new testament
Tim Keller's two new "God's Word for You" commentary-like books from The Good Book Company are only $1.99 each for the eBooks! But it only lasts more days. Click here to grab them. Just loving this new series of books.
I have a number of exciting new additions to my bookshelves...
Two great new resources from Tim Keller via The Good Book Company, both on Galatians. First is Galatians For You (also WTS), a book length expository guide to Galatians. Second is Galatians: Gospel Matters, a seven lesson study guide for individuals and groups.
First in a new series of expository guides to the Bible, Timothy Keller's Galatians For You walks you through the book of Galatians, showing how the gospel message changes the whole of our lives.
Combining a close attention to the detail of the text with Timothy Keller's trademark gift for clear explanation and compelling insights, this resource will both engage your mind and stir your heart.
The good news is you can get the study guide free when buying the book...
LAUNCH OFFER
Get a free Galatians Bible study by Timothy Keller with every copy of Galatians for You. Simply add Galatians for You to your cart and you will be offered a free copy of Galatians: Gospel Matters at checkout. Offer valid until March 31st, 2013.
I've just started using Galatians For You for my new series of sermons through Galatians. I am using a number of commentaries for my series including Schreiner, Stott & others. This is the one book that I could put in the hands of any member of my church and they would find it helpful for personal reading & study, for teaching others, etc. It's not really a commentary, though you can use it that way (I am). But it also defines terms. From the introduction...
Any words that are used rarely or differently in everyday language outside the church are marked in gray when they first appear, and are explained in a glossary toward the back.
I'm looking forward to adding each new expository guide to my library as they are released, and they will be some of the most recommended books in my church because they are accessible to every Christian at every level of maturity in Christ. What a great idea! The Good Book Company needs to be on your publisher-radar if they aren't already. I'm not only using this resource; I'm using other study materials for discipleship in our church. Good stuff on The Good Book.
I started preaching through Paul's letter to the Romans a couple of weeks ago. Thought it would be helpful to list resources/commentaries I'm using. I listed them roughly in the order of how much time I give each volume. I'm not even coming close to reading everything listed, of course. Some only get a brief glance as I need another opinion. But here's what I have and what I'll use during this series.
Most essential...
As needed and occasional...
Devotional...
When applicable...
Here's my growing list of open-air preaching posts, quotes, and as I find ones worth recommending, resources. I'm only going to link the resources I like best, and there's a lot of stuff I don't like. For future reference, this page can be found under "Compass" on the right side-bar.
MY POSTS
QUOTES
MY RELATED POSTS
First three are precursors to the open-air series above. I didn't know they were going to spark so much on the blog.
RESOURCES
Charles Spurgeon
Lectures To My Students | Two chapters on open-air preaching. Easily the most helpful stuff I've read on the subject. I believe he shows the best grasp of the goodness of and need for open-air preaching. His teaching on the how, where, when is just as relevant today as ever. Principles stay the same.
Open-Air Preaching: A sketch of it's history and remarks thereon | Not sure how much of this is from Spurgeon's book or elsewhere.
Michael Green
Evangelism in the Early Church | One of the key sources I've used to think about open-air preaching as seen in the Bible.
Thirty Years That Changed The World: The Book of Acts for Today | There's a small section in which Green talks about Acts preaching and then proposes some ways to do open-air today. I don't love all his suggestions, but it's worth checking out.
D.A. Carson in The Expositor's Bible Commentary on Matthew, Vol 2 says this in a point concerning Matthew 13:13 (pp 309-310)...
This sheds much light on the parables. It is naive to say Jesus spoke them so that everyone might more easily grasp the truth, and it is simplistic to say that the sole function of parables to outsiders was to condemn them. If Jesus simply wished to hide the truth from outsiders, he need never have spoken to them. His concern for mission (9:35-38; 10:1-10; 28:16-20) excludes that idea. So he must preach without casting his pearls before pigs (7:6). He does so in parables: i.e., in such a way as to harden and reject those who are hard of heart and to enlighten--often with further explanation--his disciples. His disciples, it must be remembered, are not just the Twelve but those who were following him and who, it is hoped, go on to do the will of the Father (12:50) and do not end up blaspheming the Spirit (12:30-32) or being ensnared by evil more thoroughly than before (12:43-45). Thus the parables spoken to the crowds do not simply convey information, nor mask it, but challenge the hearers. They do not convey esoteric content only the initiated can fathom but present the claims of the inaugurated kingdom and the prospects of its apocalyptic culmination in such a way that its implications are spelled out for those in the audience with eyes to see.
Robert Stein in Jesus the Messiah gives some explanation of Jesus' use of parables (pgs 124-125)...
Parables are "extended metaphors, which tend to teach a basic point. At times, however, the details of a parable may bear allegorical significance (Mt 13:24-30, 36-43; 22:2-10; Mk 12:1-12)."
"The parables were particularly useful for Jesus as a teaching device. Parables tend to disarm the listeners, for the meaning of a parable is often driven home before they can resist the point being made." (2 Sam 12:1-4, 7; Luke 15:1-32)
"Parables were also an effective way for Jesus to introduce potentially dangerous teachings. To talk about the arrival of the Kingdom of God naturally raised concerns on the part of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Yet the statements that the Kingdom of God is 'like a mustard seed' (Lk 13:18-19) or 'like yeast' (vv 20-21) wer sufficiently enigmatic that the political authorities judged them harmless. Through his use of parables Jesus could speak about politically sensitive issues. As a result, thouse outside his circle of followers could 'listen, but never understand...look, but never perceive' (Mt 13:14). but to those within the believing commjunity such teaching were explained."
