19

Jump Start # 4138

Posted on August 19, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4138

 

 Revelation 2:2 “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false.”

 

We are running a little series on the final ten lessons I preached at Charlestown Road. “Ten final things I wanted to say.”

 

# 8 What Matter the Most

 

There are many things in life that are important. They matter. If you want to do well in school, grades matter. Health matters. Ask those who don’t have good health. Paying your bills matter. In Revelation two, the church at Ephesus, reminds us of what matters spiritually.

 

We learn that it is possible to do the right things for the wrong reasons. Ephesus tried those who claimed to be apostles but they weren’t. What was their motive? The love of the Lord? No. They had left that first love.

 

Ephesus also shows us that one can look good on the outside but be empty on the inside. Much like those hollow chocolate Easter bunnies that the children get. Empty on the inside. Nothing on the inside.

 

Ephesus also shows us that one can know all the right answers without really knowing Him.

 

And, in these verses we find the three things that are important.

 

First, remember (2:5). John writes, “Remember have fallen.” Remember why you became a Christian. Remember the joy of forgiveness. Remember the passion of prayer and the joy of worship. Remember the excitement of reading God’s word. Life has a way of getting in the way and we forget. We become so busy with the here and now that we forget about the eternal.  Remember. Do this in “memory” of Me, the Lord said. Peter wrote, “ I will always be ready to remind you of these things” (2 Pet 1:12).

 

Second, repeat what you did at first (2:5). The Ephesian problem was that they stopped doing what they had done at first. Hanging around and enjoying the company of fellow Christians. Asking questions. Looking deeply into God’s word. That’s what we did at first. Did we outgrow that? Do we feel that those things are no longer necessary? Do what you did at first. Are you doing that?

 

Third, repent (2:5). Do better. Do what is right. What matters? It’s not what you know, but what you are doing with what you know. It’s not a matter of just going to church. It’s a heart that longs for the Lord.

 

A church of joy will attract others. A church that loves will love each other. A church that walks with the Lord will be forgiving, compassionate and full of grace.

 

What matters? Not the paint on the wall. Not the attendance on Sunday morning. But, a community of followers and believers who fervently love and trusts the Lord.

 

What matters most

 

Roger

 

18

Jump Start # 4137

Posted on August 18, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4137

 

Ephesians 4:4-5 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

 

An explanation and a clarification: Against my better judgment, I’ve been asked to explain my new situation since I retired from local preaching last Sunday. I am not finished preaching. I have several meetings on the books for this year and the next many years. My “retirement” was from local preaching. I have told some that I am now going to be a free-range chicken, preaching anywhere and everywhere that I can be useful. I will continue to hold gospel meetings and lectureships. I will fill in for congregations who are between preachers. We don’t like the term “consultant” but I will help and advice congregations about shepherding, two-preacher arrangements, annual themes, becoming global and a host of other topics. These Jump Starts will continue. Preaching is in my blood and I will always preach until the Lord stops me.

 

I am sharing a series of my final ten sermons that I preached at Charlestown Road.

 

  # 9 The Divine Distinctiveness

 

Different, unusual, unique are not always words that we like to hear. In school, there is the pressure to fit in with everyone else. In business, employees are encouraged to follow the company culture. Society rewards blending in, not standing out. Different and unique are noticed. They are talked about. Some do things just to be noticed and draw attention to themselves. When it comes to the Lord, His way has always been distinct. Noah building an ark, Joshua walking around the walls of Jericho seven times, Daniel praying in his window in Persia, early disciples refusing to be silent when ordered. God’s people have always stood with the Lord.

The challenge before us in these times is how we maintain the distinctiveness of the Lord’s way in the atmosphere of surrendering to the times and blending in with the culture around us? Let’s consider four aspects of divine distinctiveness:

First, The Uniqueness of God. Three times in Isaiah God asks the question, “Who will you liken me to?” (40:17-26; 46:5, 8-10). Pharaoh learned that God was not like the Egyptian gods. Jezebel learned that God was not like the idol Baal.

 

(1) God is a Righteous judge (2 Tim 4:8) – He cannot be bribed, bought off, play favorites or bends truth to fit public opinion.

 

(2) God is Fair in His blessings (Mt 5:45). Heaven’s blessings come upon those who have prayed and thanked the Lord and to those who never give a thought to God.

 

(3) God’s Desire is for all to be saved (2 Pet 3:9; Ezekiel 18:23). The cross demonstrates the extent of God’s love for all of us. There is no one like the Lord.

 

Second, The Universal Nature of God’s Word (Mk 16:15). God’s word is for everyone. That includes everyone. Those we like and those we don’t like. Those that like God and those that don’t like God. Jesus fits all people, every home, every culture, every generation, every situation. The Gospel is for all.

 

Third, The Distinctiveness of God’s church. It is uniquely the Lord’s (Mt 16:18).

It is given a name that honors the Lord (Rom 16:16).

It is given a purpose that follows the Lord (Eph 1:22; 2:19-22).

It is given a promise that cannot be stopped (Dan 2:44).

 

Fourth, The Special Honor of Being God’s People. We are light (Mt 5:14) like Jesus is light (1 Jn 1:5).

We carry on the work that He started. We reflect His character in a dark world. Every act of grace, forgiveness, kindness and truth becomes a testimony of God. We become His hands in serving; His eyes in compassion; His voice in teaching truth. The work of the kingdom has been put into our hands. We are the World’s Bible.

There was a time when ancient Israel lost it’s distinctiveness. Instead of being the people of God, led by God—they wanted a physical, human king. They wanted what all the other nations had, a visible king to lead them. What they got were kings that led their hearts away from God.

 

The temptation to be silent on moral issues, to be more concerned with numbers may have made God’s church more attractive to the world, but it has lost it’s distinctiveness. God doesn’t want us to conform to the world—not in our congregations, homes, hearts, or our faith. We are to be transformed: different (Rom 12:1-2).

 

We offer what cannot be found anywhere else: the pure, simplistic message of Jesus Christ. We are not a denomination. We are not non-denominational. We are PRE-denomination, the primitive, pure, distinctive people of God.

 

Being unique carries criticism by those who do not understand. It can be lonely. Jeremiah stood alone. Noah stood alone. Paul often stood alone. But the Lord was with them

 

We do not apologize for following the Bible. We do not apologize for doing what God says.

 

We do not change the message, the plan or the mission to better fit us. We change us to better fit the word of God.

 

The Divine Distinctiveness.

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

Jump Start # 4136

Posted on August 17, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4136

 

Hebrews 13:20-21 “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

 

Yesterday was my final sermon as one of the preachers at Charlestown Road. It also was the ending of my work as a local preacher. I’ve been doing this for close to fifty years. I’ll continue to preach and help out in the kingdom anywhere that I can be used. As the time drew close for this ending, I sat down and wrote out ten things I wanted the church to know before I left. For the next ten Jump Starts I will walk through those ten things.

 

  # 10 Together with God great things are done

 

Throughout the Bible we read of a great partnership with God. For instance, many of the great miracles, done by the power of God, involved a human touch. The parting of the Red Sea came about by God, but Moses raised his staff and it took place. The healing of the cripple in Acts was God working through the apostles. This partnership  is also seen in the proclamation of God’s word. The message was God’s. The means was God. But it was the human voice that proclaimed and preached that saving message. To the Corinthians Paul said that he planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. The growth would never take place as long as the seed remained in the barn. Paul had his part. God had his part. It was a Divine Partnership. Together with God great things are done.

 

In understanding this partnership with God, we see that God won’t do the work alone. How can they hear, the Romans were told, without a preacher? Neither will God go against our will. If we sit on the sidelines of life, then God won’t just do it Himself. And, there are so many times that we do not realize that God is involved, helping, opening doors and providing opportunities for us to bring about good things through Him.

 

Here are some things God has worked through you:

 

First, you have become an incredible person of virtue. God has changed you. You catch yourself from saying words that ought not to be said. Your eyes see opporutnities because you have learned to lift up your eyes and see the good that the Lord can do. A rock in a river doesn’t become smooth instantly. But over time, that river shapes and works on that rock, just as the Gospel has shaped and worked on our hearts. Decades with Jesus has made us a better people.

 

Second, through the Lord you have done some incredible things. Things you never thought possible. We see this through the Scriptures. Moses standing before Pharoah. Daniel before Nebuchadnezzar. Nehemiah before the Perisan king. Paul before King Agrippa and then before Caesar. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things because God was with them.

 

And, think about your life. You have forgiven when you didn’t think you could. You have taught classes when you were terrified of speaking publicly. You have invited people into your home for a meal. You have comforted grieving people. You have defended the truth before family and friends. You have given up a Saturday to help someone. You have served as a shepherd.

 

It is amazing to look back and to see all that you have done. You could have never done that without the Lord.

 

Third, with the Lord, the future is bright. More great things will be done as a new generation of disciples are raised to walk and serve the Lord. In the rely race, it’s not always the fastest that wins, but those that can easily and smootly pass the baton on to the next runner. The fastest team often fails because they fumble, drop and mess up the passing of the baton. Generationally, we do well when we pour effort and thought into how we are passing the baton on to the next generation.

 

With God at the helm of our hearts and our congregations, great things will continue to happen. The future is bright, as long as we remain with the Lord.

 

Roger

 

14

Jump Start # 4135

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4135

 

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

 

I’ve been in a hotel this week. On the road preaching. At breakfast, three tables away from where I was sitting I could tell you all about someone’s father and how difficult he has been. I know this because the person on the phone was talking so loud. She finally finished the phone call and immediately called someone else. Why she didn’t stay in her room or go outside I do not understand. Then walking back to my room, I saw someone leaving their room with a massive dog. I know people love their pets, but when that pet isn’t yours, it’s hard to be a fan. I’ve stayed in hotel rooms that smelled like wet dog. Not a great experience n my way of thinking.

 

That’s how the day started, loud conversations and dogs in the hallway. It’s enough to make one grumpy, complaining and miserable the rest of the day. For some, it’s enough to make them miserable the rest of the trip. But our verse came to my mind as I returned to my room this morning. I generally focus on the end of this passage, the forgiveness factor. Forgiving just as we have been forgiven. But on this day, it’s the front end of this passage that caught my attention. Be kind. Be tender-hearted. There are times when you feel like saying things, but you don’t. You don’t, because likely what you will say will not be kind. Why poke a bear and start a war when it is not necessary.

 

And, I’ve noticed this about our times. Not only does everyone have an opinion about things, they feel compelled to share that opinion with the world. And, when you don’t have the same opinion as they do, they’ll let you know. Mention politics and the battle lines are drawn. Talk about drivers on the highway, the price of things today, the kind of movies being produced, the construction zones, the temperature in the church building, the type of hymns led on a Sunday—and just about everyone has an opinion and most feel the need to express it.

 

Be kind to one another. One has to wonder what God had in mind when He sent those words to the apostle. Be kind. Did the Lord see something missing in the relationships among His people? Was there tension between Jewish and Gentile Christians? Or, was the problem coming from the masters and how they were treating their slaves? Many of the slaves may have been Christians.

 

Be kind. Give some thought to that:

 

First, kindness comes from the inside out. You can have two kids who are fighting over a toy and mom will tell one to share the toy with the other. He’ll do it, but he certainly doesn’t want to. In fact, he may hand the toy over, while sticking his tongue out at the other kid. Kindness is something we choose. It is a quality of the heart. It begins from  the foundation of God and grows as one loves others. And, that’s the key. When selfish people only think of themselves, they won’t be kind. They will do things that benefits themselves and only themselves.

 

Second, kindness must not stay in our hearts. Until it is reflected and shown, no one else knows that you are kind. So, the choice of words, the tone of our voice, our facial expression, the amount of time we give all show others kindness. One never has to say a word, but all it takes is a look and someone will know that you are not kind. The frown. The stink eye. The rolled eyes. Those are all the early signs of a volcano that is about to erupt. Not only do they show that you are not happy, it reveals that what is about to come from your lips will not be kind.

 

Third, we do not have to express our displeasure, our opinions and our attitudes in every situation. Somehow we get this when referring to the world, but within the congregation, we feel that it is our duty to express our feelings about everything. Any given Sunday morning in church one is bound to hear, “It’s freezing in here,” and at the same time, “I’m burning up.” I was in one church building where the air conditioner fans blew so strong, that it’d turn the pages in my Bible. I had to put a pen on my Bible while I was preaching to keep the page where I wanted it to be. Get to know your place. Dress accordingly. If it runs cold, put on layers. If it runs hot, wear fewer layers. Make it work.

 

You don’t have to express your displeasure about the songs that were led, or who prays or the length of the sermon. You do that enough and your family is going to wonder why you even go. Be kind.

 

Kindness is what leads some to send a card or a text thanking someone for what they did. Kindness is what compels someone to buy a gift card to someone to let them know how much they are loved. Kindness helps a mother who is trying to balance diaper bags, kids, Bibles and bags of books. Kindness asks the shepherds if there is anything that can be done for them this week. Kindness pulls us together. Kindness keeps us coming back. Kindness builds relationships.

 

There are some who are just good at being kind. Others need to work at it.

 

Be kind to one another. Can people say that’s you?

 

Roger

 

13

Jump Start # 4134

Posted on August 13, 2026 by Jump Starts Daily in Jump Starts Daily | Tagged | Leave a comment

Jump Start # 4134

 

1 Peter 4:11 “Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supples; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. “

 

Throwback Thursday: An article written from the past

 

What are you talking about?

 

A congregation in Indiana is looking for a preacher. Here is what they wrote in regard to finding a preacher:

 

  We suffered a split in 2004 that weakened us numerically and financially. We were essentially three congregations under one roof and two of the groups pulled out. God is restoring us, but we need a missional (sic) ministry partner to help us harness our spiritual gifts and connect with the community Monday through Saturday. Our young families relate to the post-modern experience and feel that prevailing ministry models lack meaningful purpose. We want to foster a spiritual environment that introduces spiritual explorers to authentic connections with our ancient God and his timeless kingdom.

 

My first reaction was, “Wow! What in the world are they talking about?” I understand the words, but I don’t understand how they fit in with New Testament Christianity. “Postmodern experience,” “authentic connections,” “spiritual explorers”? What are those supposed to mean?

 

Peter said, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet 4:11).   This is a good reminder for all of us to speak as the Bible. For years the world has renamed sin into less offensive terms, such as lifestyles and affairs. It is easy to move away from the language of the Bible to a language that is so obscure and fuzzy that it can mean anything and teaches nothing.

 

The term spiritual explorers, I guess is supposed to mean people who are seeking the truth. I wonder why they just didn’t say that?  Young families feeling that the prevailing ministry models lack meaningful purpose sounds like they are either tired of preaching, or they want women to preach. I wonder why they just don’t say that? The language is not clear.

 

The bottom line of all of this may be a people that has simply outgrown the Gospel and the church as God has designed. Some throw out the old for the new. Changing the words may appeal to a changing culture, but it doesn’t resolve the real needs, and that is the message of Christ. Let us speak the language of the Bible. Call Bible things by Bible words. Let us not be ashamed of what the Bible says.

 

  Give me the Bible.

 

Roger

August, 2005