Sunday Shorts - Sacred Vessels

John 6:54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 

I remember the first time I actually saw a church communion set. It took place in an old Gothic-style church, just outside of Glasgow, Scotland. My High School class was on a long-sponsored walk one Saturday and the church was a resting place for all of the participants. As we entered the Fellowship Hall, the first thing that drew my attention were the pewter plates and ornate stacking trays with little glasses in them on a long table. I had never seen anything like them before, so my teacher explained that these were the Communion vessels which the church would be using during worship the next day. 

I was intrigued and also impressed. The minister and a few elders were carefully cleaning the vessels which made me realize they were handling special things. It was only years later when I first formally took Communion as a church member that I understood similar vessels in my own congregation were regarded as sacred objects and treated with the utmost care. 

When Jesus talked to His people about being the living bread and how His body and blood would nurture them, they didn’t fully understand what He meant. Some of them even regarded Jesus as being crazy and left His company of disciples. But for those who stayed with Him and experienced the Last Supper, they soon realized after His resurrection that Christ was referring to His sacred sacrifice on the Cross and that generations of Christians would experience that same holiness when they celebrated Communion in their own churches. It would become a sacred time of spiritually connecting people to Jesus and with one another. 

No matter where or when I take Communion, it is still a sacred moment in my life. The minister and elders from that old church taught me something special that day long ago and I will always be grateful for how they showed the deepest respect for Christ as they carefully cleaned those beautiful vessels.

Point to ponder: How do I experience the sacredness of Communion in my church?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for sacrificing Yourself for all our sins, as well as for reconnecting humanity to You through Communion. Help us to respect such a beautiful celebration as special and sacred in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Burden Sharers - Exodus 18:17-18

Exodus 18:17-18 Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.” (NIV)

            Churches are volunteer organizations as well as faith worship centers. For congregations to exist, they need people in the pews to volunteer to help with the many projects and programs that each church presents. They also require spiritual leaders who are willing to give their time, talents, and prayers to the well-being of the whole congregation. Without such volunteers, churches are unable to minister to both the congregation and community; without the willing help of individuals, churches become ineffective and diminish.

            In today’s Old Testament passage (Exodus 18:13-27), Moses is experiencing burn-out by making himself available to all the people on a daily basis. He wants to help each and every one of them, but there are too many disputes, issues, and concerns for one man to handle. We should also remember that Moses was eighty years old, so his energy and enthusiasm were both limited by what he could physically manage each day.

            The solution to Moses’ dilemma comes through the words of wisdom that his father-in-law Jethro expresses. Moses has to learn to delegate more of his community responsibilities in order to be really effective. Without the help of others, Moses is doomed to fail because he will be unable to deal with all of the problems and divisions of his people. So, Moses takes Jethro’s sound advice and sets up district elders to deal with the people’s issues. The burden is shared and the responsibilities are widened. The end result is a far more effective system than a one-man-band. Moses can concentrate on all of the main issues affecting the whole community; the elders can lead the people as specialists among their own groups.

            As Presbyterians, we continue this ministry through the practice of appointing elders to our congregations. People are called and chosen by God to give three years’ service to the local church in order to both sustain and advance its life and mission. Those who are asked to serve are sought because of their commitment to the church; their acceptance of such a sacred call is a beautiful act of faith and one which should bless their congregations. Eldership, then, is a direct calling from God to share the burdens of the people, plan the future ahead, and strengthen the faith, ministry, and purpose of the local church. Without these precious volunteers, a church can lose ground; with dedicated elders, a church can blossom and grow.

Point to ponder

Have I been asked to become an elder? Why was God asking for me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we seek to serve You faithfully with our time, talents, and resources to enable Your Church flourish locally, nationally, and internationally. Prepare our hearts and minds to prayerfully consider a call to leadership and eldership in our congregations. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest bulletin drawings for Trinity Sunday. The design is based on the banners in our sanctuary. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Trinity.

Short devotion : Minimum Requirements - Genesis 18:32

Genesis 18:32                         Finally, Abraham said, "Lord, please don't be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?"

And the Lord replied, "Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten."

It’s called a ‘minyan’ in Judaism and it means ‘ten righteous men.’ In any nation or community across the world where Jews live together, a synagogue can be established when ten God-fearing faithful men are resident in the locality. It’s the minimum requirement and it traces its roots back to this moment in Abraham’s life when he pleads to God on behalf of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. If ten righteous men are found in those communities, then they will be spared and not suffer the wrath of God.

In the Christian community, we call them ‘charter members’ or elders or deacons. A certain number of men and women are required to be the spiritual leaders of the local church. Their faithful prayers and Christ-centered focus keeps the congregation that they represent alive, relevant, and vital. Their decisions and commitment, loyalty to God and humility before Christ become the driving force of the church that they lead. Without their leadership, the people can perish and congregations will fail. They are the backbone of the church and their ‘righteousness’ in Christ, even though they are human and imperfect, blesses both the local congregation and community.

So let’s take time today to give thanks to God for those leaders, elders, and deacons who uphold God’s Word in their churches by their example, dedication, and devotion to Christ in worship, in prayer, in meetings, and in their daily lives.

Questions for personal reflection

Who are the local Christian leaders in my life who continue to spiritually encourage me? How can I support them?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, Your ministry continues throughout the world and Your people continually praise Your Name. You have called and chosen ordinary people to take on the roles of leadership in every church and congregation on Earth. Bless them with vision and commitment, reliability and encouragement, so that they may attract others to spiritually grow closer to You. 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.

Today’s image is one of John’s art nouveau type drawings to celebrate ‘Corpus Christi.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7095/7167767597_ef58f73d3d_b.jpg

Pentecost devotions: Journey of Joy

Today's Bible reading: Genesis 11:27-32

Genesis 11:31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there.

Last Sunday morning, after the worship service, we held a special ceremony to re-dedicate the church bell. It was a beautiful day and a wonderful event. We took time to remember one of our dearest elders and friends, as well as delighting in the official opening of the new site for our church bell.

The church bell goes back to the founding of our congregation and is the oldest artifact that we possess. For almost seven generations, it has been used to call the faithful to worship on Sunday mornings. It has been heard by Scots-Irish immigrants of the late nineteenth century. It proclaimed the ending of both the First and Second World Wars. It remained with us throughout the turbulent sixties and seventies, and now it has been restored in the 21^st century to a beautiful location next to the front entrance. All being well, it will outlive the present congregation and, who knows, it may one day herald the Second Coming of Christ to the Earth.

The story of the first Erin congregation is similar to the biblical account of Abram and Sarai. The Erin people also left the land of their birth and journeyed thousands of miles to settle in a place of promises. With hard work and determination, true grit and a focused faith, they carved out a living and eventually settled here in Knoxville, Tennessee. They called their new church ‘Erin,’ which is the ancient Gaelic word for Ireland. They planted a congregation and sewed seeds of faith which are still bearing fruit today. Just like the patriarchs of old, their work has been rewarded and their faithfulness has been blessed. The journey of joy continues; the mission of Christ goes on.

Questions for personal reflection

How has the faith of past generations influenced and affected me? What am I doing with that faith today in order to ensure that it will be passed on to future generations?

Prayer:            Lord God, you are the Maker of Time and the Shaper of History. You have raised up generations of faithful men and women to serve the continuing ministry and constant mission of Your Son Jesus Christ. Thank You for allowing us to be a part of Christ’s work on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully 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 image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings called “Spirit-2012.” Its creation involves paper sculpting, wax crayons, and a scanner. If you would like to view a larger version, please click here: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8026/7217562558_43d588ee31_b.jpg

(It’s also available as a t-shirt at John’s CafePress website at http://www.cafepress.com/stushietees )