24

Jump Start # 779

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 779

Acts 2:36 “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Today, the church family that I am a part of, is reading Acts 2. Preacher James Bales called Acts 2, “the hub of the Bible.” One finds fulfillment of Isaiah 2, Daniel 2 and Joel 2 in Acts 2. This chapter is where it begins—the first gospel sermon, the beginning of the N.T. church, and the answer to what a person must do to be right with God.

The sermon that Peter preached in Acts 2 was directed by God. It shows us how God wants preaching. There are several things to look at.

First, there is one central theme to the sermon, Jesus is the Christ. Peter shows this by the prophecies that pointed to that fact, the miracles that Jesus did, and the declaration of Jehovah. One clear, central thought. I’m sure there were many more things that audience needed to hear, but not then. Some sermons cram too much in. Some are confusing because it’s hard to find the theme. Some are like a road trip, we travel all over the map. Then there are some, like Peter’s sermon, that have one specific and central theme.

Secondly, the sermon was personal. God brought the audience into the lesson. This was not a generic rambling in which the audience could play spiritual dodge ball with the preacher. It was pointed. It begins by Peter saying, “Men of Israel, hear these words…” (22). Then Peter says, God preformed signs, wonders and miracles in YOUR midst, just as YOU know (22). Peter further states, “YOU crucified…” (23). He again said, “whom YOU crucified” (36). There was no doubt who Peter was preaching to. Such preaching is a bit too personal for many of us. We like to be kept guessing who the message is directed towards. Not this sermon from Peter. The audience knew. Peter knew.

 

Thirdly, the sermon caused a reaction from the audience. In the midst of Peter’s preaching, all the dots connected in their minds, and they asked out loud, “What shall we do?” (37) The passage tells us that they were cut to the heart. The words of Peter stung them. One wise preacher said, “Preaching ought to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” The audience didn’t leave by saying, “Nice sermon, Peter.” Or, “I enjoyed that.” I wonder if too many are “enjoying” sermons instead of being cut to the heart. I wonder if “nice sermons” have become our way any more. Maybe the audiences do not see where they are? Maybe they are left feeling that they are nice people who worship a nice God who wants us to hear nice sermons? Maybe we’ve gotten away from cutting sermons. Sermons that hurt the soul and make us ask, “what shall we do?” I wonder if people are no longer asking questions at the end of our sermons? Have our sermons become more like college lectures where we give out neat facts and interesting tid-bits about the Bible, but the audience doesn’t realize that they need God? Preachers, including the one writing this, must think about these things.

 

Fourthly, Peter’s answer, God’s answer, to their question, was to repent and be baptized (38). Too few are saying that anymore. They’ve walked away from that, out grown that, and simply eliminated that from their language. The first sermon, God’s sermon, said it. Note, Peter did not say, “You don’t do anything.” There was something for them to do. Salvation is not one sided. It’s not only God. You have something you MUST do. Without your part, you can’t be saved. Without God’s part you can’t be saved. God did His part. That’s the point of Peter’s sermon. God sent Jesus. Jesus proved who He was. Jesus died and was raised according to Scripture. That’s God’s part. Our part is accepting that. Believing that. Repenting and being baptized. Preachers who leave off the repenting and being baptized, even the famous national preachers, are not saying what God wants. It’s that plain. If your preacher tells you that you don’t have to be baptized to be saved, you need to ask him why? Peter said you did. God said you did. The first sermon said you did. Who changed? It wasn’t God.

 

Fifthly, baptism removes sin. Baptism is parallel to what Peter tells us about Jesus. It is like a death. It is like a burial. It is like a resurrection. It is like a new life. It’s more than water. It’s more than getting wet. It’s not like swimming or taking a bath. It’s obeying God. It’s realizing, as Peter’s audience did, that they were in trouble. They needed to do something. The answer was to repent and be baptized. Their faith led them there. Their sins led them there. The preaching of Peter led them there. This is how Christians are made, plain and simple. Their faith leads them to change or repent and then they are baptized.

Listen to this: after the resurrection of Jesus, every person that was saved was first baptized. There is not one exception to that. Today, if I am a Christian, then I have been baptized, immersed, which the word means, for the forgiveness of my sins. Salvation comes AFTER baptism, not before. Peter told the audience to be baptized for the remission of sins. It’s the sins that stand between us and God. Faith, repentance and baptism is what unites us with God. If I have not been baptized, I have not removed the sins in my life and I am not a N.T. Christian. Yes, I may love the Lord. Yes, I may read the Bible every day. Yes, I may believe. But when asked what to do, Peter told them to repent and be baptized. You will notice that Lydia, Cornelius, Saul, the Corinthians, the eunuch, the Samaritans—all found in the book of Acts, were baptized to be saved. All of them. What about you?

This kind of preaching makes us uncomfortable, because it demands a response. Either, agree and do something or fight it. This kind of preaching pushes you. This kind of preaching moves you. This kind of preaching is God’s kind.

 

If you have questions about baptism or want more infor, contact me (Rogshouse@aol.com). Could it be that God is wanting even YOU to make a decision. What shall we do? What did they do? That’s the answer.

Roger

 

23

Jump Start # 778

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 778

Judges 6:8 “The Lord sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: I led you up from the land of Egypt and brought you up out of the house of bondage.”

I am currently teaching the book of Judges. This passage is interesting. It precedes the calling of Gideon to deliver Israel out of oppression by Midian. God sent a prophet to remind Israel that He has taken care of them and that they were to be obedient to Him. Israel failed. They continued to worship  the gods of the lands.

What I find very interesting, not just here, but throughout the Bible, are these unknown heroes and servants of God who serve a role without any fanfare, hoopla or great recognition. God knows. Who was this prophet? No one knows for sure. This is like the poor widow in Mark who gave a couple of pennies to the treasury and Jesus made note of that. What was her name? It was not given to us.

That thought continues on even today. I past through an area recently that had a small church. I knew the man who once preached there. He passed away a few years ago. He was not well known. He worked in small churches and in just a couple of counties. He was steady, hard working but few knew him. He didn’t travel across the county preaching. He didn’t write any books. His articles were not found in any magazines. He never preached at large lectureships or even before large crowds. Simple, quiet, minded his own business and stuck to the business of God. He preached and taught. He helped others come to understand the Lord. He never made much money. He preached at churches that didn’t have a lot of money. In this age of mega-churches and big everything, most would consider his work unimpressive and maybe even a failure. I wonder if we’ve gotten stuck on the wrong things anymore. The flashy preacher, the big crowd, the cool stuff, the polish and shine have grabbed our attention and the simple, pure story of Jesus, the message, has been overlooked. We can become so impressed with the box that we fail to see if there is anything in the box. The preacher that I referred was rather plain. His suits were cheap. His ties rather ugly. He was very county in his speech and ways. He wasn’t well read. His education had not gone much beyond high school. Yet, he loved the Lord and loved to tell that story. I didn’t spend much time with him, when I probably could have. My loss now. I wish I had.

There is something to be said about that unnamed prophet who simply did God’s work. We do well to learn that lesson ourselves. We can do things to get noticed, or we can do things just because it’s the right thing to do. Make a name for ourselves or spread God’s name. God recognizes what you do. Jesus said, a cup of cold water given to a disciple would be noticed. God knows. You don’t have to grab His attention, you have it. You don’t have to impress Him, because you can’t. What impresses Him, is substance. What’s in the package, not what’s on the outside. What impresses Him is the person that will go and do His work in a place that may not  draw attention. He is impressed with the deeds we do everyday. Now, if we have to tell others or have to toot our own horn about what we do, then we have just lost value. Don’t do that. Be the unnamed prophet and the unnamed widow who simply do what they can for the Lord.

 

Bragging kills the motive for doing good. Bragging is asking for attention and praise. Bragging is pride expressed. God isn’t keen on pride. So keep doing good, but don’t  be concerned about getting a thank you, a slap on the back, a shout out from the pulpit. Send a hurting family some cash without them knowing who did it. Put a gift on someone’s doorstep. Show up to help someone move. Visit the hospital. Send flowers. Write a note. But then, don’t complain and brag that you were the only one who did anything. If you’re going to do that, you might as well not do anything!

 

Have you noticed how many “unknown” servants and heroes there are in the Bible. I think of the four friends who lowered their crippled buddy through the roof so Jesus could heal him. Who were they? Unknown to us, but great examples of friendship and faith. Be a person like that. Just do your job!

Roger

 

22

Jump Start # 777

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 777

Matthew 25:14-15 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.”

Our passage today comes from what we commonly call the parable of the talents. It is found in a series of parables about the coming of Jesus. The first in this chapter, the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, emphasizes the need to be prepared and on the alert. Jesus is coming. The second parable, the parable of the talents, emphasizes the value of being responsible. While Jesus is gone, we need to do what He wants us to. The final parable, the gathering of the nations, reminds us that we will face Jesus in the judgment. Many great lessons in all of these parables.

The parable of the talents is about a master who left three servants various amounts of money. That’s what a talent is, money. He entrusted them with the money, his money. They were stewards or managers of what was given to them. Upon his return, each were to show what they had done with the money given to them. The first two had doubled what was given to them. The third man did nothing. He buried his in the ground. The master was furious with the last servant, calling him lazy and wicked. What he had was taken from him and he was cast away. That’s the story.

 

Today, I want to focus upon the thought of the master giving something to each of the servants. Have you thought about that much? God has given each of us something of value. He has given differing amounts to each of us. Consider, there are some who have a real gift for music. They not only enjoy music, they understand music, can write music and can hear things  that the rest of us cannot. What they have is a gift. Certainly they have enhanced that gift by developing a skill, learning more, going to school, but they have a special gift. We sometimes call that “God-given” gift. For others, it’s the arts. They can look at a bare wall and in a few minutes tell you how to arrange pictures, furniture, accent things that just makes a room come alive. With others, it’s through the lens of a camera. Where some of us would just take a picture, they have that artistic flare and touch that others cannot see. God given! Others, it’s words. They can write in such a way that it strikes a cord with the heart. Others, it’s a personality that makes people love to be around them. Outgoing, warm, friendly, they just light up a room. Others sit back and think, I wish I could be like that. God–given, and then developed. Some can figure out how things work and how to fix things. Some are great with wood. Some are dreamers. Some are motivators. God has given each of us a gift. That gift may lie dormant for years, or even a life time. Others, build upon that gift and use it for the rest of their lives.

Now just a few simple thoughts from all of this:

  • First, all of us have a gift from God. We may look at others who can do so much and believe that we can’t do anything, but that’s not true. God has given you a gift. You may have to try some things to find it, but it’s there.
  • Secondly, God wants us to use the talents He has given us for His purpose and glory. These gifts are NOT meant to make us think we are better than others. Maybe we can sing, does that mean we are better than the person who can’t? The person who can’t sing might be able to build, or write, or draw and the singer can’t do that. Use those talents in ways God wants and glorify Him. The one talent man did nothing with what was given to him. What a waste. That sad example is repeated over and over. People wasting ability, opportunity and talents, either by not using them, or using them in selfish and sinful ways.

 

  • Talent can be improved upon. Learning, studying, practice all help us tone our talents in very useful ways. We become good at what our talent is.
  • Many talents cannot be passed on, they are God-given. A person may be talented in music, his kids may not. Because of dad, the kids may have a step up on others, having grown up in an atmosphere of music, but they may never reach the level dad did, because he had a talent given by God.
  • We can pass on to our children our fears and prejudices. A person who hates green beans may raise children who have learned to hate green beans. A person who is afraid of flying may pass that fear on to their children. The same is true of the fear of pets, scary movies, and a host of other things. Those fears can shut down and close a talent that the child has. The talent becomes suppressed because of the fears of the parent. What is a parent to do? Try things. Maybe you are not musical. Your child wants to go out for the school band and take lessons. Allow him to try it. There may be a talent there. Don’t let your fears become your child’s fears.

 

You have something given to you by God. Do you recognize it? Have you developed it and used it for God’s glory? Don’t waste time trying to be someone else, be yourself. Use your talent. God has given something to you and that makes you special and uniquely you!

Roger

 

21

Jump Start # 776

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 776

2 Peter 2:20 “For what credit is there it, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.”

 

Our passage today takes us down a road that we do not like, and it is hard to figure in our minds. Peter, addresses a series of relationships that many of his readers would have been in. He begins with servants, but then quickly moves to wives. Having a submissive spirit finds favor with God. Twice Peter uses that expression, “finds favor.”

A good heart likes to please others. A child likes to present to his mother a picture that he has drawn. The happy parent proudly displays that drawing on the front of the frig, like a display at an art gallery. That child has found favor with his parent. A worker likes to find favor with his boss and company. He wants favorably evaluations and reviews. He knows job security is tied in to how “favorable” he is to the management. The disciple of Jesus wants to please the Lord. He knows that obedience, faith, praise, and fulfilling his responsibilities are favorable to the Lord.

 

Our verse reveals another aspect of what the Lord favors. Peter describes the servant who is harshly treated for no reason at all. The guy who does wrong and gets it, we understand that. Someone may get an earful of criticism when he didn’t do what he was supposed to. As bad as that may be, that person deserved it because he failed to deliver. He didn’t do what he should have. Peter adds the word, “Sin.” Sin brings consequences and punishment. However, when you did what you were asked, and you still get blasted, now that doesn’t make since. A cruel master, an evil boss, someone who uses you to take out his personal problems makes us scream THAT’S NOT FAIR. And, it’s not. That’s the point! It’s not fair.

Our nature tells us that we don’t put up with things we don’t deserve. Resist. Fight back. Walk away. Quit. Find a new job. Leave the marriage. Switch schools. Shout back. Call your attorney. Get ugly. Those are normal feelings for us. This is the default mode that we automatically go to when we are mistreated. We want to make things right. We want to tell the world. We want revenge. We want to get even. We demand.

Peter’s words changes all of that. Patiently endure it. Those are concepts that are hard to grasp. Why? We are innocent. We are in the right. The master is wrong. The master has no reason to treat the servant that way. The master must be taught a lesson. The master must change. PATIENTLY ENDURE IT.

The text follows with a supreme example, Jesus. He suffered, without uttering threats. He endured without throwing a fit. He went through the cross, innocent as He was, patiently enduring.

Immediately, then Peter switches to wives. He begins that section by saying, “Likewise, wives…” Likewise what? Like servants, who have cruel masters. Like Jesus, who endured cruel hatred. Like that, some wives have husbands who are unfair, unkind and cruel. Like the servants…like the Lord…likewise, patiently endure.

This doesn’t seem right to us. It seems like we are letting people walk over us. It seems like we are letting others take advantage of us. Understand, Peter is putting this in two relationships: servants and wives. What were they to do? Rebel? Run as a servant? Leave as a wife? Our laws protect wives today. No one should be beaten. PERIOD. If they are, call the cops. Let the person spend a night in a jail cell to cool down. Aside from physical abuse, patiently enduring harshness when you have done right IS THE MESSAGE PETER IS DELIVERING.

Some of the fussing and arguing that takes place in the home is a result of someone failing to patiently endure. Suffering for doing right is the theme. A non-Christian husband verbally abusing his wife for going to worship so often. Patiently endure. A husband who belittles his wife for no reason, other than he is a jerk, patiently endure.

We’ve lost that patiently enduring part of our faith. This finds favor with God. The cruel master, the mean husband, they are not getting away with anything. God knows. God will deal with them in His time and in His way.

Patiently endure. We must ask ourselves, what aspect of our lives do we do this any more? We find reasons not to endure. We justify not enduring. We think about what is fair. We think about our rights. We think about self. We find that there is little areas of our lives that we have to patiently endure others. In wiggling out of all these situations, we miss the greatest thing of all, finding favor in this with God. We stand with Jesus when we patiently endure mistreatment for doing right things.

Patiently endure. Keeping my mouth closed. Not letting my blood boil. Not threatening back. Enduing. Patiently. Can you do it? Have you done it? Have you resisted when you should have endured? Have you walked when you should have stayed? Have you thought more of self than you should have?

 

Our walk with Jesus often takes us places we don’t like. This is one of them.

 

(P.S. if you go to our website, www.charelestownroadchurchofchrist.com, you will find two lessons, under the theme of Biblical Families, one on husbands and one on wives. They were preached by my comrade, Zack, and they are fantastic! Best I’ve heard on that subject in years. You ought to listen to them.)

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 775

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 775

Matthew 6:34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

One of the great lessons Jesus teaches us is how to view the day. Matthew six is a powerful series of principles against being anxious or worrying. Several times, Jesus plainly says, “Do not worry.” God takes care of the flowers and the birds, Jesus reminds the disciples. You are of more value than those. He will take care of you. Worry closes our eyes to blessings. Worry is faithless. Worry is not productive and generally makes things worse in our minds than what they actually are.

One cause of our worry is tomorrow. Our verse tells us not to worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow represents the unknown. We worry about the school test we have to take. We worry about the surgery we are going to have. We worry about what someone may say. We worry if we will run out of money in the future. Those fears build up inside of us. They rob our sleep and steal our appetites. We are a miserable wreck because of our worries.

For many people, guilt over the past and fear over the future destroys the peace that they ought to have for today. One of the great paradoxes is how Jesus wants us to view the calendar. Indeed, we are not to worry about tomorrow. That could lead us to the conclusion that we live for today and only today. That doesn’t work either. That narrow sightedness will catch up with us. The foolish virgins were not ready nor alert. Jesus’ stern warning, “You do not know the day nor the hour,” teaches that living for the moment, living with no thought about tomorrow is not the answer.

 

There are two considerations. First, the disciple of Jesus must give thought to tomorrow. Our life, our coming judgment, Heaven, are all future. We must make choices today that will affect our future. We must see beyond the moment.

However, in doing all this, we must not worry about tomorrow. We make plans and choices that will affect our tomorrow, but we must live today. That is the contrast. We understand this financially. A person who lives paycheck to paycheck is going to be in trouble some day. Not planning for a retirement will catch up with him and he will be in want. The wise person saves. He invests. He makes choices that will affect his future. He understands that what he does today will affect his tomorrow. He doesn’t know what tomorrow will bring. He can’t worry about that now.

Jesus said, “each day has enough trouble of it’s own.” Boy, that’s the truth. There is enough bad news today, that I don’t need to borrow tomorrow’s or dip back into yesterday’s. There are enough things to be done today. There are plenty of things to pray about today. There are  enough concerns today to keep us busy. There is no need to worry what’s coming around the bend, focus on where your boat is now.

It seems that some do all of this better than others. Some really get worked up about the unknown and what could happen tomorrow. They invent fears. They see things that aren’t there. In doing all this, they most likely miss out on opportunities today that would ease those fears about tomorrow. Our kids bring a lot of these worries and fears. Who they hang out with, how they do in school, the type of jobs they get and how they spend money can drive mom and dad crazy. The wise parent instructs today, knowing that the lessons today will affect tomorrow. A teenager who is irresponsible about money can’t see past Friday and going to a movie with friends. Warning him about how he will make it when he’s married and has a mortgage is way beyond his thinking. His mind is filled with what kind of pizza to eat. He doesn’t even think about life beyond high school. Parents do. They get worked up about these things. We try to pound life lessons into their heads and it doesn’t seem to get anywhere. They are so focused on today that they can’t see tomorrow and parents can be so focused on tomorrow that they don’t see today.

 

Jesus’ words help. We don’t forget about tomorrow. We don’t ignore tomorrow. However, we live today. There is enough to do today. Make today a good day. Make today a trophy day to give to God. We live today as if one foot is already in Heaven! This day, I will give to the Lord!

Roger