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J.C. Ryle Daily Readings

by Jeff Warren

There are many good devotionals available to read.  One that Brady and I really enjoy is J.C. Ryle’s “Daily Readings From all Four Gospels: For Morning and Evening” compiled by Robert Sheehan.

If you are not familiar with J.C. Ryle, please read the following endorsements:

“There’s a reason we keep ‘digging up’ Ryle. His writings are always clear (A 19th century man who writes short sentences!), driven (He’s always going after the jugular vein of your soul), and focused (He just can’t keep his eyes off Jesus). Get a copy and let the nourishment begin – and pick up a spare to put in your guest room.” Dale Ralph Davis 

"Among the few authors a Christian wants as a lifelong friend and helper, J.C. Ryle is certainly one. After sixty years I still read him with the same relish!" - Iain H. Murray 

"Ryle’s eloquence on the Gospels often captures the point of a passage with both precision and power. I highly commend these readings." - Mark Dever

"Always fresh, always reliable, and always centered on Christ. I keep coming back to Ryle on the Gospels and have never yet been disappointed. Use this book in your devotional life. Your heart will be warmed with fresh love for Christ and a renewed desire to live for His glory." - Colin Smith

This review was written by Andrew Harrison: As the title suggests this book has two authors. Robert Sheehan was pastor of Welwyn Evangelical Church in England. He was a very gifted man who authored a number of good books and sadly passed away before the age of 50 in 1997. He compiled a book of devotional readings by taking selections from J.C. Ryle’s commentaries of the gospels and adding a few thoughts of his own.

J.C Ryle was the most well-known Church of England minister in Victorian Britain. A prolific author, he championed the evangelical cause as the tides of Darwinism, and Liberalism battered the church. All of his books are worth reading and his expository thoughts on the gospels remain a big seller.

Ryle states in the preface that he embarked on this series with three groups in mind: those looking for something to read for family worship; to provide material for people who visit the sick and poor; to assist Christians who struggle to read larger and more technical commentaries but wanted to grow in gospel knowledge. Pull these ideas together and we have expository thoughts which are evangelistically warm, devotionally rich, and spiritually challenging.

For each day Sheehan presents a short reading from one of Ryle’s commentaries along with a parallel passage from another part of scripture. To this he adds his own comments for a modern day context. He concludes with a summarizing verse and or comment for reflection.

If you are looking for a daily devotional to read, I would highly recommend J.C. Ryle’s “Daily Reading.” 

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