Sabbath Psalms - Godly Wonders

Psalm 66: 5 Come and look at what God has accomplished; how awesome are His works in our behalf!

John Calvin called them ‘the attestations of God’s witness to the world.’ Today, we would call them natural wonders, divine intervention, or even great escapes.

One of the challenges that Christians have in this world is how to show other people where God is present and working in our lives. Skeptics tend to think that we spiritually sugar coat the truth and wear Rose of Sharon colored glasses. Our reality is seemingly skewed by our stubborn hold on a two-thousand-year-old faith, which has entered into the realm of religious myth and fabricated fable for most post-modern day folks. The world of AI, Instagram, Youtube, and podcasts has no need for charming parables or a godly Gospel where blood and tears, as well as broken limbs and bread, redeem the world. If God has any awesomeness left to impress upon the present generation, then He’d better do it through cyberspace, iPods, anime, and cellphones. A sacred text is no longer needed, but a divine ability to safely text while driving would be a major plus.

And yet, despite all of our devices, sunrises and sunsets still attract us. Glorious mountains and the greenest of valleys captivate our souls. Christmas still touches something good, even within the least religious among us, and Easter annually fills us with new life, new beginnings, and new wonders.

We may become distracted by the latest gadgets and are constantly obsessed with the newest of trends, but God still walks and works among us, testifying to Himself in the most commonplace of natural events – the hearing of birdsong in the quiet of the morning, the rippling rhythm of a mountain stream, or the rushing of waves crashing on craggy rocks – they all witness to the power and glory, creativity and activity of a God who still cares for His creation and seeks to heal a broken world.

Point to ponder: Where do I experience God’s presence in my life?

Prayer: Almighty Creator, Your awesome works, words, and ways still reveal to us Your glory, power, and love. We seek Your divine blessings in each of our lives, for we pursue happiness and pleasure, satisfaction and harmony for our souls. Instead of being agitated and restless, help us to become anchored and restful. Instead of being distracted by complicated machinery, help us to become attracted to simple serenity. Instead of always doing, enable us to just be beings. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian Pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms - On The Edge

Psalm 14:1 The fool says within himself, “God does not exist.” They are immoral, their deeds are disgraceful; there is nobody who does good things.

Like everyone else, I struggle with my faith at times. I’ve always believed in God as far back as I can remember, but it’s what I believe in God that keeps changing. When I first became a Christian, I wanted to convert the entire world. I actually preached on street corners in Scotland and sang hymns outside Glasgow pubs. I was fearless for Christ and wanted to show the world what unbelievers were missing. I guess I must have appeared like a religious freak to most of my drunken audience, but I was on fire for the Lord, and it didn’t bother me.

These days, I would find it tough and perhaps be too embarrassed to preach outside a city bar. I got in enough trouble preaching from the relative safety of a church pulpit. Sometimes my zeal to get the Gospel message across caused some people to get upset and leave the church. A sermon that stings is sometimes too close to the truth, even for me.

Faith is a precious gift from God, but sometimes we foolishly take it for granted or allow ourselves to cast it aside in order to indulge in sinful things. We stumble on the edge of foolishness which, for some people, can lead to affluence and unbelief, indifference and apostasy. I’m not one of those who subscribes to the belief that ‘once saved means always saved.’ I think that we can lose our salvation if we lose ourselves to the wiles of the world, which is why Jesus says in Mark’s Gospel: “Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."(Mark 4 v 25). If we were saved for all time, we could give our hearts to Christ at the age of three and spend the next 97 years doing whatever we liked.

When I preached the message on Sunday mornings, I was very much aware that we’re all just living on the edge of eternity. Who knows what tomorrow may bring, so that is why we all need to get our hearts and minds, our lives and ways right with God through Christ today. To do anything else or to leave it for another time is plainly foolish and just as spiritually harmful as the person with no belief at all.

Point to ponder: What things disrupt my belief in God? How does Christ restore me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let this be the day when we all completely surrender our lives to You. Let this be the time when we allow You totally into our hearts, to change us forever. Enable us not to keep back anything or any part of us from You. Take away our foolishness and fill us with true faith. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

That Sinking Feeling - A Sermon Against Racism

            When I started researching for this morning’s sermon earlier this week, I was looking forward to dramatically re-telling you about Peter’s comical encounter with Jesus and explain how the Big Fisherman got himself into another fine mess because of his vanity and impetuosity. We were all going to have a good laugh, largely at Peter’s expense, and somehow I would bring the message all together, quite cleverly, as a lesson about how Jesus is willing to help us even when we do foolish and rash things.

            It was my intention to reach out to those of you who are currently overwhelmed because of your circumstances and give you words of hope and inspiration, so that you could rely on Jesus to rescue you from whatever troubles you are facing. It would have been a humdinger of a sermon, cleverly crafted and passionately presented to help you all, but as Robert Burns, Scotland’s National Poet once wrote,

‘The best laid schemes o’ mice and men, gang aft agley.’

            After yesterday’s tragic and disturbing events in Charlottesville, VA, I was left thinking that we are all struggling in stormy times and floundering in a sea of discontent. That ‘sinking feeling’ is owned by every one of us here today because the America that we have loved is sinking under a tidal wave of intolerance, ignorance, and inhumanity. What we saw on the streets of Charlottesville – that beautiful college town full of young people and the very place where Thomas Jefferson, the Architect of our Declaration of Independence, lived – was a frightening return to the anarchy that almost ruined this nation in the 1950s and 60s.

            We saw racists, under the hypocritical ruse of protecting the Confederacy of the South, force their wicked beliefs on the streets of a town that has flourished and grown in diversity and unity as a 21^st century cosmopolitan community. Those same racists flaunted their bigoted message by chanting ‘Sieg Heil!’ using Nazi salutes, symbols, and banners to display their so called ‘strength and unity.’

            I could not believe what I was hearing and seeing – especially after burying a great American hero in our church this week – Fran Ayers – who signed up as a teenager to join the US Armed Forces during World War 2 and who survived the Battle of the Bulge, more than seventy years ago, against the same kind of Fascists in Nazi Germany.

            How dare those so-called ‘Americans’ besmirch the real and true American heroes of that great generation! Those racists, those white supremacists, those neo-Nazis and members of the KKK, who claim to be true-blooded Americans, are really wannabe Nazi bullies, whose hatred has tarnished the soul of our great nation and soils the supreme sacrifices that US men and women have made in the Armed Forces since our nation began in 1776.

We cannot let this highly charged storm of events and waves of enmity to continue. If we say or do nothing, we will sink beneath an ocean of lies, hatred, and injustice, which should not even exist in our 21^st century America.

For over four hundred years, Presbyterians like us have been at the forefront when liberties have been threatened and taken away by bullies and mobs. We have always cared deeply about justice and mercy, and the rights of common people – whether as Covenanters in 17^th century Scotland, or revolutionaries in the 18^th century colonies, or as Abolitionists in 19^th century America, or as marchers in the 20^th century Civil Rights movement. At each of those moments in history, evil has threatened to engulf all that we hold dear, especially our lives, liberty, equality, and pursuit of happiness – all unalienable rights given to us by God alone – which means that they cannot be taken away or extinguished by those who would force bigotry, intolerance, and racism upon our society, in order to take us back to the captivity, supremacy, and tyranny that evil tries to impose over free people of each and every generation.

You know, as Church people, as Presbyterians, and especially as Christians, we have a divine responsibility – not a divine right – a divine responsibility of confronting racism, bigotry, and prejudice wherever they emerge and occur. We must hold ourselves accountable by refusing to indulge in the hatred of people because of who they are and how different they are from us. If we pass on prejudicial Facebook posts, cartoons, or jokes that diminish others, then we are guilty of racism and prejudice, too. If we see someone being treated horribly because of the color of their skin or ethnic origin, and we say or do nothing, then we are implicated, under the Sovereignty of God, as bigots and hypocrites. If we refuse to hold our leaders accountable for false statements, intolerant ideas, divisional declarations, and unjust words, then we are part of the problem which is beginning to erode our freedoms and overwhelm our communities. We are in danger of sinking beneath the unholy waves of conceit, rancor, and self-righteousness, as well crashing onto the rocks of delusion, indifference, and neglect.

It is said that the great British Parliamentarian, Edmund Burke, once spoke these words:

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

There is no factual proof that he did express those words, but he did have this to say in 1770:

When bad men combine, good people must associate with one another, else the good will fall, one by one, as an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.”

The great philosopher, John Stuart Mill, in an inaugural address at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, said this in his speech in 1867:

“Bad men need nothing more to accomplish their ends,

than that good people should look on and do nothing.”

In the midst of the storm in Lake Galilee, Peter lost his faith in Jesus because of the violent winds and crashing waves. His fear overwhelmed his spirit and he began to sink below the surface. This is what made him cry out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!”

At that moment, Jesus reached out his hand and pulled Peter back onto the boat. Only after this, when all of the dsiciples were united together on the boat, did Jesus calm the storm. Only then, were the winds and waves made still.

Today, my dear friends, as Christians and Presbyterians, as Americans and human beings, we cry out to our Lord to save us not from the storm, but to save us during the storm. We seek His presence to strengthen our faith, our resolve, and our ability to confront this evil in our midst and to advance the Gospel of faith, hope, and love.

Let us be clear on this one fact – Charlottesville August, 2017 has changed us all. The question we face is this today: how can we do something to restore who we actually are as a community of diverse people living in fearful times?

If you look at the very end of our worship bulletin, you will find our church’s Vision Statement. I would like us all to stand and say this, with our right hands over our hearts, and make a true commitment to this vision. I would like to say a prayer, first of all, which I wrote yesterday and shared with many pastors on Facebook, who are using it in their church services today. Let us stand; let us pray:

Almighty God,

Our times are in Your hands,

And our nation is under Your care.

We call upon You

To protect us from all evil,

From the tyrannies of bigotry

And the plagues of ignorance;

From the demons of division

And the desolation of disunity.

Gracious Lord,

Free us from unfettered fear

And release us from self-righteousness.

Unchain us from our past mistakes

And calm us during our present crisis.

Let Your love lead us from turmoil

And guide us back from the brink

Of intolerance and inhumanity.

Keep us mindful of Your Will

And allow us the true hope

Of healing, peace, and faith.

In Your Holy Name,

We beseech You.

Amen.

ALL:     Unified in Christ, we actively seek to create harmony in a diverse community through compassion, mutual respect, and love. Amen.

SHARING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST WITH ONE ANOTHER.

Devotional: Faith Lift - John 12:32-33

John12:32-33           Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

            From time to time, I read articles from other pastors who state that Christ’s death was actually accidental and not what He wanted or intended. Jesus was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He got caught up in the middle of a nasty religious and political rivalry in which He became the unlucky scapegoat. Personally, I find that kind of interpretation to be false and very misleading, especially when I read passages from the Gospels.

            For instance, in today’s passage, Jesus communicates a prophecy about His death. When He states that people will be drawn to Him when He is lifted up, some of His listeners must have thought that this would happen if He was exalted to the Kingship of Judea. What Christ was really saying, however, was that when He was nailed to the Cross and hoisted up before His friends and enemies, all sorts of people would be drawn to Him.

            This prophecy has been fulfilled for almost two thousand years. Every day, thousands of people on this planet are drawn nearer to Christ through the power of His sacrificial Cross. His death enables them to be delivered from their sins. His sacrifice saves them from condemnation. His cross restores them to God’s forgiveness and love.

            Today, in our communities and across the world, people are going to be drawn to Jesus and their lives will be changed forever. This is the real mission of the Church on Earth. Its task is to help humanity turn from sin, cleave to Christ’s Cross, and be reconnected to God. We may have countless ministries and missions, projects and programs to undertake, accomplish, and complete, but the One, True, and Living Purpose of Christ’s Church is to encourage, augment, and support His work of saving souls in every generation, nation, and situation.

Question for personal reflection

What does Christ’s Cross mean to me? Has it become the channel of my soul’s salvation?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, without You we would be separated from God forever. Without Your Cross, we would be cast away eternally. Without Your sacrifice, we would be set apart from God’s mercy, forgiveness, and love. Thank You for taking on the Cross so that our sins could be taken off us. We will always be indebted to You, our Lord, Savior, and King. In your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest crayon drawing. It’s called “Once in a Blue Moon.” If you would like to see a larger version, please click on this link: Moon.

Gospel Devotion: Who is Jesus? - Luke 9:20

Luke 9:20 "But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God." (NIV)

            For the past fifty years, mainstream Christianity has been involved in what I term as ‘The Interpretation Wars.’ At some point during the 1960s, when every institution was being confronted, challenged, and changed, the Church also faced a return of an old conflict in a new form. The authority of scripture was undermined with the Death of God controversies, only to be countermanded by the Jesus movement. A couple of decades later, inerrant fundamentalism championed society and was immediately confronted by social justice liberalism. These days, we are still dealing with the fallout caused by past theological and Biblical differences; we are still fighting one another in a new phase of the Interpretation Wars where the sovereignty of God is being assaulted by the ascendance of humankind.

            No matter where we are located on the theological spectrum, or in which Interpretation Front we are entrenched in, there is only one crucial question that needs to be debated and answered: who do we say that Jesus is? At the end of our lives, when we are each on the threshold of Eternity, this is the only question that will be important. All of our pre-conceived ideas and life assembled opinions will pale in significance. The only question we will be asked is this: Who is Jesus?

            If Jesus is only an historical religious leader to us, we will have no future. If He is only a teacher of lifestyle morals, we will have no more life. If He is just an ancient person whose real characteristics are lost in the myths of time, we will never live beyond death. But if He is to us the Christ of God, sent to save us from our sins, we will be forgiven, we will be welcomed into heaven, and we will be given everlasting life.

Question: Who is Jesus to me?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, You are the King of kings and the Christ of God. You came to Earth to draw us to Your Light and save us from our sinful ways. May we serve You throughout our lives and acknowledge You as our only Savior. In Your Holy and sacred Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest Celtic Cross drawings. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Cross.

Gospel Devotion: Two Old Words - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

1 Thessalonians 5:9   For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

For some people, the biblical words ‘wrath’ and ‘salvation’ have no meaning in their regular lives. They go about their daily routine, not giving a second thought to God, or of the Christian understanding that one day everything will come to an end. They probably think that Doomsday beliefs are for deluded fools and, as for a God who punishes people for their sins, that’s just a negative way that the outdated Church uses to control people with fear.

If I was going to dissuade folks from the need to believe in Christ, I think that I would tell people that what they do doesn't matter, nor will it ever count against them, and that life beyond death is given to everyone. I think that I would convince people that sin doesn't exist anymore and that God loves to indulge us. I would tell them that Christ’s blood had nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins and that His execution was just an historical accident – He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would finally tell them that we are gods and all the God that we ever need to be, that humankind is the pinnacle of existence, as well as the greatest beings who will ever live.

If I told them all those things, then words like ‘wrath’ and ‘salvation’ would have no meaning, and I could add to that list words like ‘church,’ ‘prayer,’ ‘faith,’ and even ‘Christianity.’

But if I did that, then I would be a vile liar and a peddler of untruth. I would be guilty of leading people astray and away from the Gospel. I would be damaging their souls and wounding their beliefs. If I stayed in the church and preached those things, I would be a heretic. If I left the church and said those things, I would be apostate. However, for some people, those last two words, ‘heretic’ and ‘apostate’ have no meaning in their regular church lives….

Questions for personal reflection

What does God’s wrath mean to me? How do I interpret the word ‘salvation’?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You never said that following You was ever going to be comfortable or easy, so keep us from trying to make our faith cozy and bland. Forgive us, Lord, for following our own ways instead of Yours. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question about today’s devotion, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Celtic drawings. It’s called “Celtic Mandala” and features a Celtic Cross surrounded by many other Christian symbols. How many can you find? If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/12126875254_8e9f12c2a7_b.jpg

Christian devotion: A Hundred Thousand - Acts 18:13

Acts 18:13       "This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law."

According to a spokesman for the Vatican, up to 100,000 Christians are killed each year around the world. Many of them come into conflict with local, regional, or national laws that impact their right to be Christians. If this is true, then it means that courageous men and women are still being martyred globally, for the faith that we commonly share. That is a very sobering thought, especially in our part of the world where freedom to worship is dearly held as a Constitutional Right, as well as a religious one.

In the Apostle Paul’s time, Christians were usually arrested for breaking local laws. In today’s passage, the Jews of Achaia drum up charges against Paul for not following the proscribed religious and political rules about worship. They try to get him charged with sedition, but providentially, the proconsul threw their charges out of his court. He knew that they were trying to manipulate him to do what they wanted – to stop Paul’s ministry by having him incarcerated. Gallio, however, rejected the charges and appears to have made his decision based upon what we practice today: the separation of Church and State.

As Christianity wanes in Western society, there may come a time when Christ’s followers will find that their biblical beliefs come into conflict with civil law. If that moment ever occurs, the question which we as Christians will be faced with is this: do we follow the Law or the Lord?

Questions for personal reflection

What do I think about the Vatican statement? How do my Christian beliefs differ from those who are being persecuted and martyred for Christ in other places?

Prayers:          Lord Jesus, remind us about the true cost of our faith and the conflicts that other Christians are facing each day around the world. Keep us from sustaining a cozy faith that doesn’t inconvenience us; instead grant us the courage to hold onto and live a real faith that may be constantly challenged by those around us. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest rural drawings called “Covered Bridge.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7374/8779456370_b02c5109a2_b.jpg

Church Devotions: Teaching the Faith - Acts 13:12

Acts 13:12       When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

I like to teach the Faith. It’s an important part of my calling. I enjoy discussions about Christ and Christianity and the sharing of questions, ideas, and thoughts at my regular Sunday School class. It keeps me on my toes and refreshes my faith each time I enter and exit the classroom. Preaching is meant for the big moment of the week in worship; teaching is an entirely different method of sharing the faith.

The class that I teach is an inter-generational one. People bring their cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and personal questions into the melting pot which, in turn, adds to the whole collective discussion about a Bible passage, faith point, or church issue. Each Sunday that we meet, we add to the theological tapestry that we’re weaving. Faith, hope, and love are shared; encouragement, friendship, and inspiration are experienced.

Teaching about the Lord in philosophical or practical ways always has the potential of strengthening our beliefs and Christian convictions. In today’s passage (Acts 13:6-12), the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus is deeply impressed not just by what Barnabas and Saul say, but what they actually do. Their faith is amazing and fearless in the face of evil and deception. The proconsul becomes a believer because he sees for himself the authenticity and authority of the Christian faith.

Today, we will all be given opportunities to share our faith and be authentic witnesses for Christ. Let’s hope that we are both ready and real about being Christians.

Questions for personal reflection

Where do I go to be constantly taught about the Christian faith? What lessons of faith do I express to others with my words and deeds?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to positively express our faith in You to others this day. Let our witness of Your power and presence in our lives be authentic and sincere. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN. If you would like to comment on today’s passage or ask a question about it, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings. It’s called “Heaven Sent” and features the Holy Spirit as a dove descending to Earth. If you would like to view a larger version of the image, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8536/8683999979_5ab8742e51_b.jpg

Short devotion: Death Working Backwards - Acts 2:24

Acts 2:24         But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

In the beautiful days when my two daughters were children, I used to read to them at night time from different books. Their favorites were the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. From an early age, they learned of the wonderful tales about the Pevensey children and the giant lion Aslan. They fell in love with the faun Mr. Tumnus and marveled at the courage of Mr.  & Mrs. Beaver. The stories captivated their hearts and spurred on their imagination. Even today, as Masters Graduates and professional adults, they still love those stories and talk about them from time to time. I hope that one day they get the opportunity to share those stories with their own children.

In the book, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,’ the great heroic lion Aslan is slain by the forces of evil. The children in the book are distraught when this occurs, and all of their hopes are dashed to pieces. It appears as though the White Queen is going to overcome the whole land of Narnia and keep it in winter forever, when a new dawn breaks and Aslan is brought back to life. CS Lewis later explains this as ‘death working backwards,’ when the lion’s heroic and courageous sacrifice overcomes death itself. It’s a remarkable moment in the book. In my mind’s eye, I can still see the absolute wonder and delight on the faces of my own daughters when I read this part of the story to them for the very first time.

When Peter preaches to the gathered crowd on the streets of Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost, he tells them that Christ, who was crucified by the very same people, had risen from the agony of death by God, and that death itself could not hold on to Christ. Death was working backwards and Jesus was made alive again through the infinite power of God. It was an amazing moment in the history of all Creation and one which has captivated the hearts, minds, and souls of billions of people on Earth for almost two thousand years.

We all face a time of death in each of our lives. We cannot stop the clock from moving forward, nor can we hold back the years. However, with our faith in Jesus, we can experience the split-second after we die the wonderful blessing of death working backwards and being raised into the glorious, never-ending Kingdom of our Creator God. It is a delightful mystery to ponder and, at the same time, a magnificent gift to gratefully await.

Questions for personal reflection

What will death mean to me? Am I ready to place all of my faith in Christ’s ability to resurrect me into God’s Kingdom?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Holy One of God who has been raised from death. You have conquered sin, evil, and death by Your perfect sacrifice. We are honored by Your work and blessed eternally through Your Grace. Thank You, Lord, for bringing this wonderful heavenly gift to our earthly lives. 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 comment on today’s message or ask a question, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com

Today’s image is one of John’s Narnian drawings. It’s called “Enter Lucy,” and shows the lamp-post where young Lucy and Mr. Tumnus meet for the first time in Narnia. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8067/8204650448_f00fceaffa_b.jpg

Daily devotions: Proclaiming Our Beliefs - 1 John 1:3

1 John 1:3        We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

Driving back from church yesterday, I heard a good quote on a radio talk show. The presenters were talking about faith and one of them said: “Don’t tell me what you believe; let me watch you for a while and then I’ll tell you what you believe.” That was a profound statement and is something that I’ll personally try to remember on my daily walk with God in the world.

The First Christians had a similar problem. They preached a new and radical message that wasn’t easily listened to or accepted by the people of their day. Whether it was Jews in Judea or Greeks in Greece or Romans at Rome, the First Christians had a problem of credibility (coincidentally, credibility comes from the Latin word “Credo” which means “I believe.”). No one really knew who they were or who this Christos was that they followed. They heard them preach on street corners and proclaim Christ’s name in synagogues, temples, and market squares. They heard rumors that Christians were insurrectionists, anarchists, and even cannibals. Christ’s message only became effective when other people saw what the Christians actually did in their daily lives. When people saw that their faith was genuine and that Christians did in fact love one another, that’s when Christ’s message began to be accepted.

The challenge for us today is much the same. Do our lives and actions proclaim the same beliefs in Christ that our lips and words express?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we constantly say that we believe and follow You, but do our lives proclaim something different? Forgive us when we fail to be effective and genuine witness to Your presence and love in our lives. Remind us that our faith is always being broadcast to our families and friends, our neighbors and colleagues through what we do rather than just by what we say. 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 devotion, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s Easter pictures from 2011. It’s called “Death by Dali” and is based on Salvador Dali’s famous crucifixion masterpiece “Christ of St. John of the Cross.” If you would like to see a larger version, please visit the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5630260156_4cd6a2e7b5_b.jpg

Christian devotions: Sacred Title - 2 Corinthians 1

2 Corinthians 1:3       Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.

It’s one of those foundational beliefs that separates us from the rest of the religious world. I’m talking about the Fatherhood of God and the Sonship of Christ. It’s a distinction that Jews and Muslims will not accept. It’s a spiritual fact that distinguishes who we are as a people of faith.

Some people and pastors think that this is not important and in the interests of political correctness and language equity, they would rather that we stop calling God “Father” and instead use the neutral term of ‘Creator.’ The difficulty with this is that the First Christians, who died for their faith, saw this as a basic belief that distinguished Christ from other would be Messiahs and spiritual leaders.

We may think that this distinction is unimportant in a modern cosmopolitan world. We may be able to compartmentalize our beliefs into acceptable cultural phrases to suit the world. We may be able to do all of these things and change ourselves, but we will never be able to change that basic eternal and sacred relationship that Christ has with God. Jesus is His Holy Son and God is His Almighty and Everlasting Father.

The apostle Paul knew this fully, understood it, and proclaimed it in his wonderful letters. Christ in the Gospels continually referred to God as Father and even Daddy (Abba). If this wasn’t true, then Christ was deceiving Himself and His followers. And how could He even call out for mercy upon those who crucified Him, with the famous words: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” if this was not the case?

The Fatherhood of God maintains who we truly are as Christians. If we reject it, then we are molding God into our own acceptable form and shape. The word for that is idolatry.

Prayer:                        Father God, we glorify Your Son Jesus Christ in ways that the world does not understand and in words that our Western society finds hard to accept. You sent Your son to the world to show us how committed You were and are towards granting eternal salvation for those who truly believe in Your Son. Help us to once again tear down the barriers of our own making and to cherish You as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and all compassion. In Your Holy Name and by Your Sacred Title 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 one of John’s latest drawings called “Apple Harvest.” If you would like to see a larger version of the print, please click the following link:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5039769485_3a9d88d5a5_b.jpg

Pastor Stuart has limited edition, signed, and matted prints available.

Daily Devotion - Family Gathering - Acts 7

Acts 7:16         Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.

The wee stillborn baby that I baptized last week was buried in his family’s cemetery. Generations of his relatives have been laid to rest in that hallowed place. It was very touching to see his wee white coffin being given its sacred place in such beautiful surroundings. His precious life within his young mother’s womb was both valued and honored by the whole family. At some future point, a little white cross or a stone angel will probably mark where he is resting.

Graves are witnessing sites to previous generations. I know of many families who reunite once a year at family graveyards to honor the past lives of their loved ones. I think that this is a wonderful thing to do, because it keeps the continuity of past, present, and future generations linked together.

When the bodies of Jacob, Joseph, and his brothers were taken back to Shechem, they were identifying themselves as true descendants of Abraham. They were also laying a perpetual claim to the land and fulfilling God’s promises. This is why Moses and the Hebrew children headed back there four hundred years later. This is also why the Jews laid claim to the land and re-inhabited it in 1948. Israel exists as a nation today simply because God’s promises are always fulfilled. Abraham’s foresight in purchasing the land thousands of years ago validates the existence of the Israeli nation today, not just according to the scriptures, but also through Middle East inheritance customs.

In years to come, when Old Mortality catches me, I’ll either be buried or cremated depending upon what my family decides. It would be nice to be laid to rest somewhere that future generations could gather together and say that this is where the Stuarts in America began. However, for me the real reunion and final family gathering that will mean so much more will be that glorious day when Christ gathers His followers to Himself and we become part of that great Christian family of faith, hope, and love in His Kingdom forever. Now that’s a family gathering  I am really looking forward to!

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacred resting places of our people and loved ones. Thank You for the family reunions that take place each year at churches and graveyards all over the world. And we praise You for that coming glorious day when we will be gathered together in the Heavenly realms to be with You and all our loved ones forever. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully 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 John’s latest drawing of an old Dutch Windmill in winter. If you would like to view a larger version, please click the following link: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1300/4705518404_6b5427a32f_b.jpg

2010 Daily Devotions: If and Then - Galatians 3 v 22

Galatians 3:22            But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 

What was promised…might be given.

Decades ago, I can remember purchasing my first computer. It was an Acorn computer with 32 kilobytes of memory. I felt as though I owned one of the most advanced personal computers in the world and I spent ages entering formulas and equations to make it work.

I remember on one occasion that I tried to set up a windows filing system which would help me with my pastoral work. It took me four days to enter the information correctly and when I was finished, I had a black & white screen filled with little boxes where I could put in names and addresses, some short information, and a calendar for visitation dates. I felt as though I was light years ahead of my pastor peers and couldn’t wait to show some of them what I had created.

The equations and the formulas that I had to enter were all built through key sentences of ‘if and then.’ If I pressed a button here, then a file would come up on the screen. If I entered a name here, then more information would be accessed somewhere else in the computer. So long as the ‘ifs and thens’ were entered correctly, then the system worked beautifully.

These days, computer already have these programs entered and filing is so much easier, but way back in the 1980s windows files were very rare.

Today’s verse reminded me of the ‘if and then’ process of salvation. Many people think that salvation is a given, but it’s not. This is why the apostle Paul reminds the young Corinthian church that what was promised through scripture might be given to those who believe. Belief in Christ, then, is a required component of salvation. If there’s no belief, then there is no salvation, no matter what the world would like to think.

That’s why Christianity is first and foremost a missionary faith. We do not minister to ourselves, we take the Gospel message out into the world. We take it to our families and friends, our neighbors and working colleagues. The promises of salvation can only be experienced through our belief in Jesus. There is no other way. There is no other person, there is no other faith.

If the ‘if and then’ of belief and salvation are not entered into our hearts and minds, then the good news of the Gospel remains inoperative. We will have wasted our whole lives by inputting the wrong spiritual formula and erroneously entering the wrong eternal equation.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we want to live forever in God’s Kingdom and to experience everlasting life. You are the only way to achieve this; You are the Only One who has the words of eternal life. Keep us faithfully focused on You and help us to attract and enable others to come to Your Cross. Make us missionaries of Your message. 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.

Daily Devotions: Anxious Living

I was reading the other day that film director and actor Woody Allen cannot sleep at night because he suffers from an anxiety about death. He’s an atheist and he can’t come to terms with the fact that his death means the end of all his accomplishments. When asked about death, he says: “The trains all go to the same destination. They all go to the dump.”

I pity him because he’s such a talented and creative person, and you would think that such creativity would help him to see beyond himself. But he has chosen not to believe in God, so he walks around his apartment at night time fretting about death.

For me, faith is real wisdom because it gives us an understanding that we are not the center of everything and that there is a structure, order, and a plan for the universe. God’s creativity is all around me, so I can look at the Smokey Mountains and see His grandeur; I can listen to birdsong in the morning and hear God being praised; I can be in the company of good friends and Christian people and experience God’s presence. Life is good. Death may come, but life goes on eternally.

Proverbs 15: 24 The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave.  

The writer of Proverbs knew what he was expressing when he wrote today’s verse. Those who are faithfully wise go onward and upward in life; those who are foolishly miserable end up digging graves for themselves, or just get on board trains that are heading to the dump.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of eternal life and the hope of things to come. Thank You for sacrificing Yourself, so that we may live forever in the embracing love of God. Help us to help others discover this divine happiness. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully 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 Devotions: Basic Christianity

Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Last night, I went down to my favorite fishing hole at Concord Park. I sat on the rocks for about an hour, reading one of my favorite books. It’s called “Basic Christianity” and it was written by John Stott. I read it years ago when I was in Scotland after a friend suggested it to me. John Stott is a great English preacher and he writes with a wonderful clarity.

I was reading a chapter about Jesus and the claims He made about Himself. As John Stott puts it, we can’t know much about Christianity until we learn about Christ. This makes what Christ had to say about Himself as very important to our faith. We cannot pick and choose what we like about Jesus and disregard the rest.

One of the claims that Christ made, which got Him into a lot of bother, was the ability to forgive sins. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic before He sets out to physically heal the sick man. It caused a great deal of consternation amongst the witnesses because they thought that who else but God can forgive sins? Some of them wanted to stone Jesus to death for blasphemy. They didn’t care about the sick man; they only wanted to purge the community of Christ’s sinful mistake.

I guess we would be much the same. If a preacher were to come into our town proclaiming that he had the power to forgive all of our sins, we’d probably tar and feather that person and kick him out of town.

John Stott says that Jesus claimed this divine power for Himself and that we have to deal with this issue. If Christ is truly the Son of God, then He can indeed forgive our sins. But if He does forgive our sins, then don’t we owe Him all of our faith, allegiance, and loyalty? In other words, you can’t go halfway and make a compromise with Christ. It’s either all or nothing.

In these confusing days when we are bombarded with New Age philosophies and other world religions, it’s hard to make a total commitment to Christ. It’s like putting all of our eggs in one basket, whilst so many people in the world want to keep their options open. But as Stott writes throughout the book, either Jesus is both everything He says He is, and His claims are unchangeable, or Christ has made false claims about Himself and Christianity is untenable.

For me, I think both Christ and Stott have it completely right. Jesus is God’s Son and the Savior of the world; so when I need forgiveness, I confidently come and pray to Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Son of the Living God, the Savior of the World, and the Lord of our lives. You alone have the power to forgive our sins and restore us to God. We rejoice in Your Sovereignty and Authority. We praise You both now and forevermore. 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 Devotions: Real Christianity

What is real Christianity and how can we find it in the world? Can we be led to Christ without Christianity? A short reflection on John 20 v 29.

Podcast version here
http://media.libsyn.com/media/stushie/Real_Christianity.mp3

I’ve been reading a new book, written by Doug Pagitt called “A Christianity Worth Believing.” Right from the start, he expresses his faith in these terms: ‘I am a Christian, but I do not believe in Christianity.’ I think I know what he is saying, but I don’t necessarily agree with him. To me, Christianity is the spiritual vehicle for bringing us belief in Christ. Without some form of Christianity, none of us would ever get to know Jesus.

John 20:29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Doug’s opinion is a bit like saying that I am a driver, but I do not believe in cars. Or I am a pilot, but I do not believe in airplanes; or even I am a writer, but I do not believe in words. You cannot have one without the other. Trying to be a Christian without Christianity is impossible. You have to find some source of Christian thought, material, scripture or teaching before you can begin to know Christ.

Let me put it this way. If you grew up in Mars, could you know Christ? The answer is obviously ‘no.’ The only way a Martian could learn about Jesus would be from a Christian from earth. Therefore, the only way in which we can become Christians these days is through Christianity. It might not be what we want, wish, or expect, but it is the truth. Christianity is the vehicle that Christ uses to bring, express, and share Himself to the world.

So when Doug says, ‘I don’t believe in Christianity,’ I think what he really means is this ‘I don’t believe in denominations.’ In this post-denominational world that we live in, I would agree with him wholeheartedly.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your Church in the world, and we call it ‘Christianity’. It is the cradle in which our faith was formed and the vehicle through which our beliefs are transformed. Enable us, through our Christian lives, to attract others to You and, in so doing, let them find real Christianity. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Tony Blair: Seek Faith, Not War

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for faith to be given a central role in tackling the world's problems.

Mr Blair said faith should be rescued from extremism and be a force for progress, in his first speech on faith since becoming a Catholic.

He said politicians found it difficult to talk about faith because they "may be considered weird".

His speech was accompanied by a noisy anti-war protest and silent vigil by Catholic peace group Pax Christi.

Mr. Blair, who converted to Catholicism months after stepping down as prime minister last summer and is now a Middle East envoy, told an audience of 1,600 at Westminster Cathedral he was often asked if faith was important to his politics.

"If you are someone 'of faith' it is the focal point of belief in your life. There is no conceivable way that it wouldn't affect your politics," he said.

Read the rest of the story here…

Erin Church Devotions: Real faith

Audio version here

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote to you about Pastor Daniel, an evangelist from Indonesia. He, along with 40 other Christian leaders, has been sentenced to five years of imprisonment, just because he prayed for the Muslim community to be open to Christ’s Gospel. I informed you that I was handwriting a letter to him in phonetic Indonesian, so that his family and friends could hold on to their hope in Christ.

Two weeks have passed and Daniel has received over 1400 letters from pastors and people around the world. The authorities are beginning to sit up and take notice. Daniel’s family are heartily encouraged by the amount of international support that he is being given. It truly is a wonderful way of sharing and expressing the Gospel to people in other lands. I hope and pray that Daniel and the others are released soon.

Daniel is a God-fearing Christian, who takes Christ’s message to heart and is unwilling to compromise its integrity. A week on Tuesday, I am going to our local Presbytery meeting and already I am feeling torn by it. Two new pastors will be presented at the meeting for approval. I’ve read their statements of faith online and once again, I am bewildered. I’ll have to ask one of them what is meant by salvation and is Christ the Only Savior of the World. The other one does not mention God as Father, nor of Christ as being His true Son.

It may just be a slip of the pen or keyboard, and to other people this will not seem important, but when I think of Pastor Daniel languishing and suffering in an Indonesian prison for not compromising his faith, I feel really ill at ease with those pastors amongst who all too readily set aside traditional beliefs and replace them with what they’ve learned from seminary professors, instead of holding fast to the words and teachings of Christ and His apostles.

I’ll probably endure some criticism again for asking these questions and voicing my concerns, but it will be nothing compared to what Daniel is experiencing. I hope and pray that my passion will not overload my reason; and that my heart will not overwhelm my head.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Son of God and He is Your Almighty Father. We are adopted as daughters and sons of God through our allegiance to You and by Your sacrificial death. Help us to value our salvation and keep us revering Who You really are. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Verse for the Day:
Titus 1:4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.