Church devotions: Teaching the Faith - Acts 13:12

Acts 13:12       When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

I like to teach the Faith. It’s an important part of my calling. I enjoy discussions about Christ and Christianity and the sharing of questions, ideas, and thoughts at my regular Sunday School class. It keeps me on my toes and refreshes my faith each time I enter and exit the classroom. Preaching is meant for the big moment of the week in worship; teaching is an entirely different method of sharing the faith.

The class that I teach is an inter-generational one. People bring their cultural backgrounds, life experiences, and personal questions into the melting pot which, in turn, adds to the whole collective discussion about a Bible passage, faith point, or church issue. Each Sunday that we meet, we add to the theological tapestry that we’re weaving. Faith, hope, and love are shared; encouragement, friendship, and inspiration are experienced.

Teaching about the Lord in philosophical or practical ways always has the potential of strengthening our beliefs and Christian convictions. In today’s passage (Acts 13:6-12), the Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus is deeply impressed not just by what Barnabas and Saul say, but what they actually do. Their faith is amazing and fearless in the face of evil and deception. The proconsul becomes a believer because he sees for himself the authenticity and authority of the Christian faith.

Today, we will all be given opportunities to share our faith and be authentic witnesses for Christ. Let’s hope that we are both ready and real about being Christians.

Questions for personal reflection

Where do I go to be constantly taught about the Christian faith? What lessons of faith do I express to others with my words and deeds?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to positively express our faith in You to others this day. Let our witness of Your power and presence in our lives be authentic and sincere. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings. It’s called “Heaven Sent” and features the Holy Spirit as a dove descending to Earth. If you would like to view a larger version of the image, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8536/8683999979_5ab8742e51_b.jpg

Church Meeting Devotions: Saving Grace

Ephesians 2:4-5 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.

‘There but for the grace of God, go I’ was one of John Wesley’s sayings. It was his way of expressing thankfulness to God for mercy, whilst at the same time realizing his own human weaknesses. If it wasn’t for God’s grace, John Wesley felt that he would have been overcome by all sorts of evil and sin.

Recently, I visited with the AA group that meets in our church. My usual Bible study had been cancelled, so I took the opportunity to make a house-call amongst the Twelve Steppers. It brought back memories to me and, as I sat there, I inwardly thanked God for His power and influence over me which kept me from remaining a hopeless alcoholic.

It was also good to see other men who had traveled that road, too. I admired their courage and knew of the struggles they described. It was a really good meeting and the Twelve Steppers are very supportive. None of them are judgmental; and all of them, including myself, began their sharing with the words: “Hello, my name is …., and I’m an alcoholic.”

But the grace of God just isn’t for alcoholics. It’s for all of us. It’s for the busy mother who is worn out looking after her children. It’s for the harassed worker who is trying to meet an urgent deadline. It’s for the school teacher who tries each week to inspire her students to learn something new. It’s for the teenager who is struggling with peer pressure, who wants to do what is right. And it’s for the senior who sees the world changing faster than ever and wonders where the good old days have gone.

The grace of God is for each of us. As human beings we are weak, frail, prone to temptation and apt to sin. No matter who we are or what we’ve done, we all need the grace of God to grant us that divine opportunity to begin again, to take a step in the right direction, and to be lovingly embraced by God. In other words, our lives are rescued from the messes that we create through the love, mercy, and grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.

So no matter who you are today or what you’ve done in the past, receive a new beginning through the gracious love of God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we make mistakes in our lives that negatively affect our relationships, spoil our dreams, and sometimes destroy our hopes. We come to You, seeking Your grace to give us the opportunity to begin again and start anew. We know that we don’t deserve this, but that’s why You call it ‘grace.’ Be with us and love us. In Your 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, please send an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Church meeting Devotions: Mourning and Dancing

Ecclesiastes 3: 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.

I think I must have conducted about 750 funerals over my 23 years in ministry. When I was a pastor in Scotland I looked after two parishes, so on average I officiated at about 2 funerals a week. I can even remember one busy week when I completed five funerals within seven days. I don’t know where I got the energy to do that, but it was expected of parish ministers all across Scotland.

After the services were over in Scotland, close friends and family often shared soup, sandwiches, and tea at a local hotel or in someone’s home. It was a community gathering and frequently family and guests shared some funny and worthwhile stories about the deceased. Instead of weeping and mourning, people honored the dead by laughing and celebrating. It also helped loved ones begin their process of grief and healing.

It’s no surprise that in the Bible we find these opposites side by side. Weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing all have their special places in our lives, even at funerals. It’s not just a way of coping with loss, it’s also a remarkable fact of the human experience – life goes on around us, no matter what we go through.

The Church of Scotland Book of Worship states it this way in the funeral liturgy: We were not meant for the darkness of death; instead we were created for light and life, and to share these with God forevermore.

I think that’s a beautiful way of dealing with death, finding faith, and eternally embracing God.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the precious gift of life and the priceless blessing of faith. In the midst of our pain and loss, grant us healing and comfort. Throughout those times of weeping and mourning, let us also experience laughter and dancing. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. I you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Church Meeting Devotions: No Favoritism

Acts 10:34, 35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

It’s a problem for every generation of Christians. How does God treat and judge those who do what is right, but have no knowledge of Jesus? Are they lost forever, or does God give them credit for being good people?

Over the years, I have struggled and wrestled with this. Scripture is absolute when it states that those who believe shall be given everlasting life, whereas those who have no belief shall perish (John 3:16-18). In our cosmopolitan and pluralistic society, those words of John seem to be unacceptable, archaic, and out of touch with the real world. And yet, they were written at a time when the world was just as cosmopolitan and pluralistic as it is today.

When I read Peter’s words this morning, I thought that they might provide the loophole that most of us look for when dealing with this subject. ‘God shows no favoritism’ - not even to Christians? ‘God accepts men from every nation, who fear him and do what is right’ – does this not validate that God accepts all of those who try to do good, no matter what they believe? On the surface, it appears to be that way.

And then, just when I think this serious issue is resolved, Peter adds something to the equation: “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

Knowledge of God’s message and the good news (Gospel) of peace through Jesus Christ is required. Universalism is therefore not the answer – knowing Jesus is.

People say that Christianity is dying out and they clutch at straws about salvation. However, there are more Christians in the world today than at any time in the history of our faith. Christ’s message is expanding and more people are being saved each day. The world may cling to its own understanding, but the Christian faith has never altered its message: those who know the Lord will know salvation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today there will be many people throughout the world who will turn to You and believe. They will set aside their fears and place their faith in You. They will give up on their doubts and give themselves to you. Thank You for increasing the number of Christians on Earth each day. Help us to do whatever we can to bring other people to You. 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.

Church meeting Devotions: Oscar Month

John 6:15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

I love February because it’s Oscars month on Turner Classic movies. I get to record and watch the old movies with famous actors like Errol Flynn, Olivia de Haviland, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Greer Garson.

For the past two night, I’ve been watching Laurence Olivier in Richard III. He plays one of the sleaziest, greediest, and wickedest villains on the screen. I love Shakespeare’s plays anyway, but Olivier’s acting is absolutely amazing.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, cheats, conspires, and kills his way into becoming the King of England. Along the way, he makes many enemies and at the end of the play, he is left destitute on the battlefield. That’s when Olivier utters the immortal lines: “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” Justice is served and the villainous king is cut down and killed by his rival.

When I read the Gospel passage this morning, I was reminded that the people wanted to make Jesus their king, just because He supplied them with fish and bread. They wanted Him to provide for them, to heal their sicknesses, to satisfy their hunger, and to make their lives pleasant.

But Jesus was on a mission from God, so He couldn’t be tempted by such an offer. He was serving God, not Himself. He was doing God’s will, not His own.

This also reminds me that our faith in Christ is purely meant to glorify and honor Him. If we seek Jesus to bless us all the time and to make our lives easier, then we’ve crowned the wrong kind of king in our hearts. If we place our lives into His hands and seek to serve His kingdom here on earth, then we’ve truly made Him the King of our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to place You at the center of our lives and to honor You with our service to Your Kingdom. Enable us to keep You as the King of our hearts and Lord of our days. 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.