Sermon for 2/18/2001
Disciplined
Titus 1:8
Introduction:
At 86, Jack La Lanne has dipped, chinned, pushed, pulled, and lifted more often than anyone in recorded history. His present training regimen is tailor-made for only superheroes. While many of his contemporaries are content to sit on the sidelines, La Lanne rises at 5:00 a.m. every day, heads to his gym, and logs in a vigorous two-hour workout
La Lanne’s rise to prominence and respect gives new meaning to the popular phrase "no pain, no gain." When he began championing the virtues of sound nutrition and regular exercise in the 1930s and ’40s, people thought of him as a "charlatan and a nut," he says. He was the butt of countless jokes and public ridicule.
But his big break came in television when "The Jack La Lanne Show" debuted, introducing an unfamiliar 1950s audience to the importance of fitness
The body is a tool, according to La Lanne. Make it work for you.
Q: How’s your health?
A: Wonderful. I work out two hours every day. This morning, I was in the gym from 5:30 until 7:30.
Q: Do you work out every day?
A: Seven days a week.
Q: Do you ever miss a workout?
A: Never, even on the road.
You get out of the bed in the morning tired with aches and pains, but this body works for me. It’s my slave. I take care of it.
Many older people complain that they are too old to exercise or they really like to eat. They have so many excuses. They are thinking about the good old days. Poop on the good old days. They are gone. The good old days are today.
When I was 40, people said, "You’re over the hill." If you were a bodybuilder or gymnast, people thought you were muscle-bound and therefore couldn’t swim. So I put handcuffs on and swam from Alcatraz prison to the mainland. It got international publicity. Then, every two or three years, I would do something more difficult. I swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge underwater towing a 2,000-pound boat. On one of my birthdays, I did 1,000 chins and 1,000 push-ups in one hour and 22 minutes. On another, I water-skied behind a helicopter for over 70 miles through rough waters. On my 70th birthday, I towed 70 boats with 70 people on board, handcuffed and shackled, a mile and one-half. On my next birthday, I want to swim from Catalina Island to Los Angeles underwater. It’s 26 miles, and it will take me over 20 hours.
WBTU:
A. Now ask yourself this question, how many people do you know that are highly disciplined? Do you know 5, do you know 1? If you know 1 still close to that person and learn from them.
B. It is hard to find people who are disciplined in our society. Why? Because our society as a whole thinks discipline is hardship.
C. If I were to ask you to paint a word picture of discipline this morning, what would you say? Most people probably think of military bootcamp, some would think of pain or punishment like a parent to a child. In every case it usually carries a negative connotation.
D. The truth is that nothing worthwhile or significant is possible without discipline. At college.
E. Discipline is considered by many people as hardship. However, in reality discipline breeds success and sets us free from fruitless, meaningless living.
F. (Prov 6:23 NIV) and the corrections of discipline are the way to life
G. Contrary to popular opinion, discipline does not hinder you, discipline frees you.
H. Read Titus 1:8- Disciplined and self-controlled (sober-minded)
I. King James Version uses the word “temperate.” We talked about this last week. In our day, it means not given to extremes or excess. This takes discipline.
J. New American Standard and New King James uses the word “self-controlled.” To be self-controlled we have to be disciplined. Billy Blanks in Tae-Bo says, “My mind has to control my body.” For a lot of people this is not true. We are different from the animals.
K. I like the word “disciplined” which is used by the New International Version. Three reasons:
1. A person who is disciplined will be temperate and have self-control.
2. The basic concept is used in ancient Greek literature to describe a person who is “strong” and “robust.”
3. Paul used this word in several athletic illustrations to describe the importance of being “disciplined” when living the Christian life.
L. Olympic style games were played throughout the Roman Empire.
M. Tarsus, where Paul grew up, was a great center for athletic contests. Though a Jew, Paul grew up understanding Greek and Roman culture, particularly the commitment to develop physical strength and mental concentration in order to engage in vigorous competition. Many athletes from Tarsus competed in the games every three years in Corinth.
N. Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-25- Temperate (Exercises self-control, self-discipline)
O. When an athlete prepares for an event, a game, everything is tied up in preparation. Meals, exercise, mental preparation, proper rest, and so on.
P. IN all things. So it is in the Christian life. We cannot reach the goal of becoming mature without being “disciplined in all things.”
Q. Read 1 Timothy 4:7-8.
R. Exercise both the body and the mind. In athletics, both are involved.
S. Paul definitely believed in physical exercise. A little- People who take no time or effort for physical health are not disciplined. Bad witness, like a person who goes to a bar and doesn’t get drunk but drink a little.
T. All Christians should have some kind of physical exercise program. People do judge you on how you look.
U. Paul says that physical exercise benefits us only in this life. On the other hand, maintaining a healthy spiritual life “hold promise for that which is to come.”
V. Three dimensions to a person. Body, soul, and spirit. If anyone of these are neglected, the person is not healthy.
W. Some people neglect their bodies and so they cannot perform at their best.
X. Some people neglect their minds and emotions, their soul, and cannot perform at their best. Have we ever gone through a troubling time, a time that racked our brains and our hearts, and though we were not physically exhausted, we felt like we could do nothing. We were spent.
Y. Many people neglect their spiritual life, and this affects us physically and psychologically. Many counselors miss this dimension of life. Act as if this side of life does not exist.
Z. For a Christian, the spiritual side of life is the most important. If we have this one in order then the other two will naturally fall into place. Profitable for all things. Help us to be in balance, from last weeks sermon.
AA. (Mat 6:33 NIV) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
BB. If we seek to be disciplined in our spiritual life, it will help us to be disciplined in all other areas. If we are not disciplined in our spiritual life, chances are that we will have an extremely difficult time being disciplined in the other two, body and soul or body and mind.
CC. Max Anders says, “Only the disciplined ever get really good at anything.” Everything in life requires some sort of discipline.
DD. The Christian life is no different. Discipline is needed to be successful in our walk with Christ.
EE. Turn back to 1 Timothy 1:7-8. The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of running a race and fighting a fight in a disciplined manner in order to bring about the greatest results for Christ and His kingdom work, as well as his own life.
Thesis: Let’s look at the costs and benefits of discipline, and then how we can develop discipline.
For instances:
I. Costs.
A. The Fram oil filter commercials they used to show on TV and they’d say: “You can pay me now or you can pay me later.” Illustrates a good point.
B. They guy who pays later, always pays more. If we let our cars go, the cost always goes up when we decide to fix them. If we let our marriages go, its going to cost us a lawyer and alimony and tremendous heartache. If we let our finances go with no self-control and discipline, it’s going to cost us increasing interest and maybe even bankruptcy. Whatever we let go is gonna cost and we will pay whether we want to or not. If we don’t pay now we will pay later and we will always pay more!
C. Listen to the cost of discipline versus the cost of regret:
1. The cost of discipline is hard work, the cost of regret is wasted years.
2. The cost of discipline is dedication, the cost of regret is insignificance.
3. The cost of discipline is diligence (promptness), the cost of regret is a purposeless life.
4. The cost of discipline is delayed gratification, the cost of regret is a superficial life.
D. What is discipline? Its hard work; its diligence; and its delayed gratification.
E. Too easy. A man walked up to a vending machine, put in a coin, pressed the buttons labeled, “coffee, double cream, sugar.” No cup appeared, but the nozzles went into action sending forth coffee, cream and sugar. After the proper amounts had gone down the drain, the machine turned off. “Now that’s real automation,” said the man. “This thing even drinks it for you.” That is just how some people want their faith. They want to make a deposit, put in some money and let the rest be taken care of automatically. But, there is no such thing as automated prayers, devotion, worship in song or service. The religion of Jesus requires personal discipline.
F. Instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.
G. (Titus 2:11 NIV) For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.(Titus 2:12 NIV) It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age
H. Lets not go overboard. Let’s not worship our will or our determination. Let’s not worship our willpower. God changes us, we do not. However, we must surrender to God to let him change us.
I. The path of disciplined grace. It is grace because it is free; it is disciplined because there is something for us to do. No automated Christianity. It takes something on our part to be changed, to grow, to become mature.
J. God gives us the strength for discipline if we surrender to Him.
K. We must always remember that the path does not produce the change; it only places us where the change can occur.
L. When we are disciplined in our spiritual walk, we are changed by God. All the glory goes to him. However, God does not go where he is not wanted. The Holy Spirit goes only where He is invited.
M. The cost is surrender. Pride vs. Humility. Costs us ourselves.
II. Benefits.
A. (1 Pet 5:8 NIV) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
B. Those who are not disciplined are quickly devoured. Not walking in the Spirit, the enemy comes.
C. It is natural for mankind to be undisciplined. As a matter of fact, without Jesus Christ and his sacrifice mankind would never get his spiritual side in shape.
D. It is natural for Christians to be undisciplined. The flesh.
E. The benefit is to abide with God and be with him forever.
F. On this earth.
G. We could find people with an embarrassing track record of repeated setbacks and repeated disasters and repeated failures. If we get close enough to these people and if we listen to them we will hear sentences like: “Well, things were going fine for awhile but I just let a few things slip. I guess I just didn’t think it through. I stopped making calls or I just sat out for a while. I got lazy or the competition was too tough. I didn’t take care of myself. I didn’t listen to the warning signs. I didn’t spend enough time with my family. I let the spending get out of control.” The list goes on and on, but we can boil them all down to one common denominator and that is: lack of discipline.
H. me people seem to have everything go right. Some people seem to succeed at everything they try. They have successful careers. They relate well to their families. They have an active growing relationship with God. They have good friends and they are fun people to be around. They are confident and usually physically fit. Once we get over our initial jealousy of these kinds of people and we get close enough to find out why they’re so successful, we’ll discover the common denominator about all of them is discipline. It’s not luck; it’s discipline.
I. Excellence is available to all who are willing to make a commitment to discipline.
J. The benefits far outweigh the costs. The rewards of the Christian life do not come in aimless running and the uncontrolled flurry of punches.
K. The sign in the dentist office read, “Ignore your teeth and they will go away!” If we place ourselves in the discipline of brushing our teeth everyday the benefit will be no cavities. However, if we live an undisciplined life of little or no brushing our teeth the cost will be cavities and the payment to have them filled by the dentist.
L. We will not be disqualified. Look up 1 Cor 9:25-27
M. “Well done good and faithful servant.”
N. Few people want to go the distance. Many are looking for a shortcut. In the Christian life there are no shortcuts.
O. To get good at living for Jesus Christ we not only have to count the cost, we must become disciplined to Christ in every area of our lives so as not to disqualify ourselves. To become disqualified means to be unapproved so not to receive the rewards.
P. Paul’s aim was not just finish the race but to make it across the finish line in a disciplined fashion. No illegal steroids or shortcuts. No hypocrite.
III. How?
A. Look to Jesus. Was Jesus disciplined? Yes. Need to commit ourselves to the Disciplines that Jesus did.
B. Just do it. Takes time, hard work and delayed gratification. Disciple builds upon discipline.
C. Meditation. (Luke 5:16 NIV) But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Did he just pray? No, He also meditated on the things of God, the Scriptures, and upon who God was, praise.
D. Prayer. We see Jesus on his last night praying. The disciples were so impress they asked Jesus to teach them to pray.
E. Fasting. (Mat 4:2 NIV) After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.(Mat 4:3 NIV) The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."(Mat 4:4 NIV) Jesus answered, "It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’"
F. Study. Jesus knew the Scriptures. In the temple at the age of 12.
G. Simplicity- Giving up or refusing to purchase worldly possessions. Jesus had no where to lay his head.
H. Solitude- Luke 5:16
I. Submission- A good leader can give orders and take orders. (Phil 2:6 NIV) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,(Phil 2:7 NIV) but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
J. Service- Jesus washing the disciples feet.
K. Confess sins one to another- Jesus became sin- My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
L. Worship- (Luke 4:16 NIV) He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom.
M. Guidance- Jesus was guided by His Father. To Jerusalem.
Invitation: Without Jesus, cannot be disciplined. No power, no strength. Cannot overcome sin, it is your master.
