Jump Start # 1688

Matthew 24:43 “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.”

We continue our look this week at the concept of “warnings” in the Bible. We are not looking so much at specific warnings, but the concept behind them. So far we have considered words like, avoiding, fleeing, and beware. Those are all terms that draw our attention. Those are the words of warning. There is yet another word that we need to consider. Today, we look at the word, “alert.” Jesus used this word often.

Here in this context it is used twice. In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, Jesus said, “”Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Mt 25:13). In Luke, Jesus told the disciples to pray and keep on the alert at all times (Lk 21:36). Paul ended the Corinthian letter with these words, “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (16:13). The Thessalonians were told not to sleep as others do, but to be alert and sober (1 Thes 5:6). Peter warned of Satan, prowling about like a lion. His words included, be sober and be alert (1 Pet 5:8). Keep your eyes open.

Be alert. We might use the expression, “Pay attention,” which basically means the same thing. The wandering mind and distractions can lead a person to lose focus. This is why school teachers say, “Pay attention.” This is why parents say, “Are you listening to me?” The distracted driver is a danger on the roadways. The driver texting, reaching for something, or simply not paying attention is a wreck that is ready to happen. Young drivers are taught to keep both hands on the wheel, their cell phone put away and the radio turned off. Focus. Athletes understand the concept of focus. Around here, we  rush through football season to get to the most important sport, basketball. Indiana and Kentucky love their basketball. All levels of it. I’ve gone to many games at Assembly Hall, where Indiana University plays. There is a common scene in every game that I’ve been to. When the visiting team is shooting a free throw, the I.U. students hold up these massive cardboard “Big Heads” of famous people. They shake them, twirl them, spin them and the sight is comical. The fans love to see what “Big Head” will show up each week. The purpose is for the opponent who is looking at the basket to see all these distractions in the background and to lose his focus and miss the shot. In many ways, this is what Satan does to us. He dangles cheap trinkets in front of our eyes so that we will lose focus. He’ll dangle lust, greed, power and tempt us to take the off-ramp to the here and now and to stop our journey with Christ.

We see this in the O.T. King David saw a woman bathing. He sent for her. David lost his focus. His eyes only saw the here and now. He didn’t see sin. He didn’t see that she was married. He didn’t see a baby being born. He didn’t see having to get a loyal soldier drunk and eventually ordered his death. He didn’t see his own family falling apart. He didn’t see a son walking in these very same steps. He lost his focus. It didn’t take long. That one event led to the rest of David’s life being heartache and misery. One look. One time.

We see this with Eve in the garden. She knew what God expected. Satan got her to look at the forbidden fruit. She saw that it was delightful. She wanted it. She lost her focus. She ate. Adam ate. Both hid from God. Both were banned from the garden. One look. She took her eyes off the road for just a second.

So, here we are, traveling down the road of life. Our hands are on the wheel and our eyes are straight ahead. Alert we are. But then something catches our eye over there. It fills our heart. We want it. The next thing you know, we are upside down in the ditch of life. We say, “I didn’t see that coming.” Obviously. You weren’t paying attention. You weren’t alert.

A pretty Christian girl starts dating a rough looking guy. He makes her laugh. He makes her smile. He is not interested in God. He is rough on the inside. He hangs with a rough crowd. This sweet girl, starts skipping services. She begins to dress looser and more immodest. Before long, she’s gone. She’s stopped coming. She stopped paying attention.

A young college student is in awe of his college professor. He’s brilliant. The student starts taking in all that the professor says. Soon, this young student has embraced atheistic evolution. He has no room for God anymore. He wasn’t paying attention.

A businessman works with a pretty co-worker. They share stories about home and dreams. She flirts. He returns the flirts. In what seems to be an instant, they are in bed together. How did all of this happen? He wasn’t paying attention.

If you are serious about retiring someday, you will pay attention to your budget and your investments. The guy who lives paycheck to paycheck will wake up one day and wonder why he can’t retire. He wasn’t paying attention. I heard a stat on the radio recently. It said 53% of Americans are not saving anything towards retirement and worse of all, they have no plans to start.

The person who has a sore spot that won’t heal will go to the doctor. He knows if he ignores it, the problem may get worse. He is careful about taking care of himself.

We are careful about what we eat. We are careful about watching the weather. We are alert to warnings in our car. If we could only keep that same spiritual focus, many of our troubles, both congregationally, and personally, would not be there. Be alert. Be watchful. Be careful.

May I add a few of my own be carefuls:

• Be careful what you read. Just because something was purchased in a religious bookstore or written by someone in our fellowship, doesn’t mean it’s right, helpful nor good. Be careful.
• Be careful who you call friend. It’s better to have a few friends who are true and loyal than several who use you and lead you away from Jesus.
• Be careful what you say to those who are not Christians, this includes your family. Complaining about brethren and the church certainly won’t make them rush to join you. Be careful.
• Be careful of your choices.
• Be careful what you put in your heart.
• Be alert to Satan. He is always watching you. He is not far from you. He wants to trip you up. He will use anything and anyone to get to you. Be alert.
• Be alert to the fact that someday your life here will end. Don’t wait to make a difference, do it now. Now is all that you have.

Be alert. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes fixed on Jesus. That’s the only way we can get through this messy world.

Roger