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 Devotions: A Prophetic Psalm

Psalm 22:7-8              All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

It’s amazing to think that Psalm 22 was written centuries before Christ died on the Cross, because many of its verses are teeming with prophecies about Jesus’ experiences at Calvary. Today’s passage, for instance, is a prophecy about those who mocked Jesus at the foot of the Cross. They added to His injuries by raging against Christ. As it states in both the psalm and the Gospels, they hurled insults against Him culminating in a mocking accusation of “He trusts in God; let God rescue Him!”

It must have tormented Jesus to hear those hurtful words from His own people. He had spent three years trying to draw them closer to God through grace, love, and peace. But the mob gathered at Calvary didn’t want to hear “All you need is love.” They didn’t want a Messiah who forgave their enemies. They didn’t want a leader who brought about change through helping the weak and healing the sick. They wanted a Christ who obliterated their enemies; they wanted a Champion who would kick the Romans out of the Promised Land.

And so, when Jesus failed to live up to their expectations, they turned against Him and mocked His powerlessness as He agonizingly died upon the Cross.

In some places and with other people, Christ and Christianity still face those torments. Atheists despise us and blame Christianity for all of the wars in the last two thousand years. Advocates of progressive change try to diminish our relevance and message by equating our Faith with other religions. Or they mock our Faith by revising and rewriting history in order to exclude the influence that Christianity has had upon Western Society and throughout the world.

But as long as Time exists and people remain on this planet, Christ’s words and ways will endure, despite the challenges and criticisms of our Faith. The Cross did not end Jesus’ global ministry; it actually began there. The Calvary mockers may have died 1900 years ago and turned to dust, but the Spirit of Christ endures and His mission remains.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for Your power that prevails and Your words that will not go away. Thank You for enduring on the Cross so that the penalty for sin could finally be paid. Without You, our world would not be the same. With You, we have a hope that continues throughout eternity. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

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