4 Minute Devotions: Street Talk

We live one life and then face God's judgment, but doesn’t the Gospel message offer us more?

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Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment…

Years ago, I can remember hearing a street preacher giving this solemn message about death and judgment. It took place in the center of my hometown of Glasgow, Scotland, on a Saturday night during the football season. I was playing my guitar and singing choruses with a bunch of zealous friends. The preacher was trying hard to convince the hundreds of passers-by to think twice about what they were doing and where they were going. Every now and then, someone would stop and listen, start laughing and then call us all fools. I was really embarrassed and inwardly prayed that no one who knew me would see me.

At one point during the preaching, a street vendor was trying to sell the Saturday Night Sports edition of the local newspaper. A contest soon began between the preacher, the vendor, and the chorus singers. We were singing Blessed Assurance, the preacher was talking about the Final Judgment, and the vendor was shouting out the latest football scores. It could have made a great comic sketch for Saturday Night Live!

I don’t know if we made any difference in anyone’s life that night, but the lesson that I took from it has stayed with me. Whenever Christ’s Gospel is preached and judgment is mentioned, the world doesn’t want to hear it and would rather find comfort and joy in a few favorable football scores. But no matter how distracted the world may become, the truth will not be set aside or diminished: we all have one life to live, and after that is over, we face God’s judgment.

But the message doesn’t end there. If you have a look at the following verse, you can see the hope of the Gospel.

Hebrews 9:28 …so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

Jesus comes to bring salvation to those who wait for Him. Christ cancels out God’s judgment upon us. His sacrifice takes away the eternal consequences of our sins. We don’t have to fear the wrath of God, because Christ restores us to God’s embrace. We don’t need to distract ourselves when we hear the terrible words of judgment; we just have to place our faith in the vanquishing power of Christ’s grace. That’s the kind of winning score that is worth preaching, singing, and even selling newspapers about. That’s the kind of victory I want in my life and in everyone else’s.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we know that we make terrible mistakes in our lives and that all of us carry regrets from the past. We also know that we are not worthy to enter into God’s holy, sacred, and perfect presence. But You provide us with the opportunity to break from our past and look forward to being with God. Thank You, Jesus, for the blessed assurance of Your sacrifice, forgiveness, and grace. 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, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

4 Minute Devotions: An Old Lie

We all tell lies and have to deal with the consequences. I still am bothered about a lie I told my High School sports coach 35 years ago in Scotland.

Podcast version here

When I was in High School, I belonged to the sprint relay team. It was an honor to be chosen and I loved running around the bends of the 400 meter track. The coach that we had was superb. He was a great encourager and a wonderful teacher. We excelled as a sprint team because of his positive coaching. We all wore gold vests which he gave us, representing the colors of our High School. I cherished mine and kept it, instead of handing it back in at the end of the season. Our coach was so successful, he was promoted as an assistant principal at another school.

The next season a different coach arrived. He was severe and a disciplinarian. He took the joy out of our accomplishments and I eventually left the sprint team. During athletics practice one day, he caught me wearing my cherished gold vest. He grabbed me by the arm and told me to take it off. That’s when I told the lie. I insisted that my mother had purchased me the vest at a sports shop in Glasgow. The coach scrutinized the label and, sure enough, the tag belonged to the shop that I mentioned. He looked me in the eyes and then dismissed me. My lie had me kept me safe. He couldn’t prove it otherwise.

It has been thirty five years since I told that lie and it still bothers me today. I wish that I had told the truth. I wish that I had given back the vest. I wish that I could erase this from my past. I’d even thought about sending money to the school to buy vests for a whole sprint team, but the school was closed and demolished years ago. A subdivision has been built over the running track, so I have to live with my lie.

Hebrews 6:18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.

I am so thankful that God never lies. He keeps His Word. He fulfills His promises. He remains faithful to us, even although we are unfaithful to Him. When the Good Book reveals to us that God is forgiving, merciful, and gracious, it really means it. And when Jesus is described as being the Truth, Way, and Life, it’s not a lie. These things encourage me to try to be a Christian. Where I fail, God succeeds. When I am weak, He is strong. When I feel lost, He still guides.

Prayer: Lord God, we all have regrets, make mistakes, and even tell lies. We are sorry for the disappointments we cause and the hurts that we create. Forgive us of all our sins and allow us to begin again. Grant us Your mercy and grace, Your love and compassion. In Christ’s 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, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org