"Watered Down"

I just want to make a brief point today. The story was told of a young man who came to the door of a monastery with a large duck under his arms. His uncle, who happened to be one of the monks at the monastery, answered the door. "Here uncle, this is a gift for you and the others. Eat it in good health." The uncle was very grateful, and that night, with the duck dressed and stuffed, he and the others enjoyed a generous meal.

After a few days, another knock came on the monastery door. "I am friend of the nephew that brought you a duck. I have been down on my luck lately and wondered if I might impose on you for a bite to eat and a place to sleep for one night?" "Of course! You are most welcome." That night he joined the other monks for some warm duck soup.

A few days later, another knock on the door. "Hello! I am a friend of the friend of the nephew who brought the duck. Could I impose on you for a bit of hospitality?" He too was welcomed and ate more duck soup. A few more days went by and another knock. "Hi! I am a friend of the friend of the friend of the nephew who brought you the duck." That night at dinner he was presented with a steaming bowl of hot water. He tasted it, looked up and asked, "What's this?" The man replied, "This is the soup of the soup of the soup of the duck that my nephew brought!"

As I read this, it made me realize there is a tendency in the course of time for things to become watered down to the point they bear little resemblance to what was there originally. Do you suppose this is what is happening to so much of today's so-called Christianity? The church we see today has little resemblance to the robust faith and dedication to the apostles teachings of the New Testament church. It seems to be watered down more and more with all the entertainment groups, the drama groups and the list goes on and on. I am afraid things are becoming more watered down than ever. Little emphasis is given to the preaching and teaching of the word. The preacher Timothy was charged in the presence of God and Jesus Christ to preach the word (II Tim. 4:1-2)! Timothy was to take the things he had been taught from the apostle Paul and change faithful men in the preaching of those things (II Tim. 2:14-16). Timothy was told to instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines (I Tim. 1:3-5), avoid worldly and empty chatter and opposing arguments of false knowledge (I Tim. 6:20-21). When God's word is used, many times it is used to entertain or verses out of context. I recently had a brother in Christ tell me in his travels throughout the country with his job that it is scary what is happening in the many different congregations of our Lord and how unconcerned many of the elders and preachers are.

We need to be concerned with God's word. We don't want the dry, dreary legalistic approach to Christianity. We need to return to "the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." (Jude 3).