STUDY QUESTIONS:
1. Name something you’re struggling with in the Christian life.
Ponder this next to Matthew 11:28-30. What do you think Jesus is trying to tell you?
2. Centuries ago St. John of the Cross talked against comparison: “When beginners become aware of their own fervor and diligence in their spiritual works and devotional exercises, this prosperity of theirs gives rise to secret pride…and they conceive a certain satisfaction in the contemplation of their works and of themselves…they condemn others in their heart when they see they are not devout in their way.” (Ortberg, p. 40).
Name someone that you compare yourself with. What are the primary areas of comparison (i.e. looks, money)? What kinds of emotions does this stir in you? What does this do to your relationship with them? (2 Cor 10:12)
3. Name an SD that is underused in your life? (There may be many, but pick the one you think you need most right now to produce the 4Cs.) List a baby step you could take to incorporate it more into your DAILY life.
4. List an area of your life where it’s mostly about QUANTITY vs. QUALITY, more about “What” vs. “Why”, and efficiency vs. effectiveness. What could you do about it this week? Name an area where you’re operating by “MORE IS BETTER” instead of “less is more.” (Could more merely be more headaches and stress?)
5. What would make your life more like a sailboat than a rowboat?
I. How many times have you heard the Christian life described as a struggle? We often refer to how much we’re wrestling with something in living the life. Or we’re working hard to produce Christ-likeness in some area of our life or how much we sweating some ministry. We’re struggling to hear God’s voice on some important issue.
A. I don’t mean to say there is no effort on our part. There is effort involved in anything meaningful and sometimes struggle. But I’ve been thinking about what Jesus meant when He said (Mt 11:28-30). How about Isaiah who said it’s the way of the sinner that is hard (Pr 13:15). There’s John’s admonition about sorting out God’s will, hearing God speak through the Bible (I Jn 5:3). Moses echoes (Dt 30:11-14). And Jesus said many times: “the Kingdom of God is near, among, actually IN you… “
II. We’ve been talking about the SDs as ways we experience 4Cs in the Christian life. One of the misunderstandings that happens when we talk about them goes like this. If I just TRY harder, struggle more, wrestle with better moves, I will grow closer to Jesus and be more like Him.
A. I’ll come back to that danger. There’s another called COMPARISON. This leads to pride. St. John of the cross said it best: “When beginners become aware of their own fervor and diligence in their spiritual works and devotional exercises, this prosperity of theirs gives rise to secret pride…and they conceive a certain satisfaction in the contemplation of their works and of themselves…they condemn others in their heart when they see they are not devout in their way.” (Ortberg, p. 40).
1. “When they compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise” Paul laments (2 Cor 10:12).
2. Could use the comparisons that mid-sized churches do toward small and larger churches that end up killing them. Or just the comparison we do anytime someone does something well. Can’t we celebrate that, offer to help and let them do it? Do we have to jump in and compete and compare?
III. Some of the freshest insights I’m learning about these SDs are:
A. PRAYER is verbalizing what’s on your mind and heart to the Lord. We too often think that we have to go to a prayer closet, get on our knees, or have a holy frame of mind to pray. That won’t lead to “prayer w/o ceasing” (I Th 5:17) or 4Cs. That’s not the experience of the psalmists. Sometimes their words blasted and burned (Psa 83:9, 13-15).
1. Distractions are huge in prayer. Why not make them the subject of your prayers? They’re often what’s really closest to your heart. Don’t you believe the Lord cares about what you care about (I Pet 5:7)?...your GC?
2. Pray on the spot when needs come up for others. I’m trying to get better here. This is not a gimmick so I can forget about you once I’ve prayed for you on the phone or in the hallway. It’s a way doing the 4Cs. It actually cements your face and your need into my soul & spirit so I pray MORE for you later on.
3. I’m trying to do this more during counseling and conversations, esp when the conversation gets tense (ill w/ neighbor, AC). It actually lessens the tension AND makes me MORE aware of what the other is saying, along w/ my absolute need for Jesus in that conversation (Jn 15:5b).
B. FELLOWSHIP is a primary SD à holiness (Heb 3:12-14).
1. Accountability is one of the key components of fellowship. I can’t tell you of the gains and growth that have come into my life through honest, accountability with other men who love me and who love Jesus. I meet with two of these groups weekly (not weakly). We laugh, we cry, we grin, grit our teeth, and sometimes grate on each other. But we love each other and want what’s best for each other. Don’t you want that? Need that in your life? See us.
2. Rick Warren says accountability is overrated. I disagree. That’s like saying exercise is overrated. I’ve read tons of well-documented, repeated research by all kinds of researchers who prove time and again the value of exercise on everything from weight management to stress reduction to fighting off cancer, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis, etc. I could literally go on and on. Most have experienced the benefits and otherwise of exercise.
3. So, is exercise overrated? NO! It’s underused. It’s the same w/ PREVENTATIVE solutions to healthcare that are getting little attention today in the shouting matches we’re having nationally on this topic. Fish was called brain food way beck when I was little. I just read another scientific study touting the benefits to the brain and the heart of eating fish twice weekly. Don’t worry about the mercury if you stay away from Shark and swordfish. (I’m not into eating stuff that could’ve eaten me, or YOU). Back in my childhood was when nutritional science and preventative medicine was gaining popularity. (They did have science when I was little, though we were right on the dawn of discovery.)
4. Is accountability overrated? No! It’s underused. Can you lie in accountability? Sure. Can you fake it? Absolutely. But that’s not because accountability is overrated, it’s underused. Like most SDs.
5. I’m in the Howard Hendricks (50+ year Dallas Sem Prof) school of accountability who said: “A man without accountability is an accident waiting to happen.”
6. God says this on accountability and support groups like we have in abundance (contact Gil or CR people—Jas 5:16; Gal 6:1-2; Heb 3:12-13; 2 Cor 1:3-4; Ecc. 4:9-12).
C. BIBLE STUDY. I’m learning I MUST be in the Bible every day. Amount isn’t the key, it’s regularity and consistency.
1. Some of the latest research on running and the damage it does to your joints is showing it’s not running itself that is damaging. It’s doing it the wrong way, It’s injuries, and running too. They found lots of runners in their 70s and 80s who ran well, but they ran small amounts regularly. They’re finding eating lots of small meals a day is the key to weight control and sustaining energy.
2. I’m wondering if that’s not a key to the SDs. [My son told me not to talk w/ my mouth full. I said I’d never be able to speak, because I’m ALWAYS eating. I’m just going with the current, cutting-edge research.]
3. It doesn’t matter if you can’t remember everything you read. Can you remember everything you ate last week? Do you think it still nourished you? (I used that analogy about my sermons once and it didn’t impress my adversary.)
4. And SLOW DOWN when you read God’s Word. LESS IS MORE here as they’re discovering in so many areas.
5. I just read one of Lincoln’s biographers who made a case that a key to his greatness was he only pondered a few great projects or ideas at one time. He said that was directly related to the few books he had growing up: the Bible, Aesop’s fables and a couple McGuffey readers. Most all of these had memorized. He spent lots of time alone. This enabled him to really focus on each individual when he spent time with them.
6. Is QUANTITY in how much we read, how many meetings we have, and accomplish over-rated? I say “YES.” How about slowing down and asking the questions about EFFECTIVENESS? How about asking “WHY” (purpose) you’re doing what you’re doing, not just what and how much?
7. Quantity and speed-reading is over-rated when it comes to the Bible. We hang on every word someone says that we really love. Hang longer on God’s Words. Ponder, pray over them. Chew them like so many saints tell us to do (Josh 1:8. Word study on “meditation” and the story of the couple who shared EVERYTHING).
D. Another SD is journaling. I’m writing more of what God tells me as a result of slowing down and meditating. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in a $.50 notebook or a $2500 “Notebook”.
1. This makes a great segue into family devotions (another SD?). Families (couples-show NIV Couple’s Bible) who do devotions together don’t have to be an endangered species. We do that some with my writings & ramblings.
IV. But all SDs are only a MEANS to an end/goal, which is the 4Cs.
A. One of the dangers of talking about the SDs we start to think the Christian life is more like a rowboat than a sailboat.
1. Jesus was more familiar with sailboats than row boats. We think the Christian life is like a row boat. If we just get the right stroke down or row harder, or get bigger oars or somebody to help me row (the right SD combo, the 12 steps, the right study plan, the right church, class, small group, or preacher, for goodness sakes!) then our boat would really go. That makes it about us doing it; us in charge. We control the boat’s direction (our life), speed and when it goes. If we’re not happy or more like Christ, or closer to Christ, we just row harder.
2. But the Christian life is much more like a sailboat than a rowboat. We put up our sails and catch the wind of the Spirit who blows where He will (Jn 3). The SDs are putting up our sails. We don’t produce the wind. We think we do. Some of us huff and puff and bluster and blow trying to do it better, trying to live the life, always struggling. Use the SDs to raise your sails and catch His empowering Spirit.
B. Remember the classic chapter on the 4Cs is sandwiched between two classics on the Holy Spirit, who is so needed as source of power for navigating the 4Cs.
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