07

Jump Start # 2032

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2032

Luke 12:48 “but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of flogging will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

 

These words follow Jesus’ parable about a grand wedding feast. It starts with, “Be dressed in readiness.” Jesus adds, “You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.” Peter wondered if this lesson was for them or everyone. Jesus continues with the thought of being found faithfully doing your duty whenever the Master comes. The one who knew the will of the Master and simply did not do it, will receive many lashes. Then our verse. The one who did not know and did wrong, he too, will receive lashes, but not as many. Jesus doesn’t give a pass on doing wrong. Doing wrong is never excused.

 

What follows, is what grabs my attention today. The one who has been given much, much will be required. Let’s consider that statement. A college student called the other day. There is a choice, a hard one that must be made. The congregation that is more in line with what she believes the Bible teaches, is small, with no other college students and apparently just existing. The other choice would take her to a large congregation with lots of students and a lot going on. Some of the things that they are doing are not Biblical. Now, the tough choice. Which one? One that lines up closer to what the Bible says but doesn’t seem to have much life or spirit, or one that seems to have the right spirit but lacks in doctrinal conformity? Doctrine or spirit? A dead church that may be right or a live church that may be wrong?

 

I’m saddened that it has to be this way. This same story is repeated all over the country. Right in doctrine, but doing nothing and dead. No hospitality. Little encouragement. Very little passion. It seems that they are just holding on and maintaining. And is it any wonder that young college students fall away.

 

Now, to our statement at the end of this passage. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required.

 

A few thoughts:

 

First, we may not realize that we have been given much. What a blessed generation that we live in. The access to Biblical truth and powerful ways to grow have never been so easy. Look around us. On our phones, laptops and tablets, we have access to dozens and dozens of Bible translations. It is so easy. We can find passages in lightning speed. We can listen to sermons everyday of the week. There are articles all around us. There are all kinds of daily Bible reading programs. The volume of information, from the fields of science, archaeology and Biblical languages is the best it has ever been. Those hard to pronounce words in the Bible can be mastered by websites that will pronounce the words for you. It is so easy to make material for Bible classes. Live streaming, CD’s and so many tools all around us, make us the generation that ought to have more knowledge than ever before. Think about those saints in Europe during the 11th century. Knowledge was limited. Access to Bibles and means to make literature was expensive. Few homes have what you home today has. Facebook, Twitter, email, allows us to send articles, sermons, quotes, across the world in seconds. A letter would have taken a long, long time for those Christians in the 11th century. They didn’t know about folks on the other side of the world. Not only do we know, but we are in contact with them and can do so much for them.

 

Do we realize that so much has been given to us? And, we must ask, what are we doing with this? Are we finding ways to do more than ever before? Are we using the tools of technology for the glory of God? Are we finding ways to encourage, teach and help others by these great tools? One would think, but looking at this from afar, that this generation ought to be doing the most and have the greatest faith and knowledge because of all that has been given to us. Is this true?

 

Second, do we realize that God may be expecting more from us than He did from other generations? Look how long and how expensive it was for Guttenberg to make a Bible. I saw Bibles for sale at the dollar store the other day. A dollar for a Bible. We might be picky and not like the size of the print or the version it was in, but a dollar for a Bible. You can’t get a Happy Meal for a dollar. The modern farmer understands this principle. Sowing the seed comes down to getting the seed into the soil. In Biblical times, a farmer walked through the field scattering or throwing the seed out by hand. The seed flew through the air. Some landed on the hard path. Some among the rocks. Some in weedy places. Some on the good soil. Much of the seed was wasted. But that was farming back then. Today’s farmer could do the same. He’d have some seed come up and he’d have some harvest. But we’ve learned better. Give the farmer a tractor, a planter, better seeds and it is amazing what can be done. He is still putting the seed into the soil, but now, he is not wasting seed. He gets better results and a greater harvest. Has the church today learned that lesson or is the church content to walk through fields, scattering seed by hand. It works, but there are better ways today. Too whom much is given, much is required.

 

Not every church has the funds, nor the personnel to do much with technology. Not every farmer today can afford a $300,000 tractor that is equipped with computers and GPS. But there are still things that can be done.

 

What would you recommend to a small congregation?

 

First, it doesn’t take much to liven up the place. Have folks over in your home. That’s a great start. Get close to one another. Have a singing in your house. Have a Bible study in your house.

 

Second, have some challenging Bible studies. Do this in the church building and do this during the week in homes. Look at where people are and what they need. What’s the things that are keeping people up at night? Talk about those things. Practical. Helpful. Useful. Realistic. Drop the nets and look deeply into God’s word.

 

Third, do things a bit differently once in a while. Don’t change God’s word nor His pattern. We can’t and won’t do that. But the methods can. Bring in a guest preacher on a specific topic. Change the number of days he comes. Try some singings. Try visiting nursing homes. Try something that may interest college students. Try working with college students. Try something. Sometimes we have to move the furniture around in the house. Sometimes we paint the walls a different color. It’s amazing what little changes can do. We need to think about that with the teaching and preaching. Give homework. Have a quiz. Get folks thinking and using what they know.

 

Fourth, have a discussion about these things. Many have not given this much thought. They are drifting along a mighty river and have never thought about how things look to an outsider. Maybe the verse by verse Bible studies need to be parked for a while. Maybe the store bought class books need to be parked for a while. Maybe questions ought to be submitted and that be the basis of a class.

 

Much is expected from those who have been given much. Do we realize that? We are not living in 11th century Europe and Guttenberg isn’t where we purchase our Bibles from. It’s time for many congregations to catch up to the times we are living in.

 

Are we doing as much as we can? Could we do things better? Could we do more? Having answered that, we then must ask, why are we not? Could be, those very questions will be asked by God some day.

 

We have been given much…it’s time to do much!

 

Roger

 

06

Jump Start # 2031

Posted on February 6, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2031

Matthew 1:6 “Jesse was the father of David the king, David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.”

Our verse today comes from the lineage of Jesus. Solomon’s mother was Bathsheba, who had been the wife of Uriah. Just a simple statement, HAD BEEN THE WIFE OF URIAH, but so complex and layered with trouble and tears. We know the story. We’ve heard it preached so many times.

David saw Bathsheba bathing. He wanted her. He sent for her. He had her. And, the consequences began. She was with his child. Simple solution, in David’s mind. Bring home Uriah. A loyal soldier. A foreigner, a Hittite. One of David’s mighty men. So loyal, that his house was close to the palace. Send him to Bathsheba and no one will know. He wouldn’t do it. Get him drunk and he’ll go home. He didn’t. Finally, send him back to the front lines. Pull the troops back and allow him to be killed. The deed was done. David then married Bathsheba. God sent Nathan the prophet to bring to the eyes of David all the sins that he had committed. Blood was on his hands. He was guilty. Broken and penitent, David confess to God and begs for forgiveness. God grants it, but there are consequences. David’s home falls apart. It is never the same.

 

That’s the story. We know it. There is something that we don’t know. Did David ever tell Bathsheba? In her mind, her husband, Uriah, died a national hero. Today, he’d probably get a bronze star or a silver medal for heroism and bravery. He died in battle. He likely would not have died that day had David not sent the orders. He had been in many battles and he knew how to survive. In the movies, his death scene would have him whispering Bathsheba’s name in his final breath.

 

Did David ever tell Bathsheba? Did forgiveness hinge upon this? Was he truly sorry if he this remained a secret with him? This makes for some interesting conversations in a Bible class but most of this would be speculation and guessing.

 

But what about modern Davids today? A man comes to the preacher or the eldership and confesses that he has had an affair. He is sorry. He promises that it is over. Tears trickle down his cheeks as he tells the sordid story of how weak and fallen he had become. He begs for forgiveness and help. He agrees to an on going Bible study to strengthen his faith. He puts accountability filters on all his tablets and phones. He wants to do what is right. There remains one huge elephant in the room. His wife doesn’t know. She didn’t catch him. She didn’t find out. He covered his tracks well. He was careful. But now, he is done with living a double life.

 

 

Now, the question. Must he tell his wife? She has no clue. She will be shattered. The marriage may end. The kids may be torn from their secure home. Their world may end. The prospect of a divorce probably means that house has to be sold. His wife and kids may have to find something smaller and the kids may have to transfer to a different school. They may have to switch congregations. What will their friends think? What about her parents? His parents? The long road of shame, embarrassment is just beginning. It may be too much. Along the road, there may be many spiritual causalities. He may be overcome with grief and quit. His wife may be disillusioned and quit. The kids may grow up confused and never become interested. What has happened has long term consequences.

 

Should he tell his wife? Should a preacher or an eldership demand that he confess all to his wife before he is considered back in fellowship with God? WOW! Heavy questions. Not easy. Too often, not thought out. It’s easy for those who have a good marriage and will go home to a loving family to demand, you confess all. They will sleep well, but his life is sure to fall apart.

 

Recently, my friend S. asked me a question much softer than this. If I have done something wrong to someone and they do not know about it nor know that it is wrong, should I tell them, she asked. That’s easier to answer than telling a David that he ought to confess to Bathsheba.

 

This opens a much wider discussion. Does my forgiveness necessitate me telling everyone that I have hurt? If I do not confess to others, will God refuse to forgive me? Most of the passages are directed toward the injured forgiving the person who caused the hurt. If we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. If someone sins against us, we are to go to them. If they listen, we have won our brother. But what about the standpoint of the one who had done the hurting? Does he have to confess to others, even if they do not know it?

 

Here is what I told S.

 

First, the very concept of confession is transparency. The word “confess” means to speak the same thing. It’s like an echo in a cave. You shout, “Hello.” In the distance, you hear, “hello.” The echo spoke the same thing. If you shouted, “Hello,” but you hear back, “Good-bye,” you best run out of that cave. Someone else is in there. In the old Western movies, the Indians complained that the white man spoke with a forked tongue. He’d say things and do the opposite. Confession is to speak the same thing.

 

Confession is risky and humbling. It means being honest. No more cover-up. No more excuses. No more blaming others. Being honest is to admit that you have failed and let people down.

 

Second, if the person doesn’t know, at least now, what if they find out later? What if they find out from someone else? That’s a problem. Now you no longer seem honest, transparent and humble. You have kept things from them. In the case of an affair, all it takes is an email, Facebook message or a midnight phone call to expose what was hidden. In David’s case, there was a commander who knew. He read the note that Uriah carried to the battle front. Today, he is loyal. What about tomorrow?

 

Trust is shattered into more pieces when someone finds out years after the fact. They not only feel hurt and betrayed, but they see the other person as a hypocrite. They have kept a secret from them. It makes a person wonder, what other secrets have they kept?

 

Third, there are consequences to confessing. Friendships may be ruined. Marriages may end. That’s the price tag that comes with sin. But it can also be an opportunity for healing, forgiveness and love. How one expresses it and how one packages the wrong that was done has a lot to do with this. You say these things because you love the person. You say these things because you do not want to hurt them ever again. You say these things because you love them.

 

Fourth, I’m not a huge fan of making demands and forcing people to do things. I believe if a person truly understands grace, forgiveness and righteousness, that their heart will lead them to do what is right. Some aren’t there. They are still playing a game and are not serious about their walk with God. In such cases, they need to be lead into a deeper understanding of righteousness in Christ. Years ago there was a nationally known lawsuit against a church because they demanded someone divorce their unfaithful mate. They didn’t want to do that but were pressured. It got messy, especially when the courts got involved. Let the Scriptures teach and lead a person. Guide them to what the passages say. Let them see it for themselves. There is a difference in having to do something that is hard and uncomfortable and something one feels pressured to do. Our hearts ought to lead us to do what is right, even if it is hard and difficult. Doing something because we are forced to do it, begins with the wrong motive and usually doesn’t work well.

 

I have known times when a man confessed to his unknowing wife about an affair. It was hard but forgiveness prevailed and they got stronger and closer in the Lord. Divorce isn’t always the outcome.

 

Did David ever tell Bathsheba? I don’t know. I don’t think I would have wanted to be in that room if he did. But looking at David’s heart though this low period in his life, I would tend to think that he did. He was honest. He was humble. He was open to God.

 

This is a good place to begin conversations…

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 2030

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2030

Daniel 5:22 “Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all of this.”

I’ve been preaching through Daniel. Our verse today was part of my sermon yesterday. Up to this point in Daniel, the king has been Nebuchadnezzar. Now, time has marched on. Other kings have come and gone. Belshazzar is running the kingdom while his father is out on travels. Belshazzar is more likely the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.

During a massive banquet that he throws, he calls for the vessels that were taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Those articles of God are used to toast the Babylonian gods. Irreverent, shameful and blasphemous, they mock God and believe that their gods have made them untouchable. It is at this point that a hand appear and four words are written on the wall. No person. No face. Just a hand. The powerful king is unable to stop it. He doesn’t understand what the words mean. Fear ruins his banquet. Experts are called in and no one understands the words that were written on the wall. Someone remembers Daniel, now an old man, who interpreted the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar.

Daniel is brought in. He retells the story of how the proud and boastful Nebuchadnezzar lost his sanity and ate grass like a cow until he recognized God as the absolute ruler. His place and his mind was restored when he humbled himself. It is here that our verse is found. Daniel tells the present king, you have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all of this. The words, Aramaic financial terms, was a message from God. The Babylonian dynasty was finished. You, the king, are deficient spiritually. The kingdom is given to the Medes. That very night, the Babylonian king was killed and the Medes took over the power structure.

Our verse is so powerful for us. That ending expression, “even though you knew all of this,” cuts to our hearts. Belshazzar knew about Nebuchadnezzar. He knew what lessons God had taught the king. Yet, he ignored all of that.

On a large scale we see applications of this all around us. Here is a guy who watched his parents smoke themselves to death. And, he smokes just the same. He has not learned any lessons. Or, here is a guy who grew up in the home of a drunk. He saw all the trouble that came with that. Yet, today he walks in the same steps, even though you knew all of this.

But spiritually, the lessons are astounding.

Here is someone who grew up in a family that rarely talked about spiritual things. The Bible was not the center piece of the home. Worshipping God was not a regular activity of that home. Prayers were not said very often. Now, years later, in his own life, work, kids, and sports have filled his time. He finds himself walking in the very same shadows as he grew up. He is doing the same things, even though he knew all of this.

There are some reasons for that:

First, even though one knows, some how they think it will be different for them. The smoker thinks he will escape the diseases that come from smoking. The Christian who doesn’t take advantage of the opportunities that a congregation offers him, thinks everything will turn out fine some how. Even though he knows, he believes it will be different for him. It usually isn’t different. His heart, his home, his life, reflects the choices that he has made. Some will grow up and be just as weak as their parents were. Some will follow the very mistakes that they read about in the lives of the Bible characters.

Second, knowing, isn’t the same thing as doing. It takes effort, time and will power to make the changes that will bring positive results. Many can talk a good game, but they come up short in the doing department. They can spend a long time in the huddle, discussing what ought to be done, but in the end, nothing does get done. We can sit in a Bible class or listen to a sermon about the lukewarm Christians who lived in Laodicea. We can talk about the signs of lukewarmness. We can talk about what prevents lukewarmness. We can talk about the solutions to being lukewarm. Powerful studies. We go home, and do nothing with that information. The class papers are tossed. The sermon is soon forgotten. We drift along, ourselves bordering on being lukewarm, and nothing changes. Knowing isn’t the same as doing.

Third, there are those who take what they learned to heart and they become what God wants. This is why we constantly retell those great and powerful stories from the Bible. They were written for our instruction. They are examples, good and bad for us. We don’t have to make the same mistakes as others. We don’t have to be the product of our times. We don’t have to think like everyone else thinks. We don’t have to do what comes naturally. We can transcend all of that. We can be renewed in our minds. The inner man can be renewed day by day. The spiritual knows these things and makes the appropriate changes. He doesn’t need to wait for the calendar to change to a new year to make resolutions, he is doing that weekly. He is adjusting as he learns. Better attitudes. Kinder words. More thankful. A better servant. Over and over he learns and over and over, the better he becomes. He is not just following the path of others, he is following the path of the Savior. He is making a new path for his family. He knows and so he changes his life.

Unlike Belshazzar, who refused to humble his heart, even though he knew, God’s people are humbling themselves. They know the same lesson that Belshazzar knew, but they have chosen to honor and exalt God. Belshazzar knew, but did nothing with what he knew. God’s people are growing, changing and getting better all the time.

This is a powerful reason for Bible classes and Biblical sermons. We need to know. Based upon what we know, we become. Those old, old lessons still work. They still touch the heart that is honest and good.

Belshazzar was a fool. He died that very night. His lavish, blasphemous banquet became his last supper and he didn’t even realize it. How can a king be partying while the enemy are outside the walls? How did he not know? Asleep at the wheel of life. Oblivious to what is going on around him. Ignoring the things that he knew. How many today, are following in those same steps? Partying through life, laughing all the way, while judgment sits just outside the walls.

Even though he knew…

Roger

02

Jump Start # 2028

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2028

Hebrews 2:14 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil.”

Sorry about no Jump Start yesterday. I was not feeling well. Much better today. And that leads us to our thoughts for today. Jesus partook of the same flesh and blood, just like the children. What all does that mean? It means there were probably days that Jesus didn’t feel real good. We have days like that. It means that there were days when He was busy. We have days like that. He probably had days when things didn’t go right. We have days like that. He had to deal with weather. We have days like that. He had to deal with people. We have days like that.

We can pull some specifics from the Scriptures.

Jesus was interrupted while teaching when Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery and demanded that he declare where He stood on punishing her.

Jesus was interrupted while teaching when Martha demanded that He tell Mary to help her serve

Jesus was interrupted while teaching when a man demanded that Jesus tell his brother to share the inheritance

There were times when things happened without any planning. Jesus and the disciples land on the shore and Jairus comes with a 911 plea. His daughter is dying.

The interruptions. The unplanned situations. Then there were the people who didn’t understand. Several got angry with Jesus. The synagogue official did, when Jesus healed the withered hand. Some got upset when Jesus healed the bent woman. They didn’t like Jesus doing those things on the Sabbath. Then there were the disciples, those closest to Him. They so often misunderstood. They argued more than once about which one was the greatest among them. Right before Jesus fed the five thousand, the apostles wanted to send the crowd away. They tried to keep the children from coming to Jesus. They tried to send the Canaanite woman away.

The interruptions. The unplanned situations. The misunderstandings. The name calling. The accusations.

There are a few things we learn from this:

First, Jesus never let people get the best of Him. He never sinned. He was disappointed in people. He was frustrated. He never let out a stream of obscenities. Let down, He never gave up on people. Jesus always remained focused, spiritual and determined. We can learn from that. Too often, we allow others to mess us up. We allow people to get under our skin. We lose our cool and have to try to make things right. Jesus wasn’t like that. He is the ultimate example. He shows us how to overcome disappointments and defeat in others. We stand in Martha’s shoes when we get upset with what others are doing. This is where road rage comes from. This is why some walk out of a marriage. This is why some leave a church. It’s not the concept. It’s not the principles. It’s how people are doing it. When upset with the way some drive, we don’t sell our cars and choose to walk. We keep driving. The principle of driving remains true, even though some don’t know how to do it.

According to the stats, the number one reason why people switch jobs is because of poor relationships with co-workers. The toxic, gossipy, mean spirited work environment gets to them and they leave. Sometimes that’s a good thing to do. It’s better to do that than to loose your sanity or your faith. Jesus was surrounded with toxic people. Every word was analyzed, criticized and challenged. The Pharisees on many occasions presented situations, and questions in order to “test” Jesus. They tried to trip Him up. They tried to catch Him. They tried to expose Him as a fraud. Jesus never walked away from the Pharisees.

Second, Jesus didn’t allow others to change what He knew was right. Jesus never apologized. He never apologized for healing on the Sabbath. He never promised to stop doing that so that everyone could get along. This wasn’t Sesame Street. This was real life. He didn’t compromise. He was right and He stood His ground. He was not going to allow their narrow and petty arguments to change what was right. Healing on the Sabbath was not work. The people were gathered and He continued to do it. Our culture today, makes us apologize for being right. It makes us find some middle ground of compromise. There are times when one cannot do that. Smoking the peace pipe works well in Western movies but not in dealing with matters of faith. Jesus wasn’t ugly about these things. He always explained and tried to get people to see. His confidence and assurance in what was right, allowed Him to hold his ground. This may be our issue. Maybe we are not so confident, or maybe we are intimidated by the loud voice of others. Volume doesn’t make one right. Jesus did not allow others to change what He knew was right.

Third, Jesus brought the best out of people. He did that by simply being Jesus. He didn’t go to their levels. You don’t find Jesus in a bar having drinks with others. He was pure. He was holy. He was Jesus. Like Him, or not, one knew where Jesus stood. When we carry ourselves that way, not being uppity, not being too good for others, not being self righteous, but by being ourselves, simply a Christian, a follower of Jesus, people will see and understand where you are coming from. You’ll find people apologizing for letting a bad word slip. You’ll find some who try to be on the best when around you. Some will not appreciate what you are doing. Some will test you. But many will appreciate you. They don’t have a spiritual back bone like you do. They admire you. They will come to you for advice. They will ask you to help them find a verse in the Bible. Being with Jesus brings the best out of people.

To walk with Jesus is to learn how to get along with others. To walk with Jesus is to learn what matters most. To walk with Jesus shows us that He didn’t get into every one’s business. His focus was spiritual. His goal was the glory of God.

It makes you wonder, if Jesus were in your skin today, had your schedule you have today, have your job, you have today, how would He do things differently? It makes us wonder how many opportunities we walk right past, that Jesus would have seen. It makes us wonder how many times today Jesus would have paused and thanked the Lord for things we just take for granted. How would your day be different if Jesus were living it? Would He be a stressed as you are? Would He be as bothered as you are? Would He be as worried as you are?

Something to think about.

Roger