Very famously Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). I love that verse. I quote in on Christmas Eve when we light the Christ Candle and pass out the light to the congregation while singing carols. … Continue reading Following the pillar of fire
Author: Matthew Ruttan
Cheap grace vs. costly grace
Jesus said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35). Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German pastor and professor who was … Continue reading Cheap grace vs. costly grace
The rut of cynicism
I heard about a judge who was hearing the case of a young repeat offender. He was getting sick of seeing his face and was about to be harsh. But something came over him. He started to ask the young man why his life was so hard. What was making things so difficult? Then, in … Continue reading The rut of cynicism
The older ones first
In the story of the woman caught in adultery, Jesus famously said this to the mob of scribes and Pharisees: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). He turned the situation around and appealed to their own conscience. Verse 9 tells us … Continue reading The older ones first
How can you still attend church?
“Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world” (Isaiah 12:5). Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States. Some of you will remember the Monika Lewinsky scandal. It’s kind of hard to forget. Sometime later at a conference, someone asked Clinton: “How can … Continue reading How can you still attend church?
Grace opens doors
She had been caught in the act of adultery. In the very act! She was dragged out in public for everyone to see. According to the law, they could have stoned her. They brought the case to Jesus to test him. He said: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first … Continue reading Grace opens doors
Science AND faith
In a Jack Black movie called Nacho Libre, a character says: “I don’t believe in God, I believe in science.” It reveals an error in thought that some people have, as if you can’t believe in God if you “believe” in science. But the two are not opposites. This kind of statement usually comes from … Continue reading Science AND faith
Counter-cultural modesty
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19) Over time some things become less common—like Sunday night dinners, board games, or home-made gifts. But that doesn’t mean they don’t still have value. Here’s another: Modesty. Some of … Continue reading Counter-cultural modesty
Get secure
Lee Strobel was on a sailing adventure with some friends in the British Virgin Islands.* Since he was a novice he really enjoyed learning how things were done, and the importance of things being done right. One example is when they would drop the anchor. They would go into a calm cove and let it … Continue reading Get secure
The wilderness
In the previous devotional, I shared Mark Sayers’ idea that we are at the start of a new era of human history.* We aren’t there yet. In fact, we have one foot in the previous era, and one foot stepping into the emerging era. He calls this present moment a “gray zone.” There is increased … Continue reading The wilderness
