May 05 devotion - Preaching Everywhere

Mark 16:20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. (NIV)

            Preaching has always been at the heart of the Christian Church ever since it was established. The Good News of the Gospel has been constantly proclaimed in every nation and generation since the time of Christ sending out His disciples. Without preaching, Christianity would never have expanded beyond Judah and Galilee. With preaching, even people who live in the remotest areas of the world can hear and respond to Christ’s mission.

            In a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, the quality of sermons was the number #1 reason why people choose to go to church. Even after two thousand years of progress, technological advances, and sophisticated communication gadgets, preaching still draws people to Christ. I guess this is why Jesus sent out His disciples to preach in order to continue His mission on Earth. Preaching was, still is, and possibly always will be the bridge between God’s Word and Christ’s people.

            You may think that as a preacher, I am personally biased about this. To some degree that may be true, however, it places a serious burden of responsibility on me to preach the Gospel truth, even though I may not want to because some folks in the pews may not like to hear what God has given me to say. It would be only too easy to preach a message of being nice, pleasant, and courteous to one another, but the Gospel of Christ is often hard to proclaim, tough to receive, and difficult to embrace. If this wasn’t the case, Jesus would never have been crucified.

            As each Sunday approaches, I and preachers like me greatly appreciate the prayers of the people for both the preparation and presentation of the sermon. It is a unique opportunity to teach the faith, preach the truth, and help the church. It is also a solemn responsibility to present God’s Word and reveal Christ’s Way for the world, as it always has been for almost two thousand years. J

Point to ponder

How does preaching affect my faith? What is the best sermon I have heard?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, be with your preachers throughout the Earth who are busy preparing their sermons. Let Your Spirit guide their words and may Your people be inspired by all that is truly proclaimed. Bless us all through Your Holy Word. Amen.

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

Today’s is image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings called ‘Spirit of ‘17’. You can view a larger version at this link: Spirit17.

Preaching the Word - Mark 1:38

Mark 1:38       Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”(NIV)

            I would love to have heard Jesus preaching in any of the synagogues that He visited during His lifetime. What we have in the Gospels is only the tip of a whole mountain of messages that Christ must have preached to His people all over Galilee. We know that He always attended worship each week, so in the preceding days, Jesus must have prepared what He was going to say. I would also have liked to watch Him do that and pick up a few new methods of how to fully prepare a sermon. He didn’t have the books or devices that I have to help me research the scriptures for a Sunday message, but I’m certain that His illustrations and interpretations of God’s Word must have been amazing and life-changing for His listeners.

            The purpose of preaching is to help people understand the salvation history of God. It’s not about being entertained or charmed by the charisma of the preacher; it’s about being confronted with God’s Word and becoming connected to God’s Spirit. This makes preaching a controversial form of communication instead of it being a comfortable expression of faith. I know many preachers who, like myself, often struggle with the Bible passages that are preached on Sundays. They don’t want to offend anyone or disappoint someone, but in the end, preachers need to preach what God places in their hearts.

            I think this is also why some of Christ’s major conflicts took place in the synagogues where He preached. His message was both traditional and radical, authoritative and demanding. Perhaps if I had been in one of those synagogues where Jesus preached, I may have been offended, too. I know this much, He certainly would have challenged me, as He still does today.

Point to ponder

Have I ever heard a sermon that changed my life?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, Your Word is always alive and relevant, as well as challenging and resourceful. Open our hearts and minds to receiving, embracing, and applying the messages that You give to us through preaching today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s iconic drawings of Jesus called ‘Christ Icon.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Icon.

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

Daily devotions: Spirit Wisdom - Acts 6

Acts 6:10 …but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 

Eric Alexander was the most wise and spiritually gifted pastor that I have ever known. He used to preach at the St. George’s Tron Church which is situated right in the heart of my old hometown of Glasgow in Scotland. The church is located at one of the busiest junctions in the city and when Eric was preaching there, it was hard to find a parking space within walking distance of the church.

He was a powerful preacher and I can remember being in his church one lunchtime on Good Friday. My wife Evelyn was with me and we were both reduced to tears as Rev. Alexander graphically portrayed the agony and loneliness of Christ on the Cross. He was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit and the doleful tones of his Scottish accent just added to the power of his sermon. It was a life-changing experience for the both of us, as well as many others who had given up their business lunch to hear the preacher.

I also firmly believe that Stephen from the Book of Acts must have been a powerful and Spirit inspired preacher in his day. From today’s scripture we read that no one could ‘stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.’ It must have been both remarkable and challenging to hear him preach. He was utterly devoted to Christ and fully open to the Spirit’s bidding. Stephen must have known that the religious authorities would try to shut him down, but he still persevered; he still valiantly preached the truth.

In today’s highly sophisticated and technologically driven world, preaching might seem outdated and redundant to some people. However, whenever and wherever a preacher is truly inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit, lives are still challenged and changed.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, today we thank You for the preachers that have impacted our spirits and changed our lives through their wisdom and the presence of the Holy Spirit within them. Keep raising new preachers among us who will grow in wisdom and be truly touched by God’s powerful presence in their lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently 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 drawings of Tybee Island Lighthouse near Savannah, Georgia, USA. You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4698463366_0495982384_b.jpg