Jump Start  # 843

Acts 21:30-31 “Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut. While they were seeking to kill him…”

We continue with our thoughts from yesterday. We are looking at two principles regarding the Boston bombing. First, we looked at the state of tolerance that has taken over most folks. That was our thoughts yesterday.

The second thought we want to consider is the intense religious fervency that is seen among the radicals today. That intensity is not new. Our passage for the day illustrates that feeling among the Jews long ago. As Paul preached Christ, some in the crowd boiled with anger and hatred. The passage says that they rushed the apostle, dragged him out of town and tried to kill him. This wasn’t the only time that happened. It seems that Paul was hunted down continually. At the beginning of Paul’s ministry, he had to be lowered over a wall to escape a plot to kill him. In Acts 23, forty men took a vow not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. Why such hatred? What had Paul done to them? The answer lies in how these Jews understood the Law of Moses. They could not accept that Jesus was the Messiah. Paul was preaching the death and resurrection of Christ. The Jews viewed that as blasphemy. The law had strict orders what to do with a blasphemer. They were simply following the law. The more Paul preached, the hotter their intensity became. Paul understood where they were coming from. He was one of them a few years earlier. He was holding the coats as others threw rocks and killed Stephen. He dragged others into prison. He was on a journey to further stop the spread of Christianity when Jesus appeared to him in a vision. Paul understood.

From this we ought to see two observations. First, it would be great to see Christians take their faith as serious as some radicals and extremists do today. Not to the point of killing or hurting others, we would never say that. But to see some life in them. To see the needle in their hearts move a bit. To view some zeal and excitement about the dying Jesus. In too many places today, church leaders must beg their own members to come and hear the gospel preached. Shame on us!  Doesn’t the Lord mean any more to us? Do we have to have a guilt trip placed before us before we will attend church services during the week? At a college ballgame we will see fans in the stands with their faces painted, wearing the team colors, jumping up and down and screaming for their team.  Contrast that to church services where people show up late and seem bored. Have we lost the awe and excitement about our faith? Are we simply going through the motions? I see some showing up with no Bible, no concern, and no effort. They will talk about the radical Muslims and what kooks they are, when they could learn something from them about being interested in what we are supposed to believe in. Maybe we have spent far too long in the huddle talking about what can and should be done, when we ought to be out telling our friends about Jesus. Invite. Teach. Show. Answer questions. Defend. Promote. Stand up. Speak out. Those are the marks of someone who believes. I cannot imagine sitting in a jail cell at midnight, as Paul and Silas did and singing praises to God with other prisoners listening. Courage, conviction, not fearing others are the things that move others to act upon their faith. There seems to be two extremes manifested today. The radicals that want to hurt others and on the other side, those complacent, who don’t want to upset anyone. It seems to me that neither one of those are correct. We shouldn’t hurt anyone, yet we can’t sit quietly on the sidelines of life. We are God’s hands, feet, and voice today.

Secondly, being passionate about something doesn’t make it right. The radicals are passionate about their faith, to the point that they will kill those who disagree. Are they right? No. Others are passionate about approving homosexual relationships, allowing abortion if a woman wants it, legalizing certain drugs, and, the promotion of evolutionary theories. People behind these movements will pour tons of hours, dollars and effort to get their agendas recognized and legalized. Their spokesmen travel the country, like preachers. Instead of preaching the Gospel, they push their agendas. They will defend them. They will write scholarly books about their positions. They will debate and defend their points of view. Yet, that does not make them right. Passion alone is not the determining factor in what is right. Now, it can look that way to some, especially when they notice the complacency of sideline Christians. Commitment, courage, passion and fervency are wonderful traits, but they must flow out of and surround that which is right. When they don’t, they are nothing more than wasted energy.

So, there we have it. Those that are excited are often wrong and those that are right are often asleep in their faith. That seems backwards to the way it ought to be. Those that are right ought to be the most excited. I think we can learn something from this. The Boston bombing can make me look at my faith and ask, “How serious am I?” Am I moved to do anything about my faith? Am I moved to try to make the world a better place? Am I moved to defend my Lord?

I taught a class once entitled, “Lifeless sermons preached to cadavers in the pews.” Great title. Sad, but true subject.

The Jews chased Paul all over the place. They tried to kill him. They left him for dead on one occasion. Yet, Paul didn’t stop. He returned and kept preaching. When arrested, he continued to preach. He kept going until death finally stopped him. He was serious. He was passionate. He made a difference.

Now, how about you? When was the last time you handed someone a CD with a sermon on it? Or, a written tract? Or forwarded a Jump Start to someone? Or invited someone to worship with you? Or sat down across a table with someone and talked about Jesus? The rock group, Eagles, had a hit song many years ago, “Take it easy.” Maybe we have been doing that for too long. Maybe it’s time to take it seriously and take it passionately and take it like it means something to us.

Roger