14

Jump Start # 2037

Posted on February 14, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2037

1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant.”

It’s Valentine’s Day—the day for hearts, candy and love. The love chapter of the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. This section is read often in weddings and used to build relationships. In the proper setting, this is not about romance, husbands and wives or marriage. It’s placed within the context of jealousy, and division over spiritual gifts. As Paul teaches about the value and importance of spiritual gifts and even gives some practical guidelines about how to use these special gifts, he places this section about love in the midst. The love section sets the tone for the proper attitude and respect that they ought to have for one another.

 

Now, consider a few things about love.

 

First, the use of the word “charity” or “love,” is not a feeling, but a choice. It’s not about liking you but rather choosing to do what is right for you. The liking part comes later. Our culture is feeling based. We view love as what it does to us, not what we choose to do for another. This trickles over into a feeling based worship and faith being the same as feelings. They are not. One says, “I don’t get anything out of worship,” that that’s all that is needed for him to either quit or introduce radical changes that will stimulate feelings. The “God so loved the world,” passage isn’t feeling based but a choice. We are not cute puppies that are jumping up and down hoping that God will stop by and pick us up and take us home. We are not so adorable. We are sinners that have disappointed God, rebelled against His word and broken His heart. Without His mercy, He would have cast us all to where we belong. We are broken, dirty, confused and lost. We are a mess. We become decent, righteous, good when we follow Jesus.

 

To the pages of Corinthians, getting along with one another in a congregation is a choice. We can avoid people. We can talk negatively about others. We can exclude others. We can be uppity towards others. All of that leads to ill feelings, division and a real mess. Or, as Paul is guiding these folks, we can choose to be kind. We can choose to be patient. We can choose to be humble. We can choose to think the best. It’s a matter of a choice, our choice. We can get along.

 

Second, the nature of God is love. John wrote that “God is love.” The very characteristics that Paul defines with love, are the very characteristics of God. God is kind. God is patient. God is not arrogant. God seeks the best. So, building love within our hearts, molds us into the image of God. God isn’t prejudice. The world is. God doesn’t hate. The world does. God doesn’t play favorites. The world does.

 

Developing the Biblical qualities of love, not only shapes us into the image of God, but it pulls us farther from the world. We become less and less like the culture surrounding us. We see things that the world misses. We focus upon what the world ignores. We see value in things the world never notices. We give second chances, just like God does. The world won’t. We forgive, as God does. The world can’t. We believe in others, like God does. The world walks away from such.

 

If love is a choice, then we can choose to be more and more like God. It doesn’t happen naturally. It means making choices that are opposite of the culture we live in. We learn this love, not by watching TV, but by spending time with Jesus in the Gospels.

 

Third, Jesus demonstrated this love and lived this love. Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus with the adulterous woman. Jesus with Nicodemus. Jesus with Martha. Jesus with Peter. Jesus in the boat with the disciples in the midst of a storm. Jesus going with Jairus to rescue his dying daughter. Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. Layers and layers of lessons built upon and demonstrating Biblical love. Jesus cared. Jesus went. Love, as shown by Jesus, is action. It’s doing things for others. It’s being there. It’s making things right. It’s not hearts drawn on a piece of paper, it’s telling someone who is wrong what they need to do to be right. It’s not tolerance of wrong. It’s not looking the other way. It’s kindly showing the way of God. It’s standing where God stands. Love moves a person to do something.

 

This love is the gel that holds a congregation together and allows them to work together. This love is what accepts prodigals back home. This love motivates us to care for one another. This love drives us to be our best and to demand excellence from our selves. And, when this love is missing, things become lifeless, tense, demanding and hard. It’s hard to get the nerve up to attend services, when you worship with a group that doesn’t love. The preaching reflects that spirit. Everyone is wrong. Everything is wrong. A dark cloud prevails over the worship when love is missing. Things are said that shouldn’t be said. There is a spirit that is mean and condemning. Folks get into the judgmental mode. Finger pointing, talking about others and gloom and doom seem to prevail when love is missing.

 

Among the problems with the Corinthian church, and there were several, was a lack of love for one another. The problems that they had, would not have been as major nor as intense if they had love for one another.

 

Biblical love is not only the highest form of love, but it is also the hardest to manifest. It’s not easy to love the unloveable. It’s not easy to love one when they are not at their best. But it’s a choice we make, because God first loved us.

 

Many of us would do better if we put the radar guns down and held up mirrors to see how we are doing. We are more worried about others than we are ourselves. The spirit of love would help us to see that we not only need each other, but that we are all in this together. The enemy is not us, but the world that is trying to defeat us, and change us.

 

Love one another—simple words, but a tough command. It can be done and God expects us to do that.

Roger

 

13

Jump Start # 2036

Posted on February 13, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2036

Proverbs 27:9 “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.”

I got to spend a few days with a couple of my really good friends. We’ve known each other for a long time. We all live in different places and we all are engaged in this livelihood of preaching. That bond has been special among us. It doesn’t happen very often that the three of us are together. We always laugh. We always get serious about what can be done to make congregations better. We always tease. And, we always eat. Always!

There is found something very special when one works and worships with people that he loves and enjoys being with. Fellowship is more than being on the same page doctrinally with others, it’s the joining of the heart in a common interest and love. It’s being woven and blended together and the common thread that runs through all of this is Jesus Christ.

I’ve noticed through the years, even in large congregations, that some just don’t blend as well as others. Certainly they know others by name, but there isn’t a friendship and there isn’t much that takes place outside of the church building. Every week folks see each other, they exchange pleasantries, the guys may talk sports, but it’s pretty much the same stuff over and over and once they leave the building, there isn’t much going on. What this means is that it is possible for some to be lonely, even in a large congregation. And, what that means is that fellowship is basically something that only takes place at the church building. The ties and the bonds of our faith are not that strong when it’s limited to the church building.

Our verse today talks about the counsel of a friend. Getting advice. Wanting another opinion. Having other eyes looking over a decision you are about to make. We do this all the time. We do this when seeking a college to attend. We do this when thinking about a career move. We do this when thinking about moving out of an area. But the key component in all of this is who is that friend? That makes all the difference in the world.

That friend, if only within the family, may be biased and not give you the best counsel that you need to hear. Family always wants family to live near by. Living near by may not be a good choice spiritually. That may put you in a place where there is no congregation or, it’s small and dead. I’ve always been amazed that Timothy’s mom allowed young Timothy to travel off with Paul on his preaching journeys. Most moms would want Timothy to stay nearby, get a job, marry and have a bunch of grand kids for her. Not Timothy’s mom. There was a great opportunity to serve in the kingdom and she didn’t close that door.

That friend, if not a Christian, is going to guide you as a non-Christian sees things. That perspective thinks only about self, money and advancement. Little thought may be given to your wife and children. No thought will be given to the spiritual side of things. A great job that kills your faith and your soul is not a good choice. Placing yourself in an environment, where, like Lot, your soul is tormented day after day, is not a place to be in. The Christian sees things differently than the world does. The Christian is moved by different factors than the world does. The Christian defines success differently than the world does.

This brings us to the need of a close, strong Christian friend. One that will remind you of things you forgot about. One that will ask you the deep spiritual questions that might change your decision. One that is interested in you going to Heaven, more than anything else.

It takes time to develop that kind of friendship. It takes more than the usual superficial conversations that take place at the church building. It takes you being invested in their lives as well as you opening up your life for them. This is where many come to a complete stop. Either all they want to do is talk about themselves. Friendship is not a one way street. Or, else, they do not want to open up the blinds to their life. It’s risky and they don’t want others to think bad about them, so they pretend and paint an imagine that isn’t how they really are. They don’t want others to know that there are days that they don’t feel like going to worship. Can you imagine? They don’t want others to know that they have sin in their life, even though the passages tell us that’s the way it is. So, an artificial image is created. Always smiling. Always together. Always perfect. Never a doubt. Never a question. Never a hair out of place. But this does something to a person. First, he is never very close to anyone outside of his family. He is lonely. Men need to talk to men and women need to talk to women. We are wired differently and we have common battles and interests that we face. Second, he knows deep inside that he is not what people think he is. So, his name continually comes up to serve as a leader and he continually declines. People can’t understand. He’d be perfect, they think. He knows differently. He knows that he is not what people think he is. Keeping the image up is more important than being genuine. Those at work and those in the family have seen the real side of him. All of this makes him wonder if he is stepping over the line of being a hypocrite.

So, do you have that person, outside of your family, that you could talk with and they would help you spiritually? Do you have a dear Christian friend that is there for you? When you come up to a wall, and you’re not sure which way to go, who is your go to person? Will they tell you what’s best or only what you want to hear? Are they walking with the Lord and their words are true to God’s word?

Where do I begin with this? First, have a family over in your home. Spend some time. Many congregations have group meetings outside of the church building. Go to those. Get to know people. It takes time. It takes sharing and listening. It takes finding common interests. It takes finding someone who is spiritually strong. It takes emails, phone calls and trust. Some folks can’t keep things to themselves. Some like to gossip. You don’t need that. Some don’t listen. They want to talk and talk and then they want to talk. You don’t need that. You need someone like you, but who is true, loyal and above all things, walking with the Lord.

Once you find those few friends, then you begin to cherish that friendship. You honor that friendship. You thank the Lord for that friendship. You go out of your way for your friends, just as you would want them to do the same for you. And, once you have it, how blessed you are. Worship is sweeter when you are worshipping with your friends. You find yourself doing more and more outside the church building with Christians, when they are your friends. They have a way of pulling the best out of you, just as you pull the best out of them. It is amazing how quickly and easily the conversation can switch from sports, to the Bible, or from politics, to the church. It just flows. Common interests. United hearts. Blended minds. This makes fellowship strong and powerful. This brings a warmth to a congregation. And, this can be the very thing that you need to keep you going when you don’t feel like it.

Bless be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love!

Roger

12

Jump Start # 2035

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2035

Romans 2:21 “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?”

It was a most strange phone call and request. Someone called wanting a friend to be baptized. That’s always exciting news. In the course of talking, it was revealed that the caller was no longer walking with the Lord. He did not feel worthy to baptize since he wasn’t right with the Lord. I asked, “What’s keeping you from getting back with the Lord?” A long, sad story about family, divorce and complicated issues followed. Then came the sobering truth, “I know I am lost. I won’t go to Heaven, but I’m trying to help others.”

 

How odd? How strange? I want to save others, but I, myself, won’t do what is right? It’s hard to tell others about the value of worshipping the Lord when one doesn’t worship. Our actions speak much louder than our words do. Why should someone listen to the words of someone who isn’t willing to put the Lord first. Their example shows that when at the intersection of what is hard in life, and a choice must be made between following the Lord or doing what is convenient, your example and your words, show what you have chosen.

 

Paul’s words to the Romans echo so true to us today. Our words sound hollow and empty when we are not willing to do what we are telling others. Preaching is easy. Living the message is what’s difficult. Standing behind a pulpit and telling others what they ought to do is much easier than showing others what to do by your godly example.

 

There are several layers of application:

 

First, in the home. Mom and dad can preach all they want about language, but what choice words do we use when upset? We can tell our kids not to watch shows that are indecent, but once they are in bed, do we watch similar shows? Practice what you preach. Kids can read inconsistencies. They can see that you tell them what to do, but then you get to do whatever you want. That’s not the way it ought to be. We must follow Christ. We don’t get to do whatever we want. We have denied ourselves, taken up our crosses and followed Him. We make it our ambition to please Him. You are setting examples in your home. Practice what you preach.

 

Second, in the church. Elders are to be examples to the flock. Flawless they are not, but they ought to do what they say. Preachers need to listen to their own sermons. It’s easy to find a passage about hospitality, forgiveness or being busy in the kingdom, and tell others that’s what they need to do. But are we out there setting the example for others to see. Do they see us busy? Do members ask, “I wonder what the preacher does all week, or is it obvious by your example?” There should not be expectations for some that are not there for others. The kids of preachers and elders ought to behave themselves, as well as, the kids of all the members. Young people can really set the tone for a congregation. Enthusiastic, joyful, smiling and helpful, they can put a smile on an old gump’s face. They can get others to sing out, by their example. They can be a spark plug that becomes just what we need.

 

Do you practice what we sing? We sing, “Bless be the tie,” about our fellowship. But is there that one person that we still refuse to talk to? We sing, “Oh, how I love Jesus,” but if the games on, I won’t be at services. Are we doing what we are singing about? You who teach another, do you not teach yourself?

 

Third, in our personal lives, it’s hard to help someone when we are in need of help ourselves. It’s hard to remove that speck from a brother’s eye, when there is a log sticking out of our eyes. Specks need to be removed. They irritate, bother and make things difficult to see. However, the logs in our eyes prevent us from being of much help. We don’t go to a broke family member for advice about saving money. We don’t go to an overweight co-worker for advice about diets. We don’t go to a non-Christian for advice about living for Jesus. Those things are obvious. So, when it comes to needing help with marriage, who are you going to ask? The single guy? The newlyweds? The guy who is divorced? On, the couple that has been married for decades and shows all the signs of a strong, healthy relationship? You want to grow in the Lord. Who do you ask? The person who barely comes on Sunday? Some website you find on Google? One of the elders, who has demonstrated decades of devotion, teaching and experience in the Lord?

 

Those of us that preach and teach realize that the toes that we step on the most are our own. Our words echo not just through our ears, but through our hearts. The words that we teach will either pull us away from temptation or they will close our hearts and we live the life of a hypocrite. Some have done that. It shocks the congregation, but long before the truth came out, there was distance being made between what they were saying and what they were doing. They were not believing what they were telling others.

 

The words of that phone call stayed with me for a long time. “I know I’m lost.” Why won’t you do something about it? It’s not like having a terminal disease and nothing more can be done. He didn’t have to be lost. He held his eternity in his hands. He had the opportunity to turn the course of his life. The choices for him were too great to make.

 

You that teach, do you not teach yourself? Solemn words. Words that we do well to dwell upon. Words that can make a difference in our lives. The first pupil, the first student, the first person in the pew, is ourselves. If we can’t change ourselves, how will we change others? If our words do not move us, they will never move others. It begins with self.

 

Roger

 

09

Jump Start # 2034

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2034

Joshua 2:11 “And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is the God in Heaven above and on earth beneath.”

 

Our verse today are the words of Rahab. We can’t say her name without putting the tag on her. It’s not just Rahab, but it’s, Rahab the harlot. Five times in the Scriptures that tag tags her. Israel was on the edge of entering the promise land. Joshua sent two spies to check out Jericho. Forty years before, Joshua had been one of twelve spies that Moses sent.

 

The two spies found Rahab. Her house was on the wall. She kept them and cared for them. The king heard about it and sent people to capture the spies. Rahab deceived them and sent the spies safely on their way back to Joshua and Israel.

 

Rahab is a puzzle for many of us. She was a pagan gentile. Worse, she was a prostitute. Yet, three times her name appears in the N.T.

 

The first time, in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1). Yes, Jesus had a former gentile prostitute in His family tree. But don’t we all have horse thieves, black sheep and other sinners? Don’t we all have a past and a history? There was a guy named Shouse who ran with the Dillinger gang for a while. He died in prison. A relative? Probably.

 

The second time, we find Rahab is in Hebrews 11. THE HEBREWS 11! She is there. There are only two women in Hebrews 11. Sarah, Abraham’s wife and Rahab. Not only is she listed in Hebrews 11, but the expression found multiple times, “By faith,” is attached to her name. Rahab did things by faith. Those listed in Hebrews 11 “gained approval” of God.

 

The third time Rahab is named in the N.T. is in James 2. There she is right with Abraham. The James text says, “In the same way, was not Rahab…” In what way? In the same way as Abraham. She and Abraham are God’s proof of justified by faith. She gained approval. She was justified.

 

Now, some thoughts.

 

First, it seems that Rahab’s faith was not based upon the spies. It wasn’t what the spies told her. She had already heard about Israel and what God had done. The Egyptians drowned. The Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, were completely wiped out. Rahab was already a believer before the spies showed up. She knew why they are there. She knew that God was giving Israel all the land. She knew that there was no hope for Jericho. She doesn’t try to save her city. She protects the spies and puts her allegiance with God. Her heart was with Israel.

 

Now, what was the basis of her faith? She believed reports. She heard stories. She took them to heart. Rahab, did what the apostles could not do. When the two men on the road of Emmaus came and told the disciples about Jesus, they didn’t believe. When the women, who were the first to the tomb, went and reported to the apostles, they didn’t believe. Rahab believed. There is no indication of any prophets passing through the area. There is no thought of any miracles being done in Jericho before this. She heard and she believed. She tops ole’ Thomas who claimed that he’d only believe if he saw the nail prints of the resurrected Jesus.

 

We live in times of doubt. Even with Biblical evidence, so many will not believe. Had they lived in ancient Jericho, they would have died along with the rest of the city. Where’s the proof? It’s right before our eyes.

 

Second, it seems in many ways that the purpose of the spies was not so much to bring back a battle plan for Joshua, as it is to bring salvation to Rahab. God’s fingers seem to run all through this story. How did they happen to find Rahab, who was a believer? Anyone else, and the spies could have been turned in and executed. Chance? Coincidence? Hand of God? She saves the spies and in turn a covenant is made to save the life of Rahab. Hang a scarlet cord out the window—so similar to Israel putting red blood above the door way in Egypt and so similar to the red stained cross of Christ.

 

Rahab is saved. She marries a Jewish man. Down the line comes David, the great king of Israel. Down the line, even more, comes Jesus, the Savior of the world. There is more ink given to Rahab than these spies. An entire chapter is devoted to her story.

 

Third, people change. Even harlots can become believers and be useful in the kingdom of God. That’s a lesson for us. We know her as Rahab the harlot. That’s what the Scriptures call her. Maybe it would be better to know her as Rahab the believer. God gives us second chances. God doesn’t hold us to our past. We must learn from that. Bad people can become good. People with terrible backgrounds can preach and serve as elders, if we let them.

 

Fourth, What impresses God is faith. That always has and always will be. Your plaques on the wall doesn’t move God. The years you’ve put in at the job doesn’t impress God. How pristine your yard looks in the summer, doesn’t do much for God. Your grades. Your 401. Where you went to school. The square footage of your house. All are impressive to us. Not to God. You want to move God’s needle, it’s faith. It’s going out of your way, like Rahab did and getting involved. It’s taking a risk, as Rahab did. It’s knowing what God will do, as Rahab did. Faith that surrounds confidence, assurance and hope. Her faith led to action. Her faith changed the outcome of this story.

 

Rahab believed. God always comes for believers.

 

Finally, maybe the reason Rahab is found in the N.T. surrounded by heroes of the O.T. and coupled with Abraham and in the lineage of Jesus, is to remind each of us that we are welcome by God. Rahab didn’t have the Ten Commandments. She didn’t have Moses. She didn’t the tabernacle. But she had a heart that believed. Many of us do not come from sterling backgrounds. Our parents may not have been Christians. We may have come from a broken home. We may, like many in the N.T. be outcasts. Leprous hands. Tax collectors. Samaritans. Caught in adultery. Yet, none shunned by Christ. We all have a bit of Rahab running through us. Broken in our own ways, God doesn’t cast us aside. God can use us.

 

Spies were sent. They found a believer. The spies were saved. The believer was saved. Rahab’s story is a mirror to ours.

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

 

08

Jump Start # 2033

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2033

2 Kings 5:1 “Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him, the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper.”

 

He sat in the corner of the waiting room of a doctor’s office. He sat all alone. A mask covered his mouth and nose. His head hung down. You could just tell he wasn’t feeling well. The mask gave the indication that he probably had the dreaded flu that has been so rampant throughout the country. Everyone that came into the office looked at him. No one dared sit by him. His very presence made me wonder what it must have felt like to have leprosy.

 

There are many accounts of leprosy throughout the Bible. Moses put his hand into his shirt and pulled it out and it was leprous. Moses’ sister, Miriam, became leprous. There were the ten lepers who begged Jesus for mercy. One returned and thanked Jesus. He was a Samaritan.

 

Our verse today, shows the mighty soldier, Naaman, and all his wonderful qualities. He was a captain of the army. He was considered a great man to his master. He was highly respected. The Lord worked through him, even though he was a gentile. He was a brave warrior. He had fought many battles. In our modern times, his chest would be decorated with ribbons and medals. A hero. With all those powerful statement, is that dreaded word, BUT. But he was a leper. Those accomplishments meant nothing now. Of all the battles he fought, this would be the greatest. His fellow soldiers would not be able to help him. This was a personal battle. It was his own war. We are not told how he got leprosy, that doesn’t really matter. Was it from battling a leprous opponent? Was it from helping a hurting citizen? Was he careless? Did he do everything according to the book? He has leprosy, and now he can’t do anything about it. His king can’t help him. His master can’t help him. His family can’t help him. He is on his own in this journey.

 

Not only was leprosy an sure invitation of death, it also came with an extreme social stigma. It’s one thing to have a broken leg. You can’t catch that from someone else. Cancer, bad news. But cancer isn’t contagious. Leprosy was different. It was extremely contagious. To keep it hidden, to be silent about it, would likely give the same horrific disease to your family. This is why we learn about leper colonies back then. This is why we find a leprous Samaritan gathered with leprous Jews. Their disease brought them together. They had one thing in common, that dreaded disease.

 

Unlike that masked guy sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, the lepers had no hope of medicines that would make them better. The flu, with the right drugs, passes in a few days or a couple of weeks. Not so with the leper.

 

Naaman’s leprosy came to the attention of a servant girl from Israel. She had been captured. Rather than being bitter or wishing the death upon all Syrians, she told of a prophet would could heal him. Word was sent. Naaman, because of his position and prominence, must have expected the prophet himself will show up. He didn’t. He expected a dramatic display of power. Mighty words. Arms waving in the air. A real show. That didn’t happen. Just a plain, ordinary message. Go dip seven times in the Jordan River. That’s it? That is supposed to get rid of leprosy? Surely, this must be a joke. Naaman was furious. He wasn’t going to do it. The leprosy remained. He finally humbled himself and obeyed the message. His leprosy left him.

 

Great lessons come from standing in the shadows of Naaman.

 

First, there are certain things in life that we are unable to conquer ourselves. It is amazing what we can do. We have proven that we can break the gravitational pull of the earth and shoot a rocket to the moon. We can even bring those men from the moon back to earth. Amazing. We have proven that we can open the chest of a diseased heart and transplant a different heart into that chest and the patient lives. Amazing. We can send emails across the world in seconds. Amazing. But all of this can make us believe that we can do anything. We can’t. It can make us believe that we can solve all problems. We can’t. It can make us think that nothing is beyond our reach. There are things we can’t touch. Modern times has taught us to man up and be tough. It has taught us to figure things out. And what modern times has little room for is prayer in God. Why prayer, when we can do just about anything? We have fooled ourselves into thinking that we do not need God.

 

The N.T. equivalent to Naaman’s leprosy is sin. The exception is that we have sin because we chose that. Leprosy wasn’t chosen. No one would want it. All of our credentials and all of our accomplishments cannot remove the stain of sin. Only Jesus’ blood can. We will never outgrow the need for Jesus.

 

Second, we, like Naaman, want, expect and look for solutions that seem more impressive than the Gospel of Jesus. We want twelve steps. We want seminars. We want literature, booklets and slide shows that walk us through better thinking and better lives. The answer we really need is found in Jesus. Baptism? Walking with the Lord? Denying ourselves? Taking up our cross? Really? In today’s world? Surely, there are better things for us today. Nope. And, like Naaman, when we walk away from the Gospel plan, we walk away with our diseased souls, broken and helpless.

 

Third, sometimes the answers are spoken from the most uncommon places. For Naaman, it was the voice of a captured servant girl. She wasn’t a noble. She wasn’t a warrior. She certainly wasn’t in the army. What could she possibly tell someone like Naaman. She knew. She had seen. She believed. For us, it might be the voice of one of our kids. It might be the voice of a high school student. It might be the voice of a senior citizen. Do we dismiss it because of who said it. Do we even listen to them? We expect our preachers to have the answers. We want our elders to have all the right answers. But from a kid? A teenager?

 

Fourth, sin once it’s known is embarrassing. That guy wearing the mask in the doctor’s office couldn’t help having the flu. It’s everywhere. Sin is a choice. There comes an embarrassing stigma that is attached to sin. We don’t think about that much. Sin is shameful. Sin is wrong. But the forgiveness of God restores us to where we ought to be. Under the banner of forgiveness all hope is restored. Wrongs can be made right. Masks can be removed. We can embrace fellowship with one another.

 

Sitting in the corner of life, wearing a mask, and hoping that no one will notice us, is not the way God expects us to live. God has something much better for us.

 

Naaman found that. You and I can find that in Jesus Christ.

 

Roger