Jump Start # 2494

1 Peter 2:6 “For this is contained in Scripture: Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, and he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed.”

  Disappointments are a part of life, but they are never any fun when they come our way. Early in life, we face disappointments. We wanted to stay up and our parents told us to go to bed. We wanted to eat chocolate for dinner and our parents made us eat veggies. We watched as people we went to school with made varsity and we didn’t. We saw some make the school play and we didn’t. The person we really liked in school was dating someone else. Then, we didn’t get the classes we wanted in college. We didn’t get the job we wanted.

  And, here in the week of Christmas, some will be disappointed. There was one special gift that they wanted and they didn’t get that gift. Disappointed. For some, it seems that disappointments have followed them most of their lives. And, those mounting disappointments have left them miserable and feeling that they are not as good as others. This has wrecked their self esteem, killed their ego and made them believe that they won’t ever be in Heaven, because they are not as good as others. Their self worth just isn’t worth very much these days. Like ole’ Eeyore, the loveable donkey in Winnie the Pooh, head hung down, talking negatively about himself, not feeling like he ought to be included, is exactly the way that the disappointed feel about themselves.

  When one has a spiritual heart, sin will make you feel disappointed. It ought to. It should. You have broken the heart of God. You have chosen wrong. And, the more one sins, the more he feels disappointed. Lower and lower he sinks until he finally believes that it’s impossible for him to be saved.

  Disappointments sink. That’s just the truth of the matter. Some disappointments are shallow and we forget about them very quickly. Others, have a way of being filed deeply within our memory and no matter what we do, they are there. Our upbringing has much to do with this as well. Some parents tell their kids, “You disappoint me.” That stings and that has a way of making it back to the files in our memory. That can lead to someone believing that he cannot accomplish anything worthwhile in life. Loser becomes his title and he believes that.

  Our verse today is about Jesus. It’s a quotation from Isaiah. It’s found two other times in Romans. He who believes in Him will not be disappointed. Why? Because Jesus delivers. Jesus saves. Jesus does what no one else does. He doesn’t give up on us. He takes us at our worst and still believes in us. He molds us, shapes us, forgives us and puts us right in the forefront of kingdom work.

  Now, there is a since in which some might be disappointed in Jesus. They get that way when they want Jesus to close the Bible and allow them to wallow in sin and stay there. Those who want to marry anyone and everyone and anything and everything, would be disappointed in what Jesus said about marriage. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Some not knowing that, have ruined relationships and hurt others.

  Those that want to party with the pagans, dance to the moon, worship themselves, and have no restrictions, no commandments, nothing off limits will be greatly disappointed in Jesus. That’s not Jesus. That’s not what He is about. Jesus isn’t Burger King, where you can “Have it your own way.” Not with Jesus. It’s His way or no way.

  But for those who bow their hearts to Jesus, what a wonderful, wonderful life they find. He called this the abundant life. Here we find a whole worldwide family of believers that love us, accept us and are like us. We find joy and peace. We find hearts that are calm and restful. We find worship that is God centered, God pleasing and heartfelt. We find a work to do that is the greatest in all the world, the work of the kingdom. We find people who genuinely care about us and are willing to sit with us, talk with us and pray with us. We find a home awaiting us in Heaven. We find purpose and direction in life. We find understanding and truth which becomes the foundation upon which we stand.

  Those that believe will not be disappointed. Through the years, I’ve met folks who got upset with preachers, mad at elders, had their feelings hurt by brethren. But I’ve never met anyone who claimed that Jesus mistreated him. Never met anyone on the way out who blamed Jesus. There have been some who were mad at the church. And among those who believe, what I find is a wish that they had started following Jesus much earlier in their lives. No regrets in being a Christian. No doing things differently, other than getting on board sooner in life.

  There is no disappointment in Him for those who believe. That’s just something to remember!

  Roger