August 15 devotion - Three Important Things

Matthew 4:23           Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

            Teaching, preaching, and healing – those were the three main strands of Christ’s ministry among His people. He taught them the Word of God in new and authoritative ways. He preached the Word of God by challenging their ideas and confronting their sins. And He practiced the Word of God by healing the people of their illnesses, anxieties, and distresses.

            Teaching, preaching, and healing – these should be the three major strands of Christ’s Church throughout the world. People still need to be taught the Word of God, otherwise, they make up their own set of beliefs to suit themselves. Folks need to be preached to, and at, in order to shake up their choices and lifestyles. And people still need to be healed because there is brokenness, suffering, and despair all over this planet.

            If we are truly taught the Word of God, we can become Christ’s followers. If we are fully receptive to the preaching of God’s Word, we will make good and honest choices. And if we allow ourselves to be healed of the past, as well as cured of our present woes and anxieties, we will discover a newer, brighter, and more blessed future with Jesus.

            Teaching, preaching, and healing – the continuous and effective ministries of Christ which we can still experience today, in any part of this planet, in any place where the Spirit of the Lord can be personally known – which is everywhere and by everyone.

Questions for personal reflection

What part of Christ’s teaching means the most to me? How has preaching increased my faith as a Christian? When and where has Jesus healed me?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, thank You for being the True Teacher, Preacher, and Healer of the world. Help us to rely upon Your words and ways each day. Grant us the grace to receive, retain, and apply God’s Word through Your teaching, preaching, and healing in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM - you will be made very welcome :)

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Lectionary art images. It’s based on a verse from Psalm 67. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Psalm 67.

Aug 1 devotion - Weird Dream

Revelation 5:6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the Earth. (NIV)

I had a really weird dream last night. I was trying to escape from a high-rise building, but the elevator wasn’t working, so I scampered down the stairs as fast as I could. At some point, I went through a door and ended up in a coffee house which was full of people from the 1930s. It turned out to be set in Austria, but don’t ask me how I knew this – I’ve never been there in my life. Anyway, the color in my dream faded to monochrome and as I watched everyone in the café go about their business, conversations, and meals, I realized that I was the only one who knew about the coming World War which would tragically affect all of them. Just as I was about to warn them of the future, I woke up in a cold sweat. Who knows what would have happened if I slept longer.

Some people say that dreams are supposed to be metaphysical ways in which the brain processes current issues and personal problems. I have no earthly idea what my dream was about or what troubles it was meant to resolve. I’m more inclined to think it was due to the dark chocolate that I ate before sleeping – at least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

Every time I read the Book of Revelation, I get intrigued by the fantastic descriptions and enigmatic symbols that the Apostle John dreamed and wrote about. Some of them I understand, but others are so mysterious that I have no way of knowing completely what they represent. Today’s passage has always puzzled me and even though I accept that the Slain Lamb is symbolic of Christ, I just can’t fully fathom the seven horns, seven eyes, and seven spirits stuff. Biblical scholars have argued over the symbolism ever since John wrote down his great dream. I know that he was writing in some sort of code which his contemporaries understood, but honestly, some of it is totally lost on me.

However, despite my puzzlement, I get the thrust of the passage. Jesus, through His sacrificial death, is the only One worthy enough to open the great seals which will usher in the end of the world as we know it. It is His right to do so because He has now been given the complete authority to judge the whole Earth. On that special and solemn day, we will all get to know the answer to these mysterious things. This means that the Church’s primary role today is to prepare our people for that crucial moment in which everything will be changed, including ourselves, forever.

Point to ponder

Am I prepared for the judgment that is yet to come? How is my church helping me get ready for that inevitable and unavoidable moment in Eternity?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are things about You that we do not fully understand. Help us to see You as the Sovereign of the universe, the Lord of all creation, and the King of our lives. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us on Sunday mornings for worship at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome.

Today’s image is one of John’s early psalm drawings based on Psalm 75. If you would like to view a larger version, click on this link: Time.