Short devotion: Afraid of The People

 

Matthew 21:46 They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

 I used to wonder why the religious authorities didn’t arrest Jesus sooner, and I questioned what made them so afraid of the people. I guess it wasn’t the appointed time and that the chief priests, as well as other leaders, were trying desperately to hold on to their positions of power, esteem, and influence. They were weak because they were intimidated by the grass roots; they were paralyzed because of their fear of the people.

 Today, we’re sadly seeing a similar lack of leadership in our elected representatives. They’re so scared of grass root rebellion that they’ll do nothing about the vileness and corruption of their political leaders. They would rather rally behind a coarse and cowardly person than support a real substantial leader; they would rather follow a conceited conman than a courageous candidate because they’re afraid of what ‘their people’ will do.

 The chief priests and scribes eventually caved to mob rule by having their religious opponent crucified. It was a cowardly act and one which ultimately destroyed their religious power and partisan group. If history is known to repeat itself, then those who fanatically follow a corrupt strongman will ruin themselves. Those who fear the angry mob and support tyrants will end up losing everything.

 Point to ponder: Why are people so afraid of the truth?

 Prayer: Lord Jesus, we live in strange times. Fear has damaged our faith and liars have tarnished the truth. Open our eyes to see what is really happening and give us strong hearts to confront the corruption we know exists. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

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

In the Past - Acts 22:4

Acts 22:4 “I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison.” (NIV)

            I sin. You sin. We all sin. There’s not one of us perfect or sinless. We all have deep moments of regret or guilt from our past that we struggle with on a regular basis. To be sinful is to be human; to be perfect is to be Jesus, so none of us will ever reach that divine standard of sinlessness.

            In today’s reading, (Acts 22:1-16) the Apostle Paul is addressing an angry mob in Jerusalem. They believe he is ruining their faith and they want to run him out of town. When Paul is given the opportunity to speak, he lets them know about his history. He is Jewish-born, has been educated by Gamaliel, one of the most renowned Jewish teachers of his day, and he has hunted down and sent Christians to their death.

            What??? Was Paul involved in the persecuting and killing of Christians? The great apostle, who is still revered after almost two thousand years, was a killer of Christ’s people? How on earth did he get the job of being the missionary to the Gentiles? Why should we even read or listen to the words from such a sinful killer of Christ’s followers? Something must be wrong somewhere. God must have made a mistake.

            No, there’s no mistake. It was Jesus who chose Paul on the road to Damascus. It was Christ who turned his life around and appointed him to the task. It was Jesus who decided that Saul the slayer of Christians could become Paul the preacher to Gentiles. Christ changed his life from one of defiance to one of obedience.

            I sin. You sin. We all sin. We all need Jesus to save us from ourselves and to restore us to God’s favor. It’s His perfection that makes us holy. It’s His grace that forgives our past. It’s His mercy that gives us a new beginning and the opportunity to live for God and not ourselves. After all, if this was good enough for Paul, it’s more than good enough for us.

Point to ponder

What is my deepest regret? How can Christ release me from the past?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, even though we were sinners and enemies of God, You still came into the world to die for our sins and grant us the opportunity of forgiveness, renewal, and restoration. We thank You for this wonderful act of grace which still amazes us. 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 make comments or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Christian devotions: Some Serious Doubts - 2 Kings 10:7

2 Kings 10:7             When the letter arrived, these men took the princes and slaughtered all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel.

            It’s one of the bloodiest moments in the Bible and it’s done in the name of God. Seventy young princes are beheaded by their guardians simply because their father’s enemy Jehu believes that he is fulfilling God’s prophetic word of condemnation upon Ahab and his descendants. It seems that men way back then, just like now in the Middle East, justified their most gruesome and inhumane acts through the trappings and convenience of religion.

            When I read of those macabre events, as well as the cruel beheadings of innocents that are taking place today, it causes me to both despair of religious humanity, as well as to ask serious questions about God. If the slaughtering of people is the means by which God’s promises are fulfilled, does that mean that we are following a capricious deity who could wipe out the entire planet on a whim? I feel uneasy about asking that question because it may appear to others that I am casting doubt in the true existence of God. Be assured that I am not - what I’m really exploring is the sinful human ability to use God as the means of justifying wicked acts.

            This reminds me of what happened to Jesus. Religious people conspired against Him and used their scriptures to justify the decision to destroy Him. Jesus was conveniently killed by a political capital punishment process, but make no mistake about this, it was God-fearing servants and clergy who put Him on the Cross. The irony of it all was this: the people who believed that they were following and fulfilling God’s will were actually killing His Son. The wickedness and defiance of religious people against embracing God’s Son revealed the absolute depths of brutality, vehemence, and sin that people of faith will often justify, even today.

            So what’s the lesson in all of this? What can we glean and apply in our own lives? I think that the answer is one of self-awareness. Our zeal for God can destroy our love for one another. Our religious stances can obliterate our Gospel witness. Our strong faith can overpower and oppress those who are weak, vulnerable, and alienated – the very people that Jesus meant for us to tolerate, support, and love.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I ever used my faith to put down or humiliate someone else? If so, have I sought Christ’s forgiveness, or do I still justify my sinful action?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, protect us from our self-righteousness and religious bigotry. Open our hearts and minds to Your loving teachings that continually challenge our passions and principles. Keep us on Your faithful path and protect us from our unjust ways. 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 comment or ask questions about today’s passage, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of my latest Halloween drawings, made with crayons and paper sculpting. It’s called “Halloween Hoot.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Owl.