Series: Disciplines for the 21st Century
The Christian Disciplines are the Nutrients that Produce the Christian Walk
Psalm 1 September 22, 2002
Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
[2] But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
[3] He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
[4] Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
[5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
[6] For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Introduction to the Series: Several years ago a science fiction series entitled Alien Nation made quite a stir. One of the alien characters, George Francisco, who had settled in Los Angeles had volunteered to be a coach for his daughter's little league team. George's method of coaching was to watch the great players of baseball in action and then try to teach the children the techniques of these players. However, he confused techniques with style and so at practice he would line the children up and have them learn how to catch Roberto Clemente style, with a basket catch. Then there was the Willie Mays catch over the shoulder. When they learned to bat they learned the stance of various players. And when there were runners on base they would be told to use the Roberto Alomar headfirst slide or the Pete Rose batting stance. They learned to pitch Nolen Ryan knuckleballs and Jim Catfish Hunter sliders.
But, all their training was in learning to be like someone else and of course it did no good. When they entered the game, it was disastrous, no matter what style they tried to imitate, it did no good because they had never learned the basic skills or rules of the game. You can not play baseball successfully just by trying to be like others in a game. To be a really successful ballplayer you need to devote all your energies and attention to developing the skills needed to perform in the game.
The very same thing is true in the Christian life. If we try to live like a Christian in times of crisis, or when we face temptation, or when we enter the church, we will fail. Because Christian living is not about what we do when we face trials or difficulties. Instead, Christian living is about life. It is about learning to live each day and each moment by learning to know God as he is revealed in Jesus Christ.
Whenever I go out into the bay, I am amazed by the sailboats I see. On Friday last week, I saw one catching the full wind as it entered the river. The boat was sailing at a 60 angle. It seemed that the boat would turn over, but then I realized that below the surface there was a weight that would keep it upright, no matter how far it leaned. It was the keel below the surface that gave the boat stability in the wind. And I believe that it is life that has been developed below the surface that will give us stability when we face storms and winds in our lives.
So how do we do that? How can we develop the skills needed to play the game? How do we build a life below the surface that will give us the stability to withstand storms?
Throughout the history of the Christian church, men and women of faith have found that disciplining our lives through the Power of the Holy Spirit is the path that will lead to victory. Beginning today, and concluding on Christmas Sunday, we are going to examine and seek to develop in our lives specific disciplines that God will use to strengthen us to face the game and withstand the storms.
Now, I want to say something very important. Please understand, the Christian disciplines that we will be studying, the disciplines of prayer and meditation, fasting and study, the disciplines of simplicity, and giving and service, the disciplines of worship and celebration are not a path to salvation, nor are they requirements for redemption. To put it another way, these are not "gotta's". It is not that we "gotta" pray or that we "gotta" study, rather these disciplines are a path that God has given us if we want to know Him and experience victory in our lives. Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." But we will only experience the light, life-giving burden of Jesus, when these disciplines begin to characterize our lives. To ignore them is like skipping practice because we think we are good enough ball players that we don't need it. Hear the word of the Lord that will be a theme for us for the next few months. Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Intro to Sermon: The first discipline that I want to share with you, one that I believe can contribute to a peace in our souls beyond anything we have ever known, is the discipline of Meditation.
Now, as Western Christians who live in a world of hurry, hurry, rush, rush, the practice of meditation sounds very foreign to our ears. However, throughout the history of the Christian church and through the Old Testament, the discipline of meditation has been a central focus in the lives of the saints.
The Psalm we read this morning describes the person who is blessed. It talks about what he does not do, and where he does not spend his time. It talks about the source of her joy, which is the Law of the Lord; it speaks of her stability, strength and fruitfulness, which is like a firmly planted, well watered tree. But behind all of these characteristics is a person who does just one thing. The blessed person meditates on the revelation of God all the time.
WHAT IS MEDITATION?
So just what is this thing the Bible calls meditation? In the 1960's Eastern Religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism began to gain in popularity in this country. Meditation is central to these religions. But, Eastern Meditation seeks to empty the mind. In contrast, meditation as described in the Bible seeks to fill the mind with the things of God. The difference is significant. Jesus told a story of a man whose life was swept clean of evil spirits, yet he chose to let it remain empty. In a short time, the evil spirits returned with seven friends and the final state of the man was worse than it was in the beginning. It is not enough simply to empty our minds. Richard Foster, in a wonderful book entitled "Celebration of Discipline," which I will refer to often during this series, says, "Christian Meditation, very simply, is the ability to hear God's voice and obey his Word. . . When we meditate, we create an emotional and spiritual space which allows God to construct a sanctuary in our hearts."
Meditation is the conscious decision to turn away from the rush of the day, and enter a place of silence where we can open our hearts to the moving and working of the Holy Spirit. It is a difficult discipline because, our whole culture screams against the practice for when we meditate, we are doing nothing. We are not planning, we are not accomplishing a goal, we are not getting any work done.
WHY SHOULD WE MEDITATE?
And so the natural question is why would we bother with this work? If as Hebrews tells us discipline is painful and hard work, why pour energy into something that seems to do nothing?
The answer is very clear in the scriptures, we meditate because this is what our souls were created to do. We were created to fellowship with God. It is in this time of turning away, that we are enabled us to return to our tasks with new purpose and energy and direction.
Some have suggested that Christians who spend time in meditation become so heavenly minded, they are not earthly good. However, men and women of faith throughout history have proven that this is not the case. William Penn noted, "True godliness does not turn people out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their desires to mend it."
This is not some form of psychological manipulation. Meditation may have value in dropping our blood pressure or relieving tension. But the reason we meditate is not for these physical benefits, but the Christian meditates because we live in a universe created by the infinite-personal God who delights in our communication with him, and so meditation is communication between the Lover and the one beloved.
Why do we undertake this discipline? Dietrich Bonnhoeffer stated it very simply, when asked why he meditated, he replied, "Because I am a Christian." Paul's prayer is God's invitation, he said, "(I pray) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, [18] may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, [19] and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God."
That we may know the fulness of God, this is why we meditate. This knowledge of God does not lead to a casual buddy-buddy relationship with God, but to an intimate relationship that reveals to us God himself high and lifted up, filling the temple with his glory. Through the discipline of meditation we become able to enter into a relationship with God through Christ that is unfettered by distrust or hiding. We meditate that we may know God.
HOW DO WE MEDITATE?
I believe that every believer has this longing within them. It is a longing that God himself plants within us when we are born again. But how do we do it? How can we learn this discipline?
Throughout the centuries Christians have exercised many different ways of listening to God. First and foremost, meditation on Scripture will open the door to God's work in our lives. I am not talking about studying at this point, we will deal with that later. Rather, to meditate on the scriptures is to invite the written word, to become a living word to you. Once again Bonhoeffer wrote, "just as you do not analyze the words of someone you love, but accept them as they are said to you, accept the Word of Scripture and ponder it in your heart as Mary did. That's it, that is meditation."
When we meditate it is time for us to invite our sanctified imaginations to guide us. Yes, we are fallen, but we were created with imaginations that can help us understand others and discover truth. In addition, I find it very helpful to sit at a table, with my back straight and my feet flat with a candle lit in front of me. Something about that flame helps keep my attention on the time of meditation.
Now, when you meditate on scripture, don't pass over it quickly, seek to live the experience of the passage. Feel the splash of the waves, taste the salt in the air, smell the seaweed and nets that are in the boat with you. Hear the wind, see the sails flapping in the storm, shake Jesus awake as he sleeps in the boat. Experience fear vanish as Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves. Sense a new fear as you become aware of what has just happened. When meditating on scripture, remember you are an active participant, not a passive observer. Meditating on scripture is what the righteous man in Psalm 1 does that gives him strength, stability and fruitfulness.
Meditate on Scripture. And then meditate on understanding your heart. Seek to see your sin as God does. Center your thoughts upon having a right relationship with God. One exercise that is very helpful is palms down, palms up. Begin with open hands facing down as a symbol of releasing things to God. Silently pray, "Lord, I give you the anger I feel toward Harry. I release to you my fear of making this sales visit this afternoon. I surrender my anxiety over not having enough money for the bills that are due." Then turn your palms up to receive God's gifts. Once again pray, "Lord, I receive your love for Harry. I claim your peace in my anxiety, I want your provision for my needs." Whatever you need simply say "palms up" as a sign of your willingness to receive. And then sit in silence, listening with your heart. If direction comes, follow it. If nothing happens, great, God has been present.
Meditation that centers on listening to God, is what we see Elijah doing when he heard God speak through a still small voice.
Christians have also found that meditation on the things of nature can open our hearts to the Spirit of God. You might take a flower and really look at it. Notice the symmetry, soak in it's beauty, revel in it's colors. Quiet yourself with gratitude for what God can teach you through creation.
In the same way, you may meditate on the events in our world. Ask God for insight into the needs of people around us. Silently seek to understand what it is like for a child to move into a new school. Listen to her fears, feel her excitement. When tragedy strikes, like 9-11 or flooding, meditate on God's presence in these events. God will speak to you in these moments.
But remember, meditation is not a single act. It is not completed when you get up from your chair. Meditation is a way of life that we have the privilege of learning. I invite you this week to begin to plumb the depths of the soul as you embark on the discipline of meditation.
