March Devotionals—Patrick of Ireland: A Devotional History

Patrick of Ireland: A Devotional History

In the early part of March considerable attention is given to the memory of St. Patrick in the run-up to the celebrations on the 17^th March. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are now a worldwide phenomenon and growing every year. Irish mythology is brought to life in the streets of many cities as green-coloured leprechauns parade under green bunting and drink green beer. City fountains bubble up with green water, major rivers run green, and multitudes sport shamrocks and green face paint. It is just another opportunity for a shindig, an Irish pastime!

Most of what is commonly believed about Patrick is false. He never chased the snakes out of Ireland, never mentioned the Church in Rome in his writings, and was never officially canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. However, setting aside all the myth and mystery of Patrick—and there’s lots of it—and setting aside the celebrations that have no relation to this ancient saint, let’s get to the heart of Patrick’s story.

There are only two pieces of literature that historians are agreed on that accurately tell us about Patrick because they were written by him. One is his own Confession, a declaration of the work of God in his life: his conversion, his call to Ireland, and his ministry. The other is a letter he wrote to the soldiers of Coroticus, a British warrior, complaining of the capture of and brutality to Christians in Ireland.

The devotionals in the month of March will be taken from the Confession and the Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus and will also draw from other historical material to give context to the writings of Patrick. They will form a devotional history of the first missionary to Ireland and the one of the first Christian voices to be raised against slavery.

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Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 23rd) Smile, Jesus Loves You

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:46-47

When bumper stickers were more in fashion a few years ago one of the most popular said, “Smile, Jesus loves you.”

But that slogan really misses the point of the gospel. It doesn’t address the great issue of sin or make clear that the real joy that Jesus gives is freedom from sin. It falls horribly short of the core truths of the gospel. True Christians—those who have been born again of the Spirit of God and who have therefore been brought into a saving union with Christ—and only true Christians have cause to be glad!

Real happiness is inseparably linked to salvation. That’s obvious from our text for today. The newly converted saints in Jerusalem continued daily in a spirit of gladness. They enjoyed being Christians. Despite the persecution of the church and the difficulties they faced, the early disciples knew that they had been delivered from their sins, from their guilt, from the wrath to come and that’s reason to smile!

The psalmist said, “Happy is that people whose God is the Lord.” Does your knowledge of the Lord make your heart smile? When your read His Word or hear it preached do you praise Him? As you face the trials and troubles of life do you grit your teeth, grin, and bear it? Or do you rest upon the Lord and rejoice in Him and trust Him in every circumstance? Can you smile because you know Jesus loves you?

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 22nd) Christianity “Day by Day”

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:46-47

The phrase “nine days’ wonder” has come to signify that the novelty of something has worn off quickly. The first impressions didn’t last. The initial enthusiasm was short lived. Many things in life fall into this category. However, the spiritual experience of the thousands converted on the day of Pentecost was no nine days’ wonder!

This was real and the reality of it is indicated by the phrase “continuing daily.” These new converts did not blow hot and cold; they did not fade away. Rather, they continued to have a daily walk with God. Their lives were marked with spiritual devotion. Their days revolved around spiritual things. I’m not suggesting that they did not attend to other daily business. But the thought here is that as they went about their other business, they did so in fellowship with God and with a desire to honor Him.

Their Christianity was not once-a-week Christianity. This was daily experience, day by day with the Lord, day by day living out the gospel. Day by day—through all the struggles of the day—remembering the Lord and walking with Him.

Is my Christianity put on with my Sunday clothes? Is my piety and reverence for the Lord occasional? Does Monday morning bring me back to the cutthroat business of life, suspending Christianity until the next Lord’s Day?

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 21st) My Christian life—Vitality or Apathy?

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:46-47

In the course of my pastoral duties I often have to visit hospitals and stand by the bed of those who are seriously ill. It’s always a sobering experience to listen to faint breathing, look at pale cheeks, watch languid eyes and strain to hear very weak words. At times there seems so little energy and it is obvious that all is not well.

Sadly, sometimes vitality is rare in the body of Christ! Christians are often marked with lethargy rather than liveliness and often view gospel work with crippling indifference. It was so different in 1^st century Christianity!

The book of Acts shows a very practical and passionate Christianity. New believers did not simply make a profession of faith in Christ and then continue to live as if nothing had happened to them—their whole life was altered. It was a living experience. It was real! Christ was real! Salvation was real!

Surely this is what Paul meant when he said, “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me…” This is a Christ centered life—lived in the victory of the gospel. Is this where my life is—my prayer life—my desires after God—my appetite for the Word of God? Is my life marked with vitality or apathy?

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 20th) A New Man

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

It has often been said, “Socialism will put a new coat on a man, but salvation puts a new man in the coat.” I like that phrase because it summarizes the radical transformation that takes place at the moment of conversion. Things are never the same again. Christianity makes a dramatic and definite change, and one of those changes involves personal separation. When Acts 2 speaks of those who repented and believed on the day of Pentecost being “added unto the church” and “continuing steadfastly,” the obvious thought is that they were separated from the unbelievers and were added to the believers—to the church.

They were separated from their old ways unto Christ. Separation is an important part of the Christian life. Salvation is not a salvation in sin or a salvation to sin, it is a salvation from sin. This truth of personal separation from the world is being blurred. There are professing Christians who claim on one hand that they want to please God, but on the other hand they are reluctant to give up the sins and desires of the world.

They profess Christ but seem to be happy with the profanity, impurity, and immorality that prevails in this age. There is something wrong with that way of thinking. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “An admixture of the world and Christianity is fatal to true Christianity.” The old doctor was right.

Paul put it this way: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; … wherefore come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:14–17). What was his message? Simply this: true Christianity involves separation from the world and separation unto Christ. That is what happened in Acts 2. Is this what has happened in your life?

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 19th) Perseverance of the Saints

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

As a younger Christian I was troubled with the question, can I be saved one day but lost the next? I knew I was saved, but then I would sin and would be plagued with the thought, “I must not be saved now. I will never reach heaven!” My problem—though I didn’t know it back then—was a problem about perseverance. I knew Christ was able to save me, but was He able to keep me? I had a He-did-His-part-now-I-must-do-mine kind of mentality.

Our text today deals with the theme of perseverance. The words “continued steadfastly” mean to persevere or continue on. Remember, the disciples had been added unto Christ in salvation; therefore it was impossible for them to totally or finally fall away from the state of grace and true holiness. There are some mistaken views on this theme. We should know that the perseverance of the saints does not mean that a Christian will never sin again while he lives on earth. It means he will never completely fall from the state of grace and thus fail to attain to eternal salvation.

Furthermore, this does not mean that the believer earns heaven or deserves heaven because he has persevered. This is not the basis of our hope, for that would make it a salvation by works and destroy the basis of assurance. We should not imagine that our continuance in the faith depends solely upon us—it is in Christ.

The perseverance of the saints is not dependent on human strength, but it is, as Loius Berkhof stated, “that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of divine grace that is begun in the heart is continued and brought to completion.” Now that’s a truth worth rejoicing in!

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 18th) Fickle Christians

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42

Fickle! According to one dictionary the word means “indecisive or changeable.” It conjures up the idea of being unreliable or inconsistent. Unstable is another good way of describing a person who is fickle. And there are many professing Christians in that category. One day they show great gusto for the work of God, but the next day the gusto is gone and has been replaced with lethargy and laziness.

Fickle Christians are usually of the stop-and-start variety. They start to pray, then stop; start to attend every service in church, then stop. They start to read at Genesis with the intention of finishing at Revelation, then stop. Their Christian life is beset with serious periods of fickleness.

In Acts 2:42 the picture is different. The new converts—those who had been saved on the day of Pentecost—continued steadfastly in the things of God. That’s a tremendous little statement. Note the exact words: “They continued steadfastly.” This is a very interesting Greek term which means “to give unremitting care to; to adhere to or be devoted to.” It carries the idea of persevering and not fainting, and when it appears in Acts 2 the message is that there was a steady continuance in the things of God. This is the kind of Christian steadiness that we need. I’m always impressed by the indomitable spirit of the apostle Paul. Although he faced trials and troubles, he resolved to finish his ministry with joy. He was steadfast in his preaching, praying, and church planting.

Paul could never be described as a fickle Christian. He was immoveable and always abounding in the work of God. Instead of being fickle, let us pray to be faithful, firm, and fervent in all that we are and do for God.

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 17th) The Glad Reception of the Word

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41

Part of my seminary training involved reading Hamilton’s History of Presbyterianism in Ireland. In that book Hamilton recalls the details of the Ulster Plantation and the arrival of many godly ministers from Scotland. Many of those godly men were fleeing from persecution, but in the providence of God what was Scotland’s loss was Ireland’s gain. Among that illustrious band was Rev. James Glendinning, who ministered in Carrickfergus and in Antrim. His ministry was different in that he preached nothing but “law and wrath and the terrors of God for sin.” It was what was needed in that area and many felt deep pangs of conviction.

It is recorded that the people “fell into such anxiety and terror of conscience that they looked upon themselves as altogether lost and damned.” Although Glendinning had preached the law with power, he seemed unable to present the answer effectively. However, other ministers came to help and brought the great news of the gospel. As a result multitudes were converted. One observer described that move of God as a “bright and hot sun-blink of the gospel.”

That is what Acts 2:41 is all about, but on this occasion Peter not only preached about sin, he also preached the remedy for sin and souls were regenerated. Clearly, the convicting work of the Spirit was followed by the converting work of the Spirit. The opening of hearts and the ready and glad reception of the gospel was all of God. This was the evident working of the Spirit in hearts. Mysteriously but powerfully souls were turned from darkness to light and from spiritual death to life. The apostles were the preachers but the power—and therefore the glory—belonged to God. In cold, hard, dead sinners and in cold, hard, indifferent saints we need the hot sunshine of the gospel and the glad reception of the Word.

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 16th) Convicting Preaching

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36

The Jews were a self-righteous people. They prided themselves in having Abraham as their father, boasted of their special relationship to God, and reveled in ceremony and customs. A proud Jew was a common sight in Jerusalem. But on the day of Pentecost, Peter delivered a convicting and devastating blow to that pride.

With laser-like accuracy Peter charged them of a particular sin—the crucifixion of Christ. They had refused Him as the Messiah, hounded Him throughout His earthly ministry, falsely accused Him before Pilate, and demanded His death. While the Roman soldiers carried it out, Jewish hands were all over His crucifixion. And Peter did not miss the point. This was no easy task for the apostle-preacher. He was standing before his own countrymen, but he came right to the heart of their guilt.

There are times when the preacher must preach hard words. Sin needs to be exposed. The sharp sword of the Spirit must be thrust in again and again so that the guilt of sin can be revealed and the sinner made to sense his sin. This is not an easy or popular task. Raw nerves are often hit and angry responses usually follow, but faithfulness to God and love to souls will allow no other approach. Peter’s message was owned of God for it was followed by the conversion of over 3,000 souls. Pray for the convicting of God in the preaching of His Word—it is to be desired, not despised. It is the work of God in the pulling down of the strongholds of sin in the life (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Daily Devotionals: (Feb. 15th): The Scriptures Demand a Hearing

The New Testament Church: Learning from the first disciples of Christianity

Reading: “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words.” Acts 2:14

Peter was a bold man. He stood in Jerusalem and commanded a hearing from the crowds who had gathered on the Day of Pentecost. When he said, “Hearken to my words,” he was calling his congregation to attention. He didn’t want them to miss a thing that he was about to say. Peter did not demand this because he thought he was a good preacher or because he had something entertaining to say. It was attention demanded by the authority Word of God.

This is often forgotten in the modern church scene. Preachers are sometimes guilty of hiding the Word of God under an avalanche of anecdotes and stories. In many cases the pulpit has become a platform for relating personal experiences and entertaining illustrations. Preachers have morphed into dramatists, and, instead of letting the Bible speak, they feel they need to “perform” in order to make the message “stick.”

The result is no authority and no power. The authority of the preacher lies in the Word of God. This is a challenging truth for those in the pulpit and also for those in the pew. Preachers must be careful to preach the Word, and congregations must be careful to pay attention. To dismiss a faithful biblical message is to dismiss God’s message, not the preacher. The next time you’re tempted to switch off in church and pass the time dreaming or dozing or critiquing the preacher, remember the Scriptures demand a hearing.