FIFTY REASONS WHY JESUS CAME TO DIE BY JOHN PIPER

Throughout our Mark Sermon series, we have explored some of the most important questions we can ask about Jesus, and we will continue to ask those important questions as the weeks progress into our series. This is why our October Book of the Month is a great compliment to our study in the book of Mark. John Piper has gathered from the New Testament fifty reasons to answer the all-important question: What did God achieve for sinners like us in sending his Son to die?

We will be giving you a copy of this book out for FREE this Sunday!

HARD SAYINGS OF THE BIBLE BY F.F. BRUCE

As a church, we gladly affirm that, “The Word of God is clear, and everything we need in order to know, love, and fellowship with God can be plainly understand through ordinary means” (SGC Statement of Faith 1.3). However, though the Word is clear, we also confess that “not all Scripture is equally plain,” - some parts are harder than others to understand and apply to our lives. Even the Apostle Peter thought so (2 Peter 3:16)! That’s why this month we’re recommending, Hard Sayings of the Bible by F.F. Bruce. A book to guide your grappling with the most difficult verses in the Bible. From answering, “What is the unforgivable sin?” to “Did the sun really stand still in Joshua 10?” This volume, which contains 46 specific entries for the Gospel of Mark alone, will benefit your study of Scripture for the remainder of our current sermon series and for years to come.

PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK HERE

WHY DID JESUS LIVE A PERFECT LIFE? BY BRANDON CROWE

How does Christ's obedience relate to our salvation? Or, as we’ve been asking in our sermon series in the Gospel of Mark, “Why do we need Jesus’ story to become our story?” Speaking into current conversations about the nature of salvation, respected New Testament scholar Brandon Crowe argues that the Bible teaches perfect obedience is necessary for salvation. This means our stories of imperfect obedience will never measure up to God’s standard. Because of this, in order to be saved Jesus’ story must become our story. We need another who will accomplish all God has required of us and pay the penalty of our sins for us. In this theologically rich yet extremely readable volume, Crowe walks us through God’s word to explain just why we need Jesus’ story to become our story and just how we can receive it as our own. He leads us into the heart of Christ’s perfect righteousness so that we’d find rest from the burden of perfect obedience.

PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK HERE

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

This month’s book of the month is likely one you’ve read before. It’s the Gospel of Mark. Don’t just pass this by, though. Actually take some time over the new week or two and read through the entirety of Mark once or even twice. Acquaint yourself well with it and equip yourself to maximize this sermon series. To assist you even further, we’ve created an online reader’s version for you just below.

FIND THE READER’S VERSION HERE

WHY SHOULD WE LOVE THE LOCAL CHURCH? BY DUSTIN BENGE

Our June Book of the Month is the concise edition of Dustin Benge’s The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church. It’s a little book with a grand vision for the beauty and glory of God that shines forth in and through the local church. This vision has fueled our current sermon series “The Beauty of the Church,” and we hope it fuels your affections for Christ and his bride as well.

Here’s the heartbeat of the book laid out in the introduction:

This book has one aim: to set before you a thoroughly biblical portrait of the church that derives its life from the sweet fellowship of the Father, Son, and Spirit, creating a community of love, worship, fellowship, and mission, all animated by the gospel and empowered by the word of God.

By beholding such radiant beauty and loveliness, may we lift our collective and worshipful cry, “Indeed, the church is the loveliest place on earth.”

You can purchase a copy of the book here

LEARNING EVANGELISM FROM JESUS BY JERRAM BARRS

Jesus is far more than a good example. Before Jesus is our example, He’s our Savior. He did what we simply could not do in our place that we might be reconciled to God. But Jesus is not less than our example (5:1-2). His life serves as the best model for God-honoring living. So, as we strive to love our Santa Ana neighbors and we find it difficult or we become stuck or we lose our way, where should we turn for inspiration, motivation and direction? There’s no better place to start than the life of Jesus Christ. In this month’s book of the month, author Jerram Barrs excellently illuminates the life of the one who “came not to be served, but to serve and to seek and save the lost” (Mark 10:45) so that we might be able to do the same in our endeavor to follow Him. Pick up this outstanding book today.

PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK HERE

DARKEST NIGHT BRIGHTEST DAY BY MARTY MACHOWSKI

This month’s book of the Month is an outstanding Easter Devotional published just this year and written by Sovereign Grace pastor, Marty Machowski. From the publisher:

“Start a new Easter season tradition with your family by reading this beautifully illustrated “upside-down” book from Marty Machowski that includes fourteen Bible stories. The first side, Darkest Night, has seven stories that recount the events of Passion week ending with Christ’s crucifixion and burial. Flip the book over and continue by reading Brightest Day with seven more stories that progress from Christ’s resurrection through Pentecost. Children are sure to remember the contrast between the darkness at the death of our Lord and the light-filled events from Christ’s resurrection onward.”

PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK HERE

HOW SHOULD WE DEVELOP BIBLICAL FRIENDSHIP BY JOEL BEEKE

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” Proverbs 27:17.

This month’s book of the month is a reflection of the value of friendship that we’ve seen time and time again between Jonathan and David in 1 Samuel. When David had nowhere else to turn, God provided him with a loyal covenant friend. The value of such companions in our lives is immense. This month’s book of the month is a short one. Pick it up in English or Spanish and give it a read. It will be well worth your time.

PURCHASE A COPY OF THE BOOK IN ENGLISH OR SPANISH

PARENTING BY PAUL DAVID TRIPP

This month’s book of the month falls in line with our 2022 spring class. If you’re participating in the spring class, you’ll need to purchase this book anyway, so why not get a head start on it, buy it now and start reading it this month? While today’s Christians have the blessing of a wealth of parenting books at our disposal, many of them are practice and strategy-oriented. They’re more “how to” than anything else. Paul David Tripp takes a different approach. He starts with the Gospel and says, “if the Gospel tells us that we’re fundamentally unable in our own strength to be the parents we need to be, we need to start somewhere other than "‘how to’”. So instead of giving a book full of tips, he supplies the reader with 14 fundamental principles, borne out of the Gospel, to help you to see yourself, your children and your task first and foremost through the lens of the One who has called you to be a parent in the first place. A massively encouraging and illuminating book, this month’s book of the month will be a sure bet to ground your heart and your parenting deeper into the soil of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Purchase a copy of the book here

THE GLORY OF CHRIST BY JOHN OWEN

There are so many good books and so little time. There are also plenty of books not worth reading. The pastoral team aims to provide you with a monthly recommendation of a book worth your time. You don’t have to buy the book or even read it. But we would encourage you to - in order to build a library of truth filled, God-glorifying and soul-enriching books.

This month’s book of the month is one that has stood the test of time - “The Glory of Christ” by John Owen. In line with the January 2 sermon from Colossians 1:15-20 regarding the preeminence of Christ, this book will flood your eyes with a vision of that very Jesus, whose glory can be seen in His preexistence, His humiliation on the cross and His exaltation following His resurrection. Whether you’ve resolved to read more in 2022 or you’re just looking for your next good book to read, pick this one up. It will be worth your time.

"Only a sight of his glory, and nothing else, will truly satisfy God's people” - John Owen

Purchase a copy of the book here.