Moving from Milk to Solids

Introduction

Can you think of a food that you absolutely hated eating as a kid growing up that you now enjoy eating? For me it was zucchini. My mom used to try to hide it in chocolate cake. I’m not sure how I was able to figure out that she had put zucchini in the cake, but I always could tell. Our daughter Angela offered me a taste of some zucchini she had fried in a little bit of butter and sprinkled on some spices. She wouldn’t take no for answer. So I finally took a small taste - my tastebuds danced for joy with the amazing taste. I thought to myself, maybe mom was right all along, zucchini was good for you.

Have you ever tried a food you thought you wouldn’t like, only to discover it was delicious? Similarly, our initial judgments about God’s Word can change when we dive deeper. God’s teachings often challenge our taste, transforming our hearts if we let Him, just like we might even come to enjoy ham and pineapple pizza. (There are some folks that feel that pineapple on pizza is a total abomination).

Transition

Today we continue our series Hunger & Thirst and examine Hebrews 5:11-14. The author writes challenging his listeners to grow spiritually.

Hebrews 5:11-14 NLT

11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

Thomas Long writes

The Preacher begins by playfully putting dunce caps on the congregation. He tells them that he has a lot more to tell them, but that it will be “hard to explain” and that they probably wouldn’t be able to grasp it anyway. They are, he suggests, “spiritually dull”, and, what is more, they have already failed a few grades. They are still at the primary level, when they should have graduated and become teachers themselves.

The author of Hebrews did not intend this to push down his readers, but to lift them up and stimulate them to dig deeper into their relationships with God.

One of the tasks of the Jewish people that lived in this time was to try to keep obedient to the over 600 laws impressed upon them by the religious leaders.

In ancient Jerusalem, the people were so consumed by their daily lives that they became spiritually dull. They performed rituals but lost the heart behind them, forgetting the God they were serving. The prophets warned them, but their ears were unwilling to hear. This serves as a reminder for us today; are we so caught up in our routines that we've dulled our spiritual sensitivity?

Changing Foods (Hebrews 5:12-14)

…You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

I get the sense that the author of Hebrews is challenging us to change our diet to something that provides more sustenance. Perhaps shifting our spiritual disciplines to something deeper.

No don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with spending time in devotions reading materials such as Daily Bread, however we should also be, I feel more importantly, spending time reading Scripture to help us grow spiritually. Once again, I am not knocking devotionals that information that they provide us, I am just questioning is it enough to sustain us or do we need something more?

As one author put it, “Trying to eat just the treats - devotionals, Christian self-help, a Jesus bumper sticker - without learning to study the Word will leave us without the nourishment we need to grow.

Too Much Sugar

Amy Marturana Winderl writes, “One study from UC San Francisco actually found that drinking sugary drinks like soda can age your body on a cellular level as quickly as cigarettes. The way the sweet stuff impacts your body is way more complex than just causing weight gain. In fact, when you eat a ton of sugar, almost every part of your body feels the strain - and that’s bad news for your health in both the short term and especially the long term.”

James Montgomery Boice

And if we are to know God, we must spend time with him in Bible study, prayer, and meditation. You cannot get to know a person without spending time with him or her. No more can you get to know God without spending time with him.

Take a look at a tree planted by a riverside, its roots reach deep into the water. As it receives nourishment, it grows tall and strong. In our spiritual lives, we too must seek the Living Water - spending time in prayer, Scripture, and community to nourish our souls. Just as the tree grows stronger with time and care, we must nurture our spiritual growth, allowing God’s presence to sustain us.

Guthrie Veech wrote

Am I growing spiritually? Am I helping Christ’s church grow spiritually? You can do all kinds of ministry, but if spiritual growth is not at the heart of that ministry, very little will be accomplished for God.

Donald Bloesch said

If anything characterizes modern Protestantism, it is the absence of spiritual disciplines or spiritual exercises. Yet such disciplines form the core of the life of devotion. It is not an exaggeration to state that this is the lost dimension in Modern Protestantism.

Warren W. Wiersbe wrote

Spiritual growth is not automatic. It requires cooperation with God and the application of spiritual diligence and discipline.

Claire McGarry in Our Daily Bread

I’ve had phases in my life when I’ve been too far away from Jesus too. I try to do things all on my own, blazing my own trail, performing for the crowd. Even when things do go my way, there’s always a bit of unrest in my heart as I cling to my own will, not His. It’s as if my heart doesn’t flow the way that it should.

That’s when I know I need more time with Jesus. Moving closer to Him, I envision myself reaching out to touch His cloak. When I do, that unrest in my heart is healed. I am at peace, and everything flows as it should.

1 Timothy 4:7-8

Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”

How Can We Move from Milk to Solids

A pastor once joked that reading the Bible is like eating vegetables. At first, you might not see the appeal, but once you get into it, you realize it's good for you! Just like leafy greens nourish our bodies, scripture feeds our souls. You start craving that daily dose of spiritual sustenance, realizing that skipping it feels like missing a meal!

Set aside 10 minutes each morning for quiet time with God. Read a passage of Scripture (pick one out or perhaps follow a reading plan). Read through it a few times. Ponder it. What is God saying? What is God saying to you? Write it down. I must admit I am not much of a journal keeper, perhaps it’s something I should work on. I know several people that journal their thoughts about God and it deepens their relationship with Him.

Join a bible study group. Joining in with others in the journey to get to know God and be inspiring, uplifting, and open our eyes to see God more readily in our lives. This will strengthen both your faith and your relationships.

3. Create a prayer jar. Each week add a prayer request or a thankfulness note. Gather on Sunday evening to read each aloud and pray for them. This builds spiritual habits and creates a communion with God.

In the Bible, Jesus often slipped away to pray, and his disciples were curious. One day, they asked him to teach them how to pray. He didn’t provide an elaborate manual; he simply gave them the Lord’s Prayer. This tells us that prayer doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes the most effective prayers are as simple as a few honest words—just like a heart-to-heart with a friend!

There’s a story about a man who wanted to pray better so he decided to practice by playing catch. He would throw a ball in the air and say, 'God, help me to…' and then catch it on the way down. One day, he threw it too high and ended up praying, 'God, if you catch this one, I’ll pray more seriously!' Sometimes, we might find our fun ways to connect with God turn into sincere moments of prayer. Even casual conversation with God can be a form of prayer!

4. Establish a “Faith and Friends” night at home. Invite your friends over and focus on exploring a topic of faith together. Perhaps watch a Christian film, discuss a relevant book, or explore a Bible passage. This blend of social time and spiritual growth can create a fun and engaging atmosphere that draws you closer to God and strengthens your friendships.

In ancient Rome, Christians often gathered in homes to share meals and stories. They might have started as small groups, but over time, these gatherings became vibrant communities where joys and burdens were equally shared. Imagine, though, if they had practiced their faith like we sometimes do today—skipping potlucks for Netflix or only joining a prayer circle when convenient! The early church demonstrates that fellowship requires participation. Like a pot of stew, the flavors of community blend together only when we stir the pot!

Historically, some of the world’s greatest thinkers like Augustine and Aquinas gathered in study groups to discuss scripture. Imagine them, deep in thought, only to take a break and debate who would win in a wrestling match—Daniel or Goliath! These gatherings were not only about serious study but also about joy-filled fellowship, showing that spiritual discipline can thrive in a lighthearted atmosphere.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote this about spiritual discipline some of the spiritual men in the last century or so

Look at the lives of those men and the time they gave to Scripture reading and prayer and various other forms of self-examination and spiritual exercises. They believed in the culture and the discipline of the spiritual life and it was because they did so that God rewarded them by giving them these gracious manifestations of himself and these mighty experiences which warmed their hearts.

Conclusion

In the early church, believers practiced spiritual disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and communal worship. These practices helped strengthen their faith, unify their community, and deepen their relationship with Christ. Just as athletes train rigorously to achieve excellence, Christians, too, benefit from spiritual disciplines that keep them spiritually fit and ready for life’s challenges.

I think the question before us is that are we willing to remain ‘picky eaters’ or are we willing to grow deeper into our relationship with God by eating from the sustenance He provides through His Word?