Presbyterian 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.

Presbyterian Devotions: Fellow Elders

1 Peter 5:1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed:

Eldership is at the heart of what it means to be Presbyterian. All of our Presbyterian churches are led by our ruling elders and teaching elders. They are called by God to seek the Holy Spirit in a particular congregation and to follow that path sincerely, faithfully, and effectively. It’s one of the great strengths of the Presbyterian system and, when it is employed properly, it makes Presbyterianism a great light amongst Christian denominations.

I love being both a Presbyterian Christian and a teaching elder in the church. I feel connected to the apostles like Peter because of the special, mysterious, and holy laying on of hands that is part of the ordination process. I feel connected to the elders around me, both active on Session and pro-active in the congregation. There is a great sense of team work, responsibility, and faith in Christ that we share amongst us.

I also like the fact that Peter refers to elders as being witnesses to Christ’s suffering, which reminds me that being ruling and teaching elders in the church is never an easy process. We think, we question, and we struggle with our faith. We solve problems, seek answers, and look for guidance from the Holy Spirit. We try to keep the church on the right path, just as the world tries to distract our goals and diminish our effectiveness. We are the gate keepers of the faith and are meant to be the visionaries of our churches. Elders are always looking at the bigger picture and what lies ahead. If we only concentrate on the here and now, we will never reach the blessings yet to come.

These are anxious times for our faith, but if our elders across the Presbyterian Church remain faithful to Christ, uphold His teachings, and live according to God’s Word, then we will not only share in Christ’s glory, but we will also be handing over a strong church for the elders yet to be ordained in years to come.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the precious gifts of eldership that You have bestowed upon the Presbyterian Church. We pray that the faithfulness, integrity, and spirituality of our ruling and teaching elders may continue to inspire our people and lead them through these uncertain times into future years of bounty and blessing, discipleship and service for Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we fervently 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.