Jump Start # 3534

Hebrews 10:24 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.”

It’s an interesting question to ponder. Just why do people quit? Some quit their jobs. Some sign up for special classes and then they quit. Some quit college. Sadly, some quit when it comes to their marriages. But, worse of all, is when a Christian quits walking with the Lord. The world gets just a bit darker when a Christian quits.

Paul experienced that. Demas returned to the world. Jesus faced that. Many walked with Him no more.

Why do people quit? Or, more specifically, why do some quit the Lord? That is a question that puzzles preachers and shepherds. While some come in the front door, others leave out the back door, never to return again. Departures are discouraging. Departures leave people wondering what more could have been done. Departures impact the family and can change the eternal direction that a family travels. Some are at a loss as to why some leave. In some situations, like a sinking ship, one after another begin to leave. It’s not switching congregations or moving away, it’s just quitting all together. Sundays become a day to sleep in, do house work, take day trips. The Bible is put away in a closet shelf. Food is eaten without prayers. Life becomes secular and consumed with what happens now. Someone has quit.

Here are a few reasons why:

First, some may have never been fully committed or fully convinced. They see the excitement surrounding a baptism and they want that. They get caught up following someone, rather than the Lord.  Some are never fully convinced that the Lord is right in all things. They never understood why somethings are wrong. Some never got much more than their big toe into the faith of Christ.

Second, some never developed a positive support system. Biblically, we call that fellowship. They were always on the outside and never allowed the people of God in their lives or their heart. The friends from the world keep pulling them away from the Lord and into things that they shouldn’t be doing. They never fully tasted the goodness of fellowship. They never grasped the incredible joy of a great Bible study. Alone, the little sheep becomes vulnerable and easily attacked by the devil. The Lord realizes that we need support.

Third, some have never gotten over the disappointments from others. People let them down. Brethren hurt them. They never forgot and they never forgave. In time, these hurts work on their hearts like rust, it just eats away anything that is good. Things were said that should never have been said. People judged. They never felt included, accepted nor loved. For some, it seems that they were pushed out. So, they just quit. Shame on a church and shame on us when we have acted that way. It is nearly impossible to pull someone back when they have had such a terrible experience.

Fourth, some have never continued to feed their faith. They have starved their hearts spiritually. They were too busy with life and too busy with the world. In time, there was just nothing left in their soul. It’s easy to quit that way. Worry was never dealt with. Fear, doubt and questions were never addressed. Rather than developing great spiritual habits, the little faith had no depth and the scorching sun caused it to wither away, as the parable of the sower illustrates. Jesus said, “man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4).

Fifth, some never thought that God would take them back. They wondered out to the wilderness and now they are convinced it’s too late and they are too far gone for God to have anything to do with them. It’s been a long time, too long they believe, and as a result, they just give up, even though they’d like to come back. They are convinced that God no longer loves them. This comes from a little faith that just hasn’t learned the truth about the Lord. God longs for all of us to come back. The story of the prodigal shows us that God wants us back with Him.

“I’m no longer interested,” are some of the saddest words ever spoken. For some, they’ll take their chances. For others, they profess to still love the Lord and are doing their best to live a good life, they just don’t have the heart to stomach being part of a church again. I know folks like this. Getting them to see it’s not the church, but the Lord that you serve. And, when one quits, it hurts the Lord more than it hurts anyone else.

Our prayers must never cease for those who have quit. Our efforts must never neglect those who have quit. It just may be that someone is waiting for you to ask them back. Show kindness and gentleness. Be patient. Most lose their faith not by a major blowout but by a slow leak. Patching that leak and pumping that faith up is what we must do.

When one quits…things to think about.

Roger

Jump Start # 1375

Hebrews 10:24 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds”

Our passage today is the third in a series of “Let Us” expressions. I appreciate how it is worded. The text doesn’t say, ‘You need to…” or, “you ought to,” or, even, “I did.” Rather, it’s a LET US. Us—you and me. Us-being together. A single person is not an us. It takes more than one to make an us. You and others become an us.

Our verse also reminds us that they were to think about others. Consider, it says, how to stimulate one another. Consider how to do that. Consider the best way. Too often, when it comes to thinking, we only think about ourselves. We want others to do for us. We want to be pampered, praised and noticed. But that’s not the direction here. That’s never the direction with Jesus. He never tells us to praise ourselves. He never tells us to ignore others and take care of only yourself. Not Jesus. He tells us the story of the good Samaritan. And He ends that story with a “Go and do thou likewise.” Go put that story into action. Go live that story. Do it.

So we are to consider others. We are to consider how to stimulate them. Another word might be, move them. Another could be, encourage them. They are to be stimulated to love and good deeds. We need some kicking in the pants now and then to get us moving. We need reminders. We need someone to point the way. We need a trail blazer. We need someone to cut a path through the wilderness. In my area, Daniel Boone is a hero. He was just like that. He found and made trails through the wilderness that others would follow. He was a leader. Shepherds are like that. Remember the great Psalms 23? “He leads me beside quiet waters,” and, “He guides me in the paths of righteousness…” Led by the shepherd.

I have found through the years, if you ask someone or include them, usually, they’ll do it. Some have a hard time seeing things. It’s that “open your eyes” concept when Jesus told the disciples about the fields being white for harvest. Some can walk right past the fields and never notice that they are ready for harvest. I’m not sure what folks can be thinking about, but some simply do not see it. The open your eyes concept helps us to be the Lord’s hands, feet and eyes. We help others when we see their needs.

Jesus saw little Zacchaeus up in that tree. Jesus saw the bent over woman in the synagogue. Jesus sees the smallest and simplest of gifts, such as a cup of cold water given to a thirsty soul. Jesus sees. It helps when we can see things like Jesus did.

Our passage identifies two areas to stimulate one another in. First, Love. This is not an emotion. It is not a feeling. It is about caring. Compassion leads to service. If one cares, he goes. If one cares, he does. Jesus had compassion upon the multitudes and He fed them. Jesus felt compassion and healed the blind. Stimulated to love. This may lead to someone apologizing. This may lead to someone forgiving. Maybe it’s way past due. Maybe they feel that they just can’t take that step. Consider how to stimulate them to love…Reason with them. Show them. Help them. Teach them.

The other area that we need some stimulating is in good deeds. Sometimes we just allow others to do that. We let others take the food. We let others do the work. We let others serve. In many congregations, it’s the older members who are doing most of this. It may be that they have the time. It may be that they have the money. Young families are limited, but they are not excluded. The older generation gets tired of always doing. They wonder what will happen when they are gone. Who will pick up the work after them? That’s a good question to have. That is a concern. That is something to think about. Possibly, the older crowd ought to include a younger family and together they serve others. Together, one teaches the other and one encourages the other.

I wonder if the bulk of our stimulating one another is left to sermons. The sermon can stir us. The sermon can motivate us. The sermon can help. But I do not feel that is the extent of this. The passage is not directed to preachers only. It was directed to all those who heard those words read. So, some of our stimulating will come not from the pulpit, but also, and most often, from one another. Each other, doing what we can. Each other, doing what we ought to. Each other.

This is what parents do. They encourage their little ones to play together and be nice. They encourage and show their littles ones how to make their bed and pick up their toys. As they get bigger, they show them how to help others. They start doing for others.

Some may have never been shown those things by their parents. It may be that their parents were never shown. One generation tends to pass one what they know. If they never know, then they can’t pass that on. Some never thought about helping someone else unless there was a real crisis. A neighbor has a tree down and you’ll get all the guys showing up with saws. Someone has a car in a ditch and there will be folks stopping by to help. That’s good and that’s the way it ought to be. However, without a crisis we can be rather unfriendly to one another. We need some stimulation. We need someone to point the direction for us. Praying for someone, is a great thing to do. Who doesn’t need a pray these days? Giving something to someone for no other reason than you’re being nice.

Those good deeds done, may be the very thing that opens the door to a closed heart. We can doctrine someone to death. There is a place for teaching doctrine. We’d never discount that. That’s how a person will learn Christ and be saved. It’s a must. But some can be rather cold and indifferent why pushing doctrine. Showing some love and good deeds can melt the hardest hearts. So the guy won’t take you up on your invitation to come to worship, still be nice and generous with him. So the guy doesn’t want any more Bible studies with you. Don’t write him off and shun him. Be nice and generous with him.

We need to encourage one another in these things. We need to be the cheerleaders yelling on the sidelines of life for one another. We need to let others know that we count on them, believe in them and are with them.

Let us consider…give it some thought.

Roger