TITLE: OVERFED AND UNDERNOURISHED
SCRIPTURE: II TIMOTHY 4:1-5
The terms found in this thought – Overfed and Undernourished – seem to be contradictory in nature. How can one be Overfed and still be Undernourished? How can a person eat more than enough food and still lack proper Nutrition? Many Americans fail to eat healthy food and instead they stuff themselves with Junk Food that:
• Looks Good
• Tastes Good
• Smells Good
• Offers No Vital Nutrition for the Body
Can you imagine eating nothing but Junk Food? What would happen to Your Body – Your Health – to You? What would be the consequences of allowing every meal to be defined by these unhealthy food cravings? When it comes to eating right, you can’t simply do that when it’s CONVENIENT, can you? The fact that so much ‘JUNK FOOD’ can also be referred to as “FAST FOOD” is a good reminder of the lack of benefits. Eating Healthy:
• It often costs more, in terms of both money and time
• It often costs more to eat healthy
• It’s often not convenient
• But if we know we need it, it won’t matter if it’s convenient or not
It is sad to admit that we live in a culture that, in spite of all of the Warnings about Junk Food, we continue to consume a steady diet. Therefore; we become Overfed and Undernourished. Before you tune me out this morning, let me say that I don’t want to occupy your time referencing HEALTH ISSUES and BAD EATING HABITS. I was not called to be a NUTRITIONIST, I was called to be a Pastor and FEED GOD’S SHEEP. But I do want you to know that these same healthy principles apply in the Church. There are too many Christians today that are SPIRITUALLY OVERFED AND UNDERNOURISHED.
• Found Running from Table to Table
• Found Eating from Every body’s Table
• Think they are being helped
• All you are being Fed is Spiritual Junk Food
As we build a Word Church here at Perfected Praise Worship Center (PPWC) – there are some challenges we encounter when we find ourselves Eating from Different Tables. As we continue to focus on the importance of being a Word Church and what it means to be a faithfully functioning church, we must also consider the dangers of a FAST FOOD FAITH as well. For just as poor eating can lead to health problems so can the lack of proper spiritual nutrients lead to a lack of spiritual growth and spiritual health problems. If we are not careful we can get caught up in running around to other Churches, Conferences, and sometimes even Revivals and filling up on Junk Food. We consume the meal presented, containing everything but the Word of God. I need to talk to us this morning about Overfed and Undernourished. We think we are putting the correct thing in us, just to find out that we have overloaded on Spiritual Junk Food.
Junk food has a severe lack of nutrition. Most junk food provides nothing but empty calories and nothing in terms of vital ingredients. Our bodies need adequate nutrition to function properly and junk food deprives our bodies of this nutrition. There is something even more harmful than physical junk food. Let’s talk about SPIRITUAL JUNK FOOD this morning. Just as our bodies need proper nutrition, we even more need the FORGIVENESS OF SIN and NEW LIFE WITH GOD. In other words, we need the SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT PROVIDED BY GOD’S WORD.
It is common to hear about a Jesus who lives to give us HEALTH – WEALTH - PROSPERITY. There are so many that love this kind of Christianity. But Sermons about our sin and repentance, Jesus’ death on the Cross and our need to be saved from the coming judgment – such sermons are either ignored or even despised. But we forget that all the health, wealth and prosperity in the world will do us no good if we do not have a right relationship with God. We will run to Conferences and Church Worship Services and fill up on Junk Food. We don’t want to hear how Jesus said “I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. HE WHO COMES TO ME WILL NEVER GO HUNGRY, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME WILL NEVER THIRST.”
Here is what I really want to address this morning, IN A NUTSHELL - If you exercise, what you consume turns into energy. If you don't exercise, it turns into fat. And believe it or not, that same truth applies to spiritual food.
• Many of us are consuming a lot of Bible input
• We're full of sermons, CDs, DVDs, radio programs and Self Help Books
• Unfortunately, the harsh reality is we're just accumulating information
• The result?
• God has a lot of spiritually overweight children who are Overfed and Undernourished because we don't consistently put into practice what we're learning
• Fat just sits in us and stores p while ENERGY is Expelled – too many of us not Expelling or Sharing Word, God’s Love – does us no good if we hold on to it
Look with me again at our Text for examination. The Apostle Paul charges Timothy to “PREACH THE WORD.” He follows this with a description of WHY THIS WILL BE SO IMPORTANT. “FOR THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THEY WILL NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; BUT AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS SHALL THEY HEAP TO THEMSELVES TEACHERS, HAVING ITCHING EARS; AND THEY SHALL TURN AWAY THEIR EARS FROM THE TRUTH, AND SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES.”
The message here describes this disposition in a contemporary paraphrase: “You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.”
We are living in the day and age where people will NOT ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE. Instead we have encountered people with ITCHING EARS, a desire for someone to tell them what they want to hear. Now as we think about Paul's warning here, I want you to see that the danger he describes here is something that will take place in the church. And if we think about the essence of what Paul is describing, I think this is a danger every single one of us has to be concerned about.
Ultimately, we ordinarily go to church “WHERE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE.” Just what does that mean? What is it that makes us feel comfortable? More often than not it has to do with OAU. As long as you make me and my lifestyle feel comfortable, I am Okay with this Church. Paul tells Timothy, to be careful and give SOUND DOCTRINE. I must admit that we don’t get filled up as quickly with Sound Doctrine. So Paul is telling Timothy that the time is coming when people will not endure, will not put up with “HEALTHY TEACHING.” They will instead crave spiritual “JUNK FOOD.” And I think Paul can say “the time is coming” because he knows, all too well, he knows human nature. He knows that all of us have a weakness when it comes to “junk food”...spiritual “junk food”, that is.
When we are consumed with Spiritual Junk Food, we begin to say things like, “Well, pastor doesn’t really understand -- I am not getting fed here” - “people in Church are not friendly” - which means, we are not being filled quickly like we are with Junk Food ministries.
• We begin to justify certain things
• We no longer see the relevance
• Market research has shown that our way is no longer the most effective way
• We change churches
• We change Bibles
• We change our Giving
• We cut ties
• We look more and more for that which will affirm us rather than challenge us
• And we begin to eat more and more “spiritual junk food”
If we are to be FULLY NURISHED SPIRITUALLY - It’s about being CONSISTENTLY nourished by “sound, healthy teaching”; “sound, healthy doctrine” that can only come from Scripture, from the Bible. So if you and I, recognizing and taking seriously our vulnerability to cravings for spiritual junk food, if we know we need a STEADY SPIRITUAL DIET – HEALTHY SPIRITUAL DIET - , then we also need to understand the principles Paul gives Timothy here in regard to PREACHING THE WORD - or more generally, KEEPING THE WORD FIRST. Indication that we are on Junk Food:
• Pack House for Concert - Church empty for Revival
• Make it to Choir rehearsal – Can’t make it to Prayer or Bible Study
• Make Business meetings – Can’t make Saturday Workshop
• Watch REAL HOUSEWIVES of Atlanta, LA or NY – More important than coming back to Church for BTU
Are you committed to learning more about the Word of God? Or are you Overfed and Undernourished? Here are the questions we must ask ourselves:
• These are those churchgoing Christians that live off of a quick word that they think is from or of the Lord, but is in reality a junk food word
• Agree fast food can indeed be quite tasty
• Fast Food can satisfy the flesh for that very moment
• But what are the long-term effects of living off of it daily?
• A fast food Christian loves to have his or her ears tickled
• They feed daily off of TV televangelism, which is really junk food for the soul and is full of insincerity, greed, fraud, and worldly gimmicks
• Fast food Christians are always seeking after a personal word
• “Do you have a word for me, sir?”
• They like to get all excited when someone tells them what they want to hear
• But if someone tells them what God said, they get all mad and bent out of shape
• Not knowing that a true word from God is sent to help them
Fast food Christians like what they are doing, but they NEVER SEE ANY RESULTS. They just keep on doing the same thing over and over again. God can never do anything for them because they are so used to EATING A JUNK FOOD WORD. Their taste buds have become so DESENSITIZED that they think what they are being fed is the true bread from heaven.
• They have never tasted a real steak
• They like the taste of hamburger
• They have never tasted filet mignon
• They like fried fish dipped in batter
• They have never tasted filet salmon
• They just live off of McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell
• They like what they like and no one can turn them around, not even if they tried
• As much as I like Chitterlings -- why live off of them when you can have the best part of the hog --- ham, bacon or pork spare ribs?
• Why eat the cow’s tongue or brain when you can have a T-bone, sirloin, and porterhouse
• God wants to give His children the best, not junk food
This is why we keep going through the same motions and emotions over and over again. Running and eating from everybody’s table, meal tastes wonderful, fills our craving and when all is said and done, nothing at all changes in our life:
• Still Broke
• Still Disgusted
• Still Depressed
• Still in Same Relationship
• Still Hunting for a Job
• Still Waiting for your Miracle
• Still Messed up Situation
• Still have Foul Language
• Still Sneaking and Creeping
• I am talking about Overfed and Undernourished
I recall reading a book some years ago about the time President Abraham Lincoln met with General McClennan of the Union Army to discuss strategy. He asked the general:
• “How many legs does a horse have if you call the tail a leg?”
• McClennan said, “Five”
• Lincoln replied, “Wrong”
• It’s Four
• Merely calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it one
We face the same effect today regarding scripture. Merely calling something the Gospel doesn’t make it the Gospel. And twisting the teachings of Christ into some sort of TOLERANT – MULTI-RELIGION - GET OUT OF HELL FREE CARD - and claiming that it’s God’s Word doesn’t make it so. It is simply Overfed and Undernourished.
A JUNK FOOD CHRISTIAN IS ONE THAT IS ADDICTED TO AN INFERIOR WORD - a false word that puts a band-aid on a big, gaping wound. It can never help or heal. A fast food word will make you UNPRODUCTIVE and FRUITLESS. It will have you searching for a quick fix or quick high so you can feel good for that very brief moment. It will have you always looking for that next quick word-fix -- Running from this conference to that conference, from this church service to that church service. What you need is RELATIONSHIP and a study diet of a HEALTHY WORD.
Let us stop living off of a fast food word and turning things around. Let us seek after the real manna from heaven. This can only happen when we are in the perfect will of God and obeying and pleasing Him. A true word from heaven sent for correction might hurt a little but after it does its work, the results are answered prayer, peace of mind, eternal life, and the will of God done in that individuals life. Stop complaining that all I can do is just pray. You can believe God, too. You can have faith that works. You can have determination and will to obey God’s commandments. You can be committed to living a holy and spiritual life that is pleasing to God. While you are waiting for God to answer your prayers you can be busy doing His will, and not your own will.
TO STAY HEALTHY SPIRITUALLY, WE MUST GROW IN KNOWLEDGE. If you aren’t growing – you’re dying. If you aren’t pushing forward you’re falling backward. Paul told the young Timothy,
“GOD OUR SAVIOR WANTS ALL MEN TO BE SAVED AND TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDG OF THE TRUTH.” Remember the APOSTLE PETER’S last instruction to Christians -- BUT GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST – II PETER 3
• Our flesh is lazy
• If we follow the flesh we will be lazy and live a life of ease
• We will take the easy path – the easy way
• Our minds will grow soft as well
It is important for us to take responsibility for our Spiritual Growth as well. It is time for us all to take responsibility for our Christian maturity.
• We can't blame the church for the emptiness we feel
• We need to recognize that what we get out of the local church is what we put in
• This would include our prayer life, our at-home worship to the Lord, and our daily studying of the Word of God
• Then we will see real changes in our spiritual lives
• We are too quick to say, I am not being fed there, I am not growing
• We don’t participate in any of the Spiritual Growth Opportunities
When it comes to knowledge, my belief is PREACHERS OUGHT TO SLOW DOWN, NOT DUMB IT DOWN.
• Rich food is served in smaller portions
• The truck stop on the highway will pile your plate with whatever they have on the menu
• But a fine dining establishment will be more sparing with their servings
• Good preaching offers a rich gastronomical experience
• Exposition is rich fare
• We need to let the listener savor our sermons
• Force feeding platefuls of propositions will only leave the listener with indigestion
• Too many meals like this and they will soon search out another restaurant
• They may even opt for the junk food that is so readily available in our time
By contrast, false teaching, or teaching that is inaccurate, mixed with impure and/or untrue ideas, is UNHEALTHY and UNWHOLESOME.
• Like polluted water or air
• It’s not healthy to drink
• It’s not healthy to swim in
• It’s not healthy to breathe
• Although you might survive for awhile in it
• A person might survive for awhile with false teaching, if they cling to the elements of truth that are mixed in with impure things
• But ultimately unhealthy, false teaching puts you in spiritually bad health, which can even destroy faith
We are not to be unhealthy, undernourished Christians, but we find that this comes about when there is a lack of GETTING INTO THE WORD OF GOD FOR OURSELVES. We need to do our part in nourishing our spiritual lives. The Pastors, Ministerial Staff and guest speakers give messages and we are to have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. We are being fed the Word but perhaps the problem is that we are not "HEARING" what is being said. If we do not spend quality time with the Lord in prayer, worshipping, and renewing our minds with the Word, then we will be UNDERNOURISHED CHRISTIANS.
--In a Word Church - we will find Spiritual Nutrients
--In a Word Church - Healthy Portions of Word are Served
--In a Word Church – Less Fat but More Filling
--In a Word Church – Ingredients always listed
--In a Word Church – Fed Just Enough to Keep us Healthy
--In a Word Church – No Warnings from the Surgeon General
--In a Word Church – No Price Listed on the Menu -- No $5 Prayer Clothes, $25 Prayer Lines, No $10 Bottle of Blessed Oil
--In a Word Church – We understand Jesus Paid It All
--In a Word Church – It’s Not about the Committees, It’s about Calvary
--In a Word Church – It’s Not about How High You Jump, But How Straight You Walk When You Come Back Down
