Celtic Devotions: The value of VBS - Acts 8:26-31

Acts 8:30-31    Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked.

"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

Some of the most important work in the church’s year is taking place this week. It’s our annual Vacation Bible School and this year’s theme is all about pirates, Paul and shipwrecks. The kids love the singing, story-telling, crafts and games, and our church is so blessed with many faithful volunteers.

Those volunteers are crucial to passing on our faith to the next generation. Their week-long commitment is a life-long investment in the spirits of our children. Years after the VBS program is over, some of the kids will remember their friends, families, and church workers enjoying the whole experience. Hopefully, it will keep them positively connected to God and the lessons that they learn will give them the godly guidance to help them make good decisions in their lives.

In today’s passage (Acts 8:26-31), the apostle Philip is urged by the Holy Spirit to walk alongside a fellow traveler. The man on horseback is reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah but he does not understand what is written. Philip has been placed there beside him to interpret the writings and tell the Ethiopian about Jesus. The consequences of this conversation will have a profound effect on the travelers and will introduce the Gospel to Africa.

As Christians, we are all called to share our faith and help other people understand who Jesus is. Philip did this for the Ethiopian; our VBS team is doing it for the children. The question we should all be asking ourselves today is this: where will the Spirit place me today to share Christ?

Prayer:                        Holy Spirit, thank You for the inspiration that You have given to Christ’s followers throughout the centuries. Thank You for the work of evangelists like Philip and faithful people like Vacation Bible School volunteers. May their ministries plant seeds of faith, which will bear much fruit in the generations to come. In Christ’s 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 latest moonlight drawings of Maybole Castle in Scotland. If you would like to view a larger version online, please visit the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4735805847_8513427a20_b.jpg

Celtic Devotions: Hoots Mon! - Psalm 61

Psalm 60:4      I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. 

Things didn’t go according to plan at a wedding in Scotland yesterday. A tame owl had been specially trained to carry the wedding rings and land on a perch beside the outside altar. It was supposed to be a wonderfully synchronized event. However, the piper began playing just as the owl was signaled to fly. A scared lapwing shot out of the bushes and the owl chased its prey up into a tree. The lapwing escaped but the owl remained perched on a branch. The wedding rings were still attached to its legs!

As one of my Scottish friends wrote: what a hoot! Eventually the owl was coaxed down from the tree and the ceremony continued. If Robert Burns had been around, I guess he could have penned the immortal lines: “the best laid schemes of owls and pipers gang aft agley.”

When the psalmist wrote about taking refuge in the shelter of God’s wings, he wasn’t literally saying that God had wings. He was using a metaphor to describe his absolute confidence in God’s protection. In the midst of his personal troubles and crisis, he had the utmost faith in God’s guidance and deliverance. Even if all of the psalmist’s plans went haywire, he would be still be assured of God’s grace and love.

To me, this is what makes faith so important –it gives us a hope in God that He will not abandon us, and a love from God that can never be extinguished.

Prayer:                        Lord God, thank You for allowing us to take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Thank You for granting us unlimited grace and everlasting love. In the midst of our problems and worries, we constantly rely upon Your Presence and Guidance. In Jesus’ 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 John’s drawing of Dunure Castle in the West of Scotland parish where he used to minister. You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4718989531_b55884b457_b.jpg

Celtic devotions: Bannockburn Day - Psalm 60

Psalm 60:12    With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies.

Today is Bannockburn Day in Scotland. On the 24^th June, 1314, the Scots defeated the invading English army at a place called Bannockburn and firmly established their independence. Robert the Bruce was the King of Scots and his fearless leadership won the battle for the outnumbered Scots. Bruce was the military leader who followed in the footsteps of William Wallace (Braveheart).

For ten years after the execution of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce labored hard at getting the Scots ready to win their independence. Just like George Washington centuries later, Bruce lost minor skirmishes but when it came to the one crucial battle of the War for Scottish Independence, he outwitted the English forces at Bannockburn and won the day. Ever since then, the Scots have celebrated the battle and their independence.

On the deciding day of the two day battle, the outnumbered Scots advanced on the English but before they commenced fighting, the whole army knelt in prayer. Edward II, the English king, was reported to have been surprised by this and mockingly said, "They pray for mercy!"

"For mercy, yes," one of his attendants replied, "But from God, not you. These men will conquer or die."

It seems strange to ask God for providence and mercy on the battlefield, and yet when men are faced with the prospect of death in war, prayer is what they often resort to. In Western history, the winning of battles actually helped to expand Christianity. A victory was often interpreted as God’s favor through Christ, no matter how bloodthirsty or gory the battle might have been.

These days, we pray for the safety of our troops and still ask for God’s blessing and guidance in the midst of our wars. We look for justice and peace more than overwhelming victory and the complete annihilation of our enemies. We want Christ’s peace to be truly promoted, as opposed to that militaristic religious righteousness which only festers future divisions and engenders wasteful wars.

Prayer:                        Lord God, we thank You for the liberty and independence that we experience in our lives today. Sadly, we recognize that much of our freedoms were given to us through the battles that our people fought in the past and by the lives that were laid down in defense of our nation. Help us not to take our liberties for granted and remind us to pray for wisdom for our leaders and safety for our troops. In Christ’s Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is of a statue of Robert the Bruce on the field of Bannockburn. You can read more about the battle at the following link: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Battle_of_Bannockburn

Celtic Devotions: Stephen's Sacrifice - Acts 7

Acts 7:60         Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “LORD, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

Stephen was the first martyr of the Christian Church. Initially, he was chosen to be a deacon who looked after the widows and orphans in the faith community. The Holy Spirit inspired Stephen to become a street preacher, which in turn, led to his death by stoning. He was an incredible young man and a zealous servant for Christ. He knew what had to be done and what needed to be preached. He didn’t balk against peer pressure or the religious authorities. Christ’s message had to be broadcast in brave and dauntless ways. If it meant being unpopular, harassed, or persecuted, Stephen didn’t flinch. He was both faithful and fearless at the same time. To him, to live was Christ, and to die was gain.

Sometimes I’ve had to preach an unpopular message which has upset people in church. From time to time, I’ve endured criticism for preaching the Gospel. It would be far easier to give in to cultural pressures and say what people want to hear, but then I would be pandering to my own narcissism and become guilty of leading the people astray.

I’m not perfect and I make mistakes, but I don’t believe that Christ made any mistakes and that the young Christian Church, along with its martyrs like Stephen, was more in tune with Christ’s message than we are today. The world is busy telling us that we need to change or we will die. Christ’s Gospel states that people need to change or they will perish. The two messages are poles apart. If we ever forget that the Church is Christ’s Bride and is not the World’s Partner, we will be in danger of discrediting Christ’s ministry and dishonoring His Way.

So what’s it going to be folks? Will we become so enamored by the world that we will embrace its ways, or will we remain loyal to Christ and preach His message with our lives, no matter how unpopular, unworldly, and unacceptable that might be to our present culture?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are fallible people and imperfect followers. We want to be Your servants and devoted disciples. Challenge us today and change those things in our lives that hinder the impact of Your message upon our choices and deeds. 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.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Poppy Dawn.” If you would like to view a larger image, you can see it online at http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4713447758_ce72edb0f3_b.jpg

Celtic devotions: Family Gathering - Acts 7

Acts 7:16         Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.

The wee stillborn baby that I baptized last week was buried in his family’s cemetery. Generations of his relatives have been laid to rest in that hallowed place. It was very touching to see his wee white coffin being given its sacred place in such beautiful surroundings. His precious life within his young mother’s womb was both valued and honored by the whole family. At some future point, a little white cross or a stone angel will probably mark where he is resting.

Graves are witnessing sites to previous generations. I know of many families who reunite once a year at family graveyards to honor the past lives of their loved ones. I think that this is a wonderful thing to do, because it keeps the continuity of past, present, and future generations linked together.

When the bodies of Jacob, Joseph, and his brothers were taken back to Shechem, they were identifying themselves as true descendants of Abraham. They were also laying a perpetual claim to the land and fulfilling God’s promises. This is why Moses and the Hebrew children headed back there four hundred years later. This is also why the Jews laid claim to the land and re-inhabited it in 1948. Israel exists as a nation today simply because God’s promises are always fulfilled. Abraham’s foresight in purchasing the land thousands of years ago validates the existence of the Israeli nation today, not just according to the scriptures, but also through Middle East inheritance customs.

In years to come, when Old Mortality catches me, I’ll either be buried or cremated depending upon what my family decides. It would be nice to be laid to rest somewhere that future generations could gather together and say that this is where the Stuarts in America began. However, for me the real reunion and final family gathering that will mean so much more will be that glorious day when Christ gathers His followers to Himself and we become part of that great Christian family of faith, hope, and love in His Kingdom forever. Now that’s a family gathering  I am really looking forward to!

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for the sacred resting places of our people and loved ones. Thank You for the family reunions that take place each year at churches and graveyards all over the world. And we praise You for that coming glorious day when we will be gathered together in the Heavenly realms to be with You and all our loved ones forever. 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.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing of an old Dutch Windmill in winter. If you would like to view a larger version, please click the following link: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1300/4705518404_6b5427a32f_b.jpg

Celtic Devotions: Constructive Worship

Psalm 57:7      My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. 

Yesterday, a loud bang occurred that shook the entire church building. It wasn’t an earthquake or an explosion. It was the demolishing of the concrete entranceway to our sanctuary. We’re building a new carport that will allow our people to drive their cars to the front door. Our church rests upon a steep incline which makes it difficult for some of our seniors and families to walk from their cars to the sanctuary, especially when it is wet. Over the years, several people have fallen in slippery conditions, so we’re hoping to put an end to that by building the new entranceway with a car port.

The downside is that this demolition and construction is going to affect us for about four months. Our people will have to come into the sanctuary from a different set of doors. It will be inconvenient for a while, but the hope is that our people will still faithfully attend church each Sunday because they want to worship together in the sanctuary. Our hearts will be steadfast and we will sing and make music to the glory of the Lord.

This will also give us an opportunity to see what kind of priority our people give to worship. Churches exist purely to glorify Christ and praise the Name of God. Everything else that we do as a church is merely temporal and peripheral. Worship takes place in Heaven and on Earth. Worship goes beyond this world and on into the next. Worship is infinite; all else that we do is finite and limited to this one life. If we choose to be active in our faith community, but do not make worship a priority, then we are only serving ourselves and dishonoring God by robbing Him of the glory and praise due to Him for His work amongst us.

For the next four months, it will be interesting to see what happens to our worship numbers. I hope that the Holy Spirit will bless each of our people with perseverance and patience, enthusiasm and endurance so that by the end of summer, our worshipping community will actually be stronger, more faithful, and closer to God.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the blessing of worship in our lives, churches, and communities. We praise You for such a divine privilege and we pray that we will never take it for granted. Throughout times of change and challenge, keep us consistently seeking to praise, glorify, and worship You. Both now and forever, 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 of John’s latest drawing called Sunsphere Celebration which depicts the Knoxville Sunsphere on Independence Day. If you would like to view a larger version online, please click the following link: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4024/4698147293_f49d8d39a6_b.jpg