Sunday Shorts: A Old Fashioned Word

Mark 1:4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (NRSV)

It’s an old-fashioned concept which many people don’t think about today, not even Christians. The word is ‘repentance’ and most folks avoid it because it requires honesty and humility. In order to repent, we have to honestly confess that we have made a mistake which is difficult for a society that justifies everything. We also have to be humble and confess that we have weaknesses and faults which damages our pride and deflates our prestige. We are fiercely individual and self-reliant, so to repent would mean giving up striving for power, perfection, and position.

The word in Greek that Mark uses to describe repentance in his gospel is ‘metanoia,’ which involves a realization of being wrong, of feeling our guilt, and seeking to reverse our mistake. The old way of describing this act of repentance is ‘turning away from ourselves in order to turn back to God.’ It requires us to sacrifice our pride and let go of what is holding us back from returning to God. It’s not an easy process and it truly takes a great deal of effort. It’s not just a matter of saying ‘sorry’ and moving on – it’s about knowing that we’ve deeply offended God which causes us to humbly seek divine mercy.

In John’s time, people were required to publicly profess their sins before being baptized. That took a lot of courage, especially in a community that strove to be perfect in both God’s and other people’s eyes. However, when Jesus appeared on the scene and eventually humbled and sacrificed Himself for our mistakes, God’s grace was offered in a different way. We still have to repent and humbly confess our mistakes to Christ, we still have to turn away from ourselves and look to God for forgiveness and grace, but instead of being baptized publicly in the River Jordan, we can now be baptized personally by the Holy Spirit in order to eliminate our sinful, prideful, and past mistakes. With Jesus, we can be restored to God; with Christ, we can be reconnected to God’s love, compassion, and care.

So, today, as we reflect on repentance, let’s ponder for a moment about the things that we sinfully do which create a barrier between ourselves and God. Let’s honestly come to Jesus with our humble confessions, so that He can fully forgive us our past mistakes, strengthen our present resolve, and lead us into a better future.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, You came into our world to save us from ourselves. We know that Your perfection eliminates our imperfection and Your humility humbles our pride. Help us to turn away from ourselves in order to seek God. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest baptism drawings. If you would like to see a larger version, please click this link: Baptism.

September 21 devotion - Heavenly Rejoicing

Luke 15:10 Jesus concluded: “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Every day, I do something wrong. I say the wrong thing or forget to do the right thing. I break a promise that I made or neglect an obligation I meant to fulfill. I break one of God’s commandments or I deliberately go against Christ’s Word. In short, I am a habitual sinner who needs to repent every single day.

When I’m made aware of my mistakes, I get defensive at first. I don’t want to claim the sin as my own or take the blame for what is wrong. I’m just like a quarterback that I watched recently on television who threw a terrible ball which his receiver could not catch. As he ran off the field, he looked to his coach and I lip-read his words: “It wasn’t me,” he said. He didn’t want to take ownership of his mistake and, unfortunately, his attitude permeated across the entire team. Needless to say, they lost the game.

After initially being defensive, I later realize that I’ve made a mistake and seek forgiveness for what I’ve done wrong. This process is called repentance in the Bible and it involves letting go of my pride by humbly asking for God’s pardon. So long as I recognize that my sinful behavior, misdeed, or mistake is wrong, I can repent. If ever I believe that my sinful behavior is acceptable, then even God cannot help me and His grace can never be applied to my life.

That’s why there is a lot of rejoicing in Heaven when a sinner truly repents and returns to God. The free will choice to do as we please can either be a blessing or a curse. When we choose to repent, we are restored to God and Heaven rejoices; that’s also when the beauty of God’s grace can positively change our lives forever.

Questions for personal reflection

When have I ever truly repented before God? Is there something that I am still reluctant to confess to Him?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we were created to worship God and enjoy Him forever. Sometimes we worship our lifestyles and idolize our choices. Keep us from harming our souls and prevent us from following spiritual paths that lead to dead ends. Help us to see the need to repent and release us from our unconfessed sins. 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 comment on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest Fall drawing called “Autumn Delight” and features the Glade Creek Mill in the Babcock National Park of West Virginia. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/7993843085_4173874080_b.jpg

July 1 devotion - Outdated

Luke 3:3         John went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

I sometimes worry about the future of our faith. Words like baptism, repentance, confession, and salvation are becoming so outdated that people don’t know what God expects of them. Contrition and humility are so alien to our society that the next generation of pastors is perhaps going to find it difficult to preach the Gospel and expect people to turn their lives around.

I’ve watched it among my own family. I’ve seen it with my friends. There is no urgency to get saved anymore. There is no need to admit sinful behavior. There is no necessity to get right with God.

It’s hard to see this happening across society and not feel personally responsible. Did I make faith too cheap for my children to accept? Did I preach grace too glibly? Did I avoid challenging others because it would bring confrontation into my life? Did I disappoint God because it was easier to appease other people’s discontent with me rather than do what God wants?

Those are hard questions to ask, but they are not just for preachers like me; they’re for everyone who claims to have faith in Christ.

When John the Baptist valiantly preached repentance as the starting point for the forgiveness of sins, he knew it would cost him dearly. You can’t preach the gospel like that without incurring someone’s wrath or getting into trouble. Eventually, it would cause John to be imprisoned and beheaded, but it didn’t stop him from preaching God’s message in order to help his people prepare their hearts, minds, and souls for the coming of the Messiah. Above all else, John wanted them to accept Christ and be a part of His Kingdom.

I dearly hope and fervently pray that God raises up faithful followers of Christ and true preachers of the Gospel for the next generation of Christians because, as each generation comes and goes, we are all one step, one moment, one event closer to the sacred time when Jesus returns and all of humanity will see the salvation of God comes solely through Him.

Question for personal reflection

If Jesus returned today, would I be ready to receive Him?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we do not know when You will return to Earth, but we hope and pray that we will be prepared. Open our hearts and minds to Your words and ways. Settle our fears and calm our anxieties. In Your Holy Name, we wait, watch, and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sunday worship takes place at 11:00 AM - feel welcome to come and join us praising God at any time :)

Today’s image is one of John’s chess drawings. It’s from his “One of These Knights” art series  If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Chess.

The Young Ones - James 5:19-20

James 5:19-20            My friends, if someone should bring back another who has strayed from the Truth, take note of this: Whoever convinces a sinner to repent of his erroneous ways will rescue that person from death and cover over his many sins. (JSV)

            There is hope for everyone, even the worst of sinners. I know this to be true for I am part of that category. We all make ill-advised choices, especially when we are young adults, some of which can ruin our lives entirely. We follow our own path and determine our own future. We hate being wrong and don't want to repent of or admit our foolish ways. Some of us would rather keep making the same sinful choices rather than say we are wrong. Being ornery and stubborn, mule-headed and strong-minded comes with the territory of growing up. What we eventually become is largely based on how willing we are to change direction, especially if we are following a self-centered and self-destructive path.

            When I was addicted to alcohol, I never needed anyone's advice. My mother wept over me; my father gave up on me, and my friends began to abandon me. I stubbornly refused to concede that I had a problem. I believed that I was right and everybody else was totally wrong. I wouldn’t seek help and almost got myself into a lot of serious trouble. If I hadn't met Christ on the road I was on, I probably would be dead by now. It took His presence in my life and the candid words of His followers, who were my peers, to turn my life around. Their love convinced me to repent. Their understanding and faith saved me from my sinful addiction.

            Sometimes I worry about our young folk at church, college, or in their new careers. Some of them are making foolish choices just like I did, so I pray for them on a regular basis. I want them to know that the lessons of faith they learned as children or teenagers are still relevant in their lives today. I want them to know that when all else fails, Jesus will never let them down. I want them to have a place of acceptance and love, renewal and hope in their lives. They are still, and always will be, children of God’s grace. My frequent prayer is that they will personally experience this for themselves in the most crucial times of their beautiful lives.

Point to ponder

Who are the young people in my church? How often do I think about and pray for them?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You personally know the young people in our lives who are an important part of our family, church, and community. Please be with them each day and bless them with Your guidance. Let them know that they are fully loved by You, as well as by Your people. Help them to make good choices which will bring positive benefits to their entire lives. Let all of them experience Your loving embrace. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly 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’ll enjoy the experience and be warmly welcomed by the Erin folks.

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

A Simple Gift - Jeremiah 31:19

Jeremiah 31:19 ‘After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ (NIV)

            I think most of us, if not all of us, remember things from our youth that we later regret or still make us feel embarrassed. We may have had some great times with our friends and peers, but there were probably some moments when we were careless or headstrong, uncaring or arrogant which led us to do something that was stupid, painful, or humiliating. Sometimes memories of those occasions will just pop into our minds and we will feel the sting of shame or the remorse of something we know hurt or humiliated someone else. And, as the years go by, those memories can still unsettle us emotionally, as well as spiritually.

            For me, during those moments of regret, I find myself asking for God’s forgiveness and grace. I can’t do anything to change the past, but through Christ’s mercy, I can stop myself being chained to the past. This process is called repentance in the Bible and it involves turning away from what occurred by turning toward God for forgiveness, healing, and restoration. It’s a wonderful gift that God grants to all of us because His Son Jesus procured that process for us by dying on the Cross for our mistakes and sins.

            Today, whatever guilt you are carrying or regrets that you are battling with, please know this: all can be forgiven and our connection to God can be restored. We only have to turn to God, ask for His mercy, and be accepted by His Son. It’s a very simple process and a liberating experience.

Point to ponder

Is there something in my past which still deeply troubles me? Am I willing to bring it to God and seek His grace?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know everything about us, so we cannot hide our past from You. Inside of ourselves, we carry regret, guilt, and shame. Help us to sincerely repent of these things and receive the blessings of Your forgiveness, mercy, and grace. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

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

Bible devotion: We All Make Mistakes - Acts 26:20

Acts 26:20       First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 

We all make mistakes, but it’s what we do about them that counts in God’s eyes. There’s a creeping a-moralism in our churches and society right now that says “it is okay to make mistakes, God understands, so there’s no need to repent or change our ways.” We’ve become so addicted to ourselves and our own understanding that we’ve sadly forgotten how to repent.

Now I am just as guilty of this than anyone else. Some days, I slack off in my prayers; I abbreviate my requests; I take God’s mercy for granted, so I end up justifying myself and setting aside my guilty feelings. I suppress any inward call to truly confess and personally repent. I try to shut God out, but only end up isolating myself from Him. Eventually, I have to come to God and speak to Him about what I have left unspoken or unprayed. I get no peace until I do this; I have no healing from within until I confess to God.

Repentance is for real, folks. It’s something that we must do in order to be Christians. It’s not an optional extra with regard to our faith. If we don’t repent, then we have no everlasting relationship with God. Christ came to save the world from sin, but even He cannot help an unrepentant sinner.

I guess the substance of this devotion is to make us all aware of our mistakes and to come to Jesus with them. If we’re too proud to do this, then we’ll end up perishing spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and maybe even physically. We may not want to read, think, or accept this, but unless we understand, acknowledge, and embrace our need to repent, we will never be restored to God through Christ.

Questions for personal reflection

Is there some mistake in my life that I still regret? Have I truly repented of this sin?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are sinful people who often make mistakes and take Your mercy for granted. Forgive our foolish ideas, especially those that would separate us from You and Your Father in Heaven. Bring us to You, humbly and respectfully; allow us to confess our mistakes and repent of our sinful ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is from one of John’s psalm drawings. It’s a depiction of a confessional verse from Psalm 123. If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7085/7207536214_02e9f5ee64_b.jpg

Christian devotions: Heavenly Rejoicing - Luke 15:10

Luke 15:10 Jesus concluded: “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Every day, I do something wrong. I say the wrong thing or forget to do the right thing. I break a promise that I made or neglect an obligation I meant to fulfill. I break one of God’s commandments or I deliberately go against Christ’s Word. In short, I am a habitual sinner who needs to repent every single day.

When I’m made aware of my mistakes, I get defensive at first. I don’t want to claim the sin as my own or take the blame for what is wrong. I’m just like a quarterback that I watched recently on television who threw a terrible ball which his receiver could not catch. As he ran off the field, he looked to his coach and I lip-read his words: “It wasn’t me,” he said. He didn’t want to take ownership of his mistake and, unfortunately, his attitude permeated across the entire team. Needless to say, they lost the game.

After initially being defensive, I later realize that I’ve made a mistake and seek forgiveness for what I’ve done wrong. This process is called repentance in the Bible and it involves letting go of my pride by humbly asking for God’s pardon. So long as I recognize that my sinful behavior, misdeed, or mistake is wrong, I can repent. If ever I believe that my sinful behavior is acceptable, then even God cannot help me and His grace can never be applied to my life.

That’s why there is a lot of rejoicing in Heaven when a sinner truly repents and returns to God. The free will choice to do as we please can either be a blessing or a curse. When we choose to repent, we are restored to God and Heaven rejoices; that’s also when the beauty of God’s grace can positively change our lives forever.

Questions for personal reflection

When have I ever truly repented before God? Is there something that I am still reluctant to confess to Him?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we were created to worship God and enjoy Him forever. Sometimes we worship our lifestyles and idolize our choices. Keep us from harming our souls and prevent us from following spiritual paths that lead to dead ends. Help us to see the need to repent and release us from our unconfessed sins. 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 comment on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest Fall drawing called “Autumn Delight” and features the Glade Creek Mill in the Babcock National Park of West Virginia. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8182/7993843085_4173874080_b.jpg