Jump Start # 3486

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

One of the key tools of learning is asking and answering questions. This is an interquel part of life that follows us all of our days. Put a five-year-old in your world and the day is non-stop questions. “Why is the sky blue?” “How come ice is cold?” “Why do worms live in the dirt?” Sometimes even before you can come up with an answer, they are on to another question. Grown daughters ask their mothers about a recipe. We ask questions at work. Parents ask their teens about getting their homework done and cleaning their rooms. We ask financial advisors questions about investments.

It shouldn’t surprise us that we find the Gospels filled with questions. The people asked Jesus questions and the Lord asked them questions. Some of the questions to the Lord were unfair, dishonest and intended to trap Him. Some of the questions the Lord asked were to make people think about their motives and why they did things. I have several books about the questions of Jesus.

Recently, in a sermon, I asked a question. “Other than sitting in a church building on Sunday morning, what is the real difference between your life and the life of a non-Christian?” Are we pursuing the same things? Are we watching the same movies? Are we hanging out with the same people? Are our attitudes the same? Same interests? Same conversations? Same ways we define life? Same way we treat others? Same way we approach work? Same way we raise our kids? Other than where life finds us on a Sunday morning, are we really any different than the people of the world?

I love and I also hate those kinds of questions. Questions like that do more than make us tap the brakes on life. This is both feet on the brake pedal as hard as we can. Has my faith in the Lord made me any different than those in my family who are not Christians? Has my faith in the Lord made me a better person?

What are some of the differences that ought to be clearly seen in your life that is radically different from someone who is not a Christian:

First, from the inside to the outside, I ought to be very different. Not just where Sundays find me, but Monday morning at work or school. Because of Jesus, I’m a new creation. I’m transformed. I no longer think like I once did. The Lord has opened my eyes. I think before I speak. I consider consequences of all that I do. Thoughts of the Lord constantly run through my mind. As a result, my attitude has been reshaped and my conversations reflect that.

Popular shows and movies that everyone is talking about, I may have never seen. I chose not to because the language or the immorality or the way these shows mocked Jesus. While the world laughs, I don’t. I’ve changed from the inside out. I don’t need the approval of everyone else to be liked or to know that I am doing what is right. I don’t let the standards of others set the bar for me.

Second, the way I talk about others and the way I treat others is very different. I don’t find it fun to put other people down. In fact, I look for ways to encourage others. I pray about my co-workers. I want to be kind and forgiving to others. I want to be quick to give a guy a second chance. Being helpful where I can has some saying things because they think I have alternative motives. But I don’t. I just want to make a difference in someone’s life.

Third, how I view myself is different. I don’t talk so much about myself. I don’t need to brag. I’m not after the praise of others. I want the Lord to be pleased. So humbleness, listening, gentleness, compassion and generosity are going to be daily qualities of my life. I walk with Jesus and I want to be like Jesus. I take my faith seriously. I pray because I want to and I need to. I read God’s word daily, because I find joy in doing that. I am deeply connected to my church family. I love those people. I need those people in my life. They help me stay close to Jesus.

Other than sitting in a church building on Sunday, is there any real difference between you and a non-Christian? Oh, yes. The way we look at life. The way we shape our decisions. The way we treat others. The way we think about ourselves.

And, in these simple areas, you become a light into the world. Your hope. Your faith. Your love. They all point towards Jesus and to Heaven.

Roger

Jump Start # 2666

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

In the news recently, yet another well known evangelical preacher is in trouble for moral indiscretions. This has given critics of faith another reason to boast that all Christians, especially preachers, are frauds, hypocrites, and are only interested in fleecing the flock of their finances. Lest we think that is only “among them,” and not us, our own fellowship has been hammered by unfaithfulness, divorce and broken promises, even among our preachers. Years of good in the pulpit can be wiped away by just a few fleeting moments of sin. And, the aftermath, is like a major bomb that has exploded. Reputation ruined. Confidence shattered. There are those who will use dark moments like that to find the exit door and never come back. It taints and colors people’s attitudes. It makes everyone suspicious of all the others. It’s hard as a preacher to follow a disaster in a church. I followed a preacher who borrowed a bunch of money from members and others and then skipped town. Boy, that left a sour taste in the mouths of the brethren. I was asked several times about my finances and if I ever borrowed money from individuals. It took me a while to figure out why they kept asking me all those questions. But I learned. They didn’t know if they could trust me.

Our verse is about the wonderful impact that a good influence can have. The Lord shows us the two step direction which people see. First, they see the good that you have done. You have helped others. You have been there. You have been an encouragement. But the second step, is not to praise you, or pat you on the back, but rather, to glorify God. Your good points to God. Now this is done as we give credit, honor and praise to God. People might not naturally do that, but with our lead they will. Don’t steal the glory that belongs to the Lord.

There is something special about influence. Right or wrong, people will make three judgments based upon what you do.

First, they will make a judgment about you personally. They will determine whether you are genuine and sincere or not. They will sense whether you are after something, want something, or whether you are truly a good hearted person. We must be careful about this in evangelism. We run into someone and we really want them to be a part of our congregation. We lay it on thick. We invite them out to eat with us. We have them over. Lots of attention is given. But when they decide not to be a part of the church, suddenly, we are finished with them. No more invites. No more getting together. And, it doesn’t take much to see through the smoke. You were trying to buy them and when they didn’t, you moved on to someone else.

How we act under fire often shows our true colors. How do we handle stress at work? How do we respond to gossip? The same is true when around family members. They see us. Does our walk match our talk? If we are seen to be “two-faced,” then there will not be much interest in what we say. How honest are we in business? How kind and generous are we when out to eat? Does anger change us and get the best of us? There are all kinds of eyes seeing you every day. Little eyes at home. The eyes of co-workers and business associates. The eyes of neighbors. And, from what they see, they make a determination about your faith.

Second, they will make a judgment about the congregation based upon what they see in you. I don’t know how many times through the years I’ve heard someone say, “Oh, I know someone that goes to your church.” And then what follows is negative. He lies. He’s a cheat. He cusses. He’s a big flirt, even though he’s married. It’s hard to overcome those negative judgments. People see you and they assume everyone in the congregation is like you. So, if the image is kind, friendly, caring, generous, helpful, that judgment will do more good than a mountain of tracts. Doctrinal truth is not as important to most people as is kindness, goodness and hearts that care.

So, this tells us that we must be careful about our influence. “Burning bridges,” leaving a place of work with ugly words, threats and things that just shouldn’t be said, might make you feel good for the moment, but it may well have ruined any opportunity for those people to ever visit the congregation. They will see the church through you. So if you have been dishonest to make a sell, cut corners that shouldn’t have been, bent the rules, the person of the world will conclude that the church is a bunch of hypocrites and fakes. The message from the pulpit can be ruined by the message of our lives. But, when you have gone out of your way to make things right, even if it costs you, people will remember. They will take note of that. And, that impression may open their eyes to listen to the message of the Gospel.

Third, people will make a judgment about Jesus and the system of Christianity from what they see in you. It trickles about to the Lord. Just as our good works brings glory to the Lord, our bad ways makes people want nothing to do with the Lord. We are a reflection of Jesus. This is why in this Matthew account Jesus said, “You are the light of the world,” and “you are the salt of the earth.” Jesus did not say, “You need to become that,” or, “you ought to be that.” His words were, “YOU ARE.” If indeed Christ lives in me, than the impression I leave with others is much more important than myself. Making a scene, loosing your temper, giving someone a piece of your mind, only distorts the perception one has of the Lord.

We have been blessed. And when we become a blessing to others, it shows the goodness of God. We have been forgiven. And, when we forgive others, we show the goodness of God. When we serve, we show the goodness of God. When we are thankful, we show the goodness of God.

Impressions. What we do outside the church building can be the greatest help or the biggest hindrance to everything that we do. People are watching. People are making a decision about what they see. Make sure, they see what God wants you to illustrate. You are the light…You are the salt.

Roger

Jump Start # 2085

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

In our last Jump Start, we talked about impressions and what a congregation can do to make a good impression upon a visitor. There are more things that need to be said in this area. Becoming a welcoming church is important. Jesus welcomed the crowds around Him. People found in Jesus someone who cared. Children were welcomed by Jesus. The outcasts, the troubled, the diseased, all found a friend in Jesus.

Our verse today, not directed congregationally, but individually, reminds us of the importance of influence and impressions. Shine that light in such a way. The same light that can attract, can blind. The light that draws attention, can make it hard to see. Give a five-year-old a flashlight, and he’ll shine it in your eyes. There is a right way and a wrong way to shine that light.

As we continue our thoughts about making impressions congregationally, one area that so little consideration is given to is announcements. The idea of making announcements is not found in the Bible, but is accepted and convenient to keep the church informed. We make announcements about special meetings, the sick, those needing help and all sorts of things.

Here are some thoughts about announcements:

First, make announcements with consideration of the visitor. I’ve seen some make announcements as services begin and then they make the same announcements as services end. I’ve seen some try to recap what the sermon was all about, often times, missing the point of what the sermon was about. I’ve seen long, drawn out announcements. I’ve seen people add to the announcements from the pews, speaking out or making corrections to what was being said. I’ve seen names mispronounced and personal medical information that is delicate and private being announced.

Give some thought to a person who might be visiting for the first time. Consider how to stream line announcements. Using the bulletin, and opening slides, possibly cut down the number of announcements.

Second, the timing of announcements is also important. I’ve seen services begin with the announcement of a death that happened the night before. Few knew about it. You could hear the expressions of shock in the auditorium. That one statement put a dark pale upon the rest of services. Our announcements can change and even disrupt the thoughts necessary for worship. Maybe hold off on that announcement until the end. I’ve seen the opening of a special meeting with the announcement of church discipline. Could that have held off for one more week? Give thought as to when and what is being announced.

Third, at the beginning of worship is a wonderful time to have a warm and kind greeting. Welcome visitors. Very briefly, let it be know what is going to take place. Set the tone for encouragement and put God before our eyes.

Fourth, give some thought as to who gives announcements. Face it, some are comfortable behind a mic and others nearly pass out. Some mumble. Some don’t stand behind the mic, they stand to the side of it. Some do not raise their voice. So the result is a few people in the first roles can hear, but the rest can’t. Within the audience, people whisper, “what did he say?” “Who’s in the hospital?” That rather defeats the purpose of announcements if what is being said cannot be heard.

Fifth, some go off script and use the occasion to get a few things off their chest. The announcer is not the preacher. The preacher peaches and the announcer gives announcements. Sometimes those two get their roles confused.

Sixth, we know the power of prayer, but often in a large congregation, everyone knows someone who is in hospital or having a hard time. A co-worker, a neighbor, an aunt’s best friend, someone from down home, and often no one else has a clue who these folks are. Is it wrong to do that, no. But, in a large congregation, you could have a long, long list. Discretion needs to be used. Someone, like the elders, ought to have the final say as to what names go in the announcements and what names do not.

Finally, closing announcements, may be one of the final things a person remembers and takes with them. There has been a sermon, prayers, lots of songs and now a final few announcements. Letting people know where material, CD’s, and other information is located at and are free is important. Final thoughts. Make them positive, uplifting and inviting. There may be some things that are announced on a Sunday evening or Wednesday evening that may not be announced on a Sunday morning. The reason being, thinking about the visitor.

The announcements should not be an obstacle to the worship. The announcements should not hinder worship. Impressions. Give thought to what is being said and who is listening.

Roger

Jump Start # 1253

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

  Our passage today is about influence. We tend to make applications of this passage to talk about the times we are out in the world. The workplace, the classroom are the common thoughts we surround with these verses. Show that you are a Christian. Stand up, stand up for Jesus. Those are all good thoughts, however, one place that we sometimes forget to shine is at home. The holidays are upon us. The next couple of weekends will be packed with family, presents, food and activities. Going home for the holidays is great fun. There are songs that remind us of this. Songs such as, “I’ll be home for Christmas,” or, “Oh, there’s no place like home for the holidays.” However, for some, home for the holidays brings challenges and stress. Our grown brothers and sisters, cousins, uncles and even parents can push the limits with our patience and get away with things that we wouldn’t let others do. We can leave the family meal feeling beat up and run over.

Let me illustrate this for you. It’s dinner time for the N family. Gathered around the table is:

• Never pleased Dad. What ever you do, it’s never enough. He thinks you ought to have a better job, drive a better car, live in a better house and sometimes even be married to a better person. He’s never happy with you. You can do better. You feel like a major disappointment in his presence.
• Nagging Mom. Critical, complaining and negative. She continues to talk to you like you were ten years old. She doesn’t like the way you decorated you house, wear your hair or how you are raising your kids. She is constantly trying to change you to do things her way. Mom loves guilt and she loves to lay it on thick and heavy.
• Name calling Brothers. They have never grown up. They think ridicule is the best and only means of communication. They wear their welcome out very fast. Nothing ever changes with the name calling brothers.
• Nit picking Sister. She’s the drama queen in the family. Everything is blown out of proportion with her. She majors in making mountains out of mole hills. She won’t let things lie. She stirs and picks and creates problems where there are no problems. She’s bossy, jealous and critical of everything. She tries to be mom’s favorite. She is in the middle of every conversation. Silence is one word that she has never learned.
• Nutty Cousins: They are out there on the edge of reality and morality. One can’t make up his mind if he is gay or not. Each year he changes. The other has been married so many times that you can’t remember the names of his wives. He has a new girl friend who will get a diamond at Christmas and a promise that she is the one. He is always trying to introduce your kids to wine. He believes that he is an expert on global warming, what’s wrong with the country and Jesus. If there really was a Jesus, this guy is certain that he was married. Loud, opinionated and obnoxious, the nutty cousins always give everyone a headache.
• Neurotic grandpa. He’ll say anything at anytime. There is no filter on his mouth. He once went to church but quit long ago because no one went along with his strange opinions. He’s prejudiced, narrow minded and rude. He doesn’t like sports or politics nor anyone talking about them. Most of all, he thinks that he’s an authority on religion.

There you have it. Home for the holidays. What a mess. For some of you, this is all too true. You’ll think that I got a hold of the family photo album. You can put names to all these people above. These same elements can be found in many work places, neighborhoods and even congregations. What we are talking about is more than family, it’s about relationships. How do we get along with difficult people.

Three things to remember:

First, we are all different in our own way. What we do seems normal to us, but it may not be to others. We see strange behavior in others, but never in ourselves. We are all special and different.

Second, we tend to think that we are the only one with a weird family. Most of us have families like the Adam’s family more than the Walton’s. Look at some of the Bible families, such as, Jacob and Esau or David’s children, or Joseph and his brothers. A lot of dysfunction and issues going on there.

Third, God loves each and every one of us. It’s like a church sign that once displayed, “God loves you and we are trying our best.” So it is.

Well, here you are headed to the family for the holidays. You only hope that it won’t be a disaster like Christmas Vacation. You only hope someone doesn’t offend someone, get too nosey or says something that they shouldn’t. Often everyone is walking on ice. Just get through it and let’s get back home. The holiday family gatherings can be occasions to teach, influence and opportunities to share Jesus.

Here are some thoughts:

1. Let your light shine. Even among family members. When the gossip is being passed around with the mashed potatoes, try to turn the conversation to something positive. Speak well of the Lord, your congregation and what the Lord has done for you. The demon possessed man was told by Jesus to go to his people and report what great things the Lord has done for him (Mk 5:19). So among your people, do the same.

2. Prepare for the trip or the company coming in. Pray. Pray for right attitudes and right words. Pray for opportunities. Around the table with everyone there is not the time to engage in a study with someone. Too many opinions, too many people that will make it chaos. Instead, find a moment to talk to the person one on one. Invite them to services. Ask them if they would like to read some things. Find ways to connect and build bridges for the Lord.

3. Live for Christ. Realize that you can’t change grown adults. That includes us parents when we think about our children. The roles have changed. They are adults. You can’t “tell them,” any more like they were a teenager. They are not. They may choose to make dumb decisions. You can put in your two cents worth, but like most advice, it’s only good if someone heeds it. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, is a thought that you need to keep before you.

Home for the holidays. I hope you get to make some rich and precious memories. Remember who you are. Remember Jesus. Sometimes there are many in the family that are really hurting on the insides. They have lived without Jesus and it’s caught up with them. Your words, your kindness, your faith may be the very thing that helps them out.

Home for the holidays… I hope these thoughts will help you.

Roger

Jump Start # 791

Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.”

We continue our look at expectations—what God expects from His people. God expects us to be strong. God expects us to be faithful. God expects us to be obedient. God expects us to worship Him.

Today, we consider, God expects us to be righteous influencers. Our passage, taken from the sermon on the mount, identifies what God expects of us in relationship to the world. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…” and “You are the salt of the earth.” You are! God expects this from you.

Everyone, good or bad, has a sense of influence about them. It seems the stronger the personality, the greater the leadership skills, the more important the roles we play all impact others. Everything about us has the potential to influence. Music, style of clothing, books, friends, internet—these all have the potential to impact us in a positive or negative way. Hanging out with people who have sour attitudes will likely make us sour. Hanging out with those who are crossing the border of right and wrong will encourage us to cross those borders. Bad language often comes from being around those who are proficient in using bad language. The upside of influence is the teacher, the coach, the parent, the friend who took time and shared with us life lessons. They encouraged, they strengthened and they built character. They made us to be better people.

Our passage identifies some valuable points about influence.

First, light is visible and attracts. Light shines. People see light. Jesus expects us to be visible. The anonymous goodness a person may do has a place, but God expect us to be seen. Let your light shine. People are going to see you. The same light that attracts some, blinds others. Some do not like light. Paul reminded the Thessalonians that we are a people of the day. Some are not. This has nothing to do with clocks and time of day, but rather things that are good and things that are bad. Let your light shine.

Second, Jesus says, “in such a way…” That implies there is a right way and a wrong way. Let your light shine in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father. The goal and the end of the good that we do is so that people will connect with God. The good works are leading people to God. In the end, it is not we who get the praise, but God. That’s the hard part of all of us. It is so easy for the doer of good to be the receiver of the praise and the compliments that may follow. When this happens, God is left out. We are viewed as nice people or a good guy who helped out a fellow man. Nice, but God is left out.

The “in such a way,” has a lot to do with how we conduct ourselves, what we say and the manner in which we shine our light. There is a way that leaves God out. There is a way that draws the attention to us. There is a way that makes us think more of ourselves than we ought to. “In such a way,” can lead to pride and self righteousness if it is not right. Shine your light in such a way tells us that we must be mindful of how we are doing things and the impressions it leaves upon others.

Thirdly, Jesus says, “that they may see your good works.” Works are things that we do. Works are things that make a difference in the lives of others. Works are more than thoughts. Works are more than nice plans and hopeful ideas. Works are doing things. Works are rolling up your sleeves and spending an afternoon helping someone move. Works are showing up unexpected with some food for a family that is going through hard times. Works are improving the lives of others. Works takes effort. Works take time. Works are often not one and done but instead, with some, long and involved. People are noticing your works. People see you doing things for others. People recognize the good that you are doing. Visible. Busy. Doing.

Finally, and most important of all, from all this, they glorify your Father who is in Heaven. God gets the credit. God gets the praise. God is worshipped. What we say when we are doing our good works enhances this or covers this up. Our attitudes. Our words. Our motives. These all tie in with God getting the praise or the praise going to us.

Do good to all, Paul told the Galatians. Go and do the same is what Jesus said at the end of the parable of the good Samaritan. Our faith is a “doing faith.” It is a blue collar, roll up your sleeves, get your hands dirty, doing religion that is about helping others. Some have turned Christianity into a white collar, thinking man’s religion. For them, thinking, discussing, debating, talking is what it’s all about. In so doing, nothing gets done. No works are done. Just a lot of talk. That’s not what God wants. That’s not what God expects. Shine that light. Do those works. Give glory to your Father. Also note that the tone of this passage is toward the disciples. This is something that they would do on their own. Some have lost that. Some have to tie everything they do through the church. They have to put labels on all that they do. They especially love the word, “ministry.” They add that word to whatever they are doing, and get funded, approved and noticed by the church. So there are bike-ministries, cooking ministries, camping ministries…just about any word you can think of, there is a ministry connected to it. This is missing the point of this passage. The church doesn’t get the praise, God does. These good works are done by the goodness of our heart, not as an outreach program from the church. They are funded by the individual, not the church. Some have to make everything big and glamorous. When Jesus talked about giving a disciple a cup of cold water to drink, He was not thinking that the water was purchased and supplied by the church. He was not thinking that there would be a cold water ministry. It was nothing more than one person giving a thirsty person a drink of water. That’s all. Can’t we simply do what Jesus said? Go and shine for others.

Everyday presents opportunities for us to engage in the principles of this passage. Some are huge and you can’t miss them. Others are small and you have to keep your eyes opened to see them. Every day. There about you in the office are opportunities for you to shine and help others. In the neighborhood, even today, there are opportunities. In your family. Among those in the church. Opportunities to help others are all around us. “Do gooders” is often viewed as a criticism, by those who hate Christianity. Actually, it is a compliment. We are doing good. We are engaged in good works. We do this because Jesus wants us to. God expects this. The good you do may lead one to becoming a follower of Jesus.

I’ve known some that have helped pay for college for those who couldn’t afford it. I’ve known a family who helped pay for the funeral for someone’s family member. I’ve seen food taken to new neighbors. I’ve seen people lending others their cars. I’ve known people to spend the night sitting in a hospital waiting room with someone who had a loved one in ICU. Good things. Visible things. Big things. Little things. Godly things. Doing things. Light shining.

Look around, I expect you’ll get the chance today to do something.

Roger