August 10 devotion - Sermons

John 4:42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (NIV)

As a preacher of the Gospel, I put a lot of time, research, and effort into creating and writing a sermon. I try to make it both a teaching instrument, as well as a challenging one. The whole purpose of a sermon, in my opinion, is to draw someone closer to Christ. In today’s cosmopolitan world, this is not a given, even among church folks. People have so many different sources of information that it is very easy to get distracted from our Christian Gospel roots and dabble in other faiths which, although they may have some good points, actually lead people away from Christ.

            The ending of the Gospel story of the woman at the well finishes with her people becoming completely convinced that Jesus is the Savior of the entire world. They no longer need to be persuaded by her testimony; they have reached that life-changing moment for themselves. This is exactly the point of conversion that every preacher hopes their sermons will attain. It occurs when the preacher’s words become real, when the power of the Gospel actually enters the hearts and minds of the hearers of God’s Word.

            So long as I live and am able, I will continue to preach and write about the Gospel in the hope that someone, somewhere, and at some time, will make that connection to Jesus. In my opinion, it’s absolutely crucial for every person to make that decision; and it’s eternally necessary for those who want to be with Christ beyond this world.

Point to ponder

Have I accepted Jesus as the Savior of the World? If so, how do I display my faith in Him alone?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, life is beautiful and wonderful, a time and space to enjoy and explore. However, life is not a game to play, but a gift to prepare ourselves to be with You forever. Help us to both understand and accept this reality today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s bulletin cover drawings called “I Am the Way.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Way.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. You can also send John an email to Traqair@aol.com.

August 8 devotion - Like One of Us

John 4:6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. (NIV)

            Every now and then, we come across verses in the Gospels that reveal this simple truth: Jesus was not superhuman. In today’s verse, we read that Jesus was tired from the journey. He had walked many miles with His disciples to reach this part of Samaria and needed to rest for a while. The noonday sun was beating down on Him and the disciples had left Him on His own. As usual, they were hungry and had gone looking for food, instead of finding a way to get Jesus some water to refresh Him. Jesus was weak and weary which lets us know just how human He actually was.

            His rescuer is a Samaritan woman of ill-repute and the whole event becomes an opportunity of changing her life, as well as for some people in the local community. It’s a remarkable story of salvation and has been eloquently preached about for centuries, but we should always be aware that it begins with Jesus at one of His weakest moments – He is exhausted and thirsty.

            Perhaps this story is also part of a prophetic journey. At the end of His life, Christ will be exhausted after walking through the streets of Jerusalem carrying His Cross. His disciples will have abandoned Him again and when He is nailed down, His thirst will be unquenchable. It will also be a moment of salvation, this time for the whole world. His would-be rescuers – His mother and other women – will not be able to do anything for Him. His exhaustion will be extremely painful and His thirst will rage on till He dies, proving once again that Jesus was not superhuman.

            For us, knowing how human Jesus was, can give us hope, especially during times of weakness, low-energy, and exhaustion. It means that Christ truly understands our circumstances for He has also faced similar experiences. If He was superhuman, our problems and burdens would be alien to Him. However, because Jesus was truly a human being, He knows exactly what suffering, pain, and discomfort involve, so we can confidently pray to Him for help, guidance, and support, in any and every situation we face.

Point to ponder

What am I currently enduring? How can Christ help me?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, God wisely sent You to Earth to become like us in order to experience human frailty and weakness, infirmity and pain. You embraced our human condition completely so that You could redeem us fully. Thank You for Your empathy; thank You for Your sacrifice. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. You may also send John an email with questions or feedback to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Psalm drawings, based on Psalm 17. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm17.