Discipline is no longer a politically correct term. In
that sense, since we are all evolving into a higher level of something
wonderful, the thought of trying to channel ones energy into something
worthwhile through discipline, upsets the worldÕs karma. If one just goes with
the flow all will work out for the best.
America was not built, nor will it continue to exist in
the face of such balderdash. Along with the Bill of Rights, at that time the
founders of this union gave us another unique institution. That being civil
control of, or a civilian military. That basic concept served this nation well
for her first two hundred years.
But with the close of the Viet Nam era, the concept of the civilian soldier was
replaced with the Òall volunteer military.Ó That means among other things, that
only volunteers have the opportunity to learn the art of military discipline as
means to accomplish a mission. While many people have all sorts of explanations
for the recent demise of morals and civil conscience in America, the lack of a
civilian military tracks consistently with other indicators.
The call of the church is to make disciples of all
nations. But how can one truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ if the individual
is incapable of practicing significant self discipline. By the hand of God and
military force, Old Testament Israel took control of the Promised Land. Today
she maintains her existence by those same two forces. I have long thought it a
great idea for churches to offer free trips to Israel for persons who
successfully read through their Bible in one year. I believe however, that very
few would take advantage of this opportunity to visit the Holy Land, for they
lack the discipline to do the required daily reading. Those who would win the
trip are those who have already accomplished the feat, while others would
procrastinate and make excuses. But perhaps more than any other discipline, the
systematic reading of the word of God provides more fruit for the Christian
than anything else.
American Christians are all somewhat aware of the tract
and the concept of the four spiritual laws. Briefly stated, we have a great
chasm that separates man from God. That chasm is manÕs sin. Jesus Christ is the
bridge of the chasm, reuniting redeemed man with his creator.
This simple little story helps people make a Òdecision
for Christ.Ó But nowhere in the Bible do you read Ògo into all nations and make
converts.Ó With a little bit of training, either religious or secular,
virtually anyone can learn the skills to manipulate others into making a
decision for Christ, or to buy a new car. The hard part of evangelism (even
from the point of view of the good evangelist, and there are some of those) is
making the decision stick. A decision is only the first step. What is generally
termed Òsaving faith.Ó Moving beyond that decision into Òprogressive
sanctificationÓ or what I call obedient faith, is where the disciple is made,
it is where leadership gives birth and is created.
The problem with the Ò4 laws tractÓ is not bad theology,
it is just a theology that does not show a commitment to the hard work of
training and discipline. One could say that God raised up revivalism because
the church was no longer interested in evangelism. But through that concept
carried into the present day, you have many times the local church becoming a
subservient institution to the work of the traveling evangelist, instead of the
other way around. However, it is in the local church were virtually all true
discipleship should take place. To correct that problem you just need to take the bridge of
Christ and more fully understand that the bridge is not the Jesus essence or
spirit, but the literal Body of Christ, the church. ChristÕs sacrifice makes it
possible, the Living word is the true plan, but the bridge is built of living
stones, His disciples. To the extent the living stones are rough cut and ill
fitted is because the local church has either not exercised her responsibility,
or has not appropriated that opportunity through sound biblical exposition and
gospel preaching.
Now there is also such a thing as too much discipline.
Those who have an understanding of the wealth found in discipline have a
tendency to make it a universal law, and then if you are not careful and learn
to ÒchillÓ or lighten up a bit, you end up with legalism. Now, I donÕt have
that problem more than 365 days a year. This tendency can take on the form of
good things gone bad, or just standards of discipline that are too hard or
impossible for others to achieve. Then if by some reason you find others who
agree with you, while not needed in a true spiritual sense, your combined
efforts lead to power that team work can magnify. Add to this cultural
diversity and you have fertile soil for the establishment or maintenance of
denominationalism well beyond sound Biblical diversity, and a whole host of
Christian programs that detract from the true mission of the church..
In the military structure sound leadership can save and
maintain your life, and foolish leadership can prematurely end the best of
intentions. Military leaders are not born, but created through sound training
and discipline. Our civilian structure assures that all potential military
leaders undergo this training and military rank is not bestowed on the basis of
wealth or family position. A military unit must function as a team, each
individual performing their duty so that the mission may be accomplished. This
is similar to a sports team where the coach is responsible for setting and
maintaining focus. The military officer
and the teamÕs coach in their respective offices, function in the
authority of God, appointed from outside the realm of the platoon or team, but
the power to succeed or to fail still rests with team members and their
respective training and skill working in unison to achieve the goal. With good
leadership, teams and units become symbiotic achieving beyond their potential.
With poor leadership, good goals become legalism, where dissension and
selfishness can become motivating factors.
Now Christian leadership must function in subservience to
the word of God and Jesus Christ. It must first begin by a discipline process
in the individual, so that they can become a disciplined disciple, before other
methods of training can have their full impact. That discipline may be of
Biblical sources, or just briefly living outside of oneÕs natural comfort zone.
Through discipline the rough stone is cut and refined into the living stone, to
bridge sinÕs chasm for manÕs restoration to God. From that perspective, I would
like to share the testimony of Larry, a man I had the opportunity to meet about
11 years ago.
Larry looked like a normal person. When talking with him
you might get the impression that he might be a little slow mentally, but well
within the range of normal community. IÕm not sure how Larry got my name, but
he wanted me to help him complete his written testimony. My reference told
Larry that I would not put him down but would truly help him accomplish this
daunting task. LarryÕs problem was that even though he could function in what
appeared to be a normal fashion in society, from birth for lack of a better
term, Larry did not possess the mental ability to learn to read and write. When
I met him, he brought along a large file of medical and psychiatric records to
prove it.
In our country people with serious handicaps who are able
to live independent lives, are given that opportunity. That independence proved
to even isolate Larry more from society, because he was in it, but not able to
function beyond a minimal level, and he was smart enough to understand his
isolation. Since he could not read or write, all Larry could learn had to be
either through television or audio tapes. Overtime by those media Larry became
a Christian. One night isolated in his loneliness the Lord spoke to Larry
somewhat like He spoke to Solomon, ÒWhat do you want to serve me?Ó LarryÕs
response was, ÒI want to be able to read Your word for myself!Ó
Alone in his apartment Larry opened his Bible, at first,
it was a syllable, then a word, then a sentence. This without any outside
assistance, for all knew that Larry could never read or write. Over many years
Larry learned and read the whole Bible, and with the ability to read, Larry now
began to write. Many years passed from that first syllable until I was given a
copy of LarryÕs written testimony. It was LarryÕs testimony in his own words,
written in, and by his own hand. It is a testament that in the age of cynics
and pessimism, God still performs miracles, for those willing to put forth the
effort to become a disciple, to learn the discipline of Jesus Christ. As I
remember, the changes I made in LarryÕs testimony were less than the changes I
make in this message every week.
So to those who might say I havenÕt got the ability to be
a leader either in my church or in my job, I would say that if you can read
this, you have a natural gift that Larry was not born with, but with GodÕs
power and LarryÕs discipline, his stone takes its rightful place on the strong
bridge in that chasm of sin. Stones not only from this generation but from the
redeemed of all time. From that strong position LarryÕs wordÕs might ring out,
ÒWith God on your side nothing is impossible.Ó The impossible begins by the
choices we make, we can seek to learn the discipline of God and others, or
continue to live within the chaos of this temporal world never having the time
or the fortitude to reach to a higher more eternal level. The choices are made
hourly and many seem insignificant, but their consequences reach forever.
Next week we will begin to look at the opportunities
involved in sheep leading sheep.
Progress seems to be happening, I seem to see things
winding down at this location, and possibilities for the move continuing
forward, but as of yet there is no source of funds for that endeavor, or now
for the transitory present. But I have a peace that this is all part of GodÕs
discipline and training, for it could all end with a phone call or a letter. I
have been mystified by just how complex my days are, with, at this time, so
little of what we would call tangible resources, thus showing GodÕs provision
and grace. Please continue to intercede for this adventure and the resources
this opportunity presents.
As sort of an illustration on how we can get too zealous
in our discipline process, a while ago I started a stretching exercise program
to help maintain some level of physical fitness. That stretching stretched the
Achilles' tendon on my right foot so that it is sore and tight when I wake each
morning. Please pray for GodÕs healing to that problem also. The question could
I suppose be raised, whether that is my heel or some other problem?