Irvington Presbyterian Church
PO Box 1336 4181 Irvington Avenue, Fremont, CA 94538
www.irvingtonpres.org
510-657-3133
October 18, 2015
“Practice, Practice, Practice”
Larry Thorson*
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John 15:1-17
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in
me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that
it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have
spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by
itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in
me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will
bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me,
you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked
up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s
glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
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“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.10 If you
keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s
commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in
you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as
I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for
one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call
you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I
have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made
known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that
you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in
my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
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New International Version
We’re continuing our Bill Hybels series The Power of a Whisper by looking
at what it means to “practice” this thing called hearing from God. I’d like to open
with a little word-association game. Here’s how it will work. I’ll name a role or a
discipline, and you tell a person near you the name of the person who comes to
mind that represents the world’s greatest in that discipline, as far as you’re
concerned.
First up: Basketball player. Name the basketball player that you think represents
the world’s greatest basketball player.
Actor
NFL quarterback
Singer
Chef
Golfer
Ballet dancer
Race-car driver
Painter
Author
How do you suppose each of the “world’s greatest” people you named
became so proficient in their respective disciplines? Sure, good DNA may have
helped. Raw talent may have helped. Right place at the right time may have even
played a role. But if there was one explanation for how these people got so good
at singing or acting or playing golf, what do you suppose it is? Practice.
We become what we practice. If you practice golf each day for four hours,
most likely you will become a good golfer over time. If you practice the art of
cooking every single day, most likely you will become accomplished as a chef.
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What would you say you’re practicing these days? Maybe you’re trying to
drop a few pounds, and so you’re practicing eating healthier meals or
incorporating exercise into your daily routine. You’re an absolute sponge for
health magazines, low-fat recipes, tips on working out. What are you practicing
these days?
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an
act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character
and you reap a destiny”. What you and I think about has great bearing on who we
are today … and on who we become tomorrow. We practice what we think
about.
So, what are we to think about? The apostle Paul gives us a really good list
in Philippians 4:8:“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.”
So are the thoughts you’re thinking true? Let’s think about this, if you’ve
surrendered your life to Christ, then:
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You are chosen
You are an adopted daughter or son
You are a saint
You are a joint-heir with Jesus Christ
You are accepted
You are redeemed and forgiven
You are free forever from condemnation
You are beloved
You are the salt and light of the earth
You are God’s temple
You are God’s workmanship—literally his poema, his “poem”
You are an overcomer
You are safe in God’s firm grip
You are able to withstand any temptation that comes your way
You are invited into perpetual rest
You are seated with Christ in the heavenly realm
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Now are your present thoughts reflecting these truths? Or do you consistently
find yourself believing lies? Lies such as:
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Nobody wants you
Nobody loves you
You’re worthless
You’ll never be free from “that” sin
Jesus’ purpose in coming to planet Earth was to testify to the truth, as John
18:37 says. But every scheme of the evil one begins with a lie … every problem we
face in life traces back to us having bought a lie. To practice God’s presence—and
thus to “bear much fruit”—we have to corral our thoughts. And the first way we
do this is by thinking on that which is true.
But the apostle Paul also tells us to think about that which is noble. Something
that is “noble” is something that’s dignified and worthy of respect. Here’s one
way to tell: If your thoughts tend to center on planning your next self-focused
indulgence—your next drink, your next hit, your next online-porn session, and so
forth—then you’re not quite passing the “noble” test.
We’re called to be noble not just for our own spiritual, physical and
emotional health in the here and now, but for the sake of the legacy that one day
we’ll leave. Both in 1 Timothy 3 and in Titus 2, older men and women of faith are
instructed to have noble character. They are told to be temperate, self-controlled,
sound in their faith, worthy of respect. Why? Because as the church of Jesus
Christ, we have a responsibility to raise up the next generation of leaders in a
manner that honors God. We are called to be noble so that they will be noble.
And guess where our noble character begins? You guessed it: it begins in our
thought life.
In 1 Kings 3 Solomon was just a kid but had recently taken over the throne
from his father, David. One night, God appeared to Solomon in a dream and said,
“What can I give you? Ask.”
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Can you imagine God saying that to you? What can I give you as you begin
this new chapter of life? Just ask away … and it will be yours! Solomon considers
this grand offer and then, according to verses 6 through 9 in a paraphrase of the
Bible called The Message, says this:
Solomon said, “You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father,
and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart
right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him—and
this very day!—a son to sit on his throne.
“And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the
kingdom in place of David my father. I’m too young for this, a mere child! I don’t
know the ropes, hardly know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of this job. And here I am, set
down in the middle of the people you’ve chosen, a great people—far too many to
ever count.
“Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people
well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is
capable of leading your glorious people?”
When given the opportunity to name a request that God would fulfill,
Solomon asked for the ability to tell good from evil, right from wrong. Not
surprisingly, God granted the request. In fact, 1 Kings 3:10 says that God was
“pleased” that Solomon had asked for this. God said to him, “Since you have
asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the
death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what
you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never
have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”
My question for you is this: Do you suppose God’s willingness to grant the
ability to tell right from wrong stopped with Solomon? Or could it be that if you
and I would make the same request—the request for God to impart to us wisdom
to know the difference between what is right and what is wrong—it would be
granted still today?
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If we take James 1:5 at its word, then we know the answer to that question.
“If you don’t know what you’re doing,” that verse says, “pray to the Father. He
loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for
it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought …”
Are you perplexed today about what is right or wrong in a specific situation
you face? Ask your loving heavenly Father to tell you what is right. Ask him to
point you toward wisdom’s way. He’ll do it. And evidently, he’ll do it joyfully,
without condescension or judgment. What a promise that is!
Again Paul in Philippians 4:8 says:“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.”
To corral our thoughts in a God-honoring way, we have to think on those
things which are pure. Purity is living life as God originally intended us to live it—
free from artificial colors, artificial flavors, any additive of any kind. Here’s the
deal with purity: If your thoughts are pure your actions will be pure as a result.
Relationally, you will tell the truth. You will look to serve others’ interests
instead of seeking your own gain. You will be obedient to those in authority over
you. You will be a loving person. Academically, you will refuse to cheat in order to
get ahead. In terms of entertainment, those who think pure thoughts will walk
right past any picture, video or activity that promotes impurity as something
worth pursuing. They will utterly disregard those things, knowing that they don’t
represent God’s best for their lives.
Vocationally, if you train yourself toward purity of mind, you will speak in
affirming ways of people instead of gossiping, you will work diligently instead of
being lazy, you will provide excellent products and services instead of getting by
with whatever will “fly.”
Sexually, you will treat others with utmost respect. You will live according
to God’s design for your body. You will keep sex within the boundaries of the
marriage relationship.
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One surefire way to develop greater purity of mind is to simply prioritize
other people’s needs above your own. Before you tell a lie to cover your rear end,
think about how that lie will affect the other person. Before you sneak a peek at
some provocative website, think about how planting those images in your mind
will affect your relationship with your spouse. Consider the fact that the men or
women you’re ogling are someone’s sons and daughters. They too were created
in God’s image, and treating them with disrespect by staring at them in
compromising positions is just not honoring to God. Before you spread secrets
about colleagues at work, think about how that decision will affect their lives and
their reputations.
The list could go on, but my point is the same: When you focus your
attention on caring for other people instead of constantly looking out for your
own interests, you will start to cultivate purity of thought. Which leads, as we
already discussed, to beautiful purity of action.
The next category of thought Paul raises is one he names “lovely.” We are
to think on things that are lovely. The original word here means “that which
promotes peace instead of conflict.” Do your thoughts promote peace with
others, or do they seek to divide, to cause dissention, to invite discord?
Are you constantly thinking of ways to build bridges to other people’s
minds and hearts, or do you find your thoughts drifting toward more selfish ends?
Do you think more about endeavoring to understand the people God places in
your path, or are you more interested in being understood?
We are to think loving, lovely thoughts. Thoughts of love, harmony, peace;
not thoughts of apathy, discord, harm. Lovely thoughts lead to lovely actions. I’d
say our world could use more of those.
Here is Paul’s final exhortation. What are we to think about? “Whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely …
and whatever is admirable.”
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We are to think on those things that are admirable. Another translation
refers to these things as being “of good repute.” Things that are of good repute
are positive, they are constructive, they are life-giving, they are helpful.
Have you ever been around someone who spews negativity every time they
open their mouth? If that person happens to be sitting next to you don’t look
their way. Just keep your eyes up here! Whenever I get around people like that, I
can’t help but wonder what their thought life must be like. Talk about depressing!
So practicing the presence of God in our life is not that hard. If Jesus is
living in your heart because you invited him in to be your savior then it’s a matter
of corralling your thoughts. He is the vine from which us branches get our
sustenance. Our thoughts will come out of the vine if our sustenance is coming
out of Christ the vine. They come out of the vine if you regularly practice drinking
from that vine.
I have been told by health care professionals that we need to drink eight
glasses of water each day in order to stay healthy. I know a man who drinks
nothing but Pepsi. That’s his practice and he’ll reap the results of that practice.
Will you drink of the Christ vine? “…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.”
If you find yourself stuck thinking about something that’s not true, or noble
or pure take a deep breathe, maybe a short walk, and by all means read out loud
some positive Bible verses. You’ve got to practice cleansing your mind of
thoughts that don’t build you or anyone else up. Practice, practice, practice. It
will come.
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TO LEARN MORE
Join a Small Group – call the church office for times and location
510/657-3133
To learn and encourage one another
IF YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO
GET STARTED IN FAITH
1. Recognize that everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s ideal
Romans 3:23
2. Know that the wages or payment for sinning is death
Romans 6:23
3. But God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us
Romans 8:5
4. It is our responsibility to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and allow
Him to become the master of our life
Romans 10:13
Invite Jesus into your heart by praying something like the prayer below…
“Dear Lord Jesus, in many ways I have sinned against you. I am sorry and want to turn from
my sinful ways. I invite you to come into my heart and begin to make me like yourself. I
commit my life wholeheartedly to you now. Thank you for saving me.”
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