Good morning, my friends. Grace and peace to you today.

(Yesterday on the blog: The Last (Melodramatic) Hymn)
Into the Metaverse
Samuel James: “Facebook recently announced it is changing its name to Meta—short for ‘metaverse.’ As it rebrands, it continues its movement toward posthuman ambition that has been evident for many years. For nearly a decade, Facebook has been shifting the company away from an ethos of connecting real people and toward a kind of permanent digital habitation, the contraction of life so as to fit inside algorithms.”
Is Violent Crime Under God’s Providence?
John Piper answers an urgent and important question here.
When Angels Aren’t Enough to Make You Believe
“Zacharias couldn’t believe his ears when the lot was cast and it landed on him. As a priest, he had performed thousands of animal sacrifices, but he had never had the honor of offering incense in the Holy Place. Over 20,000 priests served at the temple, and most would never set foot inside. To have your name drawn was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Zacharias took a deep breath as he stepped inside the hallowed chamber.”
The Simple Life
This is an important distinction. “Simplicity is one thing, scarcity another. One is a lifestyle you choose, and the other a lifestyle forced on you.”
The Life we Cannot Live
This is a helpful explanation of the active obedience of Christ–a key theological term.
9 Things To Know About T. B. Joshua
“In June 2021, prominent Nigerian born religious leader T.B. Joshua died, leaving a large contingent of mourning followers in Africa and around the world. With an acclaimed status as a “great man of God”, the wealthy megachurch pastor earned popularity as well as notoriety.” Here is a “snapshot of the man behind the miracles.”
Flashback: God Is Not More, Cannot Promise More, or Do More…
Why do Christians make such a big deal of Jesus? Here’s why…

The essence of sin is man substituting himself for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man. —John Stott

February is typically a solid month for book releases, and this February was no exception. As the month drew to its close, I sorted through the many (many!) books that came my way this month and arrived at this list of new and notables. In each case, I’ve provided the editorial description to give you a sense of what it’s all about. I hope there’s something here that’s of interest to you!

Delighting in the Old Testament: Through Christ and for Christ by Jason S. Derouchie. “The Old Testament makes up the majority of the Christian Bible, yet incorrect teaching of its texts abounds in the church. Without effectively studying these stories, covenants, and kingdoms within their close, continuing, and complete biblical contexts, believers miss the beauty of the Old Testament, including how it points to Jesus, and why it still matters today. Jason DeRouchie helps Christians delight in the books of the Old Testament and read them the way God intended–as relevant parts of Christian Scripture. This accessible guide stresses the need to keep Christ at the center and to account for the progress of salvation history when applying the Old Testament today. It helps Christians interpret the Old Testament, see how it testifies to Jesus, believe that Jesus secured every divine promise, and understand how Jesus makes Moses’s law still matter. By more strongly comprehending Old Testament teachings and how they relate to the New, Christians will better enjoy the Old Testament itself and increasingly understand all that Jesus came to fulfill.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Are We Living in the Last Days?: Four Views of the Hope We Share about Revelation and Christ’s Return by Bryan Chapell. “Will Jesus’s return be preceded by a single world government? Will every person have a government-issued ID or mark? Does Christ return once or twice? Will believers go through a Great Tribulation? Will there be a literal battle of Armageddon? Does it even matter what we believe about future events? Biblical prophecies about the end times have confused, confounded, and even divided God’s people for centuries. But the reason Scripture gives us hints about the future is to provide the encouragement we need to endure the present, confident that God keeps his promises. In this balanced look at four major views of the end times, bestselling author Bryan Chapell explains the primary ways Christians have interpreted biblical prophecy about the last days, not so that we might pick a hill to die on but so that we can cling to what unites us in Christ. No matter what end times view we find most compelling, in God’s plans we can find strength for today and hope for tomorrow.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Empowered Witness: Politics, Culture, and the Spiritual Mission of the Church by Alan D. Strange. “The goal of the church should be simple–share the gospel to the ends of the earth. But in our highly politicized age, Christians can tend to place earthly political and social agendas over God’s spiritual mission of the church. In Empowered Witness, author Alan D. Strange examines the doctrine of the spirituality of the church, making a clear distinction between the functions of the church and other institutions. Strange argues that if the church continues to push political agendas, no institution will be focused solely on the Great Commission and the gospel will be lost entirely. This book calls readers to become aware of the church’s power and limits and shed light on moral issues in a way that doesn’t alter the deeply spiritual and gospel-centered mission of the church.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity by Carl Trueman. “Historic statements of faith–such as the Heidelberg Catechism, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Westminster Confession of Faith–have helped the Christian church articulate and adhere to God’s truth for centuries. However, many modern evangelicals reject these historic documents and the practices of catechesis, proclaiming their commitment to “no creed but the Bible.” And yet, in today’s rapidly changing culture, ancient liturgical tradition is not only biblical–it’s essential. In Crisis of Confidence, Carl Trueman analyzes how creeds and confessions can help the Christian church navigate modern concerns, particularly around the fraught issue of identity. He contends that statements of faith promote humility, moral structure, and a godly view of personhood, helping believers maintain a strong foundation amid a culture in crisis. This is a revised edition of Trueman’s The Creedal Imperative, now with a new section on the rise of expressive individualism.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Pastoral Perseverance: Helping Pastors Stay, Endure, and Thrive by Brian Croft & James Carroll. “The call to ministry is a call to lay down your life for others. It seems we have reached an unprecedented time of burnout and depression among pastors. These men often dedicate their lives to shepherding congregations without anyone who will care for them. Pastoral Perseverance could not have come at a more crucial time. Seasoned pastors and authors, Brian Croft and James Carroll, strengthen pastors by pointing them to God’s word for help in facing the unique challenges of pastoral ministry in the modern day so that they will not merely survive, but stay, endure, and even thrive.” (Buy it at Amazon)

The Warrior Savior: A Theology of the Work of Christ by Owen Strachan. “In this stirring systematic theology of atonement, Owen Strachan turns our gaze to the biblical Jesus—the greater David, a mighty king who comes in the power of God to save sinners and destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). The true Jesus is the most fascinating subject in all history: he is Lamb and Lion, gentle and ferocious, divine yet a humble servant. All these graces bear down on one moment in time: the cross. The Warrior Savior brings together strands of doctrine that are too often separated, notably penal substitutionary atonement and Christus Victor. Instead of arguing for an unweighted blend of “models” or “theories” of the cross, Strachan argues that the cross accomplishes a propitiatory atonement, which in turn secures the defeat of the dread foe of God’s people, Satan. Throughout the book, he weaves in rich devotional and spiritual commentary, focusing on the love of God as the chief message of the cross of Christ. The result is a vivid, dramatic, and inspiring study of the most important salvific event ever to occur.” (Buy it at Amazon)

We Shall All Be Changed: How Facing Death with Loved Ones Transforms Us by Whitney K. Pipkin. “When Whitney K. Pipkin’s mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she wasn’t ready. How could she be? She searched for resources that could help her walk through this heavy yet sacred time in her life. But she struggled to find the guidance she longed for in a season of anticipatory grief. We Shall All Be Changed is a companion for those experiencing the lonely season of suffering and death. In this book, Whitney reaches across the pages to hold the hand of the caregiver. Walking through death with a loved one can be incredibly isolating and unsettling. This book reminds us that we can experience God’s very presence in life’s dark and deep valleys. As Whitney draws from her own experience, she sheds light and hope. She shows that we are not alone. And she reveals the mysterious way that God ministers to and transforms us through death and suffering. Beautifully honest and theologically rich, Whitney invites us to consider death so that we might understand life and how to live it.” (Buy it at Amazon)

Scattering Seeds of Hope by Jeremy Marshall & Mary Davis. “Nearly all of us are discouraged when it comes to evangelism. We love the Lord, and we want others to become Christians, but we are afraid and have many reasons and excuses for why we don’t or can’t share the gospel. After being diagnosed with incurable cancer in 2013, until his death in 2023, Jeremy told countless people the gospel. Scattering Seeds of Hope explains the method Jeremy found so effective: simply sharing Bible stories, being a good friend and asking questions. There are no long gospel outline to learn, no special techniques to rehearse and absolutely no guilt trips. What if the secret to effective evangelism is to simply scatter seed abundantly and indiscriminately and watch while God does the rest?” (Buy it at Amazon)

Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden by Marvin Olasky. “What makes a leader truly great? Is it simply a matter of management style and personality? Or is it character that matters most? Moral Visions takes an insightful look into America’s leaders of the past to answer these questions and demonstrates that values and moral convictions are critical to the strength of a nation. Supposedly, we learn about the candidates for the highest office through a series of tests called “debates,” which are instead an exchange of soundbites. We can’t know whether an aspirant to the presidency has the ability to ask good questions or only a suave or belligerent ability to answer them. Moral Vision is a human-interest introduction to American history through studies of nineteen leaders: presidents, almost presidents, a tycoon, a crusading journalist, and even a leading 19th century abortionist. Its lessons can help voters sort through the candidates in 2024 and beyond by measuring them against previous leaders—none of whom was faultless. It shows how the deepest views often grow out of religious belief and influence political goals, racial prejudices, sexual activities, uses of power, and senses of service.” (Buy it at Amazon)

The Kindness of God: Beholding His Goodness in a Cruel World by Nate Pickowicz. “Kindness has fallen on hard times. Almost daily, we witness or experience cynicism, impatience, or incivility. And it begins to wear on a soul. Overall, we’re not doing well. We need hope. We need truth. We need God. In The Kindness of God, pastor and teacher Nate Pickowicz shows how our lives must be understood and lived in light of God’s kindness. Pickowicz brings the reader along a joy-filled journey of discovering God’s lifegiving lovingkindness and compassion. This book is for Christians overwhelmed with their life circumstances. It’s for anyone who is feeling disappointment or hurt from a fractured relationship. It’s for all those who are discouraged by caustic political discourse. And it’s for those who are saddened or frustrated, desiring more from life . . . more from God. This book offers biblical salve to spiritual wounds and answers how God’s own character remains intact even when wounds are inflicted by others. You will come away from this book, marveling and thanking God for His immeasurable kindness. And you will come to reflect His kindness more deeply in your own life toward others. In a world that can feel dark and cold, this resource is a light of God’s kindness!” (Buy it at Amazon)

Defeating Evil: How God Glorifies Himself in a Dark World by Scott Christensen. “Revised, adapted, and condensed for a broader audience, this companion edition to Scott Christensen’s lauded What about Evil? shows how sin, evil, corruption, and death fit into redemptive history. Exploring the storyline of Scripture and addressing practical concerns, Christensen shows that God’s ultimate end in creation is to maximize his glory before his image-bearers by defeating evil through Christ’s atoning work.” (Buy it at Amazon)

It was still the early days of what came to be known as the New Calvinism or the Reformed Resurgence. The Together for the Gospel Conference had been formed in 2006 and now, in 2008, was gathering for the second time. The four founders were joined again by guests John Piper, John MacArthur, and R.C. Sproul (and, for the first time, Thabiti Anyabwile). R.C. Sproul led the conference’s fifth session and spoke on “The Curse Motif of the Atonement.” He preached one of those sermons that is still being discussed long after the event and even long after his death.

The conference summarizes Sproul’s sermon in this way: “Drawing deeply upon the imagery of the Old Testament, RC Sproul richly meditates on the implications of what Jesus suffered on the cross and what he saved us from. Bearing the weight of the curse is either placed upon individuals or freely upon the Holy One who took it from us. Jesus became cursed, so that [we] could be counted righteous in Him.”
I was there that day and, like so many others, found myself completely transfixed by this sermon. I had listened to plenty of Sproul prior to this time and had read some of his most noteworthy books like The Holiness of God. Yet even though the man and the message were familiar, I still sat in rapt attention, both recoiling at the horror of what I was hearing and worshiping at the beauty.
The crescendo of the whole message came in the final two minutes. Sproul was contemplating what happened between the Father and the Son when all of our sin was placed upon Jesus and when he faced the Father’s wrath. He explained it like this: “It was as if there was a cry from heaven—excuse my language but I can be no more accurate to say—it was as if Jesus heard the words ‘God damn you.’ Because that’s what it meant to be cursed, to be damned, to be under the anathema, of the Father.”
In the years since, I have often contemplated what made this message so powerful. And in watching and rewatching it, I am convinced that it was a combination of substance and style—of preaching that accounted not only for what was said, but also for how. Part of what made the message so powerful, and what made this crescendo so powerful, is that R.C. whispered instead of shouted.
I have often been struck by the intensity with which many preachers deliver their sermons. Many preachers are aware of the importance of preaching and humbled by the fact that it falls to them to convey deep truths to an expectant people. It is no small thing to stand in a pulpit and preach the Word. Aware of this fact, preachers seem to bring messages that are intense from beginning to end. That intensity is often expressed in volume. If we were to create a little graphic showing the vocal range of a preacher with a whisper at the bottom, a normal speaking voice in the middle, and a shout at the top, many preachers would deliver the majority of their sermons entirely in the top half of the graphic—occasionally in a normal speaking voice, but mostly at an elevated volume. When they need to pack an extra punch, they get louder and perhaps even shout. But they only ever employ the top half of their vocal range.
I’m struck that Sproul took the opposite approach. Throughout this message, he delivers many of the most important lines in the lower part of his vocal range, and often at a bare whisper. He leans toward the audience and the audience responds by leaning toward him, straining to hear. He slows the tempo and lowers his voice to speak many of his most important lines. (See also this clip from 40:00 – around 41:30)
This is a powerful rhetorical technique that few preachers use at all and few use more effectively than Sproul. It is dramatic without being melodramatic, performative without being manipulative. It complements powerful truths with skillful technique. It’s compelling and potent. And, for many preachers, completely untried. It’s my conviction that most preachers would have shouted these lines rather than whispered them. And it’s equally my conviction that this would have proven less effective.
And so I guess my encouragement to those who preach is to draw some lessons from Sproul. He has long been commended as not only the Reformed world’s best teacher in his day but also as one of its master communicators. And I’m convinced that a key part of his skill was his delivery, and particularly, his willingness to employ not only a part of his vocal range, but the whole of it. He put great care into not only the content of his messages, but also the delivery. He had mastered not only the art of preparing a sermon, but also the craft of delivering it. We’d all do well to learn from him.
(Further to this sermon, see “How R.C. Sproul Blessed the Church by Preaching the Curse” in my Great Sermon Series.)