Sermon Illustrations on Discipline — page 3

The Gauntlet

Military punishment can be severe, causing extreme suffering and even suicide.

"One day," says a military man, "I was on parade when preparation was making for a kind of punishment called the gauntlet. All the soldiers of the regiment were placed in two ranks facing each other, and about five feet apart. To each soldier was given a stick three feet long, or more. I could not bear to stay and witness the execution; but I was afterwards informed that the culprit, stripped naked to his waist, and his hands tied before him, was marched between the ranks, preceded by a soldier walking backwards with a bayonet at the sufferer's breast, to keep him from going too fast. In this way he was struck once by every soldier, officers going down on the outside of the ranks to see that each man did his duty! and, if any one was merely suspected of not laying on hard enough, he received over his own head a blow from the officer's cane. Sometimes the criminal has to retrace his steps; and, as a regiment consists of six hundred or a thousand men, and some German regiments of two thousand, he must receive from twelve hundred to two or even four thousand blows! The punishment often proves fatal; and to such a pitch of despair were those soldiers carried by their sufferings, that many of them committed suicide; and one poor fellow shot himself near my lodgings."

Punishment Of A Soldier

Corporal punishment in the military can cause fatal physical and emotional damage.

"One wintry morn," says an eye-witness, "when the bleak wind whistled along the ranks of a regiment paraded to see corporal punishment inflicted, every eye was turned in pity towards the delinquent"—his offence was drunkenness—"until the commanding officer, with stentorian lungs, cried out, 'Strip, sir.' The morning was so bitterly cold, that a mere exposure of a man's naked body was itself a severe punishment. When the offender was tied, or rather hung, up by the hands, his back, from intense cold and previous flogging, exhibited a complete black-and-blue appearance. On the first lash, the blood spirited out several yards; and, after he had received fifty, his back, from the neck to the waist, was one continued stream of blood. When taken down, he staggered, and fell to the ground. The poor man never looked up again; his prospects as a soldier were utterly destroyed; and so keenly did his degradation prey upon his spirits, that he at length shot himself in the barrack-room."

Stealing A Handkerchief

Minor offenses in the military can result in disproportionately severe punishment.

Mark the severity visited upon the slightest offences. "A midshipman named Gale, a most rascally, unprincipled fellow, found his pocket handkerchief in possession of one of the crew. He charged the man with stealing it. It was in vain that the poor wretch asserted that he found it under his hammock. He was reported as a thief; a court-matual sat upon him, and returned the shamefully disproportionate sentence of three hundred lashes through the fleet, and one year's imprisonment! Nor was that sentence a dead letter; the unhappy man endured it to the letter. Fifty were laid on alongside the Macedonian, in conformity with the common practice of inflicting the most strokes at the first ship, in order that the gory back of the criminal may strike the more terror into the crews of the other ships. This poor tortured man bore two hundred and twenty, and was pronounced by the attending surgeon unfit to receive the rest. Galled, beuised, and agonized as he was, he besought them to suffer the infliction of the remaining eighty, that he might not be called to pass through the degrading scene again; but this prayer was denied! He was brought on board, and when his wounds were healed, the captain, Shylock-like, determined to have the whole pound of flesh, ordered him to receive the remainder!

Punishment With The Colt

Cruel and unlawful punishments were inflicted even on free citizens in naval service.

During the three years' cruise of the Fairfield, says Mr. McNally, I do not believe a single day elapsed that punishment by flogging did not take place. At that time there was a custom in the service, directly contrary to law, whereby any officer of the deck could inflict punishment. This was not with the cat, as the law directs, but with what is termed a colt, a piece of eighteen-thread ratline, or one-inch rope, which generally has one or two hard twine whippings upon each end. Twelve lashes with this, over a thin frock or shirt, gave greater pain, and bruised the flesh more than the cat would have done; and it was with this instrument that the deck officers of the Fairfield punished the men, and there was no limit to the number of lashes, but just as many as it might please the officer to order—sometimes one dozen, and at other times three. Such punishment frequently brought the blood through the shirt, and often left the flesh black for two or three weeks, and then yellow for as many more, before it healed perfectly.

Never let citizens in the Northern States rail at slavery, or the punishment inflicted on slaves, or say that it is wrong, so long as their own sons, their own flesh and blood, their own seamen, their own free citizens, and the men to whom they look for protection in case of war, are daily subject to the same treatment as the southern slaves. The late John Randolph openly declared in the legislative halls of Congress, that he had witnessed, in a few months, more flogging on board the man-of-war that carried him to Russia, than had taken place during ten years on his plantation, where there were five hundred slaves.

4B. War and the Domestic Ties.

PRACTICE—Necessary to Perfection

Spiritual growth requires persistent practice, though it may be difficult or unpleasant.

A neighbour near my study persists in practising upon the flute. He bores my ears as with an auger, and renders it almost an impossibility to think. Up and down his scale he runs remorselessly, until even the calamity of temporary deafness would almost be welcome to me. Yet he teaches me that I must practise if I would be perfect; must exercise myself unto godliness if I would be skilful; must, in fact, make myself familiar with the word of God, with holy living, and saintly dying. Such practice, moreover, will be as charming as my neighbour's flute is intolerable.

Beginning, Right

Starting right in training prevents having to unlearn bad habits later.

R. H. Haweis gives this opinion about learning to play the violin, which applies equally well to all training of youth:

Ought young children to begin upon small-sized violins? All makers say “Yes”; naturally, for they supply the new violins of all sizes. But I emphatically say “No.” The sooner the child is accustomed to the right violin intervals the better; the small violins merely present him with a series of wrong distances, which he has successively to unlearn.

Cynic Rebuked

Neglecting daily character-building can cause lasting flaws vulnerable to trials.

D

DAILY CHARACTER WORK

In character-building, just as in housebuilding, every day’s work ought to count for good. If the house builders do one day’s work carelessly, dishonestly, or in violation of the architect’s plan, the result is liable to be serious, no matter how well the work is done thereafter. An unsound spot in the wall, a beam not properly placed, or any other feature of a misspent working day, will render questionable the soundness and safety of the entire structure when the strain of use and occupation comes. So the wasted day of one’s life may fix a flaw in the character, which will expose that character to grave perils, when certain temptations and trials assail it.--_The Interior._

Discipline

Well-trained children respond quickly and orderly in emergencies due to discipline.

See SUCCESS IN FAILURE.

DISCIPLINE AMONG CHILDREN

It required just one minute and fifteen seconds for three thousand pupils and teachers of Public School 22, at Sheriff and Stanton Streets (New York), to file into the streets after the “four taps signal,” indicating that the building must be vacated with haste, a few minutes after a fire had been discovered. One incident indicated particularly the degree of discipline instilled into the children.

Harry Kagel, one of the smallest boys in the primary department, asked permission to go down-stairs just after the pupils had assembled for the afternoon session. As the boy was passing a room near the vestibule on the ground floor, he scented smoke. Opening the door, he found a fire blazing in waste paper and baskets. He did not cry out or run with fear from the building, but, remembering what his teachers had told him again and again, he ran quietly up-stairs to his class-room and whispered about the fire in the ear of the teacher, Miss Dixey.

She called an older boy and sent him to investigate. In a minute he was back with a verification. Then Miss Dixey hurried to Miss C. Knowl, principal of the primary department, and to John P. Townley, principal of the school, and the signal was sounded.

At once every child in the school went to his or her station, and all were in line or at the post assigned in a few seconds. Altho the thin smoke in the hallways, creeping into the sixty-six classrooms of the four-story building, indicated to pupils and teachers that this was not one of the regular drills, there was no confusion, and with the exception of the faces of pupils and teachers, which were a trifle more serious than at daily drill, the program was carried out perfectly.

One of the teachers, assigned to the piano, began the march, and the pupils began to file out of the rooms after the last bell. Monitors took their places on the stone steps to guard against confusion near the exits. Every door in the building was thrown open by those assigned to that duty.

As soon as they were in the streets, the classes hurried away from the exits, so that the march of those in the rear would not be hampered.

In the meantime the janitor, Duncan Robinson, had gathered a number of large boys of the grammar department and formed a bucket brigade. They made short work of the flames. There was no call sent in for the fire department.

Discipline Evaded

An officer evades punishment but lives in fear, showing discipline's importance.

Kassim Pasha, when Minister of War for Egypt, was very particular in regard to the personal appearance of his officers and issued stringent orders that they should never appear unshaven in public. One day he met upon the street a lieutenant who had bearded the pasha and disregarded his orders. “To what regiment do you belong?” demanded the indignant minister. “To the ---- regiment, at Abasseuh,” replied the frightened lieutenant. “Get into my carriage at once so that I can carry you to the encampment and have you publicly punished,” was the stern command which followed.

The young man obeyed, and the twain rode along gloomily enough for some time, when the pasha stopt his carriage and entered an office where he would be detained for some time on business. Seizing the opportunity, the culprit sprang from the vehicle, darted into a neighboring barber’s stall and regained his post before the return of his jailer minus his beard. For the remainder of the route the officer buried his face in his hands and seemed the picture of apprehension.

Abasseuh was reached at last, and all the officers were assembled to witness the degradation of their comrade, who all the while kept well in the rear of his chief. “Come forward, you son of a dog!” cried the irate pasha, when there stept before him an officer with a face as clean as a baby’s and a look of the most supreme innocence. His excellency gave one look of blank astonishment and then, with an appreciative smile breaking over his war-worn features, turned to the assembled officers and said, “Here, gentlemen, your old minister is a fool, and your young lieutenant is a captain.”--Pitston _Gazette_.

Discipline From Change

God uses trials to refine believers like a scouring machine cleans wheat.

God frequently improves men by shaking them up and running them through scouring-machines of misfortune, like the wheat mentioned in this extract:

The grain reaches Port Arthur in carloads, and is examined by a grain-inspector in the service of the Dominion Government. If found to be suffering from smut, it is separated into three grades, according to the amount of smut adhering to it. That which is least dirty is scoured and brushed until all vestige of smut is removed, while the dirtier grain is thoroughly washed and dried before being cleaned. The scouring-machine turns and tosses the wheat so vigorously that every grain becomes highly polished, and is said to be in a better condition for milling than ordinary wheat, since it has lost part of its outer integument, which would have to be removed. (Text.)--ARTHUR INKERSLEY, _The American Inventor_.

Excuses

Physical exercise sustains health, illustrating the need for spiritual exercise too.

See LAZINESS, EXCUSES FOR; REASONS VERSUS EXCUSES.

EXERCISE PROLONGING LIFE

William Cullen Bryant kept himself in a healthy bodily condition up to an extreme old age by taking long daily walks, and by swinging a chair, instead of Indian clubs, around his head each morning and evening. Bancroft, the historian, kept mind and body in tune by daily horseback exercise, while Mr. Gladstone was able at an advanced age to perform enormous mental work by the physical stamina which he maintained by cutting down trees in his park. These are only a few out of a large number of instances that might be cited, all going to show that health and life may be maintained and the mental powers continued unimpaired through old age if the obvious needs of the body are not neglected.--Boston _Herald_.

EXERCISE, SPIRITUAL

A new pastor was met by one of his parishioners who was fat and of many years, who said to the pastor: “You must feed the sheep.” Whereupon the pastor replied: “My dear old man, you do not need food, you need exercise.”

Exercise Versus Medicine

Exercise is often more effective than medicine, paralleling spiritual discipline's power.

Boerhaave, the famous physician, declared that a man was more likely to get well by climbing a tree than by drinking a decoction made of its leaves! That is, he thought exercise better than medicine.--London _Hospital_.

Forward, Pressing

Prayer to faithfully go beyond duty and do more than required in service to the Lord.

In a poem, “The Second Mile,” by Dr. Oakley E. Van Slyke, occurs the following verse:

Be mine, dear Lord, to think not what I must, But of the power bequeathed to me in trust. Be mine, I pray, to go the second mile, Do better than I need to all the while.

Growing Too Fast

Rushing into responsibility prematurely can lead to negative consequences.

It is said that during the wars of Frederick II of Prussia men became so scarce that they actually enrolled schoolboys. If there happened to be a child that was growing too fast the parents would be heard to say, “Don’t grow so fast or the recruiting officer will catch you.” Do not rush into responsibility. (Text.)

Impress

Early impressions shape character permanently, just as clay hardens after molding.

I took a piece of plastic clay And idly fashioned it one day, And as my fingers prest it still, It moved and yielded to my will.

I came again when days were past; The bit of clay was hard at last, The form I gave it still it bore, But I could change that form no more.

I took a piece of living clay, And gently formed it day by day, And molded it with power and art-- A young child’s soft and yielding heart.

I came again when years were gone; He was a man I looked upon; He still that early impress wore. And I could change him never more. (Text.)

Impression By Practise

Memorizing Scripture deeply involves practicing it on others to firmly impress it on the heart.

A native Korean, who was told to memorize the entire Sermon on the Mount, did so with remarkable exactness. When asked how he accomplished it, he said: “My teacher told me to learn it with my heart as well as with my memory, so I hit on this plan. I would try to memorize a verse, and then find a heathen neighbor of mine and practise it on him. I found the verse would stick after I had done that, and I couldn’t forget a word of it.”

Pain, Learning By

Pain can teach and train, as a bear learns to dance by responding to heat and music.

The gipsies of Transylvania, according to a writer in _Blackwood’s Magazine_, teach young bears to dance by placing the animal on a sheet of heated iron, while the trainer plays on his fiddle a strongly accentuated piece of dance-music. The bear, lifting up its legs alternately to escape the heat, involuntarily observes the time marked by the violin. Later on the heated iron is supprest, when the animal has learned its lesson, and whenever the gipsy begins to play on the fiddle the young bear lifts its legs in regular time to the music.--_Public Opinion._

Palliatives Versus Prevention

Preventing sin and moral failure is better than merely treating its temporary effects.

The principle indicated in the extract will some day be adopted by Christianity in its treatment of the moral life. Mere palliatives are insufficient:

The aim of reasonable people should be to keep themselves in health rather than to be always straying, as it were, upon the confines of disease and seeking assistance from drugs in order to return to conditions from which they should never have suffered themselves to depart. The various alkaline salts and solutions, for example, the advertisements of which meet us at every turn, and which are offered to the public as specifics, safely to be taken, without anything so superfluous as the advice of medical men, for all the various evils which are described by the advertisers as gout or heartburn, or as the consequences of “uric acid,” do unquestionably, in a certain proportion of cases, afford temporary relief from some discomfort or inconvenience. They do this notwithstanding persistence in the habit or in the indulgence, whatever it may be, the overeating, the want of exercise, the excessive consumption of alcohol or of tobacco, which is really underlying the whole trouble which the drugs are supposed to cure and which at the very best they only temporarily relieve, while they permit the continuance of conditions leading ultimately to degeneration of tissue and to premature death. (Text.)--_The Lancet._

Parenthood Among Savages

Some cultures demand harsh repayment of children's debt to parents through strict discipline.

An Australian mother will coddle her baby with ape-like fondness, and hardly ever let it stray out of sight for the first four years; but as soon as the toddling little imp seems able to take care of itself, its debt of gratitude to its progenitors has to be paid by the worst kind of slavery. At the first sign of insubordination a half-grown boy is apt to be kicked out, if not killed, by his own father. (Text.)--FELIX OSWALD, _Good Health_.

Punishment, Profitable

Punishment can lead to personal growth and renewed purpose despite initial bitterness.

Oscar Wilde wrote:

I want to get to the point when I shall be able to say quite simply, and without affectation, that the two great turning-points in my life were when my father sent me to Oxford, and when society sent me to prison. I will not say that prison is the best thing that could have happened to me; for that phrase would savor of too great bitterness toward myself. I would sooner say or hear it said of me that I was so typical a child of my age that, in my perversity and for that perversity’s sake, I turned the good things of my life to evil, and the evil things of my life to good.

And if I then am not ashamed of my punishment, as I hope not to be, I shall be able to think, and walk, and live with freedom.

In the very fact that people will recognize me wherever I go, and know all about my life, as far as its follies go, I can discern something good for me. It will force on me the necessity of again asserting myself as an artist, and as soon as I possibly can. If I can produce only one beautiful work of art I shall be able to rob malice of its venom, and cowardice of its sneer, and to pluck out the tongue of scorn by the roots. (Text.)

Shaking-Up

Trials and discipline serve to awaken and develop moral and spiritual growth.

Many a man will confess that a sound thrashing at the hands of some other lad in the days of his youth was the beginning of his moral development; that, after the ache was over, it set him to thinking. Nature abhors monotony almost as much as a vacuum, and seems to have provided that at various times a general shaking up is necessary to maintain the proper standard.--JAMES M. STIFLER, “The Fighting Saint.”

Tools

Difficulties are like chiseling tools revealing the valuable diamond within.

See GENIUS VERSUS TOOLS.

TOOLS, MORAL

What matter a few troubles and pains now, if it is only the work of the chisel and hammer cutting away the hindering crust, to reveal the diamond?

— J. R. MILLER

An Injunction To Stay Home From Church

Chubby Jason Geartz was so bad in church they got a court injunction to keep him from attending. His mother Sheryl thought he needed good influence. But he threw spitballs and other objects, fought, yelled and set off a fire alarm in the Grace Episcopal Church in Topeka, Kansas. Church tried to help them but nothing worked. They finally asked Mrs. Geartz to stop bringing Jason. She refused. Three times she found men blocking the doors. Once the police were called to escort them away. Finally church officials filed a temporary restraining order. She has decided not to hire a lawyer.

An Archbishop Rattles A Saber

Roman Catholic leader, Cardinal O'Connor, is threatening to excommunicate

RCC politicians who are pro-choice. He says they should accept political

defeat rather than sacrifice human life.

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"Fatherhood"

Bill Cosby's father liked to read. One day when he was reading in the living room, Bill and his brother decided that they could play basketball without breaking anything. When Bill took a shot that redesigned the glass table, his mother came in with a stick and said, "So help me, I'll bust you in half." Without lifting his head from his book, his father said, "Why would you want twice as many?"

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The Promise of Proverbs 22:6

Exposition of Prov 22:6. It is not a promise that kids will return to God in their old age, but deals with the proper upbringing. "The way they should go" refers to the bending of a bow. Kids have their own temperament.

The Birth of Volleyball

A century ago, William Morgan faced a dilemma. A physical director at the YMCA in Holyoke, Massachusetts, he had a class of older businessmen who needed exercise. Tennis and basketball were not quite right for them. After some thought, he divided his men into two teams, separated them with a tennis net raised to the top of two six-toot poles, inflated the lining of a basketball, and the sports world met volleyball.

Become An Episcopalian

Jude 1:22

Cecil Osborne, an American Baptist pastor, talks about dealing with problem people in churches. Sometimes the best approach is surgery - kick them out. One woman told the pastor's wife she was in love with him; did he reciprocate, the wife asked? "Yes, I can tell he does because of the way he looks at me from the pulpit." He went to her with his associate and suggested she become an Episcopalian. Sometimes he is tough, sometimes gentle.

How To Train An Animal

Gunther Gebel-Williams trains animals for the circus.

“Master horse trainer Harry Williams taught Gunther that unending patience was the secret of success in training any animal. Never strike a horse, Williams explained. Instead constantly repeat instructions, using rewards for accomplishments and mild rebukes for failure. Gunther also learned the value of consistency – presenting yourself every day to an animal the same way.”

What Is A Dysfunctional Church?

Galatians 5:22

What is a dysfunctional church?

This term has become used in recent years to describe a type of church which has abnormal, dysfunctional characteristics. There are scores of people who have been deeply wounded by an experience with such a church. It seems that most communities have a congregation that fits in this category. They identify themselves as Christians and may have good intentions of practicing scriptural ideals, but they seem to continually strive with combined elements of unbalanced or unorthodox doctrines, controversial government, disciplinary problems, irresponsible leadership — which result in explosive turmoil, division, wounded and confused sheep, and a derogatory reputation in their community.

A dysfunctional church has sometimes been mislabeled as a cult. The difference is, a cult is on a course of heresy based on misguided beliefs. However a dysfunctional church may theoretically be based on the right course of Christianity, but for the main part does not function the way it should. Keep in mind, every church has its share of problems — that does not make it dysfunctional. But it's when such problems dominate the church and actually cause its influence to become ineffectual or negative for the cause of Christ.

I regret to say that over my years of ministry I have come across situations in churches that seem almost unbelievable. One such church was widely reputed in the area for its continual controversy. The congregation was constantly fighting and contending with each other — the turmoil had produced several splits over a period of years. Every few months they would go on a tangent of promoting some new revelation or doctrine, which would often be refuted later as heresy. There were repeated occurrences of immorality among the leadership and congregation. Divorce within the church occurred 10 times more frequent than the rate of marriages. There were numerous financial scandals, alleged embezzlements by the pastors, and scores of church creditors left unpaid. Rumors, accusations, and slander were commonplace, causing injury and devastation to scores of individuals. The mere mention of the church name to local merchants or residents would invoke ridicule. Some might have presumed this to be some kind of weird cult, but it was not. In reality this was a dysfunctional Christian church.

A dysfunctional church will usually manifest several or all of the following symptoms:

1. Unethical or immoral behavior tolerated in either leadership or laity.

2. An absence of teaching or correction in matters of sin.

3. Dictatorial or unethical church leadership or government.

4. A failure to recognize practical spiritual priorities.

5. Too much emphasis on esoteric thought or theory rather than

practical ideals and application.

6. Unscriptural or unbalanced preaching and teaching.

7. Too much emphasis upon the superficial or sensational.

8. Irresponsibility in business matters or in public relations.

9. Isolation from the rest of the body of Christ.

10. A sense of confusion and a lack of purpose by the congregation.

11. An absence of spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).

A dysfunctional church must be brought in order, otherwise it will cause irreparable harm for the cause of Christ in a community. If such a church has denominational affiliation, experienced ministers and officials may be sent to try to restore the fellowship back into scriptural order and stability. However, if the chaos is severe enough and resists repeated remedies, they might find it necessary to actually the close the church, temporarily or permanently.

In many cases, a church of this kind can be put in order by:

(1) MATURE, GODLY, STABLE LEADERSHIP. I regret to say that the problem of a dysfunctional church usually begins with a problem in the leadership. A congregation cannot rise above the level of their leaders.

(2) SCRIPTURAL, BALANCED PREACHING AND TEACHING. The healthy church must get back on track with scriptural order. They need to hear the whole counsel of God's Word, not merely pet doctrines or narrow minded opinions (2 Tim. 2:15).

(3) A PATIENT APPLICATION OF LOVE AND CORRECTION. Just like parents, spiritual leaders must show the encouragement of love toward their flock. And they must be willing to confront sin with correction or discipline when necessary. (Eph. 4:15, 2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Tim. 4:2).

(4) BREAKING OF SPIRITUAL STRONGHOLDS. A stronghold can usually be identified when the same troubling characteristics continue year after year, although the faces within the congregation change. This problem has to be dealt with through intensive prayer and spiritual authority (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

(5) CONGREGATIONAL REPENTANCE AND REVIVAL. Some of the problems in a church cannot really be resolved until the people are willing to humble themselves before God and seek repentance and revival: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).

If you find yourself in a dysfunctional church, it is important for you to recognize it for what it is. If you can remain without impairing the spiritual progress of you or your family, do so that you can pray for and support the needed remedies listed above. But if your spiritual well-being begins to suffer, it may be best to cut your ties and move on to a healthy fellowship.

________

From the book, “What People Ask About The Church,” by Dale A. Robbins

This article is copyrighted © by Dale A. Robbins, 1995, and is a publication of Victorious Publications, Grass Valley, CA 95949. Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references were taken from The New King James Bible, © Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982.

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[Original illustration at this number was deleted for being obsolete]

(the Art of Unselfish Living)

Dobson illustration on correcting an obstinate child:

In the absence of parental leadership, some children become extremely

obnoxious and defiant, especially in public places. Perhaps the best example

was a ten-year-old boy named Robert, who was a patient of my good friend Dr.

William Slonecker. The Dr. said his pediatric staff dreaded the days when

Robert was scheduled for an office visit. He literally attacked the

clinic, grabbing instruments and files and telephones. His passive mother

could do little more than shake her head in bewilderment.

During one physical examination, Dr. Slonecker observed severe cavities in

Robert's teeth and knew the boy must be referred to a local dentist. But who

would be given the honor? A referral like Robert could mean the end of a

professional friendship. Dr Slonecker eventually decided to send him to an

older dentist who reportedly understood children. The confrontation that

followed now stands as one of the classic moments in the history of human

conflict.

Robert arrived in the dental office, prepared for battle.

"Get in the chair, young man," said the doctor.

"No chance!" replied the boy.

"Son, I told you to climb onto the chair, and that's what I intend for you to

do," said the dentist.

Robert stared at his opponent for a moment and then replied, "If you make me

get in that chair, I will take off my clothes."

The dentist calmly said, "Son, take'em off."

The boy forthwith removed his shirt, undershirt, shoes, and socks, and then

looked up in defiance.

"All right, son," said the dentist. "Now get on the chair".

"You didn't hear me," sputtered Robert. "I said if you make me get on that

chair, I will take off all my clothes."

"Son, take'em off," replied the man.

Robert proceeded to remove his pants and shorts, finally standing totally

naked before the dentist and his assistant.

"Now, son, get in the chair," said the doctor.

Robert did as he was told, and sat cooperatively through the entire procedure.

When the cavities were drilled and filled, he was instructed to step down from

the chair.

"Give me my clothes now," said the boy.

"I'm sorry," replied the dentist. "Tell your mother that we're going to keep

your clothes tonight. She can pick them up tomorrow.

Can you comprehend the shock Robert's mother received when the door to the

waiting room opened, and there stood her pink son, as naked as the day he was

born? The room was filled with patients, but Robert and his mom walked past

them and into the hall. They went down a public elevator and into the parking

lot, ignoring the snickers of onlookers.

The next day, Robert's mother returned to retrieve his clothes, and asked to

have a word with the dentist. However, she did not come to protest. These

were her sentiments: "You don't know how much I appreciate what happened here

yesterday. You see, Robert has been blackmailing me about his clothes for

years. Whenever we are in a public place, such as a grocery store, he makes

unreasonable demands of me. If I don't immediately buy him what he wants, he

threatens to take off all his clothes. You are the first person who had

called his bluff, doctor, and the impact on Robert has been incredible."

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What Is the Minimum To Be A Church?

Acts 2:42

The Reformers differed as to when the church may be said to be truly present. A sentimental evangelical will be satisfied with the verse, “Where two or three are gathered, there am I in the midst.” Where Jesus is, the church is. But the context makes it clear a great deal more is involved than a devotional meeting. A prayer meeting and ecclesia are not the same thing.

For some Reformers like Beza and Alsted the preaching of the pure doctrine of the Word constitute the one exclusive mark of the true church. Yet the truth can be preached ever so powerfully while sin goes rampant and unchecked in the congregation.

For Calvin and others the preaching of the Word was not enough. There had also to be the right administration of the sacraments. These were not to be divorced from the Word or even from its visible preaching. There was no magic in the sacraments. They represented simple obedience to Scripture.

But for other Reformers a third element was essential. Acknowledged to be something wholesome, it was for Christians of the Anabaptist tradition an element without which the church did not exist: godly exercise of discipline among its members. In this, at times, they seem to have gone beyond even the Roman Catholic position.

I Never Give A Second Warning

Acts 2:40

The gold town of Virginia City, Nevada, had its first attempts at public education cut short by recalcitrant pupils shooting the teachers. Now a new teacher was hired out of the "Rowdy Fund," set up by a pair of penitent drunks who, in front of a full audience, had ripped to shreds with their knives the Comstock's first theatrical curtain. No one gave pale, slight Harry Flotz, a discouraged prospector going back to his first love, schoolteaching, more than one day; but Professor Flotz arrived in class with three Navy revolvers and a Bowie knife. During geography Flotz heard a whisper; like lightning one of his revolvers was trained on the offenders.

"Don't do that again," he said quietly. "I never give a second warning."

"Children and Parents"

Ephesians 6:1

Ephesians sermon series:

"CHILDREN & PARENTS" Ephesians 6:1-4

I. The status of children and parents in NJ today.

II. Noteworthy that Paul thinks of the congregation as a "church family"

III. The duty of children in a Christian family.

A. Obey parents. 6:1

B. Three grounds for obedience of Christian children:

1) Nature: obey because "this is right."

2) God's Law: obey because "it is written."

3) Christ: obey because it honors Jesus.

IV. Two practical questions:

A. Is the command to obey unconditional?

B. Who exactly are the "children"?

V. The duty of parents.

A. Restraint in using authority is urged.

B. Negative instruction. 'Paideia - training by discipline.

C. Positive instruction. Nouthesia - verbal education.

VI. Implications.

A. Christian parents should never surrender their responsibility

B. Parents need to take time and effort with their children.

C. Parents need to see their children as a spiritual opportunity.

[Most of material is from John Stott, "Ephesians: God's New Society"]

[completely different from sermon on January 9, 1983]

Building Healthy Relationships With Your Children

Newsletter talks about building healthy relationships, how to talk with children, what to do instead of spanking. "A Memorandum from Your Child" is 27 suggestions from a child on how NOT to raise him, including: don't spoil me, don't be afraid to be firm, don't make promises you can't keep, don't be inconsistent, etc. (Very good)

"Shaped By the Master"

John 17:19

The care used to shape the stones of Solomon's Temple is an image of how God shapes us through adversity. All the symbolism of Jerusalem's Temple - the sacrifices, furniture, rituals - reach a climax in the life and death of Christ. He is the cornerstone; we comprise the walls. In preparing people as "living stones," God must use tools that hurt, such as frustrating relationships and perplexing experiences. But to be of use in His Kingdom, we must obey the call of the quarry, the one that takes us from a mass of useless stone into a finely fitted building block.

1. Saints must be surveyed.

God knows where we need to be cut.

2. Saints are sliced.

Being cut from false dependencies.

3. Saints are shaped.

Discipline is necessary to expose the flaws of private sin.

(Illust. of submitting to campus regulations as an older student)

"If God's net purpose in saving an individual is just to get him to

Heaven, He would probably take him to glory immediately. But God

wants to prepare him for rulership in an infinite universe that

demands character. Progress in sanctification, in the development of

Godlike character and agape love, is impossible without tribulation

and chastisement." [Paul E. Billheimer, "Don't Waste Your Sorrows"]

4. Saints are set in place.

We must remember our destination. Trials are necessary for the

finished product.

Scottish preacher George Matheson knew suffering. He was blind. He

said he often thanked God for his roses, but not once for his thorn,

his blindness. He admitted he looked forward to another world where

he'd get compensation for his cross. Then he began to see this cross

as a present glory. His prayer changed: "Teach me the glory of the

cross. Teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have climbed

to Thee by the path of pain. Show me that my tears have made

rainbows."

#2848

*

The Pater Principle

Fathers and sons face a lifetime of unfinished business. What does a son learn from his father? Simply: Whether to love women, or hate them. Whether to take pride in his work, or shrink shamefully from creative endeavor. ... And what does a father learn from his son? Whether he is capable of warmth and nurturing, or fearful of intimacy. Whether he is a generous teacher and mentor, or a narcissist and authoritarian. A father transmits to his son his vision of what it means to be a man. A son teaches his father humility.

The tie between father and son is still, as an anthropologist once noted, "the most critical and potentially dangerous of human relationships." A number of long-term studies of fathers and sons are just now yielding fascinating and unexpected data about this "most critical" of relationships. Social scientists are now suggesting that strengthening the father's role in the family may be a key to solving some of society's most troubling problems.

1. GOOD LOVING. For years, it was believed that a father's masculinity had to be critical to the development of masculine characteristics in his son. If a father loved boxing, hunting, etc, his son would, too. But whenever researchers tested this assumption, they found no connection between the two, a result that mystified them. Then, a few years back, they approached the issue differently: When does a boy WANT to be like his father? Answer: when his father demonstrates warmth, closeness, and involvement with his boy - qualities that, ironically, have long been thought of as feminine. The father could wear lederhosen to his job as a hairstylist, but if he was involved with his son, Junior's happiness, by all kinds of psychological measures, soared.

a. Highly involved fathers break down gender stereotypes and get involved

on the drudge level of raising their children.

b. Fathers who provide nontraditional support directly affect their sons'

success as adults.

It is impossible for them to be over-involved. In fact, sons simply

do better and better the more time their fathers spend with them.

This contrasts with new findings about girls, who actually do more

poorly in school when their fathers are too active in their lives.

Other studies have demonstrated that fatherly expressions of

affection and nurturing correlate with higher IQs in four year old

boys.

c. Fathers themselves reap measurable benefits from raising sons.

A Glueck study found that fathers who participate in their sons'

social, emotional, and intellectual development as young men are

likely to be rewarded with marital stability and happiness in middle

age.

2. TAKING THE TODDLER IN HAND.

Psychoanalytical theorists from Erik Erikson to Freud agree that a boy

emerges from adolescence, ideally, with a sense of purpose and initiative

that's modified in part by guilt and fear; that is, a boy learns to seek

gratification from working and feeling generally productive, and he has a

conscience.

[Article contains more on the social development of boys in relation to their father, and how it works out in different situations.]

As many as 59 percent of the baby boomers' children will live with only one parent, usually their mothers, for at least a year before they're eighteen. For boys there are consequences. They are hard put, for instance, to accomplish an essential early task: controlling their inherent pugnacity. Young boys seem instinctively to invite their fathers to roughhouse, exploring the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior. Without a paternal presence who sets limits, a boy's natural aggression can intensify into a well of pure destructiveness. One measure: Two thirds of convicted rapists, three quarters of adolescent murderers, and three quarters of long-term prison inmates grew up without a father in the house.

A father's shortcomings can also help a boy. Boys with poor fathers often realize in midlife that their dads had hard times to deal with, that many had done their best, and that, at any rate, no father is perfect. Many transform the anger they felt into sadness and become committed to being the kinds of fathers to their sons that they wished their own fathers had been to them. Bad models of fatherhood can be reworked - but never too successfully.

The Mennonites' Dirty Little Secret

Job 16:17

What Christians could learn from Menno Simons and how he rescued the Anabaptist movement.

The story reads a lot like Waco and the Branch Davidians in 1993, only it was the spring of 1534 in the city of Muenster (located in what is today the west-central region of modern Germany). Hundreds of Dutch-speaking Anabaptists -- mainly artisans, peasants, and shopkeepers -- converged on the city. They were united by their common opposition to infant baptism and the sacraments. But they were also driven by a primal fear forged on the anvil of torture and by an eschatalogical conviction that Muenster was to become the New Jerusalem, the site chosen by God for the re-establishment of his kingdom on earth.

In the months that followed, the so-called Anabaptist Kingdom of Muenster quickly degenerated into a morass of religious fanaticism and excess. Jan van Leyden -- the David Koresh of the sixteenth century -- appointed himself the king. He instituted a reign of terror that included polygamy (he took for himself no fewer than 12 wives), the elimination of private property, forced baptisms of the city's non-Anabaptist inhabitants, and armed preparations for a glorious final battle in which the elect gathered in Muenster would vanquish the godless.

But in the summer of 1535, the New Jerusalem of Muenster met with a violent demise. Armies of the Catholic Bishop von Waldeck first besieged, then stormed the city, and the sordid affair came to a bloody and violent conclusion.

For most North Americans, Waco-type images are not their first impression of today's Mennonites, the spiritual heirs to the early Anabaptists. Instead, when most of us think of Mennonites, images of their Amish cousins come to mind: a hardworking, honest, and rural people, committed to a quiet sober life of humility, simplicity, service and, above all, to Christian pacifism; they shun politics -- and sometimes each other as a matter of church discipline -- and emerge in the public eye only for massive quilt auctions to support overseas relief work or to clean up after natural disasters.

The contrast between this idealized image of contemporary Mennonites and the Muensterites of the sixteenth century could hardly be more striking. Who intervened to accomplish this amazing turnaround?

The answer is Menno Simons. Out of the ashes of Muenster, a new Anabaptist group emerged, led by Menno Simons (1496-1565), a Catholic priest turned radical reformer. Menno restored stability to a group in which some had broken loose from their theological moorings. His leadership sought to balance the eschatological impulses of a persecuted sect with the model of a disciplined, visible church ruled by the authority of Scripture. To a movement of uneducated artisans, deeply suspicious of trained "school theologians" (Schriftgelehrten), Menno brought a measure of theological sophistication that blended central themes of orthodox Christianity with the distinctive nuances of the radical reformation. Later known as the Mennonites, the group that gathered around his leadership espoused a biblicism shorn of private visions and advocated a sober discipline of its members, which eventually earned them the sobriquet of "the quiet in the land." They explicitly renounced violence and political power. To be sure, well before Menno emerged as a leader, there were other Anabaptist groups who were committed to biblical pacifism.

On the occasion of his five-hundredth birthday, the career and thought of Menno Simons merits renewed consideration. Deeply biblical, thoroughly Christocentric, steeped in the evangelical language of the New Birth and the Great Commission, Menno offers modern evangelicals an inspiring example of leadership that balances zeal and discipline, piety and theological depth, courage and wisdom.

REFORMER ON THE RUN

Menno was born sometime in 1496 in the small Friesen town of Witmarsum in the north of the Netherlands. The son of a farmer, he attended grammar school at a monastery, where he likely learned Latin and gained some acquaintance with the church fathers. At the age of 15, Menno entered a novitiate and five years later became a deacon in the Catholic church.

At the time of his ordination to the priesthood, the Reformation in the Netherlands had found expression primarily in the form of local resistance to the sacraments. Indeed, soon after he began his first assignment as a vicar in his father's native village of Pingjum, Menno himself experienced doubts about the "real presence" of Christ in the sacrament of Communion. Initially, he had ignored these doubts and, by his own account, gave himself over to "playing cards, drinking, and frivolities of all sorts." But in 1531, the martyrdom of Sicke Freeriks Snijder -- "a godfearing, pious hero" in nearby Leeuwarden, beheaded by state authorities for the crime of rebaptism -- prompted Menno to embark on a fresh and systematic reading of the Bible.

"I examined the scriptures diligently," he wrote in his autobiographical Departure from the Papacy, "and pondered them earnestly, but could find no report of infant baptism." Still, he vacillated. Though intrigued by the staunch biblicism of the Anabaptist movement, he nonetheless accepted a promotion as a priest in his home church at Witmarsum in 1531 and continued to carry out the duties of his office for the next three years, all the while struggling with the tension between his understanding of Scripture and received Catholic tradition.

In the end, it was not a new intellectual insight that led Menno to break with the old church, but rather the fanatical excesses of the Anabaptist movement itself. In the spring of 1535, as the horrors of the Muensterite kingdom unfolded, Menno penned his first surviving tract, a polemic against Jan of Leyden, in which he denounced the private visions and impatient violence of the Muensterites and laid the groundwork for a biblical hermeneutic based firmly on the teachings of Christ.

For the next nine months, Menno attempted to preach his new message of evangelical reform from the pulpit of his parish church in Witmarsum. But finally, on January 20, 1536 -- precisely when public sentiment against the Anabaptists had reached a crescendo -- Menno resigned his priestly office, gave up the salary, status, and security of his former identity, and publicly aligned himself with the Anabaptist cause. "Without constraint," he wrote, "I renounced all my worldly reputation, name and fame, my unchristian abominations, my masses, my infant baptism, and my easy life, and I willingly submitted to distress and poverty under the heavy cross of Christ."

Shortly thereafter Obbe Philips, leader of the beleaguered pacifist remnant of Dutch Anabaptism, ordained Menno as an Anabaptist pastor. Immediately Menno set about to rebuild the scattered and dispirited brotherhood. For the next three years, he traveled almost constantly -- preaching, baptizing, instructing new believers in the faith, denouncing the apocalyptic remnants of the Muensterite kingdom -- while simultaneously writing a flurry of apologetic treatises, including The Spiritual Resurrection (1536), Meditation on the Twenty -- Fifth Psalm (1537), The New Birth (1537), Christian Baptism (1539), and his most influential work, Foundation of the Christian Doctrine (1539-40).

By 1542, Dutch authorities in Leeuwarden publicized a reward of 500 guilders for Menno's capture. Remarkably, he eluded arrest for the next two decades. Traveling with his wife, Gertrude, and their three children, Menno lamented in 1544 that he "could not find in all the countries a cabin or hut in which [we] could be put up in safety for a year or even a half a year." Although he successfully eluded arrest, numerous tales circulated of his narrow escapes from the authorities. One oft-repeated, though likely apocryphal, story recounts how Menno was once traveling by stagecoach when a group of armed horsemen, carrying a warrant for Menno's arrest, overtook the carriage. As it happened, Menno was seated outside next to the driver. When the soldiers asked him whether Menno Simons was in the carriage, Menno leaned into the coach and said, "They want to know if a Menno Simons is in there." When the occupants said no, Menno answered his pursuers: "They say he is not in there." The horsemen continued on their way. [see separately at #4003]

Menno preached a gospel of the New Birth, giving prominent attention to distinctive Anabaptist convictions regarding adult baptism, the priesthood of all believers, pacifism, and a rejection of the oath and magisterial offices. During the last period of his life, Menno's writings took on an increasingly polemical character as he defended the Anabaptists from attacks from without (against Reformed theologians such as John a Lasco, Martin Micron, and Adam Pastor) and heresy from within (against fellow Anabaptist David Joris, for example, on the question of prophetic visions). Menno died on January 31, 1561, at the age of 65 in Fresenberg, a haven of refuge in north Germany and site of the press that printed many of his later works.

The followers he left behind -- known as Mennists or Mennonites as early as 1542 -- were not altogether unified. But his legacy as a prolific writer, a theologian, and a polemicist lived on in the broader Anabaptist tradition. A recent bibliography of his published writings runs to 200 entries in Dutch, German, English, and Spanish. On the occasion of his five-hundredth birthday, nearly a million Mennonites, scattered in six continents and over 60 countries around the world, are paying him special honor.

CALLED TO PEACE

Perhaps most radical of all, Menno's writings challenge contemporary evangelicals to rethink the question of Jesus' teachings on peace, and particularly the easy alliance modern Christians have made with the political order.

In our own time, the graphic accounts of bloody massacres and human atrocities committed against each other by the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda have all but disappeared from the headlines these days. Yet, for evangelical Christians, there is an element to the Rwanda story that should haunt our conscience for a long time: 90 percent of Rwanda's people are professed Christians.

To the African church, Rwanda had been a success story. Yet, according to an InterVarsity leader in the region, missionaries preached a gospel about having a right relationship with God but not necessarily right relationships with one other. "This is why we can be 90 percent Christian yet kill in the name of ethnicity," he says.

Preaching a gospel that separates relationship with God from human relations was anathema to Menno Simons. Worse, the haunting specter of Christians killing Christians was completely unthinkable. In his refutation of the violence at Muenster, Menno recognized the profound danger of mixing zealous Christian convictions with the coercive power of the sword.

At the heart of the New Birth, he insisted, was a recognition that God granted us his gift of forgiveness and love while we were still sinners alienated from him -- indeed, while we were yet enemies of God. God's gift of salvation through Christ has world -- transforming power precisely because it offers followers of Jesus a concrete model for love expressed in daily life. Because we have been saved and transformed by grace, we too will embody that same grace -- filled love with all relationships, including -- indeed, especially -- those who might be considered our enemies.

"The Prince of Peace," wrote Menno, "is Jesus Christ. We who were formerly no people at all, and who knew of no peace, are now called to be ... a church ... of peace. True Christians do not know vengeance. They are the children of peace. Their hearts overflow with peace. Their mouths speak peace, and they walk in the way of peace" (Reply to False Accusations).

Living in accordance with this forgiving, gracious peace of God may well entail suffering. In the sixteenth century the cost was social and economic marginalization, torture, and sometimes even death. But such suffering also offers a profound opportunity for witness to the love of God in the midst of a violent, hate-filled culture.

The prospect of suffering rather than retaliating with violence is certainly alien to modern notions of self-esteem; it is also alien to contemporary expressions of North American Christianity, whether on the Right or the Left, that seek to impose their visions of a godly society upon others. Which, in a roundabout way, brings us back to the story of the ill-fated Anabaptist kingdom of Muenster.

Christians have always been tempted to take control of history; to seize the levers of temporal power and make history come out "right," to try to align the kingdoms of this world with the kingdom of God. To be sure, the temptations of violence today are rarely as blatant or extreme as that of Jan van Leyden -- or even that of Rwanda. But a Christianity that aligns itself with a culture of violence -- from the Left or the Right -- seems to make a mockery of the grace it proclaims as its gift to the nonbelieving world.

Menno would argue that violence of any sort in the name of Christ is blasphemy, which calls for repentance. His writings call upon Christians to resist the seduction of a violent culture (even when that violence is sanctioned by the state). As a whole, evangelicals will probably not be convinced of Menno's arguments for Christian pacifism; but at the very least we should have an uneasy conscience about our too-easy rationalizations.

Regardless of one's understanding of Christian pacifism, in a profound way we are all heirs of Menno. The principles of religious voluntarism and a disestablished church -- principles for which the sixteenth-century Anabaptists paid with their lives -- are now assumed. Even though not a systematic theologian, Menno Simons's vision of reborn Christians living in a disciplined and visible church, and embodying in their daily lives the loving peace of God's grace, still has the power to inspire Christians today. On the five-hundredth anniversary of his birth, evangelicals of all stripes -- including Mennonites -- would do well to blow the dust off Menno's writings and read them afresh.

TIME LINE OF MENNO SIMONS' LIFE

1483 Birth of Martin Luther

1484 Birth of Ulrich Zwingli

1496 Birth of Menno Simons

1509 Birth of John Calvin

1513 Birth of John Knox

1517 Luther's 95 Theses

1521 Diet of Worms (Luther's "Here I stand" speech)

1523-25 Zwingli's reforms in Zurich

1524 *Ordained as priest, assigned to Pingjum parish

1524-25 Peasants' War

1525 Swiss Brethren (Anabaptists) break with Zwingli

1527 Schleitheim Confession (Anabaptist)

1530 Augsburg Confession (Lutheran)

1531 *Called to Witmarsum, his home parish

1531 Zwingli's death in battle

1534-35 "New Jerusalem" established in Muenster

1535 *Menno speaks out against Muensterites

1536 Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion (first ed.)

1536 *Left priesthood, joined Anabaptist movement

1536/7? *Marriage to Gertrude

1537? *Ordained as Anabaptist leader

1539 *Christian Baptism

1539-40 *The Foundation of Christian Doctrine

1541 *The True Christian Faith

1542 *Emperor issues edict against Menno

1543 *Left Holland for Germany

1546 Luther's death

1549/1552 Book of Common Prayer (Church of England)

1555 Peace of Augsburg

1561 *Menno's Death

1563 Thirty-Nine Articles (Church of England)

1564 Calvin's death

1566 Second Helvetic Confession (Reformed)

1572 Knox's death

(Menno Simon's life has date followed by a " * ")

John D. Roth is professor of history at Goshen (Ind.) College and editor of

the Mennonite Quarterly Review.

Oct. 7, 1996, Vol. 40, No. 2, Page 44

ctoc0796sc6TB0446A9i

#4001

[see #4002 for Menno's views on the church and salvation]

*

Get closer to God

J. Vernon McGee, a popular Christian teacher, tells what happened when he and some other boys got caught skipping school to go fishing. The principal lined them up and said he was going to whip every one of them. McGee had never been whipped before and was quite anxious. A boy who had been whipped before gave him this advice: "When he whips you, as hard as it is, try moving closer to him. He won't have as much leverage and it won't hurt as much."

Lord of the Flies Redux: Woodstock '99

"It was dangerous to be around ... The whole scene was scary. There were just waves of hate bouncing around the place."

What was this -- a reporter covering the conflict in Kosovo? No, it was MTV correspondent Kurt Loder describing the final hours of Woodstock '99 a few weeks ago in Rome, New York. An event billed as "three days of peace, love and music" became an orgy of arson, looting, and rape.

What happened at Woodstock was horrifying -- and yet it should not be surprising. In a culture where children grow up with so little adult supervision, savagery is exactly what we ought to expect.

Baby Boomers are decrying the "desecration" of the Woodstock myth -- a potent icon of the Boomer generation. But they ought to be pointing the finger right at themselves, not their kids. After all, it's the flower children of the sixties who are the parents of today's Generation X -- and in may cases they have done precious little to give their kids the love and discipline all children need.

We got a shocking glimpse of just how little supervision some Boomers give their kids after the Littleton shootings. Americans were amazed to learn that the killers had built, in plain view in their bedrooms, bombs. Yet their parents knew nothing about it.

And our schools aren't any better. Writing in the "New York Times," Bard College president Leon Botstein decried the artificial intensity of the American high school culture, where "the tyranny of peer groups based on ludicrous values meets little resistance" by adults.

So if parents and teachers are not supervising teens, then who is? In many cases, the answer is "no one."

The classic novel "The Lord of the Flies" warns us of what happens when children go without adult guidance: They quickly descend into barbarism.

Today schools are turning into Lord of the Flies-style islands. The only difference is, instead of wearing loincloths, as the boys did in Golding's classic novel, today's kids are preying on each other while wearing the latest fashions from Abercrombie and Fitch -- or black trenchcoats.

But instead of attacking the root of the problem, which I believe is the lack of adult supervision, Americans are counting on gun laws and metal detectors to protect our kids.

I guess it's easy to see why, because discipline requires saying "no!" and drawing distinctions between right and wrong -- things hard to come by for a generation that grew up rejecting morality and believing that discipline "represses" children. What's more, many of these Boomers, whose own teen years were so rebellious, are afraid their children will call them "hypocrites."

But Woodstock shows us what happens when we fail to perform a basic task of the family, namely, to civilize our children.

Ultimately, the solution has to be for parents to take a hard look at their own accountability before God. The book of Proverbs speaks harshly of parents who don't take the time to guide and discipline their children. Schoolyard shootings are reminders of the price we pay for ignoring biblical wisdom.

Christian parents ought to be models of involvement in our own children's lives, and help other parents understand why constant vigilance is necessary.

As MTV's Kurt Loder learned the hard way, some things are a lot scarier than saying "no" to your kids.

___________________________

*

Cheetah's focus

The cheetah is the swiftest of all animals. It has been clocked running at a speed of 70 miles per hour. When the cheetah goes after prey he will single out one animal among the grazing herd. When the chase begins the cheetah's full attention is on the one animal singled out. Along the way there may be other animals in the herd which the cheetah could easily catch, but nothing detracts from the fixed purpose--the animal that has been picked out.

No garden unless A gardener

In "First Things First," A. Roger Merrill tells of a business consultant who decided to landscape his grounds. He hired a woman with a doctorate in horticulture who was extremely knowledgeable. Because the business consultant was very busy and traveled a lot, he kept emphasizing to her the need to create his garden in a way that would require little or no maintenance on his part. He insisted on automatic sprinklers and other labor-saving devices.

Finally she stopped and said, "There's one thing you need to deal with before we go any further. If there's no gardener, there's no garden!"

There are no labor-saving devices for growing a garden of spiritual virtue. Becoming a person of spiritual fruitfulness requires time, attention, and care.

________________

Bill Norman; Ontario, Canada

Gentle discipline

Out of parental concern and a desire to teach Our young son responsibility, we require him to phone home when he arrives at his friend's house a few blocks away. lie began to forget, however, as he grew more confident in his ability to get there without disaster befalling him.

The first time he forgot, I called to be sure he had arrived. We told him the next time it happened, he would have to come home. A few days later, however, the telephone again lay silent, and I knew if he was going to learn, lie would liave to be punished. But I did not want to punish him! I went to the telephone, regretting that his great time would be spoiled by his lack of contact with his father.

As I dialed, I prayed for wisdom. "Treat him like I treat you," the Lord seemed to say. With that, as the telephone rang one time, I hung up. A few seconds later the phone rang, and it was my son. "I'm here, Dad!"

"What took you so long to call?" I asked. "We started playing and I forgot. But Dad, I heard the phone ring

and I remembered." "I'm glad You remembered," I said. "Have fun." How often do we think of God as One who waits to punish us when we step out of line? I wonder how often he rings just once, hoping we will phone home. - Dennis Miller Antioch, Illinois

Being late

Some 20 years ago Ralph Abernathy was scheduled to speak at a conference in Minneapolis. He was late in arriving, partly due to tight security necessary because of death threats. When he rose to speak he apologized for his lateness by saying: "I'd rather be Dr. Abernathy late than the late Dr. Abernathy."

Punctuality--several items

"The man who is always punctual in keeping an appointment never loses anything by it. No, only about half an hour waiting for the other fellow to show up!"

Punctuality--"The art of guessing how late the other fellow is going to be."

Boss: "You are twenty minutes late again. Don't you know what time we start work at this factory? New Employee: "No, sir, they're always at it when I get here."

Daily Bits (4/23/99)

"PROCRASINATOR'S CREED"

1. I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have

been done already.

2. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or

find excuses.

3. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of

consideration.

4. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion

to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive

from missing them.

5. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility

for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a

reprieve from my obligations.

6. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable

regardless of the amount of time given.

7. I shall never forget that the probability of a

miracle, though infinitesmally small, is not exactly

zero.

8. If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year.

9. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of

course I decide to change my mind.

10. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the

first step, and/or write the first word, when I get

around to it.

11. I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the

greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the

work that must be done prior to beginning the greater

task.

12. I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but

is wait/plan/plan.

13. I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget

about forever.

14. I will become a member of the ancient Order of

Two-Headed Turtles (the Procrastinator's Society) if

they ever get it organized.

Seven Techniques For Breaking Sinful Habits

James 5:16

Are there sinful habits you'd like to break? Are you thinking that January 1, 2000, is an appropriate time for such change? Though I don't recommend delay, here are seven Bible-based techniques for breaking sinful habits:

Technique #1: Pray

Don't overlook the power of prayer. James tells us that the “effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jas. 5:16). The word “effectual” comes from the word “energeo” from which we get the word “energy.” James is telling us to pray actively and with energy. The first and perhaps most potent technique for overcoming sinful habits is to ask God for help.

Technique #2: Overcome Evil with Good

Paul says in Romans 12:21 to “overcome evil with good.” When you feel the urge to give in to an evil habit, do something good instead. Write a letter of hope to a friend, call and encourage a brother, or visit someone who is sick. In other words, replace your sinful habit with a good work.

Technique #3: Surround Yourself with Good People

We're told “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). The opposite is also true: “good company corrects bad morals.” If you have a sinful habit you're trying to break, then seek out the company of good people. Let their “goodness” rub off on you.

Technique #4: Confess Your Faults

James 5:15 says “confess your sins to one another.” Admittedly, confessing your faults and sinful habits will be difficult. You may be embarrassed by the prospect of others “finding out” about your weakness. But when you confess your failings to others, then they can help look out for you. They can counsel and comfort you as you work to overcome your bad habit.

Technique #5: Make Habits Impossible

You may fall back into your sinful habit simply because sin is so accessible! Overcome sinful habits by eliminating or reducing your access to sin. Matthew 18:9 says, “And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee....” If you've got a bad habit, make it harder to feed the habit! Look for ways to make sinning inconvenient rather than easy.

Technique #6: Think Good Thoughts

The urge to feed a bad habit starts in the mind. Fill your mind with righteous thoughts and you'll reduce the chance that evil thoughts will blossom into sin. Follow Paul's advice: “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).

Technique #7: Take One Day at a Time

It takes only two weeks to develop a habit, but it takes months to break one. Don't despair! Rather than thinking how long it will take and how hard it will be to break the habit, learn to take one day at a time. Don't worry about tomorrow. Work to stop your bad habit today for “each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34).

-- Via Think on These Things, July-August-September, 1999

*

Sapre the Rod?

Any Child can tell you that the sole purpose of a middle name is so he

can tell when he is really in trouble.

-- Dennis Fakes

Going Solo

There are storms of perfection, when Christ permits the storm to help conform us to His image. This type storm is often worse than the storm of discipline. This is when the parent has already disciplined the child consistently through life.... now the child has reached young adulthood. The parents have done their best to instill principles of right and wrong in the child to act as beacons to lead the way through life.

Now is the time when the parents have to fearfully step back and see what happens. Love now takes hand off the control in order to allow the child to learn on his own. Oh yes, love will not allow the parent to leave... they are there to run to the rescue if called, but they not permit their child to learn be taking some knocks, and getting some bruises. Here is a little boy, Ricky, as he climbs into his red wagon. Mommy and Daddy have been very careful to instruct him in how to ride in the wagon. They have pulled him, they have pushed him, they have showed him how to hang his left foot out and propel himself. They have showed him were he could ride and where he could not.

A few times they have had to discipline Ricky because he wanted to do things that weren't wise... and even tried them. Like the time Ricky was about to ride the wagon down the steep hill... the one with the pond at the bottom of the hill. Mommy and Daddy had told him not to ever take his wagon down that hill. Or there was the time when they saw Ricky pulling his wagon to the edge of the road. He was going to play like he was a truck driver ... just like those other truckers that roared down the road in front of their house.

Well, after a considerable amount of training and discipline, it is his time to ride solo. So ... with his right hand on the wagon tongue, his right knee in the bottom of the wagon, and his left foot on the ground he pushes forward and the wagon starts to roll. But do you see them, there go Daddy and Mommy running along by the side, with their hands out, and anxious expression on the face. They are not touching the wagon, but their love makes them run alongside just in case they are needed in a mishap. This is how little Ricky learns how to ride in the wagon by himself.

So you're going through the storm. It's tough sailing, but consider that the storm may just be in God's will for you. Remember, He is Sovereign, and the One who sent you into the storm can care for you in the storm as well. If you could only see ... you would notice that He is running along side of your wagon with His hands outstretched to help you if you have a mishap.

(untitled)

Dr. Spock has told us:

we must spare the rod and spoil the child. God

doesn't know what He's talking about. Because otherwise, we will

interfere

with the psyche of the child. A pastor once saw how influential this

teaching

was. He was a dinner in a Christian home. There was the cutest

little boy

he'd nearly ever seen. Suddenly, he got his fork---he was not quite

three--and

started shooting peas at the pastor. And they came very

close---closer and

closer. The pastor was dogging. . . looking for a fox hole. "Don't

say a

word," his mother said under her breath. "We don't want to suppress

him." "If

one of those peas hits me," the pastor said, "I'm going to suppress

him."

178 Sermon Illustrations on Discipline