scriptures. “O, taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Pull up a chair to God's table and feast on meat and potatoes today.
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