Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
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February 23, 2025
Series: Epiphany Moments, Sundays after Epiphany
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
Throughout this season of Epiphany, Jesus has described the governing principles of his kingdom being completely opposite to the governing principles of the world. This week Jesus asks us to befriend our enemies, to love those who hate us, and to repay evil with good. Worldly logic would say that is a recipe for being walked all over. Yet haven’t we seen this tactic work? When we were Christ’s enemies, he loved us to the point of death. He repays our daily wrongs with the daily goodness of his mercy. In doing so, he won us for himself.
Here is the epiphany we badly need to have. Following the strategy Jesus lays out—loving our enemies—is not a capitulation to evil. It is a means of conquering it.
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January 19, 2025
Series: Epiphany Moments, Sundays after Epiphany
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
It is easy for us to assume that if God says “no” to a request, we are getting less than we wanted. We need to have an epiphany moment, seeing the reality—that God always wants more for us than we want from him. Saying “yes” to all our requests would often result in us receiving less joy, less blessing, a lesser life. So, when God says “no” to our request, we can be assured it is because he wants to give us more. Far more than existing as a “help desk” or 911 dispatch, God’s love for us is like that of a groom for his bride. His love for us exceeds all expectation and understanding. In that love, God always delivers more than we ask, not less.
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October 20, 2024
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
“What’s in it for me?” It’s easy to look at life through the lens of that question, to make decisions based on perceived personal benefit. Perhaps at times we look at Christianity through that lens, wondering what we will gain from following Christ. “What’s in it for me?” Jesus’ first disciples asked that question. They hoped that following Christ would bring prestige and honor. They assumed following Christ would make life easier. But it doesn’t work like that. Followers of Christ are called to sacrifice for the well-being of others.
“What’s in it for me?” Everything! Because of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, followers of Christ have the peace of His forgiveness. Followers of Christ have the joy of meaningful purpose. Followers of Christ look forward to an eternity of glory in Christ’s heavenly kingdom. In Spirit-wrought gratitude, followers of Christ make selfless sacrifices with joy.
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September 15, 2024
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
What is the worst war in human history? One might point to World War II, which has the highest death toll of at least 90 million people. Or consider the Three Kingdoms War, which not only resulted in over 40 million deaths but also lasted for most of the third century. There is no end to the sad list of nominations: the Thirty Years War, the Taiping Rebellion, the American Civil War, World War I.
None of those is the correct answer. The worst war in human history began when the first shot was fired in Eden. It has been raging since. It is a war against “spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). This is not a war over land or resources. It is a war for souls. The reality is that there are demonic forces that want to do more than kill you; they want to claim you for all eternity. The good news: Christ has already called you his own and equipped you for this war. Followers of Christ are armed for the battle.
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August 18, 2024
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
Topic: Bread, Eternal Life, Everything, Faith, forgiveness, Hungry, Ingredients, Life, Need, Raises, Rejected, Salvation, Separate, Sins, Truth, Wisdom
There are many different theories about the healthiest way to eat. There’s the old food pyramid, built on a foundation of whole grains. There’s the Mediterranean diet, the Atkins diet, the Paleo diet, and many others. We can debate which is best, but what is undebatable is that whatever your diet, you are going to die. Perhaps a vegetarian diet is indeed easier on your heart. Still, your heart is going to stop eventually. But in his Bread of Life discourse, Jesus offers food that enables us to live forever.
There are foods you might never have tasted without someone working hard to convince you to try them. Likewise, this spiritual food that Jesus describes is something no one finds appealing at first, but distasteful. And so today Jesus explains that we need God to work within us, so that we have the wisdom to see that this food gives life and the faith to find this bread most delicious.
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April 21, 2024
Series: Resurrection Reality, Sundays of Easter
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
Scripture frequently pictures spiritual care in terms of a shepherd watching over sheep. Even folks unfamiliar with shepherding are able to grasp the meaning. Sheep are helpless animals—an easy meal for predators. For sheep to survive they need a shepherd who not only leads them to sources of food, but who also is willing to tangle with a pack of wolves. Jesus is such a shepherd. He proved He is willing to lay down His life for His sheep.
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February 18, 2024
Series: Rethinking Religion, Sundays in Lent
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
Topic: Accusations, Assumptions, Corruption, Evil, Forgiven, God's Love, Grace, Love, Religion, Rethink, Temptations, Tests, Trials
“If God loves us, why doesn’t He remove all the trials and tests and temptations that we face?” That question demonstrates the religious assumption that those things are bad. They aren’t. In the hands of a loving God, they are tools by which He refines our faith. He uses tests as a way to compel us to be less self-reliant, and instead trust in His strength. He uses trials to teach us that this broken world is not our true home. God even takes Satan’s temptations and uses them for our good.
Trials, tests, and temptations are not exceptions to God’s love. That’s a false assumption! These are examples of God’s love. Proof is that God allowed His beloved Son Jesus to face trials and temptations, so that He might be our perfect savior and substitute.
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January 21, 2024
Speaker: Pastor David Ruddat
Topic: Ambassadors, Barrier, Create, Grace, Life, mercy, Message, New, Reconciled, Reconciliation, Relational, Relationship, Repent, sin
From Jordan’s Shore to Mountain’s Glory: Committed to a Lofty Charge. To whom does the work of salvation belong? Simple question. There is only one Savior. Yet He gives our lives a profound meaning and eternal purpose, by sharing His work with us. He calls us not just to be followers, but to be follower-makers. Jesus asks some—pastors, missionaries, teachers—to do this full time. But ultimately Jesus asks all believers to serve as His ambassadors, sharing the Gospel with whomever He brings into our sphere of influence. This lofty charge requires commitment—a willingness to abandon everything else should faithfulness require it. This is the life-changing revelation for this week. Jesus has committed us to a lofty charge: the privilege to play a role in His saving work.
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Improbable Not Impossible
September 2, 2025 -
Is Faith All You Need?
August 29, 2025