21

Jump Start # 799

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

 

Jump Start # 799

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’”

Our passage today comes from the great Pentecost sermon of Peter. The killing of Jesus was a little more than a month in the past. That was huge news. Jesus had influenced many lives and was very popular with many people. The hierarchy within the Pharisees viewed Jesus as a radical who was upsetting their traditions. More than that, many were viewing Him as the Messiah. They must have thought that the execution of Jesus would have killed His movement and things would settle down and return to normal. They hadn’t. His disciples and others were spreading a story that this dead Jesus came back to life. He was resurrected. Now Peter, in Jerusalem, before a massive crowd, connects the dots between O.T. prophecies, the Messiah and Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Messiah. You, Peter tells them, killed Jesus. In the midst of this sermon, the people cry out, “What shall we do?”

 

They got it. They realized that Jesus was the Messiah. They realized that they had killed the very one God sent. Peter answers their confusion by telling them to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” That’s what you do. You accept this Jesus. You become a disciple of this Jesus. You obey this Jesus. You commit to this Jesus. You follow this Jesus. You become baptized.

The end of this chapter tells us that 3,000 were baptized that day. A massive amount of people. The power of God’s word touch hearts. These new converts became the first church. It started when they heard and responded to the sermon about Jesus. It started when they were pierced to the heart.

Older translations use the expression, “cut to the heart.” Pierced is a term that soldiers understood. Their number one weapon was the sword. In the midst of the battle a soldier thrusting his sword into the chest, into the heart, of the enemy was a death blow. Few survived piercing of the heart. That image is what took place during Peter’s sermon. His words, the truth pierced deep into the mind, conscience, will and soul of the audience. They understood. They made application. They got it. They realized they were dead. They, for the first time, felt guilt and shame for killing Jesus. They understood that they were wrong. They saw themselves as sinners before a righteous God.  This is where an honest and good heart will take you when it intersects with the word of God. This is how the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.

This didn’t happen to everyone. Throughout the N.T. there are examples when an audience heard a sermon but rejected the message. In some occasions, such as Stephen’s sermon, they turned against the preacher.

Why is it that way? Why is it that some are pierced to the heart and others have little or no effect? Same sermon, different reactions. Some got nothing out of the lesson and for others it was life changing. Why? It’s not the message or the messenger, but the heart of the listener. That’s the key. The person who is listening intently, with an honest heart will be convicted and changed. Sermons help. Sermons answer questions and remove doubt. Sermons build faith and confidence. Some get better because of sermons. Others, sleep. Every preacher wonders why? Every preacher questions if the fault lies in the delivery of the sermon. Every preacher quietly asks, “Am I boring?” Been there. Done that. Experienced that. Felt that. Not a good place to be. The honest preacher will adjust, grow and continue to try to be the best that he can be in presentation, thought and passion. But there is that element in the audience who are not pierced in the heart. Even the greatest preacher, Jesus, faced this. Some walked away from Him. Some didn’t hear what He said.

The piercing takes place when the pure message meets an honest heart. That heart has to be open to listening, considering and thinking. A person whose mind is made up, will not be cut to the heart. A person who is not interested will not be affected. A person who doesn’t care, will not be changed.

What happened in Acts 2, was that an audience listened. They thought. They traveled with Peter as he made points about Jesus. They saw. They understood. Then the lights came on. Then they realized. Then the guilt. Then the question, “what shall we do?”

God’s word is living and active. It’s sharp like a sword. It will cut right through error, preconceived ideas, prejudice, pride, and sin. It will get right into a person’s heart. The Bible can make a person feel very uncomfortable. That’s good! It can make them realize that they have not been doing right. It can show them that they have angered God. It can show that unless they change, they will not go to Heaven. Serious thoughts. Scary thoughts. Yet, that same Bible, once a person starts applying it, following it, obeying it, brings great comfort and joy. That book that once pierced the heart, now fills the heart with great truths and love. That book that was once unknown becomes a best friend. That book becomes a ready companion. It is sought to find answers. It is read to known and learn. It is followed as a trustworthy friend. It is defended and shared.

Amazing how that works. Amazing is the power of God’s word. The pure word meeting an honest heart is always a good thing.

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 798

Posted on February 20, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 798

Acts 16:39 “So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.”

Our verse today is interesting. It is an attempt to correct a serious mistake. We find ourselves on both sides of this situation at times. There may be occasions in which someone has done wrong to us, serious wrong. The mistakes cost us money and much grief. Other times, we may be the one who hurt someone else, not intentionally,  but it happened. A lesson to be learned.

Acts 16 is best known as the conversion of the jailer. This took place in the city of Philippi. The events leading up to this become the basis of our verse today. Paul and Silas were preaching in the city. A female slave who was possessed by a demon was being used to make money telling fortunes. The demon recognized Paul as a servant of Christ. Demons knew who Jesus was. They believed, the book of James tells us. Paul cast the demon out. The owners of the slave lost their money ticket and became angry. These owners stirred up a crowd against Paul and Silas and took them before the city officials. Trumped up accusations were charged against them. The magistrates ordered the prisoners to be beaten with rods and thrown into prison. They were shackled. It is here at midnight, bloodied, tired, beaten Paul and Silas sing praises to God. The prison doors open. No one escapes. The jailer fearing the worst, attempts to take his own life. Paul pleads with him and then tells him about Jesus. The jailer is baptized that night. The next morning, the magistrates announce that Paul and Silas can be set free.  When the jailers release Paul, he reveals that he is a Roman citizen. He was beaten publicly and now was be released secretly. This was a real problem. When the magistrates learn that they beat a Roman citizen, they recognize that they broke the law and would be in trouble. It is here that they come and apologize to Paul.

 

Apologies for beating someone with rods? Apologies for abusing an innocent person? Doesn’t seem enough. Today, lawsuits would be filed quickly. That didn’t happen in Acts 16.

Two lessons:

First, from the standpoint of someone who did wrong, the magistrates. If word reached the governor or worse Rome that they abused a fellow citizen, they would not only lose their positions but likely their heads. Rome had double standards. The citizens of Rome had privileges that others did not. It was Roman law that crucified Jesus upon the cross. No Roman would be executed that way. Foreigners, yes. Jews, absolutely. Not Romans. The magistrates made a grave mistake. They realized this. They did not try to blame others, excuse themselves. Instead of sending an apology, they went to the prison, face to face with Paul and apologized. That was necessary. Sending a letter, or today, an email or text, or sending someone else, when you are the one who did wrong, isn’t enough. I’m impressed that they went. There is a lesson for us. When we have recognized that we are wrong, we must be the one who apologies. Sometimes this is hard for the male gender. We tend to kick things under the rug, find excuses, blame long working hours instead of just apologizing. Saying, “I’m sorry, I was wrong,” is admitting defeat and failure. It is declaring that your words, actions, attitudes were not right. Some are not good at that. Swallowing pride isn’t easy, but unless it is done, matters only get worse. Any lame excuse sent from the magistrates would have only made things worse. They came. They apologized. Also, remember, any apology to be accepted must be genuine. Simply saying the words, “I’m sorry,” doesn’t magically make everything better. Sometimes young people can make a real mess of their lives, and they think telling their parents, ‘I’m sorry,’ ought to fix things. Often it doesn’t.

Second, from the standpoint of one who was injured, Paul and Silas. It is important to accept apologies and extend forgiveness. Look at the situation here in Acts 16. We are not talking about a miss spoken word or gossip. They were beaten with rods, thrown into the inner prison and shackled. The words, ‘I’m sorry,’ doesn’t remove bruises from arms or hearts. Beaten with rods or beaten with words, the injuries caused takes time to heal. A man who has cheated on his wife cannot believe that simply saying, “I’m sorry,” is gong to make everything better. I am impressed that the Scriptures do not show any words from Paul or Silas after the apology. Sometimes there is little to be said. Sometimes saying I’m sorry is all that can be done. Making things right is in order when we have hurt someone. But some times we can’t make things right. All we can do is apologize. Accepting an apology is just as important and often just as hard as giving an apology. Accepting an apology can be a huge test of our faith. Will we act like a Christian and extend grace and forgiveness, or will we become rude, offensive, mean and demanding? It seems that some forget that they have those choices. They act as if they have to return evil to evil to make things right. Making things right usually means getting even. It often entails hurting someone else. Some feel it is now their right, since they have been hurt.

Beaten preachers were apologized to. Paul and Silas would carry on. This wouldn’t ruin them, finish them nor defeat them. They wouldn’t complain nor be the victim because of this. They were following a higher road. They didn’t wear their feelings on their sleeves and they didn’t allow this event to define them.

Can we learn from this? I have known some to leave a congregation and even quit their journey with Christ all because of something dumb someone else said to them. No beatings. No rods. No shackles. No prison. Just dumb words, that’s all it took for some to throw in the towel and quit. Really? Look at Paul and Silas. Maybe we do well to get over ourselves and walk by faith.

Apologies in a prison is a lesson for all of us.

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 797

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 797

John 9:1-2 “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”

I spent much of last night in the emergency waiting room of a local hospital. A friend was having problems and I went. I sat alone for a while. I saw families with little kids. I saw older people. I saw some like myself, who were there for someone else. I have been to emergency waiting rooms on many occasions, some of the times it was for my own kids. Emergency room situations generate three common thoughts: first, can the person get better; second, why did this happen; and, third, how am I going to pay for this. Emergency rooms are great places to pray. I did a lot of that last night for my friend.

Our passage today is not taken from the emergency. A blind man is the center of attention. He is not in an life or death situation. He is blind. He has been blind for a long time. He has only known blindness. Most blind people in Jesus’ day, were placed by family members near the temple or other places of gathering so they could beg. Begging was their life. It was sad and pitiful. There was no hope for a blind person in those days. Seeing eye dogs, Braille language, handicap access was light years away from that world.

Jesus passed by this man. The disciples asked a question. Their question dealt with the cause. What caused his blindness. They didn’t ask Jesus if He had time to heal this man. They didn’t ask the Lord to pray for this man. They were curious about the “how come’s”. Many are like that. Not interested in getting involved. Not interested in making a difference. Just curious. Just nosey.

In their way of thinking, this man’s blindness was punishment from God. Their thinking, much like the thinking of Job’s friends, was that all suffering is directly connected to sin. Someone sinned, that is why this man is blind. They wanted to know who. Was it the parents? Was it his dad? Was it his mom? Was it this man? We wonder if the next question in this line of thinking was to ask for specifics. What was the sin? What sin leads to punishment of blindness? It seems that the disciples know this man. They knew he was blind from birth. It wasn’t an injury from work or a childhood disease, this man has always been blind. He has never seen red. He doesn’t know what a flower looks like. He couldn’t recognize Jesus. He couldn’t see. There doesn’t seem to be much compassion from the disciples, just curiosity as to why.

It is amazing that they wonder if this man had sinned. They asked, who sinned, this man or his parents? Odd question. If they really think he is being punished and he has been blind since birth, when did this man have the opportunity to sin? Where did he sin? In the womb? Did they believe he was born with sin? They didn’t do much thinking before they spoke. We wonder if it was Peter who spoke those words. He historically said things without thinking them out.

Jesus wouldn’t accept either theory. His parents are not to blame. He is not to blame. Sin is not the cause of this man’s blindness. Not all suffering is connected to sin. Some is, but not all. Some suffering comes from lifestyle choices. Abusing the body with drugs or alcohol will cause suffering. Some suffering is connected to other people. Accidents happen. People suffer. Some suffering is not connected to anything. It just happens. Meteors fall from the sky. Tornados roar through the Midwest. Hurricanes crash into the shoreline. People get hurt. Some die. Who is to blame? Why did it happen?

 

We seem to be so fixated upon the “why” of suffering instead of what are we to do when we suffer. Knowing the why doesn’t change things. Knowing the why would not make the blind man able to see. Why only matters if there is something that can be learned, fixed or changed in the future. Most times, the why leads to blame and then to bitterness and anger. We spend too much time chasing the “why” of suffering.

The blind man in John 9 was healed by Jesus. This caused a big stink among the Jewish leadership. They questioned the man’s parents. They questioned the man twice. They couldn’t accept that Jesus had healed him. The healing of the blind man revealed the blindness of others. And that’s exactly what suffering does. It tends to bring the best or the worst out of people. Compassion, prayers and love will flow from some when there is suffering. For others, it’s blame, pointing fingers, anger, and ignorance. God uses suffering to teach us. Trials in life can lead us to stronger faith. Trials can forge character and godliness. Some of God’s greatest lessons come from days of trials.

The crisis that took my friend to the hospital has eased. Hands were held and prayers were offered to God last night. Suffering has a way of bringing people together. It has a way of making us look beyond ourselves. Suffering brings prayers for those who have such a heart and faith. The cause of suffering is hard for people to understand. Seeing children suffering is enough for some to deny God. In their thinking, a good God would not allow children to suffer.  Because children do suffer, either God is not good or He does not exist. Again, we are fixed upon the why’s of suffering. Often we do not know. The world we live in is broken and rapidly moving away from sense and God. Since Adam, suffering is a part of this world. Pharaoh ordered the death of Hebrew babies. Herod ordered the death of baby boys. People have abused and slaughtered children. Does this mean there is no God?  The choices of some have led to this. Others died by diseases. Our world is a suffering world. We desperately try to eliminate all suffering. Remove the guns is a current solution that some think will end suffering. Stop this. Change that. A new shot. A new pill. A new law. A new method. A new way. This won’t stop suffering. There will always be suffering as long as there is planet earth. Heaven is the world in which there is no pain, crying, mourning, or death. Suffering ends with this life. Problems end with this life. Pain ends with this life. That is, for the righteous. Heaven is all the world to me!

I’m thankful for a God that hears and answers prayers. He is amazing!

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 796

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

 

Jump Start # 796

1 Corinthians 1:11 “For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.”

The state of the church is always an interesting topic. What is often perceived is often not the reality. The church at Laodicea, in Revelation 3, is an example of that. I think that is often true of marriage and relationships with grown children. We project the appearance that things are calm and they often look that way on the surface, but beneath, trouble lurks.

The Corinthian church had corresponded with Paul. They sent a letter asking him a series of questions. These questions tell us what they were thinking and what was important to them. The expression, “Now concerning…” seems to identify each question that Paul was answering. For instance:

  • 7:1 now concerning the things about which you wrote
  • 8:1 now concerning the things sacrificed to idols
  • 12:1 now concerning spiritual gifts
  • 16:1 now concerning the collection for the saints

Their letter to Paul didn’t ask about quarrels. Paul was “informed” about this from Chloe’s people. We wonder if they were behind the statement, “it is actually reported that there is immorality among you” (5:1). Chloe’s people telling Paul about the trouble at Corinth has always bothered me. It still does. It seems like they were “tattle-tales.” A first reaction seems to ask, ‘why didn’t they try to solve the quarrels themselves?’ Maybe they tried. Maybe they were ignored. Maybe the different sides would not listen to them.

I now see this differently. I see Chloe’s people as a group of people who loved the Lord and His people so much that they were seeking help. They wanted things to be right. They wanted to tell an apostle so he would know what was really going on. Answering their questions would not touch upon the greater issues at hand, one that would splinter and destroy the church if left undone.

Pride in many of us, keeps us from asking for help. We see this in many areas. A couple attends church all the time, right up to the moment that they let it be known that they are getting a divorce. Everyone is shocked. Why didn’t they ask for help? Why did they wait until they were at the edge of the waterfalls before they let things be known. The same is true of a family with a troubled child. No spiritual help is sought until it’s too late.

Chloe’s people wanted things to be better. They could be better. Asking for spiritual help is often the last thing we do. We tend to try to fix spiritual problems in non-spiritual ways. We tend to apply band-aids to deep spiritual problems. We are disappointed when these things do not work. Family problems, marriage problems, church problems need the help of Christ and the Bible. Counselors, therapy, pills have a place but they cannot fix spiritual problems. But too this we must understand, just giving someone a positive Bible verse, or saying a prayer won’t fix deep problems either. Many problems have sin as a deep cause. That sin needs to be dealt with in a Biblical fashion.

We get embarrassed about personal spiritual problems. We fear what people will think. We don’t want to look like failures. So we keep quite. The shame and the guilt adds to the problems that already exist. We keep a pretense that everything is good, when it is not. This lasts, until the lid blows off the pot and a real mess is on hand. So often our congregations lack reality. Everyone seems to be perfect and together, when that’s not the truth. We all struggle with different things. We all have good days and bad days. We all wish that we our problems would go away. We think that we are the only one with such issues. We are not.

Chloe’s people informed Paul about trouble at Corinth. Help was on the way. Paul would deal with the quarrels, attitudes and lack of unity that existed among them. The ship would turn and a new course would be charted, one that followed Christ.

It’s often hard asking for spiritual help. We fear that people will talk about us. We fear the looks, the whispers, the judgments, the rejections of others. Maybe past experiences have not gone well. Maybe a leadership that seems cruel and harsh keeps us from seeking help. Maybe we feel nothing will be done or worse, nothing can fix the problem. Chloe’s people did not feel that way.

The leadership of the church must be approachable, kind and gentle and helpful. They deal with delicate problems of a very personal and private nature. Loose lips do not belong among the leaders of God’s people. Help will only be sought if help is available.

God’s help is necessary. We need each other. The church is our support system. Become the type of person that people can trust. Be someone that points people to God’s word for answers. Be kind and gentle in spirit. Be understanding. We need people like that.

Roger

 

15

Jump Start # 795

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

 

Jump Start # 795

John 8:7 “But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, ‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

 

Our passage today comes from a very turbulent situation. It was very tense. The Pharisees had tried to trap Jesus on many occasions. Up to this point they fussed about healings on the Sabbath and verbal arguments and hypothetical situations. All that changed on this day. Now before Jesus, they bring a woman, not just any woman, but a guilty woman.

 

The day began with Jesus teaching in the temple. It seems that Jesus is interrupted. A scene takes place. A woman had been caught in the act of adultery, a violation of the Ten Commandments. The Pharisees charge that she had been “caught in the very act.” This woman started the day immorally. She and her lover were caught in the most private and intimate act. I tend to doubt that the cold hearted Pharisees cared much about her. Their words are demanding her execution. Snatched from the moment of sin, dragged through the streets, taken into the Holy temple and thrust before Jesus, shocked, ashamed, guilty and scared, this woman’s life could be headed to a sudden and violent end. Death is what the Pharisees are demanding. This was a trap to catch Jesus, but they used this woman, guilty as she was, as the bait.

Twice Jesus stoops to write in the sand. Commentators old and new all guess at what words were written. Some suggest words to the woman, such as forgiveness or grace. Others suggest the list of sins that are filling the Pharisees hearts. Other ideas. Other guesses. The Pharisees press Jesus. They demand an answer. They want to see if Jesus will break the law and allow this guilty one to go free.

Our verse today is Jesus’ response. That statement is oft quoted by others, ‘he who is without sin, let him be the first to cast a stone.’ The implication is that we should not judge. We are told that judging is wrong. Some quote Jesus’ statement from the sermon on the mount, “judge not, lest ye be judged.’ The world points fingers at Christians demanding that they not point fingers, rather inconsistent to say the least. Much of all of this surrounds the Lord’s words to this angry mob in the temple. What did Jesus mean?

1. If Jesus is talking about sin in general, then no one could cast a stone, EVER. We are all sinners, Paul told the Romans. Everyone of us. Under the Old Testament law, there were 21 offenses which required the death penalty. If a person had to be sinless to enforce that law, then nothing would ever happen. All are sinful. Those laws carry no power or weight to them. The guilty had nothing to fear.

2. Jesus did not say release her. He did not stand up and say, You will never do this. His words allowed her execution if one was without sin. He knew. He knew what to say. Jesus always does.

3. There were many sins committed by these Pharisees in their attempt to trap Jesus. This whole situation seems to be set up, planned and organized by the Pharisees. How did they know a woman was committing the very act of adultery to which they watched? As is often asked, where was the man who was involved? Was he planted to seduce this woman so they could burst in, grab her and accuse Jesus. Premeditated sin. Hated. Ignoring the law. Deception. Bringing an unclean person into the temple. The list of sins grows and grows. The woman wasn’t innocent. The Pharisees were not innocent. Jesus used that to calm the situation, extend grace to the woman and to teach us some lessons.

 

Judging is part of life. We do it all the time but don’t use that word. When we by bananas, we look at one bunch and then another. We are judging. When we compare prices of rental cars, airline flights, hotels rooms on line, we are judging. Our fellowship is based upon a judgment. John says, “As we walk in the light as He is in the light…we have fellowship with one another.” How do I know if someone is walking in the light? A judgment is made. Jesus warned about false teachers who look like sheep but are actually wolves. He said you will know them by their fruits. Judgment.

 

What the Bible condemns is the one sided, double-standard, hypocritical judging that prevails in our society. We thump politicians for lying to get elected, but we lie when we don’t want to do something. We proclaim that Washington is full of crooks but we have mastered fudging numbers on taxes, being dishonest in selling things and padding expense accounts. That’s different, we demand. Is it?

 

Some do the same religiously. They will denounce the shallow entertainment style of worship that some put on while missing the worship services of their own church because they are tired or a ballgame is on. Some will ridicule the false ideas that flow from some pulpits but ignore reading the Bible themselves, which is the beacon of truth.

 

It’s easy to pick up rocks and demand that others change. Those rocks that were first picked up because we thought someone else was wrong, get heavy after a while. We hold them while disgust builds in our hearts. We hold them with anger in our eyes. We hold them. Generally one of three things happens to those rocks.

First, some actually throw them. Not real rocks, but rocks of words, hatred, attitude and rejection. Rocks hurt. They cut, wound and kill. Parents have nothing to do with their grown children. Holidays are never the same because some are not invited and some would never come. Those rocks tear up a church. Members leave. Division takes place. Layers of problems surface. Stephen was killed by rocks. Many since have been killed by verbal rocks. They left the Lord because of the rocks thrown by brethren.

 

Secondly, some rocks are dropped because they can’t find others to make a mob. Few want to be the only rock thrower, so they try to find others who will pick up rocks with them. It seems from our passage today that there were several who brought this woman to Jesus. A mob allows the coward to have some backbone and courage. In a mob some will say things that they would never say by themselves. But when no one will join the mob, no one else is as passionate as others, the lone rock holder feels defeated, drops his rock and goes home.

 

Thirdly, there are some who look within and realize that they are not right with God. The frenzy of the moment has made some say and think things that they shouldn’t. Instead of trying to save a soul, they want to kill a life. In the attempt to stand up for God, they trample the truth of God’s word. This realization causes the honest at heart to ask God for forgiveness.

 

Do not read into this that judging is wrong. I didn’t say that. Do not read into this that we ought to let wrong slide by without anything being done. Absolutely not. Jesus told this woman to “go and sin no more.” He knew she sinned. He knew she was guilty. He told her to stop it. There is a right way and a wrong way of dealing with the wrongs of others. God has revealed the proper steps, and they do not include the rocks of hatred. Punishment is part of God’s plan. Church discipline is part of God’s plan. Grace and forgiveness is offered for those who change. Those who don’t, suffer the consequences.

 

Rocks in the temple are attempts to skirt around what God says and take matters into our own hands. Rocks in the temple are the same as pulling a guy out of jail and lynching him. Rocks in the temple was not the way God intended His people to deal with the guilty.

Look at your hands. Are you holding a few rocks. Is this the way God wants you to deal with others? Maybe it’s time to drop rocks and open the Bible and follow the right way of dealing with wrong. You have heard the expression, “Two wrongs don’t make a right”, this is especially true when there are rocks in your hand.

Roger