16

Jump Start # 3327

Posted on May 16, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3327

John 21:13 “Jesus came and took the bread, and gave them and the fish likewise.”

The resurrected Jesus is the keystone to the faith of the disciple. The resurrection not only demonstrates God’s love but it crushes Satan. We will be raised, because He was raised. The forty days Jesus spent after the tomb opened is lacking a lot of details for us. Where did He go? What all did He do? Just little glimpses here and there is what we have.

One of the interesting things to note is that on three separate occasions, Jesus ate. He ate after being raised.

  • Luke 24:30 Jesus is breaking bread, blessing it and giving it to the two men on the road to Emmaus. The text doesn’t state that Jesus specifically ate, but it certainly implies that, especially when on understands the closeness of gathering around the table.
  • Luke 24:42-43 Jesus took broiled fish and ate it in front of others
  • John 21:13 Jesus cooked some fish for the apostles and it certainly seems that they ate together

Eating after the resurrection presents all kinds of questions in our minds. Obviously, the Lord had a physical presence. He told Thomas to put his hand in His side and to see His nail prints. Luke tells us that Jesus vanished from the sight of the two men from Emmaus. But eating?

Some thoughts for us:

First, there are lots of things we simply do not understand about the resurrected state. In Corinthians, Paul uses the illustration of a seed and a plant. The seed is our current body. It dies and goes into the ground. What comes up looks so much nicer than that little brown seed that was planted. It is referred to as a glorified state. In John’s letters he says that we will be like Him. Will we eat? Will we need to eat? So much curiosity, mystery and unknowns about this. We’d like to know. We want answers. But, in all of this, we have to trust God. Whatever it will be like, it will be wonderful, because it is designed by God.

Second, technically, the ‘last supper,’ wasn’t the last time Jesus ate before He left this planet. The Passover meal fed into the inauguration of the Lord’s Supper. It was the final meal before the Cross. It was the meal pitched with symbolism and meaning. These three post-resurrection occasions of Jesus’ eating center around closeness, teaching and fellowship. So much of Jesus’ life centered around the meal. The feeding of the 5,000. In the home of Mary and Martha, as Mary is sitting and Martha is serving. In the home of Simon, the leper. In the home of Zaccheus. In the home of a tax collector. The closeness, fondness and warmth of sitting around the table eating was a huge part of our Lord’s life.

Third, why include those details about Jesus eating post resurrection in our Bibles? Maybe it was to show that Jesus wasn’t a ghost. Maybe to show that His love and affection for others had not changed. He had died, but everything was the same. The disciples knew who He was. And, the Lord, recognized and called Peter by name. Could this be a glimpse into what the next room in God’s house is like? Will we know each other? Will we recognize one another? That is asked all the time. And, what if mamma didn’t make it? There are not supposed to be any tears in Heaven. What about that? First, if mamma is still on this side of things, do all you can to get her to know the Lord. Second, if God can stop the sun, create the universe by just saying words, part seas, stop the mouths of lions, He can certainly take care of our memory and such things. Don’t worry about those things. God will take care of you. He’s got this.

The resurrected Jesus, walking, talking, eating, sitting and connecting with the disciples. It’s like nothing had changed. But it had. Jesus had died. Jesus was back. And, maybe when we open our eyes on the other side, everything will seem just like it has, except we will be in God’s house. Jesus knew Peter and Peter knew Jesus. Dead, resurrected, nothing had changed in their relationship.

Will we be eating in Heaven? I don’t know. I tend to doubt it because Heaven is a spiritual realm. Pearl gates, golden street, rainbows, thrones, crowns—all significant language to help us grasp and see the beauty and glory of God in His home.

Someday we are out of this place. Someday those graves will open up. Someday we will be raised. What a grand and glorious day that will be.

Roger

15

Jump Start # 3326

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3326

1 Thessalonians 5:14 “And we urge you brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.”

I stopped by our local vet the other day to pick up some medicine for our cat, more accurately, my wife’s cat. While I was waiting, there came in a dog to be groomed. Another dog was wearing the cone of shame around it’s neck. Another dog was limping. It looked like the walking wounded in that place. I just needed the medicine and I’d be out of there. But everyone had different needs for their pets. And, as our verse states, so it is among us. There is not just one prescription that fits all.

It is important to distinguish between unruly, fainthearted and weak. There are specific actions directed towards each one and if one mixes them up, just like getting the wrong medicine, disaster happens. The unruly, is rebellious. The word means out of step. They need to be admonished. If you encourage the unruly, off they go. But the fainthearted needs encouragement, not a warning. Mix that up and you’ll crush the fainthearted.

Just because someone doesn’t attend well, doesn’t tell us the reason. Is he weak? Is he sacred? Is he a rebel and defiant? Which is it? Guess wrong and you’ll make a mess. How does one know? Conversations, that’s where it must begin.

Let’s focus upon helping the weak. Weak is not a good place to be. A weak back. Weak tea. Weak knees. A weak heart. None of those are favorable. None of those are what a person wants. The reason a person is weak is obvious, they are not strong. A weak faith, is vulnerable to temptation, error and giving up. A weak faith won’t help much through the trials of life. A weak faith won’t drive out worry and fear. It’s much more than attendance, it’s a heart that is focusing upon the Lord. It’s walking with Jesus every day. It’s faith building. It’s connecting. It’s growing.

The concern that every dedicated disciple has is how do you get weak Christians stronger? Some thoughts:

First, many weak Christians would never see themselves as being weak. If a person took a sip of water and then took a sip of three-day old tea, he’d tell the difference. The tea is different than the water, but it’s very weak. And, as long as the weak maintain more connections with the world, they will seem a little different. Not much, just a little. And, that’s all it takes for them to believe that they are ok.

The words to the Ephesians were, “be strong,” and, “stand firm.” That’s not the weak. Getting them to see that there is so much more that they could be enjoying and experiencing is important. It’s like trying to ride a bike without the training wheels. Most of us had a parent guiding us as we wobbly pedaled down the street. They ran along side of us and eventually let go as we tried to maintain our balance. We crashed a time or two, but they were there to help us. We went through that routine over and over until we could safely ride without crashing. Someone was there to help us. That’s that the weak need. It’s not a spiritual spanking on Sunday. Guilting them doesn’t work. They need you to show them. They need you to guide them. They are not the ones who will read blogs, listen to podcasts, or come to special studies. You see the value. So, invite someone to join you in that. Help them. That’s the encouraging part.

Second, most weak Christians understand the need for Jesus, it’s just that other things tend to get in the way. School projects. Work. Family. This and that. It’s not that they don’t love Jesus, it’s that He’s simply not at the top of the list. They won’t drop all, stop all, give up all, for Jesus. If it’s convenient, they’ll be there. If nothing else much is going on, they will engage in spiritual activities. But where there are other things, spiritual matters get bumped lower on the list of priorities.

There are differing degrees of weakness. Some barely have their big toe in the water and they are already complaining. Others have a bit more spiritual life in them. Some are progressing. Some are going the other way. Weak is a term that can describe many levels of spiritual apathy, inactivity and lack of enthusiasm. One must be careful not to use too broad of a brush when generalizing about weak.

Helping the weak get their order in order is the key here. Mary and Martha. Martha was doing good. Mary was doing the best. Martha was serving. Mary was sitting. Martha was taking care of the belly. Mary was taking care of the soul. Often, most times, it’s not a matter of right and wrong, but of what is good and what is the best. Getting folks to see what is the best, is simply the best.

Third, weakness is not a permanent condition. One doesn’t have to be weak. Most of us started off new and fairly weak. That’s the way babies come into the world. But we grew. We got stronger. Painting a picture of what could be is something some never see. One day, you could teach a class. One day, you could be a greeter. One day you could be a deacon. One day, you could. So many struggles in the heart and in the home are resolved when one is strong in the Lord. There never is a debate in our house about should we go to worship or not? That’s already been decided. That’s an absolute. There are some things that are just off the table and do not need to even be discussed. Cuss in my house and I’ll kindly correct you. Do it again and I’ll show you the door. Don’t even try to bring booze into my house. Won’t happen. Those are things that have been decided when I decided to put Jesus first in my life. I was walking out a store the other day. I saw an older couple putting money into a lottery machine. They were buying tickets. Did I stop and stand in line behind them? Nope. What a waste. That issue has already been decided. Not for me.

The weak struggle with such things. They bounce in and out of the world and in and out of Christ. They haven’t made their minds up on some things. They could go either way. They need lessons. They need to learn. They need encouragement. They need to be strong. They need examples.

Help the weak. Don’t complain about them. Don’t give up on them. Don’t drive them away. Help them.

Roger

12

Jump Start # 3325

Posted on May 12, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3325

Proverbs 31:1 “The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him.”

Sunday is Mother’s Day. The day will be filled with a sweet thank you for all that our moms do. The restaurants will be filled. Cards will be given. Eight year old Billy gave his mother a box of chocolates. He proudly said, “It’s real good. I know because I already ate three pieces.” In another home, a brother and sister presented their mom with a house plant. The older said with a sad face, “There was a wonderful bouquet that we wanted to get you but we couldn’t afford it. It had a nice ribbon that said, ‘Rest in Peace.’ We thought you’d like that because you are always wanting some peace and rest.

Our verse today, leads into the section that we commonly know as ‘The virtuous woman.’ But it begins with an oracle that the king learned from his mother. Moms teach. A Spanish proverbs states, “an ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy.’

Notice three things that flow from Proverbs 31:

First, Moms warn. That’s moms job and duty. It is driven out of love. The house may be clean, but if the hearts of the children are not, mom has missed her most important function. Raising children to be decent, hard working and loving the Lord changes the future and puts things in the right order.

In Proverbs 31, there are two warnings. First, about relationships (3). The influences of others can cause one to compromise their convictions and sell out what they believe in. Second, there is a warning about alcohol(4-5). “It is not for kings to drink wine,” the text says. Sober in mind, sober in heart and sober in conviction, is what this mom understood. A drunken fool will be taken advantage of. Alcohol changes a person and it’s not for the better. It affects our thinking, our judgment and our decisions. The mom of Proverbs 31 warned, “it is not for kings to drink wine.” I wonder how many moms are saying that today?

We need moms warning today. Social media, amount of time on video games, and friends ought to be on top of the list that moms warn about. If faith isn’t working at home, it’s not working anywhere. Who was there to tell the three Jewish boys in Daniel three not to bow down to Babylon’s idol? Who was there to tell Joseph not to fall into the temptation of his boss’ wife? They had no one. They had learned. They had developed their own faith. They had convictions upon which they would stand. Much of this points back to a mother and father who were on the same page spiritually and who invested in the spiritual lives of their children.

There are days Mom when you must be the bad guy. You may not be your child’s best friend. Best friends just want to have fun. Best friends often look the other way. You are the parent. You must establish boundaries, rules and expectations. And, mom, you must back up these things. Don’t cut corners because they whine, cry or are unhappy. You don’t do them any long term favors when your words don’t mean anything.

Second, Moms volunteers you (vs. 8-9). The mom in Proverbs 31 expected her son, the king, to “fight for the rights of the unfortunate” and “defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.” Twice the text says, “Open your mouth.” Speak up. Stand up. The king would be in the position to do something and mom was saying, “Do it well and do it right.” “Don’t forget about the little guy.” Laziness, selfishness, indifference are the death to a society, a church and a family. The story of the rich man and Lazarus reminds us of this. The rich man isn’t painted as an evil or wicked man. Nothing indicates that he was dishonest. But when it came to helping someone who was ill and laying at his gate, he did nothing.

Mom, get the kids busy doing things for others. Get them making home made get well cards and cards of encouragement to send to others. Take them to someone’s home and let them help out. In our selfish times, it is important to show them how to put others first and to be servants of heart. They won’t learn that from social media.

Third, Moms want the best (vs 10-31). This is where the image of the virtuous woman is found. Mom was instructing her son, the king, on what type of wife to marry. She would be much more than the queen. She would be a partner in his life. Nothing is said about her schooling, what she looks like, or how rich her daddy is. The emphasis is upon her character. She is a type of person that would help, not hurt. She is the type of person that is not going to embarrass nor hinder her husband. She will be a benefit, not a liability. Mom was wanting a wife that would be good for her son. Mom knew. Mom knew what marriage does to a person. Mom knew how important it is to be on the same page spiritually.

It wearies me hearing God’s people describing future daughters-in-law or sons-in-law, as “good people,” when there is not any spiritual interest in them and in time they influence their mates to become weaker spiritually. Such is not a good person. A good person will admire, respect and honor the faith of another. Having a blast here, but losing your soul is not what any parent would want.

King Lemuel remembered the oracle of his mother. Maybe it’s about time that mothers in the kingdom started sharing their oracles with their sons and daughters.

What a blessing it is to be a mother. Do it well! What an advantage it is to have a godly mother. Honor her. Praise her. Thank her. Learn from her.

King Lemuel remembered. He remember what mom said.

Roger

11

Jump Start # 3324

Posted on May 11, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3324

Special Note: Several years ago we put together a series of Jump Starts for the graduate. We are in that season and if you would like a booklet please email me (Rogshouse@aol.com). These are always free.

1 Timothy 6:15 “which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Lord of lords.”

  Recently, Prince Charles of England was officially coronated as the king of England. It is interesting looking at this through an American perspective. There was a lot of pomp, expense and symbolism in the appointing of the new king. Charles now is the head of the church of England and head of the British monarchy. He lives in palaces, has a staff of literally hundreds that do things for him. There are crowns that he wears and thrones that he sits upon. But, how did Charles get to that position? He didn’t win any election. He never had to campaign. He didn’t climb the ladder, pay his dues or beat out other rivals. None of that happened. He did not have a resume that just made him the natural choice. No. Charles happened to be born to the right person and in the right birth order. It was nothing that he did that achieved this high and noble rank. It was purely luck. Born to the right person and born in the right birth order. That was it. He’s king because his mother was the queen. Charles happened to be in the right blood line. That is his only claim to fame. Good or bad, qualified or not, he is the new king because of blood line. That’s it.

One of the hymns we sing is, “He’s my King.” The chorus goes, “He’s my king and O I dearly love Him; He’s my King, no other is above Him; all day long enraptured praise I sing, He’s my Savior, He’s my King.” Jesus also had a blood line. He was in the blood line of David, but that’s not the sole reason why Jesus is the King. Jesus proved that He is the worthy king.

First, Jesus is the Creator. His position, long before David, before Abraham, before Noah and before, even Adam, the first man, is that He is before all and above all. It wasn’t luck of birth that made Jesus king. Jesus is equal to His Father. Jesus is God.

Second, Jesus proved His worthiness through a pure and perfect life, through those impossible miracles, through His glorious teaching. No one was like Jesus. No one could do what Jesus did. He’s the king because of who He is and because of what He has done.

Third, Jesus was the chosen one. He was the only begotten of the Father. The Messiah. The hope of Israel. The sacrifice for the world. Jesus’ time on earth wasn’t like English nobility. There wasn’t servants serving Him. In fact, He served others. There was no palaces. No body guards. People challenged Him. They questioned Him. They accused Him. They rejected Him. They killed Him.

Fourth, Jesus conquered death, crushed Satan and through His blood brought redemption for all who believe in Him. That’s Jesus. That’s why He is our king. King Charles in England won’t impact our lives hardly at all. Life goes on for us. But our King, Jesus, not only has changed our past, He has given us a purpose and a future and through Him our family destiny has been reshaped. All around the globe, thousands of years later, what Jesus has done is still being told and is still changing lives. Jesus lives. And, for the believer, we not only bow our hearts to Him in devotion, but things will only get better. A day is coming, when our King will come and we will spend forever with Him in eternity.

Charles was lucky. Jesus was proven. Charles was given everything. Jesus had everything, but gave it up. Charles may not be a good leader, time will tell. Jesus, before He sat down at the right hand of God, had demonstrated that He was the way, truth and the Life. He had lived as the good shepherd. He healed the hurting, calmed storms, drove demons out and raised the dead. There is no limit to the power or borders to the kingdom of God. To see Jesus, was to see the Father. Jesus was driven by compassion, not power.

One day, Charles, like his mother, Elizabeth, will die and the power will be shifted to yet someone else in the family. Not our King. He lives. He reigns. No one else will ever take His place.

Indeed, He’s my King, and O I dearly love Him Jesus was the fulfilment of God’s divine plan to save us from our sins.

Roger

10

Jump Start # 3323

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 3323

Ecclesiastes 3:6 “A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away.”

Our verse today comes from the multiple couplets that we easily call the seasons of life. Opposites are presented side by side. We might even look at these as positives and negatives. Birth, finding things, embraces are all wonderful and precious moments in our lives. It’s those opposites that rip our hearts and create pain and struggles. Death, uprooting what is planted, weeping, shunning, throwing away, giving up as lost, tearing apart, and war—those are tough times in our lives. Solomon tells us that there is a time for those things.

One of hard things for congregations to grasp is when is it time to stop things. With much excitement and planning, we launch new ideas to reach people with the Gospel or to better encourage the congregation. Youth events. Ladies day classes. Lectures. Special studies for young couples. VBS. And, for several years, even decades, those events bring great enthusiasm, help and hope to people. Many have benefited from those special classes.

But now, the fanfare seems to be lacking. The attendance is slim. It’s hard to get people excited about these things and even harder to find the support needed to conduct these things. And, one of the tough decisions leaders have to face is knowing when it’s time to pull the plug on events and end them. Sometimes those in charge feel like they have failed if they must stop these things.

Here are a few thoughts:

First, our passage reminds us that there are different times. Times to find things and times to give up the search. Looking at the makeup of the congregation often leads to these decisions. A group that has very few children will likely not see the value of having a VBS. If there are very few young couples, having a marriage seminar likely wouldn’t be well attended.

Churches move in cycles. There will be times when there are so many children that the concern will be what classrooms to use. Then, the cycle shifts and the children have grown and moved away and now things look differently. Leaders must be flexible and be willing to make adjustments year by year.

Second, because things are always continued through the years does not mean the effort was wasn’t good or the project was a failure. For the time that it was offered, good was accomplished. That’s the point one must look at. Instead of trying to develop something that will last generations, focus upon today and what can be done for now. What is needed today may not be needed tomorrow. My little grandchildren are growing and what I see my kids doing is shifting away from baby beds, high chairs and little teething rings. They were needed at one time and very helpful. But now, they are stuffed away and not needed. They move on to other things. A congregation needs to think that way.

Third, because something is stopped for now does not mean down the road it can not be presented again. In a period of time, as that cycle changes, so does the needs of a congregation. It seems in a growing church, things will be shifting around from year to year. The diet, needs and concerns of a congregation shifts as it matures and faces different challenges. It’s valuable to recognize that, understand that and adapt to that.

As events, programs, meetings and classes change though the years, there ought always be a need for something. It may not be what was done last year, or ten years ago, but there are always a place for classes, devotions, studies and specialized lessons that will help people connect with the Lord and each other.

Years ago in one of the colleges I attended, the food was always the same. Every Monday it was the same thing. The Tuesday menu was always the same. The Wednesday food the same every Wednesday. Knowing what day of the week it was told us exactly what we were eating that evening. It was very tiring. Many skipped out and found something better to eat. What a congregation offers can seem that way to people. Find special ways to bring the Bible alive. Use videos. Have smaller classes. Focus upon certain age groups. Put some thought into what is being offered.

There is a time, the preacher said. Knowing that time is the key.

Roger