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Jump Start # 2931

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump  Start # 2931

Matthew 5:2 “And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying,”

I taught a Bible class the other night. I worked up some really great handouts. I thought the material was good and useful. It was a cold, rainy night. The crowd was small and seemed tired. I don’t think I did a good job connecting. I wasn’t upset with the class, but myself. After all these years of preaching, there are still times when I feel like I strike out. Something was missing. I had a hard time sleeping that night. I want people to feel that it’s worth their while to come and that they gain something helpful for their journey. Somewhere between the idea, the development and the delivery things were lost. No one said anything negative. In fact, a couple said they liked the lesson, but I just didn’t feel like it was my best.

I wonder if Jesus ever felt that way. I doubt it. Our verse today is how the Sermon on the Mount begins. At the end of that sermon the crowds marveled. They had never heard anything like what Jesus was saying. Other times people were offended by what Jesus said. And, there is that John six passage where some walked away from Jesus.

Connecting with adults can be hard. I think it’s harder than connecting with kids. Especially on a Wednesday evening, when we have a full day of the world, work and life, it’s a challenge to pull thoughts toward the Scriptures.

Here are some things I learned:

First, not every class and not every sermon is going to be a home run. We want them to be but it just won’t be. Babe Ruth for decades held the record for hitting the most home runs. He also lead the league in striking out the most. In a crowd of people, there are so many different needs and concerns and things going on, while one may be lifted up and helped another might not have gotten much out of that study.

Second, don’t give up. Evaluate where you think you missed it and then do better the next time. If we quit the first time we fell off a bike, we’d never know how to ride. Mistakes, off days, not connecting, just drives us to do better the next time. Consider a different approach. Consider more engagement from the audience. Consider involving more people. Very few of us preachers did a good job the first times we preached. We didn’t quit. We hung in there and preached and preached until we got comfortable and better.

Third, the measurement of how well one does is simply hard to measure. Is it how many participated? Is it how many complimented afterwards? Is it how many shared it on Facebook? What about that disciple that sat quietly, said nothing, but felt that you were talking directly to him? What about that person who saw himself in that passage as you read it? I have run into people who twenty years after I preached a sermon were still talking about it. I had long forgotten that sermon and probably couldn’t find it anymore. But it stuck in their hearts and made a difference. The way we value a class or a sermon shouldn’t be how well it made us feel, but rather how much closer it brought us to the Lord. That sermon may have stuck it to us. It may have made us hang our heads in shame and guilt, but if it led us to changing for the better, then it was a success. Changing lives and bringing people closer to the Lord ought to be the focus of all of our classes and sermons.

Fourth, one never stops trying to improve. That’s one thing I learned from this. I’ve been preaching and teaching for four decades. That’s a ton of sermons and classes. But there are still things I need to do better. The humble teacher will realize that. He will look at how others teach and pick up some pointers. He’ll learn from those younger than he is. He’ll learn from those who are his same age. Never be satisfied with where you are. Always try to do better. Always try to step it up another notch.

It is amazing to me that we do not find Jesus teaching the disciples how to teach. How would Peter, who spent most of his days in a fishing boat know about eye contact, connecting, answering questions and being bold, yet kind? I believe there are two answers to that. First, he saw the best teacher, Jesus. He saw Jesus teach and teach and teach. He saw Jesus one-on-one with some. He saw Jesus before massive crowds. That would have left an impression. Second, the Holy Spirit was helping those first teachers. Through that power and gift, they would have said just the right thing every time. And, from their example, others like Titus, Timothy would have learned how to effectively teach.

Finally, what helps connecting in teaching is connecting in person. I was reading about the early revival preachers in Kentucky. One of the traits that made them so effective was that they were not professionals, but farmers. All they knew was that simple Bible. But they also knew their fellow farmers. They knew what to say and how to say it. When trained clergy from the East arrived, they were shunned. They were out of touch. They spoke words that the frontiersman never understood. Connecting is easier when you know the people.

Another class is calling my attention. Grab that bat and get back in the batter’s box. The great Mickey Mantle was asked how often he thought about hitting a home run. He said, “Every time I come up to bat.”

Roger

29

Jump Start # 2930

Posted on September 29, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2930

Matthew 6:30 “But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?”

The past eighteen months has been hard. It’s been hard on the economy. It’s been hard on families. It’s been hard on churches. Most of us thought and were hoping that all of this would be behind us now. We hoped that things would return and pick up right where we left them. But that’s not the case. The government is pushing more shots. Schools are fighting over masks. Stores and restaurants have closed. Parts are hard to come by and the waiting list to get things done is long. And, all of this has increased the stress level in people.

Studies are now filtering in about the impact isolation, quarantining, and divided opinions have had. The results are not good. Among teens, anxiety is at one of the highest levels ever reported. During the pandemic the teen suicide rate soared. At a time in their lives when a person ought to be joyful, fun and filled with hope, so many teens see only the darkness of despair.

Here are some thoughts:

First, opinions are loud and pushy, especially about vaccines and masks. Teachers and administrators are often not on the same page. Parents and the school systems are not on the same page. We hear conflicting reports, nearly every day from the news media. The friends of your children have their opinions. Brethren have different thoughts about this. Social media highlights everyone’s thoughts. Put all of this in a pot and let that simmer long enough and there will be enough anxiety to go around that even the cat will be bothered.

Moms and dads need to recognize this. It may be good to eat the evening meal with the TV off. It might be good to take a break from social media. As parents deal with their own anxieties, fears and worries, they cannot assume that the kids are ok. The kids often reflect what they see in their parents. Find moments for you child just to air out and vent his frustrations and concerns. Listen and listen well.

Second, anxiety and worry tend to drive out faith and they increasingly take over the heart. It’s just a short step from anxiety to discouragement and depression. And, left alone, those two can destroy any good in us. This is where suicide starts to seem reasonable. This is where divorce doesn’t look so bad. This is where no longer worshipping with God’s people becomes a choice. It is sad to be so young and to be so depressed. Young people haven’t had a full taste of life yet. They haven’t gone through job losses, bills, nights in the hospital, death of parents, wars and all the scars we older people have on our hearts.

Discouragement and depression do not disappear on their own. Like a leaky roof, it won’t fix itself. There may be a need to talk to a professional. Sometimes medication is needed. But I’m not a big fan of passing out pills like M & M’s. Pills may control our moods, but pills do not take away problems. What a person really needs is a bigger dose of faith. They need to stand in the shadows of David and see what he wrote in the Psalms. They need to walk with Paul and see how the world turned against him, yet he never took his eyes off of the Lord.

Our verse today, from the worry section of the sermon on mount, reminds us that God takes care of the fields. The grass is beautiful in the summer. But by the end of the season it is cut and burned. God has taken care of that grass. And, we are so much more important than what is in the field. We are made in the image of God. The Lord has stamped His thumbprint upon our hearts. God will take care of you.

Throughout this section of Matthew 6, the Lord repeatedly says, “Do not worry.” God’s got this. God will take care of you. God will see you through this. Trust. Believe. Hope.

Third, prayers said among each other, powerful worship, personal study of God’s word, engaging in kingdom work, will help a person through their anxiety. He will begin to see God’s hand and God’s work all around him. Find a senior citizen in the congregation and get your teens over there to spend an afternoon. Have them cook, clean, mow and visit with them. It will be a win-win situation. Discouragement and depression is inward focused. A person is looking at themselves. Looking outward, to others and to the Lord will help conquer worry and fear.

As I write this, my phone dinged with a news update. A drive by shooting, in the daytime, has killed a student at a bus stop. The youth in our county have no compass and direction. Self absorbed parents are out of touch. The people of God must be different. We work with those who are depressed and anxious. But we don’t have to be that way. We live next to those who are depressed and anxious. But we don’t have to be that way. Some extended family members are depressed and anxious. But we don’t have to be that way. We have the Lord, and that makes all the difference. We know who sits upon the throne of Heaven and earth. We’ll get through this, just as God’s people got through oppressive Egypt, enslavement to Babylon, and being struck down by Rome.

What is there to fear? What can man do to us? Maybe some hope, optimism and sunshine in our homes and our hearts will help our young people and in turn they can help those they know.

Will He not much more do so for you? Will He?

Roger

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Jump Start # 2929

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2929

Philippians 4:21 “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.”

A common mistake that is too often made when reading our Bibles is to skip over the final verses of an epistle or letter. Most times it’s a list of names and final greetings that just doesn’t register as being all that important to us. Doubt you’ll hear many sermons built around the final verses of most of Paul’s letters.

But we must be careful about that. We remember that every word spoken by God is important. Jesus said that man shall not live on bread alone, but upon every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The final couple of sentences are much more than “Sincerely, Paul.” They are more than filler. They are there for a reason and like all Bible passages are layered with lessons if we only looked at them.

And, with that, we come to our verse today. One of the final sentences in the letter to the Philippians. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus, it says. And, right there we find a great lesson for us.

First, every saint is important to God and needs to be important to us. Every saint is one who has put on Christ in baptism and has been redeemed, sanctified and justified. Sometimes we can believe that some are more important than others. Whose name is on the sign out front? The name of the preacher. And, whose name is on the church’s stationary, the elders and the preachers. Whose names are posted every week on the bulletin, the elders and the preachers. I believe there are reasons for that, but one can sure walk away from that feeling pretty low. Your name may not be on the sign. Your name may not be on the stationary or the bulletin. But from our verse today, you are one of the saints. Greet every saint. Greet the ones that are known and the ones that few know. Great the big ones and the little ones. Greet the ones who have been there for decades and those who have only been there a few weeks. Every saint is important to God.

Second, it’s easy to greet only those that we like. This can create some uneasiness within the congregation and even bend the unity that is there. The apostles words were to greet every saint. Not just your friends. Not just those you like. But all and everyone. Even the one that bothers you. Even the one that you think is weird. Even the one that talks too much, sings too loud, and sits where you want to sit. Even that one, greet.  We say the church is a family, but there are days when that family seems to have favorites and is a bit dysfunctional. Some are the life of the congregation. Everyone knows when they are there. Bigger than life. Others are very, very shy and quiet. They may never raise their hand in a class or be outspoken in any way. Yet to these, both, greet.

Third, “greeting,” is much more than just saying, “Hi.” Or, “Paul says hi to you.” There is a depth and a warmth to greeting. It carries the idea of encouragement and comfort. I envision a cup of warm chicken noodle soup and a fuzzy blanket on a cold, crisp evening. One feels good on the inside and the outside. That’s greeting. That’s letting someone know that you recognize them and are glad they are there. Put a smile on your face. Give a handshake if you can, or a fist bump if that makes you more comfortable. Every person has a place and every person is needed. Sometimes that just needs to be expressed more than we do. Greet them. Greet all of them. Greet all the saints. This is what puts muscle and flesh upon the backbone of fellowship. It’s worshipping with friends. It’s being connected. It’s belonging. It’s knowing that you are welcomed and wanted.

Some are so optimistic and driven that they could survive without a greeting. Greet them anyway. But there are others who can feel like no one likes them. They can feel like they are unloved. They may be holding on by a thin thread. Their doubts, fears and guilt make them wonder if even the Lord likes them. Boy, greet these folks. They certainly need it. Encouragement and strength is what is necessary.

Fourth, greeting every saint is going to take some time. It’s more than just saying, “Hi” and walking on. It is having conversations. It’s listening. It’s getting to know others better. It’s encouraging. It’s knowing their story and it’s sharing your story. It’s helping out. It’s offering advice. It’s learning. It’s growing. Greet the saints is such a simple term, but it’s packed with lots and lots of ways to do that.

Every person in the congregation is special. Every person is needed. Every person adds value and helps the church be what it is. And, one of the glues that holds us all together is our love and appreciation for each other. Together we make the church what it is. Together we make a difference for the Lord. Together…that’s us. Satan would have us pull apart and be upset with each other. But instead, we are greeting all the saints.

Roger

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Jump Start # 2928

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start #2928

Romans 10:2 “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.”

The apostle Paul’s description of his own people is very frank and honest. They were excited about God but they didn’t have the proper understanding nor knowledge of God. And, that very statement presents to us two likely situations in our times today. It is something we are all too aware of.

First, there are those who are excited about God but they don’t know God. This is evident through the modern church. Parking lots are filled on Sunday mornings. People are coming. Gospel rock concerts are sold out across the country. Religious merchandise sells better than books these days. People are excited. There is a zeal, No need to work on that front. But what’s missing is the knowledge aspect. Excited people want to jump up and down for God. They want to scream and shout for God. Raise your arms and sing for joy. Sounds wonderful. How could anyone, especially in these days of cultural digression, say anything negative about this. They love God. But what’s missing and what’s missing is so important, is that according to knowledge aspect. They are worshipping as they want to. They are doing as they feel like. Excited, yes. Biblical, no. And, there is a difference. Read about Aaron’s golden calf. The people were shouting, dancing and having a great time. I doubt anyone said, “Do I have to go?” But it wasn’t according to knowledge. Cain’s sacrifice. Aaron’s golden calf. Nadab’s strange fire. Jeroboam’s temple. These all remind us that worship can insult rather than praise God. Our excitement may not be what Heaven sees in this. Worship must follow God’s instructions. There is a pattern and it needs to be followed. When ignored, we risk the danger of doing what we want rather than what He wants.

Second, the opposite of this passage is just as dangerous. It is possible to worship God according to knowledge but without zeal. When that happens a person just goes through the motions. Little thought is given. No heart is put into the worship. We sing but we don’t think about what we are saying. We bow our heads but our minds are somewhere else. We put the cracker and juice in our mouths but the Lord doesn’t cross our minds. Worship becomes stale and lifeless. Same songs. Same sermons. Same routine. Like zombies, we march in lifeless and we march out lifeless. The only excitement is seeing our friends and talking about sports, the weather and the garden.

I have run into families that recognized these two situations. They were faced with a choice. Here is a church that follows the pattern of the N.T. but it’s lacking zeal and excitement. It’s dull. But across town is another congregation. They push the envelope on what they do. From the moment you walk into the doors, you feel great about being there. The atmosphere, the ascetics, the choice of songs, the tempo of the sermon, is all upbeat, thrilling and exciting. They do things that are not true to the Biblical pattern. They take liberties and even cross the line of right and wrong, but it sure is exciting. The kids love it. They can’t wait to go back. And, here a family must decide. Zeal without knowledge church or knowledge without zeal church. Which will it be? Much too often, the choice is made based upon feelings. The zeal church wins.

Why does it have to be one or the other? Why can’t a congregation be zealous and Biblical? Why can’t zeal and knowledge co-exist in the same worship service? Many denominations recognize this difference by offering a traditional and a contemporary worship. The younger people go to the temporary. The older people to the traditional. When the older folks die out, so will the traditional worship. All the younger people know is the contemporary style. I saw a sign the other day on a church that offered, “Traditional and Modern” worship services. I thought they ought to rephrase that to: Modern and Antique or Modern and Old Fashioned.

Some thoughts:

First, we need to put some thoughts into our worship. The selection of songs, the flow of the sermon, the prayers can all be energized. One doesn’t have to stoop to being a stand up comic to put more zeal into what he is leading the church in. Even older songs can be sung with some pep and feeling. Put some thought into those prayers. The days of just throwing things together are over. We are worshipping our God. Put your best into it each time.

Second, don’t toss out the Biblical in order to find more zeal. That is the solution some go to and it’s not a good solution. It creates more problems. Reverence can’t be manufactured. The pep rally atmosphere, usually dies about as quickly as it started. There is nothing to it. It’s like cotton candy. It tastes great but there’s nothing to it. We need to move beyond the superficial, feeling based emotions to a truth based worship. People need to learn about the nature of worship. They need to see their responsibility in worshipping God and not rely upon what the song leader, the preacher or others are doing. Those are merely aids to what we ought to be doing, worshipping and honoring God from our hearts. Lessons about worship, classes about worship ought to help.

Third, our young people are being drawn to zeal based churches that lack Biblical knowledge. We need to see this. We need to address this. We need to teach them. Our classes and our worship needs to be heart felt and challenging. We need to provide substance for coming storms. We need to build foundations that will stand when the flood waters of troubles come. This is where zeal without knowledge fails. As long as the sun is shinning, zeal wins. But when storm clouds roll in, then the zeal runs and hides. Then it’s what do you know and what do you believe. And, if all you have been doing is jumping up and down and clapping your hands, you won’t know. Your little house of faith will collapse because it was built upon zeal and fun and not the word of God. These are things that folks need to know.

Fourth, we must remind ourselves that worship first and foremost is for the Lord. We are to honor the Lord. We someone says, “I don’t get much out of church anymore,” it’s probably because they have not put much into it. Worship is about what you bring to the Lord. If we come empty, we’ll leave empty. If the center and focus is ourselves and our feelings then we have replaced the Lord as the one who is being worshipped. Because I like it doesn’t mean God does. Because I don’t like it does not mean that God agrees with me. Our attention is upon the mighty and awesome Lord of Heaven and earth. He loves you. He blesses you. He is there for you.

Zeal or knowledge? It ought to be zeal with knowledge. That’s our goal. That’s the way it ought to be.

Roger

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Jump Start # 2927

Posted on September 24, 2021 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 2927

Psalms 120:6-7 “Too long has my soul had its dwelling with those who hate peace. I am for peace, when I speak, they are for war.”

Every Sunday morning we begin our services with a reading from the Psalms. It sets the tone for our worship, puts God before our eyes and reminds us of the wonderful ways of the Lord. Recently the reading was from Psalms 120. Our verse today, from that chapter is how the chapter ends. Here, the Psalmist recognizes the difference between his heart and the direction that he is going from those around him. The Psalmist is for peace, they are for war. Around him are those who hate peace. And, when a person hates peace, he will spend his time stirring things up. He will try to interrupt peace. He will introduce controversy. He will agitate. He will spin things in such a way that people get upset.

Now, some lessons for us.

First, there is the realization that one has spent too long around those who are different than he is. The Psalmist was for peace. Those around him were for war. Too long, he says, my soul has dwelled with those who hate peace. Some people never realize this. They never see the toxic and ungodly environment around them. Some give out passes on this because the haters of peace are family members. We allow our families to chip away at our faith and discourage us and nearly knock us down spiritually all in the name of family.

Who are you dwelling with? Not just in your house, but social friends? Family? Vacations? Free time? Co-workers? Do you recognize a difference? The Psalmist did. Do you see that your goals and their goals are not the same? The Psalmist did. Do you see that they are the opposite of you? The Psalmist saw that. Do you?

Second, dwelling with someone a long time has a way of influencing and even changing a person. Sometimes it is positive and good. Many times it is negative and for the worse. We let words slide through our lips that we’d never say before. We’ve been influenced. We lower our standards and find ourselves doing things that we’d never do before. What’s happened? We’ve been around the wrong people too long. It’s always easier to go down hill than it is up hill. And, when there is more of them than there is of you, the pressure to conform, look the other way, and cut a guy some slack, mount up. Too long around the wrong people and you’ll be wrong yourself. Too long.

Third, my first reaction to this verse is to move. If you know you are around the wrong people and you’ve been there too long, then get out of there. Move on down the road. It’s better to be alone than to be with the wrong crowd. It’s better to have people talk about you negatively than it is to go along with them and soon become one of them.

This is hard for many to do. Life long friends. Friends since school days. A lot in common. Have a lot of fun together. But, then there is that other side. They hate what you love. They have a history with you. But look at where they are. Look where you are. You are for peace and they are for war. You are for Christ and they are for the world. You are for righteousness and they are for wickedness. You are for serving they are for self. You are for Heaven and they are headed full steam to Hell, but laughing and having a blast the whole time. Has it been too long now? How much longer? Another month? Another year? Why?

Some, because of connections to family can’t just move on from these people. Every holiday, every birthday, every funeral, there they are. Loud. Obnoxious. Worldly. Wicked. You can’t escape them because they are family. They are likely to say anything in front of young ears. They are always pushing you to do what you do not want to do. For too long my soul has dwelled among those who hate peace. Maybe it’s time to put up some boundaries. Maybe it’s time to protect your family, your heart and your soul.

Fourth, what a blessing and a comfort it is to find those who comfort your soul, encourage your heart and build your faith. We find those in our fellowship. Those of like mind. Those of similar spirits. Those who love the Lord. This is why worship is such a comforting oasis for our weary souls. A week in the world and we are weary, depressed and unsure of our next step. But coming out of worship on Sunday, our souls are alive to Jesus. We are refreshed. We are built up. We are motivated and have a plan and a purpose in our hearts. Worship is important. We need it. We need to see that there are others, many others, who walk with the Lord. There are others who long for peace. There are others who are willing to stand on the side of the Lord. Imagine dwelling a long time with these kinds of people. Imagine spending decades with those who love truth and are faithful to God’s word. Imagine decades of solid Biblical preaching. Imagine decades of singing praises to God. Imagine decades of fellowship, joy and prayers together. Unified. One mind. One heart.

Once a person gets this, they’ll never be asking, “Do we have to go to church every time?” That won’t come up. He will see the powerful good of dwelling a long time with those who love the Lord. Great things happen that way.

Who have you been dwelling with for a long time? Not a name, but what kind of person? What character? What nature? What heart? Sure is something to think about…

Roger