Tag: Sinclair B. Ferguson

DETAILS:
Publisher: Crossway Books
Format: Paperback
Read Date: July 2022

Some Thoughts on the Series as a Whole

The point of this series is to take classic short works—sermons, tracts, articles—package them attractively, edit a bit (modernize language, eliminate footnotes, tweak grammar, etc.) and make them widely available. Each is given a short introduction to help the reader get the context and a bit of information about the author.

I think this is a great idea, and I don’t know how I didn’t hear about this until a few weeks ago. I do hope they put out new books in the series (at least one of the books on the original list isn’t out yet, but they did publish one not on that list, so maybe they exchanged the titles).

I wonder a bit about the cover design—I wonder if the floral theme is a bit off-putting (Evangelical publishers usually reserve that for books marketed for women, and I don’t get the impression that this series is designed for that).

I don’t want to try to cover the whole series in one post, so I’m going to do this in chunks. This is the first in the series of posts I’ll be doing.

The Emotional Life of Our Lord

by B.B. Warfield, Sinclair Ferguson (Foreward)

DETAILS:
Publication Date: May 10, 2022
Length: 110 pg.
Read Date: July 10, 2022

This is the book in the set I was most excited about—I’ve read this a few times, but I’ve only had a photocopy from someone who owned a set of Warfield’s shorter works to use (I’m sure it’s online now, but…). Now I have a nice, attractive, bound copy.

This look at Christ’s emotions—and how they demonstrate his humanity—is a fantastic piece of Christian scholarship. There’s a warmth to the writing, a sense of bringing assurance and comfort to the reader, along with the discussion of the texts. I just loved it.

Also, an Introduction by Sinclair Ferguson? Doesn’t get better than that.

5 Stars

Fighting for Holiness

by J. C. Ryle, Andrew Atherstone (Foreward)

DETAILS:
Publication Date: May 10, 2022
Length: 74 pg.
Read Date: July 17, 2022

The original title of this was Are You Fighting?, and I guess the editors thought that since it wasn’t going to be republished in a series with similar questions, they needed a new title. I think the new title didn’t do it any favors. Fighting for Holiness shouldn’t be seen as Fighting to obtain Holiness or to display Holiness, but on account of Holiness, or in Holiness’ Cause. It may be nit-picking, but to me, the title just didn’t fit.

The fact that I stopped to think about that mid-way through this short work says something about how gripping it was.

This was a description of several of the passages using military metaphors from the Bible, calling readers to be fighters for the Faith. (in a spiritual sense, I should add, because too often today that would be understood as a more physical combat)

I just don’t get why this was picked—Ryle wrote a lot that were this length, and most of them would’ve been better. I can’t say that the work wasn’t well-written or anything, I’m just not sure this is the best work for the use.
3 Stars

Heaven Is a World of Love

by Jonathan Edwards, Sam Storms (Foreward)

DETAILS:
Publication Date: October 13, 2020
Length: 115 pg.
Read Date: July 24, 2022

This is one of the several examples of sermons that demonstrate there’s more to Edwards than the caricature of a hellfire and brimstone preacher that’s so prevalent. And you have to think that’s at least part of the reason it was selected.

It’s a typical Edwardsian sermon in that he approaches the subject from several angles—maybe too many (or at least it feels that way a time or two). The focus here is on the love of God, as shown to His creation both in this world and the next (although the emphasis is on the next, hence the title).

Unlike the Warfield book above, I didn’t get the warmth in this one—odd considering the subject. It felt more like a scholarly treatise than a sermon, but that’s typical of Edwards and it’s clearly a sign that it’s been too long since I’ve read Edwards sermons.

It’s a nice sermon, a helpful sermon, and a nice bit of analysis, too.

3.5 Stars

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Lessons from the Upper Room: The Heart of the Savior by Sinclair B. Ferguson: A Guided Tour through The Savior’s Night before His Death

By HCNewton

On August 15, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Lessons from the
Upper Room: The Heart
of the Savior

by Sinclair B. Ferguson

Kindle Edition, 241 pg.
Ligonier Ministries, 2021

Read: July 25, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s Lessons from the Upper Room About?

In his Gospel, John spends 4 chapters (13-17)* on the night before Jesus was betrayed. The last night He spent teaching, serving, praying with (and for), and being with the Twelve (then Eleven). In this book, Ferguson walks through those chapters, well…let him describe it in his own words:

Lessons from the Upper Room is by no means a complete exposition of John 13– 17. If that were attempted—to adapt some words of John himself—an entire bookcase could not contain the books that would be written!

Nor are these pages a commentary in any technical sense. They are, perhaps, more like the “audio description” function on my “smart” TV set. This facility provides a running commentary on the action taking place on the screen to help those who can follow the dialogue but are too visually handicapped to see it.

* Yes, I know John didn’t think of it in terms of chapters, shush, you know what I mean.

That’s basically what this is, a guided tour through these beloved passages from a trusted guide—pointing out interesting features, maybe helping the reader to think of them in a way they didn’t think of before. Maybe picking up a detail they never notice (or had forgotten they had).

Occasionally, there’s a pointed observation, a reminder that we should do more than read these words, a call to action. Nothing burdensome (see Matt. 11:30), but nevertheless, Jesus’ followers are to serve others as he did himself before supper.

So, what did I think about Lessons from the Upper Room?

I don’t have much to say about this book—that simple description is really all you need to know. Especially if you’re familiar with Ferguson, you know that what you’re getting is helpful.

Speaking of being familiar with Ferguson, I really want to get my hands on the talks that this book started out as. They have to be great—as much as I like Ferguson’s writing, his teaching and preaching are so much better.

I’m not sure I learned a whole lot from this read—a did pick up a thing or two. But this refresher on these passages is a great way to look at again at them. It’s warm, it’s reassuring, it’s stimulating. I can see this as the kind of thing I can read every couple of years as a little boost.

I commend this to you and your attention—it’ll reward your time.

3.5 Stars

Church History 101: The Highlights of Twenty Centuries by Sinclair B. Ferguson, Joel R. Beeke, Michael A.G. Haykin: A Quick Look at 20 Centuries

By HCNewton

On August 1, 2021

In History, Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Church History 101:
The Highlights of
Twenty Centuries

by Sinclair B. Ferguson, Joel R. Beeke, Michael A.G. Haykin

Kindle Edition, 99 pg.
Reformation Heritage Books, 2016

Read: July 25, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

… the record of church history teaches us to hold fast to Christ, assured that He is with us always, even to the end of the world. He will build up His church and kingdom to all generations.

What’s Church History 101 About?

That’s the controlling idea behind this book—it’s a survey of Church History—which is the story of Christ building his church. There will be highlights and lowpoints. This, and more, is sketched out in the preface—as well as a description of the book that follows.

The chapters came from Ferguson’s time in the pulpit. Then Beeke, Haykin and their assistants revised them for use in The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible, and then there were published as this book.

Application

Each chapter sums up a century of Church History, talking about major movements controversies and figures incredibly briefly. It’s a ninety-nine page book, covering 20 Centuries—so to say the chapters are brief is an understatement. Most chapters include (not always as the concluding point) a “lesson” for application. Like:

Gregory’s vision produced a kind of nominal Christianity with which the church continues to struggle to this day.

The church should honor Gottschalk’s memory despite his human frailties. We should also continue to educate ourselves about missionaries such as Cyril and Methodius, and remember that the quest for power and recognition, demonstrated by Pope Nicholas, ultimately detracts from the mission and witness of the church.

Today we must see that the church exists to bring light to the world, and we must be willing to separate earthly power and gain from the mission of the church. The church accomplishes her mission by the power of the Holy Spirit, not by the might of kings or political leaders.

I get these came from a Study Bible, and those tend to be very object lesson-oriented, but I’m not sure it’s all that helpful (or necessary) in this context.

So, what did I think about Church History 101?

I think I read something wrong about the length—I knew it was a brief survey, but I didn’t expect it to be so brief that I finished it in under 90 minutes.

But, for a quick, very surface-level look at 2,000 years of History? This is good—it focuses on the essentials, it helps orients the reader to what matters—and hopefully ignites someone’s interest in diving deeper into a person, period, or movement mentioned in these pages.

I enjoyed it, I appreciate what it tried to do, I wish it had done more, but that would’ve defeated the purpose, I guess.

I do recommend this for anyone Junior High and up for a solid overview, a refresher, or a nice way to spend an hour or so. It won’t change your life, but for those who don’t need the introduction, it will serve as a reminder that Christ is building His Church and what that looks like.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.