Upside-Down Savior - Pastor Nathan Nass

INRI. Do you know what those letters stand for? “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19). Pontius Pilate intended those words to be an insult, yet that was a perfect sign to have over Jesus’ cross. The many people who passed by were confronted with this unexpected sign over a dying man: “The King.” Each of them was challenged to think, “Is it true? Is this the King?” What was the ans...

“Give us today our daily bread.” I hope you pray that every day. Jesus teaches us to! Every gift is from above. From the donut you ate this morning to the heat or air conditioning in your house to the forgiveness for your sins that Jesus won on the cross to the eternal life that is waiting for you in heaven. Every gift is from above. “Give us today our daily bread.” As God fills your body, look to...

Can a Christian be cremated? What happens to our bodies and the bodies of our loved ones after death is very important to us. Thankfully, the Bible assures us that Jesus is able to raise our bodies back to life, no matter what condition they are in. In the Bible, Job confidently confessed, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been de...

Is it wrong to hate? That seems like an easy one: Yes, it’s always wrong to hate! We should always love, right? Actually, the Bible gives a different answer: “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path” (Psalm 119:104).I hope you can listen to this short video devotion about when it’s good for a Christian to hate and how Jesus’ cross illustrates this perfectly for u...

What should I think of Mary? You probably know that different Christians teach different things about Mary, the mother of Jesus. What should you and I think? We can follow Jesus’ advice. Instead of focusing on Mary, Jesus said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28).I hope you can listen to this short video devotion about the place Mary holds in Christianity a...

What’s the best way to read the Bible? A church member asked me that recently. That’s a great question, because there’s nothing more important for a Christian than hearing God’s Word. The Bible promises, “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ” (Romans 10:17).I hope you can listen to this short video devotion with encouragement and advice for r...

How can I be sure of my salvation? That’s a heart-felt question. There’s nothing more important than salvation. There’s nothing more terrifying than the thought of suffering in hell. Thankfully, the Bible tells us where assurance is found: In God and his grace: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).I hope you can...

Martin Luther had a great way to describe our sin and God’s grace. He wrote, “When I look at myself, I don’t see how I can be saved, but when I look at Christ, I don’t see how I can be lost.” Do you understand what he was saying? When you look at us people, there is no way any of us should be saved. We are all so much more sinful than we think. But when you look at Christ and his cross, when you s...

Whose side are you on? This is so important. There seem to be so many sides in life. But there really aren’t. There are just two sides: Jesus or Satan. Sin or righteousness. Heaven or hell. There’s no middle ground. Not according to Jesus: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Luke 11:23). Remember this: Jesus is for you. He proved that once and for...

Every day we’re tempted to deny Jesus. Sometimes, it’s through unbelief and sin. Sometimes, it’s through doubt and weakness. Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus and his cross. When your heart denies, “Nobody cares,” the cross cries out, “Jesus cares about you!” When your heart denies, “My life doesn’t matter,” the cross cries out, “Look how much you’re worth!” When your heart denies, “God could never...

Is it good to be sad? We don’t think so. We always want to be happy, right? Yet, the Bible says, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure” (Ecclesiastes 7:4).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about why it’s wise for Christians to sometimes be sad, so that we can reflect on the reality of life and our need for Jesus’ salvation...

Is alcohol sinful? People often give a black-and-white answer to that question. Either, “Yes, Christians shouldn’t drink alcohol at all!” Or, “Of course not! Drink all you want.”The Bible’s answer isn’t either of those. Here’s a clue: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).I hope you can listen to this short devotion about filling your...

Am I too far gone for God to love me? I bet that fear has plagued your mind. After living for years without God, after committing a shameful sin, am I too far gone for God to love me? Absolutely not! Jesus said, “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). I hope you can listen to this short devotion about God’s grace to you. Come on home! Jes...

There are days when you feel like a dog. Not our type of pampered dog. Like a dog in the ancient world. Kicked around. Unwanted. Dirty. You’ve been rejected. You’ve been told you’re not good enough. Not beautiful enough. Trust this: Jesus’ grace extends even to the dogs. Even to me. Even to you. Even if you find yourself the lowest of the low, Jesus’ grace is for you. Don’t stop praying. Don’t sto...

“Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, went out” (John 18:4). From the very beginning, Jesus knew all that he would have to suffer to save us from our sins. Jesus knew about the mocking and the beatings and the crucifixion. He knew exactly what it would all cost him. And he still came! He still did it all. Know why? Because you are worth it to Jesus. You are worth everything to Jesus! I hop...

Life is a battle. The devil is real, and he wants to destroy your faith. But the battle has already been won. Do you realize that? The battle has already been won. When the devil tempts you today, remember three things: First, Jesus already perfectly passed the test for you. Your salvation doesn’t depend on your goodness. It depends on Jesus! Second, Jesus already died to take all your sins away....

Do I need to give up something for Lent? You could, but that's not what Lent is really all about. The Bible says, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32). Lent is really all about what God gave up for you and me. I hope you can listen to this brief devotion about what really matt...

Today is a day to repent. Whatever paths you’ve been taking away from God, turn around! Whatever areas of your life you’ve been straying away from the truth, turn around! You! Not somebody else. You! Not someday. Today. It’s urgent! Old and young, men and women, every day is a day to confess our sins and trust in God’s grace. Why? Because he is gracious and compassionate. Just look at the cross! Y...

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The season of Lent is a time for us to prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection as our Savior. The best way we can do that is by remembering that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace and Jesus’ redemption.“...for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)In the Old Testament, God’s people would sometimes show their de...

Have you ever wondered: "What is Lent and why do so many Christians around the world observe it?" Watch this brief devotional from Pastor Nathan Nass about the season of Lent and why it’s a special time for many Christians as we fix our eyes on Jesus Christ our Savior!“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning...

Sometimes you can see and still be blind. At least, that’s what Jesus says. Your eyes can work just fine, but you can be blind to your sin. You can be blind to how destructive your words and actions are to you and others. Or your eyes can work just fine, but you can be blind to God’s grace. You can think that nobody cares. That nobody loves you. Sometimes you can see and still be blind. But someti...

Hearing the Word of God is so important! When a pastor preaches or you read the Bible, it’s not meaningless. It’s life or death. That Word is going to confirm you in your unbelief on the path to hell, or that Word is going to soften your heart with God’s grace and give you faith in Jesus for eternal life in heaven. It will not return empty! It’s working. That’s God’s promise: “ As the rain and the...

Grace is one of the hardest things from the Bible for us to understand. It sounds simple—God’s “undeserved love.” Yet, we don’t want to believe it: “I’m working hard. I deserve it. God owes me good things!” So Jesus told a parable to help Christians appreciate God’s grace. God searched for you. God found you. God saved you. All by grace. It’s all by grace. “ For it is by grace you have been saved,...

In this world, the weeds and the wheat are all mixed together. Christians and non-Christians are all mixed together. That can bother us. We say, “Jesus, the world is not the way it’s supposed to be!” And Jesus says, “I know. That’s why I came. I suffered and died for the sins of the world. I rose and ascended into heaven to get a perfect place ready there for you. It’s okay that the weeds and the...

Life is filled with storms. When the waves splash in your boat, I know you’re thinking, “How can I not be anxious? Don’t you see what’s happening? Why on earth wouldn’t I be afraid?” But Jesus responds: “Because I am here. I am here with you. Don’t you know who I am? Don’t you know how much I love you? Don’t you know what I have done for you? Don’t you know how much I care for you?” You can be cal...