Hebrews 5:1-6:12

Got Milk?

I’ve been around pastors virtually all of my life. My father was a pastor and as a child I knew many pastors quite well. Before I became a pastor myself I served in various positions in the church and worked closely with pastors. Most pastors are diligent, humble, sincere servants of God and His people. (These aren’t usually the ones you see on TV, though occasionally they may be.) One of the heartbreaks of being a pastor is having people you have prayed for and cared for and perhaps counted on simply up and leave. Every pastor experiences this. Usually those who leave don’t bother to say anything in parting but occasionally they will give a word of explanation. One of the more common excuses...er, uh, reasons they give for leaving is, “I’m not being fed here anymore. I need meat instead of milk.”

Of course they are referencing the passage we read today. Actually, 99% of the time they are referencing one phrase from today’s passage. They don’t really know the passage itself at all. 

When Paul talks about milk instead of solid food he is saying, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” In other words, solid food is for those who have taken the basics and made them an integral part of their lives. 

On rare occasion you will have a situation where the pastor has simply grown lazy and the members have grown and perhaps “out grown” the limits of his or her teaching. This is not usually the case. What is far more common is that the member has grown enamored with some particular teaching that fits their personality or lifestyle better. Instead of them being conformed to the Word they are looking for the Word to be conformed to them. Or, they have become bored and think somewhere else is the answer. Those who are ready for solid food don’t become bored. They don’t have to be entertained because a life of really following Jesus is quite an adventure. Nor do they have “itching ears.” (See the November 6 post.)

Got milk? Are you ready for solid food?