30

Jump Start # 3235

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3235

1 Corinthians 15:24 “then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.”

Our verse today, coming from the resurrection chapter of Corinthians, deals with the coming of Jesus. The Lord is coming. He is not coming to finish business. He is not coming to set things up. He is not coming to establish the kingdom. Instead, as our passage states, He will hand the kingdom over to the Father.

The verse today begins with the expression “then comes the end.” And, so we have come to the end of this year. This is the last Jump Start for 2022. We have published 230 Jump Starts this year. We are about to begin our 13th year of writing these daily lessons. Estimating that the average Jump Start is around 900 words, we have written over three million words. There are only 770,000 words in the Bible. All of this is hard for me to grasp.

We have come to the end of this year. Was it a good year? Was it a terrible year? Was it a mixture? Weddings took place. Babies were born. Some ended their journey here. Vacations. School. Smiles. Tears. New friends. Old friends. Preachers moving. Shepherds appointed. So many sermons were preached this past year. So many classes were taught. We come to the end of this year.

Here are some lessons for us:

First, every year is a mixture of ups and downs. The things that we worried about five years ago have likely been forgotten by now. But one constant through all of this is our faith in Jesus Christ. God remains upon the throne.  Through the valleys and during those wonderful and joyous moments when we are on top of the world, God is there. He has blessed us, forgiven us, been patient with us and has guided us. God has never let us down. Philippians 4:5 says, “The Lord is near.” What comfort that is.

Second, we are rapidly moving towards “then comes the end.” One day the last Jump Start will be written. I have already thought about that. One day, I will preach my last sermon. One day, I will attend my last worship service. As we eagerly await seeing our Lord on the other side, there are some things that I will miss. I have stood behind pulpits for a long, long time. I think I will miss that. I have enjoyed this little journey that we call Jump Starts. I think I will miss writing. But mind, health, body reminds us that “then comes the end.” Are we thinking about that? Do we live with the concept of “out of sight, out of mind?” That’s not the best way to walk through life. God told Hezekiah to set his house in order because he was going to die. That statement is an absolute. We ought to be setting our house in order, especially spiritually.

Third, we know because of what the Bible teaches, that although this world will end and even our lives here will end, we won’t. There is no “The End,” to our story. The cemetery is not the end of the journey. We do not have a last page to our lives. As the hymn states, “I’ll live on and on.” After my sweet dad passed from this world, I inherited a large picture of my great-great grandfather, a Civil War veteran and a N.T. Christian. It hangs in my home office. He was gone before my dad was born. I never knew him. It’s a family treasure but it also reminds me that he has been on the other side longer than he was here. And, that’s the reality for all of us. We will be on the other side a lot, lot longer than we are on this side of things. Paul’s words to the Romans remind us to be devoted to prayer, serve the Lord and to be “one another” minded. Far too many think more of this place than the other place. We must be different.

Fourth, then comes the end. A day is coming when God will no longer need this planet. A day is coming when there won’t be a need for sermons. A day is coming when we won’t need our Bibles any more. Then comes the end. What a reminder for us.

Thank you for reading and sharing our Jump Starts this year. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and help in this endeavor. So many of you have shared these simple writings with others. And, now, if the Lord allows, we are on to a new year and new adventures!

The Lord is near!

Roger

29

Jump Start # 3234

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3234

Luke 1:30 “And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.’”

Mary was chosen by God to carry Jesus into the world. We are not told much about Mary. Why her? Our verse tells us enough. She found favor with God. Most tend to think that Mary was young, possibly even a teenager.  And, like young David, generations before, out in the fields tending sheep, God saw something in him. His faith. His choices. His heart. Those are the things that God noticed.

Have you ever thought about the parallels with David and Mary?

First, both were so young. Today, we’d think that they both needed more experience. What God was putting in their hands was incredible. The fate of the nation was going to be placed upon the shoulders of David. Raising the Christ child would rest with Mary. And, when we think about those two, neither had much knowledge nor experience in what God called them to do. It’s one thing to lead and protect sheep, but people are so different. People have attitudes and opinions and most do not like to be told what to do, especially from someone younger than they are. And, Mary, what did she know about babies? What did she know about being a parent?

However, our Great God had confidence in both of them. God believed in them. Perfect they were not. But they manifested a heart of trust and faith, which is so incredible to the Lord.

Second, it seems that both David and Mary had a healthy environment to know the Lord and to exercise their faith. God didn’t just roll the divine dice and pick those two without any consideration. He never does that. He saw in both of them the right elements of faith, courage, and trust. Those things just do not drop out of the skies. Parents who loved the Lord must have established the foundation of trust and truth in the Lord. But from there, they took those principles to a higher and deeper level. Heaven noticed them. Heaven chose them.

Third, both knew the bitter taste of disappointment, failure and pain. Mary must have heard what people were saying about her son. Mary saw the death of her son, the beloved Jesus. For David, there was King Saul who tried to kill him. Later, there was his own son who tried to kill him. Being chosen by God did not put them on a golden sidewalk in which nothing bad ever happened. David had his mistakes. But what better people to walk through those valleys than those who stand out because of their faith and trust in the Lord.

Fourth, what a bridge for us to think about our young people today. Don’t give them a pass because they are young. Don’t discount a lack of faith, interest or zeal because they are young. Don’t think that they are not capable of doing great things in the kingdom. Young, powerful, faithful, that’s how David and Mary are introduced to us.

Sometimes we waste those young years and find ourselves behind because we weren’t diligent. Faith didn’t grow. Opportunities passed by unnoticed. Little good to talk about during those teen years. For way too many of us, that’s our story. It was my story. I sat on the backrow of the church, goofing around too much. How many powerful sermons did I miss? How many great opportunities I never saw because at the time I wasn’t interested?

I’m thankful for the great teens that I see where I preach. Interested. Excited. Engaged. And, I expect Heaven notices. What a great advantage those young people will have. Their faith will take them far. They will help so many people.

David and Mary—young and chosen by God. Sure is something to think about…

Roger

28

Jump Start # 3233

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3233

1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”

Our verse today are the words of the apostle to the young preacher Timothy. Timothy had the word of God but what he lacked was experience. He was young. The battle scars that many carried were not found on young Timothy. He would have his own battles to fight in life. Rather than throwing a pity party, Paul tells the young preacher to show them. Show them how to live. Be an example.

Looking down on your youthfulness—I wonder what that looks like? Is it rolled eyes when the single preacher teaches about marriage? Was it a scoff, snicker and disbelief when a young preacher tried to teach about parenting? I expect things were said. They may have been said just loud enough for Timothy to hear them. Just loud enough to sting and hurt. Sometimes brethren can be cruel. Sometimes they won’t give a young person a chance simply because he is young.

What should one do when he has been hurt by someone else? Whether it’s a young preacher, or a senior saint, words stick and they have a way of hurting a long time after they have been said. Our moms told us about the sticks and stones and that words will never harm us. But we know better. Long after the wounds from sticks and stones are healed, we remember the words. Decades later, we can still remember the words. Something unkind said. Some gossip. Some unfair criticism. Anger. “You can’t do anything right,” we remember. “You’re fat,” that sticks. “I hate you,” hurts more than any rock thrown our direction.

How do we recover from things said to us? How do we move on after something unkind and ugly has been spoken to us? And, in the climate we live in today, harsh and unkind words are becoming the norm.

First, don’t pick the scabs on those wounds. As in life, wounds never fully heal as long as we keep messing with the wound and picking the scabs. The wound continues to bleed. So, try not to rewind those painful conversations over and over. Telling others will only keep the wounds open. Try to focus upon something good and worthwhile, like the Lord.

Second, a conversation may need to take place with the person that hurt you. They may not realize what they have done. They may have meant well, but their words came out sideways and backwards. You may find a friend in that person and he may ask you to forgive him. But, we also know all too well, that the conversation may continue to go south and he may use the opportunity to wound you even more. It is at that time that you may need to put some distance between you and that person.

Third, forgive as often as you can. Even though you were the one wounded and rightfully, the other person ought to ask you to forgive, let it go. Put the hurt in an unmarked grave that you do not visit again. What you do not want to do is to launch a counter attack. That most times fails. One fires a missile. The other is compelled to fire more in return. Then the first person feels the need to launch a few more. Back and forth and what develops is a war. Sides are taken. Feelings are hurt. Things are said. And, most times, someone leaves the congregation. You don’t want to be a part of that.

Fourth, pray to God. Ask God to help you. Ask God to open your heart. Ask God to resolve the difference. Bringing God into the circumstances will help you keep your attitude, words and heart in a heavenly perspective. You’ll realize that it’s not about you. You’ll consider what is best for the kingdom.

Keeping the golden rule at the forefront of our hearts will stop us from saying things that should never be said. In a perfect world, brethren would never hurt each other. But, this world is far from perfect. We must learn how to deal with wounds in a proper fashion.

Let no one look down on you. Easy to say, Mr. Apostle. It happens. But our reply is not in words but in example. Show them and show the Lord that you are made of better things. Your light shines the brightest in the darkest moments. Rather than getting angry, dig in and be the best disciple that you can be.

Show them by your example—that’s the way Heaven wants you to respond.

Roger

27

Jump Start # 3232

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3232

John 12:2 “So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.”

I did not come from a family of preachers. I was the first in my family to travel down this road. Of my three sons, one also preaches all the time. The oldest has preached many times. But recently, the youngest, Joel, preached his first sermon. Of course, as a proud pappa, he hit it out of the park. To think, on that Sunday, three of us were preaching in three different places. Giving credit where it is due, these thoughts came from Joel. Even ole’ dad can still be taught by his kids.

In the previous chapter of John, Lazarus is resurrected from the dead. He has been in the grave for four days. We turn the page in our Bibles and come to our verse today. Jesus is at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Martha is serving. And, there sits Lazarus, at the table with Jesus. For a moment, just consider.

  • Among all the people in that room, only Jesus and Lazarus knew what was on the other side of life. One has to wonder if a wink, a subtle smile, a nod of the head, passed between the two of them. They knew. They understood. They had had seen the other side. What a special bond that would have created.
  • One has to wonder how that four day journey to the other side changed Lazarus. He knew what it was like. Was he more patient than before? Did he no longer let things bother him, as they once may have? Did he see this world differently, once he had been to the other side?
  • Did that journey to the other side make him more evangelistic? Maybe bashful before about telling others about Jesus, now he had no fear. Maybe he saw how important it was to talk about one’s faith in God and the grand promises of the Lord. He had been to the other side. He knew.
  • When it came time for Lazarus to die again, and he had to go through that door of death a second time, do you think he was less scared and anticipating getting to the other side. He’d been there. He knew what it was like. Can’t you imagine how he longed for that place again. His courage and confidence would have encouraged others.

How Lazarus must have changed once he had seen the other side. There was nothing like it. He had been there. The Bible does not reveal any conversations Lazarus had about the other side.

Jesus said, “Blessed are they who have not seen, yet believed.” He said this in regard to Thomas having to see the resurrected Jesus. But in many ways those words are fitting for us as we think about the other side. We have not been there, but by faith, we have. We know. We understand. And, how all of that ought to change us. How it ought to drive away the fear of death from our hearts. How it ought to make us evangelistic.

Lazarus had a new beginning. He saw the world through new eyes. He had been to the other side. How that experience would have changed him. And, through faith, how it ought to change us.

Thanks to my Joel for putting such an incredible thought out for us.

Roger

23

Jump Start # 3231

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3231

NOTE: With Christmas being on Sunday, we will not have a Jump Start on Monday.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 “A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

We have been exploring the subject of contentment. And when one opens the door to that subject, many questions of application seem to surface. What is a person to do when things could be better, but they are not?

  • At work poor leadership allowed an environment to develop in which there seems to be very little team spirit. Everyone only looks after self and no one goes out of their way for anyone else. A lot of blame and finger pointing takes place. It could be so much better. As a disciple, am I to just let those things be and be content?
  • At home, things could be so much better. The family has slipped into the habit of everyone being glued to their phone from the moment they get up until the moment they go to bed. There is very little talking that takes place. Everyone is growing older, but it doesn’t seem that they are growing closer to one another. It could be so much better. As a disciple, am I just to let those things be an be content?
  • In our country, there are so many things that seem broken and heading away from God. Progressiveness has made things worse not better. From the local level, all the way up to the national level, things seem out of place. As a disciple, am I just to let those things be and be content?
  • In the congregation, things could be so much better. The announcements ramble on and do not seem very appealing or inviting to a visitor. The classes seem too casual. There seems to be an indifference as to just when services begin. Sometimes the song leader is picking out his songs as he is walking to the front to lead them. There is a communication problem because the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. No one seems to be at the helm of the ship. The building could use some real deep cleaning. There are things ought to be pitched. You see these things but are you to just let them be and be content?

All of these makes us think of our passage today, there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. Talking all the time is not good. Being quiet all the time is also not good. But just when is it the time. When does one speak up and when ought one to be quiet? Are we lacking contentment if things bother us and we want change? We’d be a nation of England with slaves if some brave souls had not risen up and challenged the current systems. Those challenges came with serious costs, including war.

To be honest, I struggle with these things. I’m not sure if I have the right answers. But here are some suggestions:

First, we must never tolerate nor be content with wrong. Wrong needs to be stopped. Wrong doesn’t change nor become right because no one said anything. Much too often, what we struggle with is not something that is so clear as right and wrong. It’s more of a matter of good but it could be better.

Second, our spirit, attitude, words, tone has much to do with how to lead through change. Busting in with both guns blazing works in a Western movie. It doesn’t do well when dealing with people at work, home or the church. Threatening puts people on the defensive and isn’t good. Some have never thought about how things could be better. Some lack the drive, even if they saw it, to make a change.

Think and pray through things. Put thoughts on a piece of paper and let it sit there. Consider consequences, people’s reactions and how to lead others to see that things could be better. Making it positive rather than a negative has much to do with whether success will take place.

Third, you must include yourself in the solution process. Expecting others to change just because you said so, usually doesn’t go far. Offering to help clean up a room, organize things better, and bring about the changes is necessary. Keep the big picture in the front and yourself in the back. It’s not about you, your idea, your way, but this would be a more efficient way for the office to be run. This would help people remember announcements better. This would help us to understand each other more. The purpose is making things better for all. It’s not about getting your way.

Fourth, understand that your idea may be modified, adjusted and even changed somewhat. The end product may not look like you originally planned, but if more are getting on the same page of making things better, then more positive and constructive good will take place. Don’t throw a fit if your ideas get changed some. There may be aspects you have not considered. There may be other factors that you failed to see.

And, if your ideas are resisted and shot down even before they are given a chance, don’t threaten, leave, or get ugly. Fall back. Regroup. Pray harder. Dig deeper. Find a way that puts before others how great things could be.

Contentment—it’s a tough topic. It’s easy to preach. It’s easy to read in our Bibles. But when it comes to life, we struggle with when and how to be content.

Roger