December 23

Advent Conspiracy and Milk Drinkers

We are participating in an Advent Conspiracy at Grace church this Christmas. We are saying “No” to excessive spending and saying “Yes” to giving, loving and worshiping fully. We are conspiring to recapture the true Biblical Christmas which is radically different than what we see unfolding around us in Stamford this December. In our reading today, we see the core of our conspiracy. The contrast is seen as the difference between milk drinkers and meat eaters.

Milk Drinkers are defined in chapter Hebrews 5:11-14. We are all born again as milk drinkers, so there is nothing wrong with starting as a milk drinker. All babies must start with a diet of milk. But after a period of time, we must set the bottle aside and move on to maturity. Here are four rebukes of long term milk drinkers:
1. They are slow to learn. They just don’t catch the real purpose and mission we are sent on.
2. They don’t know how to share with others. They are only interested in having their own needs met. They want to be feed, they want to feel comfortable. These bottle fed Christians should be mentoring and teaching others but they continue to sit in Bible studies for years just taking in more and more milk.
3. They have a baby food diet. Milk is pre-digested food, and it is especially suited to babies. There is nothing so cute at a newborn baby drinking from a bottle. But what about a 16 year old drinking and asking for a bottle at the dinner table? That would be called a tragedy. The question isn’t how old are you in the Lord? The question is what are you eating?
4. They are unskilled in using the Word. As we grow in the Word, we learn to use it in daily life. We use the Word to train our hearts to know the difference between good and evil.

So, what is the meat that we are to be eating? The steak is putting into practice our faith. If milk is our creed, then meat is our deed. If milk is the talk, then meat is the walk. Meat is the practical ability to live the truth in our lives. Which brings us to our Advent Conspiracy. The meat is described in Hebrews 6:10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
The "Meat" is loving and helping his people. There are no greater needs this Christmas than the 1.1 billion people who lack clean water. “Meat” people work on behalf of the poor. “Meat” people sacrifice on behalf of the poor. “Meat” people don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk. This Christmas join us in our conspiracy as we change the world through the love of Jesus.