07

Jump Start # 2936

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2936

Psalms 126:6 “He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bring his sheaves with him.”

His name was Knowles Shaw and he was known as the singing evangelist. He was a preacher from Indiana who lived in the 1800’s. In his day he was one of the better known preachers. It is claimed that he baptized more than 11,000 people. He had a gift for music and often during a sermon, he’d break out and sing a solo to the audience. He was also known as a hymn writer. He wrote, “I am the vine and ye are the branches,” and, “Tarry with Me,” and “We saw Thee not.” But one of his better known hymns was “Bringing in the sheaves.”

Our passage sounds as if it was the starting place for Shaw’s hymn. There the Psalmist talks about “bring his sheaves with him.” We don’t sing “Bringing in the sheaves,” much any more. It’s been dropped from many songbooks. A newer generation doesn’t really know what a sheave is. Our verse today helps us.

It begins with crying and ends with shouting for joy. It starts with a bag of seeds and ends with sheaves being brought in. The idea of a sheave is what the farmer would harvest. Here, the Psalmist has the heavy task of sowing the seed. It’s hard work and he must be patient. Seeds do not grow over night. But in time, that crop grows. It ripens and then it is ready for harvest. This is what the farmer has been waiting for. The toil, tears and trouble are now replaced with shouts of joy. The harvest has come and it’s been good.

And, that concept is true for us in many applications.

First, I think of that diligent preacher who works long and hard on his sermon. He’s checking words and their definitions in the original language. He’s jotting notes on pieces of paper. He scratches out some words. He works and works to get that sermon just where he thinks it needs to be. Then Sunday comes and he’s up preaching it. Few know how many hours went into that sermon. There’s been some sermons that more than one book was read just to get the right insights. But on that Sunday, a person stops and tells the preacher that those words meant so much to him. Sheaves. A harvest. A work well worth it.

Second, think of parenting. It’s much more than a week of work, it’s a lifetime. Every day there are trials and challenges. A lot of tears are found in parenting. Correcting. Encouraging. Being patient. Showing. Teaching. Over and over and over. That’s parenting. That child grows. He moves out. One day he is teaching a Bible class or he is raising his own children in a godly way. Sheaves. Harvest time. A work well worth it.

Third, think of the work shepherds do with individuals. Many, if not most, never know anything about it. A marriage that is faltering and about to split open. A discouraged member who is ready to quit. A young person who has got caught up in the wrong crowd. Messy. Lots of conversations. Lots of prayers. Tears. And, then, that marriage takes off and soars. That discouraged person is now encouraging others. That teen is bringing friends to services. Harvest time. Sheaves. Great joy.

Fourth, think about your own person journey. Lots of reading. Lots of thinking. Notebooks with sermon notes. Verses underlined and words circled in your Bible. It’s a lot of work. But something happens. That faith becomes strong. That knowledge fills the heart. The harvest. The sheaves. Time well spent because you know the Lord. You are confident in your walk. You know where to find the answers and how to respond to people. It’s great being a Christian and it shows in all that you do.

Finally, someday the harvest season will be here for all of us. All that we have done, good or bad will come about. Now, if we have failed to plant, then there won’t be much of a harvest. To have sheaves in the fall, the seed has to be planted in the spring. Too many sow wild oats and then pray for a crop failure. That just won’t happen. Whatever we sow, that is what we will reap. So if we’ve been too busy for our family, later in life when we need them, they may not be there for us. If we have spent a lifetime being worldly, it shouldn’t surprise us that our name is passed over when congregations are looking for spiritual leaders. And, if we have not walked with the Lord, then the day will come when we won’t be with the Lord. You harvest what you have sown. Put in rows of kindness, patience and grace and look what you will harvest. Put in rows of service, joy and encouragement and what a wonderful harvest you will have.

Bringing in the sheaves. Knowles Shaw died tragically in McKinney, Texas. He was riding on a train when it derailed and went down an embankment. He saved a fellow passenger, but he died. His body was brought back to Indiana and a large funeral was held for him.

And, for Knowles Shaw, as for all of us, the harvest time came.

Roger

06

Jump Start # 2935

Posted on October 6, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2935

John 20:26 “After eight days again His disciples were inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst, and said, ‘Peace be with you.’”

I love that little expression in our verse today, “and Thomas with them.” We know all about Thomas. It’s hard to say his name with adding the tag and label, “Doubting.” Doubting Thomas. He would not believe unless he himself saw the Lord and the evidence of His resurrection. But what is remarkable about Thomas is that here, eight days later, he is found among the disciples. What Thomas did shows us a remarkable lesson that we need to tuck away for ourselves.

First, there are times when doubts arise. The Psalmist wondered why God would not hear His prayer. The silence from God made him question. The suffering of Job brought questions to his mind. When the wicked were looked at in their prosperity and ease of life, it was so troublesome to the Psalmist that he nearly slipped. Those long, dark days in the valley can make one wonder.

Second, Thomas was feeding his faith and not his doubts. That is a major lesson and that often determines the success or the failure of one spiritually. Where was Thomas for the past eight days? Not in a bar drowning his sorrows. He was not on websites that debunked Jesus as a fraud and a myth. He was with the believers. He was with Peter who had been in that empty tomb. He was with John who had seen the grave linens in that empty tomb. He was with the Mary who the angel had spoken to. What Thomas was doing was driving out his doubts and finding answers to his questions. Much too often, when a person has questions, they will turn to those who create questions, feed doubts and chip away at faith. Where you turn to when you have questions is the key to finding the right answers. Thomas was with the disciples. Had he been with the critics, once again he would have missed seeing Jesus.

This is why our fellowship and our assembling is so important. We need encouragement. We need answers. We need to be around those who believe. It is when we are not assembling that we begin to wonder if that is necessary or not. It is when we have spent too much time with those who don’t believe that we start believing what they are saying. Get where the disciples are. You need to be with disciples.

Third, what do you suppose Thomas was doing while he was with the disciples? The text doesn’t tell us, but you tell me. What do you think you would have done? Do you think Thomas was sitting alone in a corner? Do you think he and Peter were talking about the game last weekend? Do you think he was eating and telling jokes? I wouldn’t have done any of those things. I’d been Peter’s shadow. I wouldn’t have left his side. I’d be asking so many questions. I’d run to John and ask him questions. Then Mary. Then the two on the road to Emmaus. How can you be sure? What was it like? What did you see? Thousands of questions. I would have bugged them to death. I’d think by the time Jesus showed Himself, Thomas already believed. He knew. Too many witnesses. Too many people saying the same thing. People he trusted. People he knew. People that he believed in.

Fourth, the doubts of Thomas went away. As Jesus appeared, it is Thomas who declares, “My Lord and My God.” He knows. He is certain. He is confident. No more questions. No more doubts. No more fears. What Thomas did was feed his faith. He put himself around those he trusted. He found a place with the disciples.

It seems that these days, people do just the opposite. A guy has some questions and is not sure about things. Next thing you know, he’s dropped out of worshipping with God’s people. He’s not diving into the Bible, he’s reading blogs about the errors of his faith. He’s talking to guys at work who don’t believe. And, in a short time, he declares that he no longer believes. That’s not surprising. Look what he’s been doing. He’s fed his doubts and starved his faith. He let his faith die. He gave up on God and followed the critics. He put more trust in those he doesn’t even know than in the people he has worshipped with for years. This is how a faith crashes. It’s not the questions that kill the faith, it’s what one does with those questions. Are you among the disciples or are you hanging with the critics? Are you feeding your faith or are you feeding your doubts?

Roger

05

Jump Start # 2934

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2934

Acts 10:29 “That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. And so I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

In the past few weeks I have been asked by several preachers about finding a church to move to. Moving is always a tough decision to make. When a preacher leaves a congregation, most times it involves also moving from one community to another. Selling a house. Finding a new house. Switching schools for the kids. When to move and when to stay, I don’t know if I or anyone knows the right answers for that. Some move too soon. Some hang on too late. Tough, tough decisions. Tons of prayers. Many tears. A lot of questions and uncertainties. I know, I have been there. One can’t run from problems, but there comes a time when the problems become so great that it tears the heart and soul out of the preacher and his family.

In this Jump Start, I want to address the process of hiring a preacher. I think many places need to take a serious look at the process. Many have never put much thought into this. And, as a result, the right fit isn’t found. And, much too soon, the search is on to find yet another preacher.

I love the question that Paul asks in this verse, “For what reason you have sent for me?” That’s a fair question to ask. Some want the preacher to come in and solve all the problems, which really isn’t his job. Others want a preacher, like getting the hired gun in the old Westerns, to drive all the trouble away. Again, that’s not the job of the preacher. Some just want someone to fill the pulpit and preach on Sundays. Not too much beyond that is expected.

Traditionally, what churches have done for a long time is to invite a preacher to come on a specific Sunday. Bring the whole family, they are told, so the church can meet them. The preacher brings his best sermons, which may not even be his own. He teaches a class and preaches on Sunday morning. A social meet and greet lunch takes place at the nearby community center. That evening the preacher presents his next best sermon. He meets with the elders for a few minutes. They ask him some hot topic questions. They find out how much money he currently makes. The preacher leaves with the promise that one of the elders would be calling him by the following weekend. During that time folks in the congregation tell the elders their impression.  If all is favorable, the phone call is made and “when can you move here” is asked. If things are not favorable, then the phone call tells the preacher that the elders have decided to keep looking. The best is wished upon him and the conversation ends.

That was my story in more than one congregation. That’s the method most congregations follow. It’s a mess. Little thought is given into improving that process. There are many things missing in this process. Here are some thoughts:

First, bringing a preacher in to speak before the congregation is not the first step that ought to be taken. In this day, it is so easy to listen and even view sermons that are on the internet. Even before a preacher is reached to begin the process, the leadership can listen to sermon after sermon and get a feel if that is what they need.

Second, phone conversations need to take place about vision, future, plans, work ethic, goals, the history of the congregation, the make up of the congregation. And, among those phone conversations the preacher or the shepherds may have heard enough to pass on each other.

Third, a personal face to face meeting ought to be the next step. Get the preacher there to look things over and to expand the conversations and have some more intense discussions. Now, the shepherds and the preacher are seeing if they are on the same page and looking the same direction. Do they have the same goals. Do they have the same drive. The work ethic of the preacher is now being examined. The vision, involvement and expectations of the leaders are also on the table to be looked at. Ideas are traded. Concerns are expressed.

This face-to-face meeting will cover a few hours. It may be necessary to meet this way again. In one of these meetings, the shepherds need to talk with the preacher’s wife and get her feelings about things. This is important.

An on the ball eldership will not just look to see what preachers are also looking. They will have in their mind the type of preacher they want and they will go looking for such a person. The shepherds need to know merely waving a few more dollars at a preacher is not enough to get him to change zip codes to move there. Does the church have the equipment, personnel, and vision to help the preacher reach his maximum potential? Discussion needs to be made about a long term relationship. Thought about retirement packages ought to be included. Nothing vague, but real numbers and real specifics ought to be put on the table.

By this point it ought to be getting very clear whether or not this will work with this preacher. Others can be invited to listen to his sermons on the internet. Some of the shepherds may want to go and visit the preacher at his home congregation. There they can witness how he interacts with the congregation and how he is at his home pulpit. Now, the preacher can be invited to come and preach before the congregation. By now, there have been so many conversations and so many phone calls that a relationship has already been formed. There is a comfort level and an understanding between the shepherds and the preacher.

All of this takes time. If a congregation is wanting to fill the preacher slot in a weekend, go back to the traditional method. But, if a church is willing to be patient, thoughtful, and careful, the right man can be found who may stay for decades and do a marvelous work for the Lord.

One of the most stressful times for a congregation is the hiring of a new preacher. Rarely is everyone happy with the selection. But taking it carefully and thoughtfully may make the selection the right fit. In the process of shepherding, teaching others how to do this is important. I have talked to many elderships who have never gone through this process before. They are not sure what is the best way to go about this.

When a formal agreement is reached, it needs to be put on paper and names signed. Copies need to be shared between the preacher and the eldership. People forget. This is the business side that I do not particularly like but it keeps everything transparent, above board and honest. How many vacations? How many meetings? What is expected? Put it on paper and put your name to it. Then stick with it.

I hope this article helps. I hope that it is something that would be stored away to help others learn and know. Talk to other preachers and ask them about how they would improve upon the process.

We can do better…

Roger

04

Jump Start # 2933

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2933

Philemon 8 “Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—since I a such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus.”

  Philemon is an interesting book for many reasons. It is one of five books of the Bible that contains only one chapter. It is the only personally directed letter to someone who was not a preacher. Both Timothy and Titus preached. It involves a delicate and personal matter—what to do with a run-a-way slave who has now become a Christian. The letter was carried by the run-a-way as he was returned to his owner, Philemon.

Our verse today identifies a few thoughts that we need to remember.

First, Paul recognized that he could order Philemon to take the slave back. It was in his right and authority as an apostle to do that. The keys of the kingdom was given to the apostles. They did not have the right to do what they felt like. They were guided by Heaven. Taking back the slave was the right thing to do, especially now that he was a child of God. Forgiveness and grace are the platforms upon which our faith stands.

I wonder if we tend to “order” people rather than appeal to love and their heart. This is something that parents need to think about. “Because I said so,” gets really old really quickly. Throwing your weight around because you carry the title of shepherd or elder can be a misuse of your position. It’s the cowboy that drives cows. The shepherd leads. There is a difference. Appeal to love or command as a boss—one might get the same results, but how one achieves those results and how it affects people are not the same.

Second, “do what is proper.” Some things are just the right thing to do. That’s what Paul is looking at. What is the right thing here? It may not be easy, comfortable or even what you feel like doing, but if it’s the proper thing, then do it. Taking the run-a-way back, without crippling him, beating him and sending a message to both the run-a-way and other slaves, may send the signal that the master is soft. Others might get the notion to run. But, what’s the proper thing to do? Now, how about us? You see a piece of paper dropped on the floor. Step over it. Go tell someone else about it. Ignore it. Or, take a moment and pick it up. What’s the proper thing to do? You see someone with an armful trying to get out the door. What’s the proper thing to do?

To do the proper thing is to think of others. It is to go out of your way. It is to be kind, thoughtful and mindful of how you can help others. It’s hard to be a servant of Christ and not do the proper thing.

Third, when we develop open eyes and open hearts we will recognize the proper things to do in life and not have to be told. This starts in the home. Get the little ones learning to work together to pick up toys, clean their rooms. Sure, they will fuss about having to do that. They may complain that their little sister made the mess, not them. But with you helping them, you show them the proper thing to do. This translates to having open eyes to see what needs to be done and not wait to get orders to do it. I have found that so many brethren will jump in and help out if you ask them. That’s wonderful. That’s a team effort. But why is it that nothing will get done until they are asked? If no one asked, no one would have done anything. To get to the point of having eyes to see what needs to be done and then to do it because it’s the right thing is where we are at our best.

Fourth, the powerful example of taking back the run-a-way is much more than a personal and historical story in our Bibles. It is more than seeing a child of God do what he should do. It is a lesson for us. When we have been hurt by others, what is the proper thing to do? You know. But much too often, that’s not our choice. We’ll tell others about what they did. We’ll try to get others on our side and isolate the one who hurt us. We’ll go out of our way to be out of their way. Avoid. Ignore. Shun. Do not include. Isolate. And, much too often we feel that we are in the right about this because they did us wrong. But, what is the proper thing to do? What is it that God would want you to do? But, we scream, that’s difficult, hard and unpleasant. Do you think it was any easier for Philemon to take back Onesimus? What would other masters think of Philemon? The pressure was enormous.

Or, turn this around, and you are the one who gossiped about someone. You are the one who hurt someone. You are the one who did wrong. What if you were the run-a-way? What is the proper thing to do? Onesimus did not know what Philemon would do. Most slaves, if they were not killed, they were severely injured. There were consequences of his running a way. Now the right thing to do was return. And, for you, the right thing to do is apologize. They might get mad, you say. Possibly. That’s a consequence of what you did. They might turn against me and shun me. Possibly. That’s a consequence of what you did. They might never speak to me again. Possibly. That’s a consequence of what you did. You cannot let their possible reaction determine what you should do. What is the proper thing? What is the right thing for you to do? Hard? Yes. Uncomfortable? Yes. Something you feel like doing? No. But it’s the proper thing. It’s the right thing.

Paul said I could command you. I could tell you. But I appeal to you to do what is proper. How is it that you’d want others to treat you? This walk with Jesus can sure get tough, especially when we get off course and fail to do what is right.

Roger

01

Jump Start # 2932

Posted on October 1, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2932

Ezra 1:2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.’”

Our verse today comes from a proclamation made by the Persian king. This took place in his first year. The Lord stirred his heart and set about these divine plans. Students of the Bible will remember that twenty years later, Nehemiah would be leading a building force to restore the walls around Jerusalem.

Layered in this one verse are multiple lessons for us to see.

First, a pagan king recognized that God had given him all the kingdoms of the earth. It wasn’t the king’s superior leadership. It was the strong arm of his armies. It was the hand of God. He knew that and he acknowledged that. There is a thread of humility running through this king that is refreshing and noteworthy. Far too many, even in this day, would take the praise for all the good and point fingers and blame others for all the wrong. Everything good is because of me and everything bad is because of you. That’s the soundbites we hear out of Washington. Not this king. He understood that God had given him these blessings.

Second, he understood that God had a divine mission for him. He was to build a house for the Lord in Jerusalem. We rightly call that the temple. Cyrus had temples. They will filled with idols and promoted the faith of paganism and polytheism. How easily he could have said, ‘We already have enough temples.’ Or, ‘I’ll build it, but I want it close to my home. It will be in Susa, the capitol.’ He did not put his reasoning into what God told him. He followed it. What a remarkable concept and how foreign to think a foreigner understood this and many of the people of God did not. The very reason Judah had been in Babylon, now Persia, was because of idolatry and ignoring what God said. This king understood.

Third, here God was using a foreigner to accomplish His will. Time and time again, God has done that. It was Babylon that the Lord used as an instrument of punishment. Now God was using Persia as a instrument of hope, future and restoration. I wonder if some of Judah would have no part in this because God was using a “foreigner.” I wonder if they thought this wasn’t right. Can God still do similar things today? Can God use a non-Christian to accomplish His will? Can God use a wicked person to bring about something for His people? And, just how would we feel about that?

All of this reminds us that we much too often segment people into different classes and categories. Aren’t all people made in the image of God? That includes pagans? Isn’t the Gospel message for all people? It’s easy for us to keep God in our church buildings and believe that He belongs only to us and no one else can have access to Him unless we say so. We become the guardians of God. We decide how and when God will be used. We limit our prayers to us. We think blessings flow only to us. We can feel mighty righteous and that easily slides right into self righteous.

I wonder in their thankfulness and praise if Judah thanked the Lord for Cyrus. Through Cyrus they were able to return to their beloved Jerusalem. Through Cyrus they were able to again worship in a temple. A whole generation had not seen that. For many this would be a first. But Cyrus was the king of Persia. Thank the Lord for a foreign king? Thank the Lord for a pagan? Thank the Lord for one who did not believe as they did?

And, how about us? Could we thank the Lord for a doctor who may not be a believer, but helped your family? Could we thank the Lord for a politician who passed laws that enabled the people of God to continue on freely? Could you thank the Lord for a school teacher who maybe worships differently than you do? And maybe, just maybe, the people of God were helped by someone who wasn’t a believer. Rather than thinking that it’s the people of God who do all the helping, God can use anyone, at anytime, and in any place.

What is also remarkable is that God was doing things and Judah was not aware of it. The people of Judah didn’t know that God had moved Cyrus’ heart. The people of Judah did not know that God was doing things for their behalf. And, right now, what is God doing for you? Or, for His people? There may be things that you and I are completely unaware of, but they are happening. God is busy. People we would never, ever think would have anything to do with the will of God, but there they are. Unlike Cyrus, who seemed to understand that God was doing things through him, Nebuchadnezzar never seemed to understand that. He didn’t seem to know that God was using Him to accomplish His will. Nor did the Jews in the first century understand that through their hatred and persecution, God was spreading the borders of the church.

God had not forgotten His promises nor His people. He never does. God is greater than any king, any kingdom and is not limited by oceans, time, nor places. Our God is an amazing God.

Good things happened through Cyrus. They happened because God was there.

Roger