Awhile back, I posted about the Dead Theologians Society. To oversimplify that post, I said: read great old books written by people who have long gone to their reward and discuss them others. I also posted about some classic across church history to help you get started. Hopefully, you've started reading and discussing!
In this post, I want to offer some suggestions on resources that help us prepare for the upcoming Easter Season. Remember, Easter season is not just about the resurrection but what leads up to it and flows from it. Easter comes from an older word which means passover. Jesus was our passover sacrifice (1 Cor 5:7) who brings us to God by being our substitute in life and death (2 Cor 5:21). His resurrection announces his triumph over sin and death, assuring our present salvation, and promising our future hope--hallelujah (1 Cor 15:42–57)!
All of this is at the core of Christianity. It's a celebration of the gospel as real, historical events, not merely religious ideas. And while we can and should live in light of those realities year-round, having a week or so to really delight in them can be a helpful refreshment for our souls.
So, what are some helpful books by dead satins which will gladden our hearts with these truths as Easter approaches? Here are three suggestions.
Spurgeon said that "Sibbes never wastes the student's time; he scatters pearls and diamonds with both hands."* This book is a collection of sermons on Isaiah 25:6–9. Here Sibbes applies these prophetic words to Christ's person and work, unfolding the bounty of his blessings to believers. As the title suggests, this is full of gospel gold as he offers comfort to believers by helping them relish the realities of Jesus' saving work whereby sin and death have been swallowed up in his victorious work. He highlights the taking away of our reproaches, the wiping away of our tears, the marriage supper of the Lamb, and more. Grab a free ebook edition or the Puritan Paperback edition with some better formatting.
What Did the Cross Achieve? by J.I. Packer
This much shorter work comes in Crossway's Short Classics series of books. While Sibbes is more pastoral, Packer is more theological. But we need both--devotional theology and theological devotion. This is all the more true today where we hear of one denomination asking the Gettys to change the line of their hymn "In Christ Alone" from "the wrath of God was satisfied" to "the love of God was magnified." Why? Because it was repugnant to think of God as wrathful. As in every age, the theology of cross is under attack. And Packer provides a clear, encouraging defense. He shows the biblical logic of the gospel foretold by the prophets and preached by Jesus and his apostles, as having substitutionary atonement at its core. In our place, he stood condemned; that is, Jesus really stood in place of sinners and achieved--not some theoretical salvation--but real atonement for God's people. Buy this from Crossway and you get a free ebook with the paperback. Perfect for reading with someone else!
This is a collection of sermons by John Calvin, covering Matthew's account Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Originally preached in 1557 and 1558, they have recently been freshly translated and collected in this new volume. (This means it's easier to read!). These sermons sit comfortably between the other works suggested, displaying theological depth and pastoral application. Though Calvin is often thought of as sharp theologian, he was first and foremost a pastor. These sermons reveal his concern for his flock to grasp the lasting power of these events for how we live, work, serve and worship by faith in God. It's only available in hardcover, but worth every penny.
There are many more resources that I could suggest, but I hope one of these sparks your interest. If not, you could always find a Spurgeon sermon on Christ's death and resurrection! But remember that one hallmark of the Dead Theologians Society overlaps with a Navy SEAL motto: "two is one and one is none." Of course there is profit in reading alone; so, it's a bit of an overstatement. But reading good books about the Bible in community multiplies your experience. It sparks helpful discussion, provides encouragement toward one another, and helps deepen fellowship (Prov 27:17). So, whether you read the same thing or two completely different books, find someone else to build up in talking of spiritual things (1 Thess 5:11).
Take up and read!
*C.H. Spurgeon, Commenting and Commentaries (New York, NY: Sheldon & Co., 1876), 536.
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