The Cross of Jesus

My aim is to read as many books as I can on the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the last couple of years I have read quite a number because I believe in 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 that the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection is of “first importance”. I want to regularly plumb the depths of “the good news that Jesus Christ is the sinless sin bearer of all who are united to him by faith” so that I will keep believing it and preaching it.

Today I began The Great Exchange by Jerry Bridges & Bob Bevington (PDF preview). It’s a book all about 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Below is a snippet from Sinclair Ferguson’s Preface to the book:

Continue reading “The Cross of Jesus”

Ashamed

The NIV New Testament Bible on MP3 and the NIV Old Testament Bible on MP3 are fantastic! I listened to all of Hebrews today. It only took 38 minutes, and while it doesn’t replace slow and detailed study of the Bible, it’s a fantastic way to get the big picture of whole books in the Bible. Today I noticed the word “ashamed” in Hebrews. I’ve noticed it in both Hebrews 2:11 and 11:16 before, but never in the same sitting.

In 2:11 Jesus isn’t ashamed to call Christians his “brothers” and in 11:16 God isn’t ashamed to be called “God” by his People. Incredible! God the Father and God the Son are not ashamed to bring us into their family. We are often ashamed and embarrased to call Jesus “brother” or to say we belong to “God”, yet he isn’t the embarassing family-member, we are!

Praise be to God for the “better word” spoken through Jesus’ blood and that he tasted death for his brothers so that we wouldn’t have to! Are you part of the family?