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Of Cotton Candy or Castor Oil?
(The Needs of the Church)

John 21:15-17
September 28, 2008

An old farmer attended a church convention. He chuckled as he read the topics for discussion. “Look here, Preacher,” he said, pointing to the program. “One thing always amuses me about the way you folks go at this church business. You’ve had sermons and talks all day long on how to get people to attend church.

“Now, I’ve never heard a single speech at a farmer’s convention on how to get cows to come up to the trough. We devote all our time learning what to put in the trough. We try to decide on the best kind of feed! I sorta have a notion that if you put more time on discussin’ what to put in the trough, you wouldn’t have to spend all that time on how to get folks to come to church!”

Are we really feeding the sheep? And, what are we feeding them?

Paul says he was often reduced to handing out bottles of milk to spiritual babies. “I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but . . . as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it . . . For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (I Cor. 3:1-3).

He said the people showed they were childish and immature by their petty quarrels and divisions.

The writer of Hebrews also used milk to symbolize the watered down non-nourishing religious snack food that some weak Christians insist upon eating. He said, “By this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for some one to teach you . . . and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Heb. 5:12-14).

Christians need to be weaned! Pseudo food, like candy, not only fails to nourish, it gives a feeling of satisfaction. So, those who eat it are no longer hungry and thus can die of malnutrition!

Jesus wasn’t speaking lightly when he told Peter to feed his sheep. He knew good food is necessary for health and growth.

When Jesus said, “Feed my sheep!” He meant give them meat and potatoes, not cotton candy! So, how can we feed the sheep?

I. FIRST WE’RE NOT TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE.

We’re not told to hype people into an emotional state. We’re not told to deal with exciting prophecy fads and sensational occult subjects. It’s easy to attract people with the miraculous, the intriguing, and the puzzling. If it’s weird or different, it has appeal. Unfortunately these are not life sustaining themes.

Both Jesus and Paul clearly avoided “off-beat” exotic subjects. Jesus criticized those who followed in hope of seeing signs! “The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing him asked him to show them a sign from heaven. But he answered and said, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah’ “ (Matt. 16:1-4).

Paul said tongues and eloquent oratory are much less important than simple kindness and concern. “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (I Cor. 13:1).

Bringing in dazzling performers, professional musicians and eloquent orators doesn’t feed people. The church is not a religious night club.

When a baby is hungry, you can distract him momentarily with a noisy rattle or a bright jack-in-the-box; but such baubles won’t nourish him or satisfy him permanently. The baby needs a balanced diet of good food and so does the Christian.

We’re to feed the sheep--not entertain them!

II. NEXT, WE’RE NOT TO PACIFY PEOPLE.

Soothing tones, trite statements and mindless rituals don’t feed the sheep! The church is not a massage parlor. We’re not to induce hypnotic trances. When Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” he meant give them meat and potatoes, not cough drops and tranquilizers.

We’re not told to lull the people into a complacent state! We’re not told to repeat pleasant ceremonies or intone traditional platitudes. It’s easy to fool people with shallow superficial reassurances. If it’s familiar and comforting it has appeal. Unfortunately, these are not life sustaining principles.

Saying, “Everybody loves everybody!” “This is the best of all possible worlds!” or “Just do the best you can!” is not realistic. Sometimes in an understandable reaction against fanatic fundamentalists, certain “do gooder” groups voice syrupy “positive outlooks,” They have an “everything will come out all right” philosophy. These are delusive pipe-dreams!

Jesus said, “They continue saying things that mean nothing. They think that God will hear them because of the many things they say” (Matt. 6:7, edb).

Both Jesus and Paul avoided them. They were realists who told it like it was and often shocked and antagonized people with their non-traditional and disturbing message.

When a baby is hungry, you can give him a pacifier. When a child has strep-throat, you can give him a cough drop. When a person is guilty or anxious you can give him Valium; but these things won’t solve the problems. Pretty soon the baby will realize that his stomach is still empty. The child will realize that he still has fever and pain. The person will realize that he’s still depressed. The baby needs a balanced diet of good food and so does the Christian.

We’re to feed the sheep not pacify them.

III. FINALLY, WE’RE NOT TO PUNISH PEOPLE!

Stepping on toes, causing guilt and creating fear don’t feed the sheep. The church is not a courtroom or a prison cell.

Some people are so sick psychologically that they think for medicine to do any good it has to taste bad! They don’t feel like they’ve been to church or had a worship experience unless the preacher steps on their toes. They confuse guilt and fear with righteousness.

When Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” he meant give them meat and potatoes, not castor oil. We’re not told to criticize or condemn or threaten. This never effects change. Attacks only make people more inflexible. Aggressive behavior only makes people more set in their ways. You can’t force people to change.

A savior rescues, salvages, and heals. That’s the exact opposite role of a policeman, a judge and an executioner. Jesus said, “I don’t judge anyone” (John 8:15, edb).

Since punishment must come after the fact, it’s useless in redemption. The church deals in prevention, rather than revenge. Besides, the inherent consequences of evil deeds provide their own punishment. The church doesn’t need to impose punishment from the outside.

When a baby is hungry, you can yell at him or spank him, and he may quit crying momentarily, but you haven’t filled his need. In fact, you’ve increased his need. He’s still hungry, but now he’s also frightened and hurt and confused!
We’re to feed the sheep not punish them.

Now, if we’re not to entertain people, or pacify people, or punish people; what are we to do?

Well, our mission is so important that Jesus repeated it three times. The Scriptures says,“When they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee, Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).

How, then do you feed people? What is the “bread of life?” What is the “meat you know not of?”

To really feed someone you must give them what they need, not necessarily what they want! As long as we want entertainment, pacification, or punishment, we’re childish and immature; and as long as leaders and institutions cater to such unworthy wants, they are perpetuating immaturity. They are neglecting and starving the sheep.

A good leader is one who can persuade and develop people to the point that they want what they need! That’s maturity!

Mature Christians crave spiritual meat. They are only satisfied with spiritual meat. Jesus explained what meat was to him: “I have meat to eat that ye know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:32,34).

Let’s evaluate our spiritual cravings. Do we have a healthy spiritual appetite? Do we want entertainment and cotton candy? Do we want pacification and cough drops? Do we want punishment and castor oil? Do we insist upon milk instead of solid food? These are serious questions.

A forty year old man lying in a crib nursing a bottle is a tragedy. A forty year old Christian sitting in a church pew demanding traditional platitudes is a worse tragedy!

Jesus said his meat was to do God’s will and finish his work. Our meat is “to learn, to grow, to develop, to improve, and to achieve.”

As Christians we need information. This includes knowledge. Many of us are woefully ignorant. One church member was asked about the epistles and he answered, “I thought they were the wives of the apostles.” We need deep, systematic “Bible study.”

As Christians we need affirmation. We need assurance and security and confidence. We can’t serve others unless we’re at peace with ourselves.

As Christians we need motivation. We need practical applications of what to do and how to do it! We must be held to our ideals.

These are the foods of the spirit. If the church is to accomplish God’s purposes, it must help us do these things. Peter said, “Feed the flock of God... not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (I Peter 5:2-3).

Yes, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” But what food should be eaten? That’s the question. We may want chips and dips, but we need spinach! Malnourishment makes us apathetic and weak. Christians need food that gives energy, strength and endurance. There is work to be done. Churches are not commissioned to entertain the sheep, pacify the sheep or punish the sheep. The church is commissioned to feed the sheep by informing, affirming and motivating.

You should leave the church services here each Sunday knowing more, feeling better and having a greater determination to be a positive witness in the world.

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(WC1852)

This issue of NEW PERSPECTIVES is from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted 2008 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THEM IN ANY WAY YOU THINK IS APPROPRIATE. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in PUBLISHED works.

Miles E Wesner