21

Jump Start # 1750

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1750

Luke 2:11 “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

  Among all the festive events surrounding the Christmas holiday is a connection that some believe is tied to Jesus’ birth. You’ll see posts on Facebook that pleads, “Keep Christ in Christmas,” or, “He is the reason for the season.” Catchy expressions, but not necessarily very Biblical. The word “Christmas,” is not in the Bible. Jesus was born of Mary, but we are not told when, nor do we find any reference to anyone “celebrating” that birth. The shepherds were in the field and Caesar had called a census of the empire, which probably would not be in months which travel was difficult. Historically, sometime in the spring is the most likely time of Jesus’ birth. We simply do not know.

 

Our verse today, one that is often read during this holiday season, was spoken by the angels to the shepherds in the field. There are several specifics or declarative statements in these few words.

 

First, WHEN. TODAY. Not some day. Not sooner or later. Not wait and see. But Today. Not tomorrow.

 

Second, WHERE. In the city of David. That meant one place to Jewish shepherds. They didn’t have to Google a location. They knew.

 

Third, THE EVENT. There has been born. It’s already happened. A birth announcement from Heaven. Has been born, tells us what they were looking for. No one has ever seen an adult born. Even in the animal world, what is born is small and undeveloped. Colts are born to horses. Little elephants are born to big elephants. Cubs are born to bears. Babies are born to humans. The shepherds were looking for something that was born today. That tells them what they were looking for.

 

Fourth, WHY. What was born, was for them. A savior was born for the shepherds and for all the world. They may not have understood completely what was meant by the expression, Savior. For us, on this side of the cross, we understand it means a redeemer. One that would pay the cost for our sins. For the shepherds, they may have thought of a future king who would deliver Israel from the hands of the Romans. That was the most common thought of the day.

 

Fifth, WHO. Christ the Lord. Christ is the Greek word for Messiah. Those Jewish shepherds knew about the Messiah. “Lord,” implies authority and ruler. The ruling Messiah had been born. Generations had been waiting for that moment and now, it happened.

 

Interestingly, when news first broke from Heaven, it wasn’t rushed to the palaces, the Temple or the Sanhedrin. The first to be told were shepherds in the field. Common, plain, everyday, poor men who were simply doing their jobs. They were not powerful land barons. Had these men been rich, they would have had servants watching the sheep for them. They were common. They were everyday folks who get up each day and simply go about their jobs. It was that fiber of person that Jesus appealed to. The Gospel was for all. They seemed to understand the message from the angels. They were not agnostic nor atheistic. They were not pagans. They understood the expression, “Christ,” and “Lord.” They knew. Years later, when this same Christ is risen from the grave, the first to know it were a group of women. Had we written this story, we’d have reporters there, staff from the Roman palace on site and a crowd of the elite and powerful. We didn’t write this story. God did.

 

This time of year, we witness manger scenes in yards and a lot of interest in the baby Jesus. Songs on the radio play “Away in the manger,” and “Silent night.” It seems more attention is given to the baby Jesus, than the Savior who grew up. We’ve had babies born recently in our family. Within ten days we had two grandbabies born. They are about a month old. Cute. Adorable. And grandma loves to hold them. Everyone loves cute babies. Babies don’t demand much other than feed me and change me. Babies need us. You can’t leave a baby alone and dash off to the store. You’ll be jail if you do that these days. Something could happen. They need big people around them. They can’t talk. They can’t move on their own. They can’t dress themselves. Intake and outtake is about all they can do. But they are certainly cute.

 

The baby Jesus that everyone adores wasn’t any different than that. Helpless. Needing us. Dependent. It was Mary and Joseph who filled that role. But the pages of the Bible are slim when it comes to the details of the baby Jesus. We don’t have recorded, “He turned over today.” We don’t read, “He said his first word today.” All of that is bypassed. That baby grew. He learned obedience. He became a man. The emphasis of the Scriptures is upon Jesus the Savior.

 

A baby in the manger is cute. The bloody Savior on the Cross is horrific to look at.

A baby needs us. We need the Savior.

A baby has few demands. The Savior demands our obedience and commitment to Him.

A baby can’t do much for us. The Savior forgave us through His death.

A baby can’t speak. The Savior has left volumes of words for us to cling to.

A baby isn’t an example for us. The Savior is our example in all things.

 

Jesus in the manger is cute. We must remember that the baby grew and has become our Savior. He is the Lord. That is why He came. The world that loves the baby in the manger would like to keep Him there. He is not a threat to anyone as a baby. He can be controlled as a baby. We can live as we want as long as Jesus remains a baby. But as a Savior, Jesus will judge us one day. He wants to change you, save you, and help you.

 

The song of the season, and all seasons ought to be, “On a hill far away, stood the ole’ rugged cross…” It is because of the cross we have hope. It is because of the cross that Heaven is possible. It is because of the cross that we have forgiveness.

 

The babe in the manger is the opening lines of the story. It is the first paragraph of a powerful message. Move on to the rest of the story. Get past those first lines. Find out what happens. See the Savior as He became a Savior. That’s the story. That’s the picture God wants you to see.

 

Roger

 

20

Jump Start # 1749

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1749

Luke 19:2-3 “And there was a man called by the name of Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, and was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature.”

  It’s just a few days until Christmas. It’s a busy time for families. Some will be traveling. Some will be wrapping presents. It’s a fun time for kids. The holidays are painful for those who have lost loved ones. On our website, (www.charlestownroadcoc.com) I recently presented a lesson, “When holidays hurt.” I’d encourage you to take a look at that video. It may offer some help for those that hurt.

 

The holiday season presents to us many classic shows that we grew up watching. Shows such as Frosty the Snowman are annual “must watch” shows. The other day I watched Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer with one of my grandkids. It was a blast watching him watch the show. For us, the show is cute. In the eyes of a little child, especially when the Bumble makes his appearance, the show is very real.

 

Rudolph, his friend Hermie, the elf who doesn’t want to make toys but would rather be a dentist and those odd toys that were banned to the island of misfits, all of them were misfits. They simply didn’t fit in with everyone else. For Rudolph, it was his shinny nose. In the end, Rudolph saves Christmas day and is the hero of the show. They sing his song at the end. Cute. Funny. Nice to watch. But what about us adults who are “misfits.” We don’t seem to fit in with everyone else. It may not be a shinny nose, but we are “too tall,” or, “too short.” We are big, or small. We are a different color. We talk differently than everyone else.  It may be our nose, or our ears, or our feet that stand out. It may be a birthmark. It may be an accent. It may be our background. It may be that we did time in prison. It may be that we are divorced. It may be that we grew up atheistic. It may be that we were kicked out of school. It may be that we have been fired from a job. Not everyone is nice, neat and the same as those around them. Like those banned toys, we may be the train with square wheels in a world that has round wheels. We may be a bird that swims and can’t fly. Odd. Different. Misfits.

 

Zaccheus seems to the be poster person of New Testament misfits. He’s short. Imagine the jokes about what he wants to be when he “grows up.” He’s a tax collector among Jews. He is viewed as a traitor. He has risen to be a “chief tax collector.” Among tax collectors, he is at the top. And he is rich. He has done well, but to get rich, he has taken from his own countrymen. He doesn’t appear to be surrounded by a group of servants, supporters or staff, like the Ethiopian eunuch was. Zaccheus seems to be alone. He’s heard about Jesus and he wants to see for himself. He is not in the position or knows the right people to request a private meeting with Jesus. His only option is to climb up a tree to see Jesus. Some in the crowd probably thought that it would be a good idea to cut that tree down with Zaccheus in it. Zaccheus has heard about Jesus. He may have heard that Jesus went to the home of a tax collector and had even chosen one to be an apostle. A rabbi that was a friend to tax collectors? Odd. Unusual. He had to see for himself. Zaccheus is a misfit and Jesus doesn’t seem like the usual, normal type of rabbi.

 

The downside of the Rudolph show, which kids don’t get until they are grown up and witness it themselves, is that not all misfits save Christmas day. Some live their lives being shunned, ridiculed and banned to the island of misfits. They don’t have a show nor a song named after them. They are forgotten. In some congregations, people can feel like misfits. They are not invited. They are not included. They are not wanted. Often, other than a smile, they sit by themselves and walk through this life alone. Friendship, fellowship and closeness are only dreams, just like “Charlie in the box” experienced on Rudolph’s show. We are all bit odd, quirky and different in our own way. Some will do all that they can to be accepted. For young teens, that includes crossing some moral lines, just to fit in. Others will do all that they can so they seem like everyone else. They want to be “normal.” Normal doesn’t exist except as a town in Illinois or a setting on old dryers.

 

Look at that group of a dozen men that we know as apostles. They were not all the same. One was from Judea and the others from Galilee. There were brothers among them. There were fishermen and tax collectors. One was a zealot, who especially despised tax collectors. This wasn’t a former high school football team that knew each other for years and years. I expect most didn’t think much of all about Matthew, the tax collector. What an odd group. Most of us, if we were picking a team of a dozen, would at least try to get everyone who had a similar background. Not Jesus. Those men. Different. Unique. Even misfits.

 

Have you ever really looked at the list of people God chose? Moses was wanted for murder in Egypt. He was hiding in a foreign land. David was a nobody who was a teenage shepherd. Paul was a Jewish terrorist who was bent on stamping out Christianity. Solomon was a rich spoiled kid who grew up in the palace. John the baptist was certainly odd. He dressed weird and ate weird. He was Jesus’ cousin. The first person that Jesus allowed to tell others about Him, was a man who was naked and living in the cemetery who had been possessed by multiple demons. Odd. Strange.

 

We have it in our minds that we must be the class president, the most valuable player, the varsity team, to impress God and to be used by Him. Most of us never will be that way in life. We want to be the heroes of the day, but we come across as giant Bumbles. We tend to make preachers Rock Stars in our fellowship, but they are not. I know. I am one. I know many of them. We are Bumbles in our own way. We do what we can.

 

The interesting twist in the Zaccheus story is that Jesus stopped underneath that tree. He not only saw Zaccheus, but He knew his name and asked him to come down. They had a conversations. Jesus invited himself to the home of Zaccheus, one of the few times that Jesus ever invited Himself. The Perfect with the imperfect. The Pure with the impure. The Holy with the unholy. That’s Jesus and Zaccheus. That’s Jesus and us. He knows that we are misfits. Quit trying to pretend that you are not. Yet, even with that, He stops. He knows you by name. He invites Himself into your heart. He wants to be with you, misfit and all.

 

I have a collection of funny church signs. One of them says it so well, “God loves you and we are trying our best.” We can do better at helping folks fit in. Give some attention to those who seem alone. Divorced, single, widow—not a couple anymore. Be mindful of them. Consider those who are grieving, especially this time of year. Look out for those who spend holidays alone. No family. Distant family. Estranged family. It’s all there. Do what you can to help, not just because it’s the holidays, and not just at the holidays, but all the time. Make fellowship real and powerful.

 

Understand that God can use you as you are. Be yourself. Some of us are bright colored socks in a plain blue sock world. Don’t change. Be obedient to God and serve Him as you can. Don’t talk about others being different. Look in the mirror. We all are. Love. Be useful. Be helpful. You may never save Christmas day, but you can bring joy and hope in a dark, dark world that needs Jesus.

 

We all would like to stand side by side with Paul, but truth be known, we probably have more in common with little ole’ Zaccheus. Get out of your tree and open up your home to others.

 

Roger

 

19

Jump Start # 1748

Posted on December 19, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1748

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.”

  Keep doing good. That’s what this very verse is telling us. It comes before the great plea, “as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…” Keep doing good. Don’t stop. Don’t get tired. Don’t get discouraged. Paul seems like a cheerleader on the sidelines trying to keep our spirits up. He is reminding us of the good that is being accomplished. The battle isn’t over yet. Keep at it, boys!

 

All of this makes perfect sense until you have to try to convince someone who has grown weary. He is losing heart. He’s there. He’s tired. He was a preacher who sat in my office recently. We talked. He’s talented and has done good with the churches he has worked with. He has a good reputation and is a hard worker. He’s a pace setter for most of us preachers. But now, he was losing heart. He was weary. He was where the apostle said don’t go there. He talked about quitting.

 

This was a difficult discussion for me. I’ve advised many young preachers. This one was my age. This one knew the Bible. This one hadn’t been lazy. He has done more than most of us ever will. I wondered what brought this on? Why? Trouble at home? Trouble with the folks at the church? Not seeing eye to eye with the shepherds? Time to think about moving? We raced through all of those topics. Nothing. He was simply tired. He didn’t want to move. That meant still doing what he was doing. He was tired of preaching. He was noticing men his age retiring. He couldn’t. I think that bothered him. The newly retired people were traveling. He couldn’t. They were staying home and watching movies. He couldn’t. He had preaching to do. I suggested a vacation. Get away for awhile. That didn’t seem to be the right answer either. Even while on vacation, he reminded me, the preacher must be thinking about sermons to preach when he got home. His work was becoming a ball and chain to him. I reminded him that if he wasn’t careful, he would begin to dread preaching. It would effect his ability. It would show.

 

This soldier of the cross was tired. What do you tell a tired preacher? How do you encourage an encourager? What do you say to someone who has been doing good for so long and seemingly has many more years left in him? Is he washed up? Did he burn out? Is it good for him to quit? All these things were racing through my mind. He came to me. He wanted my help. What would I say? I prayed to myself. I thought as he talked. I listened. I looked into those tired eyes. It is funny, I had always figured that it would be he that would advise me, not the other way around.

 

Two things came to my mind.

 

I took him to Jesus. I reminded him of the great work that the Lord had done. I showed him my “yellow folder.” It’s a collection of emails, cards and letters through the years that were written to me because of things I had done or said to others. We read a few of them. A mother thanked me for the words of comfort at her daughter’s funeral that I had preached. A young couple thanked me for doing their wedding. Emails from the Jump Start readers. A thank you here. A ‘you made a difference in my life’ there. A ‘That helped me.’ ‘That answered a question I had.’ I told him when I first started preaching I started collecting and saving those kinds of responses. Often I just stuck them in my “Yellow folder,” which is in the bottom of one of the file cabinets. I rarely re-read these, except when I’m wondering if I am doing any good. I told him that all of us that are doing God’s work have a folder, I just happen to have an actual one. There are people sprinkled all over the country that has been touched, taught, changed and helped by the preaching done by that man. He thought for a moment. He wiped his eyes, as tears started to fall. He apologized for being so much trouble to me. It seems that he had forgotten the good that he had done.

 

The second thing I did was show him a picture I have that hangs on the wall. It’s called, “Legacy.” It’s a print of a preacher. He’s wearing a cool looking tie. Standing behind him, off both shoulders, in a shadowy, less obvious image, are what appears to be ancient preachers. Maybe apostles. Maybe prophets. They stand shoulder to shoulder with the preacher. One even has his hand on the preacher’s shoulder. The idea is very clear. The preacher in the print was carrying on the legacy of teaching God’s word to a new generation. Just as those old prophets, standing behind him and with him had done, so is he doing. People are counting on that preacher to carry on with the teaching of God’s word. People needed him to sound forth God’s word. We looked at that picture. I asked him to go back a few generations and put names to those faces. Men who had worn themselves out preaching God’s word. Names like Robert Jackson, David Lipscomb, McGarvey, J.C. Roady, all the way back to some of the earliest preachers in this country. We laughed at how the times had changed. Can you imagine, we said, some of those old guys, using powerpoint, Facebook, and Twitter? We wondered what the apostle Paul would have thought about ear piece microphones and live streaming? We talked about our early days of preaching, back before most of us had computers. We talked about overhead projectors and how we thought that was the coolest thing ever invented. Look where we are today. He got it. He realized that he was continuing the legacy that was started with the Lord. The torch has been passed to us. What would happen if we dropped that torch? What would have happened had someone upstream dropped it years ago? It’s been handed to us.

 

I reminded him of that wonderful promise in Revelation where the righteous will rest from their labors. He was working hard and someday he would enjoy a sweet rest with the Lord.

 

Weariness from labor is something that is rarely looked at. We spend so much time trying to get people busy, that we forget about those that are laboring so hard. Day in and day out, preaching, teaching, helping others. The weary heart can lead to some dark places. Elijah felt that way. He thought he was the only one doing right. He was ready for the Lord to take him. God wasn’t feeling that way. He told Elijah to get out of the cave and go appoint someone king. God reminded Elijah that there were thousands who had not bowed their knees to Baal.

 

Sometimes we over burden ourselves. We take on more than we can handle. Some times instead of passing work on to others, we just do it ourselves. I’m that way to a fault. I want things to be just right. It’s just easier for me to do it than it is to show someone else. But in doing that, the work adds up. More and more.

 

God bless the tired workers who are doing so much. There are many work horses out there who are laboring so hard for the Lord. They’ll never stop until the Lord stops them. They see others their age and even younger, who retire and do not have to worry about money. They travel and for a moment, these hard working preachers feel a bit jealous. It can take their breath away. But back to the fields they return. There is more to be done before this day is over.

 

I must confess that this preacher that came to my office was me. This conversation took place in my mind. I was the one who felt so weary that I just wanted to quit. I am better. I talked to myself and told myself the very things that I shared with you. I think more needs to be looked at from the standpoint of the weary worker. It’s hard to explain, but I doubt that I’m the only one who has been there.

 

I share this to both be honest and hopefully to help others who are there. Catch your breath weary soldiers, and get back into the game. God needs you and we need you.

 

Thank you,

 

Roger

 

16

Jump Start # 1747

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1747

2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” 

  We conclude our week long look at how Satan tempts a church. It would be good for preachers and shepherds to give serious thought to this topic. Lower the nets with your thinking. Think deep. If we are clueless to what Satan is doing, he’ll run circles around us. Be on the alert means we have our eyes on him. We’re watching. The peace and health of a congregation is not something that ought to be assumed nor taken for granted. What takes years and years to accomplish can be overturned and destroyed in a matter of days. Tearing down is a lot easier than building. I was building blocks with my two-year old granddaughter the other day. I made a tower taller than she was, carefully placing each block on the next. She came over and in an instant knocked the entire tower flat. It can take several months to build a home. One storm, one fire can destroy that home in an hour. Spiritually, destruction can wipe out years of building. Shepherds must recognize this and be watchful.

 

Our study has taken a look at:

 

Tired of the old and fascinated with the new

Indifference

Leaderless leaders

Carnally minded

 

And we end with talking about the preaching of God’s word. Satan recognizes the power of God’s word. It is through the word of God that faith is built. A faith can be so strong that it can withstand the storms of life.  When Satan tempted Eve, he added a word to what God said. When he tempted Jesus, he misapplied a passage. Used correctly, God’s word will overcome Satan.

 

The word of God has the power to change hearts and convert a soul

The word of God removes doubt, drives worry and fear away and builds assurance and confidence

The word of God comforts, even those who are mourning

The word of God corrects and warns

The word of God displays God’s will and His plans for us

The word of God shows us Jesus

The word of God strengthens our soul

The word of God gives us hope

The word of God challenges us and motivates us to obey God and to become

The word of God equips us to overcome temptation

 

We need God’s word in our lives. We need God’s word taught and preached. The preaching of God’s word is something that is very dear to the heart of God. People like Noah were preachers of God’s word. Prophets, apostles, elders, and preachers were all teachers of God’s word.

 

To the delight of Satan, many places have given up on the preaching of God’s word. Preaching has been replaced with video feeds from current movies, comedy skits and dramatic plays. The audience laughs. The audience is brought to tears. The audience leaves having a great time. But the audience does not know the word of God. Choices are not Biblically based. Lives do not reflect the righteousness that God wants. What is missing is the depth of God’s word in the hearts of the people.

 

Satan will do all that he can to keep the word of God from our hearts. He will get us to be shallow in our thinking and wanting our ears tickled. Tell us, not what we need to hear, but rather, what we want to hear. We don’t want to change, so don’t go that direction. Make us laugh. Make us feel good. Make us happy. Do this, and you’ll be our preacher. That’s what Satan wants.

 

The preacher is not being a friend to the audience when he is tickling ears. He may be popular. The people may love him. They may pay him a king’s salary but he is not doing the work of God when he does that.

 

Sermons that are dry, dull and impractical and are more college lectures than persuading the hearts, do not help the audience. The information may be correct and even good, but is it what the people need at the moment? Lifeless sermons that have no passion in them will never move an audience that is bored and content to sit on the sidelines of life. Sermons must connect. Sermons must move people. Sermons must be relevant, practical and useful. What good is the sermon on a Thursday afternoon? The preacher ought to think about that.

 

The preacher needs to get out of the office and be with the people. He needs to hear and see what is going on in their lives. He needs to see what is bothering them and what they are struggling with. From that, he can build useful lessons that will deal with worry, fear, and temptation.

 

Sermons that pass right through our ears without landing will never change us. Satan knows that. He’ll be satisfied with you listening to sermons as long as they are not useful nor challenging you to change. Heads full of information that lack the drive to live the life that God wants is of little good when the storms of life come upon us.

 

It’s hard to imagine that Satan can use a sermon to tempt a church. He can and he does. Sermons that are out of touch, lacking compassion and kindness, and do more harm than good will accomplish just what he wants.

 

So, Mr. Preacher, take a long look at what you are preaching. Is it what the folks need? It is presented as Jesus would? Are you trying to help the people or destroy them?

 

Lifeless sermons ought to be buried in unmarked graves. If the preacher can’t get excited about his message, then how can the audience get excited? Bored preachers, preaching boring sermons to a bored audience is certain death to a church. And with that, only Satan smiles.

 

It’s time to do better. It’s time to expect better. Get into that Bible and preach…

 

Roger

 

15

Jump Start # 1746

Posted on December 15, 2016 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 1746

Revelation 3:16 “So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot; I will spit you out of My mouth.”

 

The image that our verse gives us isn’t very pleasant. Most of us have tasted things that didn’t taste well. Maybe it was sour milk. Maybe it was something too spicy for you. I don’t like mushy bananas. Especially the kind that has black parts on it. UGH! Food that is supposed to be hot, ought to be hot. It’s kind of odd what we say about things. We can leave a piece of pizza on the counter overnight with a glass of coke. In the morning, we’d say that the pizza was cold and the coke was warm, even though they are the same temperature. Some things ought to be hot. Some things are supposed to be cold. The Lord is using the illustration of food or drink in our mouths to describe the temperature of a congregation. Things ought to be a certain way. That’s true with food and it’s also true with a church.

 

This week we are looking at the various ways that Satan tempts a church. He has more than one idea. He attacks a church in obvious ways but also in ways that are not so obvious. Sharp eyes, steady hands, and a faith that is rock solid, will not only recognize Satan’s tricks, but it will chart a course clear of the dangers that Satan presents.

 

Laodicea, the church talked about in our verse today, was blindsided with the spirit of apathy. Lukewarmness kills a church. It happens so gradually that most don’t even recognize it until it’s too late. Indifferent, lukewarm, an atmosphere of “who cares,” will allow Satan to walk right in the front doors. Some who still have enough faith to see things as they are, will excuse themselves by saying, “It’s not my problem.” Problems are ignored in a lukewarm church. Folks fall through the cracks in a lukewarm church. Things ought to be done, but no one wants to do it. The lukewarm church is hopelessly stuck doing the same things over and over. What they need is a good swift kick to get them back to where they ought to be. The problem is, no one is around to do that kicking.

 

In lukewarm churches people settle for substandard service. The singing could be better, but that takes effort and no one really wants to do anything about it. It’s easier to complain and remain miserable. In Malachi’s days, the people were offering God diseased sacrifices. They were weary of worship. They were indifferent to what God said. Just put in the time and then go do the fun things that we want to do. Their attitude toward the Lord was shameful and disrespectful.

 

All through life, we have seen heroes who rise above the call of duty. These are the ones who go out of their way. They help a neighbor, even when he didn’t ask. They stay late at work to finish a project, when everyone else has gone home. They go the extra mile to help a new student, a new co-worker, a new church member to feel welcome. They are patient to explain things and answer questions. Heroes who do what they didn’t have to do. They see what needs to be done and they jump in. Heroes in battle. Heroes in the police and fire departments. Heroes in school. Heroes in the neighborhood. Heroes in the church. Without these few heroes, most would follow the example of the indifferent. “I don’t know,” and “I don’t care,” are the ugly twins that opens the door to allow Satan to march right in.

 

Every congregation started by the hard work of a few. Some donated land. Some donated a lot of time and energy to get a church off the ground. They poured hours and dollars into getting a foothold started. Many of these congregations started in someone’s living room. Others, started in rented hotel rooms or store fronts. People carried in song books every week. They put out chairs. First to come, then these same people, gathered up the song books and chairs at the end of services. They were the last to leave. They did this for a long time. Today, those congregations have grown up and moved into church buildings. They got men to move to be preachers. They appointed men to lead them as shepherds. They spread the word in that community and the church grew and grew. In time, that little group became large and powerful. People have moved in. It’s easy to see how smoothly everything runs. It’s easy to sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s easy to allow lukewarmness to take over. “Why, they don’t need me to do anything,” becomes a ready answer for our lukewarmness. The example of those early folks who started the congregation has become lost to a new generation.

 

Lukewarm—no one intends to be that way. It just happens. Without careful attention, we get so busy doing things in this world that we lose sight. We take things for granted. We forget the most important things. Lukewarm can describe marriages. You don’t find lukewarm as a young couple is saying their wedding vows. But put a dozen years into that marriage. Add some kids, a mountain of bills, stressful jobs, and the fire of romance has sizzled out. Falling asleep watching ESPN each night becomes the norm. The couple have not fallen out of love, they simply lost touch with each other. What happens in a marriage, can happen in our relationship with the Lord. No one intends to be lukewarm in their faith. Things just happen. Then it happens. Before long, a person is going to church out of habit and not out of love. Talk to the same people. Do the same things. Little change. Little challenge. Our hearts drift. We have become lukewarm. We still attend but the passion has leaked out of us.

 

It won’t take much to push a lukewarm faith down. The death of a parent, the loss of a job, a rebellious teen—and before long, the lukewarm person has just quit all together. There wasn’t much flame burning, and now it seems to have burned out. The lukewarm finds it so easy to just stop. They usually do.

 

Get a church full of lukewarm and Satan has won the battle there. His banner flies proudly from the roof top. No one is going to do anything special, unique or challenging. No one is going to turn the tide, at least no one in their lukewarm state. Preachers come and go and little changes. Another year passes, and all remains about the same. Once in a while a baby is born. The young move away and most no longer worship the Lord. One by one, the elderly pass on. It’s sad to see this, but we ought to be used to it. These pitiful situations are the state of so many congregations today. Every state, every where, they are found. These folks are convinced that Satan isn’t among them because they have studied all the “isms” in Bible classes. They have talked about premillennnialism, Calvinism, materialism, humanism—if there is an “ism” to it, they have talked about it. No error is taking place. Not there. But, what they have failed to recognize is that the spirit of indifference has conquered them. Do nothing is the course that they are following. No plans. No vision. No life.

 

The lukewarm church does little evangelism. The lukewarm church makes little impact in people’s lives. The lukewarm church looks like a fish tank that desperately needs it’s water changed. Dark. Murky. Not very healthy. And to be honest, it smells.

 

What can be done? How does one change the spirit of lukewarmness? It takes leadership. It takes energy. It takes a plan. It can be done. Get folks involved. Give folks a job to do. Don’t be satisfied with the way things are. Give God your best. That begins with your attitude. Then it trickles into worship. Give God your best. Each person doing the best that they can do. The song leader, leading the best that he can. The preacher preaching the best that he can. Pick it up. Raise the bar. Get into each other’s homes. Invite others. Clean the place up. Make it bright and attractive. Never settle. Always strive to do better. Always.

 

Lukewarm doesn’t stand a chance when giving God our best is our spirit.

 

Roger