10

Jump Start # 3610

Posted on July 10, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3610

Matthew 5:2 “And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying”

I love depth of knowledge. I’m one who reads footnotes and will check references at the back of a book. I love sitting and learning from someone who connects the dots from the O.T. through the N.T. Their insight has filled my Bible with underlined words, notations in the margins and pages of notes that I have taken. Having preached all these years, I’m amazed at how some so much younger than I am can see things that I never have. I’m thankful for their knowledge of words and ancient times.

But, there is another side to this that we must realize as well. Those that have studied the languages of the Bible, will tell you that the language Jesus spoke was not classical Greek but Koine, the language of the people. And, when one walks through the sermon on the mount, one doesn’t need a dictionary in one hand to figure out what our Lord was saying. For instance, when Jesus said in Matthew 5:38, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” Jesus doesn’t tell us what book of the Bible that is found, nor the historical background of that expression or even an explanation of what it means. He states it and then adds His, “I say to you,” part.

I doubt anyone could have dropped the nets into knowledge deeper than Jesus could have. But many, many times, if not most times, He didn’t. There is something about practical living. There is something about those who are living on the front line of faith that just need to get through the day. Hope. Trust. Faith. Promise are the tools that are essential for our walk with the Lord.

Does this mean that we ought to toss academia and dumb down and water down what we teach and preach? No. Absolutely not. But let us remember that our audience is not those who spend the day studying the words of God. Found among us are truck drivers and nurses and school teachers and house moms and accountants. They are far, far from dumb, but what they need are the tools to live for Jesus day to day. Depth without application and practical value is nothing more than knowledge. It is wisdom, the application of knowledge that takes principles off of the pages of the Bible and are lived within our lives.

Spoon feeding audiences doesn’t help them to grow. Just like at home, there is a time for that when the child is young. But, when that child can start feeding himself, progress is made. Equipping the saints leads to a strong and mature church.

So, here are a few of my thoughts (and they are just that—my thoughts):

First, it is good to provide balance within the teaching program of a congregation. Bring in those preachers that have a lot of depth. That’s good. But, the church also needs heart felt, passionate preaching that is practical, simple and something they can find application in their everyday lives.

The Lord chose Peter. The Lord also chose Paul. Peter and Paul were very different. The kingdom needed both. It is good to have both today. Depth, knowledge, practicality, wisdom—balance. Wise shepherds will recognize the need for balance. Not all classes need to be textual. Neither do all classes need to be topical. Is one better than the other? No. Both are necessary.

Second, while we may like Peter more than Paul or Paul more than Peter, don’t discourage either nor try to change one into the other. Both are necessary. Find the best use of talents and ability and do what you can for the kingdom. Truth be, if you really try, you can learn and benefit from both.

Third, never forget who your audience is. That is true if you are preaching, teaching a class, talking to your kids, or having a one-on-one conversation with someone. Notice Jesus in John 3 with Nicodemus, a skilled Jewish teacher. Turn a page, and notice Jesus with the Samaritan woman in John 4. Not the same approach. She was not in the same place that Nicodemus was.

There are times to lower those nets into the depth of knowledge. But there are also times to pull those nets up into shallower waters. Knowing your audience is the key. One can get a good picture from just talking to people. Don’t assume that everyone knows the story of Daniel and the lion’s den. They don’t. They assume that everyone knows that Genesis is the first book of the Bible. They don’t. Now, some can tell you what the word “genesis” means. Others are flipping pages, looking for Genesis. Be patient and start where your listeners are. That’s what Jesus did.

He began to teach them, saying…

Roger

09

Jump Start # 3609

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3609

James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.“

It was a simple box. It wasn’t fancy. Sitting on a shelf in a store, most would walk right past it. It wasn’t very large, maybe two baseballs could fit side by side inside. Just a plain, ordinary box. But where this box was, changed everything. It was sitting on a table in a funeral home. It contained the cremated remains of someone I knew. I remember her soft voice. I remember her concern about congregations. I remember her smile. But on this day, it was a small box that caught my attention. A box that was too small to put one of her shoes in. A box that would not hold her Bible.

We’ve heard preachers for years telling us that “You can’t take it with you,” but how visual and real that all seems when one’s life fits into a small box. When one thinks about all the worries we have carried in this life, all the blessings that have fallen to us in this life, all the memories, all the journeys, all the prayers, and, when life is over, it all fits in a small box.

Our verse today, taken from the King James translation, asks, “For what is your life?” James answers his own question by telling us it is just a vapor. It appears and then it goes away. Like the morning fog, like a cloud floating across the sky, it’s here and then it’s gone. Had James not answered his own question, how would you have answered it? What is your life? How would you define your life?

For some, it’s about achievements. Degrees earned. Houses purchased. Places traveled. The trophies in life. The awards. Being the best. Being on top. Best in sales. Number one in the company. First place in the standings. For many, that’s life. And, when life is defined that way, it doesn’t take very long until one talks in the past tense. “I was number one in my high school,” they’ll say. “I made the varsity team.” “I got my degree in three years.” But as the years roll by, those things simply become memories and milestones of the past. And, one certainly can’t put any of those things in a small box sitting on a table in a funeral home.

Others, will define life by family. The love shared. The memories of vacations and birthdays together. The joys. The laughter. We see in life that the little ones grow up. They get busy with their own projects, families and in time, once again, one looks to the past.

So, what can we put in that box?

First, it is our faith that defines us. It is our faith that has led to the choices that we have made. It is our faith that has gotten us through the dark storms and the scary times in our lives. It is our faith that others have noticed and appreciated. Our faith can not be put on a shelf. Our faith cannot be held in our hands. Our faith does not die when we cross through the doorway of death. Belonging to Jesus is more important than what you have done, where you have gone and what you have bought in your life.

Second, our example defines us. This is why Hebrews tells us that Abel speaks even though he is dead. He speaks by example. He speaks as one who was faithful to God. He speaks as one who loved the Lord. Some will remember the car you drove. Some will remember where you lived. But generations later, many will remember how you helped in a congregation. Little ones will grow up and remember those early Bible class teachers. You may have been one of them. They will grow up remembering preachers. You may have been one of them. They will grow up remembering that you loved them and encouraged them. Most of us can well remember those who helped us in our spiritual journey when we first started out. Full of questions, they took the time to answer them. They molded us to walk more closely with the Lord. They showed us how to teach. They were examples of hospitality.

What fits in that box? A lifetime of illustrations of living for Jesus. Kindness. Patience. Joy. Hope. Trust. Years of singing hymns, listening to sermons, and growing through Bible classes. Worshipping when it was easy and worshipping when it was hard. Spiritual footprints that lead to our Savior.

Just a simple and small box. But it’s more than that. It was a life here and a life now enjoying the sweet promises of God. It’s hearts that will never forget. It’s a family that saw love demonstrated. One can be cynical and think, if life comes down to all that you put in a box, why care? Why do anything? Why buy anything? Why do anything? When it’s all over, it all goes into a small box. But there are things the critic cannot see. Faith. Family. Love. Trust. And, the Lord. One can’t see those in that box, but they are there.

Life is more than just a vapor. Life is living now so we can live later.

Roger

08

Jump Start # 3608

Posted on July 8, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3608

Matthew 6:20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.”

This is the final installment on our recent trip to France.

One of the best places we went to on our trip to France was the famed Louvre Museum. We went earlier to a museum dedicated to impressionist art, such as Monet and Van Gogh, which was amazing to see the originals. In the massive Louvre, one finds famous Greek statues such as Venus and Nike, and the priceless Mona Lisa, as well as other da Vinci paintings. The gigantic painting of the Coronation of Napoleon, 33 feet wide and 20 feet tall, is amazing. The Louvre is huge. We were told that if a person spent one minute looking at every object in the Louvre and did that for eight hours a day, non–stop, it would take nearly a year to see everything. There is so much. Napoleon had taken many things from Egypt and they are now in the Louvre.

I have been to the Smithsonian museum in Washington. Been to the British museum in London. The Vatican museum in Rome. The Israeli museum in Jerusalem. Treasure houses of the old and important things from the past. Each museum is special and each has it’s own flavor. And, in every one, I would just love to be able to wander around, open closed doors and spend hours to myself in those places. I have been blessed to see some really incredible things from the past.

But the greatest treasure place of all is your heart. It is there that you store the most important things to you. It is there that only you can keep what is important to you. Precious memories of your little babies. Fond times with dear friends. Wonderful occasions of worship among God’s people. And, although life often separates us from those we love and death often takes them away from us, deep within our hearts they are kept as a priceless treasure.

Here are some reminders for us:

First, remembering and reflecting upon what is important to you reminds you of how blessed you are. I think that is one reason why I have filled my office with so many photos. Pictures of places I have been. Pictures of family. Pictures of those who are dear to me. I can look up from my work, look at those pictures and a certain joy and peace comes to my heart. Day to day we can forget how blessed we are. The stress of today can make us forget what we are holding within the museum of our hearts. God has been good to us.

Second, there are things that have happened that we need to toss out. There is no need to keep remembering the pain of words that hurt us. We don’t need to remember how people let us down. We don’t need to remember the sins against us. All museums face the dilemma of what to keep and what to throw away. This is not just a concern of museum curators, but something we must deal with ourselves. What to store in our hearts and what to let go, is important. Some keep the wrong things. And, because of that, they can never move on. They can’t forgive. They remain hurt. It may well be that they are holding on to the wrong things. The precious memories that are good and right will help you.

Third, spiritually, the precious memories will strengthen our faith. We in a corner, scared and unsure, we remember how the Lord helped Daniel in a lion’s den, or Peter when in prison. We remember prayers answered in the past. We recall Scriptures that teach us that the Lord is good and faithful. The Lord does not forget His promises.

In Peter’s writings he often used the thought of remembering or remembrance. Don’t forget! Don’t forget what the Lord has said. Don’t forget what the Lord has done. Don’t forget what the Lord has promised. Luke tells us that Mary, the mother of Jesus, “treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” She kept them in her heart. She saved them. They became a part of her internal museum.

What have you kept in your heart? What treasures have you saved within you? What spiritual gems have you held on to? It is those things that can help you journey through loneliness, disappointment and fear.

The Louvre holds a lot of treasures. But none as important as what you have kept in your heart.

Roger

05

Jump Start # 3607

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3607

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

Our trip to France included a journey to Normandy. Just the week before, was the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. We were told by locals that it rains a lot in France. A few early mornings and late nights had rain when we were there, but when we were out and about, the weather was sunny and beautiful. That is, until we came to Normandy. It was rainy, windy and cool. Very fitting for what had taken place on those beaches decades ago. Both my wife and I read different books about D-Day on the flight over. What a solemn place that is to think about the thousands of young men who died to liberate France and put an end to an evil force that was built upon hatred and violence.

A wreath was placed at one of the monuments and our group sang the National Anthem. Tears were flowing from many cheeks, as they do mine now as I think about that day. From there, we traveled to the American Cemetery, where thousands of white crosses, in perfect alignment and formation fill acres of land. More than 9,000 Americans are buried there. Today, no one is allowed to walk between the graves. There are too many visitors, we were told. But there are paths that one can walk down.

I saw the grave of a soldier from Indiana. I took a picture of one that read, “Known but to God.” We were told that there is a father and son that are buried side by side in that cemetery. Both killed in Normandy. So many crosses. So many lives. It reminded me of a story that my sweet dad told me years ago. Just graduated from high school, he enlisted in the Marines and was soon off to California for training and then boarded a ship to the South Pacific islands where he would be in combat in WW II. Before he left the states, one of his jobs was to load white crosses on a ship. I wondered at Normandy if my dad had handled some of those crosses. When he told that story, he said, he often wondered if his name would be on one of those crosses. How frightful for an 18 year-old kid to experience.

I wish every person could make the visit to the American Cemetery in Normandy. It’s a perspective about sacrifice. The average age of the more than 9,000 buried in that cemetery is 22 years old. Young. Just starting life. Many just finished high school. Many never had even heard of Normandy. And, here, buried side by side, they remain until the resurrection.

So many in our group realized that such sacrifices would likely not happen today. It’s a different culture and people are so much into their own lives that sacrifice isn’t something that they are interested in.

Now, here are some spiritual lessons from all of this:

First, being a disciple of Jesus means sacrifice. Jesus defined discipleship as “denying self and taking up your cross daily and following Me.” That taking up your cross is where sacrifice is found. No one walked away from being on the Cross. Even Jesus died on the cross.

And, because of this, you and I must sacrifice. There are things we’d do differently, but we go along, because it’s what’s best for the whole. We put ourselves behind that of others. What I feel, what I want, what I think, must be sacrificed. But, more than that, there is the dedication of commitment, time, and resources. I give, when I’d rather keep the money for myself. I teach when I’d rather just attend. I encourage when I’d rather just stay to myself. Why? Sacrifice. Sacrifice for others. We remain a free country today partly because of those nine thousand graves in Normandy. With the heart of a servant and the spirit of sacrifice, no one ought to hear, “Why should I?” Or, “Do I have to?” Or, “what’s in it for me?” The “me” aspect is sacrificed. Until we deny ourselves, we can never truly sacrifice as the Lord wants us to.

Second, all of us have been blessed by the sacrifices of others. The very fact that the American Flag still flies freely in this country is one reminder of the sacrifice of others. For so many of us, our parents did without so they could give to us. They sacrificed. Some of us went to college because our parents paid for it. Even, spiritually, our forefathers have donated land, built buildings, and endured so much that has made things possible today. Paul told the Corinthians that he was thirsty, hungry, poorly clothed and mistreated. Why? He was making sacrifices for others. The wellbeing of the Corinthians was more important to him than his own comfort.

Third, there is no sacrifice that equals what our Lord has done. Coming from Heaven to this place where He was tortured, tormented and troubled by the people He came to help and save. His blood was spilled for our eternal freedom. He endured what ought to have come upon us. His sacrifice changed the world and made Heaven possible.

What fuels sacrifice is compassion and love. Why does a mother do all that she does for her little ones? Because she loves them. Why does a Bible class teacher spend most of a Saturday studying and studying to prepare the classes that will be taught the next day? Because of love. Why do shepherds pray and encourage and help the sheep? Because of love. And, why did the Lord give His life for you? Because He loves you.

Without love, sacrifice becomes empty and more of an obligation and duty. Have to, replaces, want to, when love is missing.

The crosses at Normandy. For eighty years those fallen soldiers have lain side by side in that solemn cemetery. Their sacrifices changed lives back home. Fathers did not return. Husbands did not return. Sons did not return. They paid the ultimate price. They gave their greatest gift, their very lives. And, today, many have little interests or care about that.

And, long before that, upon an old rugged cross, the greatest sacrifice that the world has even known took place. Through His death, we have been redeemed. Through His death, we now are free.

Sacrifice—that’s the heart of the New Testament.

Roger

03

Jump Start # 3606

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3606

John 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

NOTE: Tomorrow is a holiday. There will be no Jump Start posted.

More thoughts from a recent trip to France.

One of the fascinating places we saw on our trip was the Palace at Versailles. Throughout Europe there are many palaces. The famed Louvre Museum originally was a palace. It’s hard to beat the size and the beauty found at Versailles. It started off as a hunting lodge in the mid 1600s, built by Louis XIII. But it was the next generation, Louis XIV, that reshaped the palace into the exquisite, breathtaking golden palace. The hall of mirrors, 240 feet long, vaulted painted ceiling, golden statues, crystal chandeliers and more than 300 mirrors is the gem of the palace. It is beyond words.

Later, Louis XVI and his wife, Maria Antoinette, would be on the wrong side of the French Revolution, and be arrested and later executed by the guillotine. We walked through her bedroom and I thought, if she were alive in that palace, she would never let so many strangers parade through her house, looking at all her furnishings and paintings. Likewise, we’d do the same. We don’t just let anyone walk through our house, especially our private places like our bedrooms.

And, that takes us to our verse today. It is a triplet of promises. Jesus says, “I go.” Then, “I will come.” And, “I will take you”. Promises. Certainties. Absolutes. This you can count on. Why? Because Jesus said so. Because God can be trusted. God keeps His promises.

Here are some thoughts

First, walking through the palace of Versailles made me realize that I got to see things that most people living during the times of the reigns of Louis XVI never got to see. But life is like that, especially for our times. Through the advancement of technology, inventions and research, we can now see stars that others never saw. We can see the growth of a baby in the womb that generations before never experienced. We have seen pictures sent back from the moon and the bottom of the ocean that others only wondered and dreamed about.

But greater than all those things, we have seen prodigals returning home. We’ve seen brethren extend grace and forgiveness towards each other. We’ve seen hearts change. We’ve seen the most stingy person becoming generous, with a smile on his face. We know the Gospel works, because we have seen it. All around we have seen it but more than any other place, we have seen it in our own lives. Because of that, people who have never seen thriving marriages, now do. People who have never understood forgiveness, see it. People who have given up on kindness and peace, now see that there is still hope. All of this comes though the power of the Gospel.

Second, a day is coming when we will see the home of God, Heaven. John was given a picture of it in Revelation. Paul was caught up to the third Heaven, but he could not repeat what he heard. This won’t be a guided tour group that lasts a few hours and then we return to our homes. Heaven will be our home. And as spectacular as Versailles is, Heaven will only be better. It has to be better, because God is there. And, as each of our homes, reflect our tastes and interests, Heaven will be a reflection of God. Pure. Right. Perfect. Holy. Glorious. That’s God. That’s Heaven, His home.

The palaces of Europe define and illustrate the haves and the have-nots. The books will tell you that Louis XIV built the palace, but he really didn’t. Common laborers built it for him. They did the hard work. Many likely were injured or killed in the process. Safety regulations didn’t really exist back then. The have-nots kill themselves so the haves can be spoiled in luxury. Once the palace was completed, the have-nots, had to leave. They would not be invited to the banquets at the palace. They would not dance in the ballrooms. They would not dress as the people who lived in the palace did. They would not eat the fine foods that were served in the palace. No, once their labor was completed, the gates were closed and they were kept on the outside. The haves and the have-nots.

Heaven won’t be like that. The common guy, like the Rufus, who carried the cross for Jesus would be welcomed there. The outcasts, like Zacchaeus or the thankful Samaritan leper, would be welcomed there. You and I would have a place at God’s table. Welcomed. Accepted. Invited. Wanted.

The division of Heaven is believer and non-believer. It’s not based upon the heritage of family. It’s not about education, race, or, finances. It’s not about what we have achieved. It’s about knowing and walking with our Savior.

What a thought, the gates of Heaven opened for the likes of you and me. A place where we do not belong, we will belong. And, that place, will become our home. It will be the longest place we ever dwell. And, as for the hall of mirrors, God will have that beat. Just wait and see…

Roger