Sunday Shorts - To Boldly Go

Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.  “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (NIV)

            It was a very brave thing for Jesus to do. When John was thrown into prison, King Herod and the other authorities thought that they had shut down John’s prophetic ministry. The Wildman of the wilderness had been effectively eliminated and totally silenced. He would no longer be able to upset the king and his wife, nor would he be able to challenge the religious leaders like the Pharisees and Sadducees that John had called vipers and hypocrites. He was cut off from the rest of the world to languish in a dreary, damp, and dark dungeon cell. John’s ministry was finished, and his opponents could not have felt better.

            But then Jesus appeared and took up the ministry that John had been forced to relinquish. He even started His mission by proclaiming the same words John had used to rouse the crowds of people who came to be baptized at the Jordan river. Jesus declared that “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” John’s radical ministry was not over; it was extended and expanded by his successor, Jesus.

            Now Christ could have remained silent for a while until the ruckus that John caused had died down. Jesus could have quietly begun His ministry among family and friends without disturbing the peace or challenging the authorities. Instead, He boldly proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was imminent and that everyone – kings and priests, soldiers and citizens, prophets and the people had to repent – to turn away from the things that distracted them from God and to turn toward God to receive forgiveness, grace, and truth. Christ was preaching a radical message, just like John; and in time, He would also be opposed, arrested, and killed, just like John.

            As we continue to extend Christ’s ministry in our community and across the world, we should ask ourselves what do we need to boldly speak out against in our present society? When we are faced with leaders who are corrupt liars and spread false news, do we remain silent, or do we speak out against them? Are we willing to let truth be tarnished and people be exploited? Or will we follow in Christ’s footsteps and speak out against prejudice, injustice, and hatred, even though it will cost us friendships and relationships, reputations and privileges?

Today’s scripture lets us know what Jesus would do, so are we willing to follow His example?

Point to ponder: How radical is my faith? How ‘woke’ was Jesus?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You boldly went out into the world to challenge everyone to change their ways. You spoke words that would anger Your opponents and disturb those in power. Help us to have the courage to stand up against the liars and haters in our world, to boldly speak out against those who would corrupt and mislead Your people. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

July 3 devotion - We All Make Mistakes

Acts 26:20       First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 

We all make mistakes, but it’s what we do about them that counts in God’s eyes. There’s a creeping a-moralism in our churches and society right now that says “it is okay to make mistakes, God understands, so there’s no need to repent or change our ways.” We’ve become so addicted to ourselves and our own understanding that we’ve sadly forgotten how to personally and humbly repent.

Now I am just as guilty of this than anyone else. Some days, I slack off in my prayers; I abbreviate my requests; I take God’s mercy for granted, so I end up justifying myself and setting aside my guilty feelings. I suppress any inward call to truly confess or repent. I try to shut God out, but only end up isolating myself from Him. Eventually, I have to come to God and speak to Him about what I have left unspoken or unprayed. I get no peace until I do this; I have no healing from within until I confess to God.

Repentance is for real, folks. It’s something that we must do in order to be Christian. It’s not an optional extra with regard to our faith. If we don’t repent, then we have no everlasting relationship with God. Christ came to save the world from sin, but even He cannot help an unrepentant sinner.

I guess the substance of this devotion is to make us all aware of our mistakes and to come to Jesus with them. If we’re too proud to do this, then we’ll end up perishing spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and maybe even physically. We may not want to read, think, or accept this, but unless we understand, acknowledge, and embrace our need to repent, we will never be restored to God through Christ.

Questions for personal reflection

Is there a mistake in my life that I still regret? Have I truly repented of this before God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are sinful people who often make mistakes and take Your mercy for granted. Forgive our foolish ideas, especially those that would separate us from You and Your Father in Heaven. Bring us toward You, humbly and respectfully; allow us to confess our mistakes and repent of our sinful ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is from one of John’s psalm drawings. It’s a depiction of a confessional verse from Psalm 123. If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: Psalm123.

The Young Ones - James 5:19-20

James 5:19-20            My friends, if someone should bring back another who has strayed from the Truth, take note of this: Whoever convinces a sinner to repent of his erroneous ways will rescue that person from death and cover over his many sins. (JSV)

            There is hope for everyone, even the worst of sinners. I know this to be true for I am part of that category. We all make ill-advised choices, especially when we are young adults, some of which can ruin our lives entirely. We follow our own path and determine our own future. We hate being wrong and don't want to repent of or admit our foolish ways. Some of us would rather keep making the same sinful choices rather than say we are wrong. Being ornery and stubborn, mule-headed and strong-minded comes with the territory of growing up. What we eventually become is largely based on how willing we are to change direction, especially if we are following a self-centered and self-destructive path.

            When I was addicted to alcohol, I never needed anyone's advice. My mother wept over me; my father gave up on me, and my friends began to abandon me. I stubbornly refused to concede that I had a problem. I believed that I was right and everybody else was totally wrong. I wouldn’t seek help and almost got myself into a lot of serious trouble. If I hadn't met Christ on the road I was on, I probably would be dead by now. It took His presence in my life and the candid words of His followers, who were my peers, to turn my life around. Their love convinced me to repent. Their understanding and faith saved me from my sinful addiction.

            Sometimes I worry about our young folk at church, college, or in their new careers. Some of them are making foolish choices just like I did, so I pray for them on a regular basis. I want them to know that the lessons of faith they learned as children or teenagers are still relevant in their lives today. I want them to know that when all else fails, Jesus will never let them down. I want them to have a place of acceptance and love, renewal and hope in their lives. They are still, and always will be, children of God’s grace. My frequent prayer is that they will personally experience this for themselves in the most crucial times of their beautiful lives.

Point to ponder

Who are the young people in my church? How often do I think about and pray for them?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You personally know the young people in our lives who are an important part of our family, church, and community. Please be with them each day and bless them with Your guidance. Let them know that they are fully loved by You, as well as by Your people. Help them to make good choices which will bring positive benefits to their entire lives. Let all of them experience Your loving embrace. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

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’ll enjoy the experience and be warmly welcomed by the Erin folks.

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

A Simple Gift - Jeremiah 31:19

Jeremiah 31:19 ‘After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ (NIV)

            I think most of us, if not all of us, remember things from our youth that we later regret or still make us feel embarrassed. We may have had some great times with our friends and peers, but there were probably some moments when we were careless or headstrong, uncaring or arrogant which led us to do something that was stupid, painful, or humiliating. Sometimes memories of those occasions will just pop into our minds and we will feel the sting of shame or the remorse of something we know hurt or humiliated someone else. And, as the years go by, those memories can still unsettle us emotionally, as well as spiritually.

            For me, during those moments of regret, I find myself asking for God’s forgiveness and grace. I can’t do anything to change the past, but through Christ’s mercy, I can stop myself being chained to the past. This process is called repentance in the Bible and it involves turning away from what occurred by turning toward God for forgiveness, healing, and restoration. It’s a wonderful gift that God grants to all of us because His Son Jesus procured that process for us by dying on the Cross for our mistakes and sins.

            Today, whatever guilt you are carrying or regrets that you are battling with, please know this: all can be forgiven and our connection to God can be restored. We only have to turn to God, ask for His mercy, and be accepted by His Son. It’s a very simple process and a liberating experience.

Point to ponder

Is there something in my past which still deeply troubles me? Am I willing to bring it to God and seek His grace?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know everything about us, so we cannot hide our past from You. Inside of ourselves, we carry regret, guilt, and shame. Help us to sincerely repent of these things and receive the blessings of Your forgiveness, mercy, and grace. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

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

Short devotion: A Much Needed Miracle - Psalm 30:11

Psalm 30:11              You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

            In ancient times, people had different ideas about what to do when mourning. Bible folk used to wear uncomfortable coarse goatskins to physically augment their set period of grief. The skins were normally used for making sacks and must have been very itchy to wear. Usually, they were worn for at least seven days; at the end of that time, the mourners went back to wearing their own clothes. Sometimes people wore their sackcloth for longer periods, depending on how severe their grief actually was.

            The wearing of sackcloth was also practiced by those who felt the need to repent of past mistakes. It was a public display of their remorse and must have been a very humbling experience. In medieval times, monks and priests still practiced the wearing of hair shirts beneath their tunics or robes. Their discomfort was meant to be a constant reminder of their own unworthiness and unholiness before God.

            These days, we tend not to go to these extremes when experiencing grief or expressing our regrets. We can cry out directly to God without adding any ritual in between. We can pray to Him privately about our grief and pain, or express to Him our remorse and shame. We can voice our feelings or vent our spleen; we can think about our regrets and inwardly confess our faults. No matter how we do this, God hears and knows what’s in our hearts and on our minds, even before we give voice to our grief, our repentance, or our complaints.

            In the end, we rest in God’s arms and sob in His presence. Then a miracle occurs – the one described by the Psalmist – He turns our wailing into dancing, removing our sackcloth, and clothes us with His joy. It may take a while and cost us many tears, but of this we can be assured: God’s love can heal our wounds, forgive our sins, and restore our lives.

Questions for personal reflection

Am I presently experiencing a hard time in my life? How am I expressing my feelings to God? What do I hope to receive from Him?

Prayer:           Lord God, we are human and frail, shaped by our experiences and affected by our feelings. You know what we are presently enduring; You understand completely all that we are currently undergoing. Be near to us and embrace us. Hold on to us and guide us. Grant us faith, hope, and love for the days and times ahead. In Christ’s 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 send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing for Holy Week. It’s called “Heaven Came Down.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Heaven.

Bible devotion: A War of Wills - Revelation 16:9

Revelation 16:9           They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

            The sixteenth chapter of Revelation always scares me. It’s a part of the Bible that I don’t want to read and I sometimes wish that the Apostle John had never received such a vision. It reveals the wrath of God in a terrifying way, as well as the rebellious spirit of man. On one side, you have God meting out punishments on a sinful world; on the other, you have sinful man remaining defiant to the end. It’s a war of wills; the sadness is that humanity has no chance of ever winning.

            Some people reject this imagery and refuse to believe in a God who would cause such pain, distress, and torment upon humanity. They do not wish to worship such a wicked, tyrannical deity. They think that this is noble and worthy of humankind, however they are falling into the very position of stubbornness and defiance that is actually described here! Those who suffer the terrible wrath of God defiantly refuse to repent or glorify God. Isn't that the very same thing?

            This is why this particular chapter scares me. John was being very candid and absolutely clear about God’s power, judgment, and wrath. We post-modern Christians discard his descriptions far too easily; we cast aside these images as religious science fiction with no place in the real world. That’s exactly the point of this frightening chapter – as long as we remain sinful, we are separated from God; so long as we remain defiant, we are in danger of being damned.

            Maybe you wanted to read a light, heart-warming, and cozy devotional today. There are plenty of them to be found all over the internet. Truth, however, is a rare commodity. When I read the scriptures, I ask myself “What does this mean?” I try not to fall into the self-serving trap of asking, “What can I make it mean for me today?” God’s Word is meant to challenge our human delusions by confronting us with Divine Truth. Being a Christian is never easy, which is why the symbol of our faith is a cross and not a couch.

Questions for personal reflection

Where are my delusions confronted by God’s reality? Am I willing to accept His Truth in order to repent and glorify God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we want to live faithful lives but sometimes our misguided ways and misperceptions of Your reality differ from Your will. Help us to be more in tune with Your understanding about our lives and keep us from becoming obstinate or defiant. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you have any comments or questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Christ icons. It’s based on an ancient Syriac drawing of Jesus. You can view a larger version here: Christ Icon.