17

Jump Start # 2140

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2140

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Here in Galatians 5, Paul identifies three relationships that the disciple of Christ has with the Holy Spirit. The very subject of the Holy Spirit, for many people, seems mystifying, scary, and unknown. The modern thinkers have so misused and abused principles about the Holy Spirit, that many would just rather avoid the topic all together.

 

We find three leading principles that we need to appreciate, understand and abide by.

 

  • Walk by the Spirit (16)
  • Led by the Spirit (18)
  • Live by the Spirit (25)

 

Two positive things are connected to these three principles. First, these are choices that one must make. The Spirit doesn’t force us to walk or abide with Him. Not against our wishes. Not without our choice. So, I can be led by the Spirit, or I can resist the Spirit and do whatever I want. My choice.

 

Secondly, there are positive consequences when I choose to follow the Spirit. I will not carry out the desires of the flesh, when I walk by the Spirit. I am not under the Law when I am led by the Spirit. And when I live by the Spirit, I will not be boastful, envious, or challenging others. Being under the influence of the Spirit has positive results that are shown in our character and our behavior.

 

The English Standard (ESV) translates the end of our verse today as: “Keep in step with the Spirit.” I like that. Keep in step. Many things come to our minds with that expression.

 

Have you ever seen a family out for a walk together. It’s mom, dad and the kids. Mom and dad are walking together, usually with the little ones. The older kids are out in front. Some look back to make sure mom and dad are still following behind. They are ahead of the others. Then there are times when little legs just get tired. You see this after a full day of Disney. The little ones can’t go on any more. They can’t keep up. Most times you’ll see a dad carrying a child who is just about finished for the day. You see this at the airport. Someone is hurrying through to catch their next flight. Behind them, comes the others who aren’t as fast.

 

Keep in step—keep in step with the Holy Spirit. This is not only good advice, it’s essential to our faith and our relationship with the Lord.

 

You’ll find those who are always wanting to be AHEAD of the Holy Spirit. They want the Bible to say things that it doesn’t say. They believe that the Bible must be defined by the culture it was presented in. And, as culture has changed, so should the understanding of the Bible. Outdated, they would say is a male dominated leadership in the church. That’s culture, some declare. The church being financed only by Sunday offerings is thought by some to be cultural. What’s wrong, some declare, with the church selling things, raising money in other avenues, even engaging in business? Some feel that baptism is no longer the defining line between being in Christ and out of Christ. Faith, they would say, determines such things. And, that faith may not necessarily involve baptism. That, some write, is a carry-over from Jewish practices. Being opposed to homosexuality is a cultural thing, some declare, that is outdated and out of touch. If they love the Lord, it doesn’t matter. Running ahead—that’s the problem. Placing your faith and your practice upon culture and not the word of God. Making assumptions that simply may not exist other than in your mind. Those that tire of worship the way it is, want to run ahead of the Holy Spirit. Those that are ready to gut the place and bring in social activities are ready to run ahead of the Holy Spirit. We are reminded, KEEP IN STEP with the Spirit.

 

But, there are always those who are lagging behind the Spirit as well. This is as wrong, dangerous and counter to the message of the N.T. as running ahead. There are some who simply will not forgive others. They have been hurt and they won’t drop the subject. Decades later, they are still talking about the pain, the insults and the injury. The people involved may be dead, but the topic isn’t. God tells us to forgive. He warns us that if we don’t forgive, He won’t forgive us. Yet, there are those who can’t keep in step with these things. They are lagging behind. Some are lagging behind in service. They like the O.T. model of the priests doing everything in the Temple. Bring your sacrifice and let the priests take care of it. This carries over to letting the preacher, the deacons or a few others do it all for you. Let them take the lead in hospitality. I’ll come to their home and eat their food, but I don’t want to invite others to my home. I want the preacher to invite others to attend. I want others to do all the teaching. I want the elders to shepherd, the deacons to serve and I just want to show up and that’s all. Lagging behind here. Keep in step. God tells us that we are all priests. He wants each of us to be engaged in good deeds. He wants us busy making a difference in the kingdom. Engaged. Involved. Participating. That’s the N.T. idea. We must keep in step with the Spirit.

 

Thirdly, it is you and I who must walk with the Spirit. We are to keep in step with the Spirit. It’s not the Spirit who keeps in step with us. The Spirit is not walking with us, we are walking with the Spirit. The direction is chosen by the Spirit, not us. The pace is chosen by the Spirit, not us. The destination is chosen by the Spirit, not us.

 

My wife and I like to take walks in the neighborhood. I walk differently when she’s with me. I have long legs and my stride and my pace is too fast for her. When I walk by myself, I walk fast. When with my wife, I slow it down to her pace. I walk with her. I keep in step. Together, that’s the idea of our passage. Stay with the Spirit. You do this by staying with the Spirit given Scriptures. Don’t go ahead. Don’t lag behind. Don’t blaze your own trail. Together. Mirror in your life what is read on the pages of the Bible.

 

And, when you keep in step with the Spirit, you’ll become in character, attitude and heart, just what God wants. Problems arise when we are out of step. We are thinking ahead of the Spirit. We are walking behind the Spirit. When that happens, our attitudes, character and heart reflect an imbalance. Things are not right. It’s not the Spirit, it’s us, where the problem lies. We got to get back in step again. I’ve seen band members in a marching band that get out of step. They will do a little hop to get back on the correct foot that everyone else. Maybe it’s time for you and I to do a little hop to get back in step with the Spirit.

 

Walking with God, it’s a wonderful experience. It’s what God wants. Are you keeping up with the Spirit?

 

Roger

 

 

16

Jump Start # 2139

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2139

1 Peter 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”

We are back. Last week I was at St. Peter’s Basilica. Yes, the real one, in Rome. The building is beautiful but what really amazed me was thinking about our verse today. Outside, there is a huge statue of Peter on one side and Paul on the other side. Inside, around the top, in letters that are nine feet tall, Peter’s name is painted in gold. In a glass case, near the altar, are chains that are claimed to have been used on Peter. Then in the basement, or the crypt area, passing the graves of several popes, there is the grave of Peter. One cannot get very close and no photographs are allowed. This building is a shine to Peter.

And, here, in our verse today, Peter is telling those early Christians to be humble. This was a lesson that Peter had to learn himself. There were times when the apostles were arguing about which one was the greatest. There was that inner circle of Peter, James and John. There are many reasons to think that Peter would have been the Lord’s favorite. However, the message from Jesus is that of service. The greatest is the one who serves.

The opposite of humility is pride. Too much of self gets us into trouble. We think we are better than others. We think some things do not apply to us. We think the world ought to pause and take notice of us when we pass on through. It is because of pride that cannot apologize. It is because of pride that some find excuses to justify their mistakes and failures. It is because of pride that some refuse to ask for help.

Peter’s words are humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. You will not stand as an equal to God. You will not place God under your hand. You are not too good, too smart, or too grown up to need God. Stop talking so much and listen to what God has to say. Stop trying to boss everyone and do what God wants you to do. Humble yourselves: realize that you have broken the commands and the heart of God. Realize that without God’s help, you cannot make it.

I expect if Peter could have been with me as I walked through that basilica, he would have been ashamed, embarrassed and telling everyone to leave him out of things and follow Christ. He wouldn’t want statues representing him. He wouldn’t want his name in nine foot tall letters adorning the inside of the building. He wouldn’t want his grave to be a place of worship, honor or remembrance. It struck me that those who designed and built that place never really understood Peter. They thought they were doing something great. But had they really understood Peter, like our verse presents, they would have known that he would have been opposed to all this glory, honor and attention. He would have reminded us that it is not about him, but the Lord. It is the Lord who died for our sins, not Peter. It was the Lord who brings salvation, not Peter. The honor goes to God. The glory goes to God.

How easily these folks misunderstood the real Peter. The Peter in the Gospels is different than the Peter in Acts. He changed. His faith grew. He became courageous, bold and passionate about the Lord. His confidence soared. In the Gospels, he talks too much. He is often scared. His faith wavers often. Looking at Peter in the gospels, we could conclude that he wasn’t much spiritually. But he changed. It is easy to think we know someone just from one small sliver of time that we spend with them. Maybe, all we see is a guy at work. From that we conclude what he is like. But he may be different at home. He may be all business at work and at home, around his family, he is outgoing, fun and caring. We’d never know that from the image at work. Biographers will try to paint a picture of the person that they are writing about from the research that they have gathered. A few letters. A few interviews. An image unfolds, but often that’s not the complete picture.

Each of us has issues and sins that we struggle with. We keep most of those things way from the eyes of others. We can look at a couple in the congregation and conclude that they are happy, warm and in love. Yet, one of them may be very lonely. We can see a man teach a Bible class and conclude that he is very strong spiritually, yet, he has some secret sins that he really worries about. Even a husband and a wife may hide things from each other. This may go on for years and years.

However, in all of this, God is the one who truly knows us. He sees all. He sees through the smoke and the excuses. He understands us. And, it is the Lord, with this complete knowledge of us, who continues to love us, believe in us and wants us to spend forever with Him. This is the aspect that many have a hard time with. We try to look good so we can win God’s favor and attention. But He sees through all of that. He knows us as we really are, and still He loves us. That’s what we have a hard time believing. We tend to think that if God really knew us, He wouldn’t want anything to do with us. There are times we day dream in church services. There are times when we could be there but we just didn’t feel like it. There are times when we haven’t talked to Him in days. There are times when we complain more than we are thankful. There are times when this world sees more exciting to us than it ought to be. And for that, we fear, if He knew this, He’d have nothing to do with us. But He does. He knows and He still loves. He knows and He still wants to forgive. He knows and He hasn’t given up on us.

To me, this is amazing. The folks that built St. Peter’s really didn’t know Peter. And, it may be that very few, if any really knows you. But God does. He knows, and He cares. He knows and He loves.

Amazing!

Roger

09

Jump Start # 2138

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2138

 

Special Note: Jump Starts are taking a vacation for the rest of the week. Actually, I’m on vacation now. We plan to be back with you at the first of next week. If you need to keep reading, there are over 2100 Jump Starts posted on the Jump Start website (www.jumpstartsdaily.com). There are search engines that allow you to look up specific passages or words. Recently, one of our readers told me that with Windows 10, there is an option that will read the Jump Starts to you. Now, that’s cool!

 

Hebrews 3:12-13 “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called, ‘Today,’ lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

My wife and I come from different backgrounds spiritually. She grew up in a denomination and is the first in her family to embrace pure N.T. Christianity in it’s primitive form. I came from a long, long line of family members that understood the N.T. plea. I can trace my spiritual heritage back at least five generations, to some of the first disciples in the state of Indiana. Different backgrounds. Different perspectives. I had the wonderful advantage of growing up in a godly home. Sundays were set. You went to church services. No discussion about that. There were words, attitudes, behavior that were off limits. We had curfews and were expected to honor those. I’m thankful for that. My kids grew up with a similar atmosphere.

 

However, for people like me, often called second generation Christians, there comes some special challenges. These challenges are unique to those of us who grew up this way. The book of Judges shows us that the generation that followed Joshua did not know the Lord. They introduced idols and began a long and slow departure from the Lord. Hebrews is written to second generation Christians. They became sluggish in their faith. This is something us “second generational” people have to keep an eye on.

 

What are some of the challenges facing second generation Christians:

 

First, there is a tendency to take our faith for granted. We’ve heard so many lessons on so many topics, that it is easy to tune out and not continue to grow our faith. It is easy to fudge the lines of tradition and truth. Before long, tradition looks like truth. The way we have done it become the only way to do it. New ideas, new approaches, new technology, Biblically accurate, ruffles our feathers because “it’s different.” And, to us second generation folks, different is wrong. Going through the motions can be a real problem. There are not too many steps that takes a person to be lukewarm and from that to being dead spiritually. Still attending. Still standing for truth, but no zeal, heart or dedication. Ephesus had lost their first love. Easy to do when you take your eyes off the Lord and just take things for granted.

 

Second, it’s often hard for second generation Christians to understand and relate to those who are different. It’s easy to be impatient when teaching someone. There’s the verse. It’s so obvious. Why can’t you see it? It’s hard to understand a background in which the Bible was talked about but not followed closely. It’s hard to understand why people have fallen into the social and carnival concept of the modern church. Us second generational folks have known the books of the Bible before we started kindergarten. We know the stories of Samson, the fiery furnace, Paul’s travels and Daniel in the lion’s den. We’ve heard them dozens of times in our lives. What’s hard for us to understand is someone who hasn’t heard of those things. It’s hard to understand why some buy into evolution. It seems so obvious to us. It’s hard for us to understand why some question the authorship of the Bible or, put such emphasis upon feelings. It’s hard, because we have never stood in their shoes. We have never had these questions. Conversations with those different than we are reminds us that we need to provide real proof and genuine answers to the probing questions our friends have.

 

Third, it’s hard for second generation Christians to see any value in the religious community that they differ with. It’s easy just to say, “they are all wrong,” and then close the book. But there are great ideas, wonderful insights and helpful reminders that others have that can help us. Because someone may be wrong about one thing doesn’t mean he’s wrong about everything. The religious community seems to do a better job at welcoming new people and they excel in compassion. We can learn from them. This is hard for some second generation people. Mention a certain author in the pulpit, and if he’s not one of our writers, someone will be quick to point out that he’s not right about worship or baptism. That may be true, but did you hear what the quote said. Truth is truth, no matter who says it. There can be a spiritual arrogance among second generation Christians. We can feel that we have the sole rights to the Bible and that only we truly understand the word of God. That spirit isn’t too far from what Jesus saw with the Pharisees.

 

Fourth, it’s easy for second generation Christians to be content. They can become content with complacency. They can become content with lifeless worship. There can be just enough guilt to compel a person to get to the church house, but not enough faith to make any real changes in their lives. Second generation Christians can be out spoken about doctrine and the church, while their personal lives are a mess. They may demand following Christ when it comes to worship, but Christ is missing in their lives. Hypocrisy is a real threat to second generation Christians.

 

There are real challenges facing second generation Christians. Elders ought to know which members are first generation and which are second. Each come with blessings and challenges. The more we understand each other, the more we can help each other.

 

What’s the hope for second generation Christians? They must pay attention to their faith. They must continue to feed their faith. They must be active and challenge themselves. They must keep focused upon the Lord. These are the thoughts sprinkled throughout the book of Hebrews.

 

Is it better to be a first generation or a second generation Christian? That’s really a question that we can’t answer. We don’t have a choice in that. We are a product of what our parents provided for us. But the real question is what are we doing with the advantages given to us? Together, first and second generation Christians can offer so much to a congregation. Together, we help each other. Together, we learn from each other. First and second, opportunities and challenges. Do you realize these? Are you thankful for the blessings? Are you stepping up to the challenges?

 

My little grandchildren, if they grow and become Christians, as I hope they will, will be the seventh generation Christians in our family. Now, that’s a legacy and a heritage. It doesn’t just happen. I hope in all of these generations, that the Lord has been honored and somewhere along the line, someone has been helped by one of us.

 

Roger

 

 

 

05

Jump Start # 2136

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2136

Acts 5:42 “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”

Evangelism, along with prayer and giving, are the three topics that we hate to hear sermons on. Immediate guilt. None of us feel that we are excelling in any of these areas. The preacher hammers away on these topics and we know that he is right, but we just have a hard time with these things. Evangelism is often taught and taught in Bible classes. Methods, how to answer questions, what not to do, analyzed, discussed and dissected. A whole quarter of classes on evangelism. And, when few are baptized, we look for a quick answer. The times are different today. It’s the location of the building. Sometimes fingers are pointed at the preacher and he decides to leave. A new face shows up, but little changes.

 

Let’s say a few things about evangelism. I hope this helps and I hope it helps you to see that you can and you are doing evangelism. I also hope that we put the guilt away. Shaming someone rarely brings lasting positive results.

 

First, understand that evangelism is more than sitting down and studying the Bible with someone. Too often, that is the only image that comes to our minds. If that indeed is the only way of evangelism, then some of us should not do it. Not everyone is capable nor good at teaching the Bible to others. It’s hard to answer questions. It’s hard to read people. It’s hard to know just where to start.

 

I’ve had some work done to my house recently. Had to bust up a side walk and have a portion of it put back in. Also, had to connect some outside accent lights. I got part of the lights rewired but I wasn’t sure about one wire. I called my friend Greg from church. He knows wiring. It took him just a minute. But he’s the expert. I had to get Steve, my concrete guy from church to do my sidewalks. I have no idea how to do that. Now, I’m going somewhere with this. For years, we’ve presented the idea that every Christian ought to be able to do what all the rest can do. All of us ought to be able to teach a class, give an invitation, and lead others to Christ. Cookie-cutter concept. We all look and do the same. Paul’s instructions about spiritual gifts reminds us that some are hands, others are feet. Some are ears and some are eyes. Each is needed, but each is different and gifted in different ways. Not all of us can teach others. However, that is not the only way evangelism is done. I’ll share some ideas at the end of this Jump Start. We share different talents and gifts. Some are better at encouraging than others. Some know just the right thing to say to someone who is down. Others are great at inviting. Give them just a few seconds and they’ll invite just about everyone they come into contact with. Upbeat, optimistic, smiling, they are great inviters. Others are masters at teaching. They know just how to get to the heart of things. We work as a team. The inviter may not be so great at teaching. And the teacher may not be so great at inviting. Rather than trying to push a round peg into a square hole, work with what is natural. Be a team and help each other. The inviter invites and the teacher teaches. Together, they show a person the Gospel message.

 

Second, have you noticed that God never puts quotas on churches. We do. God told the apostles to teach the world. What the listener does with that teaching is between them and God. God gives the increase. In addressing the seven churches of Asia, in Revelation 2 & 3, growth, size and the number of baptized never comes up. Growth is not always visible by new additions. Internal growth, changing hearts, becoming stronger, developing leaders, not the same as baptisms, but important and a part of growth.

 

American churches like to count. We count the Sunday morning attendance. Then we count the Sunday night attendance. Then we compare, complain and wonder what to do to bring those numbers closer together. Why does size matter? Why do we count? We read early in Acts of 3,000 and then 5,000 coming to the Lord. Later, the number is simply called multitudes. Was this something God intended for all churches to do, or was this to show the fulfillment of the parable of the mustard seed. The kingdom started with a handful of men and women and then exploded world wide. God knew what He was talking about.

 

Third, living for Jesus is always the first step of evangelism. It’s hard to convince someone if they first don’t see it in me. There ought to be a passion, a commitment and a hope that is visible, genuine and attractive. My choices: of words, clothing, movies, attitudes—all reflect my seriousness about Jesus. The world sees. Am I grumpy all the time? Do I forgive? Do I have to have my way? Am I a team player? Do I take worship seriously? Sometimes it’s not the message, but the messenger that gets in the way of someone coming to Christ.

 

Finally, there are many steps to leading a person to Christ. I like the word “bridges.” One bridge alone may not convert a person, but it may be the very thing that leads to the next step or the next person. The church is a team and when we work together, like a team good things can happen.

 

So, here are a few ideas:

 

  • If you know a friend is coming with you on Sunday, let the preacher know in advance. He may just preach something that would be very fitting for your friend. This is how we work as a team. Be sure and introduce your friend to others and explain to them what is going on.

 

  • In a restaurant, as you pray for your food, often a server will see what you are doing and stand quietly to the side. Ask the server if there is anything in her life that you could pray about. I’ve seen so many bring up sick kids, aging grandparents and nearly all of them thankful that you asked and you invited them into your prayer.

 

  • Instead of just inviting someone to church services, invite them over to your home for a meal. People don’t do that much anymore. Let them talk. Show interests. Ask them if they would like to look at some Bible passages together, especially about parenting or marriage.

 

  • You see a young person staring at their phone. This is an everyday occurrence. Ask them if they have a Bible app on their phone. Most do. Ask them what are they reading in the Bible. A conversation begins.

 

  • Many are using our Jump Starts as bridges to connect to people. Here’s how:

– Some have their own group of people that they send Jump Starts to

– Some have used our Jump Start books to pass along to others. Some have placed them in waiting rooms and reception areas. Some have left them on a hotel bed with a tip and a note.

– Some are keeping their own files of specific topics so they can send them to others. One elder in another state has developed his own archive system of Jump Starts to help him in shepherding others.

 

  • Get to the funerals of friends and neighbors. Your presence is impressive, especially in these busy days we live in. Follow up and talk with folks. You would be amazed at all the questions people have about death.

 

  • Be a friend. Be the neighbor that jumps in and helps out another. Be the one who is quick to bring sunshine and encouragement to those who are down. Be the guy at work who lifts the spirits of others. Be a listener.

 

  • Invite folks to come to a singing. Most haven’t heard of hymns being sung without a band, not in these days. Give it a try.

 

  • Use Facebook and Twitter to do more than send pics of the grandkids and pictures of food. Use it for the kingdom. Share things that your congregation posts. Use social media as a bulletin board for upcoming classes and lessons at the congregation. Put positive, Biblical quotes on your page.

 

Now, will these alone convert someone. No. But they are stepping stones, bridges, that may lead to conversations and open Bibles. There are so many things that we are doing and can continue to do. Just sowing that seed, that’s our job. Some of the seed, as in the parable, may not fall in productive places. Some may be wasted. But some just might bring about a soul to the Lord.

 

One other thing to do is pray. Always pray for one you are trying to lead to the Lord. Pray for open hearts. Pray that you might say the right thing. Pray for courage. And, thank the Lord that you can be used as a tool to help someone.

 

Don’t get discouraged. Don’t give up. Just keep throwing and throwing that seed. Throw it at home. Throw it in the neighborhood. Throw it at work. And then, let your light shine!

 

Roger

 

 

 

03

Jump Start # 2135

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2135

NOTE: Tomorrow is the 4th. There will be no Jump Start tomorrow. 

Luke 16:29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”

We continue our look at the powerful story of the rich man and Lazarus. This gives us one of the few windows into the next world. We wonder. We are curious. What’s it like after we die? Is this it? Will we recognize others? Will we feel anything? Lots and lots of questions and many of them answered right here in this lesson that Jesus taught.

 

Our Jump Start yesterday took a look at what we learn on this side of death. Luke 16 teaches us some valuable lessons on both sides of the door of death. Today, we will look on the other side of that door. Four realities of death.

 

First, life on the other side is not like life here. It seems that so few understand this. They want the next life to be just an extension of this life, without all the hassles of going to work, traffic and taking out the trash. They see the next world as a big playground and it’s perpetually recess time for eternity. Fun is how most would anticipate the next life. Great food. Cloudless days. Puppy dogs and chocolate. Who wouldn’t want to spend forever in a place like that. Many see it as dreams come true. Golf courses. Go-carting. Endless shopping. And, it’s all free. Forever, playing and playing. I have a bunch of grandkids. They are all little. Their world is playing. And, for adults, that’s how many envision the next life.

 

The rich man certainly shows us a different world than what he was accustomed to. There didn’t seem to be any purple, or fairing sumptuously every day as he had lived on the other side of death. He didn’t seem to have his large house nor his gates. His life seemed to be turned upside down. We see him in agony and unable to do anything about that. We see him begging for mercy. What a twist of things. The rich man now begging. No one was coming to help him. And, even for Lazarus, things seemed so different. He was in the embrace of Abraham. He was comforted there. Nothing said about playing a round of golf. No mention of chocolate, shopping or play time. The next world is not an extension of this world. The next world is the world of God. It is spiritual. And, what matters are spiritual things. The rich man could not do what he wanted. He could not order people to serve him. He could not even find comfort for himself. He was in a hopeless and helpless situation. He got there on his own. It was his choices and his lack of faith and compassion that put him there. The next world is so different than things here.

 

Second, the rich man found out that being sorry for his mistakes wasn’t enough to change things. We’ve forgotten about consequences these days. A person can do just about anything or say anything, no matter how destructive, painful or hurtful it is to others, and then believe that it will all magically go away by saying, “I’m sorry.” The rich man never says those exact words, but you can pretty much see them as he begs for someone to warn his brothers. He finally concludes that it’s too late for him. Nothing more can be done for him. This would include burning candles or saying prayers for him. He made his choices in life and now he was reaping the consequences of those choices in death. Living without God seems like a blast on this side of death. Do what you want. Answer to know one. Life’s one big party. But on the other side of that door, things no longer look fun. It’s too late. All the sorrow, the apologies, the repentance, the promises to do better, the tears, the wishes for another chance, the begging for mercy, were too late. Once one crosses through death’s doorway, everything seems to be unchangeable. No word could be sent back to the boys at home other than what they already had. Our verse states, “they have Moses and the Prophets.” That’s all they needed to avoid that awful place.

 

What a mistake it is to assume that being baptized is all that matters. All my boxes are checked off and I can now sail through life with ease because I have been baptized. That’s a mistake. God expects more than a once in our life choice.

 

What a mistake it is to believe that you can go to church services on Sunday and be mean to your wife, cruel to your kids and selfish to the world and none of that matters. It’s not a balance in which as long as there are more good things than there are bad things, I will be ok. Faith transcends all that I do and all that I am. If I truly believe, then it will be seen at home and in the community. Hypocrisy may fool the crowds, but it will never fool God.

 

What a mistake it is to believe that if I can answer some basic Bible questions then I will go to Heaven. It’s not a test that I must pass. It’s a life that I must live. Anywhere and everywhere, I am to be a disciple of Jesus.

 

Third, as hard as it is to believe this, the rich man put himself in agony. It was his heart that he closed. It was his choice not to believe. It was his decision to ignore Lazarus. It was the life that he wanted to live. And, as good as that life looks on one side of that door, it sure looks differently on the other side. This lesson reminds us that a person can’t live like a sinner and die like a saint. It just won’t happen that way. Choices. Every day. The choice to be righteous or selfish. The choice to be holy or to be like everyone else. The choice to follow Christ or to follow the crowd. This tells us that God really doesn’t send anyone to Heaven or to Hell. It’s our daily choices that put us in those places. This also shows that our eternal destiny is not predetermined by God. Imagine how terrible this story would have been had the rich man spent a life time following Christ, doing what is right, caring for poor Lazarus and in the end, he is still sent to agony. God doesn’t choose for us nor apart from our will. The concept of predestination is not individually, but by faith. Any and all who believe and walk with Christ will be saved. Any that doesn’t, won’t. Those in Heaven are there because they want to be there. They have made the right choices.

 

Finally, God has done everything necessary so that we will not be lost. That’s the point of Moses and the prophets from our passage today. Had the brothers followed Moses and the prophets, they would have been generous, kind and believing. It’s all there. They do not need a miracle. If they will not read and follow God’s word, then a voice, a message, a presence from the dead won’t change them either. And, why should God give the five brothers special treatment over others. Everyone gets to know about the risen Savior. It’s in God’s word. Through that word they can be transformed. The can become a new creature in Christ. That new person, built upon the character of Christ, will be what pleases the Lord.

 

Four realities of Death.

 

Roger