Short devotion: Serving the Kingdom - Romans 16:17-18

 

Romans 16:17-18 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the minds of naive people. (NIV)

Like most good folks, I’m fed up with those who are constantly causing division and strife across the world. They seem to think that being aggressive and uncompromising are badges of success and medals of glory. They attract both belligerent and ignorant people, who sadly become their followers and pawns, leading them away from God because they are idolized and lauded as having no faults. This is a slippery slope and something that good Christians should totally avoid. To be manipulated by smooth words and flattery is to be led into deception and destruction. It’s one of the oldest sins that there is, and it is one of the deadliest for our souls.

We need to remind ourselves that we solely belong to God’s Kingdom, so we serve Christ first and foremost. The devil effectively uses nationalism to pull people away from churches and set up their own patriotic pseudo-religion. It’s alarming to see good, hard-working, and honest people being led away by a pied piper, but it’s happened many times throughout history, so it’s not really surprising.

Jesus teaches us that God’s Kingdom is above any and all nations. It’s God’s community on earth where aggression, self-centeredness, and arrogance have no place. Speaking out against those things may lead to persecution and rejection, but that’s what the true cost of discipleship and service in God’s Kingdom entails. Faith, real faith, not a manufactured or manipulated faith, is required for true followers of Christ which means loving our neighbors and not hating them, helping the marginalized and not hindering them, supporting aliens and foreigners in our midst, not shaming or condemning them. It’s a hard task for those who are Kingdom builders, but it’s the only true way to expand Christ’s community and faithfully serve our Lord Jesus.

Q: Am I a Christian in God’s Kingdom or something else?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we try to live for You and are commanded to share Your love. Protect us from those who use deception and division to increase their power and popularity. Shape us into the Christians we should be. In Your Holy Name, we humbly ask. Amen.

 

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

Do Not Fear - 1 Peter 3:14

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated. (NRSV)

Fear is the instrument that manipulators use to control people. In Roman times, when the apostle Peter was writing this letter, fear was the weapon that the Emperor used to keep his opponents silent and the people subdued. Whenever Caesar issued a threat it made the politicians and population cower. The fear of reprisals negated any opposition, so the Emperor could do what he liked.

Christians, however, in those days, were willing to speak out and suffer for their faith. They did not surrender their souls to the Empire or totally submit to Caesar’s authority. They stood up for what was right and even though it cost them everything, they were not willing to exchange or compromise Christ’s teaching for peaceful lives and expedient results. They understood that to be disciples of Christ meant that their allegiance was to a higher authority, law, and kingdom.

Application: Am I guilty of compromising my faith? Does Jesus have my total allegiance?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we try to be Your disciples and hope that we please You with our lives. Grant us the courage of the First Christians and help us to stand up for justice, mercy, and love. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Holy Week drawings called ‘Son Set.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Son Set.

A Little Yeast - Galatians 5:9

Galatians 5:9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” (NIV)

I’ve never made bread, so I don’t know what the process involves. I understand that the little portion of yeast enables the bread to rise when being baked and creates a great texture for eating. All I truly know is that I love bread – buttered, toasted, freshly baked or shaped into rolls, sticks, and loaves – to dunk in my soup, or at the side of my plate, or even filled with meat, cheese, tomatoes, and pickles. I may not know how to bake it, but I sure know how to take and consume it!

Last night, I attended an ecumenical meeting in our town called ‘Justice Knox.’ Two other folks from our congregation were also at the event. The whole purpose of ‘Justice Knox’ is to encourage people of all faiths to come together from our churches, synagogues, and mosques to tackle social justice problems in our city. Individually, we cannot do much on our own, but when we combine our focus and resources together, we can act like yeast to work with our local leaders and authorities in dealing with issues of Affordable Housing, Mental Health, Public Schools, Accessible Health Care, and Drugs and Crime. If we pray, meet, and work together, we can effectively influence local politicians and policies to make life better for everyone in Knoxville.

Being the yeast is something that Christ calls all of His followers to become so that the Bread of Heaven may be effectively and fairly shared with everyone. If we are willing to do this, then we will bring better and more lasting changes to our community and society.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to effectively give of ourselves to lovingly share and support all whom we meet today. Allow us to be the yeast of Your grace that is needed in whatever circumstances, events, or encounters we experience. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Call to action: Ask God to bless people of faith in our community by providing us with opportunities to share in ministry, mission, and service together. Please share this devotion with your family & friends, too.

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

Today’s image is one of my Knoxville drawings called Sunsphere City. If you want to view a larger version, please click this link: Sunsphere.

May 20 devotion - Not of This World

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the religious leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (NIV)

In a couple of weeks, my wife and I will be touring Italy as part of a month-long sabbatical that has been graciously given to me. I look forward to seeing the ancient buildings and ruins of the once-proud Roman Empire, as well as visiting art galleries and museums which contain some of the best Renaissance paintings and sculptures in the world. I’ll also get to see some of the sites of the Early Christian communities and marvel at the fact that such a humble and lowly religion managed to overturn the most powerful empire in the history of the world.

In the Gospel passage where Pilate has a conversation with Jesus (John 18:28-40), we see the beginnings of the rise of Christianity and the fall of the Roman Empire. Pilate does not know what to do with Jesus and apparently hesitates about executing Him. The Roman Governor seeks a political reason to crucify Christ, but Jesus will not give him what he wants. “My kingdom is not of this world,” claims Jesus, so Pilate is perplexed because he realizes he is dealing with spiritual matters that are outside of his jurisdiction. However, as a means of political expediency, the perturbed governor will relent to the baying of the mob and crucify Jesus. From that point on, the Empire began to fall as Christ’s kingdom arose.

This passage should remind us that politics do not override our faith or should even come close to it. Christians are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom, so every other national or political loyalty that we have needs to be tempered by our faith, not the other way around. If we let politics and politicians take over our hearts and minds, then we are actually displacing Christ and distancing ourselves from His Kingdom. All that we say, do, or even post on social media, should be done through the lens of Christ as our Lord, Savior, and King. Remember, His Kingdom is not of this world, so neither should we be completely attached, focused or obsessed with it.

Point to ponder

Do I put Christ at the center of my life? Why/why not?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, remind us that You call us to be Your servants and that our ultimate destination is to abide in Your Kingdom. Teach us to let go of worldly things and latch on to heavenly blessings. In your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

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