Jonathan Edwards: A Sweet-Smelling Savor to God He has been there before us, and he will see us through.” “What makes Jesus’ entry into Hades important for us is simply the fact that now we can face death knowing that when it comes we shall not find ourselves alone. J.I Packer: He Descended into Hell and Ascended into Heaven “Forgiveness of sins and justification, as well as the sanctification of the soul, were prefigured in the law by those two symbols of sacrifices and ablutions for appeasing God’s wrath.” “We can echo Jesus’ word knowing that as we pass from this life trusting Jesus’ death on our behalf, we pass into the loving hands of the Father who is waiting in heaven to receive us to himself.”
James Boice: Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit “When Jesus took the curse upon Himself, He so identified with our sin that He became a curse.” He had to condemn and reject and curse and damn that sin.” “When Jesus was wearing our sin on the cross, God the Father could not bear to look at the sin or at his Son. “When He says, ‘I am thirsty,’ He is saying, ‘I am thirsty with a thirst that every sinner deserves to experience forever.’” “The devil thought he was defeating Christ, but Christ was reconciling us to God, defeating the devil and delivering us out of his clutches.” Martin Lloyd-Jones: That He Might Destroy the Works of the Devil “The prayers offered with loud cries and tears are those prayed to God during his passion, both in the garden and on the cross.” “The forgiveness He extended on the cross to those who put Him to death is the same forgiveness He extends to sinners today.” Surely the thought of Christ crucified should make us loathe all sin.” “Our sins twisted the crown of thorns our sins drove the nails into his hands and feet on account of our sins his blood was shed. He was not a sinner, but He took fully the sinner’s place.” “Jesus held back any words that would have relieved Him from the shame and blame of sin. “The clearest proof that man is utterly fallen, and that the natural heart is enmity against God, is seen in the fact that they did spit in Christ's face.” “Jesus was conscious that God’s plan was being worked out and nobody, not Peter, not Judas, not the mob, nor anyone else was going to keep that plan from being fulfilled.” “The intensity of his agony and his sovereign resolve to bear it, his control over his captors, his protection of his own, his grace to the wounded, all proved he is an omniscient, all-powerful God.”
Rather it’s a pain infinitely greater-the agony of being abandoned by His Father.” “What Jesus recoils from here is not an anticipation of the physical pain associated with crucifixion. “It wasn’t that Jesus simply stepped up and said “I’ll do this for you.” It is that Jesus became the very embodiment of all that sin is.” “When Jesus set his face to walk the Calvary road, he was not merely taking our place he was setting our pattern.”Īlistair Begg: An Innocent Man Crushed by God John Piper: He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem If you are so hardened that you do not tremble, then you have reason to tremble.” “The whole value of the meditation of the suffering of Christ lies in this, that man should come to the knowledge of himself and sink and tremble. Martin Luther: True Contemplation of the Cross
Kent Hughes, and Joni Eareckson Tada.ĭeeper than shallow “inspirational” thoughts, and more scripture-based and theologically sound than other “spiritual” guides available, each essay expounds on a particular aspect of the Cross and Resurrection and includes the appropriate scripture passage from the ESV. Packer, John Calvin, Alistair Begg, John MacArthur, Ray Ortlund, Jr., Francis Shaeffer, J.C. Mahaney, Adrian Rogers, Phillip Ryken, John Owen, Stephen Olford, Skip Ryan, Martin Luther, John Piper, Tim Keller, Martin Lloyd-Jones, Ligon Duncan, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, Saint Augustine, J. The short meditations are drawn from a number of sources including books, other writings, and sermonic materials from: C. Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross is a collection of 25 short readings drawn from the works of classic and contemporary theologians and Bible teachers that will lead readers into thoughtful contemplation of the cross. A collection of readings on the Cross and resurrection