10

Jump Start # 2386

Posted on July 10, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2386

Romans 16:3-4 “Greet Prisca and Aquila my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.”

 

Risk takers—we generally do not put that expression in the category of Christians. When we think of risk takers we think of extreme sports, mountain climbing, starting a business, auto racing, maybe even running for public office. But none of those are Prisca and Aquila. They weren’t paid to take these risks. They had no audience to applaud them when they finished. And, their risks were not about out doing someone in sports or setting a record, but rather, the greatest risks of all, the fight of faith.

 

It’s hard for us to understand passages like this. We’ve made things so safe and so comfortable that in some ways our faith is like sitting in an easy chair. We preach nice sermons to nice crowds. We don’t rock the boat and we don’t challenge folks enough to change their lives. We fill our Sundays with facts but sometimes very little faith.

 

There are four things that stand out about this amazing couple:

 

First, they both were workers in the kingdom. Paul called them, “Fellow-workers in Christ Jesus.” In Paul’s day, spiritual workers meant teaching, encouraging and strengthening faith. Missions in Bible times were about teaching the pure Gospel of Jesus, not building irrigation systems in foreign lands, working in hospitals, bringing shoes for those who were barefooted. Those are all great things, but don’t call them missions and don’t attach those to the church. In the first century, everyone had the same mission, spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, we hear of teen missions, senior missions, cooking missions, bike missions, education missions and they do everything and anything except teach the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. Prisca and Aquila were workers in the kingdom. Husband and wife team. Imagine a couple today working to teach a Bible class together. Imagine a couple today having young believers in their home to teach them about God and grow closer to each other. Fellow-workers, what a great expression.

 

Second, they risked their necks for Paul. They didn’t do this for themselves, but for Paul. Paul was a poor preacher. He couldn’t do anything more than tell them “thank you.” Here is a couple who embraced the compassion of Jesus Christ. It was the Lord who first left footprints about love and compassion. The Lord healed lepers and only one returned and thanked Him. The Lord cured the sick, and all they could do was to say “Thank you.” The Lord fed the multitudes. They didn’t pool their money together to pay for the meal. Once the spirit of compassion catches us, we don’t think about what will we get in return. We don’t think about ourselves. We want to help others and we will do all that we can to do that. Some will take risks for themselves, but not for others. This couple helped Paul.

 

Third, their risked their own necks. They put themselves in danger to do that. Those were dangerous times. Stephen was killed by a mob because he preached. The apostles James was killed. Antipas was killed. Peter was put in prison many times. Paul was beaten and stoned. The Hebrew brethren had their property seized. It wasn’t easy being a Christian. Helping leaders, such as Paul, put one in serious danger. To do this, they had to realize that their lives were not more important than Paul’s. And, they had to realize that the kingdom was more important than their lives. Death, doesn’t end things. Death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to us. Death only moves us out of here to be with the Lord. Nothing really changes. With that faith, they would risk their own necks. Interestingly, Paul puts both of them here. I could see the husband doing this, but protecting his sweet wife and keeping her safe from harms way. But the text doesn’t say that. They both risked their own necks. They were in this together. They were going to see this through.

 

Fourth, the good that they did not only helped Paul, but the Gentile churches. This is why Paul puts that tag at the end of these verses. Helping Paul helped the Gentile churches. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. Keeping him alive helped these congregations. This was more than just about Paul. This was bigger than just Paul. Paul was a key player and instrument in all of this, but there was so much more. And, here we are all these generations later, still talking, looking and thinking about these wonderful risk-takers.

 

Now, for us. Isn’t it time to untie the boat from the dock and take a few risks for the Lord. I don’t mean being controversial, because that’s not of the Lord. I’m not talking about embracing some radical idea. If it’s not in the Bible, it’s not right. No, isn’t it time we took some risks and looked at how we are doing?

 

  • Maybe the traditional 13-week lecture format of Bible classes isn’t working these days. Maybe it’s time to try something different. Maybe it’s time to bring in more electronics into our teaching like they do in public schools. Maybe verse by verse, every Sunday, just isn’t connecting with people these days.

 

  • Maybe shepherds ought to develop a plan to come to every member’s home at least once a year. Go where the sheep are.

 

  • Maybe we need to preach less about what’s wrong with others and take a more serious look at where we are with the Lord.

 

  • Maybe we ought to rely on the writings of others less and simply read our Bibles more (and that includes these Jump Starts).

 

  • Maybe we ought to start a neighborhood Bible study in our homes.

 

  • Maybe on a nice Sunday evening, we ought to put chairs in the parking lot and everyone go outside to sing so the community can see us and hear us.

 

  • Maybe we ought to mentor men to become the next leaders in the congregation. Develop them, train them, help them. More than just training preachers, let’s train elders.

 

  • Maybe we ought to do more with social media, since that is where the world is at these days.

 

  • Maybe we ought to consider which is more helpful to people, more sermons or more classes.

 

  • Maybe we ought to stop playing follow the leader with other congregations and do what our congregation really needs.

 

  • Maybe we ought to take a few more risks…

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

09

Jump Start # 2385

Posted on July 9, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2385

Acts 27:22 “Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.”

Our verse today comes from Paul’s travel to Rome. He was a prisoner on a ship. They were going through a serious storm, maybe even a hurricane. Cargo was thrown overboard. The ship would eventually break apart and everyone who be in the sea, doing their best to survive. In the midst of this storm, God assures Paul that he and everyone on the ship will make it safely. No one would die. Our verse is Paul’s assurance of what God had told him.

 

Keep up your courage. Parents say things similar to this when a child is scared of a storm or has to get a shot. Be brave. Be strong. Don’t be scared. It’s easy for the one not going through things to say those things. When I was a kid and had to get a shot at the doctor’s office, my mom always told us to look at the curtains. Somehow there is a connection between looking at curtains and pain for me.

 

I’ve known several brave people in my life. My dad is one. When he tells me about what he went through in W.W. II, I don’t think I could have done it. I know a few police officers. Their stories are hard to imagine. I have a friend who is a firefighter. He has done several heroic and brave things to help people.

 

There is a difference in being brave and being a risk taker, of simply being dumb. Some people drive cars like they are playing a video game. There’s no bravery in that. They are foolish and are putting others in harms way. Daring someone to swallow a fish, or, even eating as many hotdogs as possible in a short time, isn’t brave. Those things are not good for the body and they don’t muster a lot of courage.

 

But I know someone who is very brave. He is a soldier in both the United States military and in God’s army. He’s done a lot of good and is well liked. But his greatest battle is before him. He has a rare form of cancer. He’s been very ill. He decided yesterday that he was finished with all the treatments, procedures, tests, pills and IV’s. He wants to go see Jesus. I love this man. I mentioned a Rolex watch once in a sermon and he brought a fake one to me. It sure looked like the real deal to me. A teacher of the Bible, a generous man with a kind heart, and now will the hope that he has believed in all of his life, he is ready to pass through the door of death and meet his Savior.

 

We talked on Sunday. He’s in the hospital. He wants to die at home. We exchanged our love for each other. We laughed. I asked if he was worried or afraid, and he said “no.” Most of the time his eyes were closed. I reminded him of when Jesus went to Jairus’ home to raise his little daughter who had died. Jesus took her by the hand and said, “Little girl, arise.” She opened her eyes and got up. I told my friends, when that girl opened her eyes for the first time, she looked into the face of Jesus. I told him it would likely be the same for him. He opened his eyes and smiled. Such faith.

 

It takes faith, love and courage to say I’m done with this world. I’m ready to go see Jesus. More than family. More than anything here, there is that desire to be with the Lord. I sure wish I could take a bit of his blood and put it in others. Even among believers, when it comes to the end, I find too many lacking courage, faith and desire to be with the Lord. I had this discussion just a week ago with someone well in her 90’s. I think she is a bit afraid of death. We talked about the door of death. We talked about all the wonderful things on the other side. We saw death as only a big ugly door. Don’t get obsessed with the door. Don’t worry about the door. Yes, it swings only one way. Yes, there is no coming back here. Yes, tears will probably be shed. But when one is a believer, it’s going to be fine. God sends His angels and they will gently carry the soul through that doorway to the other side.

 

I only hope that I could be as brave as my friend is. Courage—not in myself, but in the Lord. It will be alright, because God says so. Stormy seas. Dark nights. Troublesome times. And, the courage to not give up. Paul said to the Corinthians, we groan longing to be clothed in our heavenly dwelling. This world is not our home, we sing. Won’t it be wonderful there, we tell ourselves.

 

These are not times to be timid, fearful nor scared. Joseph in a foreign prison. Peter walking on water. Jonah inside a giant fish. Paul being lowered over a wall in a basket. Moses’ parents putting him as a small baby in a basket floating in the Nile River. The woman with the issue of blood, making her way through the crowd to touch Jesus from behind. Daniel in the lion’s den. Stephen raising his voice and preaching Christ. Our Jesus having nails driven through His hands. Courage is written in blood and found on nearly every page of our Bibles. Men and women who have stood and taken abuse because they have loved Jesus.

 

History continues with these great legacies of faith. Men who risked their lives to translate the Bible into other languages. Men who were arrested for preaching the saving message of Jesus. And, here we are today. Courage, do we have it?

 

The courage to stand for what is right

The courage to not put up with sloppy worship, indifference and apathy

The courage to invite a friend to worship

The courage to not allow a professor to mock the God I love

The courage to tell a friend that he needs Jesus

 

And, the courage to look at death and not be scared. Bring it on, because we will be triumphant in Jesus Christ. My friend gets to go, but I must stay. He gets to be on the other side, and I must remain on this side. His work is just about finished. Mine is still ahead of me. I’m not sad for him. I wish I could go with him.

 

Oh, death, where is your sting? Jesus shines through even the darkest of moments in our lives. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world!

 

God bless you, my friend, Terry. I look forward to seeing you on the other side, in that beautiful room that awaits us!

 

Roger

 

08

Jump Start # 2384

Posted on July 8, 2019 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2384

Jonah 1:3 “But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”

 

Jonah in July—that’s the name of a series I’m preaching on Sundays. We love the story of Jonah. It’s a favorite for VBS. This short book is more about the prophet than it is his message or the people he preached to. There are layers of lessons tucked throughout Jonah and I thought on Mondays in July, I’d share some Jonah thoughts with you.

 

The story is pretty simple. God tells the prophet to go preach to Nineveh. Jonah doesn’t want to, so he goes the other way. A great wind. A great storm. And, Jonah is tossed overboard. A great fish swallows Jonah and three days later spits him out on dry land. Jonah goes and preaches. He sits and pouts because he knows God will be gracious to them.

 

A couple of things we need to remember. First, this isn’t in our Bibles so we’d have something to teach the kids in Bible class. That’s not the direction nor the intention. It is as valuable of a prophetic book as Isaiah, Jeremiah or Ezekiel is.

 

Second, Jonah being swallowed by the giant fish wasn’t God’s unique way of punishing Jonah. If God wanted Jonah punished, He could have allowed the storm to destroy the boat or have Jonah drown when he was thrown overboard, or have any ole’ sea creature eat him. God wasn’t finished with Jonah. The fish to Jonah was what the pigs were to the prodigal. The giant fish was Jonah’s wake up call. In the first chapter, when the violent storm is nearly capsizing the boat, the sailors are praying. Jonah is sleeping. The captain wakes Jonah up with the plea to pray to his God. Jonah doesn’t pray. It’s not until he is inside the giant fish that he prays. God has a way of getting a person to change his mind. It was either repent or become fish food.

 

Our verse today illustrates two things running through Jonah’s mind.

 

First, he intended to go to Tarshish. I always thought he happened to find a boat that was heading there and that was good enough for him. Instead, “Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish”. That was his destination. That’s where he wanted to go. Tarshish is in Spain. It was a long way from where Jonah was. I’m not sure how he knew or heard about this place, but that was his choice of places to go. Maybe he thought once he got there, it just wouldn’t be practical for God to bring him back to Nineveh. Adam and Eve thought they could hide from God. He knew where they were. Jonah is thinking that he can run away. God knew right where he was at, and no distance is too far for God.

 

Second, twice our verse tells us that Jonah was not so much running from Nineveh, but the presence of God. He was trying to get away from God. How shallow was his thinking. David declared in Psalms, “Where can I go from Thy presence?” Up to Heaven, God is there. Down into the depths of the sea, God is there. There is no escaping God. Nothing goes unnoticed by God. There is no surprising God.

 

And, what we find so abundant in Jonah is the thought that he was a prophet with an attitude. A pouting prophet. A prejudiced preacher. A preacher who didn’t want to do what God told him. A preacher who didn’t want Nineveh to listen to his message. A preacher who longed to be a failure. And, this lesson is sprinkled throughout this book. God says go “east,” and Jonah went “west.” The pagans are praying and Jonah is sleeping. The pagans even tell Jonah that he should pray. For a man of God, Jonah certainly seems ungodly. We don’t find Jonah drunk. We don’t find Jonah chasing women. But what we do find is Jonah has a mind and an attitude that is very different from God’s. Jonah is not thinking like God. Jonah leaves footprints that no one should follow. And, this I wonder is why God has preserved this story for us. It’s not so much about the Assyrian short term repentance. It’s about a man of God who doesn’t act very godly. It’s a lesson for us.

 

There are times when the people of the world can act more “Christ-like” than Christians do. Something bad happens and the Christian is threatening war. The man in the world calls for patience and forgiveness. Oh, we forgot about that. The man in the world can be more generous than the Christian is. Although the Christian proudly sings, “This world is not my home…” he certainly can act as if it is. The man in the world can be more friendly, kinder and pleasant than the Christian can be. Oh, doctrinally, we’ve got the man in the world beat. But in spirit, the man in the world can teach the Christian a lesson or two.

 

So, from all of this we must remember:

  • We are on a journey and we must never stop learning and growing closer to Christ. The world can teach us things and we need to listen. Sometimes we don’t do a good job. Neighbors who are not Christians can be more helpful to a hurting family than the Christian. Jesus reminds us in the judgment parable, I was hungry and you gave me no food. I was in prison and you did not visit. Sometimes we drop the ball. Sometimes we let others down. Learn from this and do better.

 

  • Preachers aren’t perfect. Jonah is the classic example. Because a person knows the word of God does not mean that he is walking in that word himself. He ought to be, but he may not. Preachers can get attitudes that are not right. Preachers can be smug, standoffish and close their hearts to others. The whole city of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah. What a glorious day! Jonah should have been so happy and thankful. Instead, he sat up on a hill and had a pity party. Our Nineveh may be people of a different color or nationality. It may be those who dress differently than we do. It may be those who seem wild to us. We don’t want those kind of people here, is the language of Jonah. We best be careful. God may not want us, because of our narrow attitudes. The Jews didn’t like who was coming to hear Jesus preach. The “sinners” were found among Jesus. Simon had the Jonah spirit in him. Jesus came to Simon’s house and the Lord was not welcomed much at all. No washing His feet. No kiss of welcome. But a sinful woman came. She kissed Jesus’ feet and with her tears and hair, she washed His feet. Rather than feeling a bit embarrassed because he didn’t do those things, Simon’s anger grew because of “what kind of woman” she was. Jesus used this to teach Simon a lesson.

 

We need that lesson. Stop giving the death stare to someone who walks in with pink hair. Stop the whispering when someone with their tongue pierced sits among us. They could be in bed. Worse, they could be out back smoking dope. Instead, they came to the house of God. They are seeking. They may be Nineveh to us, but God loves them.

 

Jonah reminds us that because a man preaches does not mean that he has all the answers nor is the best example. Jonah needed to change as much as Nineveh needed to change. Jonah, who was given a second chance, had a hard time giving Nineveh a second chance. And, the spirit of Jonah is found in the prodigal’s older brother. Cold. Hard. Unforgiving. And what that older brother missed was a celebration and a feast.

 

Have you closed the door of your heart to some people? Would you rather some go to Hell rather than Heaven? Are you content with some co-workers, neighbors, or family members who remain outside of Christ? Would you rather than stay on the outside? Would your first words be, “What are you doing here?” if they showed up?

 

Maybe that’s why we have Jonah in our Bibles. A prophet without a heart. A preacher who didn’t care. That’s Jonah. Could that be me and you as well? Maybe it’s time we looked more in the mirror and pointed our finger less at others. Maybe there is a bit more of Jonah in us than we’d like to admit. And, maybe, just maybe, through the book of Jonah, we can be more like Christ.

 

Roger

 

05

Jump Start # 2383

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

Jump Start # 2383

1 John 5:3 “For tis is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”

Our verse is a good reminder that you and I can obey God. All of my life I have heard preachers say how hard it is be a Christian. That has always bothered me some. I wondered if statements like that scared people away, thinking, “There is no way I can do this. It’s too hard.” Indeed there is a cost to be paid. Indeed, there is a commitment. But the commandments are not burdensome, John tells us.

 

I believe one of the hardest aspects of our journey with Christ is having our minds in the right place. Thinking as we ought to think, is another way of saying it. For the Christian, he must consider what he says before he says it. He must think about being that light into the world. He must give thought to how people see him and what impression he leaves. He must be kind. He must be gracious. He must be thoughtful. So, the child of God is always thinking. Always.

 

Now, the man of the world doesn’t do that. He only thinks about himself. He doesn’t care about others and especially what they think. So, if he feels like burping out loud in a restaurant, he’ll do it. If he feels like being loud and offensive, he will. If he hurts someone’s feelings, too bad. If someone doesn’t like what he says, they can leave. He can be rude, crude and mean and no one is going to change him. In my vocabulary, the man of the world can be a real jerk and he just doesn’t care. He’ll leave a trail of destruction. The little waitress gets chewed out because his order wasn’t perfect. The mechanic at the car shop gets a tongue lashing because it took too long to fix his car. Family get togethers often end with someone getting mad because of something this guy has said. No filters. No consideration. No thoughtfulness. He boasts, “I call them as I see them,” and he doesn’t realize what an embarrassment he is to his family and others.

 

Unlike the man of the world, the Christian wants to be governed by the principles of Christ. He knows that those principles will bring honor to God and will bring out the best in him. He knows that the principles of Christ builds bridges in relationships. Certainly it is a lot harder to forgive than it is to walk away and ignore someone. Certainly it is a lot harder to take the time to help show and teach someone the way of the Lord. These solid principles will make not only better relationships, they will bring peace and a path of goodness wherever this man goes.

 

When the man of God gets the wrong order in a restaurant, he’ll not demand to see the manager, expect a free meal, and try to get someone fired in the process. That’s what the man of the world does. Instead, the man of God, will kindly point the mistake. He’ll not make it a big deal. Even when offered a free meal for the mistake, he may pass on that. Everyone makes mistakes, he realizes. And, the way he handles this helps a young person feel better. When having to wait a long time on his car, the man of God will use that time for good things. He’ll catch up on Bible reading. He’ll use the time to pray. He’ll send a few texts of encouragement to others. He knows making a scene won’t speed things up. He knows complaining and demanding won’t make others want to follow him to church services on Sunday. He may be upset, but he still is under-control.

 

The hardest part of Christianity is not figuring out the Bible. Sure, there are a few difficult places, but that’s not where the tough stuff is. It’s not in worshipping God. That’s pretty easy and enjoyable. No, the tough part is remembering to think and remembering to apply what God wants you to do in your life. It’s not the knowing part that is hard. It’s the doing part. And, most of our trouble comes not from the knowing part, but from the doing part.

 

We forget to be thankful. We don’t feel like forgiving. We want to be a bit selfish. We act like the man of the world. And, what is interesting in all of this, how we think and how we act, is what people notice the most about our faith. Our beliefs about the second coming isn’t a major discussion point very often. But given the chance to be nice or to forgive or to be kind, people will long remember that, especially if it is directed towards them. Again, it’s the doing part that matters so much.

 

Now, I tend to think we get this a bit lopsided at times. Sitting in our Bible classes, we can be passionate about what a verse teaches, but then go home after services, and be short with our mate, fussy with the kids and be in a bad mood the rest of the day. Again, it’s the doing part that matters.

 

Does the knowing part matter? Sure, it does. If you don’t know, then you won’t do. But we can know to forgive, but do we? We can know to be kind, but are we? We can know to love enemies, but are we? If one doesn’t know, then he won’t do. So, we must preach and teach these things. We must come to learn what God expects of us and how God wants us to live. But if all we do is know it, and we don’t do it, then we suffer and our faith is not complete.

 

And, there are some things that are just hard to do. It’s hard to forgive someone who has hurt you. It’s hard to love your enemies. Which is harder? Both. It’s hard to seek first the kingdom. It’s hard to deny yourself. It’s hard to take up your cross. Are those concepts hard to understand? Not really. What’s hard is the doing part. If Christianity is merely knowing stuff, it would be like going to school. It would be a matter of hitting the books and simply learning the facts. But that’s not Christianity. It is being conformed to Christ. It is being holy. It is letting your light shine. It is the doing part that God wants us to do.

 

So, when those old time preachers said that it is hard to be a Christian, I believe I know what they mean. Most of my troubles do not come from a lack of not knowing. The information part is easy to get. My troubles come when I do not do what I should. The doing part is the hardest part. But I have found that the more I do, the easier it gets. And, the more I do, the less trouble I get into.

 

Knowing and doing—it’s not one or the other. It’s both. How are you at these things? Are you doing what you know?

 

Roger

 

03

Jump Start # 2382

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

Jump Start # 2382

Hebrews 13:3 “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.”

 

Our verse is one of the benefits of fellowship. Comfort, support, understanding, love all flow freely among brethren who are in fellowship. Here, as the final sentences of Hebrew are being written, there is a reminder to remember the prisoners. Remember them, as if you were in prison with them. Now, that’s a thought.

 

I have visited many jails and prisons. I met the boxer Mike Tyson when I was visiting someone in prison. Each week I’d be there. Each week he’d say, “Hey, preacher-man.” His arms were bigger than my waist. I had a Bible study with a guy who was serving a life sentence. He was in a federal prison. That place was scary. The guards were scary. The bars were scary. The inmates were scary.

 

Our verse has a unique twist to it. It’s not intended to be slanted toward any and all prisoners. There are those who belong behind bars because of the crimes that they committed. There are some who probably will never be released from prison. What they did was so evil and wicked that one lifetime in prison doesn’t seem to be enough.

 

Those in prison, the front part of our verse, seems connected to those who are ill-treated, the middle part of our verse, and tied with being in the body, as the verse ends. The prisoners, the ill-treated were brethren. Throughout Hebrews, there is a strong undertone of persecution. Some had suffered. Some were made public spectacles. They had earlier shown sympathy to prisoners (10:34) and even joyfully accepted the seizure of their property. So, it is fitting contextually, that he reminds those on the outside to remember their brethren on the inside of prison.

 

Remember them as though you were in prison with them. Our prisons today are tough. Back then, in Bible times, there are no words to describe how dark, dirty, and poorly treated the prisoners were. Hours drag on when in prison. There is nothing to do and no place to go. The food back then would have been terrible. You wouldn’t have an Aunt Bee bringing a fried chicken dinner to the Mayberry jail. Rats and mice would be common. No showers. Toilet was likely a corner wall. Peter was chained when in prison. Paul was chained when in prison.

 

How were those on the outside to “remember” those on the inside?

 

First, we remember them through prayers. Although those on the outside may be limited in what they could do, God can do all kinds of things. God has done all kinds of things. God heard the prayers of His people when they were crying in Egypt. God did not forget Joseph when he was in prison. Peter, and later, Paul were remembered by the Lord when in prison. Put yourself there. What would you want done if you were the one in prison? Pray. Pray earnestly.

 

Second, when possible, they ought to go and visit. Jesus said in the judgment parable, “I was in prison and you visited me.” Paul had company when in prison. In those times, since the one locked up was because of his faith, you too, may be arrested. That’s a risk and a chance one had to take. Letting those on the inside know that their names were being lifted up to God is comforting.

 

Third, encourage the families of those in prison. Keep the light of faith burning strong. Remind them of what God’s people endured in times past will help. Care for them. Do what you can is important.

 

Now, we don’t know of any in this country who are in prison because of their faith. In other places of the world, some are roughly treated, persecuted and even put in prison because of their faith. Church buildings have been set on fire, preachers have been shot in Nigeria. But, thankfully, not here. Not now. Not yet. But what about these same application points towards someone in our faith who has cancer? What can I do? I’m not a doctor? Remember them, as if you had cancer yourself. What would you like done for you? Words of comfort. Cards of encouragement. Prayers. Support for the family.

 

What about those who are mourning? A dear family member has passed. Put yourself in their shoes. What would help you? What would you like done? Someone to come by and talk. Someone to bring some food. Someone to take care of things such as yard work.

 

What about those families who have one overseas in the military? Put yourself in their shoes. Be there. Encourage. Help with the kids. Give a gift card. Check in on them. Pray.

 

It is interesting that the Hebrew writer uses the word “remember.” We remember the Lord’s death each week through the Lord’s Supper. We remember those who have led us and taught us and now we imitate their faith, Hebrews tells us. But here is something else. Remember those who are in prison. Remember those who are suffering. Remember.

 

One of the worst plights of humanity is to feel forgotten. No one remembers. Loneliness has been called the modern leprosy. Even in a crowded church building or a house full of people, one can feel alone. Loneliness is more than simply being by yourself. It’s a state of the mind. It is negative. It’s feeling that no one understands you nor your situation. Loneliness sits along side of discouragement and depression. The image of a guy sitting alone at the bar, drowning his sorrows in alcohol, or a person sitting in their bedroom with the door closed, feeling sad, and feeling left out and forgotten is the picture of loneliness. As those feelings spiral downward, the thoughts of suicide fill the heart. No one will miss me and no one cares is the beginning of the end for some folks.

 

Prisoners locked away behind bars because of their faith. They are not forgotten. They are not alone. They are remembered by God’s mighty people. Maybe we could do better at letting folks know that we are thinking about them. Maybe letting folks know that we are praying for them is something we ought to share. Maybe dropping someone a card, a text or an email, just to let them know that you are thinking about them.

 

Imagine if every single person in the congregation got a card or a text once a year from one of the elders, just thanking them for being a member and letting them know that he was thinking about them. Imagine the good that would do! I haven’t forgotten you.

 

It shouldn’t take a person being sent to prison before this principle is used. We ought to be remembering one another all the time. Our fellowship ought to be powerful and strong. It ought to really mean something.

 

Don’t forget to remember…it’s important.

 

Roger