31

Jump Start # 1028

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1028

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”

Our verse today is one of those great passages that is used often to encourage and motivate us to stay with it. You’ll notice two “let us” expressions in this verse.

  • Let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us
  • Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us

The “Let us” reminded the readers that the author of Hebrews was included, involved and doing the same as they were. He was part of the “Let us.” It wasn’t, “You need to…” but rather, “let us.”

 

There are two thoughts I want to share from this great passage.

 

1. The great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Obviously, this is a carry over from chapter 11 and all those heroes of God who “by faith” gained approval. Those incredible men and women suffered and had to make righteous choices that were based upon their faith. Their choices often led to persecution and hard times. They are examples of people who endured. They ran the race to the finish.

 

This statement is often presented as taking place in the ancient stadiums. The Hebrew Christians were on the field. The stadium was filled with these great witnesses. They surrounded the Christians. They were cheering them on. Look, over there is Moses, giving a thumbs up. There is Daniel, smiling at you. There is Abraham, standing, applauding you. And on and on our imagination builds this great scene.

 

Nice thought, but I think that reads too much into this and it opens the door for other things that we haven’t considered. These ancient heroes surround us, not in a stadium, but in Scriptures. These Hebrew Christians were contemplating throwing in the towel on Christianity and returning to being Jews. Life as Jews was peaceful for them. Since becoming Christians, persecution has followed them, mainly from fellow Jews. Going back to simply being a Jew would eliminate a lot of problems in their life. Some did that. Others were thinking about following.

 

The book of Hebrews is written to show that going back was not the answer. Christ was superior in every way to the Old Testament system. Better sacrifice, better hope, better covenant, better rest, better high priest, better law—that was all in the New Testament, which they were thinking about leaving.

 

And if anything, the Old Testament, to which they were fleeing to, showed example after example of endurance and patience. Abraham waited a long time before the promise child was born. Moses, endured the afflictions of Egypt. Joseph, sold by brothers, imprisoned in Egypt, remained faithful and dedicated to God. That is the message of these heroes. The very Old Testament that these suffering Christians were running to, would tell them to endure and finish the race they stated. It is the Scriptures, the very Scriptures that they thought would give them relief, that told them to press on and endure. That is how these heroes surrounded them.

 

If we are not careful, we paint a picture that the dead can actively see what we are doing. And if the righteous dead are cheering us on, what about the unrighteous dead? You see, a great illustration, if not thought out, can create more questions and problems than we anticipated.

 

2. Lay aside the sin which so easily entangles us. All sin can trip us. We can get sin wrapped all around us like strands of Christmas lights. Sin keeps us from progressing. Sin is a step in the wrong direction. Following sin, is guilt, shame, punishment and consequences. Those always follow.

 

I find it interesting that the passage says “the sin which so easily entangles.” He didn’t write, “Sins,”  but “the sin.” It sounds as if there was something specific that he had in mind. All sin will mess us up, but here the problem was unbelief. This chapter follows the “by faith” chapter. Faith was the issue. Their eyes were fixed upon problems rather than the Lord. Surrounding them was men and women who maintained faith, even in difficult circumstances. The sin is unbelief. It is the greatest of all sins. It generates questions and feeds doubt. Unbelief will put the brakes on our motion. Unbelief smoothers hope. Prayers, attendance, enthusiasm all fade away when doubt and unbelief is allowed to grow. There is no endurance as long as doubt is hanging around.

 

The solution is to lay aside “the sin.” How? By going to the Scriptures. It is the Scriptures that give us this compelling reason to believe. It is the Scriptures that show us these stirring stories of hope and faith. It is the Scriptures that surround us, protect us, help us and lead us to the Lord. Lay aside the sin and run with endurance.

 

I fear that too often we feed our doubts and not our faith. We spend too much time reading junk and not Scriptures. We listen to critics complain about what’s wrong with what we hold dear. We allow shallow friends to influence us. We read books that foster doubt. Is it any wonder that some begin to question fundamental things that they once held dear. If a person feeds on poison, we shouldn’t be shocked that he begins to feel sick. The same is true spiritually. Do not be conformed, but be transformed. I’m no different than you. Every day I have folks sending me emails and stuff on facebook, excited about this article or this report or this finding and wanting to know my thoughts about it. Feeding doubts or building faith…Listening to critics or listening to Christ?

 

Lay aside the sin that entangles you. I have no problem with the person who says, “I’m not sure anymore.” That doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is what he does with that. Usually, he stays home, away from God’s people and God’s word and feeds his doubts. For a person to say, “I don’t see it that way, but let’s dig into it. I want to know.” He’s feeding faith. He’s finding answers. Some will use questions as a quick excuse to quit. They don’t want to admit that they are bored, not trying very hard, or are as interested as a rock. Instead, “I have doubts.” So they don’t do anything with those doubts. That is nothing more than a door to exit through.

 

Lay aside the sin. If you have questions, dig, in the Bible, not the blogs, for your answer. If you doubt, don’t stay away from truth, go to the truth and find the answers.

 

Feeding doubts or faith…which are you doing?

 

Roger

 

30

Jump Start # 1027

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1027

Romans 14:2 “One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.”

Romans 14—here we go! This chapter has been the center of much controversy. Volumes and volumes have been written about Romans 14, analyzing every word in detail and grasping for the central thought that the Holy Spirit was driving at. You may find it unique that a chapter that is highly doctrinal can be the basis of a devotional piece, such as Jump Starts. There are some key observations here that we can learn and benefit from.

 

The background was a difference in views regarding eating meats. This was an individual practice. This wasn’t a church service. The difference was not about diet, or which is healthier, or what doctors recommend, or even losing weight. The differences were a matter of faith. The pagans often sacrificed meat to their gods. The meat would be stamped and then sold in the market place. Did the buying and eating of that meat condone idolatry and was it wrong to eat that meat? This wasn’t a small matter. This subject is brought up in the Corinthian letter.

 

Within the Roman church, brethren were divided on this. Some could eat that kind of meat without it bothering them. Others couldn’t. But it didn’t stop there. Those that couldn’t, also couldn’t understand those that could. As a result there were some very bad feelings toward each other. One group was judging the other as being wrong. The other group, in return, viewed them back with contempt. Tension. Ill feelings. A church headed for a collision. Paul uses the expressions “strong” and “weak” to refer to these two groups. He reveals that God accepts both groups. It doesn’t matter to God, if you eat the meats or you don’t. Now, the big issue at hand is accepting each other. If God can accept them both, can they accept each other? Romans 14, is the platform to build bridges.

 

Today, most would ignore these words and start their own church. There would be two churches in town: a vegetarian church and a meat lovers church. That’s how we settle things. But in reality, we don’t settle anything. We run from the problems, pride rises to the top and we refuse to sit at the table and discuss these things. It is easier to point fingers, to accuse, to judge and to do the very things that Paul was trying to avoid in Romans 14. It is astonishing to me that a chapter about peace is the center of debate and the platform for division among some brethren. It seems to me that we ought to put the pens down, and open the Bible up and read Romans 14 one more time.

Some thoughts:

1. Only God can declare something sinful. Sin is a violation of God’s law. One person doing something that I don’t think is right, doesn’t mean he is wrong with God. I can declare that someone has sinned, yet that doesn’t mean he has. Because I think it is wrong, does not mean that it is. The vegetarians thought the those who ate meats were wrong. They could protest very loudly that they have sinned. God didn’t say that. God didn’t agree with that. God accepted them, meat and all. Now, the opposite is just as true. Because I believe something is right, doesn’t mean that God does. Because I see nothing wrong with something doesn’t mean that it is acceptable to God. My eyes may be closed. I may want something so much that I am not looking at it from God’s perspective. Right and wrong are prerogatives of God, not us.

 

2. Most of us, if not all of us, are strong and weak on different topics. We like the term “strong.” We want to be in the “strong” camp. The expression “Weak” is implying a weak conscience on that one issue. The vegetarians were “weak” about the subject of eating meats. It bothered their conscience. Weak is not a gauge of their faith. They had convictions that were based upon faith. They couldn’t do it. They didn’t compromise. They didn’t sell out. They walked by their convictions. They manifested amazing faith. Nearly all of us are “weak” on some things and “strong” on other things. Paul’s use of these words is not a total description of their faith. We tend to think of weak as shallow faith. That’s not the intention of the word here. There are things we all have scruples about. I know some folks who do not think it’s right to do anything with Christmas. It’s not Jesus’ birthday and they don’t want any connection with it. Others, like me, say, “bring on the presents!” On that specific issue, one is weak and the other is strong. I have my things. I believe worship ought to start on time. I get antsy when it’s time to start and we haven’t started. Others don’t seem to be bothered by that. They know we’ll get started, but something is causing a delay. Weak—strong. We are both. It is not a measure of faith, but the conviction we have about a specific issue. Being in the weak column isn’t wrong, nor is it a sign of poor faith. We have different backgrounds, different experiences, and those things affect us. Some of us grew up knowing only this fellowship. Others, came from totally different backgrounds. The baggage we carry shapes our thinking. Bible knowledge shapes our thinking. The Jews and Gentiles came from different backgrounds. Eating meats, unclean or sacrificed to idols, would be viewed differently from their perspective.

 

So I am weak on some things. That’s not bad. That doesn’t mean I need to change. It means I have convictions about something. So I am strong on other things. That doesn’t mean I am superior to those who can’t do what I can. Strong and weak—we are both.

 

3. We spend a huge amount of time and energy trying to change everyone around us to be like us. Parents do that. Brethren do that. We start with the assumption that you need to be like me. You need to like what I like and you need to do what I do. Romans 14 shows that we can be different on some things and still be united. This was not a congregational practice. This was something that God had approved both sides. It bothers us when someone is doing things differently than what we do. We immediately think that they are wrong. Romans 14 gives examples where that is not true. We think that they must change. They don’t have to. We are not all cookie cutter Christians. We have different talents, different strengths and different convictions. As long as we are walking with God and shaping our views by the Bible, that’s what is important.  I tend to think that if I spent as much time looking at myself as I do everyone else, I’d be a better person. We can be harsh toward others, while grasping for excuses for our own failures. Let’s judge others less and put more attention on our walk with the Lord.

 

Romans 14—great chapter. Great lessons. Great hope for brethren who saw things differently.

 

Roger

 

29

Jump Start # 1026

Posted on January 29, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1026

Isaiah 45:1 “Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed.”

  Cyrus—the Lord’s anointed? Cyrus– a foreign king? Cyrus—the one who defeated the Babylonians? Cyrus-His messiah?  This verse, these eight words, reveal three powerful principles about the Lord.

First, the background. Isaiah, along with Jeremiah and Daniel, were contemporaries who prophesied to Judah about the coming punishment from Babylon. It was ugly. The walls were destroyed. The Temple was ransacked and robbed. Many were killed. Several were taken captive and kidnapped to Babylon. For a long seventy years they remained under Babylon’s thumb until the Medes and Persians swept in and overthrew a sleeping giant. Cyrus, the Persian king, made a decree that allowed the captives held in Babylon to return home to Jerusalem. Thousands returned to their beloved homeland.

There is no indication that Cyrus was a believer in God. There is no indication that his heart turned to God.  Twice in this chapter God says, “Though you have not known Me” (4, 5). God used Cyrus. The word “anointed” is the word for messiah. Cyrus was not THE messiah, but a messiah. He was the one sent. He was the one who “saved” the people and rescued them.

 

Three lessons about God.

 

First, we fail terribly when we think we have figured God out. We haven’t. We can’t. He has revealed to us what He wants us to know. We have enough reason to believe Him, trust Him and love Him. But figured Him out? No. Too many writers have turned the relationship between God and His followers into a couple of buddies walking down to the fishing pond. They have made God one of us. They think, as so many believe, that they fully understand God. Wrong. He is too grand, holy, and beyond us for us to peg Him and know just what He will do. That shallow thinking misses the majestic ways of the Lord. No one in Isaiah’s day would have thought or even prayed for God to use Cyrus. In most minds, the only thing that changed was the name of the country in charge. Another foreign nation. Another language. Another law. Another ruler. But who would have known, that Cyrus would be the one to deliver them. God did.

 

Second, God doesn’t have to explain Himself to us. In our passage, God is using a pagan king to rescue His people. That’s not the first time He did that. God doesn’t always use His people. God doesn’t always do things the way we think He should. God doesn’t have to tell us what He is doing, nor explain His ways. We understand this when talking about Babylon, but when we talk about someone we love dying, or losing their job—then we scream, “Why, God.” Job learned that we are not in the position to question God. A parent doesn’t have to explain their ways to the child, nor does God have to explain His ways to us. It is by faith, that we trust and hold on to God. We must remember that God doesn’t work for us. We are His followers.

 

Third, the sovereignty of God means that He will accomplish His will. Period. He will use anyone and any condition to fulfill His purpose. God will not be thwarted, sidetracked, or defeated. He is the sovereign God. His rule is absolute. All authority has been given to Christ.

 

So God used a pagan Persian king to accomplish what He wanted. He did it then. There is no reason to think that He couldn’t do the same today. Doomsday folks will cry that America is on it’s last leg and our future is short. Some compare our times to the days of Sodom. Some think that they know what God’s got planned. I expect they will be surprised. Don’t try to guess God’s moves. Don’t try to figure God out. Don’t try to put God into a box. You’ll fail just about every time.

 

Things are not good. Morality seems to have gone out the window. But that’s the Hollywood set. They have always been going their own direction. There are many, many, many folks who have not bowed their knees to the filth of the world. There are many who every Sunday gather to praise the God of Heaven and Earth. There are many who every day are bowing their heads in prayer and every day opening God’s word to drink deeply the Holy message from Heaven. Every day folks are turning their hearts to God and leaving the brokenness of sin. Every day people are thinking right, doing right, and being right. What will God do? I can’t tell you that. When will Jesus come? I can’t tell you.

 

What I can tell you is what we ought to be doing. We, and that’s all of us, need to be stepping up our faith, becoming more passionate in our worship and telling others about Jesus. The more we did these things and the less we spent trying to guess God’s next move, the better off we’d be.

 

God is sovereign. Never forget that.

 

Roger

 

28

Jump Start # 1025

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1025

Matthew 23:8 “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers.”

Our passage comes from the beginning section of teachings concerning the shallow and empty faith that the Pharisees maintained. It was a religion of show and not substance. It was a religion that built walls that kept people from God. It was a religion that was not pleasing God and not the way God intended for them to be.

 

This opening section deals with religious titles which naturally creates a prideful hierarchy. These Pharisees loved the chief seats, the places of honor, and the respectful greetings in the market place. They loved attention. In a series of “do nots” Jesus pulls the rug out from under these attitudes. Jesus says:

  • Do not be called Rabbi (v. 7)
  • Do not call anyone Father (v. 9)
  • Do not call anyone Teacher (v. 10)

The greatest, Jesus says, is the servant.

Our verse today shows the equality that Jesus expected among His disciples. He said, “You are all brothers.” Equal. Level playing field. The same. No hierarchy. No boss among themselves. No head among themselves.

It is interesting that what Jesus established, the modern church has ignored. They have established, not by following the Bible, but by their own way of thinking, a “clergy—laity” distinction and hierarchy. Jesus wouldn’t have any part with that. Titles show distinction and enhance differences. The clergy, it is thought, runs the church. The clergy, many believe, knows the Bible. The clergy says, and the laity does. Distinction. Different. Not the same. One better than the other.

 

Now what is really strange, the modern church will promote and defend the idea that we are not all brothers. Some are brothers and some are better than brothers. Some are brothers and some, a few, are clergy. Then, that same church that promotes a hierarchy, will have leadership conferences and seminars about equality among all humans. Stirring speeches will be given denouncing the inequalities in work, opportunities and finances, by those who hold themselves up as being different than the rest. What a joke. These modern spirits would never allow a commoner from the pew to speak on such a conference. No. Never. It must be the reverends, the doctors of divinity, the upper crust, who only are allowed to say something. The voice of the guy in the pew doesn’t matter. His words are never heard. He is just a member. The clergy and the laity, to the moderns, are not the same. The clergy gets to park in special places at the hospital. The clergy often does have to pay for parking. Everyone else, well they have to park far from the door, pay a fee and somehow believe that “we are all brothers.” Really?

 

Jesus isn’t like this. Not at all. He told the disciples, in an atmosphere of many religious titles, that you are all brothers. You call the same name, do the same work, and are the same. You have the same needs. You are going to the same place. There is no ladder to climb in God’s kingdom. There is no improving your position. The work of elders is not a promotion. It is a work that is to be done. Moving from a small church to a larger church is not viewed as a promotion or moving up the ranks. Those things do not exist. We are all brothers.

 

We are all brothers. Therefore, I should never be afraid to ask for help. Some feel like that are too inferior to ever ask someone for help. Some feel that they don’t deserve the help from others. Are we not all brothers? Are we not all the same? Ask. Don’t be bashful to ask, “I need help.” Or, “I need you  to pray for me.” Or, “I need you to help me understand something.”

 

We are all brothers. Therefore, nothing is beneath my dignity in helping another. I’m not too good to lend a helping hand. The person I help, as Jesus did every time, may never be able to help me. That’s ok. We are all in this together. We need each other. We are brothers.

 

We are all brothers. We need to act that way. We need to think that way. There is no pecking order among God’s people. None of us are better than others. None of us are exempt from doing what the rest needs to do. There are no double standards—not with God.

 

Your prayers are just as powerful as the prayers of the preacher. Your insights into the Scriptures are just as helpful as the insights of others. We are all brothers. We need each other. We are there for each other. Together, arm in arm, we’ll make it to Heaven.

 

We are brothers…

 

Roger

 

27

Jump Start # 1024

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1024

Hebrews 4:2 “For indeed we had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.”

 

Our verse today recognizes the value of the preached word. Preaching is God’s idea. That’s pretty obvious. Those groups that think that they know a better way of doing things have left preaching long ago. They moved on to plays and skits, drama and comedy, real life stories and “how-to” fix about anything but a soul. Crowds have gathered and the powers that be have been convinced that they found what works but they have left the soul empty, dry and lost. What they needed was preaching.

 

In our verse, you’ll notice two groups of people, they and us. The “they” had the good news preached to them. The “us” also had the good news preached. But the “they” and the “us” had different reactions and outcomes. The “they” group did not unite faith with what they heard. As a result, the preaching did not profit them. It did not help them. It did not change them. This is a case where some would happily pronounce the death of the sermon. Sermons, don’t work, some would say. That is true, that is always true, if one does not believe. For a sermon to profit, faith and the preaching must intersect. One must believe what is preached. Then, and only, then, positive things happen. It profits.

 

What good is a sermon?

 

First, a sermon informs. It fills the heart with truth. Truth is the weapon that destroys error. Satan conquered Eve because he confused her about truth. Without truth in your heart, error has a field day. Up and down, right and left, in and out get all scrambled up within us. The wolves in sheep clothing begin to make sense. A believing heart hearing preaching will be informed. It will recognize error because it knows the truth.

 

Second, a sermon builds faith. That is the direction of our passage today. The Romans were told, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The preached word, especially about Jesus, strengthens us and builds our faith. This is the avenue in which we lay a solid foundation upon a rock. The winds will blow. The rain will fall. The floods always come. Yet our faith stands, because it is built not upon a church, or a group of friends, but rather, Jesus Christ. Sermons build us up.

 

Third, sermons answer questions. We wonder about things. We hear things. We are not sure about things. A sermon connects dots and helps us to see exactly what God’s word teaches. Sermons drive out doubt. Sermons  help. The question marks in our minds become exclamation points when we believe what is preached.

 

Fourth, sermons motivate us, challenge and move us. Faith connecting with sermons will make us rise up and be the disciples that Jesus wants us to be. Forgiveness, grace and hospitality become the norm for us once we see it unfold within a sermon. The lukewarm, the indifferent and even the spiritually dead can all come alive because of a sermon. Sermons change us. A man will realize that he has not been the father that he should have been and he will resolve to do better. A stingy person will see himself in a sermon and decide to be generous as God is. A sermon has that power.

 

Fifth, sermons can save us. An honest and good heart connecting with the word of God will make a person realize that they are lost without Jesus. It will lead a person to realize that they need to change their ways. It will bring tears to a person’s eye when they see a loving Savior who is waiting for them to come home. The greatest impact of a sermon is that it can save us. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. What did Jesus do? He preached. He turned common fishermen into preachers. He sent out preachers. Preach the word, all of it, is the banner of Christianity.

 

Bless those who devote their lives to preaching. Bless the young man who pours his heart out week after week through his sermons. Bless those who preach because of the love of God. Bless those who see the good that can come from sermons. Encourage such. Support them every way you can. Let them know that you appreciate them and are behind them.

 

There are those who preach for money. Some preach because they see it as a power thing. Some do not preach the good news, which is God’s gospel, instead, they preach what they want. They twist the word. They distort the truth. They are not honest in their studies nor their conclusions. Such ought to be banished from the pulpit. They ought to be run out of town. They injure the name of Christ by promoting a twisted and  crooked form of the Gospel. They have followers. They have those who love them. They are not doing well. There is no profit from God because the message is not from God.

 

Don’t give up on preaching. It’s God’s way. Don’t assign preaching to the past. We need it today. Don’t think that folks today will not listen. They will. The challenge of the preacher is to make the message relevant, practical, truthful, interesting, helpful and useful. Preaching is digging into God’s word. Preaching is thinking. Preaching is knowing people. Peaching is finding a way to connect God’s good news with faith. It’s there and it happens all the time.

 

Stay at it preachers. Keep working hard preachers. We need you. Everyone else needs to bring their faith and connect it to the good news of God. Boy, when that happens, good things happen. It profits.

 

Roger