07

Jump Start # 2364

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2364

Psalms 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.”

Recently I preached in a couple of places from this first chapter in Psalms. It is a description of the righteous man. This is why he is righteous. The chapter begins by telling us what he doesn’t do. The righteous does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. He does not stand in the path of sinners. And he does not sit with scoffers. You see a progression there. Walking, standing, sitting. Hearing, thinking, and joining.

 

The righteous knows what is right. He’s not interested in what advice the wicked has to offer. He is going a different direction. He follows the Lord and he is aware that the outcome of the wicked is bad. The chapter ends with the wicked perishing. The righteous knows this.

 

Our verse today, the second verse in this chapter, describes what the righteous man does. He doesn’t do some things, but then on the other hand, he is busy doing other things. He is delighting in God’s law and he is chewing or meditating upon that law. That law is making a difference in his life. It is shaping his heart and molding his character. He is becoming righteous because of God.

 

What is fascinating about verse one and verse two is the one-two description of the righteous man. I find that missing today. So often we like verse one. We will define our faith in negatives. What is a Christian, someone asks? We respond, “A Christian doesn’t cuss. A Christian doesn’t tell lies. A Christian isn’t a cheat. A Christian doesn’t believe in abortion.” And, all we have done is explain what a Christian doesn’t do. For some, that is the totality of their faith. They are a “do nothing” group of people. We don’t do nothing. Some churches are just like that.

 

But, here, we are given verse two. Our verse today. It’s positive. It’s action. It’s what a righteous person does. We need to be reminded of this. The righteous man is doing things. He is not doing what the wicked does, but he is busy. He is busy doing what God wants. At the end of the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus said, “Go and DO thou likewise.” Go and do this. He didn’t say, “Go and tell this.” Nor, “Go and believe this.” Paul told the Galatians, “as you have opportunity let us DO good to all men, especially those of the household of faith.” Let us DO something. Both James and John wrote about seeing needs but not acting upon them. We have turned Christianity into a white collar thinking proposition. We sit around and think things. We debate things. We argue about things. Talk. Talk. Talk. Long on the talk but short on the doing. Looking at the New Testament, we get a different picture. It’s a blue collar, roll up your sleeves, and get busy type of faith. The judgment scene in Matthew 25 was not based upon a test of their knowledge, but rather what they had done. There were some hungry, did you feed them? What about the thirsty? What about those in prison? It was all about action.

 

The righteous man, from the opening chapter of Psalms, is doing things. And, these things have a positive result in his life. He stands like a tree firmly planted. He has a foundation. He is prosperous, not in a selfish way, but in a godly way. He endures. Year after year, that ole’ tree is still standing. Through the snows. Through the violent spring storms. Through summer’s droughts. Year after year. It’s putting out fruit, shade and hope. That righteous man is just like that tree.

 

We must wonder if our families and the world has ever seen the positive side of Christianity? Have they seen good being done by our hands? They probably know what we’re against, but do they know what we are for? Have they seen anything valuable being done by us for the kingdom?

 

I remember being in antique swap shop and looking at a gizmo that was very odd. The owner tried to get me to buy it. It didn’t cost that much, but my question was, “What does it do?” It was sitting on his shelf and I think he wanted me to pay money so it would sit on my self. He wasn’t sure what it did, but he sure thought I needed it. The world sure needs Christians, but sometimes we wonder, what do they do?

 

Here is a short list of the upside of Christianity:

 

  • We illustrate God’s word. We take it off the pages and are living it daily in our lives. Some see forgiveness, kindness and hope for the first time. They see marriages that are strong. They see the heart of a servant. It’s one thing to poke your finger in the air and declare these things. It’s something else to show them by the way you live.

 

  • We show worship that is Biblical, helpful, practical and useful. Worship doesn’t have to change to golden calves and strange fire to be connected to lives today. Sermons that are answering today’s questions. Bible classes that bring the Scriptures alive. Singing that is meaningful and robust. Prayers that touch the heart of God. For too many, church is either lifeless or turned into a rock concert. There is little connection between Sunday and Monday morning. Our faith touches every day of our lives. Christ truly lives in our hearts. It shows by our choice of words. It shows by our attitudes. It shows by how we handle a difficult day.

 

  • We bring hope into a world of hopelessness and fantasy. Contentment because we are Heaven bound. Hope because God is upon the throne. Christians go through bad days. Christians have car accidents, surgeries, pets that die, kids that mess up, loss of jobs, parents that are demanding, and stress and heartache. However, in the midst of all these things, the Christian has God. He has hope. He sees past the darkness of the storms. Even though he travels through those dark, dark valleys, he knows that God is with him. This hope is seen in how he handles troubles. This hope is seen in funerals and emergency waiting rooms, and late night phone calls. Trouble brings the Christian to his knees in prayer. Trouble takes the Christian to Scriptures. Trouble leads the Christian to call upon his brethren for help. Trouble doesn’t defeat the Christian. He has a greater help and hope, God.

 

  • The Christian brings light to a dark world. The Christian brings hope to a world of despair. The Christian brings absolute answers to a world of questions. The Christian changes the environment of a work place. The Christian is the first to apologize and to forgive. The Christian is ethical before he even takes ethics in college. The Christian doesn’t talk bad about others. The Christian is color blind when it comes to race. He is upbeat. He is positive. He’s smiling. He’s looking forward, first to Sunday, and then to Heaven.

 

What are you doing? That’s a fair question to ask. If the answer is, “I don’t know,” then get busy and start doing what Christians ought to be doing.

 

Roger

 

06

Jump Start # 2363

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2363

Matthew 10:12 “Then the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?’”

 

Jesus would be in trouble today. To offend someone in this current culture is the end of a career. Newscasters and sports analysists have lost their jobs because they said something that offended their audiences. The new theology of the day doesn’t offend anyone. A local news program highlighted a denominational pastor who serves as a bartender. He combines beer and the Bible. He’s reaching out to those who can’t find a church that fits them, so his “new” church is a bar. In an interview, this modern preacher said that the church must change with culture. That is the flavor of the month. Don’t say anything about sin, because that may offend some and they will threaten to stop coming.

 

Our verse follows a sharp exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees. It was headed for the shoot out at Matthew 23 where Jesus calls them hypocrites and eventually to the cross, where the Pharisees thought they had the final word.

 

The Pharisees complained that Jesus’ disciples did not wash their hands before they ate. This was not about hygiene, but Jewish traditions of ceremonial washings. The Lord’s disciples broke with tradition. The Pharisees felt that the sky would fall. In this exchange, Jesus pointed out that the Pharisees didn’t keep the commandments of God. Thus the moral teeter-totter. Keeping the traditions of men or keeping the commandments of God. The Lord and His disciples were commandment keepers. To further illustrate the problem, Jesus identified what was really going on. The Pharisees worshipped God with a heartless faith. It was in vain. It wasn’t doing them any good and it certainly wasn’t honoring God.

 

With this, the conversations ends, at least for now. They part. The disciples reported that the Pharisees were offended. Did you know that Jesus? Sure He did. He knew their worship was vain. He knew their heart wasn’t with God. He knew.

 

This brings us to the delicate topic of offending. It is the plague of our times.

 

First, some like to offend people on purpose. “Shock-rock” is nothing more than offensive, in-your-face, music that is prejudice and meant to get people upset. It’s all about the singer trying to draw attention to themselves. I expect had they really great ability to write songs, they wouldn’t be doing this. But in an industry where everyone is trying to be on top and get noticed, one will do anything to get there. The latest is a singer who condemns “rich, old, white men” in her song that is laced with explicit words. Now suppose a guy is old, white, male and has made some money in his life? Isn’t those words offensive? The singer is offended by him, yet thinks nothing of offending a whole class of people who can’t do anything about their race, age or sex.

 

Second, although the truth offends, especially those who are in error, there is a way to present it. Throughout the N.T. kindness and gentleness are found surrounding the word correct. Correct with gentleness. Let the punch be from the word of God, not the language, tone, or, ‘in-your-face’ approach that we might use. God’s word is powerful. It’s sharper than a sword. It’ll do all the cutting necessary. We don’t have to make it sharper by having a sharp tongue.

 

Third, in our passage, Jesus never apologizes, nor changes His message because some were offended. Among brethren, the threat to leave, is used to hold preachers hostage today. “You better not say anything about divorce, or, we’ll leave. And, we’ll take others with us.” Such threats show a disregard for the word of God and the people of God. I had a guy once yell at me, “You better get an attorney.” My brother happens to be a lawyer. I told him, I have one. Have your guy call him. Let’s be honest, truth stings. When a person is not doing right and they come to the intersection where they find God’s word, either they will change their ways or they will fight God. Most times, they will fight the messenger of God’s word. There are moral issues that causes the blood to boil in some. Homosexuality, divorce for any reason, abortion, transgender issues, same-sex marriage, legalizing drugs, sex before marriage, responsibility and accountability—everyone has an opinion on these, and so does God. It just happens that His opinion is the one that counts. Our country may be a democracy, but our relationship with God is not. If it were, we’d vote sin in. Preaching about these topics is necessary, tough, delicate, and will touch a sore spot with some. The preacher of the Gospel cannot hide from cultural issues. The young people today need to know what God says about these things.

 

Just as there is “shock-rock,” there can be “shock-preaching.” It’s shocking not because of the topic, but because of the delivery. Don’t use offensive words. Dive into those subjects with facts, Scriptures and honesty. You are appealing to hearts and heads. You are trying to get people to see what the Lord says. Your intention is to bring people to Christ, not to offend them and drive them away.

 

Fourth, what is to be done when someone claims you have offended them? First, let them speak. Those very words puts us on the defensive. It makes us back pedal and look for ways to come out looking good. It may be that we used a term, or were too emotional and we did offend. That doesn’t change the topic nor what God says. If you did, apologize, then get back into the topic with a level head. But, it may be they were offended because you stepped on their toes. God’s word, when taught accurately, does not need to be apologized for. God has His reasons for saying what He does. Righteousness prevails over our personal interests and agendas. You can’t fit an unrighteous lifestyle into a garment of righteousness. It just won’t fit. And, some may get upset. Some may scream and holler. Some may even leave. Some may say things that are not accurate, true or even kind. In their anger, they may offend those who are standing with God.

 

Jesus tells us that there are those who love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. They do not want to change. They’d rather find a pastor who serves beer in a bar and worship there, than to change their lives to conform to Jesus.

 

Finally, if we make it our goal not to offend anyone, then we will have to water down the Bible and only talk about certain things. The twisted thinking of modern theology only sees a God of love. And, accordingly, if God loves, anything goes. So, when a lifestyle is at odds with a verse, it’s the verse that is tossed, because God loves. God so loves, moderns think, that He even changes His message just to accept people.

 

When Peter preached, the audience was pierced to the heart. Later in Acts, the audience was cut to the quick. When Paul preached the resurrection of Jesus, some sneered. If the message doesn’t make one think, challenge them or move them, then what’s the point. My hero, Dee Bowman says that preaching ought to “afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.” That’s it!

 

So, we need to be telling folks about what God says about abortion, homosexuality, sex before marriage, and many cultural issues that are nothing more than sin. Don’t run from these conversations at work. Sure, you’ll be seen as outdated, out of touch and even a bigot and prejudice. Some won’t like you. Some will say, “You offend me.” But if you are nice, holding your ground with Scriptures, you’ll quickly see that sin has no justification. There is no substance to support it. “Show me when God changed what He said about homosexuality? I’m interested in seeing that. Where is that? Was there another Bible that came out?” There is nothing that can be said. Error will raise the temperature. It will shout, scream, point fingers, but it’s not rational, logical and of all things, not Biblical. Just stick with the Scriptures.

 

Jesus offended. Today, He’d be the lead story on cable news. How wrong He is, some would say. Politicians, athletes, musicians would all jump on the bandwagon of how offensive Jesus is. They’d boycott Him. They’d say mean things about Him. They’d hold rallies against Him. They have petitions banning Him from appearing in certain places. They would feel so righteous and smug in their sinful hearts.

 

Jesus offends. Jesus offended me. Then I realized I was the one that was wrong. I changed my heart and found forgiveness, hope and a wonderful life with the Savior. We all have been offended by Jesus. The question is, what did we do? Did we walk away from Jesus or did we see that He was right and that He loved us enough to tell us the truth? Did we change and become better?

 

“You offend me.” Yes, I understand. I’ve been offended to. Now, let’s take a look at why you feel that way.

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 2362

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2362

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Our verse today reminds us of the divine mission of Jesus Christ. He came for the purpose to save us from our sins. All other beneficial things that He accomplished pale under this mission. Had He built bridges between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, yet He failed to be the sacrifice for our sins, this would have of little importance. Had he showed us how to be nice to strangers and love our enemies, yet He failed to redeem us from our sins, this too, would have been of little importance. Had He brought world peace, yet failed to bring mankind in peace with God, this would have been of little importance. It seems that some want Jesus to be everything but what He really came to do, be a Savior for mankind. Without the precious blood of Jesus, all hope is lost.

 

This passage in Luke reminds us that Jesus wasn’t simply available for salvation, but that He was the drive, the motive, the engine that sought the lost. Jesus came looking for the lost. The Gospels reveal many who came to Jesus for healings, but He came for the divine healing of the soul. He wasn’t stationary, sitting behind a desk, waiting for people to line up in the mornings for salvation. He was in the villages. He traveled from place to place. In a crowded home, as a man is lowered through the roof, Jesus offers salvation. That’s what He came to do. In the home of little Zaccheaus, Jesus declared that “salvation has come” to his home. Even, in the final minutes of His life, while on the cross, Jesus tells the penitent thief, “today, you’ll be with Me in paradise.” Salvation.

 

And, after Jesus returned to Heaven, the search was on. He scattered the apostles into all the world. The Holy Spirit guided these men to preach and write God’s holy word. Just another means of searching for the lost. God would never give up. When the prodigal finally came back to home, the father came running. He’d been waiting, hoping and looking.

 

And, today, the search continues. Jesus still seeks the lost. Here is a few ways this is done:

 

First, it’s through active Christians who are sowing the seed of the kingdom. They are inviting, looking, helping and connecting with all sorts of people. The conversations at work, turn into invitations to come to worship. The brief encounter in a restaurant with a server, turns into an opportunity to pray, share a passage and invite. The table talk at home with the family, becomes opportunities to teach the saving message of Jesus Christ. Character is built. Hearts are changed. Attitudes are molded. The Gospel is powerful. God’s people become the feet, the hands, and the voice of God today.

 

Second, there are intersections in our lives that bring us to meet Jesus. A young man and a young girl start dating. She is a Christian, he’s not. He’s never thought about those things very much. As they date, she impresses upon him how important the Lord is to her. So he attends worship. He sees things that he’s never thought of before. He hears the Gospel preached. And, in this simple manner, Jesus has sought that which is lost. There are all kinds of intersections in our lives. There at a funeral, the preacher shows how death is viewed from Heaven’s perspective and how that death is not the end. Some in the audience have never given any of this much thought. But at this time and on this day, their hearts are opened to the something that they now realize is a reality in life. Their lives have intersected with someone who showed them Jesus.

 

Third, there are little reminders here and there. I don’t necessarily think that these things are divine, Heaven sent or if God is even behind them, but there they are. You are driving down the highway and painted on a sign post is “Trust Jesus.” You see that. It makes you think. Off in a field, is a small white church building and three crosses are standing nearby. You see. You notice. You think. You pass a truck, and you notice on it’s back trailer a sign, “Jesus loves you.” You see. You notice. You think. At a hotel, as you settle in and put your things away, you open a desk drawer and there is a Bible. You see. You notice. You think. You flip through TV channels looking for something to watch and there is a movie about Jesus. You see. You notice. You think. Little reminders. A quote on Facebook. An email. A Jump Start sent to you. Little hints. The Lord is seeking you.

 

Fourth, there are those words from family members. You call dad, and in the conversation he asks if you’ve been to worship in a while. Grandma gets on you about your attitude. Someone in the family hands you a church bulletin article that they feel would help you. Reminders. There is a source that is trying to get you back to the Lord.

 

It’s as if the doors of Heaven have been opened and God sent out the hounds looking for you. Some how they find you. Some how they know right where you are. They may irritate you and bug you. They may make you feel guilty. They may hound you to do what you ought to be doing. And, even though you may try to put all of this out of your mind, some how the hounds of Heaven find you. Little reminders. Little thoughts. All of these things are means to get you back to the Lord. God is seeking. He won’t let go of you. He can’t forget you. He’ll chase you all of your life, until you finally see the truth and bow before Him, or else, you’ll simply run out of life.

 

The more connections your family, friends and life has had with the Lord, the greater these reminders will be. God wants you to be saved. Sometimes these divine irritations are just what we need to get back. Sometimes it takes us becoming friendless, helpless and hopeless, like the prodigal before we come to our senses. But what did the prodigal do? He returned home. He didn’t take his life. He didn’t give up thinking that there was no hope. He remembered. How his father’s servants were treated was something that stuck in his mind. For us, it may be a comment a preacher made in a sermon. It may be a card that was mailed to us. It may be a song from a funeral. It may be the kindness that someone has shown us. It may be an old Bible tucked away in a box that we stumble across one day. It may be a memory of a Bible class teacher long ago. It’s there. It’s in our minds. Every once in a while, those memories surface. They remind us of what we know. They remind us of what we ought to do. The hounds of Heaven have found us.

 

Jesus came to seek that which is lost. He’ll use every tool in Heaven to accomplish this. He’s using things right now to reach us. Isn’t it time? Won’t you come back home to the Lord? Maybe you’ve had a bad experience in the past. Jesus has never hurt you. Maybe you were taught some things that aren’t true to the Scriptures. Maybe those things got you all confused and fuzzy. Maybe you got so busy that you didn’t have time for God. Maybe, life just hasn’t turned out the way you thought it should have. And, maybe you’ve been angry with God for a long time. He hasn’t quit on you. He never will.

 

Isn’t it time?

 

(Share this with someone that you think could be helped with these words)

Roger

 

04

Jump Start # 2361

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2361

1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?”

The other day we were singing the wonderful hymn, “This world is not my home.” I’ve sung that song for years and years. But for the first time something stood out about the second verse. It begins, “They’re all expecting me, and that’s one thing I know…” They’re all expecting me. Who is expecting me? And, where are they expecting me to be?

 

Our verse today carries that idea. Paul was praising these wonderful Thessalonian saints. He loved them dearly. They were a young church and Paul’s heart was incredibly moved by the sacrifices and commitment that they had already made. This verse shows that Paul anticipated them making it to Heaven. Paul anticipated them being with the Lord. At the Lord’s coming, their faith and presence is what Paul would glory in. He expected them to make it.

 

There is a sense in which this is true in many settings. At every wedding, we expect the couple to stay married. We don’t go, bearing gifts, thinking this marriage will be over in two months. We expect it to last. We expect our children to grow up, get jobs and be responsible citizens. No parent brings that newborn home from the hospital thinking, “Just imagine in eighteen years, he’ll be in jail.” We don’t do that. And, the same is spiritually. When we baptize someone into Christ, we don’t say, “within a year, he’ll no longer believe.” We expect him to grow and mature in Christ.

 

Let’s think about this expression, “They’re all expecting me.” I had this cartoon of two old people sitting on the front porch. One says to the other, “I’m getting so old, all my friends in Heaven are going to think that I didn’t make it.” They are expecting me.

 

Who is expecting you in Heaven? Obviously, the Lord is. He died for you. He is the one who loves you and believes in you. He is the one who changes you and gives you a real purpose in life. The Lord has blessed you, forgiven you and been with you every step of your journey. He was there when you had mountain top experiences. He was there when you traveled through those dark valleys. Through His word, the Lord has seen you develop, grow and become a powerful soldier of Christ. He’ll be looking for you. If you don’t make it, it won’t be because of Jesus. You’ll miss Heaven because of wrong choices you make in your life. You’ll miss Heaven because you have followed the pied piper of modern theology and traded your soul in for glamor, prestige, and popularity. And, if you don’t make it, the Lord will be disappointed. He’s expecting you. He’s prepared a place for you.

 

Who is expecting you? The righteous that you have loved, worshipped with, and grown close to through the years. You have been more than part of a church, you were part of a spiritual family. You have seen happy times, such as weddings, babies born, young men giving their first lessons. And, there has been sad times. There has been surgeries, tragedies, and funerals. We’ve sat together. We’ve prayed together. We’ve worked through some tough moments together. We’ve seen faces come and go through the years, but one thing that has glued us together is that we are brethren, the people of God. And, when this world is over, they are expecting to see you in Heaven. Will we know each other in Heaven? Sure, we will. Absolutely. Our verse is just one that shows that. Otherwise, we are with a throng of strangers. Does that sound comforting to you? I know folks who avoid tourist spots simply because they don’t like crowds. Now, if the crowd was people I knew and loved, that’s a different story.

 

Can you imagine the conversation in Heaven if you didn’t make it? What happened to him? I thought for sure he’d be here. He seemed to love the Lord so much. He seemed so dedicated. “Wow, I’m shocked that he’s not here.”

 

Who is expecting you? Those that poured so much into helping you grow spiritually. We all have those people in our lives. Parents. Grandparents. Preachers. Elders. Friends. They talked to us when we were at a crossroads in life. They were there when we were down. They taught us. They answered all of our questions. They were patient with us. They forgave us. They never gave up on us. They expected us to carry on. They expected us to be the legacy. They felt good about the future because of us. They felt the church was in good hands because of us. They are expecting us. And, if we don’t make it, not only will they be disappointed, but who behind us will not make it either? If we miss Heaven, then our influence and example may lead others to miss Heaven as well. Rather than passing the torch on, we’ve dropped it. And because of that, the church suffers. The world suffers. Others, especially our children and grandchildren, were counting on us to be there.

 

Who is expecting you? You are. At least, you ought to be. You ought to expect to be in Heaven. Not by anything you have done, but because of the grace of God and your love for the Lord. Is this not why we worship? We love the Lord. We want to be with Him now and forever. Is this not why we put our nose into God’s book and read and read? We want to know. We want to become. Is this not the reason that we hold our tongue when we could say things? Is this not the reason that forgive instead of holding a grudge? Is this not the reason that we look after others and try to make a difference in the lives of others? We love the Lord. We love who the Lord is and what the Lord has done. We don’t go through all of these things only to miss Heaven. It’s easy to be lost. It’s easy to fail. It’s easy to lose your soul. It takes commitment, dedication, effort, and heart to walk with the Lord. The world doesn’t like us, because of Jesus. Friends don’t understand us. Family members often grumble about us. But, we know. We love the Lord. And, if we don’t make Heaven, we will be so disappointed in ourselves. We’ll look back at the turning point where we lost all that we had. Maybe the lust of money caused us to become dishonest and we gave up on the Lord. Maybe the lust for immoral sex caused us to walk away from a marriage and then the Lord. Maybe rising to the top in our careers caused us to be more interested in who is around us than the Lord. We’ll look back and see that moment. We will realize what a terrible, terrible mistake that was. We threw it all away for a moment. Lot’s wife turned and looked. David took another man’s wife. Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Turning points that weren’t for the better. And, if we miss Heaven, we will have ours as well.

 

We have some folks coming over tonight. I love company. It takes some polishing of the house to get things ready, but I love it when the doorbell rings and we greet one another with smiles and hugs. I’m expecting friends over tonight. We’ll talk, laugh, look in the Bible, play some music and make some great memories. It will be wonderful. If no one showed, I’d be disappointed. I’m expecting them to come.

 

They’re all expecting me, and that’s one thing I know…Do you know that? Don’t make the wrong turn and miss Heaven. Don’t give up.

 

Roger

 

 

03

Jump Start # 2360

Posted on June 3, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2360

Matthew 25:20 “And the one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.’”

 

Our thoughts come from the powerful parable of the talents. Jesus, in a trio of parables, shows that He is both going away and He is coming back. And, when He returns, there will be an accounting, a judgment will take place.

In the talent parable, three men are given coins called talents. The master leaves. He doesn’t tell them what to do, but certain things were expected. This is understood by what the master says when he returns. He expected more than just holding on to what he gave them. He expected not only would they not lose what he gave them, but that there would be some profit. He was gone long enough for profit to happen. Two of the three servants got it. They understood. The master returned and they had doubled what he had given them. The one talent man did nothing. He buried the talent and there it remained. And, when he showed this to the master, he was sternly rebuked. What he was given was taken away from him. He was scolded and then he was tossed out of the master’s presence. Doing nothing seems to be just as wrong as doing bad. God expects us to do something worthwhile with our lives.

 

Our verse today is the words of the five talent man. The two talent man will say nearly the same thing. What is remarkable about these words are to compare them to what the one talent man said. Here, the five talent and the two talent men describe the good that they have done in fourteen words. Not any bragging, boasting or patting themselves on the back.

 

When the one talent man tries to explain why he hasn’t done anything, he uses forty-two words. He uses three times as many words in trying to explain, excuse and justify not doing what he should have done. I find this contrast remarkable.

 

Here are some thoughts:

 

First, when you are doing right, your actions speak. You don’t have to tell others. They will see. They will know. The five and two talent men didn’t tell us how they doubled the money. They didn’t tell us how hard it was to do that. They didn’t tell us if they had to change plans, run into some difficulties or work late at night to accomplish this. They didn’t tell us if doubling was their target number or if that just happened. Were they shooting for more, but they just didn’t have time? We don’t know the answers to those questions. They were matter of fact and simply reported the final numbers.

 

We can forget this example. We like to hear ourselves brag. Preachers will sometimes do this. They will talk about the size of the church when they moved there and now, the current size is so much larger. Did they forget that it is God who gives the increase? Let your work, let your character, let your kindness be the voice that others see and hear.

 

Second, trying to explain failure takes a lot of words. We wonder if he had only worked that hard with the one talent, maybe he’d have something to show for it. Long, long explanations as to why one cannot attend services. Long, long explanations as to why one isn’t holding up their responsibilities at home. It seems that the one talent man knew he was in trouble. His many words appear to be an attempt to make something wrong look right. After his forty-two words, the first thing the master says to him is, “You wicked, lazy slave.” His words didn’t impress the master. His reasoning bombed. His excuses failed. He was in trouble.

 

Some folks are long on talk and short on doing. Get some people together and when one starts complaining, the whole group can turn that way. Here are some things that bothers me, someone starts. And, off they go, listing all the things that upsets them, bothers them and worries them. The color of the paint, the number of deacons, the temperature of the building, the parking situation, the lighting, the preaching, the location, the children running, the hours that we meet—it seems that everything is wrong. One wonders why they even go there if they feel that way. But what so often is lacking is anyone volunteering to be part of a solution. It’s easy to talk. It’s easy to point your finger in the air and declare, “If I was the preacher, I’d be doing…” Or, “If I was one of the elders, this is how I’d do things.” Yet, if anyone approached them about serving as a deacon or elder, they’d run right through a wall to get away from that. Talk is cheap, if it is not backed up by good actions.

 

Third, the one talent man really didn’t know his master. He called him a “hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.” Not only is that insulting, but it attacks the character of the master. How can one reap where he did not sow? Implied is that someone else sowed and then the master took that harvest. Is the master a thief? Is he taking advantage of others? Is he making others do all the work and he is getting all the benefits? Remember, in these parables, we are seeing Jesus. Jesus is not hard. He’s kind. He’s generous. He’s forgiving. He’s helpful. Jesus didn’t take from anyone. This one talent man didn’t know his master. And since he didn’t know his master, he didn’t know what pleased his master. He didn’t know what the master expected.

 

Is it possible for you and I to know facts about the Bible without really knowing God? Do we know what pleases God? Do we know what God expects? Or, like the one talent man, are we guessing? He’s what we think God likes? Is it? We ought to know, if we really knew Him.

 

Fourth, it is important to see that the master never compared the servants to each other. He never told the two talent man, “I sure wish you did what the five talent man did.” He doesn’t do that. We do. We have our favorite song leaders, favorite preachers and sometimes our favorite elders. We don’t see a spirit of jealousy or arrogance between these servants. They did what they could. The master praised the two talent man as much as he did the five talent man. Comparing people using doesn’t turn out well. It’s like a pickup game of basketball. The two best are made captains. One by one, they choose who they want on the team. Generally, there is one guy left. His ego is shot. He feels terrible. He’s the last one and no one really wants him. That feeling can be expressed in worship when we start comparing folks.

 

Finally, this passage reminds us so well that you and I can please the Lord. I think we forget that. We beat ourselves up because we aren’t doing enough. We push and push ourselves, trying to do even more in an already filled day. We do this, because we think God will love us for that. We do that because we think God will be impressed and it will guarantee us a place in Heaven. God already loves you. You really can’t do anything more to make Him love you more. He gave the greatest gift, Jesus. He gave that while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). There is nothing greater to give.

 

I talked to a couple the other day who are about to get married. We were talking about the wedding. She came with a laptop and a three-ring binder. She had all kinds of stuff. Why was she doing all of this? So, her boyfriend would marry her? He already asked her and given her a ring. She is doing that because he asked her. So, why do we worship, follow Christ and busy ourselves in the kingdom? So, God will love us? He already loves us. We do those things because He loves us.

 

You can put a smile on the face of God. You can please God. You can make God happy. You do this when you do what He says. Stop trying to be unique, original, different or one of a kind. That will get you in trouble. Simply follow what God says. In principle, the five talent and the two talent men did the same thing. And, they both pleased the master. No thought of one being a copy cat. No indication that they should have been different. They did what the master wanted and he was pleased.

 

Fourteen words or forty-two words. Pleasing the master or coming up with excuses. Well done or, you wicked, lazy slave. Which will it be for us?

 

Something to think about…

 

Roger