Church meeting Devotions: being Saved - Acts 16 v 30

Acts 16: 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

I am both humbled and proud of the fact that I believe I was saved in June of 1977. Some Christians are uncomfortable with that term and others look down upon anyone who claims to be saved. I get the impression that they feel as though it’s beneath them to be saved and that anyone who claims this is really spiritually immature and dumb.

I feel sorry for them because they don’t understand what being saved really means, nor have they experienced the spiritual strength that comes with this wonderful event. For me, it occurred when I was struggling with the meaning of my personal life and felt really isolated from the world. For the Philippian jailer, it was both a salvation from death and a spiritual liberation for his whole family.

I believe that being saved by Jesus means being freed from our doubts and fears through becoming reconnected to God’s everlasting love and infinite grace. It also means that I understand that I cannot do anything to earn God’s mercy or pardon for all of my mistakes. I am saved from the eternal consequences of my sins by Jesus, who has died for me and taken my place. Death may come one day, but it will not swallow me up forever. Because I am saved, I belong to Christ for all of eternity.

One of the important membership questions that people are asked before they join our church is this: Do You accept Jesus Christ as Your Savior and Lord? In other words, they are recognizing Christ’s ministry of saving them too. After all, we wouldn’t call Christ ‘Savior’ in our Presbyterian vows if we didn’t acknowledge that we needed Him to save us, now would we?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are our Savior and we are all in need of being saved by You. Without Your sacrifice, we would not receive God’s mercy. Without Your Salvation, we would have no everlasting hope. Thank You for saving us and restoring us to the eternal love and grace of God. 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: Folk Music Faith

Romans 15: 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus

Yesterday, we held an Appalachian/folk music service at the church. Because the songs were so well known to the congregation, the singing was absolutely amazing. Our praise band became a bluegrass band for the day, complete with a mandolin and banjo. The whole worship experience was so uplifting that many people want us to do it again. Perhaps we may follow up on that request once per quarter.

I think the whole Scots-Irish and mountain music connections unified the entire congregation in a novel and encouraging way. It also allowed me to begin casting a vision for the whole church to be thinking about how we express our faith and extend our influence in the surrounding community. If we can connect with one another joyfully through worship, then we can present a united witness to our neighborhood. I hope that yesterday was rebirth of who we are and a recommitment to the Christ we serve.

When Paul is signing off his letter to the Romans, he wants to leave them with an uplifting prayer. He knows that the Christian Church in Rome is most vulnerable to persecution by the Emperor. So Paul bids farewell to them with a blessing of endurance and encouragement. He wants them to know how important they are to him; he wants them also to feel blessed and supported by God.

With a spirit of unity, any Christian church can endure and find encouragement in their faith. Those who follow Jesus are given the task of presenting His message to the community. Whether it’s through music or ministry, worship or witness, or service and support, the effectiveness of the Gospel being positively received in a community is in direct proportion to the unity of any Christian church in that area. Without a unified vision, the people scatter and perish. With a unified commitment to Christ, a church becomes more than just another social club in the community; it becomes a relevant part of God’s Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray for the gift of unity to be given to our congregations. We ask that You allow Your Spirit to strengthen us in commitment, to encourage us in worship, and to unite us in serving Your Kingdom in our communities. Grant us the blessings of endurance and encouragement so that we may attract others to follow 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 mail to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

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