Our Disciplinarian
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Our Disciplinarian
Isaiah 65:1-9
Psalm 22:19-28
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:26-39
On my very first time preaching on a Father’s Day, I preached about how my father disciplined me. All he remembered though is how I told everyone that he beat me harshly and repetitively into submission. The truth is that I was disciplined at times but that is not all I received from my father. I really cannot remember the discipline side of things but what I do remember is the love that he showed me through his discipline. He was intentionally guiding me away from danger and towards a path to righteous living. This is the most loving thing that a father can do. Without discipline I would not know the seriousness of the possible consequences from my actions. At times my father loved by warning me when I was going to make a mistake but would allow me to make those mistakes to a point so that I could learn that he was right. He and my mother both were my disciplinarians and truly loved me to maturity in this way. The Holy Bible also reveals to us one who is our disciplinarian and is continually loving us to maturity.
Isaiah 65 begins with a father who seems to be frustrated. It is a frustration that I can only compare with in dealing with teenagers. Verse 1 says, “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.” Doesn’t this sound like dealing with teenagers. The parent seeks out the teenager even though the teenager really doesn’t want anything to do with their parents at that time. They just want to do their own thing and live their life as they see fit. God is trying to get the attention of a nation here that is not seeking him out. He does this because he is a loving father wanting a relationship with his creation, wanting them to seek him out. Verse 2 says, “All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations – a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick.” There is not worse feeling of rejection than your child not wanting to hold your hand or not wanting to hug you. For some it is even worse than that, for some parents a child may reject them completely for years upon years holding on to something that neither parent or child truly understands. Isaiah is describing children who know better because they have been taught better of what they ought to do and yet they do what they are not supposed to do in spite of this knowledge. Those of you who have raised children into adulthood, do you remember days in which you question, “are you deliberately trying to make me upset?” Well, the answer in short according to Isaiah is yes. These people were deliberately doing wrong as to defy God and his authority. When a child defies authority and is taking the wrong path, this is where discipline comes into play to help shape and guide them back onto the correct path.
God next speaks about his judgment and justice in response to what his children are doing. He is not seeking vengeance but is seeking correction and justice for the wrongs that have been committed. It is unfortunate that many people want to ignore this part of who God is. They view God in the lens of how they feel God should be. Unfortunately, God does not bend towards our will and what we are feeling in any given day. Scripture is clear even here that God will deliver justice and discipline for those who decide to choose their own path away from righteousness. If God does not deliver justice, then how can he truly be a loving God. However, we tend to like to judge for ourselves in how and to whom his justice will be served. God speaks of his judgment on these people but he is not planning to pour it out on just everyone. For he knows that despite all of the bad ones there are also good ones out there whom he shall preserve as an inheritance of his love.
In Galatians chapter 3 Paul explains to us the function of the law. Before our faith in Christ the law served as our guardian. But it was more than that. The law served as our disciplinarian. The law when enforced would discipline us to put us on the right track towards righteousness. However, as sinners the law also meant our death when we disobeyed the law. It served as justice towards mankind. But in comes Jesus who fulfills the law and obeys it perfectly. Because he obeys it perfectly this angers the teachers of the law because he outshines them and shines light upon their own flaws. Therefore, they bend the law to their own will and have Jesus killed. By doing so they made Jesus the justifier of our faith. Our faith now becomes our disciplinarian which also brings us freedom from our sins and leads us to righteousness.
After Jesus leaves this earth, he sends the Holy Spirit in his place to be our counselor and guide. The Holy Spirit becomes our disciplinarian. It convicts us of what is right and what is wrong. Being a pastor and having a pastor’s heart even before that I have continually been asked a question by people. It is always the same question really. Many have asked me my opinion if I thought one of their actions or habits was acceptable or unacceptable. They want to know if they are doing something wrong or sinful. This is a great question because it at least it shows that their heart yearns for righteousness but yet they question what parts of their past and what parts of the pleasures of the world they can still hold on to. However, I must respond that I am not God and I am not the one who is going to judge whether they are in the right or the wrong here. However, obviously if they are asking the question then the Holy Spirit, our disciplinarian, is trying to convict their heart of something. Therefore, if this is a matter of question between right and wrong it is probably best if they listen to the Holy Spirit. This conviction that you feel in your heart is the Spirit telling you to follow the right path and discipline is that there will not be any peace in your heart until you obey. This is the role of a father.
Even demons are disciplined. Someday they will be disciplined for all eternity and they know this. Luke tells us about a man who could not be subdued for he had a legion of demons inside of him. However, once these demons see Jesus, they are in fear for they fear the discipline of God. They ask that they do not be tortured but instead to be sent into the pigs nearby. It was better for the demons to be sent in the pigs and drown themselves rather than face the judgment and discipline of God. Jesus would bring justice upon the world and he will return again to do just that and will gather up those who have been justified by their faith and those who have not he will bring about his justice by casting them into his prison that we know as Hell and this judgment will last for all eternity.
For this reason, I am thankful for my disciplinarian who has disciplined me out of love so that I may be justified and be made righteous not by my own ability but by the power of the disciplinarian, by the power of Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, be thankful for your Father today for He loves you more than you can ever know or understand. His discipline comes to perfect your faith.