Sunday Shorts: Seeing Jesus

Sunday Shorts: Seeing Jesus

 John 12:21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.”

            There are many people in our communities and around the world who make a similar request about seeing Jesus today. They have heard about the love and teachings of Christ, but when they look at His followers, they sadly see religious people who insist on getting their own way, and whose intolerance suppresses the civil rights, freedoms, and lifestyles of others who get in their way. Rather than seeing Jesus, those seekers see Christians as people who couldn’t care less about the pain, predicaments, and problems of others, even though the One Whom they are supposed to serve told them to love one another, no matter who the other may be.

            Millions of folks will attend church services on Sundays who consider that their lip-service to God, as well as a check mark on a pew form, is all that’s required of them. They personally believe that they know Jesus in their hearts, even though there is a great sickness of ignorance mixed with prejudice in their souls. It’s sad to say, but even they can’t see Jesus for themselves; even they obstruct Christ by putting themselves first.

            I feel deeply for those fellow believers who have lost their way and because of this, I speak out against false leaders, false notions, and false beliefs that are being spread by prejudiced preachers and chagrined church folks who should know better, but who have allowed their social, political, and cultural beliefs to override and overcome their Christian principles. It’s sad to see such potentially good people being duped and misdirected by despicable dictators, even though Jesus Himself cautioned His followers: “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

            If we often complain that the world, our nation, or community is not “Christian” enough, then we need to ask ourselves this pertinent and penetrating question: are we actually the ones who are obstructing others from seeing Jesus?

Point to ponder: Does Christ’s love motivate my faith or has hatred contaminated my soul?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to truly see You first before we begin to lead others to You. Make us aware of our prejudicial ways and unchristian feelings. Teach us the value of loving the unloved and cherishing those who are different from ourselves, just as You did throughout Your life on Earth. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Sunday Shorts: The Gift

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

            Every day, I pray for my family, for those living here in the United States and those across the world. I ask God to bless and protect them, to guide and to support them, to love and cherish them. It’s a ritual I go through each morning and whether or not I’ll see or hear from them that day, they’re in my prayers, on my mind, and in my heart. No matter what they’re going through or how they are feeling, I know that God is with them and that comforts me.

            The most important part of my daily prayer takes place at the end. I ask God to give them opportunities to draw closer to Him and accept Jesus as their Lord in Savior in their lives and hearts. I want them to know the love of God and the price that He decided to pay so that all of them could be favored and forgiven, renewed and restored to God’s Kingdom. I pray this, not just because I want them to know that they are not alone, but I believe it’s what God wants for them, too. This is why He sent His Son to the Earth long ago to reach out to humanity and gather us safely from the chaos, confusion, and commotion that we all experience in our lives. You see folks, God didn’t create us to be fearful or lonely; He made us to be thankful and loved.

            I hope that you understand this devotion and these prayers are also for you, your families, and your loved ones. Jesus gave everything so that we can gain everything about God that is everlasting. Our lives on Earth may be finite and the years go by too quickly, but God cherishes us so much that He wants our lives and love to continue beyond our time on this planet. God doesn’t want us to perish at all, but to gain everlasting life.

Point to ponder: Do I know God loves me?

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for creating us to be loved and not to be alone. Help us to reach out to You today and receive the blessings of Your acceptance and eternal love. Enable us to overcome our doubts and fears so that we may cherish the gift of Christ and receive His peace in our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. In His Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Sunday Shorts: In Denial

Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (NIV)

            We’re not very good at denying ourselves, are we? We tend to think that the world revolves around us, so we’ll oppose anything or anyone that gets in our way when we want to please ourselves. I think that Christians are sometimes very bad at this, especially when we seek to create society in our image and make things easier for us to be seen as right, faithful, and true. Instead of carrying our crosses by applying our faith solely to ourselves, we want to impose our beliefs on others and get them to carry our crosses for us. We do this through forcing unjust laws on everyone, banning books in schools and libraries, and undermining public resources which fund education, homelessness, welfare, and equal rights. Jesus would not be proud of the harm we cause through our self-righteous ways; Christ would not condone denying help to those in need of support, counseling, and love.

            I think if Jesus lived among us today, we would end up crucifying Him again. We wouldn’t be able to take His straightforward rebuke of how we’ve dangerously mixed our Christianity with nationalism, or how we cruelly treat people who are foreign, queer, or marginalized just because they live differently from ourselves. Those people are the crosses we are meant to bear, to carry, and support lovingly instead of burdening them with our issues, our prejudices, our bigotries. The Kingdom of God that we all hope for is meant to be like yeast which positively permeates the whole loaf in order to make it rise; it’s not meant to be a poison which kills the spirit and diminishes hope in others.

            So, if we truly want to follow Jesus, then we have to lift up those crosses which seem so unfair, unequal, and burdensome – the crosses of unity and diversity in our community, the crosses of respect and humanity in our world, the crosses of love and understanding to all, the crosses of equality and liberty that Jesus would have us bear.

Point to ponder: How do I impose my Christian beliefs on others? How can I remedy this?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, being a Christian is not for wimps and was never meant to be easy. Forgive us for wanting things to be the way we want, instead doing the things and being the followers that You want. Open our hearts to Your teaching, so we may help and love the world You came to save. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Do Not Forget - Hebrews 13:15-16

Hebrews 13:15-16 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (NIV)

Anyone can say from their lips that they love and serve Jesus. It doesn’t mean that they actually believe it or even practice what this entails. Healthy folks can also post religious verses or statements on the internet to indicate their beliefs, but they may not even go to church on Sundays. This is not a new issue, however, because the writer of Hebrews reminds the young Christian Church that praising Jesus also involves doing good and sharing with others. In fact, the author urges the new congregations not to forget about doing these things because some of them became so centered on their personal beliefs that they neglected to follow through with good deeds and Christian love.

Application: Is my faith deeply personal or distinctly relational? Who can I help to love and support today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to proclaim our faith in You by practicing Your teaching through helping and caring for others. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings called ‘A New Earth.’. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Earth.

A Small Gate - Matthew 7:13-14

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (NIV)

            My parents’ home in Scotland had its own front garden. My Dad planted a hedgerow to divide it from our neighbors and placed a green picket fence all around it. To get to the front door of their house, you had to walk through the small wooden gate in the fence. My Dad never oiled the hinges on the gate, so it creaked noisily each time it was opened. I think he did this deliberately as an early warning signal to let him know that someone was approaching the front door. Every time I visited my parents, the creaky gate was a welcome sound to me and a homecoming ritual that I always enjoyed. Even though they are long gone and I am now living in a different continent, I can still hear that gate being opened as I muse on it in my mind.

            When Jesus spoke of the narrow gate in Gospel times, He was clearly teaching His followers to seriously focus on the path He was laying before them. If they wandered from His teachings or even redefined His way, they would miss the narrow gate which was meant to open them to a life beyond death and an eternal existence. Christ cautioned them about being too broad-minded or too casual about their faith. If they followed the world, they would pursue a wide path which ultimately led to destruction. However, if they remained attentive and focused on Jesus, they would keep on His single path and enter through His narrow gate which, according to Jesus, only a few would truly experience.

            In these post-modern times, people are both encouraged and enticed to follow their own destiny, their own path, and their own ideas. The culture of self has overtaken the community of faith which sadly means that many will miss the narrow gate. As a pastor, an important part of my calling is to show people where that gate is and help them to walk through it. If I’m too busy doing my own thing, going my own way, and making my own path, then I will be guilty of leading people astray. However, if I maintain my focus on Jesus, His way and His words, then I can confidently remain at the gate and faithfully help my folks through it.

Point to ponder

Am I allowing the world to distract me and divert me on to a different path? How can Jesus help me to find and walk through His narrow gate?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep us on Your path and lead us through Your narrow gate. Prevent us from becoming careless about our faith and lost in our own ways. In Your Holy Name, we humbly ask and 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 will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing called “Banner.” If you would like to view a larger version, double-click this link: Banner.

Short Devotion - Lip Service - Romans 10:9-10

Romans 10:9-10 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (NIV)

            Can it just be as simple as that? We only have to say a few words and we’ll be saved forever? Is God willing to give us everything when we verbally acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and believe that He rose from the dead? If that’s the case, then what’s the problem? It would only take thirty seconds at most for everyone to be granted eternal life, so surely we can encourage our loved ones, friends, and colleagues to take half a minute out of their busy day to say these simple, uncomplicated words and receive God’s everlasting blessing?

            It would be easy if we took the words out of context and applied them at face value. However, we have to remember the time, place, and people that Paul was writing to when he first expressed this thought. The young Roman church was located in the heart of the Empire. Allegiance to Caesar was given through a simple loyalty oath – all a person had to say was “Caesar is Lord,” in order to prove their devotion to the Emperor and come under the authoritative protection of Imperial Rome. For most folks living there, this was easy; for the Christian community, this represented a major problem.

            You see to declare ‘Christ is Lord’ meant giving your life, heart, and devotion to a crucified Jewish criminal rather than the almighty imperial Caesar. It was a life or death choice, especially when persecution broke out against Christians. The context means that what Paul is encouraging his Roman readers to do is to displace Caesar with Christ. Under Roman Law, that was both sedition and treason, both of which were punishable by death.

            Now, do you understand what this means for us today? Think about the most important thing that we are devoted to today – it could be family, patriotism, politics, sports, or ideals. Whatever it may be, our allegiance to Christ has to be more than those things. If anything gets in the way of our service and devotion to Jesus, then we displace Him and idolize the other. This is why declaring Christ is Lord and believing in His resurrection is so hard to do. This is why so many people fail to get beyond themselves and fall before Christ. Calling Christ ‘Lord’ means we submit to Him, His will, and His way – we cannot negotiate this and put something else on the same level with Him. If we honestly want to be with God forevermore, it will take up the rest of our lives in worship, service, and devotion to Jesus. If we think that there’s any other way, we’re deluding ourselves. If we think that God will accept anything less, then we’ve ignored the context of what Paul initially wrote.

            Take time to pray about this. Ponder over Paul’s words. Ask yourself if Christ is really real in your life and He is the Lord of your heart. If there’s something else, it will die with you. If there’s nothing else, you will live with Him.

Point to ponder

Is my faith in Christ real or do I spend more time with something else? Am I willing to truly call Him ‘Lord’?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we often take You for granted and justify our choices to be more involved with other things by excusing ourselves. Help us to truly rethink our commitment to You and stop paying lip service. Grant us the courage to make You the Lord of our lives, no matter what changes this will incur. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to respond to this message, please send John an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Looking for Jesus - John 6:24

John 6:24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. (NIV)

            Quite recently, I was seeking an old recording of a conversation that some friends of mine had at a radio station several years ago. One of them had just died and I was wanting to hear his voice again, as well as the remarkable story of his life. I hunted high and low in my home, my study, my garage, and church office, but sadly I didn’t come across the CD. I know that it is somewhere safe and I’ll probably discover it when I’m looking for something else. Until then, I’ll just have to rely on the memories that I have of my friend and the good times that we shared.

            At the end of today’s Gospel passage (John 6:22-24), the people are looking for Jesus, but He is nowhere to be found. The previous day, He had miraculously fed 5000 people, which made the crowd want to make Him their king. When they discovered that Jesus had gone, they set out on their boats and sailed up to Capernaum where He usually resided. I’d like to think that they were looking for Christ for all of the right reasons, but I suspect that human nature being what it is, they were mostly looking for more miraculous food.

            This made me reflect on my own search for Jesus. Have I been seeking Him for all of the right reasons, or do I have some selfish desires that I want Him to fulfill? Am I looking to Christ to straighten out my problems, overcome my difficulties, and fix my issues, or I am I just humbly seeking to serve Him because He is my Lord and King? I hope and pray that it is more to do with the latter.

Point to ponder

Am I looking for Jesus to do something in my life or am I seeking to do something for Him?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of our lives and the King of all Creation. We are supposed to be Your servants and faithful followers. Help us to seek Your will in all that we accomplish and experience today. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org. You can also email John with your questions, feedback, and thoughts at Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called ‘Jazz4Jesus.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Jazz.

Christian devotion - Sin is Dead! - Romans 7

Romans 7:8    But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead.

Believe it or not, I struggle with sin every day. I constantly do stupid things or say hurtful words; I forget to keep promises or neglect to do good deeds. I waste opportunities for the Lord and let my life slip carelessly by. Sin is a constant struggle and some days I feel as though I’ve failed the Lord entirely.

But then I remember that I am not perfect and cannot always do everything right, perfect, or holy to save my soul. I have the potential to be better than I am, but never reach the high bar that I set myself. Like Paul writes elsewhere, I constantly fall short of what God expects, which means I am a sinner in need of salvation. I recognize that I need a Redeemer. I know that I need Jesus to save me.

            Sadly, some folks never reach this level of self-awareness. They don’t believe in sin, so they have no need of grace. They go through life making both good and bad choices, but they never seem to understand that, as each day passes, they are piling up more sinful, selfish, self-centered stuff that will ultimately separate them from God. Maybe if I was a better witness or better teacher or better preacher, or even a better Christian, I might be able to help them change ….but then I would be sinfully guilty of trying to perfect their lives by pointing out their sins, rather than dealing with the huge sins in my own life!

            Being a Christian is never easy. It requires constant attention. If I’m too busy pointing out others’ mistakes, then I’m missing the point about sin: we all do it! It doesn’t excuse it, which is what Paul is actually trying to express in Romans 7. When I become aware of my own sinfulness, then I know that I need to change something in me, which is why I desperately need Christ’s grace to transform me. I can only begin to become what He wants when I give everything of me over to Him.

Questions for personal reflection

Be honest, what’s the biggest sin I am dealing with in my life? Have I given it over to Jesus yet? If not, why not?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, sometimes we can’t see our own sinful ways because we mask it with the sins of others. Grant us true self-awareness, even though that may be ugly and unholy. Help us to reach out to You for help and the strength to overcome. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask a question about today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest crayon drawing called “Island in the Sun.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2813/9442299728_eeaec950ac_b.jpg

Christian devotions: Essentials - Daniel 3:17-18

Daniel 3:17-18            “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Some people might have said they were being disrespectful and disloyal to the king. Others could have condemned them for being ornery and unfaithful. Whatever was said against them at the time, the audacious faith that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had in God was undiminished and unswerving. And even when they faced a fiery execution, they still did not turn away from the God of their people, not even if God failed to deliver them.

That’s what made their faith so audacious. No matter what happened to them, whether for better or for ill, they still held on to their essential belief that there was only One God. No matter how many threats were made against them or how hot the fiery furnace was raised, they did not swerve from their devotion to the LORD. It must have been both perplexing and infuriating to King Nebuchadnezzar. He wanted to save them – all they had to do was bow down to a golden image – but they would not adhere to the king’s commands. There was a Higher Power active in their lives and a greater authority than that of the earthly king. The three men would not surrender their faith in order to save their lives.

            In these contentious times for the Church, it can be very easy to let go of some essential beliefs in order to accommodate everyone’s ideas and notions about God. However well intended, if we stray too far from the truth, then we are in danger of losing our faith for the sake of keeping up with the world. We could even end up with a belief system that is not worth dying for, nor even living by.

            Within each of ourselves, we have to work out what is important to Christ and His Church. Perhaps we can do no better than to practice a favorite saying of the 17^th century English Puritan Richard Baxter: “In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity.” Now that would be a faith worth living by and dying for.

Questions for personal reflection

What beliefs are essential to my Christian faith? Do I live according to those essentials?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, grant us the gift of spiritual discernment in order to truthfully know what is important to You, Your Kingdom, and Your Church. Grant us an audacious faith that will not compromise the essentials, but will also maintain a spirit of charity to those with whom we disagree. 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 traqair@aol.com.

 

Today’s image is one of John’s Pentecost drawings called “The Coming One.” It’s a stained glass design for children. You can view a larger version at the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7312/8734328860_763c4691c0_h.jpg

Church Devotion: Trying to be a Christian

Acts 10:2         Cornelius and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

I read somewhere this morning about a woman who was being questioned about her beliefs by a police officer. Each time she was asked “Of what religion are you?” she answered, “Trying to be a Christian.”

This frustrated the officer. “You must belong to a church, a denomination, a sect or a cult, so tell me, what is your religion?” Again the woman simply answered, “Trying to be a Christian.”

From what I have read about the centurion Cornelius in the Book of Acts, he was trying to be a Christian without even knowing of Christ. He was a devout person who believed in God, shared his beliefs with his loved ones, prayed to God on a regular basis, and gave regularly to those who had genuine needs. Isn’t that what we expect of Christians? Cornelius was trying to be as faithful to God as he possibly could, and this is why God gives him a special vision and draws him into the Christian faith.

Today, we will all have opportunities to witness to the effectiveness of Christ’s presence in our lives. We may be asked to pray for others in need; we may even be required to help them financially. The hope is that we will all try to be Christians in whatever situation, event, or issue that we face. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be the right thing to do.

Questions for personal reflection

How do I display my faith in Christ to other people? Dare I try to be a Christian in all things today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus Christ, we say that we follow You with our lips, but we frequently fail You with our deeds. Help us this day to practice and display our devotion to You by trying to be real, genuine, and sincere Christians in our world. 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 a collage of four of my 2013 Pentecost drawings. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8124/8656938896_929e837c59_c.jpg

Christian devotions: To Be a Christian - John18:37

John 18:37     "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

The other night I got embroiled in another theological tussle on Facebook. This time it was in the company of a group of Scottish pastors, some of whom I have known for decades. The argument was over whether or not we should continue to use the word ‘Christian’ in our faith and ministries.

Over recent years, the word ‘Christian’ has garnered some negative connotations in our society. The word represents, in the minds of some people, self-righteous bigotry and unyielding fundamentalism. In our supposedly post-Christian and post-modern world, there is a push to get rid of undesirable labels and, unfortunately, ‘Christian’ is one of them. Instead of being known for loving one another as in ancient Antioch, Christians are lampooned as being ignorant, uneducated, unsophisticated, prejudicial and judgmental. While there may be some elements across all Christian denominations that reflect these negative flaws, they do not really represent who we are in most regions of the world.

To me, the word ‘Christian’ means a person who is a follower of Christ, who tries to live by His tenets and is not afraid to speak the truth, even when it might be considered unpopular. It would be so easy to ditch the word and just call ourselves ‘spiritual seekers who like Jesus.’ We could then do what we wanted and not be burdened by the word ‘Christian’ at all.

But the truth of the matter is this: to be a Christian means to follow Christ closely, knowing that we will frequently fail. His teachings and truths will challenge us constantly, in the hope that we can change ourselves positively and become more like Him each day. As C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, ‘Every Christian is to become a little Christ. The whole purpose of becoming a Christian is simply nothing else.’ 

Questions for personal reflection

What does the word ‘Christian’ mean to me? How do I personally convey that meaning to others?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we try to follow You each day and grow in our Christian faith. Some days are better than others, and sometimes we fail to live up to Your ways. Forgive us for our mistakes and free us from our failings. Help us to be reconnected to Your Truth, Hope, and Love. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, TN. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question of today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest winter drawings. It features the Babcock Mill in West Virginia during snowfall. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8467215304_7af5d74172_b.jpg

Signed, limited edition prints of this delightful drawing are available from John.