The society that we live in isn’t very friendly when it comes to the Christian faith and its values.  So, when you look at it that way we’re in the same boat that the Christians back in the first century were in when Peter wrote his letter to them.  In his letter Peter warned them that they were living in a hostile environment and he said to them do not “be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you…”   He then went on to tell them that they would be reviled for the name of Christ and that their adversary was prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

So, the problem that Christians faced back then is the same problem that Christians face today.  Fortunately, according to Peter there is an answer to the problem and the answer to the problem consists of two simple words.  Discipline yourself.  Peter said, “Discipline yourself.”

Now Peter isn’t talking here about the kind of discipline that sends a child to bed without his supper when the child misbehaves.  It’s not the kind of discipline that the children in a Catholic school encountered one day in the cafeteria.  The first thing the children saw in the cafeteria line was a big bowl of apples with a sign next to it that said, “Take only one.  We’re watching.”  At the other end of the line the children found a platter of chocolate chip cookies and another sign that said, “Take all you want.  The nuns are watching the apples.”

When Peter says discipline yourself he isn’t talking about the discipline that says you need to be punished when you do something wrong.  He’s talking about the discipline where you work hard to achieve a worthwhile goal that you’ve set for yourself.

It’s the kind of discipline that says, “I’m going to sit and down study for that chemistry final instead of going to the mall with my friends.”  It’s the kind of discipline that says, “I want to run and finish the Boston Marathon so I’m going to get up every morning and run six miles.” It’s the kind of discipline where you say to yourself “I am going to loose some weight here.  So, I’m not going to gobble down those butter filled pastries every day.”

That’s the kind of discipline that Peter is talking about in his letter.  It’s the discipline that says. “I need to work on my faith every day if I want it to be strong.  I need to work on my faith every day if I want it to help me deal with all of life’s trials, temptations and tribulations. Because I live in a society that is trying to cut God out of my life I need to be disciplined when it comes to keeping God in my life.”  You need that discipline because even though we claim to be a nation under God this is a nation where we have professional basketball games on Christmas Day and candy companies that want you to believe that the Easter bunny is more important than the empty tomb.  So, Peter was right.  If you want to survive in this crazy mixed up world you need to discipline yourself.

A faith that is disciplined will also help you when your boss says, “I’m sorry but the company needs to downsize and we’re going to have to let you go.”  A faith that is disciplined will also help when someone at school says, “Go ahead and try the marijuana.  It will make you feel really cool.”  A faith that is disciplined will also help you when you’re standing in the cemetery and the minister says, “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me.”

A disciplined faith is what a family and an entire community out in Michigan needed last March.   They needed a disciplined faith when Wes Leonard died suddenly. Wes Leonard was a student at Fennville High School.  He was also a star on the school’s basketball team.  Maybe you saw this story in the news.  The team was playing in the championship game when it went into overtime.  That’s when Wes Leonard scored the winning basket.  Then when the game ended 20 seconds later he suddenly collapsed onto the floor and died.  In a matter of seconds everyone went from experiencing the joy of victory to experiencing the devastating anguish of an untimely death.  That’s when a disciplined faith can do you a lot of good.

So, it’s simple.  God is being marginalized, minimized and maneuvered out of people’s lives and here’s something that makes that sad reality even sadder.  Some churches are contributing to this sad state of affairs. You can see it in the story about the kindergarten teacher at the private school who invited the children in her class to participate in a show and tell activity.   Each child was asked to bring something to school that would help the other children understand their faith. So, when the day for show and tell arrived the first student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Benjamin.  I’m Jewish and this is a Star of David.”  The second student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Mary.  I’m Catholic and this is a rosary.”  The third student got up in front of the class and said, “My name is Billy.  I’m Protestant and this is a casserole dish.”

I don’t think a casserole dish is what Peter had in mind when he said to discipline yourself.  A faith that is disciplined is going to be more like that light bulb out in Livermore, California.  That’s right, a light bulb, but I have to tell you that this isn’t an ordinary light bulb.  This is a light bulb that is in the Guinness book of World Records.  This is a light bulb that has it’s own website.  The website is www.centennialbulb.org .  So, what makes this light bulb so special?  The answer to that question is right there in a banner on the website’s homepage.  The banner says, “Don’t worry, the light is still burning.”  And it’s been burning now for 110 years.  The light bulb was first turned on when Dennis Bernal, the owner of the company that made the light bulb brought electricity to the fire station.  He did that so the firemen wouldn’t have to fumble around in the dark to light their kerosene lamps when an alarm came in during the middle of the night.  That was back in 1901 and the light bulb is still going strong for a very simple reason.  Do you know what the reason is? It’s still going strong because it’s only been turned off three times in the last 110 years. Except for those few brief moments the light bulb has be on.  That’s why it’s still going strong 110 years later.

The same thing is true when it comes to your faith.  If you keep turning it on and off like a light switch you’re going to end up with a faith that is weak.  You’re going to end up with a faith that isn’t going to do you much good.  If, on the other hand, your switch is always on you’re going to end up with a faith that is disciplined and strong.  You’re going to end up with a faith that will keep you safe when the lions are on the prowl.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

June 5, 2011