Rethinking Discipleship - Training to Be Godly
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Introduction
Introduction
I remember watching an old episode of the show, “Family Matters.” In this particular episode the family is traveling to Disney World from Chicago. Eddie and his friend Waldo are driving themselves. They drive for hours with Waldo reading the map. Finally Eddie asks where they are, and Waldo Replies, “We’re coming up on a little town called Can ya da.” Of course, they had been driving the wrong way for hours and were almost to Canada.
I remember watching an old episode of the show, “Family Matters.” In this particular episode the family is traveling to Disney World from Chicago. Eddie and his friend Waldo are driving themselves. They drive for hours with Waldo reading the map. Finally Eddie asks where they are, and Waldo Replies, “We’re coming up on a little town called Can ya da.” Of course, they had been driving the wrong way for hours and were almost to Canada.
Sometimes our spiritual life can feel like this. There’s a lot of movement but it’s in the wrong direction. We hope that we are growing closer to Jesus, but many people wake up one day only to discover they’ve been reading the map wrong or, sadly, they weren’t following the map at all.
Every practice there were certain drills we would do. We would do lay-ups,
We would do layups, free-throws, passing drills, and more. We did the same drills over and over every single practice and prior to every single game. One day, as I was watching a professional basketball game, I noticed something - prior to the game they ran many of the same drills my elementary school basketball team did. It didn’t matter if you were on an elementary pewee basketball team or the Orlando Magic - the drills we ran looked much the same.
Last week Pastor Davis talked to us about rethinking discipleship. I want to pick up where he left off and talk about Training ourselves to be Godly.
Last week Pastor Davis talked to us about rethinking discipleship. I want to pick up where he left off and talk about Training ourselves to be Godly.
Why? Because there are certain skills you always need. Whether you play professionally or for your elementary school, you can’t get around the fact that you need to know how to dribble the ball and shoot a free throw. In fact, the big difference between the professional and the elementary school kid really comes down to the amount of time they have spent repeating those drills. The professional has spent so much time repeating those drills that it has become part of who they are. They could do a layup or shoot a free-throw in their sleep. They have developed muscle memory for it. Their body automatically knows what to do and when to do it. Their identity is now tied up in this game that they love because of years and years of practice and repetition.
Last week Pastor Davis talked to us about rethinking discipleship. I want to pick up where he left off and talk about Training ourselves to be Godly.
Last week Pastor Davis talked to us about rethinking discipleship. I want to pick up where he left off and talk about Training ourselves to be Godly.
Pastor said last week that there are Christians who have been saved for 30 or 40 years but their life doesn’t look anymore like Jesus today than it did 20 years ago. In other words, they might have been saved for 50 years, but they are still a jerk! They still gossip like crazy. They still have the emotional maturity of a two year old. We used to call them “carnal Christians,” but sadly, now it’s just called “normal.” They have been on a journey that was supposed to be towards Christ likeness, but they are no closer to being like Jesus today than they were 20 years ago.
All of this brings up a few questions.
All of this brings up a few questions.
“
What’s gone wrong?
What’s gone wrong?
In other words, how did we get here? What’s the root cause of the problem?
What’s
What’s
What’s
How do we fix the problem?
How do we fix the problem?
We need practical solutions and steps we can take to fix the problem.
How do we measure our progress?
How do we measure our progress?
How do we know we are becoming more like Jesus?
Paul, in his letter to Timothy reminds his young apprentice that we must train ourselves to be Godly.
Paul, in his letter to Timothy reminds his young apprentice that we must train ourselves to be Godly.
says,
6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
Paul is writing this to his son in the faith, Timothy. He has left him in Ephesus to help the church sort out some problems.
Paul is writing this to his son in the faith, Timothy. He has left him in Ephesus to help the church sort out some problems.
Paul is writing this to his son in the faith, Timothy. He has left him in Ephesus to help the church sort out some problems.
Evidently there are false teachers there who are teaching doctrines that should not be taught and who are leading many people astray.
Our passage begins with Paul telling Timothy that he is to explain some things to the individuals in this church. What is he to explain to them? The content in or possible even from the beginning of the letter.
The Church at Ephesus was in danger because if false doctrine was not dealt with, they could not grow into mature disciples of Jesus.
The Church at Ephesus was in danger because if false doctrine was not dealt with, they could not grow into mature disciples of Jesus.
Timothy, in contrast to those who were teaching false doctrine, was on the right track. In this section of the letter, Paul challenges Timothy personally to remain on the right track. If he was going to make it as a disciple of Jesus, there were a couple of things he needed to do.
I want to take few moments this morning and point out what Paul says to Timothy here and then I want us to apply it to our own lives.
I want to take few moments this morning and point out what Paul says to Timothy here and then I want us to apply it to our own lives.
In our passage, Paul tells Timothy to nourished by the message of faith and good teaching. He then tells him to “train himself to be godly.”
1. Timothy was to be continual nourished in the faith by good doctrine.
1. Timothy was to be continual nourished in the faith by good doctrine.
Timothy was to train himself to be godly.
Paul says here that worthy servant of Christ Jesus is one who is nourished by the message of the faith and the good teaching with Timothy is already following.
In our passage, Paul tells Timothy to nourished by the message of faith and good teaching. He then tells him to “train himself to be godly.”
He is encouraging Timothy to continue in right doctrine.
He is encouraging Timothy to continue in right doctrine.
There were groups in this Church who had been led astray into all sorts of false teaching.
There were groups in this Church who had been led astray into all sorts of false teaching.
In fact, tells us that this false teaching is inspired by demons.
1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
In fact, tells us that this false teaching is inspired by demons.
There were deceitful spirits at work who wanted to pull this church astray. It wanted to move them off target and away from where God wanted them to be.
There were deceitful spirits at work who wanted to pull this church astray. It wanted to move them off target and away from where God wanted them to be.
Timothy, in contrast to all this was to hold fast to what he knew to be true.
Timothy, in contrast to all this was to hold fast to what he knew to be true.
Verse 7 continues with the thought, “Do not waste time...”
In other words, Timothy was to concentrate on nourishing himself in the faith by holding to the word of God and holding to sound, solid doctrine.
It’s contrasted with “godless ideas and old wives’ tales.” Some translations refer to these as “irreverent and silly myths.”
The question for Timothy was this - Are you going to spend time eating the trash of these silly, godless ideas? Or will you spend time feasting on the word of God and solid teaching?
2. Timothy was to train himself to be godly.
2. Timothy was to train himself to be godly.
It’s good doctrine and good practice. These are the two keys to effective discipleship.
Instead of spending his time on these silly myths, Timothy was to train himself to be godly.
The word here Paul uses is the idea of an athlete training in a gym.
This was a place where athletes in Paul’s day would train for running, wrestling, and other sports.
Paul says that Timothy must put as much work and effort into being godly as these individuals put into their respective sport.
The Baker New Testament Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles lays out some of the comparisons Paul had in mind here.
He is to be committed. Just as athletes in the gym give their all, Timothy was to push himself and give everything to pursing godliness.
He is to live free of distraction. Athletes in the gym were often naked. Why? They got rid of or discarded anything (including clothing) that would keep them from achieving their goal. Paul wants Timothy to strip himself of anything in his life that would keep him from pursuing godliness.
He is to keep his Eye on the Goal. An athlete competes with their eyes on the prize. Timothy must live with his eye on the goal of becoming more Christ like.
The figure which underlies the passage is, of course, that of the Greek gymnasium (or its popular imitation), comprising grounds for running, wrestling, etc. It was a place where stripped youths by means of physical training would try to promote the grace and vigor of their bodies. Timothy, then, is told to gymnasticize. But, in keeping with the immediately preceding context, which pictured him as being nourished on the words of faith and as shunning profane myths in order that thus he may be (and may continue to be) “an excellent minister of Christ Jesus,” he is told to train himself with a view to godliness or godly living. The exercise which he is urged to take is to be of a spiritual character.
When I was a kid, I played on a basketball team. Before every game and at every practice there were certain drills we would run.
When I was a kid, I played on a basketball team. Before every game and at every practice there were certain drills we would run.
We would do layups, free-throws, passing drills, and more. We did the same drills over and over every single practice and prior to every single game. One day, as I was watching a professional basketball game, I noticed something - prior to the game they ran many of the same drills my elementary school basketball team did. It didn’t matter if you were on an elementary pewee basketball team or the Orlando Magic - the drills we ran looked much the same.
Why? Because there are certain skills you always need. Whether you play professionally or for your elementary school, you can’t get around the fact that you need to know how to dribble the ball and shoot a free throw. In fact, the big difference between the professional and the elementary school kid really comes down to the amount of time they have spent repeating those drills. The professional has spent so much time repeating those drills that it has become part of who they are. They could do a layup or shoot a free-throw in their sleep. They have developed muscle memory for it. Their body automatically knows what to do and when to do it. Their identity is now tied up in this game that they love because of years and years of practice and repetition.
What does it look like to put into practice what Paul says here? How are we to nourish ourselves in the faith and train ourselves to be godly?
What does it look like to put into practice what Paul says here? How are we to nourish ourselves in the faith and train ourselves to be godly?
I’d like to return to the questions we asked during the introduction and tie this together with what Paul says to Timothy.
What’s gone wrong?
What’s gone wrong?
We have centered our lives around meaningless things. We are the people at Ephesus who were chasing after the silly myths.
We have a problem with formation.
I remember some time ago there was a documentary out called, “Super Size Me.” In the documentary the director did an experiment. He wanted to eat nothing but McDonalds for 30 days and see what that did to his body. The movie showed him doing this experiment and the doctors would check on him each week and they began to notice real problems from his diet. You see, what you put in changes and shapes you.
Think of a child with playdough and the goa
Many of us allow all sorts of things other than Christ to form us and shape us. Instead of nourishing ourselves in the faith, we live on a steady diet of worldly junk food.
We are afraid, anxious, angry, uncertain, worried, confused, and just generally mixed up. Why? Because we’ve feasted on things that have formed us into people who are afraid, anxious, angry, uncertain, worried, confused, and mixed up!
What’s forming you?
What’s forming you?
Instead of nourishing ourselves in the faith, we’ve feasted on things that will eventually kill us.
Instead of nourishing ourselves in the faith, we’ve feasted on things that will eventually kill us.
What’s Gone Wrong? We’ve Centered our lives on the wrong things.
What’s Gone Wrong? We’ve Centered our lives on the wrong things.
How do we fix the problem?
How do we fix the problem?
We re-center our lives around Christ
We re-center our lives around Christ
We re-center our lives around Christ
Paul tells Timothy not to pay attention to the silly myths. We must stop paying attention to all the silliness around us and, instead, fix our eyes upon Jesus.
Paul tells Timothy not to pay attention to the silly myths. We must stop paying attention to all the silliness around us and, instead, fix our eyes upon Jesus.
This sounds great, but how do we do this?
Habits
We change our habits. Your habits, for better or worse, are making you who you are. When it comes to discipleship, we are mostly unintentional.
This is what we think: If I just go to church and maybe pray once in a while and sort of read my Bible when I feel like it, then I’ll eventually see some spiritual progress.
We do this for years and then wonder why it’s not working. It’s not working because we don’t have a plan.
When I was a kid, I played on a basketball team. Before every game and at every practice there were certain drills we would run.
We would do layups, free-throws, passing drills, and more. We did the same drills over and over every single practice and prior to every single game. One day, as I was watching a professional basketball game, I noticed something - prior to the game they ran many of the same drills my elementary school basketball team did. It didn’t matter if you were on an elementary pewee basketball team or the Orlando Magic - the drills we ran looked much the same.
Why? Because there are certain skills you always need. Whether you play professionally or for your elementary school, you can’t get around the fact that you need to know how to dribble the ball and shoot a free throw. In fact, the big difference between the professional and the elementary school kid really comes down to the amount of time they have spent repeating those drills. The professional has spent so much time repeating those drills that it has become part of who they are. They could do a layup or shoot a free-throw in their sleep. They have developed muscle memory for it. Their body automatically knows what to do and when to do it. Their identity is now tied up in this game that they love because of years and years of practice and repetition.
A athlete doesn’t just show up to a game and expose himself to a sport and think that somehow that will eventual make him a world class athlete. The athlete has a plan. The athlete runs some drills over and over and over again until they become part of who he or she is.
We need a plan. Traditionally these have been referred to as the spiritual disciplines.
We need a plan. Traditionally these have been referred to as the spiritual disciplines.
Spiritual disciplines are habits we work into our lives on a regular basis for the purpose of becoming more like Jesus.
Spiritual disciplines are habits we work into our lives on a regular basis for the purpose of becoming more like Jesus.
They are not meant to be legalistic, they are meant to provide space for the Spirit to work in your life. God is not opposed to some effort. You’re not earning anything from Him, but you’ve got to put in some effort.
As you put these habits into place each day, over your lifetime, you begin to become more like Jesus. That’s the goal of discipleship!
To Be with Jesus
To Become Like Jesus.
To Do what Jesus did.
So what are some of the Habits you need?
So what are some of the Habits you need?
Daily Prayer
Daily Prayer
If we are to follow Jesus, we must create space in our lives to pray each day.
Some recommend praying short prayer times at morning, noon, and evening.
Others prefer a long, extended period of prayer each morning or evening.
It doesn’t matter so much when you pray, but that you pray!
Prayer is the lifeblood of your relationship with God. You cannot have a relationship with someone you never talk with. If you never talk with God, no wonder you aren’t being formed by Him!
When and where will you pray each day?
Daily reading of Scripture
Daily reading of Scripture
Reading scripture must be a priority in our lives.
One of the things we have established in our young adult service - We must prioritize scripture before screen.
Most of us wake up and our phone is either right next to us or, for some of us, it’s even in the bed with us. The first thing we do in the morning is check our email or our facebook or look at the days news. Or we wake up and put on our coffee and go watch our morning show.
We must get in the habit of making scripture a priority over being informed or entertained!
When, where, and what will you read in the scriptures each day?
Daily time of silence and solitude
Daily time of silence and solitude
This one may seem weird to you, but it’s very important - We need space each day to quiet down and hear the voice of God.
Fasting
Our world is noisy. It is constantly bombarding us with problems and information and entertainment. We are constantly being told we need to buy something or do something.
We need a moment, even if it’s just 5min a day, where we turn off all distractions and get in the quiet before God. A moment where we don’t have any music or a devotional to read, no agenda, just to sit in the quiet and listen for the voice of God.
For me, I spend these moments focusing on a scripture or focusing on the goodness, love, or faithfulness of God. I just sit and wait on the Lord. I wait for him to speak and for him to direct my time. In those moments he speaks peace and comfort that I need for the day. He speaks the direction that I need. He quiets my soul down and reminds me that he is in control.
When and where will you get alone with God and listen to his voice?
There is a lot of panic going on in our world right now. Before we react, maybe we ought to take a moment to, “Be still and know that He is God.”
Silence and solitude is an active reminder to us that the world does not get to set the pace of our lives - God does. It’s a reminder that we don’t have to react to the situations around us, but that we can find direction, peace, comfort, and joy simply from being in God’s presence and hearing his voice!
When and where will you get alone with God and listen to his voice?
Weekly Church attendance
Weekly Church attendance
We need each other.
Church attendance is not about you simply checking off the box that you attended and that you heard a sermon.
There is something supernatural that happens when we come together. You were not created to do life alone. Church is not about information, it is about connection. If church were simply about you getting some information, then we wouldn’t need a building and we could just email you each week what you needed to know.
But there is something about coming together around the word of God with the People of God. There is something about praying together for one another. If you don’t have this then your spiritual life will be weak and malnourished.
I know we are busy people, but the truth is, we make time for what is important to us. We must make time each week to be in God’s house, with God’s people, and around God’s word.
How will you make church attendance a priority in your life?
Weekly time to talk with a close, godly friend
Weekly time to talk with a close, godly friend
Along with Church attendance, we need to create space in our life each week to connect with someone on a deeper level.
If this is just a scheduled phone call, coffee date, or lunch to meet and let someone into your life.
We need real, deep connections with each other. Find someone you can meet with on a weekly basis, or a group of friends you can get with. You don’t have to have an agenda other than be willing to listen and pray for one another.
These relationships don’t seem spiritual - But they are very important. We live in a world that is increasingly disconnected. We need to look across the table into someone’s eyes and know that they are in this thing with us!
Who will you meet with, where and when will you meet?
Weekly time of rest
Weekly time of rest
We need time each week to be reminded that we are not loved based on what we can produce.
If this is a day, a half day, a few hours - Whatever you can work in, you need a moment to rest.
Sabath means to “stop.” It is one of the 10 commandments - Remember the Sabath day to keep it Holy.
There’s a lot of argument as to whether or not this command should be followed in the New Testament. I don’t want to wade into any of that, I just want to point out that taking time to rest and “Stop” your normal routine is good and healthy and we need it.
It’s hard to be like Jesus when you’re run ragged, wore out, and tired all the time. I don’t know about you, but If I get tired I’m more prone to anger, impatience, and stupidity. It’s also hard to be at your best when you’re sick because you’ve wore yourself out due to a lack of rest.
What day and time will you set aside to rest?
Fasting
Fasting
We need time scheduled into our lives on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly where we give up something in order to pursue Jesus through prayer.
This would typically be food, but it could be your facebook, your TV, the news, or anything else that distracts us.
We give up something so that our primary focus can be on Jesus. It’s a reminder that often what we crave or think we need isn’t as important as we thought it was. It also helps us not become to entangled by the things of this world.
When and what will you fast?
There are more disciplines than these, but these are a good foundation and a good start to becoming more like Jesus. As we work these habits into our lives, over time, we look back and begin to see that we are moving in the right direction - towards Christ Likeness.
There are more disciplines than these, but these are a good foundation and a good start to becoming more like Jesus. As we work these habits into our lives, over time, we look back and begin to see that we are moving in the right direction - towards Christ Likeness.
How do we measure our progress?
How do we measure our progress?
The question we should reflect on each day - Where was I most like Jesus today? Where was least like Jesus?
Am I becoming more like Jesus?
For me, I measure my progress by the fruit of the Spirit in and the Sermon on the mount in ask these questions:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Did I love well today? Did I love my family? My friends? My enemies?
Is there joy in my life? If not, why?
Is there peace in my life? Is there something I’m worried about that I need to give to God?
Was I patient today? Did I become angry or upset when things didn’t move as quickly as I would like?
Was I kind today?
Did I display goodness today?
Is my life an example of faithfulness to God, my wife, my job, and my friends? Am I reliable?
Did I display gentleness today? Did I yell at my wife or kids? Do I approach every situation with a gentle and prayerful spirit?
Did I allow my emotions to dictate my day or did I practice self-control? Did I have any outbursts of anger, jealousy, or any other ungodly emotion or habit that I need to submit to God?
Was I salt and light in the world today?
Did I love and pray for my enemies?
Did I turn the other cheek or was I out for revenge?
You see, as you ask yourself these questions, you’re bound to come across areas of your life that need work. Then, each day, as you practice these habits, you’re giving the Spirit of God room to work and change you. This time next year, I want to look back and say I’m more loving. Next month I want to look back and say, I’m more patient or I’m gentler.
Let’s rethink discipleship. Let’s train ourselves to be godly.
Let’s rethink discipleship. Let’s train ourselves to be godly.
May we develop a plan. May we put the plan into place. May we watch as the Spirit of God shows up and transforms us.