I was out early on a cold Sunday morning three weeks ago, running down at the National Park.
I was only thinking about one thing.
Why?
Why am I up on such a cold morning going for a run?
Instead of being in bed with my fingers freezing off, that warm shower was beckoning to me.
But something was disciplining me to endure.
Discipline is what trains or corrects our behavior.
And the only thing that was disciplining me to go faster and to run was to run faster than my father.
My dad, who is 28 years older than me, has always been faster than me.
And it's driven me to train at the gym, down at the track in the National Park.
And two weeks ago, I finally beat my father's PB.
I'm faster than him by seven seconds at the moment.
Now I've got my sights set on something higher, something a little bit more improbable, beating Steve Jeffrey himself.
We'll see if we can get there.
I'm going to need a lot of discipline to get there.
But we're all disciplined by a variety of things.
It could be the desire for coffee to get out of bed in the morning.
It could be the desire for money and success to work hard.
But just like my desire to run, it can swing in and out of season.
One day we might be very motivated to work hard.
The next day we are motivated by a desire for leisure.
What is it that disciplines us to obey God?
What teaches and corrects our behavior following God?
We want to be good people who are honest and patient and generous, not thieves, not someone who bullies others,
not someone who destroys other people's character or hurts people.
But what disciplines and corrects us to behave like God?
If you're anything like me, your discipline following God swings, just like my pursuit of running.
Would it be true that some days it can seem great?
You know, you might get up early, you read your Bible, you spend some time meditating and praying with God,
and then you feel all day like everything just clicks.
And pursuing holiness, it just happens.
You get to share Jesus with someone.
But then some days it feels like a nightmare.
You don't sleep well, you wake up late.
You don't have time for God.
You don't have time to read the Bible and pray and meditate.
You snap at the kids, you kick the dog, you get angry with people at work,
and you feel far from God all day.
We can feel the gap between those two days,
and we can just feel that we need to work harder, motivated by different things.
But the truth of the gospel is that we are saved by God's grace,
and it is God's grace that continues to train us.
There's a quote from a book called Disciplines of Grace by Jerry Bridges.
He has this quote,
Our worst days are never so bad that we are beyond the reach of God's grace,
and our best days are never so good that we are beyond the need of God's grace.
We are never beyond the reach of God's grace.
Our bad days are never that bad that we're too far from God,
and our good days are never so good that we don't need God's grace.
And this is the place that we find ourselves in as we start a new series,
Disciplined by Grace.
And we're going to see that it is within God's grace,
God's unearned, undeserved love for us,
that we are trained and corrected.
But we're also going to look at the things that we substitute in
to try and motivate ourselves to obey God.
So let me pray for us as we come to God's word.
Heavenly Father, thank you so much that we can be gathered today,
treasuring you together,
and that we get to sit around your word.
God, give us ears to hear,
so we can understand what motivates us to follow you.
Amen.
Let me read from Ephesians chapter 2.
It says,
For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith.
And this is not from yourselves,
it is the gift of God.
Not by works,
so that no one can boast.
We are saved by God's grace,
his unearned, undeserved love.
And we don't do anything to be saved.
As Nick mentioned before,
he just put his hand up,
realizing his need.
But then,
we start to learn what a Christian is supposed to be.
We read parts of the Bible,
like Galatians 5,
where we see the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness.
And we're supposed to show these things.
And we go,
we have these lists that make us forget
that we're saved by God's undeserved,
unearned grace.
And our behavior becomes a priority.
We might be measuring ourselves
against other Christians
to give us a sense of understanding
how we're going.
Oh, I'm sinning less than him.
I'm better off than her.
God must be happy with me.
He must be happy with what I'm doing
because I've pegged myself against someone else.
Our view of ourselves goes from God's view
and it changes based on our performance.
I think it ultimately comes from a good place
where we have a desire to do the right thing.
People who are Christians want to follow and obey God
and to pursue holiness.
But we easily make God's things
things that we can achieve on our own.
Let's see what should be motivating us
to pursue God
from Titus chapter 2, verse 11.
For the grace of God has appeared
that offers salvation to everyone.
Grace.
Grace has appeared.
God's unearned, undeserved love has appeared
and his name is Jesus.
His death and resurrection offers us salvation.
We can have forgiveness and friendship with God
not because of us
but because salvation is a free gift.
God doesn't start the work of salvation
and then say,
off you go.
Good luck.
Try really hard to follow me, okay?
But now you're on your own.
He still actively works.
Spiritual growth is not our initiative.
It is God's.
And he keeps working in us
through his undeserved and unearned grace.
God is the one who has given us his Holy Spirit
so that we can read his word, the Bible,
and actually listen to it
so that we can hear him speak.
So from Hebrews chapter 12,
which was read for us,
it says that the Lord disciplines the one he loves
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.
Endure hardships as discipline
because God is treating you as his children.
For what children are not disciplined by their father?
Discipline is whatever God chooses to use
to grow us in godliness.
Like a parent teaching and correcting,
the difference is a child will grow up.
A child will grow up and become an adult.
But we, as God's children,
never arrive fully formed this side of heaven.
We continue to be God's children
who are in need of teaching and training.
He has saved us,
but he doesn't want us to stay like we are.
He wants to change us to fit heaven
and it's a sign that he loves us.
God's discipline is a positive thing
because he loves us.
And now God has a magnitude of options
to choose how he's going to train and rebuke us.
He uses his word as we read it
and it's wonderful to see that our kids
love reading God's word.
He might be nudging us
or pushing us to obey him from his word.
It could be preaching like this.
It could be the words of someone
in your community group.
It could be a friend.
God knows exactly what we need
at any given point.
And our response to God's discipline
should be obedience and trust.
But we don't pursue God.
We don't pursue holiness
and being like God on our own.
We don't do it to remain in God's kingdom
once he saves us.
But God himself teaches us
and trains us to obey him.
It's called sanctification.
Sanctification is being made holy.
It's God doing his work in us
making us like him.
And it's not that he's changing us
because he's angry with us.
He's not upset like a parent might be
when they see a child behaving the wrong way
and they snap at them.
His salvation for us
and his sanctification
are both works of his grace.
His unearned and undeserved love.
God's discipline in our lives
and the desire to pursue God
is a gift.
We can't pursue him on our own
and without his help
we can do nothing to please him.
Paul continues in Titus 2, verse 12.
God's grace teaches us
to say no to ungodliness
and worldly passions
and to live self-controlled,
upright and godly lives
in this present age.
Paul says that not only
does God's grace save us
and bring us into his family,
his grace is our teacher.
It teaches us to say no
and it teaches us to say yes.
No to disregarding God.
No for ignoring him
and taking him for granted.
And God's grace teaches us
to say yes to self-control,
to uprightness,
to godliness.
Godliness.
And these three terms,
godliness,
uprightness and self-control,
they reflect how we
take care of ourselves,
how we respond to others
and how we respond to God.
God takes us,
a people who are stuck
in darkness,
the place where we are
unable to obey God,
stumbling around,
hurting one another,
and he offers us salvation.
He brings us into his
marvelous light,
into his kingdom,
where we can see who Jesus
really is and see who we are.
But when we change teams,
when we go from the dominion
of darkness to the dominion
of light,
we come over with
a lot of old habits.
We come over with
a lot of bad habits,
a lot of old ways
of doing things.
There's a really old movie
called Pretty Woman.
Has anybody seen the movie
Pretty Woman?
The movie came out in 1990,
so that's going to date you
a little bit.
In this movie,
Pretty Woman,
there's a high-flying businessman
played by Richard Gere,
and he pulls a woman
off the street
to pretend to be his girlfriend.
It's not a very wholesome movie,
but it's useful
for this illustration.
They're totally mismatched socially.
One is from the top end
of society,
one is from the very bottom,
but he invites her in,
he gives her his credit cards,
and she goes off shopping,
and very soon,
she looks like the top end
of society.
She's looking like
the best of 80s fashion.
This was only 1990,
so the outfits are terrible.
She looks the part.
She looks like she should fit in,
but she doesn't know
how to act the part.
She still has the bad habits
of where she's come from,
the bottom end of society.
She doesn't speak the same way.
She doesn't know how to use
the right cutlery
at the fancy dinner table.
She's gone from the bottom
to the top,
but she still has the bad habits
of where she's come from.
And there's a process,
and this is the joy of the movie
as we see her transformed.
This kind of thing,
it's not that different for us.
God has plucked us
from being his enemies,
and he has taken us
to the very top of society,
God's children.
But we bring a whole lot
of bad habits with us.
Sinful practices,
ways of speech,
unhelpful,
ungodly attitudes.
But God trains us himself.
And it's not to keep us
in the kingdom of God.
It is because God
has brought us into his family
that he is fitting us
to obey
and to be part of his family.
He's showing us
what it is like
to be in his family.
And this is a wonderful joy,
brothers and sisters,
that God disciplines us
and doesn't leave us
with our bad habits
that hurt ourselves
and hurt other people.
The desire to pursue God
and be like him
is all his gift.
And when we remember this,
it protects us.
Knowing the place
of God's discipline
protects us
from setting
our own discipline
and attempting
to follow God
motivated by the wrong thing.
We're going to see
three things
that might be
motivators for you
to obey God.
Three things
that might motivate us
and discipline us
in the wrong way
to obey God.
The first one is that
we can be disciplined
by debt.
1 Corinthians 6.20
says that
you were bought
for a price.
Jesus
has paid a price
for us
to be brought into heaven.
He paid for our sins
dying on the cross
and this is
wonderfully true
and we are saved.
And because of this
we are in debt
to God
but God's gift
of salvation
is our free gift.
We can't pay back
this gift.
It is a real problem
for a Christian
or for a person
to try and pay back
this debt
to God
and to be disciplined
by debt.
Motivated to perform
so well
to pay back God
thinking
God has done
so much for me
I have sinned
so much
and yet he has
forgiven me
so much
by Jesus' blood
I owe him so much
so do you know what
I'm going to obey
really hard
I'm going to pay
him back
because I am in
so much debt
and I am going to be
good enough
for Jesus' sacrifice.
In Filipino culture
there is a concept
if I can get my
Tagalog right
correct me
utang na la ob
how is this
for my Tagalogs
because that's okay
yes
utang na la ob
in Filipino culture
it's this concept
called the debt
of volition
it's this idea
that you are in
someone's debt
as long as you live
and if someone
gives you something
and places you
in their debt
you don't know
how to measure
this amount of debt
that you are in
and you might
never know
if you have paid
this debt back
can you imagine
being in debt
to someone
and you have no idea
where you stand
with them
and it creates
a relationship
that is dependent
and you just
are always
unsure
do I need to
keep doing
what they ask me
do I keep
paying them back
and this idea
of being in debt
to others
it's a danger
for us
if that's how
we respond to God
we can easily
think of God
with a relationship
in terms of debt
we can focus
on what he's done
in the past
and now what I
have to do
obeying him
as a form
of repayment
being motivated
to be holy
to pay back
God
is impossible
because we're never
going to pay
that debt back
if you're anything
like me
with the amount
I sin throughout
the day
this is not a
close and
intimate relationship
it's not a
healthy relationship
with God
and it only
takes part
of the gospel
into account
it focuses
on the
slave and
master relationship
and not the
parent child
relationship
with God
when we're
disciplined
by God's grace
and not
by debt
we're reminded
that we can't
pay back
God
we can't
pay back
God
for the
sin we've
committed
and the sins
we will
commit
but he has
forgiven them
as an act
of grace
for some
it might be
easier to think
about our
relationship with
God like
duty
so we can be
disciplined
by a sense
of duty
to follow
God
maybe we've
come from
a family
system
that's all
about
obligations
and expectations
and this is
how you must
obey
as a child
of this
family
this is what
you are to
do
and these
are the
expectations
you're a
barnet
and this is
what a
barnet does
this is the
university you
have to go
to
this is the
job you
have to
have
and if
you fail
you shame
this family
and you let
us all down
everyone does
their duty
and the family
works
God has
done his
duty providing
for us
and we
are bound
to respond
with obedience
so we can be
disciplined by a
sense of duty
to follow God
God again is a
master in this
situation and we
have to obey
it makes our
pursuit of
holiness
a legal
obligation that
we have to
carry out
devoid of
love and
mercy and
intimacy
again we
are responsible
we do have
a duty to
obey God
he is our
master
but if that's
where it
stops
if it's
devoid of
grace
his
unearned and
undeserved
love
then being
disciplined by a
sense of duty
or obligation
is just going to
lay a burden on
our shoulders
that we can
never lift
if we're
disciplined by
duty
it will
eventually turn
into a
worship of
God that is
based on
our works
God's
teaching and
instruction is
done within a
relationship
one where Jesus
has fulfilled
every legal
responsibility and
obligation
and we reap
the rewards of
what Jesus has
done
so we can be
disciplined by
a sense of
duty we can be
disciplined
by a debt
to him
and lastly
we can be
disciplined by
doubt
unsure of
whether Jesus'
death was
really sufficient
doubting that
really God
does God
really love
me
I'm not
sure
and so I'm
going to cover
my bases with
obedience
I'm going to
make sure that
I'm in God's
good books by
doing everything
I can
I'm going to
try and tip
the balance
you know
there's my
sins
there's
Jesus'
work
and just to
make sure
this side is
heavier
I'm going to
put my works
on top of
Jesus'
as if that
were possible
trying to
give God
every reason
on top of
what Jesus
has done
to let me
into his
family
I can imagine
doing something
like this in
my work before
ministry
where you know
around this
time of year
was when we
had the pay
increases
and so you
know it was
always trying
to be on
best behaviour
you know
get to
work early
leave late
after the
boss has
left
I try and
look as
good as
possible
I'm always
working really
hard when
he was around
just to make
sure that the
boss had no
doubt in his
mind that I
was one of
the hard
workers
but if we're
disciplined by
doubt we
run the risk
of forgetting
the gospel
our anxiety
and our worry
becomes bigger
than God's
grace
his undeserved
and unearned
love
that there
is nothing
we can do
at all to
earn his
forgiveness
and yet he
gives it
anyway
there is
nothing we
can do to
get his
approval
yet Jesus'
blood wipes
away our
sin and
makes us
approved
before God
if we are
pursuing holiness
and obedience
to God
with a sense
of doubt
let me
encourage you
to come back
to the heart
of the gospel
that you
are loved
even though
you are
unlovely
you are
forgiven
even though
you do
not deserve
it
imagine
you hop on
the metro
later today
the metro is
full
it's pumping
and unfortunately
it crashes
and everyone
on that train
goes to heaven
and everyone
rushes off
that train
to head
to God
and to get
into heaven
and start
the feast
it's a terrible
accident
but we are
in heaven
it's good
and you are
there
thinking
great
I am
nearly there
but you are
just dragging
these three
big bags
behind you
one has got
debt written
on it
one has got
duty written
on it
and one has
got doubt
written on it
and you are
dragging these
three bags
with you
I just
need to
carry
my works
to work
off my debt
the works
of my duty
and just in case
Jesus hasn't
done enough
I have got
an extra bag
filled with
some other
good things
just in case
and I am going
to take these
to God
and I am going
to get into
heaven
and you are
dragging these
and huffing
and puffing
you finally
get there
everybody
that was on
the train
is already in
they are enjoying
the feast
it's wonderful
and you drop
it all at
God's feet
and say
God
look at
what I have
done
I worked
hard
all my
life
to pay
you back
for Jesus
dying
for me
I have
done
all of
these
things
out of
debt
out of
obligation
to you
and I have
got an
extra bag
just in case
you want a
little bit
extra
that is
just for
you
surely
that is
all you have
required
of me
what do
you think
God's
response
would be
I can't
help but
imagine
God would
respond like
a patient
parent
to an
anxious
child
little
child
you didn't
have to
drag
all of
this here
your entry
in here
has already
been paid
your ticket
was purchased
by Jesus
many years
ago
that all
looks
exhausting
all you
had to
do
was
obey
and I
know
that was
hard
for you
because
you
were
sinful
but I
was next
to you
every step
of the
way
but you
always
forgot
that I
love you
and you
motivated
yourself
with the
wrong
thing
brothers
and sisters
let's
not forget
that God
disciplines us
from a
place of
love
and
forgiveness
run
to him
asking
him
to help
you
to obey
ask him
where you
were sinning
it's a
dangerous
thing to
do to
ask God
where you
were sinning
to point
it out
if you
don't know
he will
point it
out
and listen
really well
because God
will reveal
how you
need to
change
it could
come through
a friend
it could
come through
reading God's
word
when I
do this
very quickly
many of
my faults
come to
mind
run to
God
and ask
for him
to help
you
to obey
him
beg him
on your
knees
for the
power of
his
holy
spirit
to give
you
self
control
upright
and
godliness
and don't
be motivated
by a
sense of
debt
or duty
or doubt
let me
pray for
us
heavenly
father
I