Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...Stuck in the Rut...

Does this quote apply to our congregational gatherings?

Sometimes we Christians are not very wise, as Jesus seems to have realised (see Lk. 16:8). On occasion we get stuck in the rut of a tradition that it is not in itself biblical. We fail to recognise that the words we use or the precise activities in which we engage are no longer appropriate. Instead of showing the contemporary relevance of the gospel, we veil that relevance and strip it of its power.

By our actions, we are really conveying an unspoken message that the gospel belongs to a past generation, or is permanently enshrined in some ancient tradition. But Christ and the gospel are always contemporary. We need to see to it that we live, speak, act, and witness in ways that are appropriate to him and to our time.

Sinclair Ferguson, The Sermon on the Mount: Kingdom Life in a Fallen World, page 156 (emphasis and odd Scottish spellings are the author's).