Luke 9:2 Jesus
sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
Archie was a great preacher and many of the young people
in Glasgow, Scotland that I knew in the late 1970s were drawn to Jesus through
his straightforward, no-nonsense style of preaching. He was a heating engineer
by trade and originally worked in the great Glasgow shipyards on the Clyde. He was
skilful at his job, so eventually he set up his own firm and became quite
successful. At some point in his life, he met Jesus and gave his heart to the Lord.
Like most people who go through a dynamic conversion experience,
Archie wanted to tell everyone about Christ. He became a part-time preacher at
the Gospel Club that I attended each Wednesday evening.
I can still see and hear him preaching about God’s
Kingdom with a confidence and strength that came from the presence of the Holy
Spirit in his life. As he preached his message, Archie held a large Bible in
his hands and often flicked through its pages, quoting book, chapter, and
verses to back up his Gospel message. His strong clear voice and candid
preaching reached into the hearts and minds of my friends, as well as me. At
the end of the meeting, new souls were saved and old sinners were changed. To
all who heard him, Archie exuded Christ’s authority and preached with the power
of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus sent out his disciples to other areas during
the winter season, He gave them His power and authority to preach the Gospel
and heal the sick. It must have been a remarkable time for His faithful
followers, as well as the people in that region. Lives were changed, sicknesses
were cured, and souls were saved. It was really the beginning of Christ’s Church
in the world.
The world still needs powerful preachers and healing
miracles today. Instead of being distracted and divided by the devil, Christianity
could empower people with hope and heal the brokenness of humanity. If we would
open our hearts and minds to being revived by the Holy Spirit instead of
reviling one another, this entire planet could be saved within a couple of
generations. The challenge that we all have today is this: are we willing to set aside our theological
woes and simply work for Christ?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know
what the world really needs and what Your Church needs to do. Help us to
reclaim our faith, renew our commitment to You, and revive our spirits. May we
preach with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as well as healing the
world through Your Loving Way. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the Scottish
pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like
to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.
Today’s image is John’s
latest African drawing called “Sunset Parade.” If you would like to view a
larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7778524948_dd17801487_b.jpg
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