Milk or Meat

“MILK OR MEAT?”

The Importance of Spiritual Growth & Maturity

Bible passage: 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; Hebrews 5:11-14

Each category has its own “maturity level”
Category 1 has items that babies would enjoy
Category 2 has items that children would enjoy
Category 3 has items that teenagers or adults would desire and find useful

-Why is that? Because as we grow and mature, our DESIRES begin to change
-The things we once had interest in or found entertaining become DIFFERENT the more we mature and they begin to lose their appeal.

-This is EXACTLY what Paul and the author of Hebrews are trying to explain to their respective audiences

-Both Paul and the author of Hebrews were writing to Christians who professed to follow Jesus but were struggling in many areas – whether it was living like the pagan culture around them or being tempted to walk away from the faith
-This was made evident not only by their lack of FRUIT but also lack of DESIRE for more “deeper” spiritual things
-Both authors speak to their audiences as if they’ve been disciples for a while now but yet they are still wanting spiritual “milk” instead of solid food or spiritual “meat”
-The author of Hebrews even says his audience should be TEACHERS by now (meaning possessing enough knowledge to pass on what they have learned)

-The first area is…

1. Quality time with Jesus.
-TALK about how important it is that we often RETRAIN our minds to see our relationship with Jesus like an ACTUAL relationship
-If we just see it as “religion” or doing “religious things,” we have missed it all together
-Jesus doesn’t just want us to “do” a bunch of good things – He wants our HEART

The Five Love Languages – by Gary Chapman
1. Words of Affirmation (you feel most loved when your spouse or friends says positive words or phrases to encourage, appreciate, and adore your spouse or friend)
2. Receiving Gifts (you feel most loved when your spouse or friend gives you gifts – no matter how big or small)
3. Physical Touch (in the context of a spouse, this of course could include doing “marriage things” but it also can include just being physically close to your spouse or friend, giving a hug, holding hands, etc.)
4. Acts of Service (you feel most loved when your spouse or friend does helpful things/actions for you – such as doing chores, making a meal, etc.)
5. Quality Time (you feel most loved doing one-on-one activities with a spouse or friend – such as a going on a walk, meeting for coffee, etc. and you are given undivided attention)

The MOST important one in our relationship with Jesus is quality time.
-And because of this, we must learn how to increase the QUALITY of our quality time with Christ
-“What does that look like? How can I have ‘quality time’ with Jesus?”
-The Bible calls this the “secret place”
-Psalm 91:1 (NKJV) – “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

-Psalm 31:20 (NKJV) – “You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”
-Even Jesus taught this (and modeled it) when He walked the Earth
-Matthew 6:6 – “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
-Mark 1:35 – “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate [solitary, deserted] place, and there he prayed.”
-Do YOU have a “secret place” with God? A time AND place you set aside each day to have uninterrupted, unhurried time with Jesus? To read His Word, to pray to Him, to thank Him, etc.?
-TALK about my recent “secret place” setup

2. Prayer.

-We can define prayer as simply: “Having a conversation with
God.”

-Mark 11:24 – “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

-Faith that God will do all things according to His good will
-He wants to answer our prayers but also simply
wants to hear our HEART
-Ask yourself – “What does my prayer life look like?”
-Do you tend to always say the same things when you pray?
-Do you only pray before a meal?
-What are you actually SAYING? Is it coming from your heart or is it just habit & tradition?

-The next area we should be growing and maturing in is…
3. Knowledge.
-Specifically our “spiritual” knowledge
-If we look back at what the author of Hebrews says to his audience in verse 12, he says “by this time” they should be TEACHING the things he is writing them, but they are still stuck on spiritual “milk” or the “basic principles of the oracles of God”
-What does this mean for us?

-Well you have to ask yourself a few questions – “How long have I been following Jesus? Since that time, how much have you grown in your knowledge of the Bible or spiritual topics?”

-Milk – God created the Earth & Universe; the 10 Commandments; the Gospel message; Jesus will return some day
-Meat – making your own disciples; heavy doctrines; apologetics, the end times, the Trinity

HOW do I do that?”
-Memorize Scripture, podcasts, website resources, worship music
-TALK ABOUT/EXPLAIN my favorite resources *SHOW PICTURE*

-The final area we should be growing and maturing in is…
4. Spiritual conversations.
-Other phrases for this area could include “evangelism,” “sharing your faith” or “testimony,” etc.

-ASK – Do you remember what the disciples were doing after Jesus was crucified? They were HIDING
-But after they saw Jesus raised from the dead, what did they do? They told EVERYONE and were not ashamed OR afraid to be even beaten or killed
-Peter was embarrassed and afraid to even say he KNEW Jesus but then in the beginning of Acts, he preaches an entire sermon in front of THOUSANDS
-Why is that?? Because they had EXPERIENCED the living, resurrected Christ

-Is Jesus that REAL to you? Has He changed your life? Has He done MIRACLES in your life?
-Then why do we live as if He hasn’t?
-Why are we ashamed to talk to our coworkers about Jesus? Why are we embarrassed to pray for a waiter or waitress?
-It’s because we prefer to drink the spiritual “milk” of comfort, fear, and I’m going to say it – simple laziness

TELL someone you follow an invisible God who loves the world and sent His Son to die and rise from the dead?
-I’m telling you, THAT is what will make your faith more real than it EVER has been and take it to the next level
-But do you know HOW to do that? Do you know HOW to share your story?
-Do you know how to lead someone to follow Christ?
-Do you know how to make a disciple? To invest in someone and “do life” with them as Jesus did?
-So just like we’ve asked with each of these, HOW can you grow here?
-Write your story out
-Be able to summarize it in 30-60 seconds (sometimes you don’t have time for a full conversation)
-PRACTICE by yourself
-Watch how others do it:
-Surround yourself with people who have bold faith
-House of Light
-“Way of the Master”
-PRACTICE with other Christians
-Actually DO it
-Often times, the only way to get real-life practice is to actually do it… in REAL-LIFE!

So What????

-“In which area(s) do you need to “mature” in?”
-What areas have you been content to keep drinking spiritual “milk” and avoid spiritual “meat?”
-“Are you GROWING in your faith? HUNGRY for more?”
-Or are you satisfied with ‘just enough’ and doing the same old things you’ve done for years?
-“What has been DISTRACTING you or STUNTING your growth & maturity?”
-Are there certain things in your life you need to remove or take a break from so you can set spiritual goals and focus on the most important things?