23

Jump Start # 3095

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3095

Hebrews 13:9 “Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited.”

Our verse today contains both a straightforward warning and a wonderful reminder of encouragement. The warning is about false teaching. Here it is stated as, “varied and strange teaching.” What makes it strange is not that it is about flying saucers and things like that. It’s strange because it doesn’t follow with N.T. teaching. It’s different. And, that’s right where some want to be. They want to be unique, different, one of a kind, unusual and that drive often takes a person to strange beliefs and crooked teachings. After all these years, there’s not much that is new anymore. The N.T. has been gone through with careful eyes. Words have been explained. Concepts connecting to the O.T. have been shown. Now, something may be new to us, because we’ve never learned it before, but to say no one has ever seen this is bold, arrogant and most likely not true.

Not only are we to be careful about strange teachings, we are not be carried away by them. Carried where? Away. Away from Jesus. Away from the apostles teaching. Away from truth. That’s where strange things will take you. I’ve known far too many, who were very talented, but got sideways with this or that and before long they were not only believing strange things, they were the force and the voice behind them. Don’t let that happen to you.

But the great words of encouragement here are found in the expression, “it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace.” Strong hearts. Hearts wrapped around and embracing grace. God’s wonderful grace. The grace that offered us a second chance. The grace that invited forgiveness into our lives. The grace that now comes from our lips and fills our hearts. Let your heart be strengthened by grace. That is a good thing.

And, this contrast is important to us. Consider:

First, some spend a lifetime in the land of the negative. Something is always wrong. Something always needs to be fixed, improved and changed. If something is out of place, the eyes of the negative are the first to catch it. Quick to complain, the strange teachings has an appeal to some like this. Never satisfied, hard to please, always looking for the next fad, the heart of the unsettled moves towards things not established by God.

It certainly looks like the early Christians were satisfied and content with God’s way of doing things. They believed if God said it, it would work. Nothing needed to be improved upon except their hearts. The church as God established it was capable of doing everything God wanted it to do. Sufficient is the word. The word of God was sufficient to bring Christ into our lives. The purpose and function of the church was sufficient to carry out all that God intended for it. Those first Christians didn’t need something else. They had God’s word.

Second, a heart strengthened by grace is good. It’s good because God said it was. It is good because of the outcome. It is good because it is built around the love of Jesus Christ. A heart strengthened, what a wonderful thought. A weak heart is trouble. A weak heart can’t do much. But a heart that is strong, can keep going and going.

A long time ago, I got to see the race horse Secretariat up close. He was grazing in a fenced in field in Lexington, Ky. We got right up to him and took some great pictures. Typically, when a winning horse dies, the head, heart and hoofs are buried. But with the champion Secretariat, he was embalmed and buried whole. An autopsy preformed revealed that this winning horse had a heart that was larger than most horses. That allowed the blood to flow and for him to run fast. His heart was strong.

A heart strengthened by grace. Such a heart will be quicker to forgive. Such a heart will be eager to encourage. Such a heart will stop the devil in his tracks. Such a heart will demonstrate Jesus. A heart strengthened by grace.

How does one get such a heart? Don’t rely upon others. Don’t expect the church to do it. Don’t wait for the right sermon to do it. It’s accomplished by your daily connection with the Lord. Daily talk with the Lord. Daily seek His word. Daily make a difference. Daily ask for forgiveness. Daily forgive others. Keep doing those things, over and over and you’ll find a much stronger heart in you.

I wonder if a spiritual autopsy was done on a disciple, if the Lord would find that his heart was larger than most. That wouldn’t surprise me. A heart that is strengthened by grace will grow.

Roger

20

Jump Start # 3094

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3094

Genesis 4:7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

Our verse comes from the story of Cain and Abel. They were the first children born on earth. They offered a sacrifice to God. Abel offered a lamb, a blood sacrifice. Cain offered vegetables. God accepted Abel’s offering. God rejected what Cain brought. Cain got upset. He wasn’t mad at himself. He was angry with his brother. Our verse appears right before Cain made another terrible choice. He killed his brother. There was no bringing him back. Abel was the first to die physically. Centuries and centuries later, Abel’s name appears in Hebrews 11. His voice still speaks, is what that passage tells us.

In our verse today, God is warning Cain. You don’t have to continue on the course that you are on. You can change the direction of things. However, Cain would not listen to God. What a powerful expression, “sin is crouching at the door.” It sounds like Peter’s description of Satan as a roaring lion. He’s there waiting for you. He has his eyes on you. He’s crouching. He’s ready to pounce on you.

Some thoughts from our verse:

First, God was aware of what Cain was thinking about. God saw that Cain’s expression or countenance had fallen. He knew that Cain was thinking about doing something wrong. God was aware that sin was about to happen. What a thought for us! God knows what you are thinking. God knows when you are upset, sad, bothered or angry. God knows what plans you have planned. There is nothing that we do that surprises God.

Second, God knew the next step in Cain’s thinking was going to be the wrong step. He knew it involved sin. He knew that he was about to make a terrible mistake. I wish we could put such thoughts to our plans. We often do not think things through. We’ll say something without considering how hurtful our words could be. We do things without thinking about the spiritual consequences.

Third, God knew that Cain was in the driver’s seat. You can do well or you may not do well, God saw that and God knew that the choices of Cain would determine the outcome. Even though Cain’s thoughts were going the wrong way and sin was right at his door, God knew that Cain could master it. Cain wasn’t predestined. He didn’t have to go through with what he was thinking. He could master it. He could master jealousy, hatred and anger.

And, that’s a great reminder for us. We don’t have to say what’s on our mind. We don’t have to vent. We don’t have to explode. We don’t have to sin. The choices are with us. We can master the temptation that is placed in our minds and hearts. Jesus did. The hungry Jesus did not turn the rocks into bread. He mastered the temptation. Jesus did not bow down to Satan. He mastered that.

The way to master sin is to be in control. Much too often we are a passenger to our feelings and emotions. They get the best of us and we say things we shouldn’t. We fly off the handle. We do things that we later regret. Self control is one of the virtues that Peter said we need to add to our faith. Self control was part of Paul’s sermon to Felix. Control our emotions. Controlling our tongue. Controlling our attitudes. You can master it, is what God said. You get behind the wheel of your life and get things under control. Stop spinning around, allowing others to determine your moods, attitudes and words.

Fourth, Cain didn’t listen to God. We know the story. Cain kills Abel. God knew what would happen. He warned Cain. He told Cain that things could be different. He told Cain that he could master his feelings. Even though God had rejected Cain’s offering, God had not given up on Cain. He was still talking to Cain. He still cared about Cain. He wanted Cain to do what was right. He believed that Cain could master those feelings. However, God was not going to break the free will of Cain. If Cain chose to do wrong, God was going to allow that. The innocent died by the hands of the guilty. This in many ways is a picture of Jesus, the innocent, who died for our sins.

If you are set on doing wrong, God will allow that. You’ll find God warning you through His word. You may find God’s people trying to talk you out of it. But if you are bent on doing what’s in your mind, only you can stop it.

Sin is crouching…but you can master it. Simply words from long ago that ought to help us.

Roger

19

Jump Start # 3093

Posted on May 19, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3093

Hebrews 12:3 “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.”

  There it is in our verse today. That little expression used by Jesus, and later used by Paul. Here we find it in Hebrews. That little expression? “Lose heart.” Jesus told us to pray at all times and not lose heart in Luke’s Gospel. In Galatians, the apostle said, “let us not lose heart in doing good.”

Three different times and three different places, Heaven tells us not to lose heart. That must have been a problem. It was. And, it is. To lose heart is to become discouraged. To lose heart is to take our foot off of our spiritual accelerator. To lose heart is shift from passion to going through the motions. To lose heart is to be in a place that God doesn’t want us to be. Losing heart is not a good thing. It is not the destination that disciples of Jesus long for.

Why was losing heart such a problem then? And, have things improved through the centuries? Do we lose heart as easily as the early Christians did? Great questions to ask. Great thoughts for a Bible class. Great things for shepherds to put some time to.

Now, let us put a few thoughts as to why some lose heart:

First, our journey is just that, a journey. The newness wears off. The day to day stacks up. Weeks roll into months which become years which turn into decades. Here we are still at it. I’ve met folks who have been Christians for seventy or eighty years. That’s a long time. That’s longer than school. That’s longer that most of us work at a job. That’s longer than most marriages. Losing heart can come from those who have been at it for a long time.

Second, the opposition is intense. That is the atmosphere of our verse today. Jesus endured. He didn’t just endure, but He endured hostility from sinners. We know His story. After the beginning of His ministry, He was challenged. He was questioned. He was accused. He was blamed. They tried to trap Him. They tried to trick Him. They tried to get Him to slip up, mess up, and fail. That’s all before Calvary. He also endured the nails. He endured the cross. He endured as a sacrifice. The enduring Jesus is placed before our not losing heart. It’s a reminder. Another day with co-workers cussing as often as they breathe. Another day of someone attacking your faith. Another day of having to have your guard up. Another day of someone watching your every step. Another day. And then, another day. And, yet, another day. Endure like Jesus. Do not lose heart.

Third, we can lose heart because of the expectations that we assumed came with being a Christian. We thought everyone would love to hear about worship. They don’t. We thought everyone would want to know about our faith. They don’t. We thought our own family, at least, would be excited for us. They were not. In fact, many wish that we were not a Christian. We’ve questioned our methods. We’ve wondered if something was wrong with us. Why won’t anyone that I invite come to services? They don’t want to. That’s just hard for us to understand. We show someone a verse which makes things so clear. Yet, they don’t believe that verse. They don’t care about verses. They are interested in doing what they want to do. We sure didn’t think it would be this way, but it is.

Fourth, fighting the devil never seems to end. Everywhere we go, he’s there. The guard must be constantly up. So many things can pull us away from the Lord and take our attention off of Him. Satan never gives up on you. He never lets you alone. On vacation, he’s there. At work, he’s there before you are. He beats you home. For a moment, we can resist him and he’ll run. He’s a coward. But sooner or later, he comes back and the fights on.

All of these factors can make a disciple weary. I’m just tired, some say. But echoing through our hearts are the words, “Do not lose heart.’ Keep going. Keep strong. Stay in the battle.

There is no victory for those who lose heart. There is no consolation prize. There is no T-shirt for almost making it. It’s all or nothing. So, when we see one of us looking a bit tired, weary and worn down, pause for a moment and help that person. Lift their spirits through encouragement. Build their faith through Scriptures. Say a pray for them. We don’t want any to lose heart.

Roger

18

Jump Start # 3092

Posted on May 18, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3092

Acts 16:23-24 “And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into the prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.”

I went to a concert recently. This wasn’t one of our classical endeavors that we often go to. This was a rock ‘n roll show. Popular band. Packed fieldhouse. Loud. Lots of people standing, clapping, taking pictures. It was a great night. As the show ended, the band stood arm in arm on the stage and took a big bow, and as they did confetti, and long streamers fell from the ceiling. It looked like snow. Everyone was on their feet, applauding, smiling and happy to be there. It was wonderful.

This morning as I was thinking about that, our verse came to my mind. What a contrast. What a sad difference. Paul wasn’t standing on a stage, streamers falling from the sky, and the audience whistling, clapping and excited to see him. No, it was just the opposite. Our passage leads to the conversion of the Philippian jailer. It’s late in the night. We remember Paul and Silas singing hymns. There is an earthquake. The prison doors open. Everyone remains in place. The jailer, scared, attempts to take his own life. Through the words of Paul, not only is that stopped, but Jesus is preached and the jailer and his family are baptized into Christ.

What we often forget about is our verses today that lead this story. Twice these verses use the word “threw.” Paul and Silas were thrown into the prison. Later the jailer threw them into the inner prison. “Threw” doesn’t sound compassionate. It lacks the concept of gentleness. At the end of the day I might throw my car keys in a basket where we keep the keys. I throw my dirty clothes into the laundry basket. But we don’t throw the dog outside. One doesn’t throw dishes into the dishwasher. We definitely wouldn’t throw a child into his bed. Yet, Paul and Silas were thrown twice.

And, before that, they were beaten with many blows. How many? Too many! That would hurt. That would break the skin and cause bleeding. That would possibly even break a bone. Sore. Hurting. Likely bleeding. They were thrown two times into the prison and then their feet were put in stocks. That limited movement. I doubt there was a bed to lay down on. I doubt there were nurses to bandage their wounds. In fact, the jailer will later wash their wounds. Dirty. Cold. Tired. Hurting. That’s how we’d find these preachers of the Gospel.

Where was the confetti falling down? Where was the standing ovation? Where were the loud cheers? Life sure has a way of getting things backwards. What these preachers offered was much better than a few moments of singing. They offered the eternal saving message of Jesus Christ. What they offered would change lives. What they offered would better homes, hearts and the community. The cross of Jesus, a message that resulted with beatings, blood and being bound in a prison.

Some lessons for us:

First, the fanfare of life is short lived and vain. I love going to ballgames. I love concerts. But the moment passes, they become a memory and nothing much changes. God’s people have never been rock stars. There were brief moments here and there where they were popular but that never lasted. Oppressed, chased, despised, the world sees all of this as utter foolishness. Not to God. He chose that avenue for His people to travel down.

Second, we make a major mistake when we try to make Christianity popular, exciting, fun and equal to a live concert. Some mega church preachers miss this. They soften a message to sell an entertainment hungry crowd the sensation of a concert. This drives feelings more than faith. This, like the concert, doesn’t last. This produces shallow and empty Christians which with one puff from Satan, they will fall over.

We do not compete with TV, comedy clubs nor concerts. Our God is not upon the stage, but upon the Throne. Our direction is Heavenward. Thrill seeking preachers will sell their souls to get the approval and applause of the masses. They may be liked. They may be popular, but it won’t last. And, what they had to give up to get that is the saving message of Jesus Christ.

Third, the world loves darkness. It always has. The world hated Jesus. It still does. The world would rather spend an evening with rock stars than listening to the Lord. This fact is troublesome to many. Somehow they want to find a way to make the world warm up to Jesus. They are looking for a better PR platform, a new approach to the message, a new “less church” atmosphere. But all these attempts fail. The world loves darkness.

We don’t stop preaching. We don’t change the message. We don’t give up. Because in that world of darkness, some recognize the light we are manifesting. Some see something that they don’t have and something that is missing in their lives. Some will seek. Some will ask. Some will listen. Some will believe. Some will change.

Concerts are fun…listening to preaching can change one’s eternal destiny.

Roger

17

Jump Start # 3091

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3091

Jude 3 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was one for all delivered to the saints.”

There is a small, old abandoned brick church building that sits outside of the town of Windsor, Illinois.  Recently, I stopped by this place. The building was built in 1874. It’s one of those things that history buffs need to do.

Back in the late 1880’s, there was a strong progressive spirit that was working through many congregations, especially in the north. The desire to have instrumental music and work through a national missionary society seemed pleasing to many folks. These new innovations were causing turmoil and division in many congregations. Many thought it was time to adopt these practices. Others saw them as steps leading away from the N.T. pattern and the Lord.  Tensions were high. The brotherhood papers were busy battling these issues. Families were divided on these things. Even in my Indiana, the story is told of an organ being brought into the church building. Late one night, some broke into the church and chopped the organ up.

Every August, outside of Windsor, Illinois, at a place called Sand Creek, brethren gathered for preaching, singing and fellowship. In August 1889, one such gathering took place. It is said that 5,000 people came. The famous Daniel Sommer was the featured preacher. The day before the meeting took place, several from surrounding congregations gathered to write a document that was to be presented the next day. Historically, it is known as the “Address and Declaration.” Sommer preached more than an hour. Then Peter Warren, a well known preacher from the area, read the document. It had been signed by men from six area congregations. It was a stake in the ground. Unless the progressives stopped their innovations, they would no longer be considered brethren. Fellowship was ending. A division and a major split was going to happen.

Most historians use the date of 1906 as the official split between the Churches of Christ and the Christian Church. For the 1906 census, Gospel Advocate editor, David Lipscomb was asked about how many churches of Christ were in the fellowship. He made the distinction between instrumental and non-instrumental congregations. Because of that, most use the 1906 date as the starting point.

But outside of Winsor, at Sand Creek, in 1889, a line was drawn. The progressives dug their heels in. A division was taking place. After that August meeting at Sand Creek, everyone went home. The Sand Creek church had a problem. Who was going to control the church building, the progressives or the conservatives? A lawsuit took place. It went to the Illinois Supreme Court. Eventually, the conservatives kept control of the building. But the fighting between the two sides left a sour taste in many people’s minds. It filled the newspapers. And it further drove a wedge between the two sides.

So, on a recent preaching trip to Illinois, I went by the Sand Creek building. It’s old, small and no longer used. A cemetery sits beside the brick building.

Our verse today is a good reminder of the call to stay true to God’s way. Contend earnest for the faith, is what Jude wrote. “The faith,” is not our convictions or conscience. It is the N.T. pattern. Paul said in Ephesians, there is one faith. Since the days of Nadab and Abihu and running through O.T. history, including the likes of Jeroboam, there has always been some who were not content with God’s way. They want something different. Some want what others are doing. Some think they know a better way of doing things than God does. So the spirit of change has been sung through the ages.

Jude’s words are to earnestly contend for the faith. Defend God’s word. Support God’s word. Stand with God.

There are some lessons for us, even those who have no taste for history:

First, the fight for truth often is a real fight. We are seeing this in our country over the issue of abortion. Those that do not like controversy will go along with the loudest and largest group. Those that want to hold the line to where the Scriptures are often are mocked, and ridiculed. Satan will try to get a foothold in every congregation if we let him. The role of shepherds is to guard the flock. Protect it. Watch it. Danger is lurking and they need to be aware of it. Trouble, problems and error never just go away. Like mold on a wall, they seem to grow and grow.

Second, in fighting for what is right, one must not use wrong. The Sand Creek declaration, signed by men from six area congregations sure sounds like a creed to me. In fighting one thing, we must make sure that we do not run past Jerusalem. Creating a wrong to fight a wrong never works. It sounds like the signed document was a power play. The area churches were kicking out the progressives. We’ll have nothing to do with you. But in doing that, they forgot about the independence and autonomy of each congregation.

Third, the best way to fight any error is to simply preach and teach the N.T. way of things. The concept of a missionary society is not supported Biblically. Look how the early church operated. Antioch sent Paul out. It was not a confederation of many churches, it was one.

Teaching and teaching and teaching the N.T. pattern and showing that God’s way works, and it’s sufficient to do what God wants, and that the early brethren were content with God’s way of doing things. We don’t need documents outside of the N.T. We don’t need an alignment of area churches to prove our point. Just stick with the Bible. Error sounds sweet. Error looks good on paper. Error appeals to the emotions. But error falls apart when it is investigated and Biblical evidence is sought. That’s the way things need to be done today.

And, all these years later, what do we see? The progressive side continues to move further and faster away from the word of God. Today’s Christian church doesn’t look like anything similar to the 1880’s model. That’s the way error works. Once the barn door is opened, there is no closing it. What one generation wanted, the next wants more. The generation following that, wants even more. And, in a short while, they are standing so far away from God’s pattern that they no longer can even see it.

Today, there is virtually no contact between those in the Christian church and the churches of Christ. Most do not even know that there was at one time a common beginning point in America. Most today, do not care about the past. And, to the spirits of that old Sand Creek document, the two have nothing to do with each other. Attitudes and how one views God’s word and Biblical authority are not even in the same solar system these days. Today, there is little in common at all.

Could things have been done differently at Sand Creek? Probably. Would it have stopped from what eventually happened? Probably not.

Sand Creek…interesting place in Restoration history. Glad I got to see it.

Roger