23

Jump Start # 3626

Posted on December 23, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3726

Psalms 104:14 “He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man.”

 

Psalms 104 is one of the most beautiful pictures of the love and care that God has for His creation. Expressions such as, “He makes the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind” (3b), “He makes the wind His messengers” (4). From the sea, to the mountains, to the animals, God’s amazing hand is seen in all that He has done. This leads the Psalmist to “sing to the Lord as long as I live” (33).

 

It is in our verse today, that we see the connections of creation and the abundant and continual care of the Lord. The grass feeds the cattle. Man eats the cattle. Everything has a purpose. Everything is connected to each other.

 

What we also see in this wonderful picture is that God didn’t finish creation like an artist does a painting. Hours and hours are spent by the artist in front of a canvas. Finally, the painting is done. The artist sets the painting aside. He may hang it in his studio. He may frame it and sell it. If he is recognized nationally, it might hang in a gallery. But the painting is done. The artist moves on to his next project.

 

God’s not like that. He is never done with His creation. The growing grass, year after year, is for the benefit of the rest of creation. God causes the creeks, rivers and springs to produce water that nourishes the rest of His creation. God is involved constantly with the care of His creation.

 

Some lessons for us:

 

First, what we commonly call seasons is actually the hand and purpose of God. We complain about rainy days and snowy nights, but those are the means to water the creation of God. In these cold winter days, it is hard to imagine the growing grass of this coming spring. All the necessary things for that to happen are already in motion. We may not fully understand it all, but God does.

 

When Jesus told the disciples to say in their prayers to say, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Long before that happened, there was wheat that was planted. That wheat grew. The rains nourished that wheat. It developed until harvest when farmers worked the fields. The grain was taken to a mill. It was sacked up and sold. Someone purchased it and made it, along with other ingredients, into bread. We thank the Lord today for food that the Lord was preparing months ago.

 

We see that with bread. What about that principle spiritually? On a given Sunday, your preacher has spent hours throughout writing, researching and developing that sermon. We sing hymns that were written hundreds of years before. As we gather to worship, so many things have already happened to make things just the way it is for us.

 

Second, not only looking backward, but we can see this looking forward. God is awaiting us to join Him in Heaven. The Lord is coming. Things will fall in place that we may never understand today, but someday, we’ll see it. The words of encouragement that you share today, may be something that brings a broken soul to the Lord in coming months. Like planting a small tree, we may never enjoy the shade of that tree, but others will benefit from it.

 

Third, as God cares for His creation, so must we. Baptism and placing membership is not the end of what we do with each other. It’s just the beginning. Developing hearts. Supporting one another. Loving each other. God didn’t just wind up a clock and walk away. He causes the grass to grow our verse tells us. In Matthew, God sends the sun and the rain upon the world. God is actively involved with His work. He never puts down the paint brush. He never walks away, thinking, “It’s completed.” And, the same must be true of us. Never finished. Never completed. Never satisfied. We must labor until the Lord calls us home.

 

I planted some grass seed on some bare spots a while back. I see tender grass blades now growing. A new season…

 

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 3725

Posted on December 20, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3725

Romans 16:8 “Greet Ampliatus my beloved in the Lord.”

 

A simple sentence. Seven words. Ampliatus, meaningful to Paul. Beloved. What’s the story? Who was this person? What did this person do? Found only here in the Scriptures, a meaningful Christian that Paul wanted to send greetings to.

 

Ampliatus is a name found among the inscriptions of the royal household in Rome. Of the 26 names in Romans 16, thirteen of them are found in documents or inscriptions having to do with the Emperor’s palace. Lightfoot claims that some of these Roman 16 names were the saints in Caesar’s household of Phil 4:22. Among those names is Ampliatus.

 

Fellowship is a funny thing. Some people just don’t like to get close to others. It’s like trying to hug a porcupine. Others are so shy, that getting a “hello,” out of them is about all one can accomplish. Some only want to talk about themselves, forgetting that they are having a conversation with someone else. Some really like to talk. One wonders how they can talk so much without having to stop and breathe. Some carry their feelings on their faces and you can tell when they are having a good day or a bad day. Some are masters at wearing masks, hiding how they feel. It’s a game trying to get behind that mask and have them be transparent and open. But, here we are in the family of God. Brothers and sisters. Some so dear to us. Some so important to us. Some we have to really work hard at getting to know. Some challenge our patience and we have to try extra hard to be nice around.

 

Like a physical family, we don’t get to pick our brothers and sisters in Christ. God does. We may like to trade some to another congregation, but the church is not a sports team and we don’t operate that way. Learning to work together and learning to love one another is the key. And, what really helps is realizing that Jesus loves us. Now, we think we are pretty loveable and easy to get along with. That’s our perspective. That’s how we see things. Others may have a different thought about that. To a degree, we are all weird in our own way. We all have little peculiarities that make us uniquely us. For me, I like things in place. Everything has a place. I expect there are some letters that define that such OCD, or, ABC, or, ACDC, or, XYZ. I can handle clutter, as long as it is organized clutter. At the end of the day, all the books go back on the shelf where they belong, the trash is emptied, the desk is cleared and everything is just the way it should be. I’ve been to other preacher’s offices and to me it looked like the room threw up. Papers everywhere. Waste basket overflowing. Empty pop cans on the shelves. I look around and wonder, how does he get anything accomplished in this mess? It works for him.

 

Here are some thoughts about Ampliatus and fellowship.

 

First, what you mean to others may never be known to anyone else. The good that you have done does not need to be shared and told to others. Ampliatus was beloved. He was Paul’s beloved. The NEB words our verse as, “my dear friend in the fellowship of the Lord.” They had a connection and a bond. We don’t know anything about it. We don’t have to. Paul did. Ampliatus did. God did. Within the congregation and within the kingdom we have those who are very close and dear to our hearts. We have a long history with these people. They have been there for us and we have been there for them. They are our beloved. It’s ok that no one else understands, or knows about your work together. You do and Heaven does.

 

Second, one has to go out of their way to build a relationship that would be defined as “beloved.” Just waving at folks once in a while or asking the same question every week, “How are you?” and getting the same response, every week, “Fine,” isn’t much to build upon. Without knowing the details, we know that Paul and Ampliatus had a bond between them. If you want to have a fellowship with another Christian that you would define as “beloved,” you must spend some time together. You must share life together. Talk. Listen. Laugh. Be honest. Pray together. Talk about passages together. Help the kingdom together.

 

It’s hard to build a friendship and relationship when you don’t have time for someone else. It’s hard when all you do is talk about yourself. Be concerned about others. Find ways to help others.

 

Third, the circle of fellowship and friendship widens when we include others. There are a lot of names in Romans 16. There are names that are only found here and no where else in the Bible, like our Ampliatus. Paul was telling the Romans to greet Ampliatus. That would stir some to wonder why was Ampliatus called beloved by Paul. How did Paul know him? And, as conversations took place and the joy of the kingdom was shared, more and more would want to include Ampliatus in their circle.

 

A dear friend of Paul, that’s Ampliatus. You have dear friends in Christ. I have dear friends in Christ. What a blessing that is.

 

Be thankful for the Ampliatus in your life.

 

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 3724

Posted on December 19, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3724

 

1 Corinthians 4:17 “For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.”

 

Someone recently asked me if I get nervous when I preach. Generally, I don’t. Sometimes when I’m the guest speaker at a place I’ve never been before, I get nervous at first. Weddings and funerals still make me nervous, though I’ve done a bunch of those. And, when my fellow preachers are sitting in the audience, I get nervous. I’m thinking that I ought to be the one sitting in the pew and they ought to be the one preaching.

 

That got me to thinking about Paul and Timothy. They traveled together teaching God’s word. Paul, as our verse states, sent Timothy to different places to help those congregations. I’m sure Timothy heard Paul preach. I wonder if Paul ever heard Timothy preach? I can’t imagine what it would be to look out in the audience and see an apostle sitting there.

 

There was a time when it seemed that preachers kept preaching until they died. But now, it seems, many retire. And, that brings the interesting concept of “The Preacher in the Pew.” The old preacher retires and the congregation brings in a younger preacher. And, there every week is an experienced preacher in the pew. Have you ever thought about this? There are blessings and challenges with that.

 

First, few truly understand the world of preaching except another preacher. The pressures, stress, workload, responsibilities, working with shepherds, juggling a family, it’s not like most other jobs. So, the preacher in the pew can be one of the best friends and cheerleader for the younger preacher or he can be an absolute critic that crushes the heart of the younger preacher. Be careful with your comments. Pick your advice wisely. Don’t make the younger preacher feel like he is being mentored or is not capable of doing things.

 

Second, encouragement is what is most needed by a younger preacher. He will have plenty of people standing in line to remind him of the mistakes, the typos, the mispronounced words he uttered, how his shoes are not shined, his tie is ugly and his hair is a mess. For some, every Sunday is like taking a beating. Brethren do not realize this. Most have no clue what others have already said and they just stack on more guilt than a young heart can handle. The preacher in the pew needs to take the young preacher out to lunch and remind him of the wonderful things that he is doing. Encourage. Lift him up. The preacher in the pew has a lifetime of stories of brethren telling him things.

 

Third, the preacher in the pew can give the young preacher some book that would become a treasure to him. It would be something special that the young preacher holds on to for most of his life. A gift from the library of the older preacher sends a great message of trust and appreciation. It’s the steps of building a unique bond between the two preachers of different generations.

 

The preacher in the pew can be an advocate for the younger preacher to the shepherds. Times have changed. Preachers once were handed a live chicken for their work. I’m glad those days are over. Not sure what we would do with a live chicken. The pay is much better for preachers these days. Now, congregations need to think about benefits, retirement and that’s where the preacher in the pew can have a voice of experience to help shepherds do a better job of taking care of their preacher. Not long ago, many preached late in life simply because they had to financially. Preaching because you have to, most times, does not make a good preacher. Beyond a good salary most shepherds haven’t given a lot of thought about insurance, retirement and such things. The voice of the preacher in the pew can bring some positive insights to this discussion.

 

I expect one of Timothy’s greatest supporters was the apostle. Paul wanted Timothy to do well. Paul knew that the baton would soon be passed to Timothy and although Timothy would never be an apostle, the well being of those young congregations would be his concern and work. Paul had to have people that he knew would be dependable, knowledgeable, and committed to the work that would continue on. You just about have to imagine that Paul was in the audience as young Timothy preached. How else would Paul know?

 

Few words mean more to me than what my fellow preachers say about my preaching. They understand and they know. Their insights are rich and deep. They are such help to someone like me.

 

The preacher in the pew—something we ought to put some thought to.

 

Roger

 

 

18

Jump Start # 3723

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3723

 

John 19:30 “Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

 

Our verse today shows the death of Jesus. He breathed His last. I have seen many people take their last breath. It’s not like the movies. No music plays. No buildup or huge moment. Quietly. Silently. The last breath is taken and they are no longer among the living.

 

One of the final words of Jesus was, “It is finished.” Job completed. Everything accomplished. The sacrifice had been given. The price had been paid for redemption. Jesus fulfilled what He came to do.

 

There are moments in our lives when we can declare, Finished. When one completes all the schooling they were going to do, they are finished. Done with school. Some, when they retire, are finished with work. No more getting up and driving to the office. No more co-workers. No more punching the clock. Finished. As we head to the holidays, a parent may declare, “I’m finished with wrapping all the gifts,” or, “I’m finished making all the cookies.”

 

The Lord’s declaration was on a much grander scale. Divine. Prophetic. Heaven sent. And, to finish all that He came to do, Jesus was single-minded. He remained focused. He did not get distracted or side tracked.

 

Our verse then states that Jesus bowed His head. It doesn’t read, Jesus’ head drooped or his muscles reflexed and His head fell. Jesus bowed His head. It’s the same language as ’The foxes have holes and the birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” Laying His head. Bowing His head.

 

As you and I bow our heads in prayer, the Lord seems to be bowing His head in honor to His Father. Respect. Devoted. Submissive. And, the next line in our verse substantiates this. Jesus gave up His spirit. Jesus didn’t just die. He gave up His life. Earlier Jesus said, “I lay down my life that I might take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.”

 

The concept of the sacrifice is that something is offered. It’s not taken. It’s not stolen. It is a gift. It is an offering. It is a present. It is a choice. And, Jesus, the greatest sacrifice of all, gave up His spirit. This shows that Jesus was in charge. He was always in charge. The time table was His. The focus was His. The sacrifice was His.

 

From this we ought to see three things:

 

First, no one loves you as much as the Lord does. Sure many of our parents worked hard, sacrificed and did things for us, but no sacrifice compares to the Lord’s. No sacrifice equals what Jesus gave. He gave His life. No sacrifice has done as much as Jesus’ sacrifice. Our parents may have put us through college, got us a car, helped us to have a decent childhood, but nothing they could do would take away our sins. And, not just our sins, but the sins of the world. No sacrifice has had the scoop of effect as Jesus’. The sins of the first century to the sins of this century, forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus.

 

The holidays can be lonely and hard for some people. Some miss others. Some are not welcome. Some do not have good relationships with their families. This may be one reason why suicide rates escalate during the holidays. Unloved and unwanted, some just give up. He bowed His head and He gave up His spirit. He did that for you. He loves you. When maybe you feel that no one else cares, Jesus does. When you believe that no one loves you, Jesus does. His sacrifice shows it. His sacrifice proves it.

 

Second, no one has done so much for you as the Lord has. I’ve received many wonderful gifts through the years. Knowing I have a fascination with church history, I’ve been given old Bibles that belonged to well know preachers. I have collected original sermons from many preachers that meant so much to me. The Psalms tells us that children are a gift of the Lord—I have four wonderful gifts that know me as “Dad.” That means so much to me. I’ve had so many blessings and help through the years. I could not have done any of this without so many wonderful people who believed in me. But, no one has done as much as the Lord has. His word has shaped and changed my heart. He has forgiven me more times than I remember. I wonder if I would even be alive today had it not been for the Lord. I wonder if I would have been divorced multiple times and even had spent time in prison had it not been for the Lord. The Lord has surrounded me with the greatest people on the face of the earth. He has opened so many doors for me to teach His word.

 

He bowed His head and He gave up His spirit.

 

Third, no one believes in you more than the Lord does. The Lord could have said, ’This sacrifice is for those that I name.’ He didn’t. He could have excluded you. He didn’t. The Lord wants you to be saved. The Lord wants you to have a relationship with His Father. The Lord wants you to embrace His word and busy yourself in His kingdom. The Lord knows the good that you can do. The Lord knows you can do it.

 

He bowed His head and He gave up His spirit.

 

Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord for doing that. The least I can do is to give You my best.

 

Roger

 

17

Jump Start # 3722

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3722

 

Acts 15:39 “And there arose such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus.”

 

Solomon in his wonderful picture of the seasons of life stated that there is a “time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.” Our verse today is not one of the best days in the life of Paul. He and Barnabas have traveled miles together. It was Barnabas who opened the door for Paul in Jerusalem and defended him. Together, they preached their hearts out on that first missionary journey. But something had happened on that first journey. Barnabas’ cousin, Mark, deserted them. He left. Maybe all of this was too much for him. Maybe he didn’t realize all the opposition that they would face. He left and Paul remembered.

 

Now, it was time to head out again. Another journey. Barnabas is ready to give Mark another chance. Paul isn’t. They argue. Don’t read into this that things got out of hand. Nothing is said about Paul slapping Barnabas, or Barnabas throwing something at Paul. Even in anger, Christians act better than the world. They were at an impasse. Neither was budging. No middle ground here. After all was said, they didn’t agree. And, in the words of the text, “they separated from one another.”

 

This is a topic that is rarely ever talked about publicly. It is something that often is not thought out very well. “When is it time to leave a congregation?” Have you ever given that much thought? There are extremes that one needs to recognize.

 

Some leave too soon, too often and over insignificant things. Hurt feelings is all it takes for some to leave. There was a party and all the couples were invited, but you. Now, you have it in your mind that the rest do not like you. You pull away and that causes even more distance in the fellowship. And, now you are giving serious thoughts to never coming back. Some leave because they don’t get their way. Some leave because they didn’t like something they heard in a sermon. Rather than talking it out, they leave. And, for some, they have a history of leaving over and over. Bouncing around from one congregation to another, the last place was the worst and the new place is the best. That is, until they don’t get their way, and the new place becomes the worst place and off they go looking for another place to worship. Little thought is given to what this does to the family, especially the children. It sends a loud message that we do not submit to others and unless you do what we want, in the way we want, we will leave. Some hold elderships hostage with these threats. “You best do this, or we will leave.” Cowardly leaders will cave in and before long, the selfish family is ruling the congregation.

 

But on the other extreme, some wait too long to leave. They hold out hope that things will get better. They hang on hoping to influence and change things for the positive. Their spirits are noble. Some have such a family history in a congregation that they plan to be the last ones remaining, and in some cases they are. Dwindling attendance and the congregation numbers less than a dozen. No young voices attend. Classes rooms sit empty. The contribution is just enough to pay the electric bill each month. They’d like to bring in a young preacher, but they can’t afford that. And, how discouraging that atmosphere is. Should they simply close the doors and move on to another place? Discouragement is a common feeling in places that are barely hanging on.

 

When should one leave? When is it proper to separate?

 

First, as commendable as it is to try to save the group, influence the whole, and change the direction that some are headed, the bottom line must be “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” If the atmosphere is so toxic and negative one must consider what impact this will have on your children. If the group no longer wants to follow the Biblical pattern, how far out of bounds do you go with them, with the intention of helping them get back where they need to be? If it is an emotional and mental struggle just to attend, then something isn’t’ right. The Psalmist declared, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘let us go to the house of the Lord.’” When that’s missing, some serious conversations need to take place.

 

Second, if you feel compelled to leave, don’t make a scene and above all things, do not try to pull others with you. Dividing the flock of God is not wise. Do what you have to do, but don’t sow discord and divide the congregation.

 

For some, their faith is in the pew that they have been sitting in for decades. The preacher could read a comic book and they wouldn’t care. They have been coming since they were a child. Their family goes back decades and decades. They would rather tear out books of the Bible than give any thought to closing the doors, relocating, or merging with another group. NEVER. They plan to attend that building until they die. The message, culture and attitude can get very squirrely and even unbiblical, but they don’t mind. As long as they can come and sit in their pew, nothing else matters. Without realizing it, and never admitting to it, these folks have a faith in the church building, not Christ. They love their church building. They brag about their church building. And, any deviation from the church building is simply not acceptable. Pray for these folks. They simply don’t get it.

 

If you have to leave, do so quietly. Don’t leave throwing darts at the leaders. Don’t leave saying mean things, which often doesn’t allow others to reply or defend themselves. Before you leave, you ought to first sit down with the shepherds and preachers. Talk with them. Maybe they are working on things you are not aware of. Maybe a solution can be reached.

 

Third, remember we serve the Lord. The kingdom is worldwide. Congregations come and go, but the kingdom remains. Serve Christ. Get active. Do what you can do for the Lord. Find ways to teach, influence and help others. Our faith is in the Lord. Congregations have a place to help us and give us opportunities to serve, but a congregation does not determine our worship. The singing may stink. The preaching may be boring. The announcements may be long and burdensome. The prayers may be mumbled. Yet, it is the Lord that I worship. My worship is not based upon how others lead publicly.

 

Serve the Lord. If you can’t where you are at, find out why. What can be done to make things better. If it comes time to separate, do it in such a way that others will not be crushed by your actions.

 

They separated…interesting thought for us.

 

Roger