30

Jump Start # 744

Posted on November 30, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 744

Mark 9:15 “Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.”

This week our Jump Starts have focused upon the audience that heard Jesus. We’ve taken a close look at who made up the multitudes. It was a mixture of people who were “bad,” had “problems” and were “critics.” To be fair, I think there was at least one more type of listening in His audience and that was “the curious.” These people were interested. They didn’t have any health needs that required a miracle from Jesus. They were not social outcasts or problems. They were not there to trap Jesus as the critics were. They gathered to listen. They had heard a few things about Jesus and came to see for themselves.

 

The Gospel of Mark, especially, identifies the reactions that people had to Jesus. Words like “amazed,” “astonished,” or “marveled” are common. Jesus was a young teacher to have such a following. We remember that on one occasion Jesus fed 5,000 men. That count did not include women or children. The total count could have easily been 10,000-20,000. Another occasion he fed 4,000. It’s hard to imagine someone being that popular without a website, a facebook blog, a series of books published, a college lectureship tour or some mass marketing campaign. For Jesus, it was word of mouth.

Luke gives us a glimpse of these crowds when he says, “Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “ Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’”  (12:1).

 

Jesus was different. He wasn’t like the dry rabbis. He spoke to the heart. He said things no one else did. He spoke with authority, emphasized a connection to God, and proved who He was by signs, wonders and spiritual gifts.

Many in the audience believed. They came because they were curious. They saw for themselves. They followed Him. The greater the crowds grew the more jealous, uneasy and unhappy the critics became. Jesus was taking away their people. They moved to discredit Jesus and when they couldn’t do that, they were determined to destroy Jesus.

 

The resurrected Jesus was seen not just by the apostles but by more than 500 disciples. These people became early believers and the first Christians. They told others about Jesus and the Gospel grew. The faithful of God defended Jesus, loved Jesus and worked hard in His kingdom.

 

It is that faithful today that carry on the work of the Lord.

This look at the audience of Jesus reminds us that people gathered for different reasons. Some were looking for hope and acceptance. Some wanted a miracle. Some were critical. Some were curious. Some were believers. Jesus meant different things to all of these people. Some stood on the outside and never really changed. Others had a complete change of mind about Jesus.

 

There are similarities in these lessons to our Sunday morning audience in church services. It is not uncommon to find a sampling of all these groups. Some are looking for answers and hope because they have really messed up their lives. Some are looking for help, often financial. Some are curious. Some are critics. They come, usually, because a wife or parent, nags them. They don’t want to be there, but they are. Some are faithful to God. They believe and are the backbone in that community of  God’s kingdom. They defend, support, love and spread the news about Jesus Christ.

 

The challenge for every preacher is to recognize his audience and understand this mixture. People change. Some who are critics become believers. Some who have great issues and problems move beyond those and through Christ, conquer those things. One size fits all, classes and sermons do not meet the challenges of most audiences. Looking at the audience that heard Jesus moves us to look at what Jesus said. His message was what the audience needed, whether they realized that or not. He spoke plain and simple. He used prophecy to show the plan of God. He didn’t use gimmicks, side show tricks, or push His ego. He taught the word of God. This is what a confused and dying world needs. Jesus didn’t preach politics or social engineering but the word of God. His message was personal and challenging. He was the greatest preacher of all time!

 

You and I make up that audience on Sunday. Which group are we? Why do we come? What impact does that message have upon us? Do we listen, really listen? Do we change? How can a person hear the Gospel preached for years and not be different?

 

When my kids were young, I used to get the Play-doh out for them. They’d make things and shape things and have a great time. The Play-doh was soft and cool and easy to work with. But if we didn’t put the lid on tight, that Play-doh became dry and hard and it wouldn’t do what we wanted. We had to throw it out. Our hearts are like that. As long as they are soft and pliable we can be shaped into the image of Christ. When our hearts become dry and hard, there’s not much anyone can do with it.

Today, we are the audience listening to Jesus.

Roger

 

29

Jump Start # 743

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 743

Luke 19:7 When they saw it, they all began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

This week our Jump Starts are taking a close look at who heard Jesus. We are looking at who was in the audience, who made up the multitudes that heard Jesus speak. So far, we have noticed that the audience was made up of “bad” people, and “problem” people. Another group that was in the audience was the critics.

The critics of Jesus often ask misleading questions to trick and trap Jesus. They demand proof of his authority. They condemn Him for healing on the Sabbath. They have Jesus under the microscope. Every word, every action is judged by the critics. They don’t ask for a miracle. They don’t come for salvation or hope. They are there to watch. They are playing the role of the spiritual swat team, ready at any moment to pounce upon Jesus for what He does.

The critics were mostly the Pharisees. They felt that it was their duty to protect God’s word and to keep it pure. Jesus offended them. Jesus said things that didn’t seem right. He forgave sins. No one can do that but God. He allowed people to bow to Him. He trounced the traditions of the Pharisees that they held so dear. The Pharisees were suspicious of Jesus. They didn’t trust Him and they certainly didn’t like Him.

Our passage today comes from the encounter with Zaccheus. We remember him as the “wee little man who climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus.” There is more to this than that cute little children’s song. Zaccheus was a rich, chief tax collector. He was viewed as a friend to the enemy, Rome, and a traitor to Israel. Most tax collectors became rich by taking advantage of others. Most were just plain cheats. Zaccheus is up a tree looking for Jesus to pass by. Jesus stops. Engages in a conversation. Knows the tax collector by name and He invites Himself to the tax collectors home. No way! What is He thinking? This caused the critics to grumble.

Other times they ridiculed. Once they even laughed at what Jesus said.

Any one that has stood before an audience knows that there are always critics who are watching. The politician faces that. The actor faces that. Even the preacher faces that. Some audiences are more forgiving than others. The wrong word, the misquote, the historical error are caught by the critics sharp eye and they are replayed to the discouragement of the one who said it.

 

Some are very kind and helpful and they just point things out to make a person better. They have a wonderful spirit about them and are so humble that the comments are well received. We need these kind of people in our lives to help us be right. This was not the Pharisees. And many critics are not this way today. They are mean. They are cold. They hurt with their criticism. Instead of improving, they tear down and put fear into a person. In church circles, many critics love to critique all the mistakes of a sermon as they leave. At the doorway, and in a hurry, and before others, they love to tell the preacher how his sermon was a bomb. The preacher cannot even respond. The critic is in his car and down the road before the preacher can gather his wits. Shame on us for doing that! Especially to the young preacher. Those things just rips his heart out.

 

I want us to get a picture of what it was like for Jesus. Some in the audience gathered only to get something from Him. They were selfish and needy. Some had all kinds of problems. Then there was the critic. Watching. Ready. Hostile. Taking what Jesus said out of context. Misquoting Him. Accusing Him of false motives.

 

I don’t know how Jesus did it. Nearly every day was a journey into enemy territory. The critics never left Him alone. Everywhere He went, they were there. Ready. Watching. Testing. Accusing.

 

The cross was the ultimate suffering for Jesus. I think we get the idea that was the only suffering He endured. I am now seeing that everyday was a form of suffering for Him. How could He get His message across with such an audience? This certainly shows His focus upon the mission and His love for all of us.

Before we leave this thought, some of us live with critics as well. It is nothing to what Jesus endured, but it’s there and it hurts. The critics may be co-workers, who say things and do things to trap you. It may be from family members who do not agree with your faith. They say little snide remarks. They have a way to get their digs in. They challenge and try to put you in a corner. It’s very uncomfortable and it’s very hard on you. There are days you want to find a hole and crawl in it, just to get away. But you can’t.

 

Take comfort in Jesus. First, He knows what it is like to have critics. He had them every step of the way. They hounded Him and chased Him all the way to the cross. You are not alone. Jesus understands. Pray to God for comfort, relief and help.

 

Also, notice how Jesus responded. He didn’t act like the critics. He defended what was right. There were times when He turned the questions around on the critics. He did not let them take advantage of Him, but never did He lose His temper and do something that He later had to apologize for. In the heat of the battle, he called the Pharisees “hypocrites” and gave proof of that. When a person throws mud, it is easy to get in the pit and throw mud back. Name calling, shouting, anger, trumped up accusations only break down communication lines. Jesus didn’t do that.

We have been told by Jesus that the world will hate His people. They hate us because they hate Him. Satan is behind that. He is our biggest critic. He hates all the good that you do.

Jesus continued on…even with critics hot on his trail. So must we. There is a work we do and a place we are going. Stay with it!

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 742

Posted on November 28, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 742

Matthew 4:24 The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them.

We noticed yesterday, in our Jump Start, that many “bad” people came to Jesus. Many of these were outcasts because of their sins, such as the immoral, or because of their profession, such as the tax collectors. They found in Jesus a friend. He was not like them, yet He was not like the rest who avoided them. Jesus did not send them away. Jesus offered them a better way.

Another group of people that would be found in the crowds around Jesus were the sick. Our passage is one of many that generically tells of healings. How many we do not know. The list Matthew gives us includes: various diseases, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics and those with pains. News that Jesus would give relief spread from village to village. Most of these people had to live with their problems because doctors could not help them. Jesus not only lessened their burdens, He restored their health and their life.

It is hard to imagine being in a crowd to hear Jesus. Parents with sick kids would be pushing their way to the front so Jesus could see them and heal them. The demon possessed would scare most of us.  In some ways it would look like a doctors waiting room filled with sick people. They came to get cured. They came for personal reasons. They came because they had a need. Their interest was not in salvation, but in wellness. Jesus used the opportunity to show that He could do what no one else could. He used the healings as a footnote to verify He was Heaven sent. There was a greater sickness that He came for and that was sin.

 

Between the “bad” people and the “sick” people, the Pharisees must have wondered if there was any “normal” people in the audience. The Messiah from Heaven certainly wasn’t surrounding Himself with the cream of the crop. He wasn’t building a army from those type of people. The elite, the movers and the shakers, the politicians do not make up the audience that heard Jesus. He wasn’t traveling in rock-star status. He wasn’t hob-knobbing with the powerful and standing at a distance so the commoner could see Him. Not Jesus. He was with the common man. He was with the “bad” people and the “sick” people. He went to their homes. He answered their questions. He allowed them to touch Him. They were comfortable around Him.

 

It is interesting to note that the people around Jesus had problems. A lot of problems. There were the emotional and spiritual problems of the “bad” people and the physical problems of the “sick” people. Problems come with layers and layers of issues and needs.

 

If “problem” people surrounded Jesus, should it be strange that “problem” people are found in the church? Some have many issues that they are working on that is complicated and very demanding in time and resources. Others have physical issues, such as financial or housing or jobs. These things take time and the impatience of others can add stress to the leadership of a church. It is sad to see in some congregations a growing disgust with “those people” who are not like the rest. Some do not want to help others financially or provide rides or be of assistance in any fashion. Deep down, they wish that “those people” would go some where else. Can you imagine Jesus ever saying that?

The attraction to Jesus that we find in the Gospels is from people who had needs, spiritual or physical. They came to Jesus because He was hope. They came to Jesus because there was no where else to go. Jesus helped. Jesus was the answer. The attraction today is going to come from those who have needs. Those who feel they have everything, also feel that they don’t need Jesus. It’s the hurting, the guilty, the sick, the desperate, the lonely, the broken, those who have run out of answers that come to Jesus. More specifically, it is the divorced, the abandoned, the abuser, the rejected that come looking for someone to accept them and help them. These folks have problems. As they bow to Jesus and become baptized, their problems often become the problems of the congregation they attend. Many of us, most of us, not only understand that, but were there ourselves at one time. Jesus changed us. Jesus showed us better attitudes, better ways to deal with sins and mistakes, better choices to make, better people to associate with and better ways to use our time and minds. Jesus changed us. Some, if not many, are still working on that. They are not there yet. They need patience. They need to be shown and taught. They need attention.

 

I’m getting tired of congregations that do not want to involve themselves in helping problem members. The attitude of some congregations is “you get fixed, well and your act together, then you can be one of us.” I tire of the spirit that wants “problem” people to go away. I tire of an elite attitude that wants to make the church look like an exclusive country club. Have we failed to look at the Gospels and who was in the audience when Jesus spoke?

 

Lessons like this remind us that no of us are too good for anyone else. It reminds us that in our own unique way we have been “problem” people ourselves. It reminds us that hurting people are looking. Shame on us for shutting them out.

There is a hymn, “O, to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer…” I hope I can be more like Him!

Roger

 

27

Jump Start # 741

Posted on November 27, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 741

Luke 15:1-2 “Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

 

In our Jump Start yesterday, we took a look at the sinful woman who came to Jesus while He was at Simon’s house. She washed the Lord’s feet with the tears from her weeping. That woman wasn’t a good person. It occurred to me that many people that came to Jesus were not good people. This was something that the conservative Pharisees noticed. It bothered them. Why is the Holy One of Israel, surrounded with bad people. Many of those who came to Jesus had failed in life. They were immoral. Others were cheats who made a living taking advantage of others. Even among the chosen twelve, there was a tax collector. Another was a radical zealot. There is something to be said about what the Pharisees observed.

 

When we were young, our mothers told us to pick good kids for friends. They were concerned about influence and impressions upon young minds. Some of us listened and did well. Others did not. Some of the trouble we got into was because of the people we associated with. Friends, such as we called them, introduced and challenged us to do wrong. We often listened to them and followed their ill advice.

 

The Pharisees see Jesus surrounded with people who lived sordid lives. Many are not good people. This doesn’t look right. This doesn’t seem right.

Following our verse today, is Jesus’ answer to this charge. He doesn’t flat out say “yes,” or “no.” He tells three parables—lost sheep, lost coins and lost boys. The lost were sought out. The lost were found. The lost maintained some value. There was great rejoicing when the lost was found.

There is something to be said about the “bad” people Jesus surrounded Himself with.

First, to a degree, all mankind is bad, because all have sinned. The Pharisees would never see themselves as the same as tax collectors, or especially the immoral woman who came to Simon’s house. Jesus did. Everyone needed salvation. It could be that some of us have that trouble today. Those that get up every Sunday to go to worship seem better than those that never go. Yet our secrets, our issues, our sins are just as bad as others. It’s like driving at night. It seems that the car coming toward you has headlights that are more glaring than yours. In reality, he’s thinking the same thing about you!

 

Second, the “bad” people for the most part came to Jesus. The exception may be the woman caught in adultery. She was used to trap Jesus and did not want to be around anyone. The immoral woman came to Jesus in Simon’s house. Zaccheus was in a tree looking for Jesus. There is a sense in which these folks realized their lives were broken and that they needed something, anything else. Jesus was that hope. Jesus was a second chance. It is as if they were looking for a way out of their “badness.”

 

Third, we do not find Jesus going to bars, gambling houses or other places that are infested with people doing wrong. The tables Jesus turned over were in the Temple, not the casino. I’d expect that most in these bad places have not come to the point where they are wanting to change. They enjoy doing wrong and plan to continue to do wrong. Their hearts are cold and indifferent to God. Jesus wasn’t in those places. This is important for us. Preaching to the wrong who are content and wish to continue to do wrong only invites a fight. Some are not looking or even wanting a second chance. Some are not convinced and will not be convinced that they are doing wrong. Jesus did not get in shouting matches with those whose hearts are bent on doing wrong. It’s the good and honest heart that receives the word of God. Some times that honest heart comes to those who have been wrong. Those who seek will find is a promise of Jesus.

 

Fourth, Jesus did spend a lot of time with broken people. They were looking and He was the answer. He came to seek and save that which was lost. If saved people today spend all their time with other saved people, there will not be much opportunity to share the gospel and teach others. We, like Jesus, must associate ourselves with those who are “bad.” Light shines the brightest in darkness, not in a lighted room. Our fear of “bad” people with their rough language, their false ideas, their worldly thinking, their selfish attitudes is exactly where we need to be. Let us not forget where we came from and who we are without Jesus. To reach the lost, you have to have contact with the lost.

 

What a privilege it is to share the perfect news about God’s perfect son to those who need it so much! We are instruments of God. We are His hands, His feet, and His voice today.

Roger

 

 

 

23

Jump Start # 739

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 739

Ecclesiastes 10:10 If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.

 

Keep the axe sharp! This is a great principle. A woodsman looses time when he stops to sharpen the axe, but he will cut more wood with less energy if the axe remains sharp. I shared this concept with the leaders of the congregation recently. This is a great thought for all of us to remember.

Jesus, in the midst of healing and teaching, got with the apostles and went to a secluded place. News had been received of the death of John the Baptist. Not only was Jesus related, but this death was a vivid reminder of His own violent death that was on the horizon. Jesus could have taught more, healed more, but there was a need to keep the axe sharp.

 

God arranged for Israel weekly have a rest. It was called the Sabbath. No traveling. No working. No cooking. It was a time to humbly reflect and connect with God. It was a time for family. Every week. God saw the need for that. It was axe sharpening time!

We are missing that in our lives. We run ragged, full speed until a holiday or a vacation and even then, we do not rest. Tired and weary, we keep chopping and chopping, but seem to get less done. We need to keep the axe sharp!

Here are some ways to keep your axe sharp!

1. Find ways to unwind mentally. A good book, a walk in the neighborhood, hitting some golf balls, going to bed early, sleeping in on a Saturday—our minds need a break. The pressures of work and the world make us dull. Keep the axe sharp. Turn off the cell phone. Think. Count your blessings. Take inventory of your life. Make sure you’re still on the right course. Rest the mind! Sharpen the axe.

 

2. Connect with God often. Prayer is amazing. Reading Scriptures helps. It doesn’t have to be a ton of verses, just a few. Think about them. Let them stew in your mind. Verses such as ours today, “keeping the axe sharp” gives you much to think about. It seems that when we are weary, God gets the short end of the deal. He shouldn’t.  Stay focused upon God.

3. Challenge yourself. Tackle a subject, read a technical study, volunteer, help someone, get out of your comfort zone. These things break routine and help us build character, shed some spiritual light and the benefits are we have helped others, grown mentally or spiritually oursevles, and developed ourselves.

 

Keeping your axe sharp does not mean you have to take a cruise, a college class or something else that is expensive or very involved. It’s taking some time for yourself so you can get back into the battle of things. The purpose of keeping the axe sharp is so more wood can be cut. A dull axe, a dull mind, a tired body, a bored Christian, a weary marriage, a purposeless future is no way to live. Too many do. They keep going, getting duller and duller. Preachers would do well to grasp this passage. A dull sermon makes a dull congregation. Sharpen the axe, man! Be fresh. Think and challenge yourself! Start writing your own version of a daily Jump Start! Get out of the norm!

Keep the axe sharp! Do you recognize when you are getting dull? Do you recognize when those around you are getting dull? Spending time sharpening the axe is time well spent!

Roger