I was raised in the Methodist Church and distinctly remember when we became the United Methodist Church. John Wesley challenged the religious assumptions of his day, saying Methodism meant the systematic pursuit of biblical holiness.
In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church unified. I recall some elders in our local Methodist Church reacting with “doom and gloom” over this change. Eventually, the waters cleared, and worship returned to normal.
Our worship services were far from lukewarm. Many a night, I sat through revival meetings, perspiration peppering my forehead, with the fear of the Lord deeply instilled in me. The same was true for Sunday sermons as well. There was never any tip-toeing around sin. But that was back in the day.
Recently, some leaders and congregants of the United Methodist Church have been moving to break away from that denomination and join the Global Methodist denomination. And that has to do with the different interpretations of the Bible and other religious texts. The most significant difference is members’ views on LGBTQ+ issues — the Biblical views on human sexuality. It boils down to whether you interpret the Bible literally or figuratively.
A majority of sermons today are focused on being politically correct. That term describes language or measures intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. It is my opinion that you can’t be politically correct if you believe in the Bible as a whole.
Not a single one of us is perfect. But let’s start with the Ten Commandments, looking at all the “shall not” serving as guidelines for human behavior and relationships. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall make no idols encourages us to focus on the spiritual rather than the material. You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain.
We are commanded to honor our parents. You shall not intentionally kill another person. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal or give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet what belongs to others but be content and grateful for what you have.
These commandments remain relevant today across cultures, guiding our actions and relationships. Society as a whole has undoubtedly parted ways with most of those commandments.
Hebrews 5:11-14 warns us against falling away from Christ’s teachings. “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
The author of Hebrews sounds as if he is speaking to us today.
We copy-cat memes and cute, intelligent quotes that are visually pleasing. On-the-run prayers take the place of “knee-time.” Even some preachers who are false teachers spout words that lack deep, real spiritual value. I heard one such preacher say, “I never know what I am going to preach about until Sunday mornings when I arrive at church.”
Perhaps that is why his sermons were lackluster and more about himself than insight from Scripture.
Sharing God’s Word requires preparation, discipline, and persistence. For those who strive for spiritual health, we must train ourselves to be godly; this requires hard work and dedication.
Are you being fed spiritual junk food at your worship service? Do you sit there complacently listening to trivial and nonsensical jargon with little or nothing to do with salvation or God’s Grace? I ashamedly admit that I was guilty of this for almost two years. Praise God for removing me from that situation.
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” Isaiah 55:1-2.
Of course, food costs money; it lasts only a short time and meets only our physical needs. God offers us free nourishment that feeds our souls. We will starve spiritually without this food. Listen to God’s Word. Buy this spiritual food that nourishes the inner self in a way that worldly materials cannot. Buy, not with money, but with prayer, study, meditation and obedience.
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm — neither hot nor cold — I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelations 3:15-16.
How energized we become when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Walk away — no, run — from the false teachers who feed you only spiritual junk food. Be thankful for the opportunity we have to worship our Savior.
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