4 Minute Daily Devotions: Effective Preaching

Hebrews 10:35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

I’ve been preaching for more than thirty years and throughout that time, some people have asked me how can I stand up before other people and preach the Word. They often tell me that they are terrified of speaking in public, so they wonder how I do it week after week.

The secret is twofold: firstly, preaching is not public speaking. Making a speech before your business associates or presenting a project to a group of peers is entirely different. That’s part of a marketing transaction or a management structure. You present what you know and hope that everyone buys into the product. The success of the presentation is based upon how effectively you manage to persuade potential customers or team members. It’s a sales pitch and although some Christian writers would have us believe that preaching is the same, it isn’t.

And that brings me to secret number two: effective preaching depends upon the presence of the Holy Spirit, not the oratory of the preacher, nor the content of the sermon. I’ve heard some life changing sermons given by the meekest of preachers. They have not been dynamic or extroverted, but their words have been endowed by the Holy Spirit. True preachers do not believe in themselves; instead they have confidence in God and present their sermon through the power of Christ living in them.

So this Sunday, when your pastor steps into the pulpit, or stands behind a lectern, or walks across the sanctuary floor to present his or her sermon, open your hearts and minds to this important question: what is the Holy Spirit communicating to me through this sermon? I guarantee that if you have confidence in seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance at that time, you will be richly rewarded through what the preacher offers with the sermon.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we thank You for the power of preaching through the presence of the Holy Spirit. Open our hearts and minds this coming Sunday to what You want us to hear. Help our preachers to seek Your favorable and guiding presence as they set out to preach God’s Word to God’s people. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the 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.

Erin Church: Sunday Sermon: Mary's Boy Child

Matthew 1:20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

When my mom suddenly died seventeen years ago, our whole family was shocked. She was only 57 years old. Years of smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day finally caught up with her and she took a massive heart attack, which killed her instantly. My dad had just stepped out to go to the library, which was just a five minute walk from our house. He was gone for 20 minutes, choosing books for my mom to read. When he arrived back, he found her slumped to the floor and there was nothing he could do. He called the emergency services and when the paramedics arrived, they just confirmed what he already knew. She was gone.

The effect on our family was a mixture of shock and relief. We were shocked because of the suddenness of her death, but we were relieved that her years of physical pain and mental torment were over. Mom was in a better place, surrounded by loved ones and angels. Her days were over and our lives had to go on.

All my brothers and sisters had their own families and partners to look after, except for my youngest sister Jane. She was fifteen years old when our mother died. She was the only one of six children who was still living in our family home. She missed mom terribly, but the rest of us didn’t realize that. We all reckoned that Jane was old enough to take care of herself. We didn’t know that she felt a great emptiness in her life. We didn’t understand that she had suffered a great loss.

Just after she turned sixteen, Jane dropped a bombshell on our whole family. She announced that she was pregnant. She wasn’t going to marry the father and she would look after the child on her own. She would be a young unmarried mother and she was determined to keep the baby. Having an abortion or putting the baby up for adoption was not something that she was willing to go through. She was pregnant, she wanted the baby, she wanted to love the child unconditionally and fill the emptiness of her heart with the baby in her womb.

My brothers and sisters all wondered how our Dad would react. We could picture some sort of Victorian melodrama occurring with Jane carrying her child in her arms and being forced out into a snowstorm for bringing shame upon our whole family. But my Dad stepped up to the plate and handled the situation beautifully. He accepted Jane’s situation lovingly and never once criticized her for her. He welcomed his grand-daughter Daytona and was proud to hold her in his arms on the day she born. It never crossed his mind to abandon his youngest daughter Jane. And, because of that paternal acceptance, Jane, despite being so young, became a marvelous mother.

Why am I telling you all of this? It’s because I find a parallel with my dad’s response to Jane’s situation and Joseph’s treatment of Mary.

Mary was just a teenager, betrothed but not fully married, who was expecting a baby. She was a child having a child and in her culture it was a recipe for disaster. People still belonged to the Stone Age in Mary’s time – in other words, a young girl in Mary’s condition could be stoned to death for bringing shame to her betrothed husband, and all the families involved. The whole community would be enraged by such a disgrace. She would either become an outcast, destined to live her life as a prostitute on the margins of society, or, she would be cut to pieces, bashed and crushed to death with rock and stones. The outlook for Mary and Mary’s boy child was not wonderful. Whatever happened to her and the baby all depended upon Joseph’s response to the situation.

His initial reaction was to send her away quietly and not bring attention to her situation. Either he was trying to avoid public humiliation or there was something else more powerful than the avoidance of shame. I think that Joseph truly loved Mary and despite receiving bad news about her pregnancy, he did not want any harm to come to her. He may not have been the father of the child she was carrying, but he still loved Mary sufficiently to protect her from the religious zealots who would probably want to kill her. Theological bigots and spiritual fanatics would have demanded that Mary’s impurity be purged from their midst. They would not have listened to any story about angels or the promised messiah. All that they would have seen was a pregnant teenager who sullied the community’s reputation and totally disrespected the laws of God.

Sixty one years ago today in 1946, one year after the end of World War II, the University of Tennessee issued a statement on behalf of their basketball team. They were due to play Duquesne University, but they refused to do so. Why? Because Duquesne had informed UT that they might use a black player in their game. Instead of recognizing that times has changed and that during the war, people of every color across the United States had fought together to rid the world of a fascist monster, our beloved University allowed the bigots and racists to dictate the sports policy of our basketball team. The game was never played because racism had sadly won the day. No one was willing to show acceptance and adopt an attitude of gratitude for the freedom that had been won for all the people in the world. Thankfully today, when our UT basketball team plays there are people of all colors on the team and amongst the crowd. Racists may still exist, but their voices are not adhered to anymore.

Joseph’s love for Mary caused him to do what was morally right rather than being religiously right. He wanted to make sure that Mary and her child would be given a chance to survive. He did not want to cause any fuss or shame; he was disturbed by the situation, but he was perturbed.

And then God did a beautiful thing that shows us how much He loved Joseph. He sent an angel to Joseph in a special dream, who told him not to be afraid and confirmed all that Mary had told him. God loved Joseph so deeply that he didn’t want him to be disturbed by the situation. God took time to reach Joseph in a unique and individual way, where no one could distract or dissuade Joseph – in his dreams. Think about it folks – the most isolated time that we all experience is when we sleep. We are at our most personal time when we dream. I cannot dream for you and you cannot dream for me. We dream alone – it’s that sacred time when our souls are in a holy state where time, space, and matter cannot touch us.

God isolates Joseph in his dreams and helps him to confront his worries. The boy child that Mary is carrying must have a protector. If Mary is cast out, who will keep her and the child safe? And how will Joseph be able to live with himself if he is the agent of their abandonment. This dream, this wonderful, miraculous dream is a life changing moment for Joseph and much more besides. The entire history of the whole world rests upon Joseph accepting guardianship over Mary’s Boy Child.

Way back in 1776, six months into the War of Independence, Thomas Paine wrote those powerfully inspiring words: “these are the times that try men’s souls.” On this very day, Thomas Paine’s words were printed as a pamphlet and distributed throughout the Thirteen Colonies of the newly formed United States. After reading it, General Washington ordered that the pamphlet be read to all of the army under his command. It was a glorious success in rallying the troops. They were in the midst of a dire situation. They need something to give them a reason, a purpose, a vision of why they were fighting.

Close you eyes and listen to the words of the first paragraph. Picture yourself as either a trooper in Washington’s Army fighting for independence, or as a woman struggling to keep her family safe during the uncertainty of war.

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us – that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right not only to tax but “to bind us in all cases whatsoever,” and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then there is no such thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.”

Those words inspired thousands of men to re-enlist in the Continental army and to keep the struggle for independence alive. The new fledged United States would be protected by the individual commitment of patriots all across the country and keep the war going until freedom, which Thomas Paine called a “celestial article” was won.

Joseph’s soul underwent the same kind of trials and tribulation. He either had to enlist into God’s service and become Mary’s protector, or he could freely choose to abandon her completely. Before he decides this, the angel in his dream tells Joseph that the child will be called Jesus which means Savior, Deliverer and Liberator all rolled into one. The stakes are now higher than before. Joseph will no longer be just looking after Mary and her boy child: the whole nation of Israel now depended upon his acceptance of this crucial role.

Now why didn’t God just take over everything, cast Joseph aside and surround Mary and Jesus with thousands of angels to protect them? Why is God giving Joseph the opportunity to do something that He could easily do with His Almighty power? This is where God works in mysterious and poetical ways. It all goes back to the Garden of Eden. Eve causes humankind to fall into sin by firstly yielding to temptation. When Mary accepts God’s child Jesus in her womb, Eve’s sin is eradicated and God redeems woman-kind. Adam’s sin was not so much that he accepted the forbidden fruit from Eve in the garden, but that he failed to protect her from the serpent and morally abandoned her. When Joseph accepts the role of protecting Mary and Jesus, Adam’s sin of forsaking his wife is eradicated and God redeems man-kind. It’s what I call gender redemption. I guess God would call it the balancing of history, and the reconciling of human-kind.

Christmas is less than two days away and when we gather with our friends and families, we will remember Mary’s Boy Child with all of the love and adoration that we can muster. But let’s also take time to remember Christ’s earthly parents and how their decisions to accept God’s will changed the world and changed our lives. Their devotion to one another and their dedication to bring God’s child into the world; their courage in the face of humiliation and shame; their faith in God’s word and His promises are great examples of how simple, lowly people can aspire to overcoming their circumstances, and applying noble characteristics of duty and responsibility, devotion and respectability that make all the difference to their dire situation and to the lives of all those around them.

We thank God for the blessings of our salvation through Jesus Christ, but we are also grateful to Mary and Joseph for accepting the roles as parents to the Boy Child who would restore everlasting hope to the entire world. In Christ’s Name. Amen.

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

Erin Church Sunday Sermon: Where Do we Grow from here?

Where Do We Grow from Here?

Ephesians 6:24 Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.

We have come to the end of a five month journey that we began way back in June. At that time, I told you that we were on a mission to find a new path, a new direction for our church. In my heart, I felt that God was beginning to move us as a church to start thinking about how we could make an impact for Christ in our community.

When I was pondering over what our church should do, I felt led by the Spirit to take us through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians because they were also a church that knew the Lord, but needed to be pointed in the right direction. Today we complete our journey and I hope and pray that this has been something that has drawn all of us closer to Christ and ready for whatever he is asking us to do as a Presbyterian church in this part of Knoxville.

As Paul finishes his letter, he reminds the good folks at Ephesus that he is a prisoner for Christ. He is held captive, whilst the Ephesians are free. He is under house arrest or perhaps in jail. The Ephesians Christians still walk about in their own community, free to serve the Lord, free to worship together, free to do their own thing.

So apostle signs off with these beautiful words of faith: ‘Grace to all who love our lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.’ Paul is doing two things here: he’s finishing his letter with words of encouragement, prayer, and peace. He wants the Ephesian congregation to feel good about their faith, and to be strengthened by his positive words. But Paul is also doing something which is very important: when he gives the blessing to those who love Jesus with an undying love, he’s actually passing the torch of faith to the next generation.

We did something similar this morning when we recognized our young worship graduates. We showed them how pleased we were with their work and asked God to bless them as they graduate into worshipping with us throughout the service. As well thanking them for the work that they and their teachers have done, we were also setting them off on anew voyage of discovery where faith is more than Sunday School classes and Enrichment times – it’s a lifestyle choice of worshipping God and praising Christ. So, in effect were saying to these our precious young people – Grace to you who love the Lord with an undying love. In other words, become the torchbearers of faith for your generation.

Throughout the summer, I’ve talked about what previous generations of Erinites have done for God and Christ’s Kingdom and how their perseverance, sense of duty, and loyalty to Jesus has given us this church that we worship in today. It’s now our turn to continue that 130 year journey of faith and lead our church into its 14th decade. It’s our privilege to be a crossroads generation where the decisions we take and the sacrifices we make are going to enhance, expand, and increase Christ’s work in this community. The love that Erin Church has for Christ is an undying love, and one that we should all be rightly proud of undertaking, achieving, and accomplishing.


Revelation 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

The story of the church at Ephesus does not end with Paul’s letter. It continues for many centuries producing some of the greatest teachers and leaders that the church has known. Paul’s protégé Timothy, to whom Paul writes two very personal letters becomes the bishop of Ephesus. And John the Apostle, the youngest of Christ’s disciples, lives in Ephesus with Christ’s mother, Mary, where both of them die and were buried.

But there comes a time in the church’s life when their faith began to cool and their passionate allegiance to the Gospel started to dissipate. When John writes the Book of Revelation, he lists the church of Ephesus as one of the seven stars held in Christ’s hand. The church is applauded for its perseverance, but it has one fatal flaw: the congregation has forgotten its first love.

Remember, Paul talked about Ephesus having a undying love for Christ, and yet about 25 years later, in John the Apostle’s vision, Christ accuses it of having lost that love. Churches go through cycles of being passionate for Christ and then they become comfortable and cozy, institutionalized and indifferent. Congregations can rest on the laurels of the past and individual Christians can coast along with their faith until they lose that love of Jesus, which meant so much to them.

Many years ago, when I first became a Christian, I had two friends who were also named John. One of them was an ambitious civil servant, whose zeal for the Lord was wonderful. The other was an electrician who was part of a youth group that used to visit the Gospel Club that both Evelyn and I attended. I was the third member of thee group – a recovering alcoholic who was trying to straighten out his life and make a real commitment to Christ. All three of us gave our hearts to Jesus. Each one of us was zealous for the work of the Lord.

John the civil servant wanted to learn administration skills so that he could one day be the CEO of a religious charity organization. He wanted to serve the Lord in that capacity and make important decisions that would save the lives of thousands of people. John the electrician wanted to have his own business, be happily married, and serve the Lord by using his business to help people who couldn’t afford to pay for his services. As for me, I just wanted to remain sober and to tell others about Jesus.

But as the years sped by, we all lost our love of the Lord. I went to university to become a minister, but found it difficult to keep my simple faith when the theological professors and biblical lecturers tried to tear it apart. They wanted me to believe in their research and study, their conclusions and opinions, their words and ways. There were times when I wanted to give everything up and I felt as though I was in a spiritual wilderness. And then one of the saints in the Divinity faculty, my Old Testament professor, who knew I was struggling told me this: John, it’s not our grasp of God that is important; it is God’s grasp of us that is all important. You don’t need to hold on to God – you just need to let Him hold on to you.”

At the same time, civil servant John was given some great promotions, which eventually led him to becoming a chief advisor to the Prime Minister in Britain. But it cost him his faith. As he climbed the ladder of success, he used his talents to better his life and build up his esteem and renown in the British Civil service. He eventually stopped going to church, believing that he could get along with organized religion and look after his own spirituality in his own way. In other words, he lost his love of Jesus and replaced it with love of self.

And what about John the electrician? I hadn’t seen him for a while and met him at a disco party for someone’s birthday. Yes, I said disco – that shows you how long ago this all took place! I had managed to stop drinking entirely and he was quite agitated by this. In the middle of the celebration, he came up and asked me as strange question: He asked: “And how is your soul? Are you still looking after it?” I didn’t know what to say, because John was drunk. There was a sad expression on his face and emptiness in his eyes.

He worked hard as an electrician, but he married the wrong person. His wife was immature and highly strung. She reminded me of a character in David Copperfield. John couldn’t handle the strain and one dark night he went absolutely crazy, smashed all the windows of his apartment, and jumped off from the ledge of the fourteenth storey to his death. I was in total shock when I heard the news.

Losing our love of Jesus can take us down paths that lead to dead ends and empty lives. John the Apostle was warning the Ephesus Church that they were in danger of losing the reason they were established: to love Christ first and to serve Him faithfully. They were on a ledge of losing everything that Paul had established and of letting go of the Holy Spirit who founded the church. They were at a crossroads of faith. Depending on how they responded to John’s vision of Christ, they would either go onward and upward, or fall backward and downward into death.

Revelation 2:7b To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Thankfully, the Ephesian Church chose the upward path. They corrected their course and rediscovered their first love. They went through a time of revival and three hundred and fifty years later, an important Council of all the churches in Christendom gathered at Ephesus in 451AD to make a decision that Christ was both human and divine, that He was Lord of heaven and earth, and that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They overcame and were given that beautiful blessing of life which God promises to those churches that are faithful to Him and His precious Son.

So, where do we grow from here? Are we ready to rediscover that love of Christ which brought us to church in the first place? Are we prepared to express our undying love to Him and let the community around us see that love through our deeds? Are we set in place to commence a journey of faith and revival that will honor the Erinites of the past and prepare the way for the undying lovers of Christ in the generations to come?

I believe that we are and I know that we can do this. Where do we grow from here…to all the places and people that Christ is leading us. To Him be the glory and power. Amen!