Church Devotion: Trying to be a Christian

Acts 10:2         Cornelius and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

I read somewhere this morning about a woman who was being questioned about her beliefs by a police officer. Each time she was asked “Of what religion are you?” she answered, “Trying to be a Christian.”

This frustrated the officer. “You must belong to a church, a denomination, a sect or a cult, so tell me, what is your religion?” Again the woman simply answered, “Trying to be a Christian.”

From what I have read about the centurion Cornelius in the Book of Acts, he was trying to be a Christian without even knowing of Christ. He was a devout person who believed in God, shared his beliefs with his loved ones, prayed to God on a regular basis, and gave regularly to those who had genuine needs. Isn’t that what we expect of Christians? Cornelius was trying to be as faithful to God as he possibly could, and this is why God gives him a special vision and draws him into the Christian faith.

Today, we will all have opportunities to witness to the effectiveness of Christ’s presence in our lives. We may be asked to pray for others in need; we may even be required to help them financially. The hope is that we will all try to be Christians in whatever situation, event, or issue that we face. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be the right thing to do.

Questions for personal reflection

How do I display my faith in Christ to other people? Dare I try to be a Christian in all things today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus Christ, we say that we follow You with our lips, but we frequently fail You with our deeds. Help us this day to practice and display our devotion to You by trying to be real, genuine, and sincere Christians in our world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of 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 a collage of four of my 2013 Pentecost drawings. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8124/8656938896_929e837c59_c.jpg

4 Minute Daily Devotions: No Favoritism

Acts 10:34, 35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

It’s a problem for every generation of Christians. How does God treat and judge those who do what is right, but have no knowledge of Jesus? Are they lost forever, or does God give them credit for being good people?

Over the years, I have struggled and wrestled with this. Scripture is absolute when it states that those who believe shall be given everlasting life, whereas those who have no belief shall perish (John 3:16-18). In our cosmopolitan and pluralistic society, those words of John seem to be unacceptable, archaic, and out of touch with the real world. And yet, they were written at a time when the world was just as cosmopolitan and pluralistic as it is today.

When I read Peter’s words this morning, I thought that they might provide the loophole that most of us look for when dealing with this subject. ‘God shows no favoritism’ - not even to Christians? ‘God accepts men from every nation, who fear him and do what is right’ – does this not validate that God accepts all of those who try to do good, no matter what they believe? On the surface, it appears to be that way.

And then, just when I think this serious issue is resolved, Peter adds something to the equation: “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

Knowledge of God’s message and the good news (Gospel) of peace through Jesus Christ is required. Universalism is therefore not the answer – knowing Jesus is.

People say that Christianity is dying out and they clutch at straws about salvation. However, there are more Christians in the world today than at any time in the history of our faith. Christ’s message is expanding and more people are being saved each day. The world may cling to its own understanding, but the Christian faith has never altered its message: those who know the Lord will know salvation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today there will be many people throughout the world who will turn to You and believe. They will set aside their fears and place their faith in You. They will give up on their doubts and give themselves to you. Thank You for increasing the number of Christians on Earth each day. Help us to do whatever we can to bring other people to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of 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.

4 Minute Daily Devotion: Soldier-Servant

Acts 10:2 Cornelius and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

I think when I get to heaven, I’d like to meet Cornelius. His story fascinates me and I love the fact that God uses him as a vehicle to spread the Christian faith throughout the mighty Roman militia. He is chosen by God because of his faithfulness and generosity. He walks the talk and makes himself not only acceptable to the Jews around him, but more importantly to God Himself.

In the scripture we are told that Cornelius is a centurion in the Italian regiment. That means that he is an officer in one of Caesar’s finest troops. His loyalty to the Emperor must have been strong, and yet he is also a follower of the God of the Jews.

I like the fact that God is willing to use an outsider like Cornelius to accomplish an important part of Christ’s ministry. God is favoring the centurion because of his devotion and charitable contributions. Cornelius just isn’t a person who says he believes; he puts his faith into practice by giving to and providing for the poor in his community. Usually, a Roman centurion couldn’t care less about the Jews or those living in poverty. Cornelius is an exception to the rule and because of this, God uses him in an extraordinary way.

I think what the passage is teaching us is this: Cornelius was a Christian even before he knew about Christ. His devotion to God, regular praying, and giving to the poor were very Christ-like. He was an honest soldier with noble characteristics. He was a man of God who would soon become a servant of God’s Son. Cornelius provides for all of us a trustworthy example of a faithful devotee of God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for people like Cornelius, whose lives are filled with faith and honesty, loyalty and charity, commitment and compassion. Help us to receive his example of faith with love and grace. Empower and enable us to try to do much of the same. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of 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.