24

Jump Start # 3252

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3252

Matthew 14:20 “and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets.”

I saw a man die the other day. It wasn’t a thought that I will quickly forget. He didn’t have to die. Without admitting it, he chose to die. He hadn’t taken care of himself in a long, long time. Poor choices, terrible habits and a stubborn attitude all contributed heavily to his death. In the end, he died from malnutrition. He starved to death. He wasn’t living in a third world country where food and options are very limited. No, he died right here, where everything was available to him. He wouldn’t go to the doctor. He wouldn’t listen to sound advice. When given food, he refused to eat. Weaker and weaker he became until he died.

I left wondering what could have been different. What could I have done to prevent this death? Everyone saw it coming, but his closed heart and thick pride kept everyone at a distance. No one could reach him. No one could turn him. And, he died. A death that didn’t have to happen, but it did.

His death wasn’t physical. He didn’t die from a lack of bread and water. He died spiritually. In a large congregation that has so many tools and so many ways to be fed, abundant classes being taught through out the week, blogs, podcasts, a website filled daily with spiritual food, this man refused to eat spiritually. He limited his contact and fellowship. He would rather hang out with the world than the disciples of Jesus. He fed his passions but not his soul. He wrecked his marriage and without any insight, nor lessons learned, he’ll likely make another poor choice for marriage and ruin that as well.

It is baffling to me how some in a congregation that has everything, still choose to starve themselves. Food is on the table, but they will not eat. They attend but they are not there in mind or spirit. Never bringing a Bible, never engaging with anyone, and then the bottom drops out of their life. The old expression, ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink,’ seems so fitting here. More people care about his soul that he did. More were praying for him than he prayed for himself. Sitting at a banquet table full of options and wonderful food, he goes home hungry, empty and miserable.

Our verse today comes from the feeding of the multitudes. Jesus increased the food. The verse says, “they all ate and were satisfied.” Spiritually, that is what shepherds and preachers are driving at. We want everyone to eat. Yet, there sits in the audience the man who is dying spiritually. He doesn’t know Jesus. He doesn’t understand the value of making right choices. People his age are all around him but he keeps his distance. The potential is there for him to grow strong. He could turn his family around. He could one day serve as a deacon or even a shepherd. But it won’t be. More wrong choices follow more wrong choices. He is not interested. He attends out of habit not love. And, right there at the banquet table he dies spiritually from starvation. What he needed was there, but he never took the effort. Dozens and dozens of people would love to have the opportunity that he has, but he doesn’t care. He is a man of the world. Lost. Misguided. Miserable. He dies right among the people of God and he doesn’t even see it.

They all ate. No one left that hillside hungry. Jesus provided and they partook. They needed food and Jesus understood that. And, today, it’s no different spiritually. People need to be fed spiritually. We need to preach and teach relevant lessons that will guide people through the fog of today’s world. The “isms” of yesterday is not what is on the minds and hearts of people today. Our culture is turning things inside out. The world is getting darker. We need to know how to navigate through these things. We need to learn how to raise godly families in an ungodly world.

Provide the food, that’s our job as preachers and shepherds. Provide it in a number of ways. Provide it to where the people are. But there comes a time when you and I have to pick up a fork and eat. Starving at a banquet table full of food makes no sense. It doesn’t make sense to Heaven and it doesn’t make sense to the people of God. Wasted opportunities. Closing your eyes to the very things you need. Turning your back on what will help you. And, in the end, it’s not the food on the table. It’s not the sermons from the pulpit. It’s not the classes that are taught. It’s not the articles, blogs, podcasts that are made available. It’s a heart that is closed to Jesus. And that heart can only be opened from the inside.

We pray. We have conversations. We preach. But in the end, some will starve at a banquet table full of food. They did not come to eat. They were never filled. And, because of that, some will lose their souls.

Such a tragedy. I saw a man die…

Roger

23

Jump Start # 3251

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3251

2 Corinthians 6:10 “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.”

There are several sections in Corinthians that just hurt my heart. I hate to see the beloved Paul treated as he was.

  • In 1 Cor 4 we read: “to this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless…we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
  • In 2 Cor 1: we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life.
  • In 2 Cor 4: we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted; but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.
  • In 2 Cor 6: in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger…regarded as deceivers, yet true; as unknown yet well-known…as sorrowful yet rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
  • In 2 Cor 7: we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without and fears within
  • In 2 Cor 11: three times beaten with rods, five times received 39 lashes, stoned once, in dangers, many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food in cold and exposure

I just want to bring Paul home with me and let him spend the night. I wish I could take him some chicken and noodle soup. I wish I could do something to bless him. And, through all of this, his focus was upon helping others and his faith in the Lord remained true. He would suffer so others could benefit. Our verse expresses this with, “As poor yet making many rich.”

People are always interested in how to get rich. They want a quick, easy and painless way to do that. That’s what drives the lottery. From financial advisors to get-rich-quick schemes, people are wanting to find ways to become rich. Paul knew. It had nothing to do with money. It wasn’t about stock markets, buying up silver, investing in real estate or any other modern idea. It wasn’t about budgets, Dave Ramsey’s seven steps, or listening to financial podcasts.

A poor man made others rich. What an interesting concept.

First, we know from both the context and Paul’s life that the riches he refers to is not about money. It is about Jesus. Paul was poor when it came to the financial markets. The man who once knew prosperity now lived in poverty. Homeless, poorly clothed, hungry and thirsty is how we described himself. He wasn’t a guy on the street corner holding up a cardboard sign begging for money. Paul had a job. He was on a mission. Making others rich in Christ is what he was all about. Preaching didn’t make him wealthy. Preaching wasn’t a safe and nice job. Preaching was being in the lion’s den, on the front lines, yet changing lives. Through his work of spreading the Gospel of Christ, many were becoming saved. They were becoming rich spiritually. Heaven was their home.  Their treasures were in the eternal. They found something that could not be taken away by others. They found something that would not lose it’s value over time. Rich in Christ, that’s what Paul had in mind. He chose to be poor so others could know Jesus. Rather than staying safe and comfortable, but put himself on the edge. Always hunted down. Always persecuted. He risked so others could know and others could be saved.

Second, I wonder if we truly appreciate what we have received in the Lord. Salvation involved the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We praise Him on Sunday, but as soon as the services end, our thoughts quickly turn to ball games, food, and things of this life. Things that will not last. Things that hold no value to Heaven. Have we taken for granted the incredible riches that are only in Christ? Do we understand how bankrupt we were before Christ? The blessed are the poor, which begins the beatitudes is not about third world countries. It is about you and I. It’s about those who realize how empty their hearts were and how miserable their lives were spiritually. It’s about those who understood only in Christ can I find true life and true riches.

Third, Paul understood the incredible gift in Christ. Over and over salvation is viewed as a gift of God. The Lord doesn’t owe us salvation. The Lord didn’t have to save us. What a wonderful and powerful demonstration of His love towards us. He became poor so that we could become rich. As poor, making others rich, is what Paul said in our verse today.

Paul was among the richest people on this planet. You’d never know it by his clothes. What he had in his house never showed it. No bank accounts would prove it. Yet, in Christ, he was Heaven bound. He found in the Lord what true wealth is.

Great reminders for us in a culture that is saturated with stuff and obsessed with image. The storeroom looks nice, but the warehouse is empty. So, true is that of so many lives. We easily can place too much emphasis upon the outside, while neglecting the inside.

I wonder what we’d think if Paul showed up at one of our congregations on a Sunday morning? Some might think he was a street bum. Some might ignore him because of his appearance. He may have smelled. It may have been a while since he ran a comb through his hair. Dirty, old clothes, would we pass him off as ignorant and not worthy of our time? I hope we would do better than that. I’d hope we’d give him a chance. More than that, I’d hope that we’d take him home and help him out.

That old apostle is sure enjoying the comforts of paradise today. Don’t let the riches and glitter of this life deceive you nor take your eyes off of the true riches in Christ.

Roger

20

Jump Start # 3250

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3250

Romans 1:10 “always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.”

Our verse today draws the curtain back on the heart of Paul. He longed to come and see the Roman brethren. The various translations show this:

NAS: if perhaps now at last

ESV: if somehow

Phillips: somehow make it possible

In essence, the apostle was asking, “whatever it takes, Lord, get me to Rome.” This was something he really desired. He really wanted to see them. In love stories the man says, “I’ll climb the highest mountain and swim the deepest sea to be with you.” But for the apostle, he was putting all of this in the Lord’s hands. His prayer was for the Lord to make it possible.  And, that’s exactly what happened. What a journey it was. Luke covers it in the final chapters of Acts. It began as Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, nearly murdered more than once, he travels on a ship that goes through a violent storm, capsizes, and is nearly killed by soldiers, he makes it to an island and is bit by a poisonous snake. Finally, he makes it to Rome where he is put in prison. It was a journey that took several years. It was a journey that included prisons, death threats and trials. But he got to Rome. The Lord took him to Rome. But it certainly wasn’t as Paul planned or dreamed it would be. It took a lot longer and it was a lot harder than he would have ever expected.

Had Paul known what it would take to get him to Rome, he may have had second thoughts. God got him there, but what a journey it was. It wasn’t the next day, the next week, or even the next month.

Now, some things we can learn from this:

First, often God’s Plan A is not ours. In fact, what God has planned for us may not even be on our list.

How we envision things is not how the Lord does. A nice sunny boat ride in the summer may have been in Paul’s mind. Instead, sailing as a prisoner and going at the wrong time of year, the storms were so violent that the ship capsized. All through that journey, faith was required. Things were hard. Paul got his prayer answered, but it sure wasn’t that smooth summer trip through calm waters.

Second, God’s answer to our prayers is often a long journey that we never anticipated. The journey through grief can be that way. The journey through a health issue certainly can be that way. We pray and we want the problem solved and out of our lives. God has boat rides through turbulent waters in mind. We want things resolved today. God has a few years for us to journey with this. Paul sitting in a Jerusalem prison may have thought that the Lord wasn’t going to answer his prayer.

Third, it takes incredible faith to say, “Whatever it takes, Lord.” We may want the Lord to do the incredible all the while we stay safely on the shoreline. The “whatever it takes” for Paul was a journey. Luke gives us more details about that journey than he does most of the conversions in Acts. Cargo thrown overboard. Contrary winds. Floating in the sea. Guards ready to kill. Not once do we find Paul saying, “I changed my mind, Lord. I don’t want to go to Rome. Take me back home.”

Whatever it takes:

  • Could you say, “Whatever it takes, Lord, I want my children to be saved?” Whatever it takes. That “whatever it takes,” may require switching schools, home schooling, or even moving. It may mean finding another congregation to worship with. If it means your child spends a day feeding the pigs like the prodigal, but that experience brings him back to God, could you say, “Whatever it takes, Lord.”

I wonder if we want to keep the boat next to the dock, and our “whatever it takes,” is nothing radical, unusual or extreme. And, when we put qualifiers like that on situations, then do we really what our children to be saved? I want them to be saved, as long as I don’t have to do anything hard. I want them to be saved as long as people do not think that we are weird. Whatever it takes, Lord.

  • Could you say, “Whatever it takes, Lord, I want the church to grow.” What if that “whatever it takes,” means you invite your neighbors and co-workers to worship with you? What if that “whatever it takes,” means teaching a class or having families into your home? What if “whatever it takes,” means you stepping up and being a shepherd? Whatever it takes can often mean, whatever the preacher does or whatever the church does, but not me.

Paul had an understanding that the spiritual was far more important than the physical. The spiritual was far more important than his personal comfort. It was more important than his safety. That spirit led Paul to go to the extreme. He’d do anything.

Extreme faith looks so different than safe and comfortable faith. It looks so different than what everyone else is doing. A faith that will not call it a day. A faith that goes above and beyond what is expected. A faith that won’t stop easily.

Whatever it takes, I want to go to Heaven. What if that meant, no TV in your house? What if that meant no more vacations? What if that meant pushing yourself to the limit?

Whatever it takes…what a thought.

Roger

19

Jump Start # 3249

Posted on January 19, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3249

Philippians 2:2 “make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.”

The other evening it was off to the symphony for us. It was featured to be a grand performance, Beethoven’s classic Fifth. Most have heard how it starts, “Da-Da-Da-DAAAA.” The place was packed. As I was watching and listening, a wonderful little lesson about unity came to me. Among the strings, there are violins, violas, cellos, all sitting among each other. Then the flutes, clarinets, trumpets, French horns, trombones. The large basses are on one side, the percussion in the back. Very organized. Each musician has his own score and plays the notes that he is supposed to.

To make all of this work, they must play follow the score and play their instrument at the proper time. There are times when some are not playing. There are times when it blends together very well. There are moments when one section has a more important or prominent role than others. But together, it makes for a wonderful, wonderful piece of music. UNITY.

And, that very example is helpful for us as we think about our fellowship and getting along with one another. We all have a piece to play in this. Some have a more prominent role at times than others. Some remain quiet while others are playing their part. As in the orchestra, we see in the congregation, it’s not about who played the most notes. It’s not about who had a solo. It’s not about who was recognized. Together, it becomes a masterpiece. That seems so simple when it comes to classical music. But somehow, when it comes to the church, things get messy.

Someone doesn’t get the attention that he feels he deserves. Now he is upset and letting others know he is upset. Another feels that some get more time than he does. He’s been keeping track of all of this. Now he is upset and letting others know. Some do nothing publicly. Some seem to do something publicly every week. Some seem to think there is a pecking order, and those that have been around the longest ought to have their voice heard first and the most. Some newer folks have ideas that they have seen in other places. Those ideas are fresh and exciting. Some don’t want change. Now, this is life in a church.

Put those same things back into the orchestra. The trumpet wants more attention, so he plays and he plays very loudly, but it’s not time for him. The strings get upset about first chair and second chair and some of them walk out during the piece. The kettle drummer way in the back is hardly noticed, so he begins banging loudly on his drums. No one is following the score, the conductor has lost control and the music is loud, chaotic and sickening. If that happened, I doubt there would be any applause at the end. If that continued, the orchestra would fall apart, people would leave and no one would be buying tickets.

Musicians are known to have egos. Some have very big egos. Yet, to play in orchestra, they must follow the piece written. And, as disciples, if we are going to have a fellowship, we must follow the words of Jesus. Our verse today echoes the thoughts of unity. The apostle says: same mind, same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. That purpose for the orchestra is playing Beethoven’s Fifth. That purpose for us as a church is to glorify God. Same, same, united and intent—simply play the notes before you.

Here are some reminders:

First, leave your ego at home. Better yet, put your ego out with the trash. You don’t need it anymore. You are a follower of Jesus. Don’t be expecting shoutouts, pats on the back or praise of any kind. Together, we honor Jesus. Same. Same. United. Intent. Don’t be a hold out. Don’t be a rebel. Don’t try to blaze your own trail. Don’t be unique, different or one of a kind. We need to be stirred and stirred, like paint in a bucket until we are all blended together. Don’t get upset if someone sits where you normally do. There are no assigned seating. Sitting somewhere else will allow you to talk to some that you often do not get a chance to.

Second, our attention needs to be upon honoring Jesus. How can I help people see Jesus? Am I standing in the way? Am I distorting the picture? What’s the best part of worship? The singing? The Lord’s Supper? The prayers? The preaching? The Fellowship? How about Beethoven’s Fifth? The strings? The horns? The conductor? Or, is it all of those blended together? The best part of worship is Jesus. Jesus in the songs. Jesus in the prayers. Jesus in the preaching. Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. Beginning to end, it’s Jesus.

Third, my wife is the musician in our family. Sometimes, she’ll learn over and whisper, the tempos off, or someone missed a note. I never catch that stuff. I’m still trying to figure out why the wood on some cellos are darker than others. And, in worship, those with a trained ear may catch a mistake here or there, especially if I’m preaching, but does that ruin the entire setting? It doesn’t for my wife. Many times when we go to the orchestra, she will tell me that she has played that piece before. For me, I’m the visitor, hearing it for the first time. And, such it is in our worship. The preacher might mix his passage numbers up, or have a typo on the notecard and the trained eye catches that. But we give that a pass. We don’t allow those things to ruin the atmosphere of worship. Anyone who has stood before an audience, especially a large one, realizes that he might get things mixed up a bit. We must not allow those things to take away from the overall praise of the Lord. And, like me in the orchestra audience, there are visitors among us and we must not ruin the experience for them.

Same-same-united—intent. Great words. Works well in the orchestra and it works well on Sunday morning in the church house. Working together—that’s the key.

Roger

18

Jump Start # 3248

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3248

Nehemiah 13:26 “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin.”

One of the great paradoxes in all the Bible is Solomon. It’s hard to figure him out. As the kingdom transfers from his father, David, to him, he seems so dedicated and focused upon the Lord. What stirring words he speaks as the temple is dedicated. Given the choice by God to have wealth, long life or wisdom, Solomon rightly chose wisdom. Wealth followed. Lots of wealth. The temple, built by Solomon was adorned with gold. In many ways, Solomon was on the path to be as noble, righteous and faithful as David was.

Solomon isn’t the spoiled rich kid who is selfish and indifferent to others. He seems to walk hand in hand with the Lord. But, then something unbelievable happens. He seems to toss it all away. This man of God becomes a man of idols. Solomon marries and marries and marries, not daughters of Israel as the law said he should, but foreigners. Pagans. Idolaters. He not only married foreign women, but he allowed them to influence him, dilute his faith and convert him to idolatry. He followed them.

This incredibly wise man does something really dumb. His first mistake was bringing pagans into the palace. His second mistake was marrying them. This third mistake was allowing them to have their way. His fourth mistake was participating and joining with them in fellowship of error.

And, right here is this grand paradox. Someone so smart that does something so dumb. Biblical history doesn’t tell us if Solomon ever came to his senses and came back fully to the Lord. If Ecclesiastes is his own personal story, then it seems like he does late in life. But what a train wreck he caused. Rather than leading all these wives to the Lord, they led Solomon to the idols. Did he not remember the Temple? Did he not remember his father, David? Did he not remember God’s law? Did he not remember God’s promises to him? If someone that wise can become such a fool, what about us?

There are lessons for us:

First, it wasn’t doctrine that pulled Solomon away. It was trying to please someone at home. Emotions and feelings can be stronger than truth to us. We are not told why Solomon married so many foreign women, but politically, it would ensure peace. It would be hard for a neighboring king to attack Jerusalem, if that king’s daughter was in the palace with Solomon. If that was the reason, on paper it seems good, but in reality it opened the door for disaster. We must not try to out think the Lord. When God stated that he wanted Israel to only marry Israel, God knew what He was talking about. Solomon may have thought an exception would be to keep peace among the nations. He might have believed that he was an exception and he could handle it.

Did not Solomon think about his influence? If the king wasn’t obeying God’s law, why should the servant, or, the soldier? Inconsistencies, double standards are not faith building. They created doubt, suspicion and anger. If the king could, why couldn’t anyone else?

We need to see the parallel to our times. Trying to keep peace at home, the Christian will attend less. He will take his foot off the spiritual accelerator. His giving may drop off. His time spent with other Christians may become more infrequent. The spouse is not a Christian and it’s a lot easier to try to keep them happy than it is to take a stand for the Lord. Some go so far as to compromise where they worship. They sell out their convictions just to keep peace in the family.

Second, we must not allow feelings, emotions, the pressure from others to top what we know is right. Our views on divorce cannot change because a daughter gets a divorce. Our sympathy for our family cannot be the guideline for how we view the Bible. Wearing rose colored glasses gives everything a “rosy” tint to it. We need to remove those glasses and see clearly.

Where were the priests in Solomon’s life? Were they afraid to say anything? Were they so corrupt that they bought into what Solomon was doing?

Third, it is always better to displease others than it is to anger the Lord. We see each other all the time and we may think keeping them happy is the best way to go. It may keep peace, but it’s selling our soul at a cost that we cannot afford.

Our verse today, written a long, long time after Solomon, shows us the displeasure God had with him. The foreign wives caused “even him to sin.” When will we take such lessons to heart. Marrying a Christian doesn’t mean paradise, nor that one will remain true to God. But when we marry a pagan, aren’t we inviting trouble? It’s always easier to go downhill than it is uphill. Caused even him to sin…what a profound statement from Heaven! Convictions to the Lord cannot be sold for peace on earth with family.

To God, let us be true and faithful, even if some in the family do not agree and become unhappy.

Roger