06

Jump Start # 3651

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Starts # 3651

Luke 9:23 “And He was saying  to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’”

I saw a report out of Harvard that said 1 in 6 families have someone within their family that they no longer talk to because of politics. Politics!!! The culture we are swimming in thrives on drama. Selfishness, unwilling to listen to other opinions, has closed ears and hearts to each other. If you do not agree with someone, they do not want to hear from you.

Faith in Jesus makes us small. That’s the way it is supposed to be. Faith in Jesus makes God large. That’s the way it is supposed to be. Preferring others. Loving others. Being a servant to others. Putting others before you. Faith will do that. Faith shows us the Christ who was a servant to others. Faith shows us that the universe doesn’t revolve around us. Faith shows us that we are not the most important being in the creation.

Here are some things to remember:

First, faith in the Lord is greater than who sits in the White House. Policies come and go. The economy is up and down. But through all of this, God is upon the throne. That faith keeps one from getting so worked up about politics. That faith realizes that through the oppression of the Egyptians, the battles of the Philistines, the conquering Babylon, and even the strong Romans, are no match for our God. God won’t forget His people. God’s purpose and God’s promises cannot be altered by any army or any government.

Second, faith in the Lord makes a person listen more and talk less. Especially, they talk less about themselves. Hearing one sing their own song over and over, gets old very quickly. And, the more we talk about ourselves, the less we are aware of opportunities to help and serve others.

Third, faith in the Lord makes a person realize that this ole’ world got along before us and it will get along after us. The same is true of the church. The long ago preacher, W.W. Otey, late in life, in his 90s, said that he realized that he was not nearly as important as he thought he was. It shouldn’t take a person getting to their 90s to realize that. We tend to think more of ourselves than others do.

Fourth, faith in the Lord helps a person see the big span of time and people. There are nearly 2,000 names in the Bible. That’s not all that many considering the large amount of time that the Bible covers. And, among those names, we know something about a handful of them, but most of them are just a name on a page. They lived, loved, worried, struggled, and had families just like you and I. And, today, most know nothing about those people. The ‘drama of me,’ that our culture is stuck on, is just a small speck in the whole picture of time.

We are just a moment in time. And, when we walk with the Lord through faith, we realize that we are just one tiny puzzle piece that fits into the big picture of God. Once all the pieces are in place, it’s the overall picture that people focus on. The one tiny piece is lost in the big picture. The big picture is God. We are just one tiny piece that helps the Lord become known and visible to others.

Denying self, found in our verse and the first aspect of discipleship. It’s not about me and it’s not about you. So, expressions such as, “Do I have to,” or, “Why should I,” or, “I don’t get anything out of it,” speaks too much of self. Self can become our biggest enemy and the biggest battle that we face. Deny self. Think about the Lord. Talk to the Lord. Follow the Lord. None of me and all of Thee, that’s the idea.

One in six families have someone that they are no longer talking to because of politics. That’s something…

Roger

05

Jump Start # 3650

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

Jump Start # 3650

Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”

Our verse is commonly called, ‘The Great Commission.’ Great because of the scope of what was involved—all creation. Great because of what it offered—salvation to all mankind. These words would be challenging and in many ways, very uncomfortable to those who first spoke it.

All creation—would include the people that the apostles wouldn’t want to talk to. It would include those who they would have never talked to before. It would include those that they probably didn’t like. Across town and across the seas, those apostles would travel to cities they had never been to before. New people. New climates. New foods. New cultures. And, very different experiences. A long way from home. Doing things, such as preaching before audiences, that wasn’t easy for them. Uncomfortable is something that they would just have to deal with.

And, that is the nature of our faith, being able to adjust and do what is uncomfortable to us. The idea of denying yourself and taking up your cross are not comfortable concepts. Turning your cheek, going the extra mile, loving your enemy, forgiving those who have hurt you—none of those things are in the realm of what is common, natural and comfortable.

It seems that our times have tried to tame Christianity, water down the message and make it look pleasant, easy and comfortable. The modern church offers a salvation without change. The Bible doesn’t. The modern church is soft on doctrine and strong on feelings, acceptance and good times. And, in doing that, the image that is presented is not distinct or even different from the world. Why become a Christian when a Christian is the same as the man in the world, except for occasionally showing up at church now and then?

The cross is not comfortable. It’s heavy. It’s rough. It’ll give you splinters. It will weigh you down. It’s also bloody and a symbol of death. But, today, some have padded that ole’ rugged cross. They’ve made it look pretty and nice. It’s no longer offensive. It’s no longer uncomfortable. It’s become quite attractive.

Our uncomfortable faith. It moves us out of our comfort zone. It compels us to do things that we’d likely never do on our own. And, like those early apostles, when we move by faith, we find ourselves doing the uncomfortable, because it’s the right thing to do.

For instance:

  • Serving the Lord in public worship is very hard for some. We preachers have done it so long, that we think nothing of it. But there are those whose knees shake, palms sweat, voice quivers and heart races, when asked to lead a prayer or lead the Lord’s Supper. Beyond uncomfortable, some nearly pass out in fear. Yet, somehow, they find the courage and strength and do the job. Many do amazingly great job. Uncomfortable, yet serving.
  • Inviting someone to services is high on the list of things Christians find uncomfortable. Not knowing what to say, how to handle questions or worse, a rejection, so many feel ashamed and guilty because of how uncomfortable this makes them feel. There is that guy at work, but I’m just afraid to bring it up. There’s that person in the family, I need to, I ought to, but I’m so uncomfortable with that. It’s like having two left legs at the same time. But there are those that do that. That put their personal feelings and uncomfortableness behind them for the greater good of trying to show someone Jesus.
  • The Bible is specific and plain about going to a person who has sinned against me. Jesus said that in the Gospels. That’s uncomfortable for most. We can tell a third party. We can tell the elders. We can call the preacher up and tell him. But going to the parties involved, too uncomfortable for us. So, most don’t.

So, how do we deal with these uncomfortable moments in our faith? What did the apostles do? They trusted the Lord and did it. They went into all the world. Their experience was more difficult than they thought it would be. Paul said of his travels that he was hungry, thirsty, homeless and poorly treated. It may have been worse than what they ever imagined. A living nightmare. Yet, they did it. They did it because the Lord was wanting them to do it. They did it because the Lord endured the cross. They did it because our journey isn’t about us, it is about the Lord. Giving up pleasures and comforts, they became uncomfortable for the Lord.

Too often when we are uncomfortable with something, we simply won’t do it. They did it. They did it because HE did it.

When was the last time you became uncomfortable for Jesus?

Roger

04

Jump Start # 3649

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3649

Luke 15:3 “And He told them this parable, saying”

I taught a class recently on Luke 15. One just has to love that chapter. God is illustrated so wonderfully in that chapter. In many ways, Luke paints a picture of God for us. It’s not made with the brush strokes of an artist, but rather from the words and heart of a Savior.

I remember as a young puppy preacher asking legendary Robert Jackson how many sermons he had on the prodigal son. He told me around 32. At the time I was amazed. How in the world can anyone get 32 sermons from that. Now, decades later, I can’t believe he only had 32 sermons. We have a Jump Start book devoted to the prodigal son. If you’d like one send me an email (Rogshouse@aol.com). Long ago, I edited a special issue of Biblical Insights on the prodigal son.

Here are some thoughts for us:

First, we find ourselves so clearly in Luke 15. We’ve been that sheep that just wandered away. Not paying attention and not staying close to the flock, we got lost. Lost in the hype of political fever. Lost in the culture of acceptance. Lost in the maze of materialism and keeping up. So easy to just wander off.

We also see ourselves as that lost coin. Coins don’t get up on their own and move. They are dropped. They are misplaced. They are forgotten. And, so for us, we got lost because we were overlooked, forgotten, neglected, ignored. Our feelings got hurt. Someone said something we didn’t like.

But, we can be the prodigal as well. His was rebellion. Give me. I’m out of here. You won’t see me anymore. The call of the far country can be so sweet to our ears and so strong to our hearts. Listening to friends more than our Savior, we can find ourselves closing God’s book and doing what our heart tells us.

And, many of us have stood right along side that older brother in Luke 15. Smug, angry, hateful, closed heart and having no patience, grace or forgiveness for those who have done wrong. Arms crossed and refusing to go in, we’ve decided to break fellowship even if the church hasn’t or won’t.

It sure is easy to see ourselves in Luke 15. And, sometimes, like your driver’s license picture, it’s not the image that we like. Sin will do that to you. Stepping away from the Savior will do that to you. Luke 15 has a way of showing what we don’t want to see.

Second, all four images in Luke 15, the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost boys, all needed to be found. The sheep realized that. The coin technically can’t know that. The prodigal knew that. The elder brother didn’t know that. They all needed to be found. They all needed help. And, admitting that is hard for some. We want to find our way home on our own. We want to work things out on our own. We got off track a little, but we’ll get back on, we tell ourselves. Truth is, we need Jesus. We always need Jesus.

Third, what a gracious, compassionate, forgiving and generous God we have. That’s the image we pull from Luke 15. When the lost sheep was found, he carried it home around his neck. The shepherd didn’t beat the sheep. He didn’t try to teach him a lesson that he’ll never forget. Kind, gracious and forgiving.

And, with the lost coin, the woman didn’t give up looking. She swept the house, looking. She got a lamp to add more light to her search. She wouldn’t give up. She was determined that she was going to find that coin.

And, for the prodigal, what a joyful celebration that took place. The best food. The ring, sandals and robe, all indications of acceptance, trust and love. How generous the father was. How generous our Father is. No lectures. No sleeping in the barn. No work until you pay me back.

And, it was the father who went out to comfort and beg the older brother to come in to the celebration. A pouting son. The rebel was home, and now another son was gone. He stood outside refusing to come in. If the Father accepts, so must we.

Joy sprinkles through this chapter as wrongs are made right. The most transforming picture in Luke 15 is when we become the shepherd looking for the lost sheep, the woman searching for the lost coin, and the father celebrating the return of the wayward son. The lost has been found.

May we ever strive to be like God in this chapter. A God that the wounded, lost and hurt feel comfortable coming home to. A God that welcomes those who made mistakes. A God of second chances.

I want to be like that…

Roger

03

Jump Start # 3648

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

Jump Start # 3648

Acts 17:26 “and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and te boundaries of their habitation.”

Zager and Evans are not household names, even in the world of music which they were a part of. In many ways, they were one hit wonders. In the summer of 1969, they had a rhythmic song about the future of mankind. It was a dreadful look at how technology was going to reshape and change the landscape of humanity. The song journeys through 10,000 years. The song, “In the year 2525,” soared to number 1 on the charts. There are eight verses in the song. Starting with the year 2525, the song marches through the years 3535, 4545, 5555, 6565, 7510, 8510 and ends with 9595. The sixth verse, in the year 7510, the song says, “If God’s a-comin’, He ought to make it by then. Maybe He’ll look around himself and say, ‘Guess it’s time for the judgment day.’”

In the year 2525, that’s just a little over 500 years from now. That seems like forever from where we stand. But looking backward, 500 years ago, was 1524—the heart of the Reformation Movement was going strong. Luther had already been excommunicated by the Catholic church, stood strong at the Diet of Worms,  and was trying to calm down the riots during the Peasants’ War. I have stood in castles and palaces that were built then and some, even older.

And, just 500 years before that, was the year 1024— the year that Conrad II, became the king of Germany, and later was crowned the Holy Roman Emperor. Historical details about 1024 are very hard to find. Would the common villagers back then ever thought that there would be a 2024? Life for most was merely survival. Harsh conditions, frequent plagues, poor sanitary conditions and common wars kept the life expectancy in the mid-30s for most people. Communication outside the villages was rare. Life was hard for those people.

And, when we flip these numbers around, it is hard for us to imagine there will be a 3024. What will life look like? It is beyond our thinking. Someone in their 90s today, has witnessed so many changes in their life.   In communications, medical field, technology, robotics, transportation, media, the advancements have been at thoroughbred speed.

All of these thoughts flow easily into our verse today. Here are some observations:

First, it is hard for one generation, let alone, a century or two, to understand another generation. Senior citizens have a hard time understanding teens. That has always been a problem. Whether it was the length of hair in the 60s, or being glued to a cell phone in our times, one generation doesn’t get the next generation. Within the church, this can lead to battle lines being drawn. The senior saints want the timeless old hymns sung. The younger crowd leans toward the faster paced newer songs. The older crowd carries old, worn out Bibles. The younger crowd pulls the Bible up on their phone app. Rather than appreciating the treasure of experience and wisdom from the older crowd and the energy and passion from the younger crowd, it is easy for a church to splinter based upon generational factors.

To avoid this, shepherds must work well to mingle the sheep together. The senior saints need to invite some of the teens over for a bite to eat. The teens need to sit with the older crowd. Realizing that we are on the same side and that we both bring a mountain of good, tap into those resources and make the most of them.

Second, we are here because God wants us here. Why were we not born in 1524, or 1024? Or, even the year 24? That was up to God. Here we are and here we must put a stake down for the Lord. Our work is now. We must use all the tools that we have and do all that we can for the glory of God. The Lord has put us here for a reason and it is to that reason that we live and move in Him. David served the purpose of God in his generation and we must do the same. We can do more, faster and farther than people did in the 1500s or 1000s. That is a great blessing for us. We can reach more people than ever before.

Third, although the times have changed so much, we still have the same basic needs and fight the same basic battles. We must deal with sin, raise our families to be godly and walk with the Lord daily. That hasn’t changed and that will never change. We need strong congregations today. We need godly leaders. We need to find ways to keep people connected to the Lord.

“In the year 7510, if God’s a comin’ He ought to make it by then” I hope so. I’m ready for the Lord to come now. How about you?

Cool song. Cool thought. And, through all those years, ups and downs, great highlights and dark and depressing stories, the Lord has been watching and ruling and been kind and gracious and forgiving. And one day, it will be the last day for this place. Are you ready?

Roger