Craving Spiritual Milk
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (1 Peter 2:2-3)
As we look at this Scripture passage, we see there is an analogy of being a child, and having a desire for spiritual milk. The Scripture says, “Like newborn babies.” There is an interesting word used here, “brephos.” This Greek word was originally used to describe an unborn child. Over time, it began to describe an infant. Now it is used to describe a new follower of Jesus.
This new follower craves more of Jesus. In fact, that word for crave means, “to long for intensely.” It means to stay hungry. If you are a follower of Jesus, the reason why you attend church, read your Bible, and go to a small group is because you are spiritually hungry. You are hungry for more of Jesus. You are hungry for more encouragement. You are hungry for His presence in your life. You are hungry to sense His hand in your life. You are craving the new spiritual milk, like a baby craves milk. That phrase, “spiritual milk” is referring to the Word of God. The reason you are hungry for that spiritual milk is to grow up in your faith.
Sadly, many people today are not very mature in their faith, and they are drawn away into cults. They are moved into emotionalism. They are convinced to believe things that are not even taught in Scripture because they are immature and don't know the Word of God.
Unfortunately, if I told some people to turn to the Book of “Hezekia” on a Sunday morning, they would turn to the Old Testament because it sounds like an Old Testament book. It is not even a book in the Bible! Many people haven't grown up spiritually. They might say, “I wasn't raised in the church.” Even if you were raised in the church, you might not have spent much time in the Bible. You must get into the Word of God.
God doesn't want you to remain as a baby. That is not God’s plan. God wants all of His children to mature and grow up in faith. He wants all of His children to move from eating apricot mash to T-bone steaks. In order to experience that kind of growth and develop that kind of maturity, we need to read our Bibles, engage in Christian community, and use our gifts and talents to serve others. When we spend time in prayer, we will get to know God on a deeper level. As we do these things on a regular basis, we will grow and mature in our walk with Jesus.
As we look at this Scripture passage, we see there is an analogy of being a child, and having a desire for spiritual milk. The Scripture says, “Like newborn babies.” There is an interesting word used here, “brephos.” This Greek word was originally used to describe an unborn child. Over time, it began to describe an infant. Now it is used to describe a new follower of Jesus.
This new follower craves more of Jesus. In fact, that word for crave means, “to long for intensely.” It means to stay hungry. If you are a follower of Jesus, the reason why you attend church, read your Bible, and go to a small group is because you are spiritually hungry. You are hungry for more of Jesus. You are hungry for more encouragement. You are hungry for His presence in your life. You are hungry to sense His hand in your life. You are craving the new spiritual milk, like a baby craves milk. That phrase, “spiritual milk” is referring to the Word of God. The reason you are hungry for that spiritual milk is to grow up in your faith.
Sadly, many people today are not very mature in their faith, and they are drawn away into cults. They are moved into emotionalism. They are convinced to believe things that are not even taught in Scripture because they are immature and don't know the Word of God.
Unfortunately, if I told some people to turn to the Book of “Hezekia” on a Sunday morning, they would turn to the Old Testament because it sounds like an Old Testament book. It is not even a book in the Bible! Many people haven't grown up spiritually. They might say, “I wasn't raised in the church.” Even if you were raised in the church, you might not have spent much time in the Bible. You must get into the Word of God.
God doesn't want you to remain as a baby. That is not God’s plan. God wants all of His children to mature and grow up in faith. He wants all of His children to move from eating apricot mash to T-bone steaks. In order to experience that kind of growth and develop that kind of maturity, we need to read our Bibles, engage in Christian community, and use our gifts and talents to serve others. When we spend time in prayer, we will get to know God on a deeper level. As we do these things on a regular basis, we will grow and mature in our walk with Jesus.
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2 Comments
I was very blessed to have been in community groups at Westside that helped me receive the steak from the Bible. My last group dealt with Appling those truths to our daily lives. We have disbanded since but we still keep in contact with each other. And still use biblical verses to help each other out.
Thank you Pastor for giving us the meat of the Word in a day of weakness and compromising.