The answer to my doubts

“I find no balm for a sore conscience, and a troubled heart, like the sight of Jesus dying for me on the accursed tree.

There I see that a full payment has been made for all my enormous debts. The curse of that law which I have broken has come down on One who there suffered in my stead. The demands of that law are all satisfied. Payment has been made for me, even to the uttermost farthing. It will not be required twice over.

Ah! I might sometimes imagine I was too bad to be forgiven. My own heart sometimes whispers that I am too wicked to be saved. But I know in my better moments this is all my foolish unbelief. I read an answer to my doubts in the blood shed on Calvary. I feel sure that there is a way to heaven for the very vilest of men, when I look at the cross.”

— J.C. Ryle, Old Paths. (With thanks to Of First Importance.)

The Weekend that Changed the World

Bishop John Harrower shares the notes he used at today’s Good Friday service of reflection at St John’s Launceston.

The audio files of his sermons are already up on the St John’s website.

The Death of Death in the Death of Christ – Packer’s introduction

J I PackerDr Jim Packer’s introductory essay to The Death of Death in the Death of Christ by John Owen remains a classic essay on Christ’s atonement. Written in 1958, it is probably even more relevant now than it was then.

Among other things, Dr Packer gives a helpful introduction to Calvinism. The essay will repay careful reading.

There are several copies of the essay on the Internet – Monergism has one here.

Easter and history

Simon Smart from the Centre for Public Christianity, writes, “[We] would like to draw your attention to a resource that we thought might be of assistance to you as you prepare for the lead-up to Easter and Easter services. …

How do we respond to claims that Jesus didn’t even exist? What about answering questions about the reliability of the New Testament documents? Why is the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus such a crucial aspect of the Christian story? How might one respond to the New Atheist claims that the crucifixion represents cosmic child abuse?

For all that and more, just click here to gain access to our Easter page. We hope you will be able to use the material in whatever way is most helpful to you.”

Holy Week Geography and Harmony in Google Earth

Justin Taylor writes:

“Today is the first day of “Holy Week,” where Christians recount Jesus’ final pre-glorified week on Earth.

Here is something you might find fruitful while contemplating the events leading up to our Saviour’s death and resurrection: an attempt in Google Earth to show the locations of the major events (to the best of our knowledge) along with descriptions and biblical passages describing those events.”

See it here.

The Messiah by Mr Handel & Mr Newton

Dr Alec Motyer, Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith and others speak about Handel’s “The Messiah” at The John Newton Project.

In preparation for Easter, learn about John Newton’s little-known connection with Handel’s Messiah.

‘The Heart’ in the Old Testament

Barry Newman has posted a PDF file of his latest series – this one on ‘The Heart’ in the New Testament.

It’s a follow-up to his earlier series on ‘The Soul’.

There’s a link on this page.

The Trials of Theology

At Reformation21, Derek Thomas thinks Carl Trueman’s essay in The Trials of Theology, edited by Andrew Cameron and Brian Rosner, is alone worth the price of the book.

(There’s some other excellent stuff in there too.)

John Piper writes this about the book:

When I began my theological studies in 1968 I devoured Helmut Thielicke’s A Little Exercise for Young Theologians.

If I were starting today I would devour The Trials of Theology.
Here is counsel from the proven dead and the wise living.

“Do we need theology”?
We may as well ask, “Do we need to know God?” Ten thousand times yes.

“Is studying theology perilous?”
Yes. But less perilous than ignorance.

“Will it be costly?”
Let the Bible answer: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Ps. 119:71).

Without the “trials of theology” we remain on the surface of the statutes of God. May the Spirit of truth make this book a means of true thinking about God, deep affections for God, and beautiful obedience to God, through Jesus Christ who is God.

Moore Books has copies.

Christopher Ash on Job

Colin Adams at Unashamed Workman writes:

If you want some good bread for your soul, here are the sermons given by Christopher Ash [Proc Trust] at the Winter 2009 [at The Castle] event. Five expositions on Job, plus  a helpful Q & A.

See his direct links to the audio files here.

That’s Easter — Death to Life

Last year, St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London produced a couple of very helpful short videos for Easter. You may like to consider how you could use this one.

David Cook on ‘Persuasive preaching’

Last month, David Cook, Principal of Sydney Missionary Bible College, was at Oak Hill College in London for their School of Preaching.

His talks focussed “on the evangelism we can do in our preaching, on the theology we need to have in place and the practical areas we need to work on”. Very helpful and encouraging.

Oak Hill has kindly made the audio recordings available.

The Trellis and the Vine discussion guide

At The Sola Panel, Ian Carmichael reports:

“We at Matthias Media have recently made available a free and downloadable discussion guide for Col Marshall and Tony Payne’s The Trellis and the Vine. Download it from our Australian or North American store.”

– Read more and get the links here. (Plug from Mark Dever here.)

William Taylor on good preaching, bad theology, training pastors and more

In the latest 9Marks leadership interview series, Mark Dever speaks with William Taylor, Rector of St Helen’s Bishopsgate in London.

It’s a fascinating interview covering, among other things, being an evangelical in the Church of England, the New Testament’s emphasis on the substitutionary atonement, and NT Wright. Worth listening.

Rico Tice on why the Resurrection matters

Here’s a very useful 14 minute evangelistic video with Rico Tice, co-author of Christianity Explored. He starts off by drawing six familiar boxes on a piece a paper…

It was produced for A Passion for Life, the [UK] “nationwide initiative that is drawing together local evangelical churches to plan a fantastic variety of missional initiatives culminating in Easter 2010”.

While this particular video is not able to be downloaded (it’s available on DVD in the UK), you could think of other ways to use it, since embedding is allowed – and the URL also could be passed on.

Pornography = Despair, Jesus = Hope

Keep an eye out for these Outreach Posters around Sydney (March 2010) – there may be opportunities for helpful conversions about the One who is our Hope.

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