09

Jump Start # 3162

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3162

1 Corinthians 1:2 “to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.”

It seems as Christians that we struggle with how we see ourselves. I’ve sat through sermons that reminded the audience that we are all sinners and that being true, doesn’t make one feel very good about himself. We’ve let God down. We’ve hurt others. We’ve broken promises, ruined trust and made a big mess of things. It’s a wonder that God would have anything to do with us. And, that picture is often the state of things presently. It’s not only our past before Christ, but even after Christ, we sin.

But on the other hand, there are the statements from Heaven. Yes, God knows that we sin. Yes, God reminds us that we constantly need the blood of Jesus. But here in our verse today, we have the refreshing words of “sanctified” and “saints,” being uttered by the Holy Spirit. And, these words are directed to a church that most of us would run from. A divided church. A church filled with jealousy. A church that misunderstood and even abused the Lord’s Supper. A church that was suing one another. And, in all that mess, this letter is addressed to those who are sanctified and are saints in Christ Jesus.

Some thoughts for us:

First, it’s easy to walk into one chapter of a person’s life and conclude that defines his life. We all have good days and not so good days. There are some days that we are on the mountain top with Moses and the Lord. There are other days when we are in the deepest valley with the Shepherd. Busy. Tired. Stressed. My wife asked me the other day what my week looked like. I told her it was going to be one of the busiest weeks ever. She said, “You said that about last week.”

Second, it’s good to see the balance we are to have in viewing ourselves. We are saints of God, yet we also sin. Like the ole’ teeter-totter, too much one way gets things out of balance. If all we see are the sins in our lives, then we will never walk with confidence in the Lord and we will never feel like we will make it to Heaven. Doom and despair will be our dearest campions. Yet, on the other side, if all we see is that we are walking Heavenly, we might get a bit self righteous and fail to see that there are things that we need to work on in our lives. I’ve always liked the statement, “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”

Realizing our struggle keeps us close to the Lord and allows us to help others. Realizing God’s grace and mercy helps us to understand that God uses us in His kingdom. Every king, prophet, apostle, judge and preacher that God used not only had a past but had to deal with sins in the present. Paul called himself the “chief of sinners,” present tense.

Marred as we are, God uses us. Sanctified as we are, the world needs us. It’s a balance. We are a work in progress.

Third, once we start seeing ourselves properly, then we can start seeing others the same, especially our brethren. We can focus only upon the mistakes that some have made and come to the conclusion that they are not trying very hard. Could it be that we caught them on a bad day? Could it be that we have never seen the good and holy deeds that they do? Pointing that spiritual radar gun at others is so easy and in some ways, so much fun. We catch others doing wrong and we are ready to be the one to write out a spiritual ticket. Cuff and stuff them is the spirit that many have. And, when someone does something very good, we get jealous and try to find ways to pick apart their motive. “They are doing that just to be noticed,” we conclude. All of this comes from a spirit that fails to see someone as they really are.

I find it interesting that the Corinthian letter begins with this reminder that you are sanctified and are saints in Christ Jesus. Could it be they needed that reminder? Could it be hearing that, some of the troubles would have taken care of themselves? Is suing your brother something that saints would do? Is dividing the spirit of sanctified people? Hearing that is a reminder.

Could it be that we need to be reminded as well. If all we hear is that we are terrible people, then we will start thinking that’s the way we are supposed to be. But realizing we are citizens in God’s kingdom, and, we are part of God’s divine family, adopted by God Himself, then we might start acting more “saintly.”

God loves us and Jesus died for us. That’s what God thinks of us.

Roger

08

Jump Start # 3161

Posted on September 8, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3161

Nehemiah 4:10 “Thus in Judah it was said, ‘The strength of the burden bearers is failing, yet there is much rubbish; and we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall.’”

Momentum—the big MO, is vital to success in business, winning in sports and finishing our journey with the Lord. You notice at the airport, when a plane is sitting still, yellow blocks in front of the wheels. Those blocks keep the plane from moving. Before a plane takes off, those yellow blocks have to be moved by the ground crew. But when a plane is landing, it is going so fast that it could crash through a wall. It’s the law of momentum. Often, it’s hard to get going, but once it’s going, it’s hard to stop it.

Our verse today, taken from Jerusalem after the Babylonians had sacked the city, illustrates common momentum stoppers.

First, a loss of strength (the strength of the burden bearers is failing). Earlier, the text tells us that the builders had been demoralized. When strength is gone, weakness, fatigue, and defeat take over.

Second, a loss of confidence (we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall). We can’t do it. It’s too much. And, with that, the towel is tossed in, the white flag is raised and one is conquered.

Third, a loss of vision (there is much rubbish). This wasn’t a new fact. It had been this way for nearly 100 years. The goal and focus became blurred and the work would soon stop if something didn’t change.

Four, a loss of security (our enemies said—4:11). In verse 12, “they came and told us TEN TIMES, ‘they will come up against us…” Fear drains momentum.

Spiritually, shepherds need to watch for this in a congregation. Tired sheep. Tension among the flock. Sheep not feeding well. All of these can kill the momentum in a congregation. There are great periods of energy, such as special meetings, baptisms, hiring a new preacher, but if not careful, those great peaks of momentum soon die out. Rather than capitalizing on them, we lose those moments.

For Nehemiah, he went into action. He prayed (4:4,9). He equipped the people (4:13). He recognized their spirit and condition (4:14). He got the people back to the task they were to do (4:17). He grasped the value of connections and communication (4:19-13).

Nehemiah didn’t let the enemy have the last word. He didn’t stop the job that they were to do. He had an eye on the people. He recognized what needed to be recognized. Today, people shuffle in to the church building, stressed, worried, worn out, and what they don’t need is a long series on the evils of Calvinistic theology. Certainly, things could be learned in such a series, but look at the people. Where are they and what do they need at the moment? What is keeping them awake at night? What is it that they really need?

So, a few suggestions:

First, after a big event, such as a Gospel meeting, or a men’s workshop or a ladies day, follow up with that and use those thoughts as a spring board to keep things moving.

Second, developing a theme that fits the congregation and then sticking with that theme by having classes and Gospel meetings built around that will keep these concepts in the eyes of the church.

Third, sometimes it’s not more activities we need down at the church house, but more tools to help us grow in faith. We could have something every day of the week but that too can be very draining and trying upon people. Some of our best growth comes from quiet times. Reflection. Observation. Meditating. Praying. Provide tools to help personal growth.

Nehemiah witnessed what happens in most projects. From the idea stage, to the planning phase, to the call for workers, to the ground breaking, there is a lot of talk, excitement and anticipation. But the weariness of the work can stop the momentum. Complaining rises. It’s taking longer and is harder than anticipated. A good leader will be ready. He’ll jump in and lead the people to finishing what was started.

Keep the Big Mo going! Passionate prayers. Enthusiastic singing. Sacrificial giving. Powerful preaching. A desire to want to be there. A desire to excel in the Lord.

Roger

07

Jump Start # 3160

Posted on September 7, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3160

Acts 17:11 “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.”

The other day someone suggested that I listen to a certain sermon that had been preached. I did. The preacher knew his topic, used many passages and had a good presence in his delivery. All in all, it was good. There was just one hiccup. He started with an assumption, an opinion. His whole lesson hung on that assumption. If the assumption was not true, then everything would fall apart. This was a critical assumption. It needed to be true. It needed to be crystal clear. It needed to be proven.

There are some things we need to learn here:

First, just because I can connect the dots doesn’t mean that God intends for the dots to be connected. Not everything in the O.T. is mirrored in the N.T. We must remember, especially in those letters to Gentile audiences, their knowledge of the O.T. wasn’t like the Jewish mind.

In evolutionary thinking, the flipper of a whale, the wing of a bird and the arm of a human, all have similar mechanisms and therefore they conclude that it evolved that way. That’s how they see it. It could be that God liked that concept and He used it in several different applications, and the only connection is that they are similar and nothing more.

Many words in the Bible have more than one definition and application. Words like “kingdom,” “world,” and even “apostle” have more than one common application. To see such a word and then to assume that it means the same everywhere, every time, leads to some scary conclusions. God so loved the world and love not the world may seem to be opposites. They are not. Understanding how “world” is used brings a clear understanding to those statements.

Second, because I want something in the Bible doesn’t mean that it is in the Bible. Biblical concepts, principles and commands belong to the Lord, not the church and not to us. It is easy for us to conclude that if I don’t like something, then it is wrong. You may feel that way, but that does not mean it is wrong with the Lord. Sin is against God. God is the one who declares what is right and what is wrong. My dislike or displeasure of something does not necessarily mean that it is wrong. I don’t like folks getting to worship late. Now, there are times when something happens. But for some, it’s every time. They can get to work on time. They can get the kids to school on time. But getting down to the church house? Nope. Late again. Late just about every time. Now is that a sin? I sure don’t like lateness, but that doesn’t mean I can call that a sin.

Third, when teaching, if we don’t start out right, we likely will not finish up right. It’s like drawing a line on a piece of blank paper. If we begin crooked, it remains crooked. So, to start right, let the Scriptures speak for themselves. Learn concepts and understand Bible words. Whole religious doctrines have come from assumptions that are not upheld by the Scriptures. What sounds good, may not be good. What sounds logical, may not be Biblical. What makes sense to us, may not be how God operates. A grand example of this are the parables. Most start out like a typical first century story, and then there is a twist and they end up not the way most would assume. And, that alone, shows that the kingdom of God does not operate the way we think. The story of the prodigal is an example. No father back then, or likely today, would throw a celebration party for a wayward child who lost a fortune and ruined his name. The laborers in the vineyard is another example. Back then, one would not pay the last workers first and you certainly would not pay them the same that you paid a man who worked all day long. That just doesn’t make sense. We must let God speak for Himself and allow the Bible to show us the will of God.

Fourth, our teaching is about the word of God and not ourselves. That’s always the key. The old timers would pray that the preacher would hide himself behind the cross. The thought was, after the sermon I saw Jesus, not the preacher. I tend to think we praise the preacher these days more than we praise the Lord that we should be seeing.

Begin with a fact. Build upon that. Teach what the Bible says. One can’t go wrong with that.

Roger

06

Jump Start # 3159

Posted on September 6, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3159

Psalms 119:97 “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Since the Covid outbreak, many congregations have shuffled things around and rethought about many things that they had been doing. One of the things I’m hearing from several is the thought that the age of Gospel Meetings has just about run its course. I can understand that. Many have said that no one comes to meetings anymore and they can’t get their own people to show up. Because of that, they wonder how effective those events are.

Recently, I was in Alabama preaching. The congregation numbers around 100. We had day classes which they had never had before. The morning classes were attended by around 40 each day. In the evenings, the church building was packed. The singing was loud and passionate. And, after services, people hung around. They stayed and stayed and stayed, talking, laughing, hugging and sharing the joy they had in each other and the Lord. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such energy and excitement. All of this reminded me that there are places where these special meetings still work. I sensed a culture developed in which people loved to hear God’s word preached. It was such a blessing for me and such a refreshing time.

Now, all of this leads to “How is the culture in a church changed?” We are not talking about changing the Biblical pattern or introducing things that take us away from God. Not at all. We are talking at atmosphere, attitude and the warmth that one feels when they are in worship. Some places feel like you are sitting in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. No one talks to anyone and you get the sense that no one really wants to be there. But in other congregations, the joy, love and desire for the Lord is so strong that when services are over, you just don’t want them to be over.

Changing the culture…how is that done?

First, the tone is set from the leaders and the pulpit. Gloom and doom, dark moods, and focusing upon everything that is wrong determines the atmosphere of a place. What’s wrong is talked about more than what’s right. More about Hell and less about Heaven. More about curses and less about grace. Now, a balance is certainly needed, always needed. But the focus ought to be upon how wonderful it is being in the kingdom of Christ. Put some smiles on the faces of those that greet people and make announcements. Put a little joy in those sermons. Remember, the word “Gospel” means “good news.” Some would say, “I have some bad news about the good news.” The leaders lead in the creating the spiritual culture and atmosphere of a congregation. The culture is a reflection of the faith and love of the leaders. Others catch on. Others catch it. But if the leaders don’t create the right spirit, culture and atmosphere, then darkness and gloom tends to prevail. People don’t like gloom. People don’t want to be around gloom. So, the shift needs to take place from having to be there to wanting to be there. Expressing public statements often such as, “Sunday is the best day of the week,” and then acting like it really is, begins to change the culture of a place.

Second, make the preaching of God’s word a positive. Bring in great preachers. Have them preach on great topics that the congregation needs. Talk up preaching. Make preaching a good thing. I love Your Law, is what our verse says. In Nehemiah’s day, the people stood when God’s word was read. A culture can be created that embraces the preaching and teaching of God’s word.

Third, do some special things that open the eyes to the word of God. Have morning classes. Have some evening classes. Right now, I’m teaching a morning and evening class on the book of Mark. Everyone has a Mark journal, which lists the text on one side of the page and blank lines on the other. We read a chapter and write down what stands out. We write down questions. We write down insights. We write how Jesus is presented. Then we get together and we talk about that chapter and share what we have written down. The class is rich, exciting and we learn so much. And, what is being done is that people are being taken to the word of God.

In our verse today the Psalmist tells us that he loves the law of God. That law was not Luke, Acts or Philippians. He was talking about Numbers, Leviticus, Deuteronomy—those dreaded books that we don’t like to read. That was his Bible and he loved it. How blessed we are to have all of God’s word. We have the story of Jesus, from front to end. Developing a culture that loves God’s word is first. From that, a culture is developed in which people love God’s people.

Fourth, changing a culture in the home, work place or a congregation is hard. People are used to the way things have always been. They have the current culture in their DNA. And, to change it, the leaders have to buy into the new culture and then it is talked, preached, taught and emphasized over and over and over.

A few examples from my home congregation:

  • Sunday is the best day of the week
  • We are a Heaven Bound people
  • Death is merely a door that takes us into another room in God’s house
  • Face the direction that you are going

Those are more than just cute sayings—they have become a rich part of our DNA. Our folks hear those statements over and over and over. We believe those statements and from that it shapes our attitudes, motives and heart.

Just saying, “Sunday is the best day of the week,” one time won’t do it. But saying it every Sunday, month in and month out…and people start to see that. But it’s more than a statement, it becomes our DNA. On Sundays, people are showing up an hour before services begin. They want to be there. Bring joy and energy to worship is part of this. Getting everyone who serves publicly on board with this is important. And, in a period of time, everyone becomes a part of this.

The culture in some congregations is amazing. In others, there is some help that is needed. We create the spirit of a congregation. The reason why some are warm, inviting and welcoming is because that’s the way the people are. The reason other places are distant and cold is because that’ the way the people are. Change ourselves and the culture begins to change around us.

Roger

02

Jump Start # 3158

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3158

Genesis 3:24 “So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.”

In a few weeks in a class that I am teaching, I intend to go through a series of questions that have been submitted. I like doing this every once in a while because it lets me know what is upon the heart of others and often their questions don’t find a way into sermons or classes and this provides a platform for that.

One of the questions I’ve always wondered about is why God allows the things in life to annoy us and bother us. It’s one thing to talk about the “big” issue of why does evil exist. But there are things that are not evil, but just troublesome. Why are some days so hot? Is that necessary? Why are there mosquitos? Do they really have a function? And, if God was going to put weeds in the garden, why so many weeds? And, why are weeds so aggressive? Why are people so different? We are all made in the image of God and we all have the same needs, yet, we can sure be a strange lot. With some, if you say, “Hello,” to them, you just made their day. But with others, if you don’t say, “hello,” you just ruined their day. So odd and so hard to figure out.

Our verse today is the sad ending to what God had planned and designed. He made Paradise. One can only imagine how beautiful and perfect it was. No death. No trouble. No crime. And, man, unsatisfied, ruined it. Now, we can get mad at that first couple, but you and I likely would have ruined it as well. We are not without sin. And, sin ruined God’s plan. Sin is choosing self over God. Sin is listening to the serpent over God. So, God drove man out. He kicked man out of Paradise. How hard and difficult that must have been for God. It seems that this wasn’t the end of their relationship with God. As Cain and Abel grow, they offer sacrifices to God. I expect they learned that from Adam and Eve and understood that God is worthy and deserving of our affection and hearts.

So, why does God make cold winters and hot summers? Why all the inconveniences in life, like traffic, things breaking down, bugs and so forth.

First, these things help us to remember that we do not have all the answers nor do we run the universe. I suppose a bug guy could explain the value and purpose of a mosquito. Even though I can’t and I don’t see the need for them, God made them. So cold in the winter and so hot in the summer? Why? We can discuss climate and weather patterns and growth cycles of crops, but most of us do not care about those things. We can’t control the weather. Not only can God control it, but He can change it, as demonstrated in the calming of the storms.

Second, even if we had all the answers, and we knew “why” we are not in the position to change the creation of God. We are subject to the weather. We can’t wave a wand and make rain stop. We can’t bring in sunny days just because we want it. And, maybe, just maybe, this is a reminder that we are subject to God. The weather and the created world is greater than we are, and God is the greatest of all. Death comes and we cannot stop it. We cannot prevent earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, and other violent storms. We are along for the ride and are at the mercy of God. Sometimes we need to be reminded that we do not sit upon the throne of life. We do not get to be “God” for a day. We are subject to the Lord. We cannot forgive, God does. We cannot make things right, God can. We cannot move nations. God can. We cannot change hearts. God can. There are things out of our reach and out of out power. We are limited.

Third, these things in life that we wonder about can also cause us to see ourselves as we really are. We complain about the bugs when we sit out on a porch on a summer evening. We get upset when we have planned to go to a ballgame or a park and it’s raining. We don’t like it when it is so hot or so cold. And, as I think about these things, maybe we complain more than we are thankful. Maybe we’ve taken for granted the many nice days. Maybe we’ve failed to appreciate all that God does for us every single day. Each day is a gift. Each moment is a blessing. People in your life, food on the table, health in your body, money in your account, a home, a job, a fellowship, a hope, a promise, a future—sure makes one hang their head in sorrow for not being thankful to God.

Bugs, weather and things like that…hard to understand. Hard to figure. But part of God’s plans and much for us to learn from those things.

Roger