Spiritual Disciplines – 14

Learning & Perseverance

Text:

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (02/05/04)

Introduction:   

We've all heard teachers or preachers, who are as theologically deep as a mountain lake.  But whose Christianity seems as dry and stale as moldy bread.

And then there is a other extreme: "I never liked school and I don't want to learn anything when I come to church."

There's nothing like Jesus in either of those two attitudes.  Is there?  We shouldn't have to choose between the two.

A biblically balanced Christian as both a full head and a full heart.

If forced to have only one or the other we must choose the burning heart.

Christians must realize that a fire cannot blaze without fuel, we must not be content to have seal without knowledge.

We should discipline ourselves to be intentional learners like Jesus.

John 7:1515And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

An examination of the word disciple reveals that it means to be not only "a follower" of Christ, but also "a learner."

I. Learning characterizes the wise person

Proverbs 9:99Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Wise and righteous people can never get enough wisdom or knowledge.  Those unteachable or prideful about their learning only reveal how shallow they really are.

There is humility with a truly wise because they know there is so much they have yet to learn.

They can learn from anybody regardless of age.

Illustration: Missionary to Korea, Jack Baskin once said, "the key to my success among the Korean people, was the attitude that every man was my teacher."

Proverbs 10:14 14Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

Proverbs 18:15 15The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Wise people not only acquire knowledge, they seek it.  They discipline themselves in seeking opportunities to learn.

Proverbs 23:1212Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

Learning is a lifelong discipline, that characterizes a wise person.  We must have an uncommon thirst for knowledge.

II.  Fulfilling the greatest commandment

Mark 12:30  “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy ... mind,...”

One of the ways he wants you to show love and obedience to him is by godly learning.  God is glorified when we use the mind he made to learn of him, his ways, his word, and his world.

Illustration: Kids who are smart, are the "nerds" - our culture, glorifies the physical and the material.  The heroes are the ballplayers , some of whom can do everything with the ball except read its label.

There is an intellectualism that is wrong, but it is also wrong to be anti-intellectual.

The more we love God, the more we seek to know him.

III.  Learning - Essential for increased godliness

Romans 12:22And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The alternative to transform ancient via learning is conformity to the world.

Faith is a gift of God, that is expressed only after there is the hearing with understanding of a particular message, namely the gospel.

Romans 10:1414How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

We can grow in our faith and love of him, if we do not learn more about him.

When will not become more like Christ, if we don't know more of what Christ is like.

No one is changed by an unread Bible.  No one grows into a godliness, he or she knows nothing about.

The word of God must go through our head, if it's going to change are heart and our life.

Those who are not disciplined learners have little spiritual discernment, and some become prime targets for the cults.

The Bible warns us not to be foolish, untaught, naive or ignorant.

IV.  Learning is mostly by discipline, not by accident

We must not assume that we have learned true wisdom, just by growing older.

Job 32:99Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

Illustration: The longer a dust ball rolls around under the bed, the bigger it gets.  So every mind picks up a little knowledge at least the longer it rolls around on the earth.

Becoming like Jesus doesn't happen incidentally.  Godliness, as 1 Timothy 4:7 says, requires a deliberate discipline.

Without discipline, we only get spiritual and biblical knowledge by accident or convenience.

Occasionally, we may hear a biblical fact or principal from someone else and profit from it.

The discipline of learning, helps us to be intentional learners not accidental learners.

It's all a lot easier to be an accidental learner and a convenience learner, then an intentional learner.  We're born that way.

Illustration: We live in the TV age.  TV decides for you, what will be presented, speaks the words to you, shows you its own images, and tells you what impact it wants to have on your life, if any.  Books are much too demanding for the modern mind.

Illustration: the Center for Science in the Public Interest, conducted a survey of 180 boys and girls ranging in age from eight to 12, who lived in the Washington DC area.  On this written survey, the children were asked to name as many brands of beer as they could, and as many US presidents as they could.  The results showed that these children could mean more alcoholic beverages than presidents.

Young people are not readers, because their parents are not!

At one Christian College, a fifth of the students said their parents had never read to them.

1 Corinthians 14:20 20Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

V.  Learning in a variety of ways

Sends some people have legitimate difficulties with the reading, here's a list of other learning methods.

Consider listening to recorded books.

Cassette tape or CD / MP3 or other digital format.

Listen to Bible teaching programs on Christian radio - this requires discernment to make sure your listening to a reputable ministry.

Plan for meaningful dialogue with, and ask prepared questions of, spiritually mature Christians.

In anticipation of such a meeting you may prepare a list of questions to discuss.

Having said all that, I still want to return to the emphasis on learning by reading.  I've always found it to be true that growing Christians are reading Christians.

It is possible for almost anyone with the necessary discipline to make spiritual progress through reading.

Yet 45% of Americans say they never read a book.  Worse than that, the National Commission on Excellence in Education reported in 1983 that the average college graduate does not read one serious book in the course of a year.

You'll be able to read a relatively few bucks in your lifetime, so read the best books.

Don't waste your time on books you'll regret reading when you look back upon them from the perspective of eternity.

There are books to be read just for relaxation and refreshment.  But even these should be edifying and help you in some sense to love God with your mind.

Perseverance.

Illustration: The beginning of a new workweek. - no flex in the schedule - most of the day spent on the run - battling traffic - running numerous errands - changing close on the run - endless responsibilities - not to mention bill paying, checkbook balancing, homework helping, classes, hobbies, and community involvement.

Further complicating all this there may arise, illness, job stress, a second job, family conflict, the financial problems.

Sound familiar?

Now then, you read this book, encouraging you to practice all these spiritual disciplines.  You already feel like tired, staggering juggler on a high wire, trying to keep a dozen eggs in the air with someone else wanting to throw you a half-dozen more.

With rare exceptions, the godly person is a busy person.

Jesus was a busy man.  Sometimes ministering all day, even after dark.  Occasional nights, when he never slept at all.  The Scriptures record that he got tired.

The apostle Paul would be considered a workaholic by today's standards.

Laziness and never leads to godliness!

The spiritual disciplines aren't intended only for Christians, who have a lot of spare time on their hands (where are they?).they are the God-given means by which busy believers become like Christ.

How can any keep up the pace?

God's voice regarding priorities can best be heard, while practicing the spiritual disciplines.

The addition and growth of children.

Job advancements, and increased commitments.

Accumulation of goods and property over the years.

Anyway you look at it your life will call for an evaluation of priorities!

You must decide which activities are the "barnacles" that must be cut away.

Spiritual disciplines, then are not to be seen as additional weight.  But one of the ways God uses to help lighten your load and give you smoother sailing.

Even a slow, plodding perseverance in the spiritual disciplines is better than a sometimes spectacular, but generally inconsistent practice.

How can we be more persevering in the disciplines of godliness?  How can we stay faithful?

The following three things will help you persevere in the practice of the spiritual disciplines.

One.  The role of the Holy Spirit.

His presence creates a hunger for holding is not his office is to magnify Christ, and it is he who gives the believer a desire to be like Christ.

The natural man has no such passion.

Philippians 1:6 6Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

The Holy Spirit produces within us the desire and the power for the Disciplines that lead to Godliness.

2 Timothy 1:77For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Therefore, whether or not you're natural temperament or personality inclines toward orderly and disciplined habits, the presence of the Holy Spirit within you equips you with a supernatural desire to obey the command to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.

There may be days when you are lazy, have no enthusiasm, or you may not have practiced a particular discipline as you habitually do.

Yet, you hang in there because the Holy Spirit prompts you to pick up the discipline in spite of your feelings.  He causes you to persevere.

Self-control is part of the fruit of the spirit:

Galatians 5:2323Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Prayer is prompted and produced by Him, yet is our responsibility.  That is unfathomable!

1. He is faithful to help us persevere in those things which will make us like Christ.

2.  We must respond to his prompting us if we would be Godly.

Two.  The role of fellowship.

No one should think of the spiritual disciplines as a part of the Christian life unrelated to the fellowship of believers got

Spiritual maturity is not to be measured only in terms of growth in fellowship with God, it also includes growth in fellowship with the children of God.

1 John 1:33That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

Some disciplines cannot be practiced without other Christians - public worship, United prayer, serving others, studying the word with others, etc..

One problem is the intense individualism of our do your own thing society.

Another is the failure to distinguish between socializing in fellowship.

Socializing involves the sharing of human and earthly life.  Christian fellowship involves the sharing of spiritual life.

Socializing is valuable to church life to be sure, but we must be unwilling to accept it as a substitute for fellowship.

Illustration: Some Christians can sit together for hours and talk only of the news, weather, and sports ignoring their need to discuss directly spiritual matters.

Without personal interaction about the mutual interests, problems, and aspirations of discipleship, are spiritual lives are impoverished.

Fellowship often happens in a social setting - worship, serving, eating, recreation, shopping, commuting, witnessing, praying, etc.

As we live like Christ when together, we encourage each other in Christian living.  as we talk like Christ and about spiritual matters, we also stimulate each other toward godliness.

This mutual edification is described in Ephesians 4:16

Ephesians 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

As we grow in grace we can properly contribute to the proper working of each individual part.

Put directly, as each believer disciplines himself for the purpose of godliness, his or her individual spiritual growth helps to build up the local body of believers when that believer is in fellowship with them.

Hebrews 3:1313But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

"Associate with sanctified persons, they may, by their counsel, prayers, and holy example, be a means to make you holy." - Puritan Thomas Watson

Three.  The role of struggle

Now the way of Christ is not always an inner struggle, every moment a battle, but neither is it without lifelong opposition.

don't being misled into thinking that living the Christian life will be easy.

We must follow Christ and practice the spiritual disciplines even when it's difficult to do so.

1 Timothy 4:1010For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

The words labor and strive  tell us that becoming like Christ involves a lot more than to "let go and let God."

The Greek word translated labor means to work until one is wary.  We get our English word agonize from the term rendered here as strive.  It literally means "to struggle."

Progress in the Christian life comes not by the work of the Holy Spirit alone, nor by our work alone, but by our responding to and cooperating with the grace the Holy Spirit initiates and sustains.

Colossians 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

A forgiven man or woman will still have a struggle in becoming like Jesus Christ.

The world, the flesh, and the devil constantly war against us.  We will have to struggle to overcome sin as long as we are in this body.

Galatians 5:1717For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

There are days when your greatest joint is to get into the word of God.  Occasionally you have experiences in prayer that you wish it would never hand.

Still, you know there are many times when it's a battle to engage in any spiritual does upon.  Your flesh will rise in defiance at the suggestion.

Self discipline is not self punishment - making yourself do something against your desire.  It is instead an attempt to do what, prompted by the Spirit, you actually want in your heart to do.

Ephesians six commands us to put on the armor of God because we are in a battle, a conflict, a struggle.

There is no vacation from a struggle that is a part of Christian living.

Some will ask, "then where is a victory?"

That victory is mediated to us by the Holy Spirit as he preserves us in the grace of God.  As he grants us the grace to be faithful we take up the struggle and follow Christ daily, living as heated by the spiritual disciplines.

We might say, progress in the disciplines comes through the practice of the disciplines.

2 Peter 1:66And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

Conclusion:     (Review)

Will you discipline yourself to become an intentional learner?

Quotation: "there is no royal road to learning." - Euclid

Where will you start?

What have that will you stop and what habit will you begin?

What about your reading?

Do you need to make the "one page per day" commitment?

When will you start?

Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

There is a sense in which everybody craves to learn something and every Christian wants to be more like Jesus.  But only those who diligently discipline themselves to learn will satisfy those desires.

Above all, remember that learning has a goal.  The goal is to Christlikeness.

Superficial knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1), but godly learning leads to godly living.

Would you be godly? Then practice the spiritual disciplines in light of eternity.

Imagine how differently we would spend our time and make our choices in life if we saw everything from the perspective of eternity.

Whether you realize it or not, everything you do is for eternity.  Nothing has an impact only in this life.

Romans 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

" the weight of all eternity hangs upon the thin wire of time." - Puritan Thomas Brooks

Would you be godly?  There's no other way but through the spiritual disciplines.

1 Timothy 4:77But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

That is the way and there is no other.  There are no shortcuts to godliness.

Spontaneity is not the answer!

Illustration: The spontaneous person who shrugs off the need for discipline is like the farmer who went out together the eggs.  As he walked across the farmyard toward the henhouse, he noticed the pump was leaking.  So he stopped to fix it.  It needed a new washer, so he set off to the buyer and to get one.  But on the way he saw that the hay loft needed straightening, so he went to fetch the pitchfork.  Hanging ask to the pitchfork was a broom with a broken handle.  "I must make a note to myself to buy a broom handle the next time I get to tan," he thought. . . .

By now it is clear that the farmer is not going to get his eggs gathered, nor is he likely to accomplish anything else he sets out to do.

Illustration: Think of someone who can improvise a beautiful melodies on a piano.  The only reason they can play so spontaneously is because they have spent years in the disciplines of playing musical scales and other fundamental exercises.

If you desire effective spontaneity and the Christian life, it must be the fruit of a spiritually discipline they.

If you desire to be godly, you must face the fact that you will always be busy.  You may struggle with finding time.

The spiritual disciplines cannot be accomplished in your spare time!