Preaching devotion - Paul the Preacher - 2 Corinthians 4:5

2 Corinthians 4:5       For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

            I like the candid writings of the Apostle Paul. He always tells it like it is, even though his words may rankle our 21^st century understanding of living our faith. He lived the latter part of his life as a devoted servant of Christ and ended up in prison for his faith. His mission was to spread the Gospel, plant churches, and confront evil in the world. He was arrested for being a religious radical and executed for daring to appeal to Caesar. I think if he was alive today, he would still end up being incarcerated or assassinated. Paul practiced what he preached and died for what he believed.

            He must have been a great preacher, whose reputation spread across the small church communities in the Mediterranean region. He could have lived a charmed life and set himself up as a powerful orator, who would have been greatly esteemed and widely supported. However, Paul knew that his ministry of preaching was not about himself; it was all about Christ. He did not preach or teach to win personal favors. He preached to convince people of their sinful ways and essential need of Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Preaching was not a vehicle to pander to what folks wanted to hear; it was a channel of God’s Word, Work, and Way. To Paul, it was a method of leading people back to God’s favor and blessing through the life, sacrifice, and resurrection of Christ.

            These days, preaching does not have the affect or influence that it once had. In any given week, preachers have about 20 minutes to impact church folks, which is not a lot of time compared to the hours we spend watching sports, viewing our TV programs, or catching up with our favorite celebrities. And it’s virtually nothing compared to the time we daily spend texting, tweeting, or face-booking. And yet, as Paul correctly wrote thousands of years ago, preaching is all about Jesus Christ being our Lord and how we should serve Him with our lives. In other words, preaching is about preparing us for Eternity, instead of pandering to triviality or popularity.

Questions for personal reflection

What did the pastor preach about last Sunday? Is that message still affecting me today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You personally chose Paul as the most important preacher of the Gospel and teacher of Your Way. His words still ring true today, but we sometimes push back against them. Help us to re-read his writings to give us a better understanding of how to live our lives in service to You and God’s Kingdom. 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 ask questions or make a comment about today’s message, John will be delighted to receive your email. Send him your comments to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s current bulletin cover design and is based on Psalm 150. If you would like to view a larger version online, please click on the link: Psalm 150.

Sunday Sermon: Things to Come - John 12:20-33

vv20-21          Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request.

“Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

            I think that most ministers, when they reach the end of their ministry, must ask themselves this question: “Did I help the people see Jesus?” It might not be something that other people worry about, but I believe that most congregational pastors feel troubled by this challenging question. When I speak with my clergy peers, many of them carry a similar burden in their hearts and on their minds. They feel that they cannot do enough, be everywhere, and see to every need that each church member requires of them. And the longer pastors stay in a church, there are more occasions where people can feel let down, dissatisfied, and uncared for. This is why I believe most pastors only stay with a congregation between 4 to 7 years and move on to a new place, a new people, and new opportunities.

           

            When I became a Christian almost forty years ago, all I ever wanted to do was to make people aware of who Christ was, what He did for me, and how they could experience the same blessings. I gave out Gospel tracts in the busy downtown streets of Glasgow; I preached, sang, and witnessed to folks at street corners; I gave messages, played my guitar, wrote songs about Jesus in a young people’s Gospel Club. My whole life at that time was to help others see Jesus.

            These days, I preach, teach, write, and draw for the very same reason: I still want other folks to see Jesus – to know Him and love Him – to be known by Him and loved by Him. And this is not just because I’m a pastor or a Presbyterian; this is because I’m a Christian, sometimes a not very good one, whose only purpose is to serve and follow Christ. But this is not just my calling – it is the same calling for all Reformed Christians because we fundamentally believe in the priesthood of all believers, in the ministry of all followers, in the pastorate of all those who put their faith in Jesus.

            Today’s Gospel passage shows us something similar. Some Greek people, who have come up for the Passover feast, have heard other folks talking about Jesus. They have heard some interesting stories and amazing reports about this Carpenter-preacher-prophet from Galilee. Now they want to satisfy their own curiosity. They want to personally see and encounter Jesus. They want to come into His presence and experience His preaching, teaching, and healing for themselves. We may not realize it, but this was a pivotal moment in Christ’s ministry. His work went from being regional to becoming international. His fame was spreading and this meant that the Kingdom was advancing, not just all over Galilee and the Holy Land, but into the hearts and homes of Greek Mediterranean people, who would take His message when they went back home, and share it with their own families and friends, colleagues and peers.

Christ is pleased with the request from the Greeks, but He also uses the opportunity to present one of His special teaching moments.

v26      “Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.”

            We no longer belong to a servant society, so a lot of Christians don’t understand what Jesus is actually saying here. We want other people to serve us continually – the restaurant server, the grocery clerk, the public servant, or the company representative for our cable, telephone, or internet service. We want immediate attention and instantaneous results. We pay for our taxes, rates, purchases, and even our church offerings with our hard earned dollars, so we expect results and demand respect. We sometimes don’t know how to serve, but we do know when we are not being served properly, fittingly, and satisfactorily.

            Do we misunderstand Jesus? Have we forgotten that we are His servants? Have we managed to set aside what He purchased for us with His blood? He saved us from our sins, and yet we still continue our selfish ways. He bought our souls with His sacrifice, and yet we still say ‘No’ when asked to serve. He gave everything of Himself, so that we might have everything from God, and yet when asked to give anything for Him, it takes too much time, too much effort, too much trouble. In other words, we want Christ to serve us – our prayers, our projects, our ideas, and our dreams.

            This week has seen our denomination redefine marriage as between two people, no matter what gender they belong to. It’s part of the ongoing Interpretation Wars that are destroying denominations and creating chaos across many congregations. How we interpret the Bible is important because it reveals to the world what we believe, who we are, and how we actually serve Jesus. And if you don’t think this has any relevance to what the Gospel passage reveals to us today, then let me introduce you to the beliefs of a PCUSA pastor on the West Coast. Just recently, he wrote these words:

“I believe that: Religion is a human construct

The symbols of faith are products of human cultural evolution

Jesus may have been an historical figure, but most of what we know about him is in the form of legend

God is a symbol of myth-making and not credible as a supernatural being or force

The Bible is a human product as opposed to special revelation from a divine being

Human consciousness is the result of natural selection, so there’s no afterlife

In short, I regard the symbols of Christianity from a non-supernatural point of view.

And yet, even though I hold those beliefs, I am still a proud minister. But I don’t appreciate being told that I’m not truly a Christian.

So who does he serve? Who does he follow? In whom does he place his beliefs? And how on earth has he been able to remain as a PCUSA pastor? Remember Christ’s words:

v26      “Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.”

As well as teaching the Greeks and the others around Him of what following Jesus meant, he also used this incident to remind His disciples of His mission – He wasn't here for fame or fortune, His popularity or pride. So He told them:

v31      “Now is the time for judgment of this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the Earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

            Judgement is not a very popular word in Christian circles. It very quickly gets transformed into ‘judgmental,’ which is something that Christians are continually told that they should never be. Judging and judgement belong to God, or in this case, Jesus Christ His Holy Son. As He expresses it, the world is presently being judged by God. However, when folks tell Christians to stop being so judgmental, what they are really saying is this: no one has the right to judge me, not even God.

            When Jesus talked about judgment at this time, He was confronting evil and telling it that its course, time, and hold over humanity had run out. He would bring all the conflict in the world to a climatic point when Jesus Himself would be lifted up on the Cross to draw all evil from the past, present, and future and pinpoint its destruction on Himself. This is why we are constantly told that He who was sinless became sin itself. Christ bore God’s wrath for our sinful behavior. He took upon Himself the judgment of His Father so that we may be totally forgiven of every single one of our mistakes, in order to be fully cleansed, made holy, and eternally reconciled to God. Without Jesus, we would be eternally annihilated by God; with Jesus, we are entirely accepted by God.

So, what does all this mean for us here in church this morning? What should we do about Christ’s words and deeds from this Gospel passage?

Firstly, as Christians, we need to remind ourselves that we are the vehicles of faith, the channels of mercy, and the instruments of God’s love to enable other folks to see Jesus. We are not only meant to be believers or followers or disciples of Jesus, we are supposed to be witnesses of His grace and truth.

Secondly, we are servants of Christ and not just seekers of God. This requires commitment and consistency, humility and faithfulness. Servants are not meant to choose to come to church in order to get something out of it; servants are supposed to obediently come to church in order to give something into it – whether it be time and talents, money and meaning, or service and faith.

Lastly, judgmental Christians make poor witnesses, however setting aside or ignoring the fact that Christ is actually judging the world is spiritually dangerous, and may cause people to wander down into dark tunnels of their own misunderstanding, instead of paying attention to Christ’s words and ways, which are meant to lead us toward His Light and God’s gift of everlasting Life. In Christ’s Name. Amen.

Prayer & Apostles’ Creed.

(As we say the Creed, let’s be reminded of the fact that when Christ returns, He comes to judge the quick (those still alive) and the dead – in other words, everyone who ever existed in the past, lives now, or will be born until the Day in which He returns).

Preaching Devotion: Street Corners - Matthew 22:9

Matthew 22:9 Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 

            When I first became a Christian, I wanted to tell everybody about Jesus. He filled my heart and my life with an amazing and wonderful joy. It was a liberating experience for me because from the moment that I gave my heart to Jesus, my life changed.

            On some Saturday nights, instead of going to the city pubs, I joined a group of young folks who stood on street corners in the city center, preaching the Gospel to any passers-by. Sometimes we were jeered and mocked; on other occasions, people stopped to listen, although most of them were drunk. I don’t know if we changed any lives, but it did change us. It made us more connected to Christ and more willing to serve Him wherever He sent us.

            When I look back on those times I often envy those young free-spirited Christians. These days, I preach from the safety of behind a pulpit or a laptop. The message is still the same, but it doesn’t have that raw and wild component to it. There’s a lack of spontaneity, and sometimes a lack of spirit.

            I think this is why Presbyterians are losing ground across the world. We don’t like chaos or improvisation; we feel compelled to present the message decently and with order. We want to lecture people about the faith instead of living it. We want to safely control the Spirit and keep things cozily contained, instead of being moved by the Spirit and sent out into the shopping malls and city streets.

            Perhaps the real point of today’s parable (Matthew 22:1-14) is that Christians are meant to invite people to participate in God’s Kingdom. We get too focused on church attendance and denominational concerns that we forget that Christ’s real work is out there on the city streets and in the busy malls.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I shared my faith with someone else recently? Have I displayed the reality of God’s Kingdom where I live, where I work, and where I shop?

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, You want to invite everyone to come to Your Kingdom and celebrate with God. Forgive us for being focused on too many other things, as well as for forgetting that Your ministry takes place mainly in the world, outside of the church. Grant us the courage and wisdom to share our Christian beliefs humbly and joyfully. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s popular Fall drawings. It features a wee chipmunk eating an acorn and is called “Fall Break.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, click on the following link: Chipmunk.

Gospel Devotion - The Real Thing - Revelation 14:6

Revelation 14:6           Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

            Do you remember that old Coke commercial which begins with one person on a hilltop singing “I’d like to teach the world to sing.” By the end of the advert, hundreds of people in different national costumes, and of all races, have gathered together to sing and drink coke. It was one of the most successful ads ever made and people bought into the idea of One Harmonious World, while conveniently forgetting that the actual message behind the commercial was for one brand of soda to be purchased everywhere on Earth. It was very clever and very sublime at the same time. It preached a message of equality, while it simultaneously invoked worldwide capitalism. Whoever created the ad was certainly worth all of the salary that he or she was getting.

            In the Book of Revelation, the idea of one world is expressed through the eternal gospel being proclaimed everywhere on planet Earth. As it states in today’s verse, every nation, tribe, language, and people will have the Gospel proclaimed to them in the Last Days. This represents the mercy of God, for He gives everybody the opportunity of hearing and receiving the Good News of Jesus Christ. No one is coerced to accept the Gospel, but everyone is given the opportunity to hear it. In other words, God’s sees the unity of humankind through the ministry of His Son Jesus Christ.

            This is why Christianity remains a missionary faith, even in a cosmopolitan world. The mission of our faith is to reach people everywhere with the Gospel. We do this through preaching, teaching, and proclaiming, as well as through education, medicine, and support. Through what we say and do as faithful Christians, other people may be attracted to Christ. By all that we proclaim and present in our congregations, other people may be drawn into Christ’s Church. The life, work, and ministry of the Church has one great assignment – to proclaim the eternal gospel to those who live on the Earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

            Our role in this great task is to be messengers and proclaimers of Christ. The people around us and closest to us see the Gospel through us. Our personal mission is to lead them to Christ because, in some cases, there will be no one else in their lives to do this.

Questions for personal reflection

As a Christian, who have I brought nearer to Christ? Am I willing to proclaim the Gospel to my loved ones? Do I actually know what the eternal Gospel is?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, our Christian faith is never meant to be private or personal, exclusive or introverted. We need to remember that someone else in our past brought us to You. Take away our fears of embarrassment about sharing the Gospel. Grant us the courage to share our faith in those precious moments and gracious opportunities that You create in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we 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 email him at Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s bulletin cover drawings, based on a verse from Luke 14. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Bulletin.

Gospel Devotion: Two Old Words - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

1 Thessalonians 5:9   For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

For some people, the biblical words ‘wrath’ and ‘salvation’ have no meaning in their regular lives. They go about their daily routine, not giving a second thought to God, or of the Christian understanding that one day everything will come to an end. They probably think that Doomsday beliefs are for deluded fools and, as for a God who punishes people for their sins, that’s just a negative way that the outdated Church uses to control people with fear.

If I was going to dissuade folks from the need to believe in Christ, I think that I would tell people that what they do doesn't matter, nor will it ever count against them, and that life beyond death is given to everyone. I think that I would convince people that sin doesn't exist anymore and that God loves to indulge us. I would tell them that Christ’s blood had nothing to do with the forgiveness of sins and that His execution was just an historical accident – He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I would finally tell them that we are gods and all the God that we ever need to be, that humankind is the pinnacle of existence, as well as the greatest beings who will ever live.

If I told them all those things, then words like ‘wrath’ and ‘salvation’ would have no meaning, and I could add to that list words like ‘church,’ ‘prayer,’ ‘faith,’ and even ‘Christianity.’

But if I did that, then I would be a vile liar and a peddler of untruth. I would be guilty of leading people astray and away from the Gospel. I would be damaging their souls and wounding their beliefs. If I stayed in the church and preached those things, I would be a heretic. If I left the church and said those things, I would be apostate. However, for some people, those last two words, ‘heretic’ and ‘apostate’ have no meaning in their regular church lives….

Questions for personal reflection

What does God’s wrath mean to me? How do I interpret the word ‘salvation’?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You never said that following You was ever going to be comfortable or easy, so keep us from trying to make our faith cozy and bland. Forgive us, Lord, for following our own ways instead of Yours. 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 make a comment or ask a question about today’s devotion, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Celtic drawings. It’s called “Celtic Mandala” and features a Celtic Cross surrounded by many other Christian symbols. How many can you find? If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7416/12126875254_8e9f12c2a7_b.jpg

Gospel devotion: Archie the Engineer - Luke 9:2

Luke 9:2         Jesus sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

            Archie was a great preacher and many of the young people in Glasgow, Scotland that I knew in the late 1970s were drawn to Jesus through his straightforward, no-nonsense style of preaching. He was a heating engineer by trade and originally worked in the great Glasgow shipyards on the Clyde. He was skilful at his job, so eventually he set up his own firm and became quite successful. At some point in his life, he met Jesus and gave his heart to the Lord.

            Like most people who go through a dynamic conversion experience, Archie wanted to tell everyone about Christ. He became a part-time preacher at the Gospel Club that I attended each Wednesday evening.

            I can still see and hear him preaching about God’s Kingdom with a confidence and strength that came from the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life. As he preached his message, Archie held a large Bible in his hands and often flicked through its pages, quoting book, chapter, and verses to back up his Gospel message. His strong clear voice and candid preaching reached into the hearts and minds of my friends, as well as me. At the end of the meeting, new souls were saved and old sinners were changed. To all who heard him, Archie exuded Christ’s authority and preached with the power of the Holy Spirit.

            When Jesus sent out his disciples to other areas during the winter season, He gave them His power and authority to preach the Gospel and heal the sick. It must have been a remarkable time for His faithful followers, as well as the people in that region. Lives were changed, sicknesses were cured, and souls were saved. It was really the beginning of Christ’s Church in the world.

            The world still needs powerful preachers and healing miracles today. Instead of being distracted and divided by the devil, Christianity could empower people with hope and heal the brokenness of humanity. If we would open our hearts and minds to being revived by the Holy Spirit instead of reviling one another, this entire planet could be saved within a couple of generations. The challenge that we all have today is this: are we willing to set aside our theological woes and simply work for Christ?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You know what the world really needs and what Your Church needs to do. Help us to reclaim our faith, renew our commitment to You, and revive our spirits. May we preach with the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as well as healing the world through Your Loving Way. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the Scottish pastor at 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 John’s latest African drawing called “Sunset Parade.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7778524948_dd17801487_b.jpg

Christmas Advent devotion: Not Just Words - Matthew 12:37

Matthew 12:37            For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

As a preaching pastor and teaching elder, this verse is taken very seriously by me. I’ve preached since I was 21 in various churches, meeting places, and streets. I’ve often expressed the Gospel in challenging ways and I’ve also experienced some sharp criticisms for doing so.

I don’t like to see people upset with what I preach, but at the same time, I won’t preach a Gospel that is watered down or untrue. The words that I use and how I say them are all under Christ’s judgment; so in the end, it’s not what other people’s feelings or opinions that are important, it’s about the truth of the Gospel and the uncompromising demands that Christ expects of all of us.

Over the decades that I’ve preached, I’ve dealt with various people who feel they’ve been picked upon by the pastor and pressured by a bully pulpit. However, in almost all of the cases, personal dislikes, questionable lifestyle choices, and selfish addictions or obsessions were at the root of their protests. They didn’t care if Jesus was actually challenging them; they didn’t give a hoot if it was clear from statements made in the Gospels. If it offended them, it was clearly wrong in their eyes. Rather than be challenged and changed, they chalked it up to bad preaching and a misguided messenger.

Life is too short to get sermons wrong. Souls will end up in jeopardy by pointless preaching. Preaching the Word, teaching the Truth, and healing the people are not easy in a society that is self-absorbed. It always comes at a cost to the preacher; it always comes down to Christ’s judgment of our words.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we live in a world that thinks it can get along without Your challenging ways; some of us even belong to churches that are keen to please society and go along with the maddening crowd. Remind us that our allegiance is to You alone, and not the world or culture we live in. 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 John’s latest nativity drawing called “Massai Madonna.” It’s a depiction of Mary and Jesus as if they had been living in Africa. You can view a larger version of the image at the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6450888287_328ef9574d_b.jpg

Short devotions: A Pre-Mission World - 1 John 2:8

1 John 2:8        Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in Him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.

I’m going to stop using the term ‘post-Christian world’ and replace it with ‘pre-mission world.’ My reason for this is simple. Our Western Society seems to have turned so far away from Christ that we are now living at a time when people are growing up without knowing who Jesus actually is. Gone are the days when everyone was expected to know something about Jesus’ life; but now the time is ripe to raise new faithful leaders whose love of the Lord will attract future generations of seekers, who will be hungering and thirsting for Christ’s love and grace.

It’s almost as if we’ve come full circle and that the world which the First Christians experienced is similar to our own. Those original followers of Christ confronted many popular hedonistic views and eventually attracted people away from worldly immorality to Christian immortality. It’s my strong belief that we are now being called to do the same.

Instead of whining about the woes of today’s world, we need to thank God for this new mission. In the midst of their libertine and hedonistic ways, people still feel spiritually unfulfilled and empty. For those of us who remain faithful to Christ, this is a new opportunity to keep preaching the message of salvation. Empty people still need to be embraced by Christ; dissatisfied libertines still need to be led to the Gospel’s abundant life.

God is doing something new among us. We are living in a pre-mission world. The challenge that we face today is the same that the First Christians encountered long ago. Are we willing to undertake this mission? Are we willing to be sent into the world?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You call us to a new mission. Whilst the world revels in its darkness, we see that Your Light has not been diminished. We pray that You will prepare our hearts and minds for this fresh opportunity of reaching out in faith, hope, and love. Grant us the courage to care for those who don’t care for us. Give us opportunities to witness to the real joy of serving You and Your Kingdom in our churches, communities, and countries throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we eagerly 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 drawing is one of John’s most popular pieces from the past. It’s called “A New Earth” and depicts Christ standing over the Earth. If you would like to view a larger version, please visit the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3084/2432537217_e82364bff8_b.jpg

John also has signed copies of this drawing available.

4 Minute Daily Devotions: An Inconvenient Gospel

John 16:31 "You believe at last!" Jesus answered.

Years ago, when I ministered to the Scottish fishing village of Dunure, some people stopped coming to church. Eventually, they were asked by a couple of elders of why they had become non-attenders. They replied, “He’s too evangelical for me.”

I was sorry to see them go, but I also took their criticism as a compliment. I am, first and foremost, a preacher of the Gospel and I see that my work is to express the need for everyone to be saved by Christ. In some areas of the world, it’s not popular, but if ever I was to start preaching according to what’s popular, I would have sold my soul to the world.

Even Jesus had difficulty in getting His disciples to understand how crucially and eternally important His Gospel message was. He laid everything on the line, including His life, to offer the world the glorious opportunity of being forgiven and being restored to God’s love. He was, and still is, an all or nothing kind of preacher. The Gospel is not just a collection of stories that we can joyfully meander through at our leisure. The Gospel takes us to a crucial crossroads in each of our lives, where we either commit our ways to the Lord, or we head down our own dead end.

When I heard the criticism that I was ‘far too evangelical’ all those years ago, I wanted to say, “If you think I’m evangelical, you should really listen to Jesus!” When He speaks the truth about God, or talks about commitment, discipleship, or even money, Christ never compromises. One day, after we each die, we’ll learn that for the last time. The dilemma that faces us on Earth is this: will I learn and accept it now, while there is still time, or will I wait until it’s too late?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to overcome our unbelief about You and settle this Gospel question in our hearts for all time. Enable us to get over our discomfort and fears, our mental and spiritual opposition to Your Message. Give us the courage to accept Your Gospel and stop us from creating a convenient truth for ourselves. 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 on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Daily Devotions: Handling the Truth

1 Samuel 3:17 "What was it he said to you?" Eli asked. "Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you."

Did you ever see the movie ‘A Few Good Men?’ it stars Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson. It’s a courtroom drama and its gripping climax comes when Tom Cruise is cross examining Nicholson near the end. In a battle of words, Cruise passionately insists that he wants to hear the truth, to which Nicholson aggressively replies: “You can’t handle the truth!”

When old Eli insists that the boy Samuel tells him what God has spoken to him, he wants to hear the truth, no matter what it is. Samuel is reluctant to tell him because it is a prophetic curse upon Eli and his sons. But Eli persists and even curses Samuel with the same fate if he does not tell him what God has said.

I wonder if moments later Eli had wished he hadn’t been given the message. The truth was ruthless and full of judgment upon Eli and his family. Would he have been better off being ignorant of God’s wrathful message?

I try to preach the Gospel from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Sometimes when I’m looking over a chosen passage, I wish that Jesus hadn’t said what He did. I know that when I start preaching the truth, it is sometimes too much for people in the pews to handle. So I’m left with a dilemma, do I please the people by diluting the Gospel, or do I please Jesus by not mincing His words?

The truth about the Gospel is this: some people can’t handle it, so they shape it into something that makes them comfortable and spiritually cozy. But they ignore this truth – how cozy is the Cross? How comfortable are the calls that Christ makes to us to repent, challenge our ways, and change our lives? A Gospel that is comfortable makes us all spiritual couch potatoes; Christ’s Gospel, which is awkward and challenging, makes us who God calls us to be.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we’ve let society become our Savior and allowed the world to become the Word. We’ve surrendered our souls to coziness and peacefulness, instead of aligning our spirits to the Gospel and You. We honestly can’t handle the Truth and so we make up our own Way, which leads us to no Life. Forgive us and rebuke us; direct us and renew us. 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.

4 Minute Daily Devotions - Peer Pressure

(It's getting harder to preach the Gospel these days - even in the Church, of all places!)

Acts 4:12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by whom we must be saved.”

Podcast version here

I’m having a tough time relating to my peers. It’s always been hard because I didn’t go to an American seminary, so I’ve no class fellowship to identify or connect with. I also was brought up in old-school Presbyterianism, so my Scottish Calvinist background doesn’t help me get close to my progressive Presbyterian associates.

At times, I feel like a fish out of water and I wonder if my family and I would have been better staying in Scotland. And then I remember that I am called by God to be here, so there must be a reason that I am constantly crying in the wilderness and feeling out of place.

I’m a Gospel preacher by trade. I owe everything to Jesus and because of that I’m not willing to give up on His ways, His teaching, or His Lordship. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect by any means, but I believe that Christ is. And I fervently believe that everything which the Old & New Testament reveal about Christ is completely true, unchangeable, and unarguable.

There’s a lot of pressure put on Christian people to give up part of their beliefs by equating Christ with Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius, or even Krishna. Religious people are all part of one theological soup that tastes of God. The Gospels are just another batch of sacred documents which tell us tales about a great teacher called Jesus. Other religious documents from all over the world are supposed to be just as insightful, instructive, and important about showing us how to find God.

I’ve even got peers, who are Presbyterian pastors, who don’t believe in the Resurrection, nor do they think the Gospels are trustworthy. They follow their own path and sadly they take other people with them down a dead end.

When Peter the fisherman stands up fearlessly in front of the Sanhedrin and boldly declares that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by whom we must be saved,” I believe him. He’s just a fisherman from Galilee, putting his life on the line, and courageously preaching the Gospel. He’s out of place in Jerusalem. He’s crying out for Christ in a theological wilderness. He’s declaring the divine truth and does not care what his peers, elders, and leaders believe. Peter has given his life, heart, and soul to Christ. He can do nothing else but preach the Gospel.

I choose to be like Peter because I want to serve the Lord. I will always preach the Gospel because I truly love Jesus. And whether my pastoral peers like it or not, I will keep the New Testament Christ in my heart because I know of no other Name through whom humanity can be saved.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we live in troubled times and the Church is causing a lot of trouble for herself by mincing Your words and devaluing Your truth. Help us to get back on the right track. Grant us the courage to remain loyal to You and to the Gospels that reveal Your ways, Your words, and Your holy works. In Your sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment upon today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org. Please feel free to forward this message to your friends.

A Cautionary Tale

From the Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. - A once prominent leader in the charismatic movement has been forced to shut down his church in the wake of a radical change in his theological beliefs.

Eight years ago, Bishop Carlton Pearson's Higher Dimensions Church had about 6,000 members. He served as a guest host on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, was a member of the Oral Roberts University board of trustees, and was among group of black religious leaders who advised President-elect George W. Bush after the 2000 election.

But Pearson then began preaching that everyone goes to heaven, a theology he calls "the gospel of inclusion." Not long after, evangelical leaders rejected Pearson, the membership in his church fell to a few hundred, and the church's property was lost in foreclosure.

Its few remaining members have now been merged into a Unitarian congregation.

Religious News: two American Preachers Accused of Hate Crime in Britain

Ministers Arthur Cunningham and Joseph Abraham were handing out Gospel leaflets in a Muslim area in the city of Birmingham, UK, when they were stopped by a passing Community Police Officer. He allegedly became aggressive and told the preachers to stop talking to local youth. The two preachers were accused of trying to convert Muslims and, because they were Americans, the community police officer ranted to them about the Iraq war. He also allegedly warned them that they would be “beaten up” if they returned to evangelize in the area.

The two preachers have complained to West Midlands Police and are seeking an apology. The Police Force, however, have stated that the officer merely intervened to defuse a row between the preachers and the youths.

Article source from the Sun

4 Minute Devotions: Pandering in Mega Churches

Mega Churches pander to themselves in ways that promote their own churches instead of the Gospel. Small God-fearing churches serve Christ faithfully and preach the true heart of the Gospel.

Podcast version here

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

One of the biggest mistakes that the American church is making today occurs when preachers preach for their audience and not for the sake of the Gospel. I see too many churches falling into this life-application, life-style series, and life affirming type of preaching. It makes the hearers the center of the preaching, instead of Christ. It makes the congregation the focus of the message, instead of Christ’s ministry. It makes modern Christians the reason for the sermon, instead of the Good News.

And the trouble is this: American Christians don’t see it happening. They turn out in their thousands to hear Gospel charmers and narcissistic preachers who will stroke their egos and pander to their desires. Instead of being humble and becoming servants, the church audiences become proud and arrogant, spoiled and indignant (just visit any restaurant after mega-church members finish worship and you’ll see how badly they treat their servers).

The purpose of preaching is to preach the Gospel. And not just any Gospel – we preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ – where we are told to repent of our sins, to recognize our fallen ways, to seek the blood of Jesus to cleanse us of the past, and to place our lives, hearts, and souls into His hands. It’s not about life-style, or life-application, or life affirmation – it’s about needing Christ as our Savior and putting all our faith in Him alone.

Thankfully, there are small churches all over America where this Gospel is being preached. Their membership may only measure 30, 60, or 100, and they may never take over whole communities like the mega-Goliaths who swallow up local resources to feed themselves. But those small churches with their God-fearing members and Gospel preaching pastors are doing the true work of Christ, and they usually serve in the poorest of areas and hardest places to present the Gospel. They truly are servants for Jesus’ sake and they do not preach themselves.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach us the hard lessons of humility and service. Forgive us for turning the Gospel into a sugar-coated and syrupy message that panders to our life-style choices, instead of letting it challenge and change our lives. Bless those wee churches who struggle each week trying to preach Gospel truths and who serve You faithfully. Enable us to follow their example, instead of trying to be something You never called us to become. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

An Easter Message for Our Town

The apostle Peter was one of the first witnesses to see Christ's empty tomb. it changed his life forever. Fifty days after Christ was resurrected, Peter preached a short sermon to the people in Jerusalem which caused thousands to repent of the crucifixion and accept Jesus as the Messiah. If Peter was alive in our town, what would he say to us today?

"People of our town, pay attention to this: Jesus of the past was the Savior, given by God to us, who performed many miracles, who revealed mysterious and eternal things, and who taught us amazing truths about God, which we have learned through the Holy Scriptures since we were children.

This Jesus was handed over to humanity by God’s will, for the purpose of rescuing humankind from sin, but we humans, through our own wickedness, envy, and fear, tortured and executed Him, by nailing Him to a shameful and horrifying cross.

But God would not forsake Jesus, nor would He allow His body to decompose in death; instead God freed Him from the finality, loneliness, and darkness of death, and raised Him bodily, so that it was impossible for Jesus to remain dead.

A thousand years before Christ lived, the Holy Scriptures told this about Him: The Lord will always exist and because He sits at the right hand of God, He will never be overcome, cast aside, nor forgotten.

Therefore, all human hearts may be glad and sing forever; our bodies and souls will experience an everlasting hope, because God will not abandon us to our graves, to dust, or ashes; nor will God ever let Christ be diminished throughout history, and across all of Time.

For God makes known to us, through Jesus Christ alone, the paths that lie ahead of us, which will fill us with happiness and confidence; for throughout our lives, we will always be in God’s presence.

Brothers and sisters, let me tell you confidently that the old kings and writers of the past, all died, were buried, and returned to dust. But they were prophets and they knew that God’s words and promises were true. They believed, and waited for the Promised One to come and be the Ruler of the Earth

And all of these prophecies and promises were fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who was resurrected from death; He was not trapped beneath the earth, nor did His body lie a-moldering in His grave. God raised this Jesus to real, abundant, and eternal life, and there were many witnesses to that amazing fact.

Jesus was totally honored by God for what he accomplished with His life, His death, and His resurrection. He is now enthroned with God, for all of eternity. His Spirit remains and influences the entire world. Billions of people on earth are changed by His power, presence, and personal connection to them.

Even although the people who lived before Jesus did not go to heaven before He came, they still believed that He would come and change the world. He would become the Lord of all God’s people. His reign would never end and those who opposed Him would never be able to overcome Him.

Therefore, people of this town, be assured and certain of this: God made Jesus, whom we crucified and killed, the Lord of all Creation and the King of the Universe.

As we hear these challenging words, our hearts should be pierced because of our faithless ways and unholy lives. We should be ashamed of our sins and fearful of God’s wrath. We should be perplexed about how we have often offended God by taking Him for granted and neglecting to honor His Son. And if Peter were actually here, we would be asking him, “What can we do?”

To which Peter would reply: be sincerely sorry for being disrespectful to God, get baptized, and truly seek to immerse your life in the knowledge, worship, and service of Jesus Christ. Without these, your sins can never be forgiven; with these, you will be sent the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, and counsel you throughout your entire life.

And this promise of God’s goodwill, mercy, and grace will be for you, your children, and grandchildren, and for many generations to come. This is the calling of the Lord. Hear it and obey Him.

Peter would have us listen to his words, both encouraging and cautioning us at the same time. And above all, he would make this plea: “Save yourselves from this corrupt world.”

If we accept the message of the Gospel, by truly believing in Christ who was raised from the dead, then we will be eternally added to Christ’s Eternal Church and everlasting Kingdom on this Easter Day, and forevermore. Amen.

Erin Church Devotions: Thankfulness

How an email from a missionary in South India has given me a greater appreciation of the Lord's servants throughout the world.

Audio version here

2 Corinthians 4:15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

I received an email the other day from a Christian in India, who reads our devotionals. Both Tharian Matthew and his wife are working hard teaching Christ’s message in his own community. He writes:

I attended the Scots Kirk in Chennai, India as a kid and was also married in the same church 24 years ago.I live in Tiruchy, in South India with my wife and daughter and edit an English Christian monthly, "Vision of the Christ." My wife and I preach, conduct prayer cells, women’s fellowship and intercessory prayers on different days of the week. We attend the Revival Christian worship centre pastored by Rev. Dr. K. Jacob on Sundays.God bless you and the work you are doing.

It’s amazing how God connects Christ’s Church throughout the world. We are thousands of miles apart, but we are involved in the same work: - that of bringing Christ’s message to the people in our communities. I pray that God blesses Tharian and his family in the ministry and mission that they have accepted for Christ.

Tomorrow, we all celebrate Thanksgiving. As we gather around the table, thanking God for our families and friends, perhaps we should also be thankful for Jesus in our lives, and for all the ministers and missionaries who go out into the world to spread the Gospel, teach God’s people, and praise His Holy Name.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are truly thankful for Your grace that has touched our hearts and transformed our lives. We thank You for the people that You placed in our lives, who were the messengers of Your Word that caused us to accept You in our hearts. Be with Tharian and his wife, their church and community. Bless the work that they do and help us, like them, to bring others to church this Sunday. Make us all ministers and missionaries of Your Gospel. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Erin Church devotions: Daniel - An imprisoned pastor in Indonesia

Audio version here

1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (NIV)

This morning, I’ve been busy hand writing a card to a pastor in Indonesia. His name is Daniel and he is an evangelist in a country that is predominantly Muslim. Daniel was videotaped earlier this year praying for the local madrassa (Islamic school) and its teachers. His prayer was as follows:

“Father, we pray for the leaders of the madrassa, so their hearts would be open to the Gospel.”

What was the outcome of that prayer? Pastor Daniel and forty other pastors were arrested. Whilst we were all celebrating Easter over here, Daniel was sentenced to five years in prison. I was writing to him this morning to let Daniel and his family know that he is in my heart and prayers. I was writing to tell him that God will bless him for his commitment to Christ and the Gospel.

This is one of the reasons why I have been so hard recently on Progressive Christians in America. They want to dilute the Gospel, and diminish Christ’s message throughout the world. Their desire is harmony and peace between all religions, but at a cost that I am not willing to pay. They denigrate Christ and His ministry by casting aside their loyalty to Him and His Kingdom, worshipping instead their own god. They do this from the comfort of their academic beds and theological ivory towers, whereas pastors like Daniel are languishing in prison for preaching, teaching, and praying the true Gospel.

That’s why it is crucial for Christians in America to firmly hold on to our faith, and not be sidetracked into universalism. We may not be persecuted for our faith in our lifetime, but there are millions of Christians throughout the rest of the world who are enduring unjust punishment and unfair prison sentences just for preaching the Gospel and praying for their persecutors.

(If you would like more information about Daniel, please visit the following website: www.prisoneralert.com)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, protect Daniel and his family and keep them safe each day. Let their faith be strong and enable them to persevere. Release him from this unfair captivity and grant him the courage to continue preaching the Gospel amongst those who guard him, and those who are imprisoned with him. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.