The Discipline of Discipline
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Now for the past few months we have been on this topic of discipline or to be a bit more precise being self disciplined
Now most of the time when you search the bible for the word discipline it mostly talks about the other type of discipline such as the discipline that you would give your child when they giving trouble.
Or the discipline that we got in our primary school days from our teachers
Now I am not going to talk to you about that type of discipline althrough I must admit that sometimes that kind of discipline can lead to discipline
A little licks could make you a more discipliend person sometimes
For example a person don’t want to study their work in school and they get a good cut tail and then they discipline them selves to study their textbook
so yes sometimes discipline can leads to discipline
The truth is though The bible does speak about discipline using different words such as Deny yourself, self control and some other words
Matthew 16:24 (ESV)
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Denying yourself things is a form of discipline
Now I believe that this topic is actually a much needed topic because as Pastor said The quality of tomorrow’s leaders lies in the discipline of today’s followers.
So if the followers of Jesus today are not disciplined in their walk with God , the leaders of tomorrow will be ineffective leaders producing ineffective furture leaders as well.
There is a need for this topic to be taught more in churches today
Now let me give you a little definition of Self- Discipline as it relates to us as believers
The dedicated training, through the study of Scripture, prayer and self-control, which enables Christians to be more effective witnesses to the gospel, to lead lives more pleasing to God, and to win the crown that awaits those who are victorious over sin.
The church fathers of yester year they spoke a lot about this topic but it seems the Western Church have forgotten this topic or don’t like to mention it as it can reduce their membership and their offering baskets could run empty
Nobody likes this topics because it points out areas you need to work on.
While some of you can boast you are disciplined in certain areas I don’t think any of us here can boast that we are disciplined in all areas of our lives
While the church may have forgotten this topic and don’t pay too much attention to it as they ought to, I want to let you know that the world regards this topic very highly.
If you listen to any motivational speaker or any speakers who speaks on success you will find the topic of self discipline in almost every speech they give.
Because they know the imprtance of it
As hard as it sounds the reason why a lot of Christians do not get to the point of being all they have been called to be is because they live undisciplined lives.
My talk about wanting to get fat
This is not a topic that we like cause it points it fingers at us and shows that the person we need to blame for not getting the results we want as a Christian is the man in the mirror.
The enemy is the inner me. We are our own worst enemies because we didn’t discipline ourselves enough to achieve what God wanted us to achieve.
I did not achive what I wanted which was increase weight because I refused to discipline myself to take the powder every day.
The issue wasn’t the powder, the issue wasn’t the store I bought it from, the issue wasn’t the advice I got - the issue was me!!
I learned that personal discipline is the indispensable key for accomplishing anything in this life. I have since come to understand even more that it is, in fact, the mother and handmaiden of what we call genius.
R. Kent Hughes
I want you to look around at some of the people in our church that you may admire
Maybe you admire how good someone can sing, or can preach, or can pray etc and you tell yourself how did they get so good at it
I can assure you that one of the main reasons is because they have disciplined themselves in that particular area
It is something that they have been doing day after day, night after night, year after year and they have kept the discipline
Why do you think someone like Sister Susan every year in Convention she sings
They have recognized not only her talent as a singer but her discipline over the years to consistently be singing and worshipping God
With her voice she coulda be a big singer in all the radio stations over Trinidad
She not in it for fame -
She has disciplined her life to be a singer for Jesus Christ
She didn’t get good just so. Was years and years of discipline
Camara in Police Force
Now another disciplined person in our church is Pastor Mario
I was in an event last week and Danny’s Daughter were calling him Super Mario, Super Mario
Now I won’t lie but when you hear his schedule a day and all the places he goes and his energy doesnt run low at all
He is indeed Super Mario
I can assure it, it didn’t happen just so but certain disciplines he had in his life
He watches what he eats and drinks
He is one of the few Pastors in IPA who has no medical issues and complaints as far as I know
So no better person to really teach on this topic of Discipline than him
Let us turn to the scriptures and look at the life of Paul who was one of the most Disciplined Persons
Scripture
Scripture
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
So what can we learn about Discipline in these 3 verses
Discipline starts by having a Goal
Discipline starts by having a Goal
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Sometimes my friend will call me and ask so what’s the plan for today and my response will be Boy I just going with the flow today
What I mean is for that day I don’t really have any set plans such as going out or having to conduct any business anywhere etc.
As the day goes by and something pops up then I may head somewhere or go do something but there wasn’t any set plan for the day.
When you look at the life of Paul he didn’t live his life everyday by going with the flow
Paul starts by saying not that I have already obtained this
Now that was a very humble statement for him to make becuase the amount of things that Paul had done for the Lord , no other person could have compared with his zeal and all he did for Jesus after his encounter with Jesus
However Paul knew that there was always more that can be done
There was always another person to preach to
Another place to visit
Sometimes we as Christians can think we have arrived because we compare ouselves to other people
Paul was an Apostle with high standards and after having an encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road he set some goals and he disciplined his entire life to achieve them
Now you might be wondering what were some of Paul’s goals?
Philippians 3:10–11 (ESV)
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Paul wanted to KNOW HIM
Experience the power of his resurrection
Even share in his sufferings
Become like him
Spend eternity with him
When we look at the life of Paul - this is how he lived his life
Paul knew that Jesus laid hold of him so that he could lay hold of Jesus!
Jesus became the prize he was seeking. He wanted to know Jesus and live for Jesus during his lifetime and that was his goal and that should be our goal!
He had these goals and then disciplined himself to fulfill it
When we look at the life of Paul he was zealous for God and the things that pertained to God
He would go preaching the Gospel and speak about this gospel of Grace that his hearers wanted to kill him for
He didnt care if he had to go in prison,
In fact this was where Paul was when he wrote this letter
He was in Prison for being a follower of Jesus Christ
Yet for him it didn’t matter because he wanted to suffer just as Jesus suffered
He wanted to share in his sufferings
He didn’t care how much of licks he would get by being beaten
It was his goal to know Christ and live for him
Paul disciplined his lifestyle to achieve these goals no matter how hard it was at times
If knowing Jesus and living for him meant going to prison - then so be it
As Christians and as believers there is a term called Spiritual Disciplines that are important in helping us to grow and develop and be the types of people whom God has called us to be
Since we recently started back youth group - Diandra is teaching the youths about the basic disciplines that are essential
The impotnance of prayer - now the importance of the Bible
Teaching them the basics and hear is the thing
Some of us listening here today
You need to get back to the basics
You need to get back to the foundation
Things such as prayer, read the word, coming to church, giving of your tithes and your offering
Some of you have abandoned the disciplines you once had and you need to get back to it.
Some of you have never started these disciplines
The Christian walk is not one with perfection but progression
Do a little each day and you will be making progress
Paul’s pursuit of spiritual growth and knowing Jesus reflects Discipline
My story about the Bible and Pastor Elvis story about his dad
It is dangerous to read the Bible everyday
It could radically change your life
Reading the Bible every day could probably make you the next Paul.
Set some spiritual goals for yourselves eg to know him
The simple things we learnt in Sunday School - those little disciplines done over time could radically change your life
Discipline starts by having a goal
Discipline Involves Proper Priorities
Discipline Involves Proper Priorities
Thee is a saying that you need to keep the main thing the main thing
Philippians 3:13 (NIV)
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
Noticed he said One Thing I do - One Thing I do
One thing I do
Some people in the church today not really disciplined because they not focused on 1 thing but they want to be in everything
And because their focus is on so much of things they never really become the person whom God made them to become
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Let’s Win the Race! (Philippians 3:12–16)
“One thing” is a phrase that is important to the Christian life. “One thing thou lackest,” said Jesus to the self-righteous rich young ruler (Mark 10:21). “One thing is needful,” He explained to busy Martha when she criticized her sister (Luke 10:42
The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eight: Let’s Win the Race! (Philippians 3:12–16)
Too many Christians are too involved in “many things,” when the secret of progress is to concentrate on “one thing
Now I know this can be challenging these days especially when the harvest is ripe and the laborers are few but it doesn’t change the fact the when you spread yourself to thin it affects your effectiveness
DL MOODY got a huge wake up call when there was a Chicago Fire in 1871. after the fire, he determined to devote himself exclusively to evangelism. “This one thing I do!” became a reality to him. As a result, millions of people heard the Gospel
For DL Moody this became his One Thing
Paul’s Main thing was to Know Jesus and this involved preach the Gospel, win the lost and Disciple those and encourage those whom he had previously ministered to.
That was his lifestyle, that was what he lived for
Paul did all these things while he had a job. He was a Tent maker
Jesus was a carpenter
Pastor Mario is a salesman
In spite of Paul’s occupation he lived his life where he kept the main thing the main thing
In order to be disciplined in his Priorities he needed to forget what was behind and focus on what was ahead of him in his new life
Many times Christians have misplaced priorities because they look back
When you running a race you should not look back like Emily did in Sports
You can take a dive like Sister Chandra but you don’t stay down. You get back up and keep moving
A Sunday School teacher was telling his kids about Lot’s wife and how she looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.
one little boy said “well that’s nothing. My moma was in the car, looked back and turned into a telephone pole.”
I involved in this church thing for so long and what I have noticed is that it have plenty church who started the race
Some were leaders , graduates of Bible Schools, Great men and Women of God but they looked back
And some of them went back to the things that God called them out of
The Past things of this world seems more lovely than the future things that God has for them
Not so with Paul
He knew he was a murderer and did not deserve the Grace of God but God gave him a second chance and the only thing he could do is just keep looking forward
Keep pressing forward
All of us are in the race and we are our own track for the Service of God.
We need to grow and progress in our Christian life and Service.
Some people say this world have nothing for me
God should just take me home now
You have something for this world
Get your priorities right
The Christian walk is not one with perfection but progression
Discipline Involves Consistency
Discipline Involves Consistency
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Notice over and over he repeats the words press on.
I press on toward the goal
I press on to take hold of that which Christ took hold of me
Press on in the greek is the word dioko which means that you are pursuing, you are striving towards something , you are chasing after, you are running after
Paul uses atheletic imagery here
He compares his pursuit of knowing Jesus like running a race
He had this goal and pursued it consistently
Many times what we do is we don’t press on but we give up
The first sign of pressure and we quick to throw in the towel
One thing about Paul is that he was a man of Passion
You could see it in the way he lived for Jesus
He was all in
You don’t find people like that again so
So passionate and they all in
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Commitment, Cost of
A hen and a pig approached a church and read the advertised sermon topic: “What can we do to help the poor?” Immediately the hen suggested they feed them bacon and eggs. The pig thought for a moment and said, “There is only one thing wrong with feeding bacon and eggs to the poor. For you it requires only a contribution, but for me it requires total commitment!”
The Pig realised in his case he needed to be ALL IN!
When you all in, you don’t just show up on 1 day
You don’t just show up 2 days
You show up every day
Tell your neighbor that The enemy is after your consistency
he don’t mind you come to church or read your Bible a little - it’s when you do it every day
That’s when he gets scared
The Devil ain’t scared when you come to church once a month on a Sunday
It’s when you come every Sunday
I used to show up on one day Christmas
He not scared when you pick up your Bible on a Sunday cause it’s church day
He Scared when Monday comes and you still reading, when Tuesday comes and you still studying
When Wednesday and you still meditating on it
The Devil is after your consistency becayse he knows just like Paul that your consistency compunds
When you keep on pressing on and when you keep on moving on - you are not satisfied with what you knew about Jesus yesterday
You need fresh manna today
I am grateful for last week’s sermon but I need this week’s sermon
Daren Hardy wrote a book called The compound effect and in that book he says the compound effect is small consistent actions or changes over time can lead to significant and exponential results
I can't change my spiritual State tomorrow but I can change my spiritual disciplines today and if I change my spiritual disciplines today it's going to change my spiritual State one day
People nowadays only see your success but they don’t see what you did privately to get you to where you are
It is discipline
It is consitency
THE ENEMY IS AFTER YOUR CONSISTENCY
If you are willing to knock down the Lion and the bear when no one is looking then you will be able to knock down Goliath when everyone is looking
Paul was consistent in his Discipline of Knowing Jesus and Living for Him and he did it consistently
You never stop running for Jesus. You never stop growing. You never stop going. You never stop glowing. You just keep on keeping on, and keep on keeping on. Here’s the Apostle Paul, and at the end of his life he says, “That I may know him.” (Philippians 3:10
Robert Lee and Hershel Hobbs
Think about it now. There he is. I mean, for nine decades he’d lived, and for many decades had preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, and, Brother Jim, about to step on over into heaven, saying, “I want to know more about Jesus, want to know more about the Word of God.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
As we can see this topic of discipline is not an easy thing
None of us here have mastered this topic
If you think you have mastered this topic then you are wrong.
If Paul could say that can’t make a boast in being so disciplined who are you and I
Discipline is something that we will need to work on a lifetime
Now I have said quite a lot and some of you might be wondering
How do I do this ?It seems impossible
Yes it is impossible when we try to do this on our own strength
We need God’s Help to live disciplined lives
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
When we give our lives to God, his Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and we received power from above to do things that we couldnt do otherwise and that involves self discipline.
If you find yourself starting and stopping all the time - it could be you trying to do this on your own strength
Ask The Holy Spirit to help you as you can’t do it on your own
Some areas where we as believers need to work on
Our Thoughts
Our Thoughts
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Our Speech
Our Speech
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!
Our Body
Our Body
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
In the crowded city of Tokyo, there is wide agreement (actually a city ordinance) that no one can erect a skyscraper, or any other building, that shuts off anyone else’s view of the sun. The Japanese feel that for some time during every day, everyone has a right to see the sun. Long ago God gave me the conviction that I must try to help people end their emptiness. It seemed to me that everyone has a right “to see the Son.” Then all purely human appetites would lose
As Believers we also believe that everyone has a right to see the Son. The Son of God
Paul lived a life of discipline that helped people to see the Son.
May God help all of us to live disciplined lives so that others when they encounter us will be able to see the Son
The Christian walk is not one with perfection but progression
May we progress in Discipline