Three Disciplines

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Discipline implies consistency. Discipline in the right things is difficult. Especially, this is true if discipline requires me to break old habits. When Paul sent a letter to the Thessalonians. He provided three rapid-fire imperatives for life. Rejoice, pray and give thanks. Not a big deal really. I know I that rejoicing is good. Praying is sort of a given for a follower of Jesus. Giving thanks would not show up on anybody’s list of bad ideas. But, I believe there is a potent message that stands over and above the list of three. The message lies in a few pesky words that ruin the nice feel of Paul’s instructions. It is the words, “always”, “without ceasing” and “in everything”. Those are game changers. Those point us toward courageous discipline.

It is not just that Paul is teaching that we should be consistent. It is a lesson about how character is born out of discipline. It is an essential clarification for a group of believers who were young in their faith. The practices of faith are not dependent upon circumstances. The outflow of Christian character does not take a break when difficulties press in. Because of Jesus I have cause to rejoice every day. Because Jesus has enabled me to live in relationship with Almighty God, I will talk to God; I will listen for His voice. Is there anything in my life that I will allow to cause me to cease praying? Because of the love of my Savior, my list of reasons to give thanks will never be exhausted. Discipline? Of course, it’s not easy to be consistent. Too often I tend to think in terms of rejoicing, praying and giving thanks in response to temporary situations rather than in response to an eternal God. But, a disciplined approach to life reflects the consistent presence of God within my heart. After all, God is with me “always”, “without ceasing” and “in everything”. 

Preparing for the future

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

                                  

If I mention the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, what are your next thoughts? You may reflect on one of your favorite passages in the Bible. You may have many unanswered questions about the nature or timing of His return. From the Gospels to Revelation, the New Testament has a lot to share about the return of Jesus. One of my favorite references is found in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.

Paul may not answer my questions about Jesus’ return, but he gives some practical guidance about how to prepare for the future. Here’s a quick list of takeaways from these two verses. (1) Increase in love. That’s it. It’s not complicated. Paul covers my need to love others and then just to clear up any confusion, he expands the scope of love to include “all”.  (2) Let love contribute to the condition of my heart. It seems that love contributes to the creation of the kind of heart that is pleasing to God. Want a blameless and holy heart? Love will help. (3) Recognize that we will all stand “before” God at some point. This is a brief reminder that I am/will be accountable to God for the way I live.

Look Up

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:1-2

I hear a lot about the importance of "focus". The prevalence of the word in today’s world is understandable. It's easy to get distracted. At first glance the opening words of Colossians 3 simply seem to be about a proper focus on "things above" in contrast to "things on the earth". While that is true in one sense, I don’t want to ignore the importance of Christ in the center of the “things”.

While it is important to focus on "things above" vs "things below", our motivation and ability to do so is connected to Christ. According to Paul, our perspective and focus is transformed because we are "raised with Christ". It’s an unmistakable reference to the fact that we have been given new life. Spiritually, we walk out of the tomb and leave the old life behind. Consequently, we have new patterns of thinking. Our minds are set in the direction of Christ and the "things" that He values and elevates become more important. I think it’s significant that the "things above" are identified in proximity to Christ - "where Christ is".
 
Finally, contrary to our natural way of seeing, our focus is determined from the inside out. That seems counterintuitive. But, Paul identifies Christ as "our life". The life of Christ transforms us from inside out. Using a physical metaphor, I would say that focus begins in the heart and not the eyes.

Birth Certificate or Driver's License

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Colossians 1:9-10

The New Testament contains a number of prayers. Sometimes it’s easy to read through prayers rather quickly. Colossians is a letter that contains some weighty material about the preeminence of Christ. But, before Paul delivered teaching about the identity of Christ, he offered a prayer. Paul asked that God would fill them with knowledge, wisdom and understanding so that they would be able to live in a manner worthy of the Lord. For me it’s a reminder of the difference Christ makes. Knowing Jesus is transformational. Paul had received the good news. He heard about the faith of those who were in Colosse. Paul looked back at their faith in Christ and rejoiced. He looked forward to the road ahead and he prayed. Paul asked that their wisdom, understanding and knowledge would increase. Their receipt of the Gospel was not the end. It was the beginning.

Conversion, like wisdom, takes a lifetime. For some, conversion is like a birth certificate while for others it is like a driver’s license. For the first, the ultimate question is “What do I need to get to heaven?” For the second, the question is “How do I love God?” For the first, the concern is for a moment, for the second, the concern is for a life.

Scot McKnight

I pray that your love for God increases more and more. I pray that God’s love spills over into every area of our lives every day.

Winning and Losing

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. (Philippians 3:7-11)

After a weekend of playoff football, we will hear a great deal about winning and losing. If you are a fan of the New England Patriots or San Francisco 49ers, please pardon the reminder. Usually, when we think about “loss”, we focus on the emotions and costliness of the loss. What could have been done to prevent defeat?

This past weekend, I challenged members of our church family to become “good losers”. In his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul has a lot to say about losing. Yet, his perspective constantly leans forward from what has been lost to what has been gained. It’s understandable when you consider that Paul writes about “gaining” Christ. Paul’s writing in Philippians reflects his understanding of the Gospel. His teaching echoes the message of Jesus. Remember that Jesus said, “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:25).

It’s a different type of loss. It’s an incomparable gain. Paul understood that life is found in Christ. He understood that nothing that can be gained apart from Christ could ever be worth as much as knowing Christ. Therefore, Paul could speak in relative terms. Whatever has been lost is just “rubbish” in comparison to the Lord Jesus Christ. Therein lies the challenge for me this week. Does the path and motivation of my life resemble Paul’s? Do I want to be found in Christ? Do I want to know Him? Does my life reflect my love for Christ?

Who's in your heart?

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart

Philippians 1:3-7

If you ask me to identify my favorite verse the Bible, it is very likely that I will produce a “top ten” list rather than a single favorite. It’s just too difficult to identify a single verse. However, one verse consistently ranks very high. It’s Philippians 1:6. For me, this is a verse of frequent mediation and reference. Whether I speak it aloud or rehearse it in my mind, I consider the powerful impact it is had on my life. In particular, I like to remind myself that God has begun “a good work” in me and is more than able to complete it.

The beauty of this verse increases as I consider the context. These words were included in a letter from Paul and Timothy addressed to believers in Philippi. What a great encouragement! But, it’s not fair for me to be selfish with the verse – as if it is a promise that I can simply claim for myself. It’s not enough that I believe that God will complete the work He has begun in my life. It’s paramount that I pass this reassurance along to others. Paul reminded his friends in Philippi that he was compelled to encourage them because of the place they occupied in his heart.

When I carry people in my heart, it increases my motivation to encourage and pray for them. I have just returned from visiting Cambodia. While I was there, one by one many beautiful servants of the Lord climbed into my heart. I will not soon forget getting to see our precious Marife. We have sponsored her for over a year now. When Nick in I embraced her, she climbed into our hearts. No wonder the Apostle wrote, “I thank God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.” When I pray for Marife, I trust that the same God, who has begun a good work in me has begun a good work in her life, is going to complete it.

Read Philippians 1:3-8. Who comes to mind? Who is in your heart? Who will receive encouragement from you this week?

Change is Constant

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Today will be filled with words about change. The search is on for resolve, motivation, urgency, hope and a vision for a new year. Transformation fascinates me. From the simple to the complex, the struggle with change is fairly obvious. It used to be that we laughed about writing the wrong year on a check. Now with the rise of electronic transactions we don’t have to worry about that. Once I preached an entire sermon where I repeatedly referred to the wrong year in my message. The good news/bad news - some noticed, others didn’t.

This morning I woke up with thoughts about the New Year. As I considered the change from 2013 to 2014 on the calendar, I quickly adjusted my thoughts. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. New Year’s Day in our culture is packed with great symbolic meaning. I am well aware that the dawning of a New Year serves as a beacon of hope for some and a dull reminder of inner frustration for others, Questions abound. Can I change? What should I change? Will I change? Why try? For me, these questions lead back to a deeper question. Is my heart established?

Superficial changes are just that. They are superficial. Deep change is another story. At first, it seems ironic that the power of positive change depends on a heart that is established. However, before we can fully engage in “what” we are becoming, we need a clear sense of “who” we are. More specifically, we must understand the source of our identity. The writer of Hebrews mentions a critical foundation for life. In the midst of change, both good and bad, we must have a heart that is “established in grace”. Grace helps us understand the big picture. Even the smallest of steps will either move us toward our destination or away from it. Grace helps clarify, redirect and guide us.

As I reflect on the relationship between grace and change, I must confess that I do crave change in my own life. I thirst for transformation that is anchored in my Savior who is forever the same. Every positive change in life requires a measure of freedom from the past. Our past can hinder us. It can haunt us. But, it doesn’t have to preclude positive change in the future. My freedom is possible because of grace provided in Christ. I anticipate that His presence will continue to affect my awareness of my true identity. Happy New Year! Embrace the change that Christ brings.