Cowboy 9 James the Muttin Buster
At many rodeos there is an event called “Muttin Bustin.” This event is designed for the little children, usually ages eight and below. The children will ride a sheep similar to a bull rider. The event is a crowd favorite as they watch these little ones compete. In this chapter we will discuss the ninth disciple, James the Less or younger. We do not know much about this James, except he is described as little or younger.
Alphaeus is mentioned in Matthew 10:3 as being the father of James, furthermore in Mark 2:14 he is also identified as being the father of Matthew. If this is the same Alphaeus, this would make James the less and Matthew brothers. This would make sense calling James the less as being younger, possibly being the younger brother of Matthew. According to tradition, even though James the Less clung strongly to Jewish law, he was sentenced to death for having violated the Torah. It is said that James the Less was martyred by crucifixion at the city of Ostrakine in Lower Egypt, where he was preaching the Gospel. A carpenter’s saw is the symbol associated with him in Christian art because it is also noted that his body was later sawed to pieces.
The Greek word that describes James the Less, in Mark 15:40, is where we get the word for “micro.” It is not clear if James was younger or short in stature. Either way, we will take this chapter and deal with Christ’s statement that we must become like children to enter the kingdom of God.
Matthew 18:1-5
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
Before my sermons each week, I do a lesson for the children we call “cow camp”. This lesson usually involves some object which helps to bring a Bible lesson alive. Mathew 18 shows Jesus doing an object lesson for the disciples. He brought a little child in front of them and basically said, “to be with Me, be like this child.” The Bible gives people many non-flattering terms to describe human nature, one is sheep and now Jesus gives another, child. How many times have you been in an argument with your spouse, and she says “would you grow up quit acting like a child!” This statement hurts.
The disciples argued many times about being great in the Kingdom of God. We discussed earlier how the mother of James and John wanted her children to be seated on the right and left of Jesus in His kingdom. Here again the disciples are motivated to be great in the Kingdom of God. Jesus doesn’t rebuke them and tell them to grow up, instead He tells them to grow down. The disciples were so much concerned with the reasons for greatness, but simply for greatness. If I were one of the disciples, I would probably have felt kind of stupid when Jesus used this object lesson. I would be thinking about all the manly things I could do, to be a great man of God. Instead, Jesus tells them to quit acting like grown ups and learn from a child.
Why would Jesus tell the disciples and us to be converted and act like a child in order to become a follower of Christ? Jesus says we must first be converted then become as little children (Matthew 18:3). Notice, if you are only converted but don’t become like a child, you will not enter into God’s kingdom. Furthermore, if you only act like a child without being converted you will not enter into God’s kingdom. We need to take a look at these two commands in more detail primarily because of the emphasis Jesus places upon them with the phrase “by no means.” Jesus is not saying these are suggestions but the very depths of life and death hang on these two commands.
Convert
The New King James Version uses the word “convert.” Have you ever traveled to a foreign country and tried to purchase souveniers using US dollars? Most places accept US currency but many places want the currency of their native land. To solve this dilemma, you go to a bank or other institution and convert your dollars to the local currency. Printed money is a promise by a government that they stand behind the stated value printed on the note. There is a relationship between the printed money and the government that issue that money. When using US money in non US countries, many times they do not accept that relationship between the USA and that currency. They desire the relationship of their own government, henceforth your money needs a conversion.
God’s kingdom works the same way. When you enter into God’s kingdom, you must form a new relationship and convert all that you have, in order to line up with the law of the land. The Greek word for convert means to twist then to turn or bend in regards to rejecting an existing relationship. The basic meaning of convert is to return. If we could take all the currencies in the world and simplify commerce, we would all be carrying nuggets of gold. Gold is often referred to as “honest money” because it is very tangible. The gold standard was the common standard for printed money (specifically the US dollar) until 1971 under President Nixon.
What must we convert to? We must convert to God’s standard, which means you must be absolutely perfect, never have or will do anything wrong, never had a wrong thought, never disobeyed parents, always honored parents, never have lied, stolen, killed, committed adultery etc. If you like me, you have probably done something not right in your life, which puts us in the same boat. The way that I overcame my shortcomings to reach God’s standard is accepted Jesus Christ as the payment for my sins, past, present and future. God no longer sees my sins because they are covered up by the blood of Jesus. God’s currency is not made of paper but of blood.
God’s original plan can be found in Genesis before the fall of Adam and Eve. Since the fall, we have been using our own currency to try and make things right with God. However, in the Kingdom of God, there is only one currency allowed and that is the blood of Christ. We must convert all of our selfish ambitions that include pride and envy, convert those to the forgiveness found in Jesus. Once we convert our own currency of works, to the currency of grace, we are free to live in the Kingdom of God.
At this point a person who believes the Bible would say, of coarse I accept Jesus Christ as the payment for my sins, now what? Well to achieve the God standard, we must be born again. Jesus told a religious ruler by the name of Nicodemus that in order to see the kingdom of God that a person must be born again (John 3:1-17). Nicodemus didn’t understand how a person could enter into his mother’s womb and be born again. Nicodemus was thinking of the world’s currency, to exchange a life of self to a life of God. Jesus went on to explain that He was speaking of things of the spirit not the flesh. Jesus then stated in John 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Accepting the sacrifice of Jesus is being “born again.” Paul explains this “born again” concept in 2 Corinthians 5:17,
“If anyone in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
God’s currency is not like dollar bills or coins. You can take dollar bills, fold them up, put them in your pocket and only think about them when you need them. God’s currency involves, everything you think, say and do carries a concern of bringing glory to God and His name. When we truly give our lives to God and undergo the “conversion,” we are converted into a new creature. Our heart no longer beats for ourselves, but for the one who gave us a new heart. Only through this conversion can we then understand what the Bible says and understand spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:14)
If you underwent a heart transplant, like many people do today, there would not be a day go by that you would not think about the doctors who performed the procedure or the person who donated that heart. A heart transplant is an earthly picture of what happens in the spiritual world, when we give our hearts to Christ. If you have not received a heart transplant, why not? Think about all the things you worry about, health, wealth, family, work and money. Why not become a slave to God and let Him take care of those things. A slave does not worry about how his master is going to give him food. That worry belongs to the master. However, a slave’s concern is only to do what his master commands him to do everyday.
I know in the United States we don’t like to think about the issue of slavery, but the reality is when we trade in our currency and become converted, we are giving up our rights of ourselves and becoming a slave to God. Paul tells us in many of his books (Galatians 1:10) he wrote in the Bible, that he is a bond-servant, which is basically the same thing as a slave. My horse Saches doesn’t worry about who is going to take care of him tomorrow, he trusts me, and understands I will provide for all his needs. Shouldn’t we have more faith and trust in God than a horse does in man?
The word translated “Conversion” in Matthew 18:3, in the Greek is a passive term. A passive term means something is done to you beyond your control. We do not convert ourselves, we ask God to convert us, and God converts us completely, this is the new creature. After a person goes through the “conversion” of trusting Christ, Jesus gives an additional command and that is “to become” like a little child (Matthew 18:3). We might be like Nicodemus at this point and wonder how it would look if we played with toys all day and didn’t go to work. Does this mean we need to turn in our drivers license?
Become
After the conversion of becoming a new creature, like all new creatures, you start out as an infant. Jesus said in Matthew 18:3 we must be converted AND become as little children, otherwise you will BY NO MEANS enter the kingdom of Heaven. Converted, as discussed earlier, is in the passive, something that is done to us. Become in the Greek is in the middle voice. The middle voice means we are a participant, along with God. So as we become like a child, we surrender our will, and God gives us the ability. Henceforth, becoming like a child does not mean we get out the pacifier and start sucking our thumb. We have to become as a little child, not act like a little child.
C.S. Lewis one wrote:
When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man, I put away childish things—including the fear of childishness and the desire to be grown-up.
The situation that started this conversation involved the disciples wanting to know who is the greatest in the kingdom of God. I wrote this statement after thinking about Jesus’ words in Matthew 18.
If you want to enter God’s kingdom to be the greatest you will never enter. But if you want to enter because your not the greatest, you will enter with greatness.
Reread that statement and chew on it a while. In God’s economy the least becomes the greatest and the greatest becomes the least. 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are might.” When we think we are something, we become fools, because the reality is we are nothing. All that we have and are is due to what God has given us.
During the time of Jesus, the children were loved, but they were not respected. A child was not sought after for his views on the world or on God. A child was simply that, a child. What is it about children, those things that just warms our homes and humbles our hearts? Children have a wonderful view of life, they have a hope for tomorrow, and they have a hope for Christmas and a hope of what they want to be when they grow up. There are some things we need to remember about childhood and apply those to our spiritual life. We think because we are grown up we have all the answers, but to become a child of God we have to become just that, a child.
When I became a roper, I converted to being a roper from being a bull rider. The skills I had as a bull rider did not help me as a roper. When riding bulls you grit your teeth and your grip and try to move with the bull. The most important aspect of bull riding is the ability to hang on. Team roping involves new skills. When converting to team roping I became as a child. I couldn’t throw a rope any better than a ten year old. If I applied the same skills from bull riding, I would simply slap the steer silly with the rope. Team roping involves riding a horse with one hand and two legs, while you swing and throw a rope with the other hand. Once in position you must throw the rope a certain way to keep the loop of your rope open to go around the steer’s horns.
I have progressed in my roping abilities through practice and learning. Likewise, the way you handled your life before Christ will be different than the way you handle your life after Christ. Before Christ you followed the creed “If it is to be, it is up to me.” As a Christ follower, your new creed is “If it is to be, let me seek the council of God and align my plans up with His.” God has a perfect plan for your life, it is your responsibility to get to know God and learn to discern His will for your life. The only way you can get to know God is not by practice and learning like team roping, but by prayer and learning. How do you learn about God, simple, go to the owners manual called the Bible. In the Bible you will learn all about God and how He deals with His people.
C-H-I-L-D
Let me help you remember how we should be as a child by using an acrostic of C-H-I-L-D.
Christ:
A child begins life with conception to birth. To become a child of God we must begin with a conception and birth. This rebirth is done through Christ. There is no other way to God but through Christ (John 14:6). Any type of list that does not start with Christ is not an accurate list. Give your life to Christ, but once you do, you will become a babe in Christ and not a mature believer. Your walk with Christ begins with the new birth. Remember this new birth is not something you can do, but something that God must do to you.
We look to Christ as the one who holds all the answers, as a child looks to their parents as one who holds all the answers. It all starts with Christ, being the perfector of our faith.
Help
When Hunter was a small child and began playing baseball, he would come to me asking me to help him with his batting, catching and throwing. It thrilled me to have the opportunity to help him, especially when he asked me for help. A child looks to his parents for answers to his questions and direction about life. We must do the same thing, do not be afraid to seek God’s help and ask Him questions. He is our heavenly father, Jesus said in Luke 11:
11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Jesus is very clear, we are to ask, God wants to give you excellent spiritual gifts, but He also wants us to ask. By asking, we are seeking His help.
Imitate
When Hunter was around eleven years old, he loved sports and especially football. Whenever he would watch a football game (especially college football) he would put his University of Texas Longhorns jersey and football helmet on. After each play he would see on television, he would get his football and re-enact the play in the living room with just himself and his imagination. What do we imitate? Are their godly men and women in your life that you would like to be like? If not, find some. A good place to start would be at a good Bible believing, Bible preaching church. There you will find some like minded folks who are seeking after God and striving to grow up in their Christian faith.
As parents we should be someone our child looks up to and sees a picture of Christ. As leaders in the church, we should be the kind of men and women people want to imitate. We can not lead others, or our children, to places we ourselves have not gone. Paul boldly states in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” Paul also states it again in 1 Corinthians 4:16. Could you make that statement to your church, your coworker or your children?
The purpose of this book on the twelve disciples is to give each one of us a picture of the twelve, imitate the good things we see and discard the bad (3 John 11). We have seen how Peter fell from his own ambitions and later was restored to lead the church. We have seen the thoughtfulness of John and how he desired for God’s children to love one another. We have seen how Thomas, doubted but then after he worked through his doubts became a great servant of Christ.
Love
One of the most wonderful things about children is their affection and love. When Hunter was a baby and even as child, when he would reach up and grab my hand to hold it, or kissed me just melted my heart. A child’s love is pure, they do not show love in order to manipulate people, they love from a pure heart, a heart that wants to please others. The disciples were caught up in seeking who would be the greatest, but we should be like James the Less, desiring less of us and more of Jesus. The love of a child is not born out of a one-up-manship mentality, they simply want to please those whom they depend upon.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:2-3 that if we have all the spiritual gifts and do all the good things, yet has not love, we are nothing. Nothing plus nothing equals nothing, which is very simple math. How many times do we study the Bible just to prove our point and beat someone over the head to show how right we are? We can memorize the entire Bible and pray 100 times a day, but if we do not have love, we have gained nothing. We can be so theologically correct out of the pride of knowledge that we go into hell with both eyes open.
The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy. Apathy is the lack of emotion or enthusiasm. A child does not have a care less attitude toward their parents. They love their parents and want nothing more than to please them. We must be like a child in regards to our heavenly father. Our chief desire is to please God and honor Him. Paul possessed a pure desire, based on love for his fellow Israelites, to see Israel saved. If we do not gather weekly with our brothers and sisters in Christ, read the Bible each day and pray we are showing apathy towards God. What does that say about your relationship with God? Many people say they are Christians, but what they are actually saying is “I’m a Christian because I don’t want to go to hell.” Jesus said if you love Him you will obey Him” (John 14:15).
We have a golden retriever named Sandy and she is nothing but eighty five pounds of pure love. Sandy’s only desire in the world is the morning and evening feeding with some affection thrown in during the day. Sandy enjoys her “power” naps, but about every hour she will arise from her nap and come over to one of us wanting a little sugar. Sandy needs that reassuring and affection to fulfill her life. Our children and spouses are the same way, they need that constant reassuring and affection from us that we love them.
God does not need our affection and love. God is perfect in every way, however, He desires our love. As the one who created us for His pleasure, His greatest desire is for his children to love and obey Him. He does not desire that we love Him just to get stuff, but to love him out of a pure heart. Jesus says in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”
A child is pure in heart, that is more people accept Christ as a child than they do as an adult. In 1977 C.W. McCall released a hit song called Roses for Mama, read the lyrics below
Roses for Mama by C.W. McCall
Well, I had two weeks vacation comin’, so I thought I’d drive down to Florida: spend some time with an old friend, date a few girls, make a few parties, and just kinda live it up again.
So I packed up my car, and then I called my Mom in Tennesee, and told her what I planned to do. She said, "Son, are you comin’ by?" And I said, "Mom, I’m really pushed for time, but I’ll see you in a week or two."
And I was drivin’ through this little town in Georgia when I remembered: today’s Mama’s birthday. Well, I thought I’ll just stop and wire some flowers. Shouldn’t take too long; then I’ll be on my way.
So I walked in a flower shop and the first thing I saw was this little boy, with his eyes full a’ tears. I said, "What’s wrong, son?" He said, "Mama loves roses. And today’s her birthday, and I haven’t seen her in almost a year."
[Chorus]
Roses for Mama
Today’s her birthday
Roses for Mama
Today’s her birthday
He said, "I live with Grandma now. But I promised Mama some roses, ’cause I talk to her all the time. I wanted to give her five, ’cause that’s how old I am. But the lady said I couldn’t buy ’em with just a dime."
Well, the little fella’s story kind a’ touched my heart, so I told the lady to give him what he wanted and charge it to me. Then I told her I needed to wire a dozen roses to my Mama, up in Chapel Hill, Tennessee.
I looked around, and the little boy was gone. But all of a sudden the door flew open and he come runnin’ back in and he said, "Mister, I forgot to thank you for the roses." He smiled, he shook my hand, and ran back out again.
Well, I started on out of town. And I was feelin’ real proud of myself for thinkin’ of my Mama and really carin’, when I looked out the window and I saw that same little boy, kneelin’, by a grave in an old cemetery.
I stopped my car and walked over to where the little boy was kneelin’ down. And he smiled up at me and said, "This is where my Mama stays. She says she sure does thank you for these pretty roses." Well that’s when I had to walk away.
And I drove straight back to that flower shop and I said, "Lady, have you sent those flowers to Tennessee?" She said, "No, not yet." I said, "Well, never mind. I’ll just take them back with me."
The love of a child, no wonder Jesus said we must become like a child to enter His kingdom. That little boy taught the old man about love for mama. This is what Jesus was trying to teach His disciples, how we must be like a little child to enter the kingdom of God. Paul summed up the importance of love best in 1 Corinthians 13:13
“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Dependent
The last letter in C-H-I-L-D is D for dependent. A child can not care for theirself in the world. A child can not get a job, can buy their own food and can not buy a house. A child is totally dependent upon their parents. Jesus said we must be converted and become like a child to enter God’s kingdom. One characteristic of a child is dependence. When I was a child a friend of mine lost his dad in an accident and my friend was totally devastated. This got me wondering what would happen if I lost my dad, and it made me very sad. I loved my dad, not because he provided for me, but because he was my dad and he loved me. About thirty five years later I preached my dads funeral.
I remember the day my dad died, which I was there in the hospital room the moment he breathed his last breath. I immediately thought back to those days in my childhood when I could not imagine losing my dad. Here I was an adult, where I no longer depended on him for my support, but I still loved him and he loved me. Take away all the stuff, take away all the provisions my dad gave me and I still loved him. I longed to spend time with him and know him as I was growing up. My sister gave dad a copy of Rick Warrens book “The Purpose Driven Life” about two years before he died. My dad was not much of reader outside the Bible, but a few days after dad died I was going through some things on the living room table that he had been looking at, and there was Purpose Driven Life book.
My dad had underlined many things in that book and I just sat there and sobbed. I could see my dad reading that book and diligently underlining the different lines that spoke to him. Interesting, dad underlined almost all the scripture references found in that book. Seeing what my dad wrote, gave me a picture of what moved his heart, which drew me even closer to him after his death . Our heavenly father has left us with some writing that move His heart. These writings are called the Bible. If we truly depended on God, we would depend on His word in our life, and treasure it with all of our heart. That is if we depended on God as a child depends on their parents.
We don’t love God because we are dependent on Him, we love God for who He is and what He has done through his Son. However, we also need to understand we are totally dependent on Him for every breath we take, and every beat of our heart. God has our life in His hands. This should give us a sense of purpose, that God has plans for our lives. There is a reason He keeps providing for us, and that reason is for us to give Him glory and love Him.
Jesus tells a story about a wealthy farmer who decided his barns weren’t big enough and needed larger barns. The bigger barns would allow him the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Allowing him to take it easy, eat, drink and be merry. Jesus said that man did not realize his soul would be required of him that night, and those possessions he relied on will go to someone else (Luke 12:13-21). The farmer did not depend on God but upon his own wealth and possessions. To develop an attitude of dependence on God is easy once we realize he holds our lives and well being in His hands.
So the five things to consider in becoming like a child is to follow the C-H-I-L-D principles. Christ, Help, Imitate, Love and Depend.
If you will seek Christ, ask Him for help, imitate Him, love and obey Him and grow totally dependent upon Him, you will also fulfill his other command, humble yourself.
Remain as a Child?
James the less did not remain as “the less.” James’s name and characteristic is recorded through the history of the ages. James went and preached the gospel, and tradition tells us he was crucified like Jesus. James started out with milk as he listened to the teachings of Jesus, the disciples did not cut their teeth until the resurrection and they started chewing solid food the moment the Holy Spirit arrived at Pentecost in the book of Acts chapter two. We need to grow up and become men and women of God, always remaining with the heart of a child, but not the knowledge of a child. The more you mature in your faith, the more you will have the dependence of a child on your heavenly father.
As children we all had heroes that we looked up to. My hero was John Wayne, known as a man’s man. He never played a character displaying immaturity, but always the leader. As a child, I never wanted to see him killed in the movies. However, John Wayne the actor was killed in seven movies, and I loved those movies even more.
• Reap the Wild Wind
• The Fighting Seabees
• Wake of the Red Witch
• The Sands of Iwo Jima
• The Alamo
• The Cowboys
• The Shootis
My favorite movie of all time is “The Cowboys.” In this refreshing 1972 film, rancher Will Andersen has a herd of cattle to get to market before winter sets in, but a local gold rush has left him without any hands. He must resort to the schoolhouse and hire a bunch of teens (and younger!) to serve as his cattle drivers.
It’s a realistic tale of an aging rancher (John Wayne) who must bring a herd of cattle 400 miles through rough western territory to a town called Bellfush and all of his cowhands that worked for him have deserted him in pursuit of gold. So the Duke finds 11 schoolboys (the oldest boys are 15 years old) who volunteer to be cowhands on the big cattle drive out west. The rancher laughs to himself and thinks that the boys can’t manage such a demanding job due to their ages but agrees to train them and accept them anyway. So Wayne, along with the 11 boys and a black cook, embark on a tremendous unforgettable journey through western territory
Then there’s trouble when a group of bad men (led by Bruce Dern, sees the perfect opportunity to make themselves rich by trying to steal the cattle from just "an old man and 11 little boys". They attempt to steal all of the the cattle and tragedy occurs, defying the classic western rule of a "happily ever after ending." Then it’s up to the "cowboys" to see that justice be served in the west as they set out to complete the job that was asked of them. This job turned these 11 schoolboys into real honorable men through experience and hardship. Small boys turned into men out of necessity. I desired to ride and shoot as well as John Wayne and imitated him during my play.
As a born again Christian the one man I would like to imitate is the apostle Paul. Paul tells us to use him as an example (Philippians 3:17). As an encourager to the Christian faith read the following verses were Paul exhorts Christians to grow up.
1 Corinthians 11:11
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ephesians 4:14-15
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.
Milk to Meat
Have you heard the campaign “Got Milk?” This advertising campaign came as a result of declining milk consumption in the United States. Research data showed that consumers steadily drank less milk as they aged and that their shift away from drinking milk began around the age of 10. As young consumers progressed through their teen years, their milk consumption steadily declined while their consumption of other beverages steadily increased. Consumers between 18 and 24 drank 44 gallons of soft drinks, but they drank only 17.2 gallons of milk.
Regarding spiritual milk, we have shifted out taste preferences as well. Walk into a Christian book store and look at all the books on how to live the Christian life. Your first impression should be, wow…it can’t be this difficult. The reality is the Christian life is very difficult because we have to die to ourselves each day. Many people have substituted the “milk” of the word with the “soft drink” of the word. The “soft drink” of the word are those ideas that promote their own agenda and use sprinkle in scripture to make their point valid. We have all fallen to these half baked ideas resulting in spiritual immaturity.
I framed houses with a man named Jack Ward in college. Jack Ward won the National Final Rodeo in 1977 and 1978 as the world champion bareback rider. Jack started out riding bulls in the early 1960’s. Jack told me he had never broken a single bone in his body while riding both bulls and bucking horses. He attributed his non injuries to drinking a lot of “cow juice” as a child. Milk has been proven to provide strong bones from which to build strong muscles as a person ages. If you don’t have strong bones, if your muscles become too strong it will be much easier for your bones to break when you use those muscles.
As new believers in Christ, our priority should be in building a strong foundation of solid bone. The Bible refers to this as drinking milk. However, we are not to remain on just milk and must move to solid foods to become a healthy, mature Christian. It is impossible for a new born baby to eat meat. The baby does not the teeth to chew the meat, and his digestive system is not yet at the point to digest the meat. Imagine if Jesus would have taught the disciples at the beginning of His ministry all about the doctrines associated with the cross. The disciples would not have a clue what He was talking about and could have become focused on trying to figure out what Jesus was speaking of, rather than listening to His lessons.
In other words, the disciples would have choked to death on the heavy doctrines of the cross. The disciples needed milk before they could digest the heavier matter of the cross. Jesus gave them milk first, as seen in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, before He gave them their assignment of making other disciples in Matthew 28:18.
Hebrews 5:12-14
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
The writer of Hebrews is making a very strong statement with his use of milk. If the only sermon you heard on Sunday mornings involved Christ died for your sins, the Bible is true therefore you need to be saved, you would be receiving a steady diet of milk. These are very true statements and the necessities of starting out your Christian walk.
However, we are called to make disciples and teach others the elements of the Christian faith, as well as give a reason why we believe. Proverbs 15:28 says “The heart of the righteous studies how to answer.” 1 Peter 5:5 tells us “always be ready to give a defense for everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” Why do you trust Jesus? How do you know the Bible to be true? That question is the reason I went to seminary. To base my life on the Bible, I wanted to be discipled by some mature believers who had dedicated their life to the scriptures. I had been a Christian for fifteen years, and for the first time in my life I experienced true discipleship, digging into the weightier matters of the scripture. Wrestling with what I thought I believed to what the scriptures truly teach.
The Berean’s, in Acts 17:11, received instruction from Paul and Silas, then they searched the Scriptures to find out if what they had been taught contained truth. The Bible calls these people “Noble.” The Greek word for noble is composed of two words, become and good, the name “Eugene” comes from this word. Notice they were becoming good (noble), in other words they were growing up spiritually. Acts 17:11 commends the Berean’s for one thing that made them noble, they searched the scriptures! These Berean’s were not going to settle for milk and just swallow, they wanted meat, something to chew on.
Notice verse 13, “everyone who only takes milk is unskilled in the word.” Many want to be teachers, however, few are willing to go through the discipleship process. It took me six years to compete seminary, which I feel was a good foundation in developing my skills in the word. The Greek word for unskilled means; to have experience in, without the experience of. Allow me to illustrate this point. When I first began team roping, I could tell you how to do the event of team roping, however I could not show you how to do team roping, I did not have the experience.
As new believers in Christ, they can tell you how to come to Christ, but they can’t explain the details of how or why that happens. They have experience in coming to Christ, but they don’t have the experience of living for Christ in different circumstances yet. When I do wood working, it is important for me to have good tools and know how to use those tools to do the job correctly. I read about and talk to as many experts as possible, to gain a better understanding of using those wood working tools. Hunter plays many sports, all sports have one thing in common, they have a head coach and several assistant coaches. How can you say you live for Christ, yet you do not the most fundamental thing you do in hobbies, sports or your profession, seek council.
The Taste of Flesh
1 Peter 2:2
2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?
What taste is in your mouth, the sweetness of the Lord (1 Peter 2:3) or the taste of flesh (1 Corinthians 3:1)? The Greek word which carnal comes from, means the muscular part of the human or animal body. Carnivores are meat eaters, they eat dead things, flesh that has died. Spiritual people eat living things, the living word of God. The meat of scripture does not mean something that is dead, but just the opposite, that which is alive and sharper than a two edged sword, dividing truth from fiction. It is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12).
If you are not at the point where you are eating the meat of Scripture, then your life can be described as being full of envy, strife, arguing with others, gossiping about others and not one of peace. What is the solution? Spit the flesh out and start drinking the milk, go back to how and why you trusted Christ. As you study the scriptures, starting with John 3:16, you will start to sample meat the more you study. Before long, you will start to dig into scripture and good biblical commentaries to discover what it truly means to live like Christ. One commentary that I recommend is The Word Biblical Commentary, and the John MacArthur as a starting place in finding answers to the questions you might have in Scripture.
Conclusion
Think about James “the less” who became James “the more.” Keep the positive and dependent outlook of a child, but mature in your walk with Christ. Be like the Berean’s, check out what you are told with scripture. Always walk in love and move away from just milk. Get out the fork and steak knife and start carving up a nice portion of scripture for you to chew on threw out the day. The more you study the more questions will form in your mind. Get in a discipleship program, one that is based upon “The Book” and not “a book” about “The Book.” Soon you will find that as you become less and the word of God becomes more, you too will become greater in the kingdom of God.
I will close with this story about three trees talking among themselves about their futures.
The first said it would like to be made into a cradle, so that it might go on living as a support for the new fragile life of a baby.
The second tree wanted to be made into a ocean-going ship so that it might go on living carrying important cargo and seeing new lands.
The third tree longed to stay right where it was, existing only as a tree, but growing ever taller and pointing ever higher to remind everyone that there was a God in heaven who loved them.
But soon there came woodcutters who hewed down these trees, and apparently also their dreams.
The first tree was not made into a cradle, but was fashioned into a feeding trough, a manger for animals. But this manger was sold to a family in Bethlehem, and on the night that Jesus was born, this simple feed box became the cradle of the newborn Jesus.
The second tree was built into a water vessel, but only a tiny simple fishing boat. But a man named Simon Peter bought the boat, and on one warm afternoon when the crowds pressed in, Jesus climbed aboard this small craft so that he might preach.
The third tree was not only deprived of its dream to remain standing, but its wood was fashioned into a horrible instrument of torture, a cross. But it was on this cross that Jesus was crucified, transforming that symbol of cruelty into an eternal reminder of God’s eternal love for all of us.
What does your future hold? Are you going to settle for milk or go after the meat, are you going to be less like Christ or more like Christ?
