Presbyterian Devotions: Bride of Christ

Ephesians 5:32           This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the church.

It seems so old fashioned now, but I can remember a time when the title “Mother Church” was constantly used. It referred to the place where we were spiritually nurtured, either as a child or as a new Christian. In my lifetime, there are two places that I would call my “Mother Church.”

The first was a mission hall situated at the heart of one of Glasgow’s toughest and most deprived areas. As I picture it now, I can still see the barbed wire at the top of its steel fence and some of the graffiti that was constantly spray painted on the outside walls. Inside the hall were a couple of classrooms and a sanctuary that could seat about sixty people. The pews were stained with a dark lacquer which would stick to your clothes on a wet day. As churches go, it was as run down as the surrounding area, but it was in that hall that I first really came to hear and know about Jesus as a child.

My second nurturing church couldn’t have been anymore different. It was a huge Gothic church in the center of town. It was about three hundred years old and could seat at least a thousand people. Sadly, when I went there, the congregation numbered about sixty on Sunday mornings.

The sanctuary was magnificent and the stained glass windows were absolutely beautiful. Each time I went there, I was mesmerized. The church organ was one of the finest musical instruments in the city and the organist was a professor of music from Glasgow University.

The Ramshorn Church, as it was called, was surrounded by a cemetery that went back to the seventeenth century. It also had a downstairs Fellowship Hall with a crypt beside it where famous Cotton Merchants and Tobacco Lords were buried. And it was there in that fellowship hall, one Wednesday night in June 1977, that I gave my heart to Jesus. I was reborn and my spirit was nurtured in that church for over five years.

Perhaps today, we might all take time to think about our ‘Mother Churches,’ and give thanks to God for their importance in our lives. Some people think that churches are outdated, old fashioned, and archaic, but Christ has used them successfully as His vehicle for bringing people closer to God for almost two thousand years. The Church is the Bride of Christ, so do we honestly believe that He is going to abandon her after all these centuries? So long as Time remains, so will Christ’s Bride.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the churches that have nurtured our spirits and brought us closer to You. Thank You for the congregations that have mothered us and shown us the way to God’s Kingdom. Continue to bless our present churches and help them to nurture young people and new Christians. 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: The Lost Ring

Psalm 36: 7     How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

My wife Evelyn lost her engagement ring the other day. She had put some hand cream on her fingers and the ring must have slipped off. She left a message on my cell phone to let me know. It saddened both of us to think that something so significant could be lost.

We bought the engagement ring with my last tax rebate before I went to college to study to become a minister. That was thirty years ago. I can remember shopping for it in Glasgow’s Argyle Arcade where most couples in the city bought their rings. It was an exciting time for us and eventually we found the one clustered diamond ring that Evelyn liked after wandering from store to store. It cost us every penny that we owned at the time, and through the years it has become priceless.

Thankfully, Evelyn found the ring on the carpet next to her exercise bike. That was both a moment of relief and jubilation. This weekend, we’ll be taking it to a jeweler to have a clip put on it. We both don’t want the ring to be lost ever again.

When the writer of Psalm 36 talks about God’s unfailing love, he calls it ‘priceless.’ He cannot buy God’s love nor can he compare it to anything else in the whole universe. Believers in Christ know and understand this to be true, for how can we put a price on complete and everlasting salvation? How can we estimate the cost of Christ’s atonement for our sins?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are priceless to each and every one of Your followers. We can never repay the debt that we owe to You for redeeming our souls and restoring us to God. Thank You for such wonderful, amazing, and priceless love. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully 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: Believing God

Prosperity Gospel and spiritual self-esteem books are currently very popular in Christian circles and small study groups, but are these really Gospel and actually Christian?


Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Yesterday, I was having a conversation with one of my pastor friends. We were talking about best selling Christian authors and speakers. At one point in the conversation I said this, “Americans are fiercely independent but sometimes so spiritually gullible.” I was commenting on the fact that a lot of what sells as Christian study material and small group books are really about prosperity gospel and self-esteem. Young Christians are being duped into believing that ‘victorious living’ in Christ is all about having a happy family, wonderful marriage, terrific career, and lots of money. Nothing could be farther from the truth of the Gospel and sadly a whole generation of men and women are getting caught up in the “what’s in it for me now” heresy without realizing it.

Sometimes what is popular in Christian circles is not faithful to Christ’s cause or God’s Word. If Christians were all meant to be successful, wealthy, and influential people, then Chinese jails would not be full of arrested Christians, Iranian courts would not be forcing Christian women to deny Christ, and Guatemalan Christian schools would not be under siege by local gangsters. There’s a false assumption by Christians in America that Christ’s mission and the American Dream go hand in hand. They do not. After all, what came first: Christ’s message to take up our crosses and deny ourselves in order to follow Him or Ben Franklin’s “God helps those who help themselves”?

The only goal and prize that we should care about as Christians is to be called heavenward. If we concentrate too much on having our happiness and success here on earth, then as Christ said about the hypocrites of His time, “they will have had their reward;’ in other words, there will be nothing for them in heaven.  And why do we think that Christ ever said these cautionary words:

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

It’s time to put our prosperity gospel and self-esteem books down; it’s time to pick up the Bible and get the message straight from our Savior and God.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, life is not about us, it’s about You. Keep us from being attracted and distracted by worldly charms and people who want to capitalize on our fears, anxieties, and inadequacies. Teach us the valuable gift of true spiritual discernment and save us from those who preach, teach, and write about prosperity gospel, which is no gospel at all. 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: Sending Rain

Matthew 5:45b: He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

It’s been a wonderful summer for growing plants in Tennessee this year. We’ve had plenty of rain and no droughts. It’s a welcome change from what we usually experience and the whole place around Knoxville looks greener than I’ve ever seen it. It also means that I’ve got to mow the lawn more often, but I don’t mind it. It’s nice to see the green grass instead of the usual burned out brown straw that covers my lawn at this time of year.

I also heard someone say the other day that ‘if a person can’t grow tomatoes this year, then they can’t grow them at all.’ It makes me wish that I had planted some at the beginning of the year. Knowing me, if I try to grow them next year, there will be a drought!

I like what Jesus has to say about the sun shining and the rain falling on both the righteous and unrighteous. He’s reminding all of us that God has no favorites and that through His mercy, He showers blessings upon people whether or not they deserve them. We tend to be more judgmental and critical, but Christ is telling us that for grace to be grace, is has to be applied where it is least expected. In other words, God gives every opportunity for souls and spirits to grow under His care. I guess that means that if we cannot grow spiritually under the goodness of His grace, then we cannot grow our souls at all.

Therefore, let’s try to find opportunities of applying God’s grace with the people we meet today. Let’s do it where it’s least expected and totally undeserved. In doing so, we may rediscover the joy of God’s grace that we also don’t deserve.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your words challenge our ways. You show us how God operates graciously in the world. Help us to find opportunities to witness to that great gift and the ability to share it with others. 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: Still Amazed

Psalm 66: 5 Come and look at what God has accomplished; how awesome are His works in our behalf!

John Calvin called them ‘the attestations of God’s witness to the world.’ Today we would call them natural wonders, divine intervention, or even great escapes.

One of the challenges that Christians have in this world is how to show other people where God is actually present and working in their lives. Skeptics tend to think that we spiritually sugar coat the truth and wear Rose of Sharon colored glasses. Our reality is seemingly skewed by our stubborn hold on a two thousand year old faith, which has entered into the realm of religious myth and fabricated fable for modern day beings. The world of Wii, Guitar Hero, Twitter, and Facebook has no need for charming parables or a ghastly Gospel where blood and tears, broken limbs and bread redeem the world. If God has any awesomeness left to impress upon the present generation, then He’d better do it through cyberspace, ipods, and anime. A sacred text is no longer needed, but a wicked ability to text while driving would be a major plus.

And yet sunrises and sunsets still attract us. Glorious mountains and the greenest of valleys captivate our souls. Christmas still touches something good even within the least religious among us, and Easter annually fills us with new life, new beginnings, and new wonders.

We may become distracted by the latest gadgets and are constantly obsessed with the latest trends, but God still walks and works among us, testifying to Himself in the most commonplace of natural events – the hearing of birdsong in the quiet of the morning, the rippling rhythm of a mountain stream, or the rushing of waves crashing on to craggy rocks – they all witness to the power and glory, creativity and activity of a God who still cares for His creation and seeks to heal a broken world.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we call You the Son of God because Your words and ways reveal to us the grace, peace, and love of God. We seek those divine blessings in each of our lives, for we pursue happiness and contentment, satisfaction and harmony for our souls. Instead of being restless, help us to be restful. Instead of being distracted, help us to become attracted. Instead of always doing, enable us to become beings. 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.

Today’s image is called “Sunrise Communion.” The artist is also John Stuart, the author of this blog. To see the original drawing on the web, visit the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/3378486522/sizes/l/in/set-72157614915206379/

Presbyterian Devotions: Embracing Eternity

Ephesians 1:19b-21 That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Sometimes we get so preoccupied with what’s going on each day that we forget about the everlasting qualities of our faith. We get so involved in the ‘here and now’ that we neglect to meditate and ponder about our eternal future. We have an immortal King and He grants us everlasting life, so why do we continually get stuck in an earthly rut that is both temporary and fleeting?

Some Christians believe that we shouldn’t become so heavenly minded that we’re of no earthly use, but what if the reverse is also true? What if we become so earthly grounded that we have no use for heaven? Aren’t we making the mistake of believing that life revolves us individually, instead of having Christ at the center?

I wish that more people would take time to think about everlasting life. According to scripture, it will be a time and a place where peace abounds, pain is gone, and God shall wipe away every tear from our faces. Being with Christ forever is a wonderful prospect to me. To hear Him speak, to watch Him rule, and to serve Him forever are precious to me and keep me from being chained to insecurity and doubt, anxiety and depression.

When Paul was writing to the young Christian churches so long ago, he wanted them to understand Christ’s eternal sovereignty. They lived under the rule of the Roman Emperor and had suffered for their faith. Paul was constantly reminding them that Jesus reigned forever, whereas Caesars would come and go. In other words, kingdoms and empires may rise and fall, but Christ’s words endure forever.

I think that Christians should meditate on the everlasting component of our faith. I believe that we should embrace eternity in our everyday lives. Some anti-religious people may call it deluded escapism, but millions of others believe it to be an everlasting hope that gives us a purpose to live our lives in meaningful, faithful, and Christian ways.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the gift of eternal life and for the many ways in which it enriches our spirits and strengthens our faith. Help us to share this wonderful hope with many people, so that they may also experience Your everlasting promises. 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@erinrpesbyterian.org.

Presbyterian Devotions: Seeing Everything

Job 28:24 For God views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens.

I love using Google Earth on my computer. It amazes me that satellite cameras can focus on my neighborhood, allowing me to see my house from outer space. I also use it to look at the places in Scotland where I used to live. I can truly say that I can see my Dad’s house in Glasgow, Scotland from here in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sometimes when I’m looking at Glasgow or Maybole where I ministered, I follow a road or a bus route and relive journeys from my past. I look at lochs and glens, beaches and bays and fondly remember days of my childhood and youth. We live in a remarkable age and I am truly delighted at having these experiences.

I also use Google Earth to look at places that are mentioned in the Bible. It gives me an idea of what kind of scenery that various biblical characters must have had when they walked the Earth. Recently, our church has been reading and studying Paul’s Letter to the Colossians and I found it interesting to look at the modern day region of Hanoz in Turkey. It made me realize how isolated those Colossians Christians were from the rest of the Mediterranean Church.

When I read this verse today from the Book of Job, it made me wonder if God looks across the Earth and not only sees what’s happening now, but fondly remembers times gone by when His Biblical people and Christ’s Early Church moved across the Mediterranean and Middle East. I guess if I can look at places in Scotland nostalgically, then God probably does the same.

I like that. I like the fact that God is watching me and recalling the events of my life at the same time. It comforts me to know that through Christ there are no barriers between God and me. And it reassures me to feel that God is very interested in each and every individual life on Earth. He truly views the ends of the Earth and sees everything under the heavens.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for embracing this planet called Earth and its entire population. Thank You for the investment of Your Son Jesus in our history, geography, and lives. And thank You for the comfort that Your watchful and loving presence gives to each and every one of us. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully 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: Picking on Paul

1 Corinthians 15:2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

It’s very theologically fashionable these days to bash Paul and his writings. I come across many people who want to discard any of Paul’s statements and just concentrate on the Gospel. After all, these people insist, “why should I listen to Paul when Jesus can tell me everything I need to know?”

What they really mean is that they want to practice their faith on very loose terms. Their whole theology tends to be summed up in two neat phrases: ‘Jesus loves me this I know’ and ‘I’m OK ,You’re OK.’ It’s a very infantile form of faith and one that has no merit in God’s Kingdom.

You see if our faith was very simple and agreeable to everyone, Christ would never have been crucified and people like Paul would not have been martyred. We need to take seriously what Christ and Paul both have to say, because they’re working off the same page. Christ dies to save the world and then chooses Paul to spread the Gospel. What Paul writes doesn’t come from him alone – it all originates in Christ.

That’s why when we read a statement like ‘by the gospel you are saved’ with the condition ‘if you hold firmly to the word I preached’, we have to take them both together. The Gospel is not just a collected bundle of holy stories about Christ, the Gospel is an invasive forceful word of God that challenges our lifestyles and changes our souls for all of eternity.

Paul also gets it right when he states “otherwise you have believed in vain.” People are constantly diluting the Gospel to suit themselves and end up with no salvation. They believe what they want to accept, and end up with a cozy version of an uncomfortable faith.

So the challenge for us today is this: what Gospel do we believe in? Our own or Paul’s?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are so fiercely independent these days that we become indignant when Your teaching or Paul’s writings interfere and meddle with our lives. We sometimes resent the constraints that the Gospel places upon us, but instead of accepting Your words, we make up our own ideas and opinions. Forgive us, Lord, for disrespecting and disassociating ourselves with You and Your Chosen Apostle. Help us to honestly reevaluate our commitment to You, Your Church, and Kingdom. 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.