Manchester - A Christian's Response

Luke 6:9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” (NIV)

            Like most people, I cannot understand why religious extremists think that killing other human beings with suicide bombs will honor God in any shape or form. The evil thoughts that go through these cowards’ minds must be diabolically offensive to the Creator who gave us life – a divine gift which is to be enjoyed, not obliterated. In my opinion, these inhumane acts have no connection to God whatsoever; they emerge from deranged human beings whose allegiance to evil is clearly displayed to the rest of the world. They might think that when they invoke God that they are glorifying His sacred name: all that they are really doing is giving voice to their own cowardly delusions and will end up being separated from God forever.

            In today’s Gospel passage (Luke 6:6-11), Jesus confronts a group of religious extremists who were so shackled by their own rigid rules that they could not even grant grace to a person in need of healing. Jesus both shamed them for their lack of compassion and showed them how God truly operates. Most of the folks who saw this event gladly accepted it for what it was: a beautiful display of God’s love. Sadly, those who most needed that visual lesson retreated behind their religious restrictions and ended up with murder on their minds. Instead of embracing the mercy of God, they hung on to their fanaticism; rather than being released from their self-created chains of legalism, they clung to its links of hatred, pride, and intolerance.

            Despite all of the pain I see in the world and the evil that tries to terrorize us, I believe in the goodness of God, the joy of Jesus, and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. Others may try to obliterate the love I feel for this broken planet, but I will not give way to the cowardly wickedness that others use to try to break my faith in Christ. His love sustains me and His mercy guides me. He is the Savior of the world and the Healer of the planet, now and forevermore.

Point to ponder

In times like these, how severely is my faith tested? How do I share Christ’s love with others during troubled times?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, we pray for those whose lives have been devastated by the recent suicide bombing in Manchester and other places. Help us to reach out to those in need of help, reassurance, and comfort. Draw us closer to You and one another, so that love and grace will prevail against fear and evil. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can view the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings called ‘Peacemakers.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Peacemakers.

Love is the Key - A Response to the Brussels Bombings

1 Corinthians 16:13-14          Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

            Today’s tragic news from Brussels, Belgium, probably caused most of us to either despair or get angry. We feel sorry for the innocent victims and their heartbroken families; we also feel disgust and outrage by those who committed such a despicable, wicked, and inhumane crime. It’s hard to accept that people would do this in the 21^st century; it’s very difficult to accept that the culprits are expressing their loyalty to God through such horrific events. The sweetness of religion becomes rancid when it is mixed with hatred; the godly gift of faith becomes demonized when it is blended with fanaticism. God weeps, Christ weeps; Allah weeps, as do all the angels in heaven. There is no goodness in ungodliness; there is no holiness in horror.

            When I read Paul’s words from today’s chosen verses, they struck me as being completely relevant about today’s tragic events. How we respond as Christians to terrorism actually reflects how devoted we are to Christ’s work on Earth. If we remain angry, then the devil wins. If we do nothing, then evil triumphs. Love is, and always has been, the key to overcoming this kind of incomprehensible violence. As Paul expresses it, so should we respond:

By being on our guard to protect people as best as we can;

By standing firm in our faith, to embrace all people as best as we can;

By being courageous in the face of terrorism and not succumbing to our fears;

By being strong together, knowing that most people on this planet seek to live in peace;

And by doing all that we can to show, share, and inspire love in our communities and across the world.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we pray for the heartbroken people of Belgium and those around the world who are personally affected, injured, and grieved by this terrible tragedy. Surround them with Your Love and enable us to support them in this hour of devastation and destruction. May Your Spirit move within all our faith and non-faith communities to seek the higher ground of respect, peace, and love. In Your Holy Name, we dearly pray. Amen.

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

Freedom Devotion - An Unalienable Right - Psalm 27:1

Psalm 27:1    The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?

            I abhor terrorism and utterly detest any attack on free speech. The cowardly killings of cartoonists in France displayed the utter depravity and despicable disregard for freedom that religious fanatics often inhumanely espouse. To hide behind masks and be armed with automatic weapons against cartoonists who could only defend their lives with paper and pens, was not an act of bravery; it was satanic butchery and an evil brutality. Any so-called religious person who celebrates this attack as a godly act of glory is only serving their own sinful intolerance and worshiping their own wretched wickedness.

            I may not have liked what the French cartoonists drew or satirized. I may have been offended and shocked by what they published. But no matter what they did, they did not deserve to be gunned down by holier-than-thou religious renegades, whose absolutism and intolerance only displays their complete ignorance and wicked inhumanity. Free speech is an unalienable right on Earth. Those who would oppose it, through acts of barbarism and terrorism, show the rest of the world what kind of cowardly bullies they actually are.

            If we, as a free society, give in to terrorism because we are afraid of personal, national, or international harm, then we are no longer free. Our liberties will be violently curtailed and our cowardice will only grow deeper until we become fearful slaves of our own self-preservation, chained to our timidity, and doomed to our civilization’s utter denigration. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness will be totally eradicated and heinously replaced with strife, anxiety, and the paucity of hopefulness.

Questions for personal reflection

The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, the evil that some religious people commit in the Name of God is the worst kind of wickedness on Earth. You were crucified because of it, and millions of people have been slain in evil ways by religious fanatics who become satanic fiends. Grant us the strength and resolve to oppose religious intolerance and theological evil. Give us the courage to live freely, fearlessly, and faithfully through Your Love. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.

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

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