Free Teacher Devotions: In Christ Alone - Matthew 5:20

Today’s Bible readings: Isaiah 13:14-22  & Matthew 5:17-20

Matthew 5:20                         For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

It’s an essential tenet of the Reformation: justification by faith, not by our works. We cannot earn our way into heaven. We cannot complete a certain number of good deeds or accomplish a predetermined amount of perfect choices to get us through the pearly gates. Our good works are the fruits of our faith, but not one of them gets us into heaven.

That authority is given to Christ alone. Only He can decide whether or not we will be allowed into God’s everlasting presence. There is nothing that we can do on earth to ensure that we will be welcomed in God’s Kingdom. Only Christ can open the gates; only He can restore us to God.

This is why Christianity is a missionary faith. It’s not a private, personal spiritual lifestyle. We are all supposed to engage and confront the world, especially against those who lead people astray with their false ideas, incorrect opinions, and wayward theologies. We are all sinners, separated from God by our daily choices, imperfect ways, and wrong decisions. The gap between us and God is unbridgeable by anything that we could try to build. In Christ alone, we have a Savior. Only in Jesus, we have salvation, only he can bridge that gap. He died for our sins so that we might be offered the opportunity to be fully forgiven and completely restored to God.

His Crucifixion was no accident; it was predetermined. His sacrifice was no aberration; it was intended. His death was not unfortunate; it was providential. And His resurrection was no myth; it is the most profound reality in the history of the universe.

The gospel message is simple: Jesus died for our sins and if we believe in Him, we will be granted life beyond our own deaths. There is no other way; there is no other truth; there is no other life, save that of Christ, to bring us back to God.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, Your own words say it all: we cannot enter heaven unless our righteousness is perfect. We know that we are imperfect and unrighteous, therefore we have no hope of entering God’s Kingdom unless we pin that hope upon Your Cross. Forgive our pride, our indifference, our faithlessness, and our stubborn refusal to accept Who You are, What You have done, and All that You have promised. 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 or ask a question, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Fall drawing. It’s called ‘A Glimpse of Heaven,’ which depicts the famous Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park, West Virginia. If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6119/6278216565_0e22a63fea_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: A Great Light - Matthew 4:16

Today’s readings are Isaiah 11:10-16  and  Matthew 4:12-17

Matthew 4:16                         “The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

When I first became a minister, I worked for a while in an ophthalmic ward as its part-time chaplain. All the patients in it were recovering from eye surgery. Some of them needed implants, some suffered from glaucoma, and still others had been involved in car accidents which meant that the surgeons had to patiently pick out small fragments of glass and metal from their eyes.

95% of the time, the surgeries were successful. The other five percent had to undergo several different operations before their eye ailments were cured. Sadly, a small number of people each year remained blind. Dealing with those patients was amongst the saddest pastoral experiences I ever had.

For the rest of the patients, recovery took several days. They were gradually brought into the light, so that their eyes would not be permanently damaged by the sudden brightness of daylight. I can remember that large wooden shutters were placed over each window in the ward. The merest ray of sunshine, if prematurely exposed to the patients, could ruin their eyes forever.

The best experiences in the ward were those great days when a patient was wheeled out into the courtyard in full sunlight. Their joy was ecstatic and tears of gladness were often shed by the patients, nurses, as well their families. It was indeed a fulfilling of the old Biblical prophecy – “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”

Spiritual darkness occurs in the hearts and souls of many people in the world today. Sometimes they’ve allowed fear, disbelief and distance from God to take them back into the shadows of doubt and despair. Sometimes painful events, grief, and illnesses cause people to retreat within them, cutting themselves off from God’s love and His people. Whatever the causes or the circumstances, as a pastor I have seen the light of Christ heal, restore, and reclaim people like them for God’s Kingdom, in words and ways that cause them to rejoice in the Lord and delight in His glory.

Perhaps you are currently undergoing some pain, hardship, or trouble. Maybe you feel vulnerable, isolated, and alone. Dark clouds may have almost overwhelmed your soul and you may feel depressed. Know this: Christ has the capacity to bring you back into the light. Allow Him to do what He is best at accomplishing – restoring peoples’ lives and returning them to God’s Love. All you need to do is ask Him to do this for you, even now as you are reading this message.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You know the struggles we are all experiencing and the issues that over-shadow our lives. In the midst of all the darkness that we feel, bring to each of us Your Everlasting Light. Encourage and embrace us; empower and enable us to follow Your Light. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.

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

Today’s picture is John’s latest drawing called “Halloween Jack.” If you would like to view a larger version of this drawing, click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6242043547_520bbf2618_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: October Skies - Matthew 2:10

Today’s Bible readings:   Isaiah 9:16-21   & Matthew 2:7-12

Matthew 2:10  When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

I love October skies, especially at night. The sky is filled with a plethora of stars and galaxies on cloudless evenings. Every time I look up, I am in awe of God’s creative power and my heart is filled with joy because I know that the One who made the stars also made me.

Some people talk about us being made from the dust of former stars. I even watched a program recently on television where this was constantly being expressed. I guess scientists and astronomers are enamored by this, but for people of faith, we can go one better: we are not just made of stardust, we are created by the Starmaker Himself.

Tonight, I’ll probably look at the stars again and take delight in recognizing shapes and constellations, planets and galaxies that I have known since I was a young boy in Scotland. But I’ll also take extra delight in knowing that I am a child of God’s grace, created to enjoy His wonders, as well as being eternally saved by His glorious Son.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of grace and reconciliation that You bought with Your Life for all of Creation. You have restored the blessedness of all things that God has made and we look forward to the Great Day when You will return to reclaim Your people. Be with us this day and night. Grant us the delight of seeing God’s work in the world and universe. 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 one of John’s Psalm drawings. It depicts a verse from Psalm 33 where God is said to have breathed out the stars. You can view a larger version of the drawing by clicking on the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3387/3249875950_c61fc2c8f3_b.jpg

Advent Devotions for Kindle: Preparing the Way by John Stuart

I’ve written a 25 devotional e-book for Kindle to help people prepare their hearts and minds for the Advent season. As well as Bible verses, stories and meditations, the Kindle book also contains a new Advent/Christmas/winter drawing for each daily message.

It’s an ideal way of keeping Advent and full of finger-tip resources for busy Christians. It only costs $1.99 and may be used as a reflective guide or for opening meetings during the season of Goodwill.

Clicking on the following Amazon ad will take you straight to the book.

Devotions for Teachers: No More Night - Revelation 22:5

Revelation 22:5          There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

I love seeing the moon and the stars in the night sky, but I guess that I’m going to miss them in Eternity. This verse from Revelation makes it quite clear that night and darkness will have no place in God’s Everlasting Kingdom. God is Light, so there will be nothing to get in the way of Him and those of us who make it into Heaven. Everything and everyone will be bathed in the glory of God’s infinite glory.

Things will be different, which means that we will be different too. The lives that we live here on Earth are just mere shadows compared to the everlasting brightness to come. We have got so much ahead of us that the present changes, turbulence, and difficulties will quite literally pale next to the heavenly glories that we are still to experience. Compared to God’s Kingdom, the world will just be another dull place.

That doesn’t mean to say that I’m wishing my life away; quite the reverse actually. I’m hoping for more of God’s brightness, light and love to be seen and experienced in the dark places on Earth. I’m praying for a revival in my life, my church, and my faith through the opening up of the minds and hearts of our people, our communities, and our culture. For too long, we’ve let the darkness overshadow our society. It’s time to be truly enlightened by Christ and not artificially brightened by the world.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World. You come into our dark ways and times in order to show us the everlasting brightness and glory of God. Open the eyes of our hearts, so that we may truly see God’s everlasting brilliance in the world. By the power of Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing which is simply called “Surfer.” It features a surfer within a wave. If you would like to see a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6177/6201329105_b1e187698e_b.jpg