Have you heard that line, “If you want to teach a dog or a kid, you’ve got to say it over and over.” I just made that up. But it’s true. Whatever it is you want ’em to learn; if you say it enough, if you demonstrate it enough, it will finally soak in. You create those neural links in their heads and their bodies. You can bet on it. I think God had that same policy in mind when He dictated the Bible to the writers. One subject I’ve noticed lately (over and over) is about HEARING AND DOING. I don’t know how many times my momma said it, but I finally got it, “YOU’VE GOT TO DO WHAT I SAY!” (whether you like it or not; if you want to live long and do good.)
Jesus said it almost that loud and that strong in Matthew 7:24-26, when He said, “If you hear My words and do what I say, I’ll think you’re a wise man . . . but if you hear My words and you don’t do them, you’re a fool. . .” (my paraphrase). And in James 1:22, God says, through James, “Be a DOER of the Word, and not just a hearer; deceiving yourselves.” If we don’t do what Jesus says, we’re fools, and we’re lying to ourselves. In Luke 11:27-28, a woman said, “Blessed is the woman who gave birth to you . . .” and Jesus said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep (guard, defend) it.”
And it’s not just about “don’t do this and don’t do that”. It’s about what you DO as a positive act, an act of your will. It’s like in John 5:24, He says, “If you pay attention (heed, do) what I say, and trust Him who sent Me, you have eternal life.” Trusting in God is not easy; but it’s the only thing that works in this life. You have to DO IT as an act of your will. Over and over, until it starts to feel easy (or at least easier.) That’s the only way you’re ever going to have the peace that passes understanding is when you trust Jesus as an act of your will.
That’s what He’s talking about when He says, “If you follow God’s commands, you will live!” See Luke 10:28.
Last weekend we went to First United Methodist Church in Newton, Texas. The kids at John Wesley UMC, from grades 6-12, did a weekend mission trip. We built a wheelchair ramp, and did a good deal of mowing and cleanup for several people in the community. We had a Vacation Bible School for 49 kids. We worked in the Food Pantry (and Clothing Shop) of Newton, stocking and sorting. We had entertainment: A Youth Rally on Friday night, with live music, games, toys and free tee-shirts; and a movie for all ages on Saturday night, on the lawn in front of the Church, an animated feature called “Inside-Out”. Popcorn, candy and drinks for all!
Discipline is one of the ‘fruits of the Spirit’, as in Galatians 5:22-23. But there it’s called ‘self-control.’ Discipline (as in self-control) is extolled as a virtue, almost without equal. If you can be self-disciplined, then you can achieve almost any goal known to man. Wars are won by armies who have the most self-disciplined soldiers, from top to bottom. Their officers not only give good orders, but their troops respond well to orders, and they always fulfill their orders. Of such are great men and great events made.
Romans 8:1-4: “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not follow their sinful nature, but follow the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the sinful nature, God, by sending His own Son . . . condemned the sin of the sinful nature, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not follow our sinful nature but follow the Spirit.”
Romans 12:1 says, “I beg you, brothers and sisters, to present you bodies as a living sacrifice ….”
Luke 9: 23 says, “If anyone would follow me (be my disciple), let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” The point I want to focus on right now is about our daily habits. We can’t go many days without eating (and we certainly like to eat every day); we cannot live more than a few days without water; we have to sleep regularly, mostly every night. If we don’t go to work or school every day, we won’t last long in those endeavors. If we don’t do these things every day, we will languish, and diminish, and die.
In Luke 4:14-21; Luke says, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ [Isaiah 61:1-2] Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’ ”
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