There are a lot of good things in life. But if we put good things in a bad order, good things can leave us in a bad way. Augustine said: “The essence of sin is disordered love.” We love different things. We love family and friends, we love music and certain foods, we love work (sometimes), hobbies, and God (hopefully)! But if we get the order wrong, we are living in a way that is unharmonious with God’s plan and our design. In this sermon on Mark 12:1-27 Jesus faces the established leadership who try to trap him. During one of those attacks he offered what is now a famous line: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” We unpack the text, explore this statement about putting God first and correctly ordering priorities, and apply it to our lives today. “The essence of sin is disordered love.”

Do you want to be “like Jesus”? Dallas Willard observes that many Christians want to do Christlike things—whether that be loving their enemies or courageously defending God’s truth—yet neglect the formative practices that help get them there. “We cannot behave “on the spot” as [Jesus] did and taught if in the rest of our time we live as everybody else does.” This podcast episode is an invitation to become more like Jesus by more closely emulating his own spiritual practices. When and how did he pray? Was it “in the moment,” did he follow a formula, or was it both? What was the role of Scripture or the synagogue? We don’t need to adopt his exact routine, but there is a lot to be learned by what he did on a daily and weekly basis. I think this will open our eyes and provide some fresh motivation and fortification for the task to which God has called us—a task which includes Christlikeness on a narrow and often bumpy path. This episode is in the form of an audio essay. It was originally released on ‘The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan‘ and is an article Pastor Ruttan wrote for LivingInTruth.ca called “Live like Jesus, Be like Jesus.” Originally, it was written with Christian leaders in mind. But really, what he says is applicable for all. You can link to the original written version here. That’s where you can also find the footnotes the quotes that he is about to share. Also be sure to check out LivinginTruth.ca. It is a website committed to upholding the historic reformed tradition. Here it is. What can we learn from Jesus’ personal devotional life?

Join in with this prayer from the service at Westminster on March 23, 2025. “Lord over all, as a king who leads his own people onto the battlefield; as a shepherd who chases away salivating wolves; as a Father who lifts a crying child into his arms saying, ‘It will be okay, I love you’; Lord God the Almighty, the all-loving, we come to you because of you…”

Jesus overturned the tables of the money-changers in the Jerusalem Temple. I wouldn’t call it violence, but perhaps righteous anger. But why did he do it? And what might this teach us about the dignity and purpose we have as followers of Christ? To answer these questions we need to look at some big picture biblical themes. That’s just what we do in this sermon on Mark 10:46 – 11:33. We trace the presence of God through the temple, the resurrected Christ, and into his people. Because of this, Jesus’ people have a dignity and purpose which is unique and powerful. Note: During the live-stream recording of this sermon, a few short ‘blackout blips’ occurred. Each lasts for only a few seconds.

This episode is an answer Pastor Ruttan has provided to a question submitted through Westminster’s Q and A Forum. The question (submitted anonymously) is this: “I’ve heard it said that when Christ returns (I believe some people refer to this as “the rapture”?), he will take all those who believed and have already died to heaven first; then he will take all the living believers. It’s a little unsettling to think that our much loved ones who were faithful believers are just hanging out somewhere waiting for that day. Could you also say a clarifying word about the terms ‘purgatory’ and ‘the millennium’?” Please note that we’ve slightly condensed the question, but have tried to capture it’s main elements. You can also read the answer in text form in blog format on our website here.

When someone uses the phrase “alternative lifestyles,” what comes to mind? Perhaps rejecting family life, a certain kind of nomadism, embracing sexual promiscuity, creating a belief system out of a mishmash of ideas, or something else “unconventional”? But as more and more of these things become accepted and adopted, perhaps there is a new kind of alternative lifestyle: Christlikeness. This isn’t just for kicks. Clearly, things need to change in the world. They need to be different. Christ invites us to participate in his renovating work. “On earth as it is in heaven.” But we can’t expect the world to be different if we’re the same. This sermon on Mark 10:1-45 unpacks the text to discover a series of invitations—these are ways to live which are higher and more beautiful than what our broken world has to offer. But if we don’t pay attention, and if we don’t cooperate with God, it’s easy to calibrate to culture instead of Christ. What if Christlikeness was the new alternative lifestyle?

As we enter into the season of Lent, many of us might consider fasting from sweets, entertainment or social media. We do this remembering the 40 days when Jesus fasted and was tempted in the wilderness before his ministry began. But why is that so significant for us and what does this tell us about who Jesus is? In this sermon by William Min, we look at that together and how we can hold firmly to our faith in Christ, who is our great high priest.

It’s a word that has been neglected, sometimes avoided, and even dragged through the muck. This podcast episode and blog explains that it is God’s word, and we are not authorized to erase it. Let’s claim it and live it for the glory of God. This episode is taken from Pastor Ruttan’s podcast, The Pulse Podcast with Matthew Ruttan. You can access a text version at his website here.

Join in with this pastoral prayer from the service at Westminster on February 23, 2025.

The word “great” is used a lot. “Make Canada Great Again” (or America or Europe). It’s not only used of nations, but people. “So-and-so is great.” But what do we mean by that? How do we define greatness? If our definition isn’t biblical, we tend to absorb the perspective of our surrounding culture (which seems inclined to define it in ways that are, shall we say, not so great). In this sermon on Mark 9:33-50 (also released as a podcast episode), we unpack a story about this very topic. The disciples had been arguing about who was greatest. Jesus responds by providing a biblical definition we are wise to adopt today. Jesus’ definition of greatness is something which needs to be rediscovered in every era and which never grows old. “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” [The handout referenced can be accessed by clicking here.]