Presbyterian Devotions: A Defining Moment - Revelation 5:5

Revelation 5:5            Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

 

If someone were to ask you how to define the Christian faith, would your answer involve anything that Christ is going to do at the End of Time?

Most people would define Christianity in terms of loving one another, making peace in the world, and trying to follow Christ’s teachings. They may also talk about being forgiven for all of their mistakes and being restored to God’s everlasting love. Hardly any of them would mention the Biblical prophecy of Christ’s unfinished work which will only be completed when human history is ended by God. At that last moment in Time, Christ will step forward to lay claim to the Earth and heartily recognize all of His followers. The work of salvation will be complete and our faith will no longer be needed for Jesus will have returned to this world.

The best way to define the Christian faith is to begin by defining Who Jesus actually is. He is the Savior of anybody in the world who, at any time, place, or civilization, believes that He is the Son of God and that Christ has the unique power to pardon their sins and bring them back into favor with God. Faith in Christ means that people trust Him completely by placing their everlasting souls into His hands, so that when the world finally ends, their eternal life with Him actually begins.

Christians have faith in Jesus to bring history to its final completion. All suffering, pain, and evil will be brought to a swift end when He alone opens the sacred sealed scrolls that usher in the Divine Judgment of the whole of humanity. At that time, Jesus will be both Advocate for His followers and Judge for His detractors. He is entrusted with this responsibility because He perfectly obeyed God while He lived on Earth and completely fulfilled the Divine ransom for all sinful souls through His death on the Cross.

Therefore, the Christian faith is defined as a complete trust in Jesus as Redeemer and Savior, Healer and Restorer, Lord and King. Anything else pales into insignificance because in the end, and at The End, only Christ’s power and authority will prevail.

The challenge that faces people in today’s world is this: are they willing to accept Christ and define their faith through Him alone?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we will all witness that last moment in time when You step forward to open the sacred seals. On that Day, we will completely know the truth of all things and the Final destination of our everlasting souls. Remind us that this is not only a new day, but that it could also be the End of Days. Keep us from being distracted and dissuaded of Your concerns. Help us to remain focused and faithful to You alone. 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 or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest chess drawing called “Dark Knight.” If you would like to view a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6052095208_108c32b858_b.jpg

Presbyterian Blogs: A Time to Mourn - Revelation 1:7

Revelation 1:7            Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen. 

One day, perhaps even today, Jesus will return. That’s what we proclaim each week in church when we repeat the Apostles’ Creed and say, “He will come to judge the quick and the dead.” It’s also what we declare when we celebrate Communion and talk about the Heavenly Feast to come. The sad thing is that most Christians say they believe this, but live like it’s never going to happen. In fact, most people think that there’s more of a chance of an almighty meteor hitting the Earth, as opposed to believing that Jesus will actually return in their lifetime.

Among all of the things that ministers and pastors do, the most important task that they are given is to help people prepare for Christ’s Return, or for that serious eternal moment when they come face-to-face with Him after Death. There is no greater ministry than this, but sadly more pastors and their churches are getting so caught up with the world’s issues, that this eternal, consequential, and momentous task of ministry is being neglected and discarded. People in the pews are being left with no idea about how to live as true Christians awaiting the return of their Lord. Instead, they are being fed delusions and lies which will one dreadful day place them on the edge of the Abyss and prevent them from entering into God’s blissful kingdom.

I’ve been a pastor for over 25 years and throughout that time I’ve seen the Church diminish because it is more interested in being acceptable to the world, rather than remaining faithful to God. I’ve seen society dabble dangerously with a brazen immorality which will condemn billions of people to hell. The Church has forgotten its unquestionable loyalty to Christ, and has foolishly pandered to post-modern culture. Only revival will save the Church from itself. Only a contrite return to Christ and a culture of repentance will save our civilization.

What I’m writing used to be called basic Christianity, but in a culture that is so in love with itself, this kind of doomsday message is unpopular, unpalatable, and unhappy to many. However, that’s why John the Apostle wrote that all the people of earth would mourn at Christ’s Return. When Jesus re-appears, our worldly ways are terminated. When Christ comes back, it will truly be for Judgment Day first before everlasting joy is experienced.

So, the challenge for all of us today (and everyday) is this: are we ready to receive Christ on His Return and on God’s terms, or will we mourn with the rest of the world?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, help us and all of our loved ones to get our hearts, minds, souls, and lives ready for Your Imminent Return. Keep us from being distracted by the world, or being so influenced by its wiles that we lose our salvation. Remind us every day that being accepted by You is not the same as being acceptable to the world. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.

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