Category: Sunday devotions

Sunday Shorts – Choices

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 21BsJohn 6:66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.

It was the lowest point in Christ’s itinerant ministry. For three years, He had traveled up and down Galilee, gathering a great number of disciples and followers through His preaching, teaching, and healing. But now things were becoming gravely serious because He was meddling in people’s lives. Jesus was also notorious to some of the authorities, and His preaching kept hitting raw nerves. On this particular occasion, Christ called His followers’ faith into question, suggesting that some among them did not believe in His ministry and mission. And what was the outcome? The scripture states it very plainly: ‘Many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.’

Christ continues to have a way of doing that same thing to Christians in our time, too. He still confronts us today, questioning our choices, demanding firm allegiance, and challenging our ways. We all want hope in our lives and a loving Savior, but we sometimes find it difficult to accept the belief baggage and lifestyle lessons that come along with our Christian faith. And for some folks, like those in today’s scripture (John 6:60-66), this is too hard to accept and apply, so they also sadly drift away from Jesus and His Church.

The good thing about this incident is that not all of the disciples abandoned Him. It was left to that good old boy, Peter, to encourage Jesus for a change. When His Savior asks the Twelve, “Will you also go away?”, the Big Fisherman gives the sweetest answer to Christ’s ears. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Our faith journey isn’t easy and sometimes we will be discouraged or deceitful, sinful or faithless, but we shouldn’t despair. Instead, we should look at how Christianity ends. We do have a wonderful Savior and the promise of everlasting life. We have the opportunity to serve Jesus and to joyfully enter into His loving presence forever. We may feel like going away at times, but His healing words will keep drawing us back to Him to receive forgiveness and acceptance, guidance and grace. And when all is said and done, isn’t that why we placed our faith in Christ in the first place?

Point to ponder: How difficult is following Jesus for me? How can Christ help me overcome this?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we were once lost souls, whose lives had no real meaning or purpose. In Your mysterious way, You drew us towards You and helped us to give our hearts to You. Sometimes, being a Christian is very difficult and we don’t always get it right. We thank You for Your patience, forgiveness, and grace. Without them, we would perish from the Earth and have no hope. With them, we will delight in Your love forever, for You have the words of eternal life. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms – Real Servants

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Psalm devotions, Sunday devotions

Psalm 084sPsalm 84:10    Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (NIV)

I remember a time when we didn’t have a custodian on duty at the church I served on Sunday mornings. This meant that I had to make the coffee because I was one of the first to arrive at the church. I also swept up the leaves at the front door, which usually collected in between Sunday school and worship. Some church members even joked with me when they caught me sweeping those leaves, asking if I had been promoted! It was all good fun, enhancing the friendship and fellowship at the church. It also helped me maintain a balanced perspective and kept my spiritual feet on solid ground.

I love the highlighted verse from today’s psalm because it reminds us that the practice of humility in God’s service is far more precious to Him than any fame or fortune, power or prestige. Whatever we do for the church, we are meant to do it humbly, firstly because we love God and secondly because we want to simply help others, so that they may be attracted to serving God as well.

When we think about Christ coming among us, we may be humbled and touched by the simplicity of Christ’s entrance into the world. He didn’t come to Earth surrounded by thousands of angels and glorified by rulers from all over the world. He wasn’t born into a family esteemed with riches and made prosperous through their power. His first abode was a wooden shack, usually reserved for animals. His life was endangered almost immediately by King Herod, and his family became refugees for a while. Rather than being recognized as the King of kings and Lord of lords, He was just a mere baby, unprotected and vulnerable, with no power or authority.

This is why serving the Lord at church should never be something that we undertake in order to fulfill our ambitions or build up our esteem. We serve the Lord because we are His servants. He calls and expects us to humbly do His will. He wants us to fulfill His ministries and missions, as opposed to our own dreams and desires. In other words, what we do at church is not to glorify ourselves, but to humbly worship God.

Point to ponder: Whatever I do in church, is it to make me feel good or to glorify God’s goodness?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we proclaim You as our King, making us Your subjects. Help us to recognize and accept that we serve You, so that You will be honored and glorified. Give us the heart of a humble servant and encourage us to attract others to serve You faithfully, too. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sunday Shorts – Sacred Vessels

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 20BsJohn 6:54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 

I remember the first time I actually saw a church communion set. It took place in an old Gothic-style church, just outside of Glasgow, Scotland. My High School class was on a long-sponsored walk one Saturday and the church was a resting place for all of the participants. As we entered the Fellowship Hall, the first thing that drew my attention were the pewter plates and ornate stacking trays with little glasses in them on a long table. I had never seen anything like them before, so my teacher explained that these were the Communion vessels which the church would be using during worship the next day.

I was intrigued and also impressed. The minister and a few elders were carefully cleaning the vessels which made me realize they were handling special things. It was only years later when I first formally took Communion as a church member that I understood similar vessels in my own congregation were regarded as sacred objects and treated with the utmost care.

When Jesus talked to His people about being the living bread and how His body and blood would nurture them, they didn’t fully understand what He meant. Some of them even regarded Jesus as being crazy and left His company of disciples. But for those who stayed with Him and experienced the Last Supper, they soon realized after His resurrection that Christ was referring to His sacred sacrifice on the Cross and that generations of Christians would experience that same holiness when they celebrated Communion in their own churches. It would become a sacred time of spiritually connecting people to Jesus and with one another.

No matter where or when I take Communion, it is still a sacred moment in my life. The minister and elders from that old church taught me something special that day long ago and I will always be grateful for how they showed the deepest respect for Christ as they carefully cleaned those beautiful vessels.

Point to ponder: How do I experience the sacredness of Communion in my church?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for sacrificing Yourself for all our sins, as well as for reconnecting humanity to You through Communion. Help us to respect such a beautiful celebration as special and sacred in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

 

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sunday Shorts – For the World

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 19BsJohn 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The main Olympics have come to an end, but soon the Paralympics will begin. Both of these major worldwide events invite athletes from all over the globe to compete against their peers in their specialized sports. It’s a remarkable spectacle over several weeks and one that truly represents the agility, diversity, and ability of each participant. They give their all for their represented nation in the hope of winning a medal not just for themselves, but for the people they represent. The athletes are focused on their chosen events and take a great deal of pride in performing at their fastest, strongest, and best. When they succeed and climb on the podium to receive their well-deserved medals, they are elated and the crowd of watching spectators cheer and applaud them. They have given their lives to their sport, so they bask in their triumphs and celebrate their victories which have made them famous.

Jesus also gave His life, not for fame or a nation, but for the entire world. The only podium that He was given was nailed beneath His crucified feet to prolong His painful death. The only medal He received was a crown of thorns that caused Him to bleed profusely. The crowd of spectators around and below the Cross, jeered and attacked Him. His enemies were elated as He was humiliated. His foes were thankful because His death was disgraceful. And yet, despite the spite and however great the hate, Jesus gave His all and died for them. He came down from heaven and offered them the bread of eternal life; His broken body on the Cross which He freely gave for the life of the world.

After the Olympics are over, the athletes will return to their own nations to be lauded and applauded for a while. Eventually, their achievements will become a part of sporting history but within two or three generations, they will largely be forgotten. Christ, however, will still be praised for giving His life for the world until Time and History are no more. And then Jesus will be eternally praised and celebrated by those who choose to follow Him faithfully and serve Him daily with their lives. Remember, Christ gave all so that we might gain all. Hallelujah!

Point to ponder: How did Christ’s sacrifice succeed in earning me my salvation?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your victory over sin and death has blessed us with forgiveness and faith. We live in hope because You won the battle for us. We are thankful for Your sacrifice and grateful for Your Love. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms – Crying Out

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Psalm devotions, Sunday devotions

Psalm 130sPsalm 130:1-2 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. (NIV)

I once heard the pitiful cry of an elderly woman in the church sanctuary during a time of quiet prayer. She had recently lost her eldest son and found it very difficult to deal with her grief. We had just played and sung an old praise chorus which contained the words from Psalm 63 “Thy Loving Kindness is better than life.” Her heart was broken, so she couldn’t sing those words joyfully; instead, she lamented and painfully cried out, “Where was Your loving kindness when You took the life of my son?”

I didn’t know what to say to comfort her at that time, so she got up and left the sanctuary tearfully, feeling abandoned by God and disconnected to the church. It was a sad moment and one that has remained in my heart and mind for decades. I thought that I had failed her, too.

Months later, the elderly woman came back to church for the Good Friday service. I didn’t realize that she was there, but during the sermon I preached about God’s broken heart as He tearfully watched His precious Son dying on the Cross. That moment struck a chord with the elderly woman and after the worship service she told me that she at last knew God understood her loss and pain. She felt reconnected to God because they both shared the same kind of grief. It was a turning point in her life and helped her to re-dedicate herself to Christ and His church. God had heard her painful cry and she felt comforted by His empathetic love.

Perhaps you are going through a hard or a sad time. Maybe you’ve been crying out to God for help or healing. Perhaps you feel like your prayers are never answered. Please know this: God hears you and understands your pain. He is mindful of your situation and will always love you. Rest in God’s arms and be released from the burden you carry. God cares for who you are and wants you to know you are not alone, especially when you cry out in prayer.

Point to ponder: What help and healing do I need from God?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You died for our sins, identifying Yourself with human suffering, isolation, and pain. Hear us when we cry out to You for help; be mindful of us when we need Your empathy and comfort, reassurance and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sunday Shorts: Bread of Life

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 18BsJohn 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (NIV)

Recently, our whole family went out for dinner at a special pizza restaurant. The menu was amazing, and we all looked forward to eating our chosen meals. Our two-year-old granddaughter, Ellie, was there, too, but as she couldn’t read the menu, we just ordered her a plain cheese pizza.

When the server came round with some garlic bread as an appetizer, Ellie enjoyed a piece and declared it to be ‘yummy.’ She ate several more pieces, copying her older cousin Andrew, but when the server arrived with the pizzas, she didn’t want any. All that she desired to eat was more bread. She loved the taste and the texture, so she didn’t want to replace it with something else. While we all ate our chosen meals, Ellie was content to eat what was left of the bread. She knew what she liked and didn’t want to change it for anything.

When I read today’s verse where Jesus declares Himself to be the Bread of Life, I wonder how many of us are satisfied with what He has to offer us spiritually? Are we ready to accept all that Jesus brings to the table of our lives, and is it sufficient for our spirits and souls? Once we taste the bread He offers, are we content to keep feeding from Christ’s life and teaching, or do we set His pieces aside each time we come across something spiritually novel or new?

When Jesus spoke to His people about being the Bread of Life, He lived in an age where Roman emperors placated the unruly mobs in Rome with bread and circuses. The temple at Jerusalem was also a place where the best bread in the nation was religiously displayed and replaced every week, so when Jesus said He was the Bread of Life, He was radically declaring Himself to be better than the emperor and greater than the temple. It was a bold statement and one that would cost His life. Christ sought to inform His followers that as far as spiritual nourishment was concerned, He was more than enough for all of them.

Today, Jesus speaks to us through the Gospels with the same declaration, telling us in this 21st century that He is still all we need to nourish our spirits. He has invited us all to taste and see that the Lord is good; all we must do is consume what Christ has to offer.

Point to ponder: How has Jesus become my Bread of Life?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You offer to sustain us by becoming our Bread of Life. Encourage us to feed on Your words and ways that will sustain our souls and replenish our spirits. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully receive and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sunday Shorts – Enough to Eat

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 17BsJohn 6:12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” (NIV)

I like what Jesus does here – He provides food for hungry people and doesn’t let anything left over get wasted. He is declaring with this miracle that food is a human right, so hunger is something that should not happen to anyone in our world.

In recent years, the need for Food Banks has increased all over the world. In Appalachia, parents and grandparents are struggling to provide enough food for the children in their families. Across the world in war zones like the Ukraine and Gaza, food deprivation is being used as a weapon by inhumane leaders. And wherever natural disasters occur, as well as famine, millions of people try to survive on meager food resources. If Jesus were around today, how may loaves and fish would He have to break and share to provide more than enough for everybody on this planet?

Sadly, there are also ‘Christian’ political leaders who want to halt hungry schoolchildren getting free meals or punish those kids whose parents haven’t paid their expected food bills. I wonder what those leaders would do if their own free political breakfasts, lunches, and dinners were taken away from them? I wonder how they would react if they realized that Jesus gave the example of providing enough food, and more besides, for those who were hungry? To deprive children of their basic nutritional needs is to harm them, something which Jesus said would be severely punished by God to those who caused harm to any little ones.

So, what can we do to help? Support our local food banks and pantries, community ministries and charities that focus on providing food and water to those in need. We can also support the great work of the World Central Kitchen with a monthly gift which ensures food being provided, cooked, and distributed to people all over the globe. It’s a remarkable organization and one which Christ Himself would have supported to ensure others have enough to eat and that nothing is wasted.

Point to ponder: As a follower of Christ, which food ministries do I support?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You showed the example of how to help others in need of food. You did this several times for thousands of people, initiating food ministry events that included sharing Your Gospel. You provided for those who were hungry; help us to do the same whenever and wherever we can. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

 

John Stuart is a retired Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms – On the Edge – Psalm 14

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Psalm devotions, Sunday devotions

Psalm 014sPsalm 14:1 The fool says within himself, “God does not exist.” They are immoral, their deeds are disgraceful; there is nobody who does good things.

Like everyone else, I struggle with my faith at times. I’ve always believed in God as far back as I can remember, but it’s what I believe in God that keeps changing. When I first became a Christian, I wanted to convert the entire world. I actually preached on street corners in Scotland and sang hymns outside Glasgow pubs. I was fearless for Christ and wanted to show the world what unbelievers were missing. I guess I must have appeared like a religious freak to most of my drunken audience, but I was on fire for the Lord, and it didn’t bother me.

These days, I would find it tough and perhaps be too embarrassed to preach outside a city bar. I got in enough trouble preaching from the relative safety of a church pulpit. Sometimes my zeal to get the Gospel message across caused some people to get upset and leave the church. A sermon that stings is sometimes too close to the truth, even for me.

Faith is a precious gift from God, but sometimes we foolishly take it for granted or allow ourselves to cast it aside in order to indulge in sinful things. We stumble on the edge of foolishness which, for some people, can lead to affluence and unbelief, indifference and apostasy. I’m not one of those who subscribes to the belief that ‘once saved means always saved.’ I think that we can lose our salvation if we lose ourselves to the wiles of the world, which is why Jesus says in Mark’s Gospel: “Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”(Mark 4 v 25). If we were saved for all time, we could give our hearts to Christ at the age of three and spend the next 97 years doing whatever we liked.

When I preached the message on Sunday mornings, I was very much aware that we’re all just living on the edge of eternity. Who knows what tomorrow may bring, so that is why we all need to get our hearts and minds, our lives and ways right with God through Christ today. To do anything else or to leave it for another time is plainly foolish and just as spiritually harmful as the person with no belief at all.

Point to ponder: What things disrupt my belief in God? How does Christ restore me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let this be the day when we all completely surrender our lives to You. Let this be the time when we allow You totally into our hearts, to change us forever. Enable us not to keep back anything or any part of us from You. Take away our foolishness and fill us with true faith. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

My Latest Book: Sunday by Sunday – Year C Gospels

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions
SxS YCPostMy latest book is the beginning of a three-year project that I’ve been wanting to complete for years. I try to write devotionals on Sunday mornings to help church folks, teachers, and pastors focus on God’s Word for each particular Sunday. Over the years, I’ve compiled enough to cover most Sundays in each lectionary year.

My aim is to write a series of books with meditations for the lectionary Gospels, Psalms, Old Testament narratives, and the New Testament epistles.

This first book of devotionals focuses on the Gospels for Year C which begins at Advent on December 1 of this year. It contains seventy meditations including daily devotions for Holy Week, Christmas, and other Feasts. Each devotion includes a highlighted verse, short meditation, a point to ponder, as well as a short prayer. The devotions can be completed individually, with family, or a small church group.

I am already working on Year A Gospels, as well as some of the lectionary psalms. My hope is to produce twelve books which can be read year after year. The books will be available as eBooks for Kindle users (the Kindle app can be downloaded for free on any device or computer) and as paperbacks. The links to this first book are given below. I hope you may at least enjoy looking at them online.

As always, I am grateful for your encouragement and support. God bless.

John Stuart

Ebook and paperback* links

US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DB3TLLYN

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DB3TLLYN

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0DB3TLLYN

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0DB3TLLYN

*paperback copies are only available via Amazon in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Sunday Shorts – Busy Doing Nothing

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 16BsMark 6:31 Jesus said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. (NRSV)

Over many years of pastoral ministry, I saw some dedicated people who were always present for Sunday worship and church programs. They were totally immersed in the life, work, and ministries of the congregation and it seemed as though every time we opened the church doors, they were among the first to arrive. Their faith community was their family and they simply devoted themselves to serving God in their local church.

Sometimes, however, these lovely servants were too busy and stretched themselves beyond what they could do effectively for God. They did too much, said “yes” too many times, and often wouldn’t let others help them. They thought that if they temporarily gave up their work for the Lord or handed it over to someone else, the ministry or mission would suffer. Frequently, the ministry was suffering because they didn’t like to share or delegate the responsibility to some other person. However, when Covid came and forced us all to stay away from church, those people reflected on their chosen roles, soon realizing that God was working through the whole church membership, and not just them. After Covid, they fully reassessed their own service and, for the first time in years, they allowed others to work with them.

I like what Jesus suggests to His disciples in this Bible verse. They have all been very busy helping Him with His ministry. They are devoted to the Kingdom of God, but they are also sapped of their spiritual strength, so Jesus urges them all to take a break from the mission to go to a quiet place and replenish their spirits. This reveals to us how much Jesus cared for His closest followers and did not expect them to always be on duty wherever He went. By giving them time to be alone with Him, Jesus was encouraging them to do nothing for a while. The mission would always be there, and the Kingdom of God would continue, but they were only human with weaknesses and limitations. Like the writer of Psalm 23, Jesus was inviting them to find a quiet place to restore their souls.

Perhaps you need permission to let go of some of the ministries and missions in your own congregation. Maybe you’ve overextended yourself and instead of feeling the joy of serving God, it is a heavy burden to you. Let Christ encourage you to find a quiet place, to release you from your responsibilities, to enable you to reflect on how best to serve God, to replenish your weary spirit, and to refresh your tired soul. Go ahead and be busy – doing nothing.

Point to ponder: How do I serve God in my local church? Am I too busy?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us more fully than we know ourselves. We love You completely and want to serve You faithfully, but sometimes we are tired and need to rest. Help us to find a peaceful quiet place where we can be refreshed by Your Spirit and restored to God’s Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.