Sunday Shorts: Restored by Love

Luke 24:47 Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (NRSV)

When Jesus came back from the dead, His first message to the disciples was similar to what He initially expressed as He began His ministry. At that original point, He urged people to repent and believe the good news because the Kingdom of God was near (Mark 1:15). After being resurrected, the message that His disciples were now given to proclaim was simple: people were being urged to repent and their forgiveness of sins was to be declared. 

This meant that when Jesus died on the Cross things were changed for all of humanity. Whatever debt we owed to God because of our sinful ways was cancelled completely. Before the Cross, people needed to appease God with sacrifices; after the resurrection, we were urged to sacrifice our pride and humbly confess our mistakes in order to be given total forgiveness of our sins. 

I don’t know about you, but that divine transaction of my debt being imposed on Jesus when He was nailed to the Cross gives me hope. I’ve done some really bad things in my life that I truly regret and wish never happened. I would be as miserable as sin if I didn’t know Jesus as my Savior, so when He offers me true forgiveness in return for my repentance, I’m ready to take that gift.

Perhaps you’ve been carrying some guilt in your heart and it keeps you awake at night. Maybe you’ve done something foolish that you regret and it torments your mind. Whatever it is, it can be rectified; whatever you’ve done, you can be restored to God’s favor and love. Jesus has completed what was necessary to reconnect all of us to our gracious God – all we simply have to do is repent.

Find a quiet place today and have a quiet time with God. Unburden your soul and let the tears of regret fall from your eyes. There is nothing that you have done that God cannot forgive through Jesus. God already knows what it is, so just allow yourself to be relieved by simply whispering it to God. Repentance will restore you and Jesus will embrace you. Let His power to forgive, renew you; let His ability to love, release you.

Prayer: Lord, You know us completely. You’ve seen all of our mistakes and are totally aware of all the things that bother our consciences. Help us to find some quiet time to be with You alone, to confess our faults, address our sins, and unburden all that we are sinfully and selfishly carrying. Allow us to take the opportunity of the forgiveness, peace, and love that You offer. In Your Holy Name, we humbly confess and pray. Amen.

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

Short Devotion: Throne of Grace - Hebrews 4:16

 Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

I don’t know about you, but I need God’s grace to get me through each day. When I look over my whole life – which is what most folks do when they get older – I still feel embarrassed, foolish, or even ashamed about things that I’ve thought, said, or done in the past. I continue to remember old conflicts that I created with family, friends, and other people. Times when I was outspoken, self-righteous, and arrogant severely impact my soul. Moments of carelessness, madness, and recklessness are replayed in my mind and numerous incidents of wrong-doing, wrong paths taken, or wrong ideas overwhelm me now and then. I realize that I am imperfect, fallen, and sinful – which is why I need the perfect, upright, and holy remedy to my dilemma: God’s grace through Jesus Christ.

When I think about what Jesus did for the whole world – dying for our sins – it humbles, terrifies, and comforts me all at the same time. I am humbled because I don’t deserve such love; I am terrified because I know God could judge me; I am comforted because Christ saves me. I may not be the best of Christians, but Jesus is the best Savior I can ever know, so I place everything in His crucified hands – my sin, my shame, my past – then draw near to His throne of grace and seek mercy which He graciously gives when I most need forgiveness, acceptance, and love.

Maybe you’re going through a bad time. Perhaps you have deep regrets or wish that you could have said or done something differently. Maybe you’re carrying a burden which has been with you for a long time. Maybe you’re depressed about the past or worried about your future. Please know this: Christ understands you; Christ forgives you; Christ will restore you through the riches of His grace and the boundless love of God. 😊

Q: What is unresolved in my life? How can Christ restore me today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are all weak, wayward, selfish, and sinful. Our mistakes are many and our sins are countless. We are imperfect, foolish, and even wicked at times. Forgive our faults, accept our confessions, and apply Your grace to heal our broken and fallen ways. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Begin Again - Hebrews 2:18

Hebrews 2:18 Because Christ himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (NIV)

I’ve already broken several of my New Year’s resolutions, so I can’t even keep up with my own standards. Like most of us, I start off with the best of intentions but quickly get distracted or even too comfortable to follow through with my self-imposed promises. I guess I can reset my determination and begin again – hopefully, I will resolve to accomplish all that I want to achieve this year.

Today’s verse reminded me that this is what Christ offers us each day – a fresh chance to begin again. When we fall into temptation and fail to keep God’s commands, Jesus gives us the grace to pick ourselves up and start once more. He doesn’t do this either from a smug and self-satisfied position of knowing that He is perfect; He forgives us because He understands what temptation is like and how prone we are to fall prey to our own selfish and sinful ways.

So, today is a new day. Christ offers all of us the opportunity to begin again. He not only understands our personal struggles, but He is absolutely able to help us let go of our sinful past, acquire His grace today, so we may walk with Him day by day. We are not fallen failures, we are forgiven sinners; we are not cast aside by God, we are embraced by His patient and enduring love.

Application: Allow yourself to be forgiven by Christ for anything you have done. Let this be a new day of restoration in your forever relationship with God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being our Savior who completely understands our struggle to keep God’s commands. Grant us Your grace and show us a better way to live our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is a Communion drawing for the New Year. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: New Year.

A Tax Break - Luke 18:13

Luke 18:13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ (NRSV)

Do you ever have one of those days when you feel as though you’ve taken a wrong turn, done something stupid, or been very selfish? Me, too. I don’t know how you personally cope with those kinds of days, but they sometimes make me feel as though I can’t approach God for any help, hope, or healing. My foolish mistake or sinful act separates me from God, and so my pride or shame won’t let me immediately turn to Him for pardon, grace, or restoration. It’s as if I’m angry with myself or feel as though I’m wasting God’s precious time. However, at some crucial point, I reluctantly traipse back to Him like the tax collector in today’s verse, hang my head in shame, and mumble a plea for forgiveness.

Almost immediately, I experience a sense of relief and of being reconnected to God. I know I don’t deserve His gracious love, but I am very glad to receive it. By forgiving my sin, God restores me to His delight; by pardoning my mistake, I not only feel better, but I want to do things better for God and His Kingdom. To be forgiven is a precious gift that I hope I will never take for granted; to be restored to God’s favor is a wonderful way to begin my life again.

Perhaps you are feeling burdened by past mistakes, sinful deeds, or personal failures. Maybe you’ve been carrying a whole boatload of guilt that is keeping you back from reconnecting with God. Or perhaps you just feel as though you’ve disappointed God and can’t approach Him for mercy or restoration. Please do not despair: God’s grace is far bigger than any or all of our sins; God’s love is far greater than any mistakes we have made. He allows us to ask for forgiveness, not because He wants to shame us, but because He wants to restore us and reconnect with our hearts and spirits. In other words, we may be great sinners, but Christ is an even greater Savior than all of our sins combined.

Point to ponder

What is my deepest regret or costliest mistake? Am I willing to bring this to God in prayer and ask for forgiveness?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us completely and are aware of everything we have foolishly or sinfully done. You ask us to come to You for mercy to give us the gift of God’s grace. We are truly thankful and totally humbled by Your merciful ways. In Your Holy Name, we joyfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come along and join us for worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

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

Church devotion: Making Better Decisions - Joshua 9:14

Joshua 9:14    The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.

Most of the serious mistakes that I make usually occur because I do not ask God what He thinks about my choices before I make a decision. I foolishly follow my own course and, like Rear Admiral Grace Hopper once said, if it turns out to be a bad choice, I ask for forgiveness later. You would think that my life experience by now would have shown me the folly of leaving God out of my major decisions. Regrettably, it still happens. I still make impulsive choices and end up looking to God to forgive me and mend the situation.

Today’s story from the Book of Joshua Chapter 9 describes an incident where the Israelites were deceived by the Gibeonites and completely taken in by their cunning plan. Instead of going to God for guidance, the Israelites believed the Gibeonites’ story and swore an oath not to harm them. It was a mistake that would have dire consequences for centuries on both communities. If the Israelites had consulted God, He would have told them about the deception and there would have been no peace treaty sworn between the peoples. However, because the Israelites made the treaty sacred by swearing an oath in God’s Name, they had to keep the agreement. To do otherwise would have been to discredit their own word, as well as profaning and dishonoring God.

Perhaps you are going through some critical times and face some serious issues. Maybe you need to make an important decision that will affect the rest of your life. Whatever it may be, take this from today’s lesson: sincerely ask God about it first and seek His guidance. He will help you find the necessary and effective solution.

Questions for personal reflection

Is there something that is weighing heavily on my mind? Have I truly asked God for His thoughts and guidance about it? When will I make time to do so?

Prayer:            Lord God, You see all that goes on in our lives and watch the ways that we take. Help us to put You at the center of our choices and decisions, especially when the consequences will be life changing. 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 a question about today’s message, please send an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s drawing is one of my popular Mackintosh type flower images. It’s called “Dragon-Eyed Dahlia.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/9337564045_c4476a5a54_b.jpg