Christians know that God loves them, but can easily feel that he is perpetually disappointed and frustrated, maybe even close to giving up on them. As a result, they focus a lot—and rightly so—on what Jesus has done to appease God’s wrath for sin. But how does Jesus Christ actually feel about his people amid all their sins and failures? This book draws us to Matthew 11, where Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly in heart,” longing for his people to find rest in him. The gospel flows from God’s deepest heart for his people, a heart of tender love for the sinful and suffering. These chapters take readers into the depths of Christ’s very heart for sinners, diving deep into Bible passages that speak of who Christ is and encouraging readers with the affections of Christ for his people. His longing heart for sinners comforts and sustains readers in their up-and-down lives.

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” —2 Peter 3:18

How do Christians grow? Few question the call of the Bible to grow in godliness, but the answer to exactly how this happens is often elusive.

In this book, Dane Ortlund points believers to Christ, making the case that sanctification does not happen by doing more or becoming better, but by going deeper into the wondrous gospel truths that washed over them when they were first united to him.

Drawing on wisdom from figures throughout church history, Ortlund encourages readers to fix their gaze on Jesus in the battle against sin, casting themselves upon his grace and living out their invincible identity in Christ.

When God-in-the-flesh showed up twenty centuries ago in Palestine, the religious PhDs rejected him and the prostitutes and social outcasts flocked to him. Why? Because the open welcome of divine grace that Jesus offers, open to anyone who would simply leave their moral resume at home, is not predictable. It is not safe. It is subversive...

In this book, Dane Ortlund reflects on this subversive grace as it uniquely emerges in each of the four Gospel accounts. In each Gospel, the message and mission of Jesus is deeply surprising:

• In Matthew, we see the surprise of disobedient obedience.
• In Mark, we see the surprise of the king undergoing the fate of a criminal.
• In Luke, we see the surprise of the insiders becoming outsiders and the outsiders becoming insiders.
• In John, we see the surprise of the Creator of the universe becoming one of his own creatures.

Such surprises confound our law-marinated hearts. But the good news that Jesus won with his own blood will not be tamed. This good news is defiant. This book exists to exult in this good news and the scandalous mercy Jesus loves to pour out on needy sinners—on people like you and me.

Jonathan Edwards is widely hailed as the greatest theologian in American history. In Edwards on the Christian Life, Dane Ortlund invites us to explore the great eighteenth-century pastor’s central passion: God’s resplendent beauty.

Whether reflecting on the nature of love, the preeminence of Scripture, or the glory of the natural world, the concept of beauty stood at the heart of Edwards’s theology and permeated his portrait of the Christian life.

Clear and engaging, this accessible volume will inspire you to embrace Edwards’s magnificent vision of what it means to be a Christian: enjoying and reflecting of the beauty of God in all things.

Part of the Theologians on the Christian Life series.

Experience the Depth of the Psalms with Pastor and Author Dane Ortlund

The Psalms could be called the Bible’s devotional. Each psalm reflects on the greatness of who God is and how he cares for his people. Written with profound emotion, each psalm sheds light on the raw experiences of the human heart, revealing how God’s people should turn to him in times of anguish, pain, remorse, joy, and thanksgiving. 

In the Lord I Take Refuge invites readers to experience the Psalms in a new way through heartfelt devotional content written by Dane Ortlund. Each reading is short enough to read in five minutes or less and will encourage believers to thoughtfully ponder and pray through each of the 150 Psalms. To further enhance the reading experience, this book features the full text of the English Standard Version Psalms; a large font; thick, cream-colored paper; and a ribbon marker to keep track of progress. All of these features, along with a helpful introduction on how to read the Psalms devotionally, encourage believers to pause and reflect on the riches of each text as they commune daily with the Lord.

“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” –Matthew 19:30

The Bible is full of ironic situations in which God overturns the world’s wisdom by doing the opposite of what is expected—people are punished by their own sin, the persecution of the church is the catalyst for its growth, Paul claims to have strength through weakness, and more. In this book, biblical scholar G. K. Beale explores God’s pattern of divine irony in both judgment and salvation, finding its greatest expression in Jesus’s triumph over death through death on a cross. Unpacking this pattern throughout redemptive history, Beale shows us how God often uses what is seemingly weak and foolish to underscore his own strength and power in the lives of his people today.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” —Matthew 13:31–32

When Jesus began his ministry, he announced that the kingdom of God was at hand. But many modern-day Christians don’t really understand what the kingdom of God is or how it relates to the message of the gospel.

Defining kingdom as the King’s power over the King’s people in the King’s place, Patrick Schreiner investigates the key events, prophecies, and passages of Scripture that highlight the important theme of kingdom across the storyline of the Bible—helping readers see how the mission of Jesus and the coming of the kingdom fit together.

Part of the Short Studies in Biblical Theology series.

“Abide in my love.” —John 15:9

As followers of Christ, we long to grow in godliness, but we often find ourselves stuck. Sin runs deep, we continue to fail, and we are easily tempted to give up. It doesn’t have to be that way.

In How Does God Change Us?, Dane Ortlund explains how those united to Jesus Christ do not need to look anywhere but to Christ himself for real growth. We change by going deeper into the same truths that saved us in the first place. With timeless counsel from historical Christian figures, Ortlund shows you how to get traction in your spiritual walk, experience real change, and live out your invincible identity in Christ.

The Knowing the Bible series is a new resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word. Each 12-week study leads participants through one book of the Bible and is made up of four basic components: (1) Reflection questions designed to help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) “Gospel Glimpses” highlighting the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) “Whole-Bible Connections” showing how any given passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption culminating in Christ; and (4) “Theological Soundings” identifying how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from a wide array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God’s grace on each and every page of the Bible.

In this study of John’s Gospel, pastor and author Justin Buzzard helps readers understand the most theologically and philosophically profound account of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection in the New Testament. From revealing his cosmic identity as being with the Father “in the beginning,” to recounting the many miraculous signs attesting to his divinity, Buzzard illuminates John’s unmatched portrait of Jesus Christ, the unique Son of God, sent from heaven to save all who would turn to him. This insightful guide encourages Christians to worship Christ as Lord and follow him on mission to the world.

« Venez à moi, vous tous qui êtes fatigués et chargés, et je vous donnerai du repos. » Matthieu 11.28

Les chrétiens peuvent facilement avoir l’impression que Jésus est perpétuellement déçu et frustré par leur marche chrétienne, voire qu’il est même sur le point de les abandonner. Ils savent ce que Jésus a fait pour eux, mais ils ont souvent une connaissance superficielle de sa personne. Quels sont les sentiments qui l’animent lorsqu’il considère les péchés et les échecs de son peuple ?

Dans Matthieu 11, Jésus se décrit comme étant « doux et humble de cœur », désirant ardemment que son peuple trouve le repos en lui. Ce livre s’inspire de ses paroles, plongeant dans les passages de la Bible qui parlent de l’affection de Christ pour les pécheurs afin d’encourager les croyants las et chancelants dans leur cheminement vers le ciel.

Auteur
Dane C. Ortlund (Ph. D., Wheaton College) est le pasteur principal de la Naperville Presbyterian Church à Naperville, Illinois. Dane et sa femme, Stacey, ont cinq enfants

Table des matières

Introduction

1. Son cœur même
2. Son cœur en action
3. Le bonheur de Christ
4. Capable de compassion
5. L’indulgence de Christ
6. Je ne mettrai pas dehors
7. Ce qu’évoquent nos péchés
8. Il sauve parfaitement
9. Un avocat
10. La beauté du cœur de Christ
11. La vie émotionnelle de Christ
12. Un tendre ami
13. Pourquoi l’Esprit ?
14. Le Père des miséricordes
15. Son œuvre « distinctive » et son œuvre « étrange »
16. L’Éternel, l’Éternel
17. Ses voies ne sont pas nos voies
18. Des entrailles émues
19. Riche en miséricorde
20. Notre cœur légaliste, son cœur généreux
21. Il nous a aimés jadis ; il nous aimera maintenant
22. Il a mis le comble à son amour
23. Enfouis dans son cœur pour toujours

Épilogue
Remerciements

The Knowing the Bible series is a new resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word. Each 12-week study leads participants through one book of the Bible and is made up of four basic components: (1) Reflection questions designed to help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) “Gospel Glimpses” highlighting the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) “Whole-Bible Connections” showing how any given passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption culminating in Christ; and (4) “Theological Soundings” identifying how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from a wide array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God’s grace on each and every page of the Bible.

The book of Romans was Paul’s greatest literary achievement, a majestic letter in which the apostle expounds on crucial doctrines such as original sin, election, substitutionary atonement, the role of the law, and justification by faith alone. Plumbing the theological depths, Jared Wilson writes with a pastor’s eye toward understanding and application as he explains the biblical text with clarity and passion, helping readers follow along as Paul recounts the history of salvation and illuminates the glories of the cross of Christ.

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God’s Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) Reflection questions help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) “Gospel Glimpses” highlight the gospel of grace throughout each book; (3) “Whole-Bible Connections” show how any given passage connects to the Bible’s overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) “Theological Soundings” identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God’s grace on each and every page of the Bible.

The Gospel of Luke is the most thorough historical account of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But Luke’s book is more than just history; it’s also a rich source of life-giving theology, revealing Jesus’s identity as Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and the Savior of the world. In this study, New Testament scholar Jimmy Agan III walks readers through Luke’s Gospel, helping Christians see that Jesus is not simply a great teacher but the great Savior.