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: An Inconvenient Gospel

John 16:31 "You believe at last!" Jesus answered.

Years ago, when I ministered to the Scottish fishing village of Dunure, some people stopped coming to church. Eventually, they were asked by a couple of elders of why they had become non-attenders. They replied, “He’s too evangelical for me.”

I was sorry to see them go, but I also took their criticism as a compliment. I am, first and foremost, a preacher of the Gospel and I see that my work is to express the need for everyone to be saved by Christ. In some areas of the world, it’s not popular, but if ever I was to start preaching according to what’s popular, I would have sold my soul to the world.

Even Jesus had difficulty in getting His disciples to understand how crucially and eternally important His Gospel message was. He laid everything on the line, including His life, to offer the world the glorious opportunity of being forgiven and being restored to God’s love. He was, and still is, an all or nothing kind of preacher. The Gospel is not just a collection of stories that we can joyfully meander through at our leisure. The Gospel takes us to a crucial crossroads in each of our lives, where we either commit our ways to the Lord, or we head down our own dead end.

When I heard the criticism that I was ‘far too evangelical’ all those years ago, I wanted to say, “If you think I’m evangelical, you should really listen to Jesus!” When He speaks the truth about God, or talks about commitment, discipleship, or even money, Christ never compromises. One day, after we each die, we’ll learn that for the last time. The dilemma that faces us on Earth is this: will I learn and accept it now, while there is still time, or will I wait until it’s too late?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to overcome our unbelief about You and settle this Gospel question in our hearts for all time. Enable us to get over our discomfort and fears, our mental and spiritual opposition to Your Message. Give us the courage to accept Your Gospel and stop us from creating a convenient truth for ourselves. 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: Resident Evil

Our community in Knoxville is grieving and angry this morning. A while ago, a young couple – Chris Newsom and Channon Christian – were car-jacked, kidnapped, raped, tortured, horrendously mutilated, and savagely murdered by a gang of people over several days. The details of the crime have sent shock waves throughout our town and we are all heartbroken for the families concerned.

Yesterday, the first trial of one of the gang members ended. Everyone thought that the death penalty was assured because the brutal and monstrous killing of these young people was so savage that only a State execution would satisfy those who were looking for justice. The jury, however, decided that life imprisonment without parole was deemed enough punishment for the perpetrator.

Local radio shows and newspapers have been swamped with callers and comments who are outraged. The families of the young couple are also very angry and disappointed with the jury. The one consolation, if there is any in this case, was expressed by a family member: “At least he will never be allowed on the streets of Knoxville again.”

As Christians, we are supposed to forgive those who sin against us, but in this particular horrendous case, can anyone of us find that ounce of forgiveness in our hearts? It is so difficult.

The other four gang members are to begin their trials in the next month. The ringleader of the group is being tried soon. The Newsom and Channon families will have to again go through the public hell of hearing how their children were savagely assaulted and wickedly killed. Our hearts and prayers go out to them.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there seems to be so much wickedness in the world, even in the midst of our own community. We feel shocked and helpless, numbed and powerless in the face of such blatant evil. Help us to find a way of turning these horrible events into goodness and strength, healing and wholeness for our broken community. In Your Holy Name, we helplessly pray. Amen.

Presbyterian Devotions: Real Rejoicing!

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Throughout the summer months, when our church choir does not meet, our Creative Expressions team encourages our church kids to present the anthem during worship on Sunday mornings. The leader of our ministry team, Cynthia, and Joe our choir director, take time out from their own busy schedules to rehearse the songs that our church kids will sing.

Sometimes the kids sing solo; on other occasions they present duets, trios, and ensembles to the Lord. They even do dance routines, taught by one of our moms, for their songs. The kids are as young as first graders and as ‘old’ as Middle Schoolers. It’s wonderful to watch them confidently and enthusiastically sing for the Lord. Their joy in church becomes a great boost to the whole congregation and we rejoice along with them. We feel truly blessed to have such dedicated leaders and creative kids.

Rejoicing is an important part of any church’s worship life. When we joyfully praise God, we do two things: firstly, we express our love to God, and secondly, we attract other people to worship Christ. It’s a wonderful way of living out our faith and sharing our beliefs.

As our church kids grow up, we hope that they will remember their joyful experiences in church, so that when they become adults they will have a solid foundation for their faith. We may never see the full extent of God’s work in their lives, but we will continue to rejoice with them, so long as we are all here.

Today, let’s look for moments of rejoicing in the Lord. Let’s seek out those precious times when we can joyfully and effectively share our faith in Christ. And as we rejoice in Jesus, let’s also pray that others will be attracted to our Savior and His church.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we rejoice in You, for You are the One Great Love and Hope in our lives. Help us to make this day a time of faithful rejoicing in our work, at our homes, and amongst our friends. In Your Most 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: Compassion for a Killer

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

There’s been a lot of outrage expressed on both sides of the Atlantic about the Scottish Secretary of Justice’s decision to release the convicted Libyan bomber of Pan-Am Flight 103. Radio Talk shows and newspapers, TV and cable news networks have been reporting on the outburst of anger and the cries of injustice that have been heard across the land.

Families from both the United States and Lockerbie, Scotland have been interviewed. Reports of their dismay and frustration have been circulated across the Web. Many have called for the resignation of the Secretary of Justice, as well as expressing their hope that the bomber Megrahi dies a slow and painful death. And, as if to rub salt in the wounds, Megrahi’s heroic homecoming in Libya was too much to take.

I remember the night of the bombing very well. All of our churches in Maybole, Scotland had been celebrating an inter-denominational Christmas service at the Old Kirk. My pastor friend Colin, who preached the sermon, had even put a garland of tinsel in his hair. I think I was wearing a Santa helper’s hat as well. It was a wonderful service and we all went home joyfully praising God.

And then it happened. Our celebrations were over. The whole of Scotland was shocked. Lockerbie was engulfed in flames. If the bomb had gone off fifteen minutes later, it probably would have hit Maybole, which was directly under the flight path.

The Scottish people were outraged and demanded that the bombers, if caught, be brought to trial in Scotland. Megrahi was eventually caught and sentenced to life imprisonment. The evidence against him was questionable and it seemed as though he was being scapegoated by the real perpetrators of the horrific bombing. Indeed, some of the British families, who lost loved ones in the bombing, campaigned on Megrahi’s behalf for a second appeal. It was recently denied by the Law Courts, so Megrahi was expected to languish and die in prison.

He’s suffering from a terminal condition and isn’t expected to live much longer. The Secretary of Justice released him on grounds of compassion, which is that great gift of God given to us through the suffering of Christ. Compassion, like mercy, is not given because anyone deserves it, but because someone needs it. Many are outraged and wonder why such a heinous killer of innocent people is being given his freedom. But that’s what compassion is – the turning of the other cheek, along with loving our enemies. It’s hard to practice, justify, or even accept.

I think Lord McCluskey, a retired Scottish judge, whom I admire greatly, summed it up best when he said: "There is no reason for us not to show compassion – apart from revenge, which isn't the sweetest of virtues."

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we honestly do not understand why evil occurs in the world, nor do we fully comprehend why evil people prevail at times. You give us a very weak weapon in the world’s eyes to confront and overcome evil: compassion. Help us to accept that this is our calling as Christians, especially when it is least popular. 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: Room for Hypocrites

Psalm 26:4 I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites;

Over the years, I’ve heard some people say, “I don’t go to church. It’s full of hypocrites.” My usual answer to that is: “Don’t worry. There’s always room for one more.”

There’s also no such thing as a perfect church on Earth because congregations are made up of imperfect people. We go to church because we know that. We seek the Perfect One in our lives. We know that only Christ is sinless and unhypocritical. We understand that we fail each day to live up to the demands our faith. We don’t go to church because we are spiritually holy; we go to church because we find the Holy Spirit there.

I’m amazed sometimes at people who publicly talk about God in their lives, but who never seem to get around to going to church on Sunday. I don’t get it, nor do I understand it. If God is so important to them, then why isn’t church on their timetable? Do they honestly believe that church is an option to their faith?

If they take time to read their Bibles, they would discover that church-going and being a Christian go hand in hand. From the earliest times of our faith, Christians would gather together on the first day of the week (Sunday) to worship, sing hymns, hear the Gospel, and share communion. They did it in defiance of the authorities, and in the knowledge that they could be arrested, persecuted, and even executed for such a simple gathering of faithful people. In the 17^th century, the Scottish Covenanters experienced the same thing, and in today’s China, Sunday Church groups meet together knowing that the police could break up their services at any time.

The church is full of hypocrites, but at least it’s full of people who prioritize their collective worship of God, especially on a Sunday morning. As for those other hypocrites who always talk about God but never get around to actually worshiping Christ on Sundays, we’ll leave the door open. After all, there’s room at worship for them, too.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each week on the Sabbath Day, You were to be found in a local synagogue. Even though You are the closest being to God, You never treated worship lightly. Even Your first followers, who began worshiping on Sundays to recognize Your Resurrection, never stopped going to church, even though they were hunted down and persecuted, tortured and executed for defying the authorities. Help us hypocrites to find room at church on Sunday mornings. In Your Holy Name, we humbly 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: Real Reality

Galatians 6: 3 If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

We live in a sad age when reality television rules our popular culture. Whether its Octomom or the Gosseleins, the Bachelor or Big Brother, our whole society seems obsessed with people who’s only talent is to brazenly tout their rudeness and crass ways on the small screen. I was even sadly shocked to see that inside the Smithsonian Castle (Washington, DC) of all places, the three chairs and desk for the judges of American Idol were prominently displayed. I guess that the dumbing down of our culture is one of the major indicators that our civilization is breaking apart. Everybody wants to get their fifteen minutes of fame, no matter what the cost is to themselves. Perhaps Andy Warhol was a prophet after all.

This self-centered narcissism is nothing new to our society. Paul wrote about it to the Christians in Galatia almost 2000 years ago. At that time, the fledgling Christian community was trying to establish itself. A few people, however, were beginning to aggrandize themselves by making them out to be better than everyone else. Paul nipped this in the bud by writing about the sin of pride and the mistake of being self-centered in a Christ-centered community. There was no room for esteem, ambition, and power in the church. All the honor and glory belonged to Christ. As Paul so aptly put it, ‘If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.’

Reality occurs when we check our pride and humble ourselves before Christ. It might not make good television, but when the audience is God, it makes a real opportunity for us to be restored to His love and kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to get real and to understand the ultimate reality of life occurs when we give our hearts to You and place our lives into Your hands. Forgive us for being wiled by worldly distractions and enable us to experience what is actually real for our souls, our culture, and society. In Your Holy Name, we humbly 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.

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