Do Not Fear - 1 Peter 3:14

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated. (NRSV)

Fear is the instrument that manipulators use to control people. In Roman times, when the apostle Peter was writing this letter, fear was the weapon that the Emperor used to keep his opponents silent and the people subdued. Whenever Caesar issued a threat it made the politicians and population cower. The fear of reprisals negated any opposition, so the Emperor could do what he liked.

Christians, however, in those days, were willing to speak out and suffer for their faith. They did not surrender their souls to the Empire or totally submit to Caesar’s authority. They stood up for what was right and even though it cost them everything, they were not willing to exchange or compromise Christ’s teaching for peaceful lives and expedient results. They understood that to be disciples of Christ meant that their allegiance was to a higher authority, law, and kingdom.

Application: Am I guilty of compromising my faith? Does Jesus have my total allegiance?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we try to be Your disciples and hope that we please You with our lives. Grant us the courage of the First Christians and help us to stand up for justice, mercy, and love. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

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

Signing Off - Philippians 4:22

Philippians 4:22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. (NIV)

            Throughout my time as a pastor, I have known some political leaders who were also very fine Christians. Their dedication to the local community and the people of the region that they represented was a great witness to both their faith and loyalty to God, as well as to their own folks. They did not seek to be esteemed or powerful; they only wanted to serve and build up the community. They were honorable people and dedicated Christians, so I felt privileged and thankful for what they did and accomplished. Their witness to Christ and their service to the locals was both a blessing from God and a great gift to the community. They proved that both politics and religion can be mixed successfully.

            As the apostle Paul signs off on his letter to the Philippian church, he inserts something that would have been a surprise to the congregation. He passes on the greetings of those who belong to Caesar’s household. This was remarkable because it showed that Christianity had actually penetrated Caesar’s inner circle and close family. Who these people were, we do not know, but they would have been powerful and influential because of their close proximity to the Emperor himself. It was a foreshadowing of what would eventually happen hundreds of years later when Christianity would be sanctioned by Constantine as the official religion of the whole Roman Empire. From those tiny seeds of faith that were planted within Caesar’s household in Paul’s time, Christ’s Spirit grew until it overcame Rome and spread throughout our entire planet.

            I think the lesson that Paul teaches us here is this: political leaders do not have to ditch their faith in order to be effective. In fact, what this says to me, is that Christianity can positively influence powerful people, politicians, and local representatives to make their communities better places for opportunity and service, strength and growth.

Point to ponder

Who are the local leaders in my community? Am I willing to pray for them?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for those people who represent us locally, regionally, and nationally. We ask that Your Spirit guides their thoughts and decisions to make our communities better places of opportunity, harmony, and unity. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

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

Gospel devotion - Gospel Readers - 2 Corinthians 9:13

2 Corinthians 9:13     Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 

            Sharing the Gospel these days is very different from how it was done during the Apostle Paul’s time. Usually, we try to encapsulate the whole Gospel into a couple of positive phrases like “love one another” and “do not judge,” making it easy to remember and simple to apply. However, Christ’s Gospel mainly comes to us in four New Testament books, compromising of eighty-nine separate chapters. Condensing the Good News into a couple of words can unintentionally diminish Christ’s life, ministry, and teaching. It may be convenient for us to carry a couple of verses in our hearts and minds, but we could end up with a very superficial understanding of what the Gospel can actually teach us.

In the first couple of centuries of our faith, people laid their lives on the line for the sake of the Gospel. They wouldn’t have done that for just a couple of moralistic mottoes. Christ’s life, death, and resurrection meant everything to them, even if it cost them their livelihood or existence. Those First Christians understood that the Gospel was greater than anything they encountered or experienced; to them, it was infinitely more important than life or death itself.

            Currently, our church’s Confirmation students are reading and studying the Gospel of Mark. By the time their classes are concluded, they will have read all of it, as well as completing homework assignments about each chapter. The young people also have their own questions, ideas, and opinions about Christ’s life, ministry, and death. They are learning that the Gospel has much more depth to it, as well as how it can radically influence their daily decisions and challenge their personal lives.

Perhaps if more church members were to consistently read and re-read the Gospels, they would also embrace and understand the real message of the New Testament narratives. Having only a couple of biblical verses in our hearts and minds is not enough to sustain our spirits or grow our faith. If we truly want to become committed Christians, then surely we need to know what the entire Gospel is about, so that we can positively apply and generously share Christ’s teachings.

Questions for reflection

What was the last Gospel that I fully read? How can I organize reading the Gospels on a regular basis?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, all that we know about You comes mainly from the Gospels. Without them, we would not know what You said or did. Help us to read and re-read the Gospels on a regular basis, so that we can learn to understand and know what You want us to do with the remainder of our lives. 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 questions about today’s devotion, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Gospel drawings called “A New Earth.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click the following link: Gospel.