All for Nothing? - Galatians 2:21

Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (NIV)

            Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night and I remember an embarrassing mistake or something foolishly spoken that I committed years ago. The event or the expression I used stings my pride and I feel sorry for having said or done something stupid that may have hurt or disappointed other people. As I think about my mistake, I wish I could go back and change the past, but that’s not ever going to happen, so I make a silent prayer to God and ask for Jesus to forgive me. I cannot alter the consequences of my error either, but I am able to leave it in the hands of God after confessing my sin.

            This reminds me of why we all need a Savior. We could say to God that we regret the past and will try to be better people by making it up to Him with a whole load of good deeds, but all we would be doing is covering our shame and blanketing our remorse. We can never do enough good things anyway because there are other countless times when we have said or done something stupidly and selfishly sinful in all of our past.

            It is also the reason why the Cross is at the center of our faith. Without Christ’s sacrifice, we would sadly remain unforgiven for the numerous sinful moments across our entire lives. Without the effective work of the Cross, we could never be restored to God’s gracious love. If we could do this all by ourselves then, as Paul simply states, Jesus would have died for nothing, but because we cannot save ourselves, we need the power, purpose, and peace that the Cross of Christ provides for every one of us to be forgiven.

            So, perhaps the next time you or I awake in the middle of the night and recall an embarrassing or sinful moment from the past, instead of dwelling on our stupidity we should think about the wonderful opportunity to be totally forgiven and completely reconciled to God through Christ’s death on the Cross.

Point to ponder

What past regrets do I honestly have that still embarrass or shame me? Have I asked God to forgive me of them in Christ’s Name?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are at the center of history and the focus point of all this universe. Your Life matters to us in so many ways, but Your Death has significantly impacted us by negating our sins in order to let us be restored to our Creator. Thank You for such an amazing gift of love! In Your Holy Name, we humbly and gratefully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s Good Friday drawings called ‘Empty Sky.’ If you would like to view a larger version, click this link: Sky.

Daily Devotional: Canceling debts - Colossians 2:13b-14

Colossians 2:13b-14   God forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 

            In the political world, the National Debt becomes an important issue at every general election. Candidates from all the parties usually talk about how they will reduce the financial burden that is placed upon every taxpayer in their countries. Whoever comes up with the best solution normally becomes the poll favorite to win the office of leadership. However, when they gain that position, they soon discover that dealing with the National Debt is not as easy as they hoped. Current policies and other politicians usually get in the way of solving the problem. The debt becomes greater and is often left to the next leader or generation to find the right answers.

The sad fact of the matter is this: politicians all over the world are not very willing to sacrifice their popularity by imposing stringent economic solutions – the art of  national debt procrastination abounds all over the world.

            We are all under a similar debt when it comes to dealing with our sins. Each time we sin, we rob God of His glory and owe Him an apology. Every day, our sinful debts keeps piling up so, at the end of our lives, we will be so indebted to God that we will never be able to face Him and pay back all of the divine glory that we have stolen and squandered. However, God has provided the solution to canceling our debt to Him. His Son Jesus has paid that sinful debt in full at the Cross of Calvary. We do not carry over our sinful debt into the next part of our lives when we accept Christ as our Savior-Redeemer. He has paid it all and, in doing so, has given us the opportunity to be fully and eternally restored to God.

            In the midst of this important election with all of its complications, personalities, and issues, let’s also constantly remind ourselves of Who really is the Leader of our lives, the Canceller of our debts, and the Savior of our souls.

Questions for personal reflection

How do my sins alienate me from God and make me indebted to Him? Why do I need Jesus to save me from my sins by canceling my debt to God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You were nailed to the Cross to cancel the debt due for the sins of humanity. Our sins are countless, so we owe everything to You. Remind us of the cost of our eternal restoration and freedom. 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 contact him, please send an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Good Friday drawings called ‘Sin Bearer.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Sin Bearer.


Podcast version

Christian devotion: Simply Sacrificial - Colossians 1:19-20

Colossians 1:19-20     For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (NIV)

            Paul simply states in the above verses what I have always believed and experienced as a Christian. Without the Cross, I could not be forgiven. Without Christ’s blood, I could never be reconciled to God.

            This candid sentence in Paul’s Letter to the Colossians makes it perfectly clear: the Cross was not an accident; it was fully intended to be used by God to reconcile us to Him. It was not a mistake; it was a divine instrument of God’s mercy and grace. We look at the Cross and experience the horror that Jesus endured. We know that we put Him there, so it makes us feel uncomfortable, self-loathing, and ashamed.

We would rather it was a mistake because we wouldn’t feel that our sins had wounded Him. We would happily accept it as an accident because we would be able to cast the Cross aside and simply approach God without any boundaries or barriers. But the Cross is there to remind us that we are sinful creatures, forbidden to enter God’s Holy Kingdom without the shameful Cross of Christ and the sacrificial blood of Jesus.

As post-modern people and 21^st century idealists we want things to go our way, be what we wish, and embrace our own understanding. However, as Paul writes elsewhere, the Cross becomes a stumbling block in the way of our wisdom, and the foolishness of God is infinitely above the cleverness of people. If we want to be with God after we die, we need to come to the Cross before we die. If we wish to enter into the glorious Kingdom of God at the last, we need to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus first. There is simply no other way, nor can we ever find another truth to gain us everlasting life.

Questions for personal reflection

What does Christ’s Cross mean to me? How has Christ’s blood reconciled me to God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, being a Christian is never easy or comfortable. We have to make hard decisions and a personal commitment to You. We want eternal life and to go to Heaven after we die. Help us to both understand and embrace the divine fact that we cannot do this on our own. We need Your Cross to convict us; we require Your blood to cleanse us. 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 send him an email, feel free to do so at Traqair@aol.com.

Toda’s image is one of John’s Good Friday drawings called “Outside.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Outside.

Christian devotion: Common Core - 1 Peter 3:18

1 Peter 3:18    For Christ died once for all sins of the righteous and unrighteous, to restore you to God. He was physically executed, but made alive again through the Spirit.

            Today’s chosen verse contains the common core of our Christian beliefs. Jesus died for our sins because there was no one else and no other way that this could be accomplished. Without His crucifixion, there would be no sacrifice. Without His death, there would be no forgiveness. And without His resurrection, there would be no hope of everlasting life.

            Some people claim that Christ died accidentally for being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and confronting the wrong authorities. They say that He never meant to die, but would have continued preaching, teaching, and healing well into His old age. They say this because they can’t cope with the fact that God required His Son to die for us. They don’t believe it because their pride won’t allow anyone to die for their sins. It’s almost as if they think that they will be able to advocate for themselves in the after-life without having Christ as an intermediary.

            Sadly, they are both deluded and wrong. None of us can talk to God face-to-face. We don’t have that right because we are not equals. We won’t be given that opportunity, no matter how cosmically unjust we might think that would be. God does not apply Himself or live by our rules. We, on the other hand, live under His authority and sovereignty. The rules belong to Him.

            Thank goodness, then, that Jesus actually died for our sins. In Him, we have the perfect Savior of our souls and the everlasting Advocate before God. Because of what He has done, we can be forgiven. Because of the blood that He shed, we can be restored. Because of His sacrifice, we can be hopeful of Life beyond death, Heaven beyond the universe, and Love beyond all of our imaginings. He died for our sins – to restore us to God totally, finally, and eternally.

Questions for personal reflection

What does Christ’s death mean to my faith in Him? How else could my sins be forgiven?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Source of our Salvation and the Living One who leads us to eternal life. There is no one else in History, on Earth, or under Heaven who could give us this Blessing of all blessings. We thank You for Your sacrifice and we praise You for Your victory over sin and death. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully and gratefully 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 part of a Holy Week series of images that John created for 2014. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/13939576594_9f95bfb516_b.jpg

Holy Week Devotions: Holy Week Hell - Mark 9 v 49

Mark 9:49       Everyone will be salted with fire.

I recently watched an animated version of the classical poem Dante’s Inferno. It depicted all of the excesses of medieval man’s imagery of hell. Souls were tormented and demons were diabolically cruel. The sign above the gates of hell told the whole story: “Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here.”

These days, not many people believe in hell. They see it as an invention of religious fanatics who used it to control society, especially when the Church seemed to be all powerful during the Middle Ages. Post modern people reject such a notion, after all, why would a loving, creative, and gracious God permit such a hateful, destructive, and cruel place to exist?

The problem about hell for me is this: Christ believed it existed and He willingly died for us in order to save us from hell. If I deny hell’s existence, then I reject Christ’s beliefs. If I reject what Jesus said, then how can I be sure of my salvation? As usual, there’s no compromise. Either Christ told the truth or He lied.

Holy Week sees the end of Lent and the beginning of Christ’s passion (suffering) for the world. At the end of the week, He overcomes sin and death, and even hell. Hope is not abandoned, but it abounds. In Jesus, we can have the joy of salvation and the promise of heaven, but only if we accept Him as our One True and Only Savior.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, not one of us is comfortable with the existence of hell. We want to cast it aside and think about something pleasant. However, hell was real to You, so who are we to question Your words and ways, Your message and truth. Teach us this week that You can save us from hell and restore us to heaven. 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 pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s 2010 Holy Week drawings. It’s called “Bloody Sunset” and depicts Christ on the Cross outside of the walls of Jerusalem. You can view a larger version of the drawing here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/4471998398/sizes/l/