Sermons - John 4:42

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.

Walk in Love - 2 John 1:6

2 John 1:6        And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. (NIV)

            Like most people, I’ll be glad when this Presidential Election is well and truly over. It seems to have brought out the worst in most of us and, unfortunately, has not been a good civil exercise in community building. I’m as guilty as anyone else, so quite recently I stopped making political comments on Facebook and other places in order to maintain both my sanity and friendships with other folks. It is my fervent hope and prayer that after this is all over, we can live and work together as free people, who love their liberties and cherish their relationships.

            Looking at today’s highlighted verse, it seems to me that as Christians, we have a greater responsibility to walk in love and grow that peace. If we get too caught up in party politics and partisan divisiveness then we’ve forgotten the higher road, as well as the greater standard, that we are supposed to follow. In the Christian Church, loving one another is not just a personal elective or individual choice; it’s a command that came straight from Christ’s lips to those who would be His followers and disciples.

            So perhaps the best way to walk in Christ’s love is to begin it today and not to wait for the Election to end. If we treat each other respectfully, faithfully, and lovingly, then we won’t get caught up in the frantic turmoil that usually occurs in the last days before voting ends.

Questions for personal reflection

How has my witness as a Christian been displayed during this campaign? Am I willing to follow Christ’s command to love one another, especially those who support a different candidate?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we pray for our nation like never before. We confess to being polarized by politics and characterized by our candidates. Help us to take a higher path and walk throughout this time in Your love, in order to display Your grace and peace. In Your Holy Name, we humbly confess and sincerely pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is this week’s bulletin cover art for the Church, based on a timely Bible verse from 2 Thessalonians. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Bulletin.

Faith School - 2 Timothy 1:13

2 Timothy 1:13           What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. (NIV)

            When the apostle Paul was writing to his protégé Timothy, he was trying to ensure that the next generation of believers would hold fast to the faith that Paul personally experienced and taught. This would be have been written about thirty to forty years after the Resurrection of Christ. During those 3 or 4 decades, Christianity had flourished across the Mediterranean, especially in the southern region of what we now call Turkey. However, with this wonderful growth, there also came a plethora of different teachers and preachers who all had their own personal ideas of what constituted the Gospel Truth.

            Paul’s personal appeal to Timothy in writing reveals to us that the apostle, who was imprisoned at this time, was gravely concerned about the faith of the new churches being hijacked by false teachers and greedy preachers. Paul advised to Timothy to be on his guard against such unscrupulous people who would use their charm, influence, and power to mesmerize believers, in order to lead them down the wrong path and away from Christ. Paul also knew that Timothy, who was destined to become the Bishop of Ephesus, would be very influential among his peers. If the fledgling faith was going to survive in the region, it would require Christian leaders who had been inspired by sound teaching, and who expressed their beliefs through their faith and love in Jesus.

            With the amazing amount of information available to us from the Internet, we can sometimes experience difficulty in discerning what is true or false teaching with regard to our Christian faith. New ideas, fresh perspectives, and novel opinions can sometimes attract us, but they may also detract us from following the truth. I personally go back through the four Gospels whenever I’m faced with a new approach to my faith. If I can’t find something that would corroborate the new idea, I set it aside. That may be too simple for some folk but, after almost forty years of trying to be a Christian, I have learned that it works for me.

            May God bless you as you grow in faith and enable you to share the love of Jesus.

Questions for personal reflection

Who initially taught me about the Christian faith? How have I passed on my faith experiences to the next generation?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we thank You for the gift of faith which has influenced, shaped, and directed our lives. We praise You for Your true teaching about God. Grant us new opportunities to share our faith and love in You with others around us. 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 message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com. Please also feel free to share or forward this message to your own family and friends.

Today’s image is one of my Celtic Cross drawings called ‘Celtic Heart.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Cross.

Daily Devotional: Canceling debts - Colossians 2:13b-14

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 keeps 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 this important election 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.


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