House of God - Hebrews 3:6

Hebrews 3:6    But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

            Coming from Scotland, I am part of a network of millions of people who belong to the House of Stewart. My family’s own particular branch of that royal clan is Stuart of Bute, which influences most of the South West region of Scotland. Generations ago, my ancestors were tenants on a farm in Kintyre, which Sir Paul McCartney now owns. When the Industrial Revolution began in the 1800s, my folks left the countryside and moved to Glasgow, where they found work as weavers, clay pipe makers, and carters.

            As members of the House of Stewart, my family wears its tartan with pride and theoretically our life-long allegiance is meant to be given to the living monarch of Scotland, presently Queen Elizabeth. In the past, this allegiance laid feudal obligations upon my family to defend the Scottish sovereign to the death and I am sure that some of them did. These days, however, that connection to the House of Stewart is a celebratory one, so whenever I go to Scottish festivals, Highlands Games, or Burns Suppers, I wear both the Royal Stewart and the Stuart of Bute tartans. It’s my way of identifying with the past, but also of proclaiming my Scottish heritage to my peers.

            I like today’s verse from Hebrews because I understand Christ’s loyalty to the House of God. He is faithful to His Heavenly Father and totally obedient to His will. He is proud of what His Father has accomplished and seeks to glorify God through all that Jesus does. And, as we know from the Gospels, Jesus proved His loyalty to God by sacrificing His own life because God demanded it from Him in order to save the world. Christ’s perfect allegiance to God cost Him His life, but it won for us the opportunity to become a privileged part of God’s eternal household, which is something that we could never have accomplished for ourselves.

            So let us rejoice in what Jesus has achieved. We are restored to God’s favor forever and are always welcome in His House.

Questions for personal reflection

What do I know of my own ancestry? How has it shaped my faith?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for honoring God with Your perfect obedience and total commitment to His will. We know that we have been blessed through Your loyalty to God, so we thank You for the gift of salvation which allows us to be embraced in the House of God. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to ask questions or comment on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Scottish drawings called “Dunure Sunset.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Dunure.

Church devotion: A Simpler Path - Acts 2:46

Acts 2:46         Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

            I envy the First Christians. Their faith seemed very simple and straightforward. They worshipped and studied each day, and made time to frequently share meals and break bread together. They weren’t encumbered with almost two thousand years of ecclesiastical history, denominational divisions, or cultural conflicts. They just simply, purely, and innocently practiced their faith in cheerful, faithful, and joyful ways.

            Where did we go wrong? What moved us off the simpler path to Christ? Christians today are fiercer than ever and fighting battles that are not important. Whenever I read something belligerently written by some Christian group, whether they be conservatives or progressives, which berates the other side, I feel badly inside. In the past, I’ve created and contributed to these self-righteous invectives, but I’ve now reached a point where I ask myself this: what does it prove? How does it help Christ’s Kingdom? What do people outside of the Church think of us?

            I’d like to get back to those simpler days of sharing the Gospel and breaking bread together. I’d like things between all Christians to change, so I know that it has to begin with me. I may not get it right all of the time; I hope I don’t wander from the simpler path, but I know that the Church – whether local, national, or even international – can’t go on beating itself with its own stick. The world is broken and we need to be healers sent from Christ, but we can only do that if we honestly heal ourselves of our self-sustained prejudice, arrogance, and ignorance.

Questions for reflection

What is the role of the Church in the world? How does it present that role in my local community?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are all sinners saved by Your grace, but sometimes we forget that we are essentially unworthy and unholy. Redirect our lives and re-position us on a simpler path of faith. Cleanse us of ecclesiastical arrogance and cultural conflict. Teach us Your Way, so that we can faithfully present Your Truth and live Your Life. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make comments or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings. It’s called “Spirit of Autumn.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Spirit.

Short devotions: A Healthy Fear - Acts 19:17

Acts 19:17       When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 

Sometimes when I read the New Testament, I wonder why the word ‘fear’ is ever associated with Jesus. Like most people, I tend to see Jesus as loving and non-judgmental, a person who could find the good in anyone; a prophet who attracted people to God; and a teacher who showed the world how to live. I understand how honoring and worshipping Jesus for those positive qualities has endeared me to Christ, but what about this fear that the New Testament writers express? What has fear got to do with Jesus?

‘Fear’ in this context goes beyond being afraid. It really means to completely respect Christ for who He actually is: the Holy Son of God. ‘Fear’ then describes the awe and reverence that we should feel when we think about, worship, and honor Jesus. It also means that we actively submit to His power and teaching, His authority and realm. We are not equal to Christ, although He does restore us as sons and daughters of God. He is the Chosen One, the Eternal Crown Prince, the True Heir to God’s Kingdom. Throughout our days on Earth and in Eternity, He will always be our Master, Lord, Ruler, and King. We will always be His servants in the Everlasting Realm, if we choose to repent and follow Him on Earth.

So when we read about ‘fear’ being associated with Christ in the New Testament, it’s a healthy fear – a total respect for who Jesus is and a complete submission to His power.

Questions for personal reflection

How do I express and display my loyalty to Christ? Do I understand that I am called to serve Him and not the other way around?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, grant us a healthy fear of Who You are so that our lives may be challenged and changed by Your words and ways. Give us opportunities to positively serve You so that others may be attracted to Your majesty and power, as well as Your love and grace. 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 or ask a question about today’s passage, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Mackintosh style drawings. It’s called “Butterfly on Thistle.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link:

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