Midweek Message - Sent by Christ

Mark 5:20 So the man went away and began to tell in the ten cities how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (NIV)

I always feel sorry for the man who was healed by Jesus of his demon-possessed spirit. His mind and soul were liberated from the violence and darkness that had overcome him; he was now freely able to think for himself, for the first time in years, so all he wanted to do was to go with Jesus and gratefully follow Him.

But Christ had other plans. He wanted the healed man to go and tell his story to his own people. He was given a mission to spread the good news about Jesus among his family, neighbors, and wider community. They had known him as a fearful and violent man; they could now see him as someone completely restored by God’s mercy and renewed through Christ’s compassion.

The man’s mission would become important because he was preparing the region for a time when Christ’s followers would be persecuted and forced to flee from religious authorities that wanted to eliminate them. The ten cities where the cured man preached would become safe havens for the fleeing Christians. In other words, the mission that Jesus sent the man to fulfill would have major consequences in the future for the dispersed Christian church.

This makes me wonder, what it is that Christ expects of me and my faith today, in order to make it important for others in the future? If I am willing to share my testimony, my story about who Jesus is in my life, it may have a significant impact on loved ones and others who have yet to know and experience His presence in their lives.

Point to ponder: How, and with whom, can I positively share my faith in Christ today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we each have a personal mission that You want us to undertake and accomplish. Encourage us to listen for Your advice, wisdom, and counsel to help us go where You would send us and do what You have us fulfill. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms - Lunar Love

Psalm 89:37 It shall be established eternally, just as the moon is the sky’s constant witness in the sky. Selah.

As a kid, I always enjoyed looking up at the moon. I could see it clearly from my bedroom window and sometimes I would stay up late into the wee small hours of the morning, enjoying its shape, movement, and brilliance. Occasionally, I would recite a child’s prayer about the moon: “I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me.”

Decades later, I’m still fascinated by the radiance of the moon. I now realize that the moon has no light of its own, but it reflects the light of the Sun to Earth. I think that’s why in this psalm it’s called the sky’s constant witness.” So long as the Sun exists and the moon is still orbiting around the Earth, it will faithfully reflect sunlight to us.

As Christians, we are meant to be faithful witnesses of Christ’s Light on Earth. Some people believe that this means we’re meant to show Christ’s love to everyone. But it’s more than just that – we’re also meant to reflect the Truth of Christ, which sometimes conflicts with what the World will tolerate. Loving the World does not mean embracing its sins or condoning society’s errors. Being the light of Christ and His faithful witness calls us to wholly reflect His Teachings and Truth, as well as His Compassion. Love without Christ is just a temporary feeling; however, love with Christ’s Truth is an everlasting faith.

Point to ponder: How do I reflect Christ in my daily life?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we try to be Your faithful witnesses in the world, but sometimes we allow ourselves to be people pleasers and acceptable appeasers, rather than messengers of Your Gospel and servants of Your Kingdom. Grant us the gift of discernment and help us to truly know what You would have us speak, do, and share with the people of this world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Short devotion: Return Home

Luke 8:38-39 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. (NIV)

The conclusion of the Gospel story where Jesus heals the demon-possessed man has always intrigued me. The cured man wants to follow Jesus probably because he is so thankful for having regained his senses. After years of being excluded from his own community, he knows he can trust Jesus, so he would like to become a disciple or a servant to help Christ with His ministry.

            In my own life, I felt that same thankfulness when Jesus rescued me from alcoholism. I was enslaved to my addiction and even though I knew that I was harming myself physically, as well as mentally, I could not liberate myself from the chains of compulsion. It took a life changing moment of trusting Jesus completely before I was released from my obsession. I couldn’t have escaped my drinking problem without Christ’s grace and peace. When I understood what Jesus did for me, I just wanted to serve Him like the demoniac.

            Although the healed man wanted to go and serve his Savior, Christ had other plans for him. Jesus told him to go back and share his amazing experience with his own community. The people there were fearful of Jesus because of His almighty power, so Christ gave the man a personal mission and an individual calling to return home to his people as a witness to God’s mercy and grace. Instead of being afraid of Jesus, the cured man could convince them of God’s compassion and love.

            This is a challenge for all of us – to be effective witnesses of Christ’s love to our own people, our own families, our own friends. Whatever goodness that God has wrought in each of us through Christ, we are meant to share it with others and not just keep it to ourselves. We live in a broken world whose madness is creating a lot of fear in our communities. Christ can heal this, too, but only if we are willing to share faith, hope, and love in compassionate ways to repair the damage around us.

Point to ponder: How do I share my faith with my own community?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You came into our lives to heal our broken lives and restore us to God’s love. Encourage us to become personal witnesses of the healing and hope that You bring to the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Short Devotion: A Man Called Barnabas

 

Acts 11:24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. (NIV)

            I love this description of Barnabas from the Book of Acts. He sounds like a great encourager whose faith attracted others to seek and find Jesus. He is crucially important in the New Testament Church because Barnabas is the one who finds Saul back home in Tarsus and gives him an opportunity to serve Christ among the Gentiles. Up until that point, Saul – who would soon be known as Paul – was not recognized by the Church In Jerusalem as a worthy candidate to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. The Church leaders still mistrusted Saul because they could not fully believe that he had been converted to Christianity, nor did they forgive him for the years of persecution during which Saul had terrorized Christian congregations from Jerusalem to Damascus.

            The great thing about Barnabas was that he was not territorial. He knew that Saul was the right person to accompany him on a new mission to the Gentiles. He restored Saul’s confidence and enabled the old persecutor to find a God-given role in the church. In many ways, Barnabas saved Saul’s life, as well as the subsequent life of Christ’s Church.

            I wish that we had more people like Barnabas in Christian churches. Too many church folks throughout the country and across the world are loud, aggressive, and judgmental. Instead of using the gifts of encouragement and compassion which Christ has given to the church, they would rather be forceful and unfeeling, self-righteous and condemnatory. It’s sad to see so much hatred and hostility come from so-called Christians; it’s disappointing to read false statements, lies, and conspiracies from folks who are supposed to represent the truth of God and the love of Christ.

            Perhaps God will raise up another Barnabas in our midst, so that we can climb down off our high-horses and humbly seek to live together by loving one another.  I hope and pray that this can take place soon, especially as we head into a new year that could potentially divide and diminish our love for one another even further.

Point to ponder: How do I encourage others with my faith? How have I discouraged others with my faith? How can Christ challenge and change me to cherish His loving ways?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You love the unlovely and even heal the unholy. You laid down Your life for the imperfect and died for us sinners. Forgive our foolish pride and false words; set us free from our sinful prejudices and selfish behavior. In Your Holy Name, we humbly ask. Amen.

Short devotion: An Invitation - Acts 26:29

 

Acts 26:29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” (NIV)

 

I love the genial attitude of Paul when he is being interrogated by the local Roman rulers in Acts chapter 26. He knows that his life is on the line, but instead of remaining fearfully silent or pleading for forgiveness, he shares his faith in Christ and hopes that those who listen to him will come to know Jesus, too. It’s not an act of staunch defiance; it’s a simple profession of faith which he compassionately expresses.

 

I think we can all learn a lot from the apostle about how we can share our faith. He doesn’t compel anyone to comply to what he believes, instead Paul offers an invitation to join Christ’s Kingdom to the rulers and their courtiers who are listening to his testimony. The apostle truly wants them to accept Christ as their Savior, but he does not insist that they must do this. He respects their individual freedom to choose what they want for themselves; all that Paul is doing is being the Gospel messenger that Jesus called him to fulfill.

 

As Christians, we witness to Christ every day through our words and deeds. Sometimes we say and do the right things which may complement our faith; on other occasions, our bad behavior and ill-chosen words can repel those around us from knowing Christ, especially when we try to force our beliefs on others who think, live, and do things differently. Remember, Paul did not coerce Agrippa and Festus into becoming believers; he sincerely invited them to consider it.

 

Q: How do I project my faith to others? Am I invitational or confrontational?

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we were invited to have faith in You through other people who followed Your way. We know that we are flawed and imperfect, so we ask for Your guidance to help invite others to faith through compassion, grace, and, above all, love. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

 

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You check out the church website at www.erinpres.org to see what’s currently happening there.

Fisher Folk Faith - Mark 1:17

Mark 1:17       “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (NIV)

            For the first nine years of my ministry, I was privileged to serve in a Scottish fishing village called Dunure. It was situated on the West coast of Scotland, overlooking the Firth of Clyde, which is the waterway to the Irish Sea. It’s a picturesque village with an old ruined castle that once owned by the powerful Kennedy clan. Quite recently, Season 3 of the popular Outlander television series has just been filmed down at Dunure harbor.

            The fishermen and their families taught me a lot about faith and ministry. They were very supportive but were also willing to let me know when I made mistakes. Their hard work and determination gave me many insights into courage and endurance; their faith and family ties helped me to understand the strength of being a community in both good and adverse times.

            When Jesus called the fishermen to be His first disciples, I think He knew that their tenacity and loyalty, as well as their candid and honest outlook on life, would bless His ministry and continue His mission long after He was gone. Christ may have given them a new calling to find, fish, and gather people to God’s Kingdom, but their own skills and determination would ensure the future successes of the Christian faith. In fact, we are indebted to those Galilean fishermen for the faith we embrace today, just as I am indebted to the Dunure fisher-folk for teaching me many lessons about life and ministry which I still practice years later.

Point to ponder

Who taught me about the Christian faith? What lessons of theirs do I still practice today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we thank You for the calling of the disciples and especially the fisher-folk who supported and encouraged You throughout Your ministry. We also praise You for the success of their mission to the larger world and the blessings of faith that are now ours today. Grant us opportunities to share our Christian beliefs with other people in our own lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The church website can be read at this link: www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Church devotion: A Simpler Path - Acts 2:46

Acts 2:46         Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

            I envy the First Christians. Their faith seemed very simple and straightforward. They worshipped and studied each day, and made time to frequently share meals and break bread together. They weren’t encumbered with almost two thousand years of ecclesiastical history, denominational divisions, or cultural conflicts. They just simply, purely, and innocently practiced their faith in cheerful, faithful, and joyful ways.

            Where did we go wrong? What moved us off the simpler path to Christ? Christians today are fiercer than ever and fighting battles that are not important. Whenever I read something belligerently written by some Christian group, whether they be conservatives or progressives, which berates the other side, I feel badly inside. In the past, I’ve created and contributed to these self-righteous invectives, but I’ve now reached a point where I ask myself this: what does it prove? How does it help Christ’s Kingdom? What do people outside of the Church think of us?

            I’d like to get back to those simpler days of sharing the Gospel and breaking bread together. I’d like things between all Christians to change, so I know that it has to begin with me. I may not get it right all of the time; I hope I don’t wander from the simpler path, but I know that the Church – whether local, national, or even international – can’t go on beating itself with its own stick. The world is broken and we need to be healers sent from Christ, but we can only do that if we honestly heal ourselves of our self-sustained prejudice, arrogance, and ignorance.

Questions for reflection

What is the role of the Church in the world? How does it present that role in my local community?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are all sinners saved by Your grace, but sometimes we forget that we are essentially unworthy and unholy. Redirect our lives and re-position us on a simpler path of faith. Cleanse us of ecclesiastical arrogance and cultural conflict. Teach us Your Way, so that we can faithfully present Your Truth and live Your Life. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

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

Family Devotion: A New Princess - Psalm 90:16

Psalm 90:16  May your deeds be shown to your servants, your splendor to their children.

            It’s official! The new princess in Britain has been named as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. News media around the world, as well as newspapers all over the globe have been busy speculating on what the new baby would be named. Personally, I’m glad to see that Queen Elizabeth’s name has been included. She has been a wonderful Christian Sovereign throughout her monarchy and may become Britain’s longest reigning Queen by the end of this year.

            Whatever the hype, there’s one thing that I hope this new wee royal lassie is given: a true seed of Christian faith in her heart. As she grows up, she will be constantly watched and pursued by the heartless paparazzi. She may go through heartbreaking moments and problematic times. On the other hand, because she is a princess, Lottie may be well protected from all of that and her life may become one of happiness, enjoyment, peace, and prosperity. No matter what she experiences, enjoys, or endures, my prayer is still the same: that she will come to know Jesus Christ as her Savior, Lord, and King.

            It’s a prayer that I hope can be fulfilled for every child born on this Earth. May the sacrificial deeds of Christ and the splendor of His resurrection be continually expressed, experienced, and embraced by every generation, including those born at this time, and by those yet unborn and unseen.

Question for reflection      Who are the youngest people in my life? Am I willing to constantly pray for their faith to be established in Jesus Christ? Will I continually pray that He will become the Savior of their hearts, lives, and souls?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, thank You for the new generation being constantly born among us. May Your Spirit reach out to them all over the world, no matter who they are or what they will become. May they accept You as their Savior, Shepherd, and Sovereign. 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 or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Nativity drawings. It’s called ‘Starlight Strangers.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Nativity.