Open Your Eyes
Romans 12:1-2 Philip. 4:8-9 2 Tim. 2:14-19 October 13, 2002
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. [2] Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. [9] Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. [15] Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. [16] Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
CCI: God will use the discipline of Study to renew our minds and transform our lives.
Intro: Gordon MacDonald: When I went to the University of Colorado as an athlete, I discovered we had a track coach who was a sadist. Every Monday for ten months of the year there was a standard workout. We ran twenty quarter miles each at 63 seconds, with three minutes of jogging in between. It was a devastatingly painful workout. I hated it. I hated Monday with a passion. When the workout was finished, I virtually crawled to the locker room.
There was another man on the team, though, who did that workout alongside of me. After the workout was over and I had left the field, he rested for fifteen minutes and then would do the workout a second time. His name was Bill Toomey. He went on to win an Olympic gold medal in the decathlon.
Many of us think we want to be Olympic champions when we are children. But we are unwilling to do what the champion must do to win. We often approach our spiritual lives in much the same way and it would be humorous, if it were not so tragic. Somehow we have been duped into believing that we can be like Christ without doing the things He did. Without copying Bill Toomey’s regimen, there is no way Gordon Mc Donald would ever be a champion. Toomey had to long to discipline himself and force a change to his very nature if he was going to be a champion. Jesus often spent the entire night in prayer. He daily, early in the day, spent time by himself in lonely places. He fasted in the wilderness while seeking His Father’s will. Are we so arrogant as to believe we can follow Christ and be like Christ without following His example? There is no question, the disciplines we have been studying are overwhelming. We can not do it all at once, but we can learn to practice. Some of the disciplines will more easily become a part of your life. Others will be like running 20 1/4 miles sprints every week. But as we practice these disciplines, we will be changed.
Intro to sermon: It has been said you are what you eat. And there may be truth in that. But even more true is the fact that you are what you think. Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” The things we fill our minds with, the things we concentrate on, the things we study will change us.
When my family first moved from rural Butler County, PA to Bridgeton, NJ, the change was more than dramatic. In Pennsylvania where I grew up, there was 1 family who was ethnicity was not European. Upon moving to Bridgeton, I discovered that White European Americans were in the minority in the town and in the schools. The year was 1970 and racial tensions in Bridgeton were very high. In 1970, 1972 and 1975 the schools were closed because of racial violence. My father tells of the anger that used to well up within him when he would try to go to the 7-11 down the street. As he would pull into the parking lot teens would stand in front of the car challenging him to hit them. After about 3 months, he began to see evidence of hatred in his heart. And so he began a practice. Whenever he saw a teenager and he would immediately start quoting 1 Cor 13:4-7 “love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous or envious. It is never selfish or haughty or proud or rude. Love does not demand it’s own way, it is not irritable or touchy and hardly even notices when others do it wrong. Love is never glad about injustice, but rejoices when truth wins out. Love expects the best and will always stand it’s ground in defending others. Love never fails.”
Now when he would quote that, he was not expressing the feelings of his heart. However, as time went by and he continued to fill his mind with these words, he found his attitude changing. No longer did he have a desire to press the pedal to the metal when the kids stood in front of him, he began to feel compassion for them. The church he served opened its doors to these kids and once a week held an after school kid’s Klub. 25 years later, as he prepared to retire, he had parents of elementary and Jr high school kids come up to him and say, Rev. Stratton, you don’t remember me, I’m sure, but Kid’s Klub was the best thing that ever happened to me. I met Jesus there, and today I am involved in my church. I wish there was something like Kid’s Klub for my kids.”
This is what God did through a man who was willing to be transformed by the renewing of his mind. The change that came in his life and to that community, came as the result of the discipline of study.
I. The Importance of Study
Study will change your life. Romans 12:2 says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Foster says, “Study is the kind of experience in which through careful attention to reality the mind is enabled to move in a certain direction.” He adds, “Remember, the mind will always take on an order conforming to the order upon which it concentrates.” In other words, you will become what you think. If you want to change habits in your life, change the way you think. Through concentration, perception and repetition, new habits are formed.
Many of the celebrations of the Old Testament involved repeating the stories of God’s activities with the people. They retold the story of creation and of the flood. They told of the Exodus and the call of Abraham. They told one another of the stories of Saul and David and Judges. The Law was to be written on the doorpost and worn in the clothing. The purpose is to direct our thoughts to God on a regular basis. What we study will determine the kinds of habits that are formed.
II. The Elements and objects of Study
Study involves 4 things
First, study involves repetition. Repetition forms pathways in our brains. We may not think much of rote memory learning, but repetition will begin the process of developing ingrained habits in our lives. These can be positive habits or negative habits. If we repeated expose ourselves to pornography, our minds will develop pornographic patterns. If we repeatedly expose ourselves to the teaching of the Word of God, we will develop patterns of living that will reflect God’s word.
Repetition establishes mental pathways that will lead to action. This is why television violence really is an important issue. We wonder how a person could be so cold as to randomly kill people in the Washington area. However, one of the hottest video games is called “Sniper” and the object is to kill people. The repetition of this kind of violence desensitizes us and eventually leads to violent action. Repetition of God’s actions is the first step in Godly study.
Second, study involves concentration. As a nation, we are a distracted people. We read and do homework with the television on. We must have a radio playing in the car. Cell phones are now being sold because they have color screen games to make sure you don’t get bored. Concentration can take the thoughts that are repeated and breathe life into them. We are constantly being bombarded by stimuli, yet our mind is able to focus on one or two of these things when we concentrate. Concentration greatly enhances our ability to learn. When we choose not to concentrate we are the ones who suffer.
Third, study involves comprehension. We repeated focus on something, we concentrate on that thing, and then we seek to understand it. Comprehension is not always easy. In 2 Peter we read “Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don't know what they are talking about twist them every which way.” So even the people of the 1st Century found Paul’s letters to be difficult at times. Very often we learn facts about the Bible without learning the truth of the Bible. The Pharisees knew a lot about God’s revelation, however, they did not understand what they were learning. Comprehension is the WOW that comes when you read something for the 25th time and suddenly understand it. Comprehension leads to a clearer understanding of reality.
But comprehension and concentration and repetition are not enough in themselves. We also need reflection on what we have learned. Comprehension is about the meaning, reflection helps us identify the significance. In reflection we begin to see things from God’s perspective. Jesus often talked about people with ears that do not hear and eyes that do not see, when we reflect on what we understand, we will begin to hear and see in new ways.
These elements of Study are not easy to employ, but that is why they are a discipline. So how do we use them?
III. The Practice of Study
A. In books
the first area of study that most of us think of is the study of books. There are many ways we can read, but when we set out to study, we must read with three questions in mind. First, what is the author saying? Second, what does the author mean? And finally, is the author right or wrong? This kind of evaluation is not easy. We don’t usually read this carefully, but if we are going to study, there is not choice.
After we have read carefully asking these questions, then we can continue the evaluation in three ways. First, how does this stack up against my experience? Second, what do other authors say about this subject? And third, what can I learn by talking to others about this? These steps will provide new insights and creative ways of living what we are learning.
We can use these methods of study with any book, but the most important book we can study is of course the Bible. Psalm 119:9 (Msg) “How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. . . Your word have I hidden in my heart that I may not sin against you.” The purpose of studying the word of God is not to amass information, it is to be changed. To be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This is different than devotional reading. Study involves learning to see the whole picture. It asks what is the author’s purpose here? And finally asks, how will this change my life?
When we meditate on scripture, we often take a very small portion and savor it. When we study, we look at larger portions and let them grow in us. I am amazed when I discover how common it is that Believers have often never read the gospel of John or the Letter to the Romans from beginning to end in one sitting. We only get bits and pieces, we need to hear the whole letter. We need to see the movement of the writer and then ask what does this have to say to me?
I would suggest that you begin a disciplined study by reading a smaller new testament book each day for a month. Then begin to read some commentaries, if you need one, I have many that I would share with you. Perhaps start with 1st John, or Ephesians and read it through. There will be days when it will be dry, but we must continue, that is what a discipline is about, exercise and practice so that our lives may be changed.
And don’t limit your study to the Bible. The Bible is the written word of God, but through the centuries there have been many who have shared the truth of God from their own study. Study the writings of other authors, read Screwtape Letters or Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. Read the Confessions of Augustine, and A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life by William Law. Novelists often have tremendous insights into human nature and redemption. Read Shakespeare and Tolstoy. In prayer ask God how He would reveal himself to you.
The discipline of study can transform your life. But only if you practice it regularly. The story is told of one area of Africa where Christianity began to spread. There the new believers were zealous about daily devotions. They would find their own spot within the wild thickets and pour their hearts out to God in prayer and study and meditation. After some time the spots became well-worn, and paths were created. Soon, one's prayer life was made public. If someone began to neglect his or her devotional life, it would soon be noticed by others. Believers would then gently and lovingly remind those in neglect, "The grass grows on your path."
Friend, is there grass on your path? Or has the discipline of study worn clean deep tracks in your mind for the Holy Spirit to do his Work.
