17

Jump Start # 3048

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3048

Matthew 26:10 “But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me.”

Recently I preached a sermon I called, “Little girls to Godly Women.” In working on that, I discovered at least three different times that Jesus defended women. And, the Lord didn’t just stand up for the women in these occasions, but verbally defended them before synagogue officials, His own disciples and before crowds. Now, for us, in our times, we’d say, ‘That Jesus was a nice guy for doing that.’ In His time, that was off the charts. Women didn’t really count. No one really cared what they said. One of the Jewish synagogue prayers that has been left for the ages said, “Lord, I thank Thee that I am not a Gentile, not a slave and not a woman.” The first to see the resurrected Jesus was women. The first recorded words that the resurrected Jesus spoke was “Woman, why are you weeping?”

Our verse is taken from the time Mary anointed the head of Jesus with costly perfume. She did this before the others. You can just see them all watching her. The smell would have filled the room. Now, this wasn’t any cheap cosmetic perfume. It was expensive, very expensive. It would have been saved for a wedding. Mark quotes the disciples complaining that the perfume could have been sold for 300 denarii. That would have been three hundred days wages. Imagine having some perfume that cost about a year’s salary. What do you make a year, $50,000, maybe $100,000? Imagine having bought perfume that costs that much. You wouldn’t let the kids touch it. Most of us wouldn’t have it setting out on a counter or a shelf.

The disciples became indignant. The Common English is more blunt. “They were angry,” it says. And, then they say, “What a waste.” This could have been sold and the poor helped. About that time, this woman is likely feeling pretty embarrassed and low. In that culture, she will not openly say anything in her own defense. But Jesus did. He not only praised her for this act of love, He also showed that she understood what was coming. And, then to top it off, the Lord said, wherever the gospel is told, this story will be a part of it. The disciples were wrong. Jesus defended this woman. He praised her and even honored her.

Jesus defended this woman. He also defended the sinful woman in Simon’s house who washed His feet with her tears. He also defended the bent over woman after the synagogue official lost his cool because she was healed on the Sabbath. Speaking out for those who cannot. Defending what is right. Not being afraid to stick your neck out for others. Supporting those who extended love to the Lord.

There are some great lessons here for us:

First, it is easy to jump on the band wagon and join in with the mob and complain and criticize. We do this with politics. We can do this with things down at the church house. Rather than thinking things though and thinking for ourselves, we allow the emotions of the moment to get the best of us. Social media excels in this. Ranting and pointing fingers without all the facts and all the details is common practice for so many. Judas led the way in complaining about the wasted perfume. He did this because he had sticky fingers and used to steal from Jesus. Slow to speak and slow to anger are powerful reminders of the direction we ought to travel in.

Second, there are times when we need to defend what is not popular or what others are wanting. We defend because it is the right thing to do. Jesus stood between the angry verbal attacks and these women He defended. The women were right. Jesus passed through the cultural dos and don’ts of His time to defend them and to defend them in front of men.

It is good for shepherds to defend preachers when they are in the right. Sermons have a way of stepping on toes. Some get upset. Some get so upset that they want to rip the preacher to shreds. I’ve had people get up and walk out while I was preaching. One guy told me that he felt it was best if I left. One of the elders overheard that. He came and put his arm around that guy and said, “I’m sure going hate to see you leave, because our preacher is staying. So, if you want a different preacher, you’ll be leaving.” He defended me. It’s sad to see a young preacher having to stand alone to face critics when he has spoken the truth. Paul told young Timothy to preach even if it is out of season. This is the cause for many young preacher to quit. No support. No one in his corner. Now, if he has done something wrong, he needs to be talked to in a proper way. But far too often, subjects of morality, divorce, social drinking, modesty hits a bit too close to home for some. Rather than change one’s ways, they’d rather chew a young preacher out. Shame on elders that stand back and allow that to happen. Jesus defended this woman. Something to think about.

Third, there comes a time when we need to defend the Gospel and the Lord’s church. Paul, in Philippians was set for the defense of the gospel. Are we? We allow family members, disgruntled members and those who no longer walk with the Lord to take all kinds of pot shots at the Bible and God’s people. The internet is the playground for these things. Now, it’s a waste of time to argue with a fool. But when one takes wide swipes at the church in general, there comes a time to stand up, speak up and support what we believe in.

Someone may have a bad experience going out to eat. The food was lousy, over priced and the service was bad. You may not go back to that place, but you don’t stop going out to eat. Someone may have had a bad experience with a congregation. Maybe they were cold, indifferent and dead. You may not go back to that congregation, but you don’t stop worshipping God and assembling with God’s people.

Defending what is right puts you on the front line of the battlefield. It may pull you into a dog fight that you don’t want to be a part of. But your silence may allow critics to have their day and a good person to be crushed by the blows of others.

Think about these things…

Roger

16

Jump Stat # 3047

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3047

Revelation 1:11 “saying, ‘Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.’”

Our verse today are the words that are addressed to the church at Philadelphia. I find it interesting that there wasn’t seven separate letters written, one going to each church. Instead, there was one letter. Ephesus was first. As the letter was read, the brethren in Ephesus not only knew what the Lord thought about them, but they also know what the Lord said about the other congregations. They got to hear it before the others did. I think today we’d be extremely bothered by that. We’d throw the word “separate and “autonomous” into the conversation and demand that no one else has a right to know what was going on in our congregation. And, “separate and autonomous” may have become expressions for “isolation.” Everything that is done within a congregation is kept secret from all others. So Ephesus knew that Sardis was dead, even though they had a name. Ephesus knew that Sardis was dead before Sardis knew. And, everyone knew about the woman Jezebel who was tearing up the church in Thyatira. And, everyone knew that Laodicea was lukewarm. They all knew. And, this was God’s intention.

Here are a few lessons that come from this:

First, the Lord never asked Ephesus to get involved with Sardis. Each congregation had their own work to do and those that needed to change, had to change from within, not from without. The fear of getting involved with other places and even overseeing other congregations may have led some to swing a bit too far the other way. Ephesus knew about Sardis, but Sardis had to fix their own mess that they created.

Second, knowledge of what was going on in these other congregations was helpful. First, it would let them know that they weren’t the only place dealing with idolatry and compromise. In a recent class on these seven churches, having seen that to hold a job often meant acknowledging a patron idol and even going to the doctor often involved recognizing pagan gods, someone asked, “Why didn’t the Christians just move?” My answer was “Where?” The church in Rome dealt with eating meats to idols. Corinth, the same thing. Everywhere was saturated with idolatry. There was no escaping it. Realizing that other brethren in other places were also fighting these same battles could encourage and help you in your location. Second, hearing the Lord’s stern warnings about compromising and tolerating error would remind other places to be true to God’s word. The temptation to compromise was strong. How would you keep your job unless you participated in the idolatrous feasts? How would you help your sick child unless you followed the doctors orders to get medicine at a pagan temple and to pray to those gods for healing? But understanding that God wanted His people to be faithful, even in all of this, was a message they needed to hear. And, third, knowing congregations were pleasing the Lord, such as Philadelphia would be an encouragement that each of them could strive to do better and do more.

Third, building a network or organization larger than the individual congregation just isn’t supported in the Scriptures. It’s one thing to ask for advice from someone in another place, but to try to build a communication exchange where everyone everywhere shares things just isn’t a good idea. We must remember that these words to the seven churches were Heaven sent. It was not the idea of these brethren to do this. This was God’s idea. However, we do not see a system or organization beyond the local congregation to do the work God intended. Once one starts down that path, it’s hard to turn around. Who is going to run that organization and how is that organization going to be organized. And, immediately, one is outside the boundaries of the N.T. One is flying on their own and that is always, always a dangerous place to be.

Fourth, what these seven churches remind us is that we all experience similar things. It also reminds us that the Lord knows what is taking place, even though others don’t. They also remind us what is important to the Lord. Nowhere in these words to the seven churches do we find any idea about the size of the congregations, where they were meeting, who was preaching there, and if they had an eldership or not. Those things concern and consume us. What the Lord was interested in was whether or not these churches were staying faithful to God’s word. Sometimes we can major in the minors and forget what is most important. Having a paid off church building, a nice young preacher, clean bathrooms, trimmed shrubs, means nothing about the spiritual temperature within the group. Are they growing spiritually? Are they walking with the Lord?

A letter to seven churches…an interesting thought. One must wonder what the Lord would write to our congregations today?

Roger

15

Jump Start # 3046

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3046

Matthew 26:39 “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.’”

Our verse comes from the dark moments in the garden. Judas was gathering up troops to come and arrest Jesus. The disciples were sleeping. Jesus was eyeing the cross. The moment was here. Once things started, the events would move very quickly. There would be chains, beatings, scourging, nails, and a very, very painful death. It’s one thing for Jesus to have gone through those things for us, but He went with His eyes wide open. He knew what was going to happen. He knew the intensity of the torture that was about to happen.

So, on this dark, dark night, He begs His Father to “let this cup pass.” Find another way. Let’s skip this. Do I have to? But deep inside, He knew. He attached to these words, “Not My will, but Thy will be done.” And, you and I know the story. Judas came. Jesus was arrested and taken to the Jewish hierarchy. Then to the Roman Governor. The crowds wanted His death and death He received.

Did you notice that God said, “No,” to the Jesus’ prayer? He didn’t utter those  the word ’No,’ but He did not keep Jesus from the cross. He did not let this cup pass from Jesus, as the Lord wanted. God said “No,” to Jesus’ prayer. And, if God said “no,” to His prayer, there will be times when God says “No,” to our prayers. Understand, “No,” is an answer. Sometimes we might think God didn’t answer our prayers. The truth more accurately might be that God didn’t answer our prayers the way we wanted them answered.

And, this takes us to the interesting thought of ‘Why does God say ‘No’ to our prayers?’

First, from this account with Jesus, we know that saying “No,” isn’t because God doesn’t like us. Sometimes a child comes to that conclusion when their parents tell them no. God loved Jesus. He said that to the world several times. The disciples heard God say that. Because your prayer is answered “no,” does not mean that you have done something wrong or are no longer in favor with God.

Second, saying “No,” to your prayer may be necessary for God’s plan. God’s plan was for Jesus to die on the cross. The crushing of Satan’s head had been prophesied since the days of Adam and Eve. God has appointed times and plans that we do not see, understand or grasp. What you have asked for, just may not fit in God’s plans. Thy will be done.

Third, God may be using a situation to strengthen you or bring someone back to Him. The circumstances may be intense and we may pray for relief and deliverance. But rather than ending the pressure, God may want you to strengthen your faith. It is upon the anvil of adversity that our faith is forged. If I am always walking in sunshine and everything is always going my way, my faith can become weak. The trials and testing of our faith is what produces some powerful spiritual qualities in our lives. God has more than just you in His vision and in His heart. While we pray for what we think is best, God is also considering others. Saying ‘yes,’ to your prayer may not be the best means to awaken someone and get them coming back home to God. God is always interested in salvation first. That is more important than our health and our happiness.

Fourth, God may say ‘No,’ simply because you have asked too late. God is not using miracles these days. That is His choice. It’s a little late to pray for oars when your boat is going over the waterfalls. You should have been praying upstream. To start praying for your marriage after your mate has filed for divorce may be too late. To start praying for the recovery of health when a person is hours from death may be too late. The time to start praying for a marriage is before the ceremony and the “I dos” are exchanged. The time to pray for a child is not when he heads off to college, but the moments after his birth.

God does not owe us salvation, nor does He owe us a “yes” to everything we pray. God doesn’t buy our love and our affection. He is God. If He never answered our prayers, we still need to honor Him and glorify Him. And, we must never forget to thank the Lord for hearing our prayers and for the blessings when He does say “yes.”

Inside one of my Bibles I have taped an old “Family Circus” cartoon. The mother, sitting on the edge of a bed, says to her little boy, “God answers All our prayers. But sometimes the best answer is ‘no.’”

Let this cup pass…

Roger

14

Jump Start # 3045

Posted on March 14, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3045

 Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”

  Last week we had one of our grandchildren with us. “B” is seven, or in her words, “seven and a half, almost eight.” She spent four nights with us. That’s the longest we have had one of the grandkids by themselves. And, she was a delight and a doll. On one of our trips into town, she said, “PJ (that’s me), it’s been a long time since you had a seven and a half year-old in your backseat, isn’t it?” And, she’s right. All my kids are in their 30’s now. It’s been a long time since I had a seven year old in my backseat. On our trip to meet her mother to return her, we spent a long time playing verbal games in the car. I’d say a book of the Bible and she had to say the next one. We played guessing games. We went through some of her multiplication tables, especially the 7’s.

And, here are a few lessons I learned:

First, grandparenting is fun. Sometimes as a parent, you are in the middle of constant messes, battles, instructions and there never seems to be an end. But my little car ride with B reminded me of the things I once did with her mother, my daughter. Lots of questions. Lots of little quizzes. Lots of exploring things with our imaginations. As your kids age, much of those sweet innocent things are no longer used. One forgets what it is like to have a seven, or more accurately, a seven and a half year-old in the backseat.

Second, there is a lot of teasing about grandparents spoiling their grandkids. I understand. I’m all for that. I have a case where I keep some of my cufflinks. Often I don’t arrange them as they should be. That’s the job B does when she visits. I pay her to do that. I pay her way too much, but I like doing that. I believe one reason grandparents spoil is that they can. Money is tight when the kids were small. Something was always breaking and needing replaced. Someone was always going to the doctor. Glasses. Braces. Clothes. The budget was very thin during those days.

But another reason I believe we spoil is that as a parent there is such an unknown. Parenting isn’t for cowards. But as grandparents, we’ve gotten through to the other side. Car wrecks. Surgeries. Lost cell phones. Toilets overflowing. Death of pets. Air conditioning going out. Dating. Sports. Victories. Losses. Breaking up. Pimples. First jobs. Baptisms. Funerals. Happy days. Sad days. Grandparents have the scars, the badges and the stories. What is such a big deal to the young parents, isn’t to the grandparents. We are less stressed than the parents who are in the weeds of raising those little ones.

Third, those sweet tinder hearts are soft and so easily influenced. Grandparents need to set the right example. Those little ones will long remember what we did, what we said, even after we are on the other side of life. Now, a mistake grandparents make is to undermine what the parents are doing. Unless it is something that is wrong, support and go along with what the parents are doing. They are the parents, not you. One of the greatest things grandparents can do is to keep that spiritual light burning bright. I still remember going to church services with my grandparents. It was a small country church, with large windows. I remember looking out the windows and seeing cows grazing next door. The crowd was small. The singing wasn’t so great. But what fond, fond memories I still have. Just the other day, I drove by that country church building. I just wanted to see it again.

Grandkids will out smart us grandparents when it comes to using cell phones, tablets, and remotes. They know those things. And, trying to figure out a car seat nearly requires an engineering degree. And, one of the wonderful connections you have with your grandchildren is the family legacy and history. Share that. Let them know that. And, where possible, teach them about the spiritual legacy within your family. Generations of believers. First time believers. The importance of worshipping God. The value of the Bible. The good of serving others. Without realizing it, you are adding life lessons that can mold them into powerful servants of the Lord.

Our verse today is wrapped around the idea of grandparents and grandchildren. A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren. That may be referring financially, but there is a much richer inheritance and that is love shared, time enjoyed together and lives intersected. Years from now, if the Lord allows, and many of us are on the other side, what will our grandchildren remember about us? Will they even care? Or, have our lives so touched each other that we leave amazing footprints for them to follow. A spiritual inheritance is the greatest blessing you can give to your family.

After B left, I had to take a nap. I had forgotten how intense life with a seven and a half year-old can be. No wonder parents look ragged when they walk into a church building. They carry enough bags that you’d think they were backpacking for a month. But what a blessing it is to see them there.

Thanks, little B for some fun days!

Roger

11

Jump Start # 3044

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3044

John 14:2 “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”

Years ago there was a sermon that was preached regularly called “Knots in the Devil’s tail.” I don’t know who was the first to come up with that, but it seemed in that generation nearly every preacher used it. For this Jump Start, we are going to look at Five “Not’s” of Heaven.

We love sermons about Heaven. We have so many wonderful hymns about Heaven. Thoughts of Heaven gets us through those tough days in life. Won’t it be wonderful there, is more than a hymn and a suggestion. It’s a truth. And, one of the reasons it is wonderful is because of these “Five Not’s.” Our secular times are changing the concept of Heaven for so many. Listen to the way some preach funerals. God has been evicted and we’ve filled His house will all kinds of physical and foolish things. We need to get back to the way the Bible describes Heaven. It’s God’s house, not ours. Let God tell us what it is like.

First, Heaven is not like earth. We have fluctuating temperatures, attitudes and troubles. Wars. Diseases. Crime. Sin. Death. Sadness. Grief. Heartache. Pain. Those are the things here. Pretty sunsets, beautiful waterfalls, magnificent mountains, cannot conceal the inner turmoil that is found here. This world is broken. Promises are not kept. People hurt one another. Sin plagues us. Heaven isn’t like this. Heaven isn’t physical. God is a spirit and Heaven is a spiritual dimension. So forget the roller coasters, chocolate fountains, flying kites, playing with puppies, fishing, golfing—those all belong here. Those things are part of this world. Heaven is not like earth.

Second, Heaven is not governed by time. There won’t be a need for clocks, calendars and watches in Heaven. That means we won’t age. Time is meaningless to God. Peter’s words that a thousand years is like one day and one day like a thousand years is beyond our concept. You and I always have to be somewhere. After work, we have somewhere to go, usually home. After the movie ends, we have to go somewhere. After the last amen in worship, we have somewhere to go. We always have somewhere to go. But not in Heaven. There’ s no other place to go.

Third, Heaven is not breeched by the temptations of Satan. Satan won’t make it to Heaven. Revelation promises that the destination of Satan is the second death. Without the tempter, we won’t be tempted. You won’t mess up and do something wrong in Heaven. Our freewill changes to one glorious heart that wants to honor the Lord. Here, we fight Satan all the time. Everywhere we go, he’s somewhere lurking in the background. The day is coming, when we won’t have to deal with Satan ever again.

Fourth, Heaven isn’t different for each person. For the golfer, Heaven is a golf course. For the fisherman, Heaven is sitting on the river banks with Peter with a pole in the water. Sounds wonderful, but one doesn’t get such fanciful ideas from the Bible. The images given to us in Revelation, shows the multitudes surrounding the throne. We are not all out doing our own thing. That’s self centered and selfish. That’s not Heaven.

Fifth, Heaven isn’t promised to those who live in rebellion to the Lord. Our times would find these words, harsh, judgmental, unkind and surely not true. The world believes every grandma deserves to go to Heaven. Every soldier who dies in service, is thought to have a sure ticket to Heaven. Every cop, every fireman, who dies helping others, ought to be in Heaven. That’s the way our world sees it. No thought about Jesus and His word. A person may not worship God at all, however if he falls under the “good” column in people’s minds, that’s all that matters. He’s a good person, therefore he is certain to be in Heaven. One wonders, if that be the case, why then did Jesus come to earth? Why was the Lord sacrificed and resurrected? If all I need to do is make some cookies for the neighbors, smile in public, give a tip now and then, and I’m guaranteed to make it to Heaven, then I don’t need to follow Jesus. That’s how secular the world has become. God has been squeezed out of Heaven and Jesus has been put up on a shelf on earth. Don’t need either, because Heaven is all about us, at least that’s how a lot of folks want it to be.

Heaven is God’s home. If you came to my home, especially my office, you’d see what is important to me. I have family pictures all around. I have my autographed baseballs on a shelf. I have a collection of books that I like. I have my music. My office is decorated to my tastes. It reflects me. Heaven, God’s home, will reflect Him. Holy. Perfect. Divine. Spiritual. Godly. Those are the qualities we’d see in God. These are the things we’d see in God’s house, Heaven.

Knots in the Devil’s tail…maybe it’s time to preach those old sermons again.

Roger