16

Jump Start # 3578

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3578

2 Corinthians 3:2 “You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men.”

Our verse today worded in the King James comes out as: “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts…”. And, that makes us think of the hymn, “The World’s Bible.” And, in many ways, that is very true. When people see you, right or wrong, they make three judgments based upon what they see in you. First, they make a judgment about your faith. They may think that you are strict and narrow. They might conclude, from what they see, that you are a hypocrite. You talk a good game, but your talk and walk do not match. They might see a picture of true love, grace and faith. This is what a Christian is supposed to look like. Secondly, they make a judgment about the congregation you attend. They assume that just about everyone in that church is like you. Now, if their judgment of you is not positive, they will have a concluding negative judgment about the congregation. They do this without ever stepping foot into the church building, This is all based upon what they see in you. Finally, from what they see in you, they make a judgment about Jesus. The Jesus you present to them, through the way you live, is favorable or something they want to run from. Your attitudes. Your words. Your reaction to stress. All of these things forms a version of the Bible based upon you.

In that hymn, “The World’s Bible,” the question is asked, “What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?” I have in my library some looks that are that way. It’s difficult to read them. The poor print job distorts the message. The hymn is not asking about a literal book. It’s not asking about the print in your Bible. It’s asking about the way you live. You are our letter, Paul said. The way you live is witnessed by so many people. There are those who watch you and you are not even aware of that.

So, what if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?

First, none of us will be the perfect version of Jesus. We’d love to be, but we won’t. There are times when our type will be blurry. There will be times when we appear crooked. This is when honesty makes a huge difference. We apologize when we have done wrong. We admit that we are a work in progress. We are not Jesus. He was the perfect, unblemished sacrifice.

Some leave a congregation because of the way they were treated. Gossip, ignoring others, petty attitudes hurt friendships and ruin fellowships. But Jesus has never treated us like this. People may have neglected you. Jesus didn’t. People may have been mean to you. Jesus wasn’t. The message isn’t about us. It’s about Jesus. Even blurry, we can point people to Jesus.

Second, we must do a better job of walking in Christ. Some are incredible examples. Some are terrible examples. Just getting baptized and sitting in a church building isn’t it. Are you walking daily with the Lord? Are you letting His word dwell within you? Do you leave your faith and convictions at the door of the church building when you leave? Maybe there would be less blurry print if we did a better job of being devoted to the Lord. We put up with mean spirits and gossipy tongues far too long. Although those folks may have been baptized a long time ago, they certainly are not walking very close to the Savior. We can do a better job of making the print less blurry in our lives.

Third, what we want the world to see is our kindness, our generosity, our faith in the Lord, and our hearts of service. This is what will catch the eye of your family and the world. Being quick to forgive. Being one of the first to jump in and help out. Knowing when to keep quiet and not say anything. Living joyfully. Bringing sunshine upon a gloomy world. Less judgmental and more inviting. Sharing your time, your heart and your life for others.

When the world sees these things, they may not notice the crooked type so much. But with pointed fingers, a judgmental tongue and a blaming attitude, the world will revert to a defensive position and start picking apart your life. The flaws seem greater when one is looking for them.

Many a person first noticed a Christian before he knew anything about what he believed. Kindness attracts. And, in a season of hatred, racism, and destruction, mouths that flow with gentleness and love are refreshing. Christians are not to blend in. We are not like everyone else. Be not conformed, but be transformed is our calling in Christ.

You are the world’s Bible.

Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today…

He has no feet but our feet to lead me in His way;

He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died,

He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

 

We are the only Bible the careless world will read,

We are the sinner’s gospel, We are the scoffer’s creed;

We are the Lord’s last message given in deed and word,

What if the type is crooked? What if print is blurred?

 

What if our hands are busy with other things than His?

What if our feet are walking where sins allurement is?

What if our tongues are speaking of things His life would spurn,

How can we hope to help Him and welcome His return?

Anne Johnson Flint (1866-1932)

Roger

15

Jump Start # 3577

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3577

Ecclesiastes 7:5 “It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man than to listen to the song of fools.”

The Holy Spirit guided Solomon to write some of the most practical and useful helps from Heaven. As with the Proverbs, many lines coming from Ecclesiastes are written in the form of contrasts. Such is our verse today. Rebuke is contrasted with song. And, wise man is contrasted with fools.

Better is the rebuke of a wise man than to listen to the song of fools. Most often, Solomon doesn’t explain the “why” behind such noble and novel statements. Why is the rebuke of a wise man better than the song of a fool? We like songs. We like listening to music. My wife and I often go to the orchestra. I love hearing our little grandchildren sing. Songs put a smile on our hearts. They lift our spirits. We love listening to songs.

Rebuke on the other hand means something isn’t right. We have several words for rebuke. Words such as, censure; reprimand; criticize; reproach; give a talking to; or, common to our times, ‘a come to Jesus meeting.’ There are two stings that come with a rebuke. First, is realizing that we were wrong. The second, is that someone else recognizes that we were wrong. The rebuke doesn’t come from ourselves. It’s a wise man that gives the rebuke.

And, herein lies the problem. We like listening to songs, but we don’t enjoy rebuke. It doesn’t matter if it comes from the pulpit, and the preacher has knocked the shine off your shoes; or, from work; or, from our spouse. Rebukes sting. They hurt. And, the natural and most common reaction to a rebuke is to get defensive, search for an excuse and turn the tables on the one confronting us.

Our passage is more than just stating a rebuke, but it is better if we have listened to it. We received it. We have accepted it. We have considered it. And, we need this because we are often blind to our own faults. Some have done wrong for so long that they no longer see what they are doing is wrong. Faults are like the headlights of a car. The ones’ coming toward you always seem brighter than yours.

Now, some thoughts from this:

First, it is better to listen to the rebuke because who is sharing it with you. Our verse identifies this person as a wise man. Do you think he enjoys giving a rebuke? He’d rather compliment. He’d rather praise. But he can’t and he won’t. And, the reason is he cares so much about you, that he wants you to do what is right. He loves your soul and he is trying to help.

We muddy the water and make matters difficult when we refuse to listen to what a wise person says to us and we close our ears to any suggestions that would lead to a more righteous life. The wise man cares about you. He doesn’t want to see you continue down the path you are going. His wisdom allows him to see things that you may not see. He sees consequences. He sees what it does to our habits and attitudes. He sees how it wounds our family. He’s seen enough. Now he speaks. In gentleness, wrapped in love, he rebukes. He realizes how difficult this is. You may explode. You may walk away. You may be finished with him, forever. He takes that chance. It’s worth that chance, to try to help you.

Second, a fool won’t rebuke. A fool only thinks about himself. A fool is only in the moment. He doesn’t know consequences or eternity. This is why he is a fool. Dance with me, the fool says. Listen to my songs, the fool says. Happy, happy, happy, is all the fool is interested in. Don’t think about rules. Don’t think about others. Just be happy. Oh, that song has many different titles. Ole’ blue eyes Sinatra sang, “I did it my way.” Another song declared, “If loving you is wrong, then I don’t want to be right.” From the past to the present, the fool keeps singing.

Third, the goal of the rebuke is a changed life. Repentance is the outcome of a rebuke listened to. A course correction takes place. Wrong has been stopped and now right is being pursued. A life has been saved. The prophet Nathan rebuked king David. Jesus rebuked a demon and it came out of the person. Peter rebuked the Lord and in turn was rebuked by Jesus.

There are some who are would love to sign up to be the policemen of the church. They’d love to write out tickets for kids running in hallways, people sleeping during services, and for a pitiful contribution given. Quick to rebuke and quick to find fault is the joy of some. And, some do it so often that no one listens to them any more. Every time they open their mouths, out flies a rebuke. And, it never ends. Every service. Every get together. Every singing. Every opportunity and even when there is no opportunity. Such is wearisome and discouraging. Some are never happy.

I saw a cartoon years ago. A very unhappy woman was standing at the customer service counter. The man at the counter said, “Ma’am, if we refund you the money, give you a new product, close the store and shoot the manager, would you be happy?” And, for most the answer would be a profound, NO.

There is a time and a place for rebuke. A wise man recognizes that. There is a way to rebuke. A wise man recognizes that. The purpose of a rebuke is not to crush and destroy someone, but rather to make a person do better. The goal is success, not destruction.

Better is rebuke than a song. Better is what a wise man says than what a fool says. Better if we listen than we ignore. Ageless truths and treasures from God’s word.

Roger

14

Jump Start # 3576

Posted on May 14, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3576

Psalm 109:10-13 “Let his children wander about and beg. And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. Let the creditor seize all that he has, and let strangers plunder the product of his labor.  Let there be none to extend loving kindness to him, Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off; in a following generation let their name be blotted out.”

They are referred to as the Imprecatory Psalms. They are bold, bluntly harsh and troublesome to us as to what to make of them. They are seeking the doom of the enemy. In the third Psalm, there is praise to God for breaking the teeth of the enemy. In Psalms 137:9, as the Psalmist thinks about his oppressor, Babylon, he pleads, “How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones against the rock.”

Wow. We’d be very uncomfortable with anyone praying like this in our worship. We’d wonder what was wrong with that guy. We’d think about loving your enemy, extending grace and offering forgiveness. But, there they are in our Bibles, those imprecatory Psalms, and there are many of them. What are we to do with those raw and violent statements?

First, we need to understand that the Psalmist was praying these things to God. He himself was not on a mission to bash the teeth of his enemy or break any bones. He was leaving this to God. Now, if God would do those things, he’d be just fine with that.

Second, we see the clearness of emotions in these words. The Psalmist hurt. He had been hurt. Not everyone was getting along in the neighborhood, as Mr. Rogers would like us to. Oppression, violence, abuse and persecution litter the pages of the Bible. God’s innocent were hurt. God’s people were taken advantage of. And, in the depth of anger and pain, the soul cries out, “Do something God.”

The prophet Habakkuk asked, “How long will I cry for help and You not hear me?” In Revelation six, the martyred saints ask, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Peter tells us that Lot’s righteous soul was vexed or tormented day after day by what he saw and heard in Sodom. A tormented soul cries for relief. It begs the God who can do something to change things. I wonder if we have just looked the other way so often, that wrong doesn’t bother us. We’ve learned to tolerate rather than be tormented by our culture today.

Third, the Psalmist understood that God is not neutral in this world. He is not passively sitting on the sidelines of life, cheering us on, like at a high school football game. We see in Scriptures that the king’s heart is like water in the hands of God. He can turn it whichever way He wants. In Daniel, we learn that God removes kings and established kings. While the nightly news may tell of wars and troubles in far away lands, what we do not see is God moving things, much like chess pieces, to fulfill His divine will.

Why plead with God to crush the enemy? Because God can. Because God has. The Egyptian army drowned in the sea. Assyria. Babylon. Persia. They all had a moment on the stage of life and each played a role in God’s plans, but each was put back in the chess box, no longer needed by God.

Fourth, the Psalmist did not have the powerful example of Christ before him to know how to conduct himself with his enemies. Peter said that Jesus left us an example to follow. Threatened, He did not return threats. Reviled, He did not utter anything back. Silent before those who held the power of life and death, Jesus understood, that nothing could happen that was not part of God’s divine plan. No one killed Jesus. He gave His life up.

So, as we read in the N.T. of the execution of the prophet John, the preacher Stephen, the apostle James, the disciple Antipas, and even Paul’s certain coming death, we do not find imprecatory words and prayer. This side of the cross changes things. This side of the cross helps us.

As the world tries to crush Christians, let us remember which side of the cross that we are on. Let us stand in the shadow of the cross and let us conduct ourselves in a noble way, as our dear Lord did.

There is no need to be calling for God to ring someone’s bell. He’ll handle such things in His way and in His time.

Roger

13

Jump Start # 3575

Posted on May 13, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3575

Acts 18:26 “and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Our passage today is interesting. It leads to lots of questions about application. Apollos was preaching. He is introduced to us as an eloquent and gifted man. He is said to have been mighty in the Scriptures. A powerful speaker who knew the word of God. However, all he knew was the baptism of John. He didn’t know about baptism in Christ. As he was boldly preaching in the synagogue in Ephesus, a couple heard him. He wasn’t quite right about some things. And, what our verse tells us is what this couple did.

Now, some lessons for us:

First, it is very impressive to see someone as gifted and talented as Apollos using his abilities for God. He could have been in politics. He could have been a great salesman. But, he didn’t. The world has been filled with very talented men and women who write songs, books, are wonderful speakers but they pour all their talent into secular and worldly pursuits. It’s refreshing to see a man who could kill it in the business world, instead spend his life preaching and teaching the word of God. He won’t have the house, the lifestyle or the comforts had he gone to the business world, but he has chosen to help change the eternity for everyone that obeys the Gospel of Christ.

Gifted Apollos is preaching. Currently, we are seeing a dry period of fewer and fewer preachers. I’ve been asked more than once, “where are all the preachers?” As my generation begins to round third base and head home, this ought to be a concern for both homes and congregations. The pull to make millions in sports can be so appealing. But what about the good that is accomplished by a life that preaches and teaches Jesus?

Second, when Priscilla and Aquila heard something missing in Apollos’ sermon, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God. They didn’t do this at the door of the church building as they were walking out. They took him aside. They didn’t contact Paul and have Paul do this. They were the ones who heard and they were the ones who took action.

Although the text doesn’t detail what they said, knowing them and knowing the rest of the Scriptures, I expect they were gentle, kind and helpful. When one begins with threats, accusations and pressuring someone, the results won’t be good. Most get defensive. Most don’t like to be accused. Usually a war takes place between the people.

I have been on both sides of that table that they sat at. Most every preacher have. I’ve had people walk out of my sermons mad. They didn’t stick around to hear all the sermon, nor did they give me an opportunity to talk to them. Sometimes what one thinks he hears is not what one actually said. I’ve sat down with someone and relistened to a sermon that he thought I had said something wrong. Having listened to it together, he realized I didn’t say what he thought I did. He apologized and we parted as friends. I have also talked to others about something they said in a sermon.

The text leads us to believe that it was just Apollos and Priscilla and Aquila in that discussion. What about the others who heard Apollos? Maybe they didn’t catch what Priscilla and Aquila did. Maybe they had no problem with what Apollos said. Maybe they thought it wasn’t their place to say anything or maybe they didn’t want to get involved. Some may have been intimidated by Apollos. The guy can preach. He knows the Bible. Who am I to correct him?

But Priscilla and Aquila did. But also, notice the reaction of Apollos. First, he agreed to meet with Priscilla and Aquila. He could have thought, who are you to correct me? He was open and willing. Also notice he didn’t turn to the social media of his day to cry out that he had been accused. Had this verse not been left for us, we would have never known about this. They met in private. They talked. They listened. And, Apollos learned and changed.

Third, outside this passage, nothing seems to be said about this again. Apollos is so effective at Corinth, that some were saying, “I am of Apollos.” He becomes a significant preacher after the apostles. No one seems to put an asterisk by his name, “remember, he once was wrong about baptism.” All was good. The glory of God is what was sought and the glory of God is what was found.

It seems this “taking him aside” aspect is missing these days. There sure seems to be so much blasted on social media that really doesn’t belong there. Satan will use things like that to drive wedges, cause people to take sides and disrupt the good that is being done.

Now, the obvious question arises, what to do when someone says things that are not accurate with the Bible? First, consider who is saying these things. Is it a guy giving a Wednesday night invitation, and his sweaty forehead tells you that he is so nervous. Give the guy some space. Be patient with him. Don’t chew him out. I’m not sure if we ought to chew anyone out, except the Devil.

But, what if the guy who says something is a seasoned preacher? What if red flags go up? What if he is speaking error? We must not be so blind as to think that wolves in sheep clothing cannot happen these days.

What did Priscila and Aquila do? Apollos wasn’t a mechanic who was giving his first Wednesday night invitation. Apollos was experienced. He knew the Scriptures. He was wrong. Does that change what one should do? They took him aside and explained the way of God to him. But, someone will say, what if Apollos didn’t get it? What if Apollos kept preaching John’s baptism? What if Apollos disagreed with Priscilla and Aquila?

This is where the independence and autonomy of congregations come in. Do Priscilla and Aquila draw lines of fellowship against Apollos? Does Apollos complain that he was misunderstood? Is Apollos marked as a false teacher? Are Priscilla and Aquila accused of being trouble-makers? Who would be right and who would be wrong?

Just a few final thoughts:

First, thankfully none of those things happened in Acts 18. Maybe a spirit is missing today or pride is running too thick among us for that to happen. The conclusion of the Acts 18 meeting is that the disciples encouraged Apollos and wrote letters to welcome him. That’s refreshing isn’t it?

Second, there has always been a spirit of error.  In nearly every N.T. book, other than Philemon, the situation of error or false teaching is addressed. Error like a cancer, grows and can kill. The best thing to do is to continue to preach and teach the Gospel of Christ. I don’t have to know how crooked a stick is. All I have to do is lay a straight stick beside it and then I will know. Spend time teaching accurately the things of God. Truth has nothing to fear and nothing to hide. Error will twist and turn and redefine words, switch topics and do anything and everything but be honest and change. Error and truth do not dwell together nicely in a home, a congregation or our hearts. They will not tolerate each other. One will drive the other out. When our allegiance is with friends and family, we are more likely to tolerate error. When our commitment is to Christ, friend or not, family or not, we will draw the line in the sand and stand with truth.

Third, each person and each congregation will have to decide for themselves what to do. We do not have a system that dictates for all congregations who is in and who is out with the Lord. There will be congregations that use preachers that may make me shake my head and wonder about them. My choice is that I do not have to be a part of those things. When my own congregation does something that I do not believe is true to the Scriptures, I will voice my concerns in kindness and gentleness to the shepherds of that flock. If it gets to a point that I feel that I am being forced to go against my convictions, then I must cut ties and find another place to worship.

I may not see what you see. You may not see what I see. You may be able to do things that I cannot and I might do things that you cannot. We each must work out our salvation before the Lord knowing that we will each be judged as individuals. I can only answer for myself, and not for you. You can only answer for yourself and not for me. I am only responsible for what I do and the extent of my fellowship within the congregation that I belong to. What happens out there in the brotherhood may alarm me, frighten me, and even disappoint me, but it is not necessarily the battle that I must go and fight. My fight is where I am a part of. Paul had the concern for all the churches, I don’t. What happens in all the churches is not my business. I am not an apostle.

The only thing the N.T. tells us to do with the brotherhood is to love it. It’s not my place to protect it, save it, or keep it on the rails. What takes place in the congregation I’m a part of is much different. That’s where my fellowship belongs and where accountability takes place. I will fight, defend, protect, and guard my congregation with all that I have. I will fight error from coming in. I will do all I can to keep the devil out. What others do in other places is between them and the Lord and to the Lord they will have to give an account. I may not agree with them. They may not agree with me.

There seems to be too much government involvement in our lives these days and there can be too much church politics in our lives as well. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord—sure sounds sweet to me. There will be wolves, troublemakers, false brethren, pushers of error around the kingdom. There has always been. Jesus talked about false Christs. Paul was hurt by false brethren. Some preached to cause Paul more pain. In a perfect world, we’d cleanse the kingdom of all that dirt and grim. But the world isn’t perfect and it’s not really our job to do that.

I don’t like error. Neither do I like someone from another place telling me what to do. My battleground is here in Southern Indiana. This is where I will die on a hill fighting for the Lord. This is where I am intimately aware of what’s going on. This is where I belong.

They took him aside…something to think about.

Roger

10

Jump Start # 3574

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3574

Jeremiah 23:16 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord.”

Jeremiah lived in troublesome times. The glory days of Judah was about to end. The patience of God on this wayward nation had run out. Babylon was coming and the destruction would be severe. The nation was not turning back to God. And, one of the major reasons was that the prophets, who ought to have been the spiritual leaders, were telling everyone that all is fine. Earlier they said, “Peace, peace,” but God said, there is no peace. The role of the prophets were to be the voice piece of God and to preach the righteous ways of the Lord. Things were so bad with these prophets, that in our verse today, God says, “do not listen to them.” And, in a profound revelation, God says the visions of these prophets were of their own imagination. They had made up things. It’s what they wanted, not what the Lord had declared.

Visions of their own imagination, not just something the prophets of old came up with, but something we find today. Consider:

First, the imagination of some today ignores what the Bible says. They want a utopia of love and peace and nothing matters. No rules. No regulations. No limitations. No doctrines. No sermons. Just, love and peace. In this imaginary world, sexuality, gender dysphoria, how one worships, the function of the church, all blend together under the wonderful world of grace. “Imagine,” some say, “a church without doctrine.” Or, “loving God is the only requirement.” And, this dreamy world of love, grace and acceptance only exists in their imagination. Realty teaches us that God knows what works. God understands us better than we know ourselves. God knows human nature, and without instruction, warnings, guardrails, doctrine, man will sink deeper and deeper into the sewer of sin.

Second, the imagination of the prophets in Jeremiah’s day, closed their eyes to what was happening all around them. Imagination is just another way of saying denial. Judah was all in with idolatry. From the top to the bottom, the nation was corrupt and deluded, not accepting Jehovah as the one true God. Jeremiah came across as an out of touch, old fashioned, hard nosed, relic from the past. Yet the imaginary ways of the prophets, while making some happy, they never brought the people closer to God. The imagination of these false prophets was not stopping the coming destruction that the wrath of God was bringing upon them. Dream all you want. Wish all you want. The way of God is not changed by our wants, demands or protests.

Ask for the ancient paths, is a statement from the Lord in Jeremiah. Don’t be chasing your imaginations that are unfounded and untrue. Stand with the Lord.

Third, without Biblical evidence, these imaginary visions would all fall apart. They were not from God. And, today, when we try to build a system solely on grace and want to discredit doctrine, the crowds will swell, but they won’t last. They won’t last because the basis and the foundation are not of the Lord. What happens when the next prophet comes along with a different imagination? Then, yet another one? Step by step, away from the Lord they go, until they are so far away that they cannot even find the Lord.

Fourth, the prophets had the assumption that they could improve upon the Lord. They knew what the Lord didn’t know. They had a better way. They had a message that was kinder. They knew, so they thought. And, at the core, is the problem that they were not content with the way of the Lord. Everyone around them had idols. Why can’t we? Everyone around them didn’t have all those strict rules that the O.T. demanded. Why do we? The message was of freedom. The message was of joy. The message was not of God.

We cannot find a better way to worship than what the Lord has authorized. We cannot find a better way to salvation than what the Lord has authorized.

Leave the imagination to Disney. We must walk with the Lord.

Roger