June 10 devotional - Canceling Debts

Colossians 2:13b-14   God forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 

            In the political world, the National Debt becomes an important issue at every general election. Candidates from all the parties usually talk about how they will reduce the financial burden that is placed upon every taxpayer in their countries. Whoever comes up with the best solution normally becomes the poll favorite to win the office of leadership. However, when they gain that position, they soon discover that dealing with the National Debt is not as easy as they hoped. Current policies and other politicians usually get in the way of solving the problem. The debt becomes greater and is often left to the next leader or generation to find the right answers. The sad fact of the matter is this: politicians all over the world are not very willing to sacrifice their popularity by imposing stringent economic solutions – the art of national debt procrastination abounds all over the world.

            We are all under a similar debt when it comes to dealing with our sins. Each time we sin, we rob God of His glory and owe Him an apology. Every day, our sinful debts keep piling up so, at the end of our lives, we will be so indebted to God that we will never be able to face Him and pay back all of the divine glory that we have stolen and squandered. However, God has provided the solution to canceling our debt to Him. His Son Jesus has paid that sinful debt in full at the Cross of Calvary. We do not carry over our sinful debt into the next part of our lives when we accept Christ as our Savior-Redeemer. He has paid it all and, in doing so, has given us the opportunity to be fully and eternally restored to God.

            In the midst of any important election cycle with all of its complications, personalities, and issues, let’s also constantly remind ourselves of Who really is the Leader of our lives, the Canceller of our debts, and the Savior of our souls.

Questions for personal reflection

How do my sins alienate me from God and make me indebted to Him? Why do I need Jesus to save me from my sins by canceling my debt to God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You were nailed to the Cross to cancel the debt due for the sins of humanity. Our sins are countless, so we owe everything to You. Remind us of the cost of our eternal restoration and freedom. 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 contact him, please send an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Church devotion - A Clear Conscience? - 1 Corinthians 4:4

1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. (NIV)

            I find today’s highlighted verse to be very insightful, especially when I try to justify things I have done, which are questionable. I convince myself that what I’m thinking or doing is right, so, therefore, God will understand, accept, and perhaps even bless my choice. The trouble with that kind of thinking is this: I’m trying to create God in my own image instead of His.

            When Paul wrote ‘my conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent,’ he was leaving himself vulnerable from attack by his opponents. They would use it to indicate that the great apostle Paul had sinful flaws and was not perfect. They could point their fingers at him and condemn his ministry because of his personal confession. Paul may have convinced himself and other folks that his deeds were right, but in the end, God would judge him for being a sinner, not a saint.

            In our society, we all come across Christians who never seem to question their motives, choices, or deeds. As long as their conscience is clear, they can keep on doing what they want, how they want, and to whomever they want. They equate a clear conscience with approval from God, rather than seeing the truth and understanding that they are sadly and sinfully deluding themselves. As Paul clearly suggests, it doesn’t matter what we think about ourselves, only God can judge if we are truly innocent. And no matter how much salve or cover we place over our consciences, God knows our motives completely and it is those unhidden parts of our minds, hearts, and consciences which will be judged, no matter who we are, what we’ve accomplished, or how we are perceived by other people.

Point to ponder

Do I use my faith to justify my bad behavior? If I were God, what would I judge me for?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are sinful creatures with shameful secrets and hidden deceits. We convince ourselves that our behavior is acceptable and our consciences are clear. Forgive us for being deluded by our own vanity and enticed by our own charms. Remind us of our failings, help us to confess our sins, and enable us to change our 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 send some feedback on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s worship drawings based on Psalm 139. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm 139.

Listening to Jesus - Mark 4:9

Mark 4:9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (NIV)

            As a child, I often got into trouble for doing the wrong things, despite being pre-warned by my parents. I can still hear them saying to me, “This would never have happened if you had listened in the first place.” As a teenager, I promised to follow their instructions, but I still ended up making foolish choices which put me in reckless situations that I was lucky to survive. And then as a young man, instead of heeding the words of my family and friends, I almost destroyed my life completely through alcohol. In all of those circumstances, I just didn’t listen to the advice I was given. I wanted to make my own decisions and only ended up learning things the hard way.

            In the Gospel passage (Mark 4:1-20) where Jesus tells and explains the parable of the sower, I can hear some of His frustration with His own people. He has come among them to bring the good news of their salvation through the gracious Word of God. He is attempting to tell them, by means of this parable, about the consequences of listening to and applying God’s Word. Some of them get it and bear a fruitful faith, but most of them either discard His words or take them for granted and end up being fruitless. He is giving them the opportunity of a lifetime to get reconnected to God, but they just don’t listen and become separated from God forever.

            Christ’s words still challenge us across the centuries and His parable is highly relevant in today’s world. Sadly, some folks who consider themselves to be Christians are taking Jesus for granted and tossing away their opportunity of being saved. Instead of listening to His words, they make up their own beliefs and end up falling away. What little faith they have is fruitless, so whatever life they make for themselves is eternally pointless. They are choked with the cares of the world instead of cherishing the Word of God. In the end, they leave Jesus no choice but to say, “If only they had listened.”

Point to ponder

Is my faith fruitful or empty? Am I hearing what Christ has to say or just listening to my own voice?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, speak to our spirits and guide us to Your godliness. Open our ears to hear Your word and let our hearts embrace Your teaching so that we may bear a fruitful faith. Keep us from taking Your for granted and remind us of our dependence on You alone to restore us to God. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

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

House of God - Hebrews 3:6

Hebrews 3:6    But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

            Coming from Scotland, I am part of a network of millions of people who belong to the House of Stewart. My family’s own particular branch of that royal clan is Stuart of Bute, which influences most of the South West region of Scotland. Generations ago, my ancestors were tenants on a farm in Kintyre, which Sir Paul McCartney now owns. When the Industrial Revolution began in the 1800s, my folks left the countryside and moved to Glasgow, where they found work as weavers, clay pipe makers, and carters.

            As members of the House of Stewart, my family wears its tartan with pride and theoretically our life-long allegiance is meant to be given to the living monarch of Scotland, presently Queen Elizabeth. In the past, this allegiance laid feudal obligations upon my family to defend the Scottish sovereign to the death and I am sure that some of them did. These days, however, that connection to the House of Stewart is a celebratory one, so whenever I go to Scottish festivals, Highlands Games, or Burns Suppers, I wear both the Royal Stewart and the Stuart of Bute tartans. It’s my way of identifying with the past, but also of proclaiming my Scottish heritage to my peers.

            I like today’s verse from Hebrews because I understand Christ’s loyalty to the House of God. He is faithful to His Heavenly Father and totally obedient to His will. He is proud of what His Father has accomplished and seeks to glorify God through all that Jesus does. And, as we know from the Gospels, Jesus proved His loyalty to God by sacrificing His own life because God demanded it from Him in order to save the world. Christ’s perfect allegiance to God cost Him His life, but it won for us the opportunity to become a privileged part of God’s eternal household, which is something that we could never have accomplished for ourselves.

            So let us rejoice in what Jesus has achieved. We are restored to God’s favor forever and are always welcome in His House.

Questions for personal reflection

What do I know of my own ancestry? How has it shaped my faith?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for honoring God with Your perfect obedience and total commitment to His will. We know that we have been blessed through Your loyalty to God, so we thank You for the gift of salvation which allows us to be embraced in the House of God. 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 ask questions or comment on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Daily Devotional - Called to Serve - Colossians 3:23

Colossians 3:23  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for men.

            It’s time for our church elders to bring on board a new class. At Erin Church, we seek people to lead the congregation through their commitment, decision-making, and prayers. In today’s busy world, getting good folks to commit to three years of eldership is a hard task and requires a lot of faith, as well as patience. It’s even more crucial to seek God’s calling of elders these days because of the changing times that we live in. For any church to survive the societal turbulence, it takes focused people who are willing to work for the Lord on behalf of the congregation.

            Some good folks think that they are not worthy or that they won’t have enough time. Other people feel that they are not yet ready or fully prepared to undertake such an important leadership task. That’s actually a very good way to approach eldership. If any person believes they deserve such a position, then perhaps they should think again. Eldership is not a reward for being a good church person; it is a calling which God confers on the individual because He can see their potential for what lies ahead in the life, work, and ministry of the church.

            If you look at the folks God called to leadership in the Bible, all of them are imperfect, untrained, and unworthy. Moses wanted God to choose his brother Aaron instead of himself (Exodus 4:1-20); David was the youngest in his family (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Peter pleaded with Jesus to go away from him because he was a sinful person (Luke 5:1-11); and even Paul, the writer of today’s verse, initially hated Christ, Christians, and Christianity before he was converted (Acts 9:1-9).

           

            As church members, we should be open to the calling of the Spirit and let God take care of the details. God doesn’t call us because we’re perfect; He calls us because He needs us to fulfill His work in our congregation.

Questions for personal reflection

How will I respond if I am asked to serve God as an elder? How can God help me to fulfill that call?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You know us as we are and how imperfect we can be. You understand our fears and worries, as well as our issues and concerns. Help us to set these aside and follow Your bidding. 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 send him a message about today’s devotional, please send an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings for Psalm 26. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm 26.

Preaching Devotion: Street Corners - Matthew 22:9

Matthew 22:9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 

            When I first became a Christian, I wanted to tell everybody about Jesus. He filled my heart and my life with an amazing and wonderful joy. It was a liberating experience for me because from the moment that I gave my heart to Jesus, my life changed.

            On some Saturday nights, instead of going to the city pubs, I joined a group of young folks who stood on street corners in the city center, preaching the Gospel to any passers-by. Sometimes we were jeered and mocked; on other occasions, people stopped to listen, although most of them were drunk. I don’t know if we changed any lives, but it did change us. It made us more connected to Christ and more willing to serve Him wherever He sent us.

            When I look back on those times I often envy those young free-spirited Christians. These days, I preach from the safety of behind a pulpit or a laptop. The message is still the same, but it doesn’t have that raw and wild component to it. There’s a lack of spontaneity, and sometimes a lack of spirit.

            I think this is why Presbyterians are losing ground across the world. We don’t like chaos or improvisation; we feel compelled to present the message decently and with order. We want to lecture people about the faith instead of living it. We want to safely control the Spirit and keep things cozily contained, instead of being moved by the Spirit and sent out into the shopping malls and city streets.

            Perhaps the real point of today’s parable (Matthew 22:1-14) is that Christians are meant to invite people to participate in God’s Kingdom. We get too focused on church attendance and denominational concerns that we forget that Christ’s real work is out there on the city streets and in the busy malls.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I shared my faith with someone else recently? Have I displayed the reality of God’s Kingdom where I live, where I work, and where I shop?

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, You want to invite everyone to come to Your Kingdom and celebrate with God. Forgive us for being focused on too many other things, as well as for forgetting that Your ministry takes place mainly in the world, outside of the church. Grant us the courage and wisdom to share our Christian beliefs humbly and joyfully. 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 a question about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s popular Fall drawings. It features a wee chipmunk eating an acorn and is called “Fall Break.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, click on the following link: Chipmunk.