Exhibiting Discipline I

 

Phil 3:12, 15-16

 

SUBJECT: Spiritual Progress

THEME: Fulfill God’s purposes as we exercise discipline to run our race. 

RELEVANCE:

We must not allow our behaviors to be unruly, disorderly, disobedient, uncontrolled, disingenuous-not serious, or of embarrassing manners that derail our progress in Christ. To be winners who fulfill God’s plan, we must remain discipline throughout our race. 

INTRODUCTION:

Having seen achievement, we look now at the final ingredient in this formula for spiritual maturity and progress. Discipline is necessary to reach new heights in spiritual triumphs and finally reach the finish line of life as a winner.

Again, we are considering our need to grow spiritually by making continual progress. All of us want to be “winners” and fulfill the purposes for which we have been saved. But what is essential for winning?   

MESSAGE:

THE ESSENTIAL QUALITY OF DISCIPLINE. (Phil. 3:15-16)

ILLUSTRATION:  Frederick the Great of Prussia was walking on the outskirts of Berlin when he encountered a very old man proceeding in the opposite direction.

“Who are you?” asked Frederick.

“I am a king,” replied the old man.                                                                                      

“A king!” laughed Frederick. “Over what kingdom do you reign?”

“Over myself,” was the proud reply.

“Reigning” over yourself requires personal discipline.  – John Maxwell

     1.  Note the Extreme Importance of Discipline to a Christian.

 Temperance– Discipline, or Self-control is the ability to resist immediate gratification for the sake of a higher goal– Self Restraint.  (Ac. 24:25; Ga. 5:23; 2 Pe. 1:6).

         A.  Great Christians Always Have Self-discipline—without Exception.

Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

2 Peter 1:6, And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

               1. Discipline is Produced by the Spirit.

Ga. 5:23 shows that “temperance” is produced by the Holy Spirit.

               2. Discipline is Produced by Personal Effort.

2 Pe. 1:6 shows us that it is a product of the Christian growth experience. 

APPLICATION: Therefore, we must diligently invest our hearts and minds to experience a development of temperance throughout the course of our lives by the power of Holy Spirit.  This wonderful quality will solve the Christian’s struggle with emotional outbursts such as wrath, rage, anger, fear, and jealousy and cause us to avoid emotional excesses of any kind. We will have the ability to say “no,” to sinful desires and we will know when to say, “enough” to too much of anything. Thus the Spirit-controlled believer will be consistent, dependable, under control, disciplined, and well ordered.

         B.  Unfortunately, Our Society Seeks Instant Gratification Rather than Self-discipline.

ILLUSTRATION: We want instant breakfast, fast food, movies on demand, phone apps for immediate transactions, and quick cash from ATMs. But spiritual success doesn’t come instantly. Neither does the ability to consistently grow in Christ.

QUOTE:  As General Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “There are no victories at bargain prices.”

APPLICATION:   Because we live in a society of instant gratification, we cannot assume that most Christians have self-discipline—that they will be willing to pay the price of greater growth, ministry, and responsibility.

         C.  When it Comes to Self-discipline, People Choose One of Two Things:       

               1. The Pain of Discipline Which Comes from Sacrifice and Growth or     

               2. The Pain of Regret Which Comes from the Easy Road and Missed Opportunities.

Each person in life chooses.

QUOTE:  In Adventures in Achievement, E. James Rohn says that “the pain of discipline weighs ounces. Regret weighs tons.”

Once again let’s turn our hearts to Christ, His Word, and the example of Paul— a Christian who was truly a higher achiever— as he shares more of the secrets to his personal success in growth and development.

     2. Discipline Yourself to Run by the Established Rules.  Vs. 15

Philip. 3:15, Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

It is not enough to run hard and win the race; the runner must also obey the rules. In the Greek games, the judges were very strict about this.

          A.  Beware of Disqualification.

Any infringement of the rules disqualified the athlete.

               1.  Participate According to Established Spiritual Rules.

                     A.  A Disqualified Runner Did Not Lose His Citizenship (Though He Disgraced It).

                     B.  But He Did Lose His Privilege to Participate and Win a Prize.

ILLUSTRATION:   One of the greatest athletes ever to come out of the United States was Jim Thorpe. At the 1912 Olympics at Stockholm, he won the pentathlon and the decathlon, and was undoubtedly the hero of the games. But the next year officials found that Thorpe had played semiprofessional baseball and therefore had forfeited his amateur standing. This meant that he had to return his gold medals and his trophy, and that his Olympic achievements were erased from the records. It was a high price to pay for breaking the rules. (Thorpe's medals were reinstated in 1985 by the Olympic Committee.)

APPLICATION: We should run the race to win the prize, and this means participating by the spiritual rules laid down in this passage. We cannot loose our salvation, but we certainly can loose our reward (1Cor. 3:10-15).  Keep the Lord’s pleasure in mind as you run the race and not your pleasure.

               2. Emphasize the Importance of Obeying Spiritual Rules.

In Phil 3:15-16, Paul Emphasizes the Importance of the Christian Remembering the "Spiritual Rules" Laid down in the Word.

                      A.  The Christian Race Requires Discipline and Self Control.

QUOTE: “This word [self-control] describes people who are willing to get a grip on their lives and take control of areas that will bring them success or failure.”  — John C. Maxwell

APPLICATION:  To be disciplined means that we are “getting a handle on our self” in order to overcome sinful desires, spiritual pride, attitudes of self-reliance, spiritual laziness, extreme self-gratification, past failures and success, and overreacting.

                       B.  Spiritual Growth and Victory Requires Discipline and Self Control.

Therefore, discipline prepares us to fulfill God’s claims and will for our lives as we seek to practice what we have learned from His Word.  Discipline is the ability a person has to rule himself in following the example of Paul in Phil. 3:7-17.  It is the power to say “NO,” to rivaling desires that hinder our progress and say, “YES,” to everything God has outlines for our spiritual progress and success. This is key to our success. 

               3.  Practice Self Control–Discipline– to Remain in the Race.

1 Cor. 9:24-27, Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. [25] And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. [26] I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: [27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

This is what Paul has in mind in this passage. The idea is that any athlete who enters a competition prepares himself to win by rigid self-control, strict conditioning, and rigorous training.

                       A.  Spiritual Growth Results from Discipline.  “. . . striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.”

Winning a race requires purpose and discipline. Paul uses this illustration to explain that the Christian life takes hard work, self-denial, and grueling preparation.

APPLICATION:  As Christians, we are running toward Christlikeness and our heavenly reward. The essential disciplines of prayer, Bible study, witnessing, and public worship equip us to run with vigor and stamina. Don't merely observe from the grandstand; don't just turn out to jog a couple of laps each morning. Train diligently -- your spiritual progress depends upon it.

                       B.  Spiritual Growth Results from Self-denial.  “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:”

Any athlete who intends to win will prepare and restrict himself in all things: his diet, his activities, his associations, and probably even his friendships.  The winner knows that he must restrict himself in order to accomplish the ultimate task.

                            1.  At times we must give up something good in order to do what God wants.

                            2. Each person's special duties determine the discipline and denial that he or she must accept.

                            3. Without a goal, discipline is nothing but self-punishment. With the goal of pleasing God, our denial seems like nothing compared to the eternal, imperishable reward that will be ours.

ILLUSTRATION: Tenor Luciano Pavarotti is such a winner. He is often described by his admirers as “the new Caruso.” In a newspaper interview, the six-foot, three hundred-pound tenor asked: “Do you want to know the hardest thing about being a singer? It is to sacrifice yourself every moment of your life, with not one exclusion. For example, if it is raining, don’t go out; eat this, do this, sleep ten hours a day. It is not a very free life. You cannot jump on a horse. You cannot go to swim.”

               4. Play by the Rules in Order to Win the Race.

2 Tim. 2:5, And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

                       A.   If the Athlete Breaks Training, He Is Disqualified.

                       B.   If He Breaks the Rules of the Game, He Is Disqualified.

Only the contestants who compete by the rules will win the crown at the end of the race.

APPLICATION: Each of us as Christians ought to be pressing on toward the goal of Christlikeness and eternal rewards.  As maturing believers, we should understand that we could not, in our own humanity, gain perfection and acceptance by God (Phil. 3:8-10).  Salvation and Sanctification come through faith and dependance upon the Lord.  Yet because of our love for Christ, we willingly pressed on to follow his example in order to become more like him in life, all the while knowing that we are promised that we’ll know him fully upon our death or his return for us in the Rapture. (W. W. Wiersbe)

        B.  Be Aware of Revelation.  Phil 3:15, “. . . God shall reveal”

in order to play by the rules we must turn to the rule book–the Word.  This verse betrays some of the problems that faced the Philippian church.

            1.  God Will Reveal Spiritual Pride.

Spiritual pride had found its way into some of the believers;

                     A.   Apparently a Few Felt That They Had Reached a Holier Status than Their Fellow Believers

                     B.   This Was Causing Them to Look down on Those Whom They Thought less "Mature."

APPLICATION: There is never room for spiritual pride nor a ‘holier than thou’ attitude toward younger and struggling Christians. Spiritual pride is a mark of spiritual immaturity and infancy!  Spiritual maturity is marked by humility and service to others.

Philip. 2:3-4, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Galatians 5:26, Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Galatians 6:1-2, Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. [2] Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

            2.  God Will Reveal Spiritual Maturity.  Vs. 15, “As many as be perfect be thus minded”

                  A.  Notice Some Characteristics of a Faithful Mature Saint of God.

                        1.  They Depend on God!

Paul made it clear that those who were truly mature were those who realized their dependence on God.

                        2. They Determine to Press on!

They pressed on, not to make themselves good enough or to gain credentials by their accomplishments.

                        3.  Their Devoted to Knowing Christ!

Rather then spiritual pride, they pressed on to know their Savior better. This is their goal!

                   B.  The Goal of Every Believer Is Spiritual Maturity.

Col. 1:28, Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

                         1. The Word Perfect Means Mature or Complete, Not Flawless.

                         2. Paul Wanted to See Each Believer Mature Spiritually.

APPLICATION: Like Paul, we must work as wholeheartedly as an athlete, but we should not strive in our own strength alone. We have the power of his Spirit working in us. We can learn and grow daily, motivated by love, not by fear or pride, knowing that God gives the energy to become mature.

                   C.  Jesus Christ Is the Basis and Goal of Spiritual Maturity.

Hebrews 13:20, Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

The letter to the Hebrews is a call to Christian maturity. It was addressed to first-century Jewish Christians, but it applies to Christians of any age or background.

                          1.  Christian Maturity Means Making Christ the Beginning and End of Our Faith.

                          2.  To Grow in Maturity, We must Center Our Lives on Him,

                                 *  not depending on religious ritual,

                                 *  not falling back into sin,

                                 *  not trusting totally in ourselves,

                                 *  not letting anything come between us and Christ.           

                          3.  Christ is sufficient and superior.

            3.  God Will Reveal Spiritual Misconception.  Vs. 15, “Otherwise minded”           

Whatever problem of pride threatened to divide the Philippian church, Paul stopped it.

                    A.  God Will Show and Clarify Matters Concerning Spiritual Growth.

This was the final word on the matter; Paul invoked the illumination of God himself to clarify the truth of his words to those who thought differently. Those who were mature were to be committed to what Paul had said. And to anyone who thought differently about minor points, God would clarify the truth. God would lead them to the truth if they would keep their minds open.

                    B.  Are You Aiming for a Perfect Score with God?

Sometimes trying to live a perfect Christian life can be so difficult that it leaves us drained and discouraged. We may feel so far from perfect that we can never please God with our lives. Paul used "perfect" (3:12) to mean mature or complete, not flawless in every detail. Those who are mature should press on in the Holy Spirit's power, knowing that Christ will reveal and fill in any discrepancy between what we are and what we should be. Christ's provision is no excuse for lagging devotion, but it provides relief and assurance for those who feel driven. (W. W. Wiersbe) 

CONCLUSION:

Hebrews 12:1-2,  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, [2] Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

It is an exciting experience to run the race daily, "looking unto Jesus" (Heb 12:1-2). It will be even more exciting when we experience all that the “high calling” entails when Jesus returns to take us to Heaven! Then we will stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ to receive our rewards! It was this future prospect that motivated Paul, and it can also motivate us.