Short devotion: Wise Words - Ephesians 4:31-32

 

Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (NIV)

 If ever we needed some wise words from God, we sure do need these today.

 There’s too much division and rancor among us, presently. Instead applying grace to restore goodness, we nurse our wrath and spit out our anger. We live in stressful times because we have created them with our suspicion and anxiety, our conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated misgivings. We forget too easily that faith is the remedy to what we fear and that love is how we should show our faith. If we’re too busy complaining about other folks and too focused on maintaining our point of view, we’ll miss the bigger picture that God sees: the diverse beauty of humanity.

 We are all finite beings and only have a certain number of days to live on Earth. As we grow older, we can sometimes mistake our mortality for the end of the world. Even though many generations have come and gone before us, we may delude ourselves into thinking that we’re living in the end times. We’re not – we’re just approaching the end of our own lives which can be hard to accept, so we interpret our existential crisis as being the end of everything we cherish. We find it hard to think that the world will go on without us, so we live in fear and doubt, instead of dwelling on the love and grace of God which are boundless and endure forever. If, instead of fretting, we place our existence into the hands of God, He takes away our futility and makes this life-long journey meaningful which is why God encourages us to ‘be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.’

 Q: What am I afraid of most? How can faith diminish my fear?

 Prayer: Lord Jesus, lead us with Your love and help us to share Your grace. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

 

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

 Today’s image is John’s latest drawing called “Breakthrough.”

Book Review: A Crazy, Holy Grace - Frederick Beuchner

Frederick Beuchner: A Crazy, Holy Grace

Memories are made for this…

                I had never read any of Beuchner’s books before this one, but a number of my pastor colleagues have been referring to his works for years. This book intrigued me because of its title – A Crazy, Holy Grace. Throughout my pastoral ministry, I have seen this in action, especially among folks who have had tragic childhoods or heart-rending grief. Beuchner’s book is an ideal resource for people who are struggling with the pain of a great loss, as well as their faith in God.

               Beuchner tackles grief from the basis of his own heartbreaking family experiences. He expresses the reality of his painful burdens and focuses in on the purpose of memory in the healing process. He converses casually with the reader and doesn’t come across as holier-than-thou. The chapter which touched me most was the one called ‘The Magic of Memory,’ where he writes an imaginary conversation with his deceased grandmother. It’s a very touching moment and one that gets to the very heart of dealing with the hurt of loss.

                The book would make a great small group study or to help a grief therapy group find coping mechanisms. Anyone who loves C. S. Lewis books will be delighted with excellent work of Beuchner. And now that I have read this first one, I look forward to reading more of his writing.

Sermon on John 3:16,17 & 18 - Saving the World

John 3:16      For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

The Gospel passage that we read this morning contains the three most important verses in the entire Bible. If ever we wanted to reduce Christianity to three foundational statements or encapsulate it in three simple verses, John 3:16-18 contains everything that we will ever need to know, believe, and live by. The words are so fundamental to our faith that without them, Christianity would just be a charitable philosophy based on tolerance, kindness, and niceness.

This morning, I’m going to attempt to convey the importance of these verses. Be aware, too, that these verses challenge me as much as they may challenge you. They are not easy to receive or digest, ponder or apply, but please know this from the outset: they are all about Jesus and God. What we do with these words will not change what is presented. In the end, and at the end of each of our lives, they will become fundamentally important.

            The first point that these verses make is this: God loves us and He loves the world that He created. This is a good start because we are immediately brought into God’s grace. As shameful, selfish creatures, we need to know that, despite our sinful selves, God does love us. He does not abandon us to our sinful ways; he does not forsake us to being separated from Him forever. He loves us and because of this love, He offers us a way to be restored to His mercy and grace.

            He gives us Jesus, His One and Only Son, the most precious person in God’s eyes, the most perfect gift to an undeserving world, the most complete sacrifice that any parent can make – He gives His sweet and precious child to a bitter and worthless world. Jesus is the One, Great, and Last Hope of humankind. All that we have to do is to believe in Him, place our hopes in Him, give our heart and mind to Him, put our lives into His hands – however we want to say and express that we believe in Him. It’s all that we have to do – a simple act of surrender and submission, and yet it is one of the hardest things that sinful, self-centered, and self-assured creatures can actually do.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

            In ancient times, when a king sent his son into a region of his sovereign domain, the purpose of the visit was to give the King’s son time to evaluate that region. If there was anything wrong or if the local magistrates were corrupt, or if the people were disloyal and treacherous, the Crown Prince took back his report to his father. The son’s words were not challenged because the King usually trusted his son’s ability to see what was going on and to give a true account of what was happening. The King would then respond accordingly, based on what the report contained. If there was any corruption, those involved were condemned and punished. If there was any treachery, it was quickly stamped out.

            When God sent Jesus into the world, He could have given His Son the divine authority to condemn the entire world for its wickedness, its corruption, and its treachery. It would have been perfectly just and totally God’s divine right. But remember, God sent Jesus into the world to show His love, not His power; to show His grace, not His greatness – unless, of course, we understand that only the most powerful and greatest of Gods would convey His almightiness through love and grace.

            Jesus, therefore, did not come as a Divine Inquisitor or Heavenly Magistrate. He came as the world’s Savior. He came to sacrifice Himself for a world full of sinners. He came to save us from our wicked choices and sinful decisions. He came to rescue us from our stubborn and selfish ways. He came to save us because we were wroth rescuing, redeeming, and restoring. He came, because just like His Divine Father, and as the old children’s hymn tells us, Jesus loves us.

            Look at what verse 17 simply states: the world was saved through Him. Through Him – not by Him or for Him, or to Him or because of Him. It was saved through Him – not by anything we could do, but through all that Jesus accomplished. We are creatures of God who are saved through the unique and redeeming blood of Jesus Christ, our only and holy Savior. There is no other person who can give us this. There is no other way to procure salvation. There is no other spiritual process, good action, or deed of love that can restore us eternally to God. We cannot do anything to save ourselves – it can be only be done and won through Jesus. Anything else or anyone else is a delusion, wishful thinking, and entirely a dead end.

            When the great Scottish reformer John Knox was dying, he struggled with his mortality, conscience, and guilt. He knew that he had made many mistakes, but at the same time, he had accomplished many great things for God. If anyone could rely upon his deeds for God, and be rewarded for his unswerving loyalty, it was John Knox. But as he wrestled with this, he knew it was a temptation – no matter what he accomplished, no matter what he achieved, no matter what he built, none of it could ever buy salvation for his soul on his death bed. Only Jesus could save him – he could only get to heaven through Christ alone. And so the great reformer stopped struggling with his conscience and wrestling with the devil; he surrendered himself to Christ, for only the Son of God could actually save him.

            You know, friends, that’s a moment we will all face in this life. We don’t know when it will happen, where it will occur, or how it will take place. This is why I simply stated at the beginning of this sermon that these three verses are ultimately the most important of all of scripture. Why? Because when we are dying and cannot hold on to life, we can hold on to these words, and in the mysterious process, we can also know that Christ is holding on to us.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

            At the beginning of this sermon, I emphasized God’s love for us and the world, and how thankful we all are for His grace in our lives. This last verse reveals to us how much God loves us – He loves us enough that if we choose to be independent of Him, we will get exactly what we choose.

            He gives us Jesus, His Only Son, as the Only Way through whom we can be reconnected and restored to God forever. However, because God loves us, he does not compel us to do what He wants. We still have the freedom to make our own choice; if that were not the case, then God would have imposed upon us His divine will, which is not love: that is coercion.

            Sadly, many people are going to make this the ultimate choice in their lives. They are going to choose to be independent of God and to set aside Christ’s accomplishments. They are going to decide their own priorities, their own mortalities, and their own eternities. God will offer everyone His Son, but not everyone will take God up on that remarkable, redeeming, and exceptional offer.

            In what I consider to be his best work, C.S. Lewis wrote about this in his book called “The Great Divorce.” In it he wrote:

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened.”

            We all choose our own path, we all make our own mistakes. We all decide our own destinies, and we all make our own lifestyle decisions. God graciously offers us salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. He gives us that option – He sacrifices everything that he loves, so that we might experience everything of His love – but He does not make us or force us, compel us or bully us into accepting that offer. God proves His complete love for us by permitting us to make our own ultimate choice. We cannot rescue ourselves, we cannot erase our sins, and we cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus can do that for us – it can only be done, made right, and fully completed through Him.

            Again, as C S Lewis wrote in the Great Divorce:

“I do not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue consists in being put back on the right road. A sum can be put right: but only by going back til you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it cannot 'develop' into good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound, bit by bit, 'with backward mutters of dissevering power' --or else not.” 

            My friends, I would urge us all to re-read these three verses this afternoon and to personally contemplate how we each value them in our lives. Death comes to us all and hopefully in the far off future, but salvation can come to us now through Jesus Christ, the Precious Holy Son that God gave to us because He loves us, and our Perfect Sacred Savior who can restore us to God eternally, when we freely and humbly choose to believe in Him.

Prayer and Apostles’ Creed

9/11 devotion - Where Was I? - Matthew 12:7

Matthew 12:7           If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent.

            I always find today difficult. The memories that I have of 9/11 are perhaps different from most people. When all of America and the rest of the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks, I was sitting at a hospital bed holding the hand of a friend who was dying. The quietness throughout the whole medical floor was unreal. Doctors and nurses were watching a portable television at the ward desk. No one spoke; all of them were absorbed in the catastrophic insanity and merciless attack on the World Trade Center towers. The whole ward appeared to stand still and you could sense a terrible fear permeating throughout the hospital. Soon everyone was on high alert, fearing the absolute worst because there were rumors that hundreds of planes had gone missing.

Meanwhile I was holding my friend David’s hand, watching the monitors slow down, waiting for that last moment of his life. Across from me, his wife Linda sat with tears streaming down her face, as she lovingly patted his hand and quietly pleaded with David to stay alive. We were powerless in a helpless world. A little side-story within a frightening moment of history. We really didn't know what was happening outside, but death also visited us on that dreadful and painful morning.

Later on today, I’ll go over to David’s grave, where Linda is now also buried, and place some flowers over them. I’ll talk to them about that sad day, but also remind them of the pleasant memories that we shared which I still carry in my heart. I’ll also promise them that one morning, I’ll see them again in that beautiful land where suicidal madness and fanatical martyrdom have no reward; where suffering, pain, and evil cannot penetrate; where God actually wipes away all of our tears.

May God be with us all as we remember the past, knowing that He still watches over us presently, and will lead us to a better, not bitter, life through His Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Gospel devotion: A Mystery to Me - John 11:28

John 11:28     And after Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 

I’m always puzzled by this story because of the roles that Martha and Mary play in this event. In another Gospel passage, (Luke 10:38-42), Mary sits at the feet of Jesus while Martha is chided for working in the kitchen. Mary is praised for her spirituality, whereas Martha is lightly criticized for being too pragmatic.

And then pain comes into their lives when their brother Lazarus dies, causing their roles to reverse. It’s Martha who initially goes out to meet with Jesus while Mary stays at home grieving. I would have expected Mary, the spiritual sister, to run to Jesus first. It wouldn’t have surprised if Martha had stayed at home grieving and still reluctant to go to Jesus. Something seems amiss here; something important is happening in this story.

As a pastor for many years, I have seen people undergo painful and very trying experiences. I have sometimes seen church people fall to pieces and get angry with God when something unexpected, unjust, and unfair happens to them. I’ve also seen people, who have had hardly any church connection, come closer to God in the midst of their pain, pressure, and problems. It’s a mystery to me why this happens and today’s Gospel passage seems to show that no matter how spiritual people are, they can still feel let down or hurt by God; and no matter how distant or irreligious people are, they can still be comforted and brought nearer to God in the midst of tragedy.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I ever felt let down or hurt by God’s inaction? In the midst of my troubles, what keeps me connected to Christ?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Resurrection and the Life, but we still experience tragedy and death in our lives. Sometimes tragic circumstances hurt us and separate us from You. Forgive us of those moments when our faith is sorely tried and we become distant from You. Embrace us with Your Understanding and Love. 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 on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest winter drawings. It’s called “Heavenly Lights” and is a crayon drawing of the beautiful Northern Lights. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8227/8374305975_29c1420e90_b.jpg

Encouragement Devotion: Everlasting Blessings - Luke 20:36

Luke 20:36     “And they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.”

I love verses like this from the Bible because they offer an everlasting hope of blessings yet to come. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not wishing for death – life is beautiful – but at the end of all this beauty and wonder, it’s comforting to know that there is something more wonderful yet to be experienced. This is why I am a Christian, and this is why I believe that Christianity offers the best hope of our earthly lives.

To be like an angel and a child of the resurrection is a precious gift that only Jesus can bring. When He spoke to the Sadducees, who did not believe in life beyond death, He did not condemn them for their beliefs. Instead, Jesus attempted to enlighten them in a charming and attractive way. He told them that all are alive to God, even those who are dead, because we all have eternal souls. I recently read a wonderful statement about this: “We are not human beings seeking an everlasting spiritual experience; we are eternal spiritual beings having a human experience.”

As a Christian, I want all of my family and friends, my neighbors and colleagues to live in the eternal blessings of God’s loving presence, so I have to try to share my faith with them. And I am certain that you want those blessings for your loved ones as well. The great news is this: Jesus can show us how to do that in a charming, attractive, and effective way.

Questions for personal reflection

Whom do I dearly love in this earthly life? Have I lovingly shared my Christian faith with them?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, they are people in our lives whom we dearly love and yet they do not truly know You. Help us to share our faith with them in loving and charming ways, so that they may be drawn closer to You and receive Your Gospel in their hearts. 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 about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest nativity drawing called “Star Song.” Every year, John draws unique nativity scenes which are used by many Christian groups and churches all across the world. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8328/8075856657_2c44d4c75a_b.jpg

4 Minute Devotions: Dealing with Death

Years ago, I saw a person actually die. He was a stranger to me, but both he and his daughter taught me an important faith lesson.

Podcast version here

Job 38:17 Have the gates of death been shown to you? Have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

It was the first time that I saw someone actually die and he was a stranger to me. I had just started as a part-time chaplain to a local hospital and received a call very early one Saturday morning.

“Can you come and help a patient’s family member?” a nurse asked. “She’s all on her own and has asked for a minister to be with her. Her dad is dying”

It took me about fifteen minutes to get ready. I was at the hospital within half an hour. A young woman was in a side room sitting next to her father’s bed. He was an old man that I had never seen in my life before. He looked tired and weary. She looked exhausted and frail.

“Thank you for coming, “she quietly said.” I just needed someone to be here. I didn’t want to do this on my own.”

We talked for a couple of minutes and I read some scripture. Time passed so slowly. Her father was breathing intermittently and the young woman clasped his hand. She told her dad that she loved him and once or twice she tenderly stroked his hair.

And then the moment came. His face slightly changed color and the breathing stopped. It was very peaceful. The young woman quietly sobbed. I read from Psalm 23 and said a soft, comforting prayer. She graciously thanked me for being there and then the nursing staff arrived to take care of the body. The young woman thanked me once more and allowed me to quietly leave. I never saw her again and to this day I do not know their names. But the woman and her father taught me a lesson: death does not need to be feared and dying can be very peaceful.

That’s why I’m still a minister today and it’s also why I preach the Good News. Jesus has defeated death and His great victory vanquishes all of our fears. Christ not only saw the gates of death; He took them apart forever. We may pass away but once on earth, but death no longer imprisons us, for Jesus has won our eternal freedom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Savior of our souls and the Deliverer from death. You grant us an everlasting opportunity to be reunited with our loved ones in the holy realms of God. We can never repay the immortal debt that we owe to You, but we will praise Your Name forever. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: 9-11 Reflections

Seven years later, 9-11 still haunts me.

Podcast version here

I always find this day difficult. The horrors of seven years ago never seem to go away. It was an uncanny moment and it still seems surrealistic to me. I still can’t believe that religious fanatics would kill all those innocent people in the Name of God. It defies logic. It defies humanity. It defies faith.

John 11: 21Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

I’m also transported inwardly to the hospital room with David and Linda. David was dying of cancer and Linda was crying fearfully. On one side of David’s bed, we were helplessly watching his vital signs flat lining. On the other side, a muted TV was showing the Twin Towers ablaze and collapsing. I have never felt so powerless in my life and, for the first time, I understood Martha’s blunt statement: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

As has become my custom, I visited David’s grave this morning and talked to him for a while. I miss his quiet ways and wry sense of humor. I miss his private faith and personal devotion to God. I miss his friendship and sharing lunch with him, every now and then.

I dwell upon the inevitability of my own mortality and how it might come. I thank God for the friends I have known and promise once again not to waste a moment of my life. I think about how time moves on and realize that the old oak tree, which once stood near David’s grave, is no longer there. Everything changes and I have, too. After seven years, would David know the pastor and person I have become?

And then, just as I am sighing and getting ready to leave, I see that a new sapling has emerged beside the trunk of the old tree. Death does not have the final say. Life emerges out of loss and faith overcomes fear. The Lord is here with the two of us where heaven and earth, humanity and eternity, mortality and immortality meet.

I am both resurrected and renewed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are always with us, even when we feel distance from You. Thank You for Your presence which lifts and carries us throughout our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Shock and Awe

A pastoral friend of mine suddenly died this morning and I am deeply saddened by it. He was about the same age as me. We used to meet for lunch on a regular basis as a part of a small group of pastors. My other peers are just as shocked as I am. He was such a good friend to all of us, and we’re all going to miss him.

Podcast version here

When death hits us like that, it can give us a jolt of reality. It reminds me of my own mortality and makes me question my own readiness for meeting the Lord suddenly. I don’t want to get morbid here, but it’s something that we all shouldn’t leave till it’s too late. Being prepared to come face to face with Christ is the most important thing in our life. And no matter when our death comes, it’s always too soon.

Bible Verse of the Day

Revelation 22:7 "Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."

That’s why I admire the first century Christians. They lived with the imminence of Christ’s Second Coming among them. They firmly believed that Christ’s return was just around the corner. They hoped it would happen in their own lifetimes and were ready, willing, and able to serve the Lord at a moment’s notice.

I don’t think that the same can be said for our present generation. After two thousands years of waiting, we will be totally shocked when Jesus re-appears. And yet, as I’ve written somewhere before, Christ’s Second Coming will happen for all of us the split-second after our deaths. One moment we’ll be passing over as the result of an accident, at home, or in a hospital bed; the next second we’ll hear the blare of almighty trumpets and suddenly realize that Christ has already come. That’s why we need to be ready here and now, because if we leave it to there and then, it will be too late.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive us for taking You for granted and putting Your imminent Return to the back of our minds. We are sorry for disrespecting You and we ask that You enable us to properly prepare our hearts and souls for Your sudden arrival in the world. In Your Holy Name, we wait and pray. Amen.

Daily Devotions: The Dream

I had a beautiful dream last night which I have kept in my heart all day. I was standing on top of a high hill when suddenly the ground beneath me gave way. For some reason I was sliding down the hill at high speed, headed for a swamp at the bottom. As I reached the swamp, I braced myself for the impact by lifting up my knees to shield my body.

Podcast version here

I started channeling through the water at a fierce rate, but I never got wet. I was afraid that when I stopped moving I would begin to sink into the swamp. Inevitably, I slowed down and felt being sucked under the black water. All of a sudden, and this will sound crazy, two elderly ladies in a flat bottomed boat rescued me. As they hauled me up on to their boat, I felt an amazing peace. Then I woke up.

Bible Verse of the Day

Acts 10:17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon's house was and stopped at the gate.

The dream puzzled me and I inwardly asked God for an interpretation. This is what I think He gave to me.

The hill represents my strength and pride, ego and arrogance. The quake is God’s way of getting my attention and sliding downhill indicates the poor choices and bad mistakes I have made in my life. The swamp represents death and oblivion. The raising up of my knees indicates a time of prayer and the water, which didn’t make me wet, is my baptism. Slowing down and sinking represents me getting older and experiencing death.

But what about the two ladies on the boat? The boat is the church. The elderly ladies are called Faith and Hope. Now I know that at the moment of my death, whenever it comes, all that I will have left is Faith and Hope…and that will be all that I will ever need.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the gifts of Faith and Hope, which sustain us throughout our lives, and which also take us into Your Eternal presence at the moment of our inevitable deaths. Let them keep hold of us when we are fearful or depressed, vulnerable and all alone. In Your Holy Name, we faithfully and hopefully pray. Amen.