The Christian Manifesto: Jesus’ Life-Changing Words from the Sermon on the Plain by Alistair Begg. The Good Book Company. 100 pages. 2023
****
In this book, respected pastor and author Alistair Begg looks at a manifesto for the Christian life, straight from the lips of Jesus, taught in one of his most famous sermons found in Luke’s Gospel (6:20-49), and known as the “Sermon on the Plain.” (similar to the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew’s Gospel).
Begg writes that at just 725 words, this manifesto is not exhaustive. It does not cover every aspect of how Christ’s people can live in a way that pleases him, but it is foundational. Here is life as it is designed to be lived and enjoyed.
Begg tells us that the Sermon on the Plain is Jesus’ invitation to you to experience life at its very best. It is his description of what life in his kingdom, a kingdom where all that is wrong is being put right, looks like as we live in this world. Here we discover what the marks of a genuine Christian are. The manifesto is a description of the life we were all made for, but it is a challenge to be different from how I naturally am and how the world around me operates. This call to enjoy the blessing of life in Jesus’ kingdom is a call to be different.
Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review and a review of The Advent of Glory: 24 Devotions for Christmas by R.C. Sproul
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Truths We Confess by R.C. Sproul
I’M CURRENTLY READING….
In this book, as we listen to Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, Begg writes that we shall hear a manifesto describing what genuine Christianity looks like. It is upside down and right way up. It is surprising and wonderful. It is challenging and liberating. It is life at its very best—a blessed life, a kingdom life.
Although this is a short book, it is impactful. It can be read in just a few hours, but there are no wasted words. It was one of the books I most enjoyed in 2023.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
- The biggest reason for the ineffectiveness of contemporary Christianity is a failure to take seriously the radical difference that Jesus calls for as we follow him as King.
- We are not called to be like the world, and the world does not need us to be like the world. We have something better to say because we have someone better to follow.
- What he is saying is that poverty yields a far greater response to the gospel than affluence, because poverty reminds us that we are dependent creatures and affluence lies to us that we are self-sufficient.
- Blessing comes to the person whose view of this world is robust enough to be able to take account of the reality that life includes funerals as well as parties, and who is willing to weep for and with the suffering.
- The genuine Christian is poor, hungry, crying, and hated—and they have found blessing, for with these things come satisfaction and joy. These are the marks of life in the kingdom of God.
- It is only because God chooses to love those who live as his enemies that you have any hope, any relationship with him, and anything to look forward to in eternity.
- It will only be when the church is prepared to live this out—when we resemble the good Samaritan more than the two religious leaders—that we will make an impact on our countries and their cultures.
- Christians understand that, having been made God’s children by grace, they seek to obey him, and that it is only because they have God working in them that they are they able to do what God calls for in their lives.
- Jesus is saying that we prove ourselves to be the sons of the Most High—not exclusively, not solely, but primarily—in the way we love and do good and are generous to our enemies, without expectation of anything in return.
- Along with the Golden Rule, the command “Judge not” is surrounded by more confusion than virtually any other verse of Scripture.
- Only when repentance and reformation has taken place will it be possible for us to see clearly enough to help others.
- Kingdom life involves having integrity—what we are like on the inside matching what we project on the outside and being quicker to admit our own struggles than to point out how others struggle.
- There can, therefore, be no more important question than that of what we do with Jesus.
- It is possible to have completely orthodox theology and know your Bible very well without genuinely being a Christian.
- Giftedness does not equal an acceptance of Jesus’ lordship,
- Our private behavior, as much as or more than our public profession, reveals the truth or otherwise of our claim to follow Jesus as Lord.
- Those who have truly believed the gospel will seek to obey him.
- Faith is not coming to Jesus and telling him what we have done and what we deserve; it is coming to Jesus because we know that he is compassionate and powerful; that he is willing and he is able to do what we need.
****
Each year, for the past several years, my wife and I have enjoyed reading through an advent devotional to help us prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We have read through devotionals by Sinclair Ferguson (two books), John Piper (two books), Paul Tripp and others. This year, we read through The Advent of Glory by R.C. Sproul.
The devotions in this book were edited with the assistance of Sproul’s wife Vesta. The devotions come primarily from the transcripts of two series of talks given by R.C. Sproul – “The Messiah is Born” and “The Coming of the Messiah”.
At the end of each of the twenty-four chapters is a prayer that reflects on that day’s devotional reading. The prayers are written by Chris Larson, Rosemary Jensen, Tim Challies, Steven Lawson, Joni Eareckson Tada and Sinclair Ferguson.
Reading an advent devotional is an excellent way to help prepare you to celebrate the first coming of Jesus. I highly recommend The Advent of Glory to you.
- Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold. My wife Tammy has published a book about HOW to study the Bible. The book is available on Amazon in both a Kindle and paperback edition. She writes “Maybe you have read the Bible but want to dig deeper and know God and know yourself better. Throughout the book I use the analogy of making a quilt to show how the Bible is telling one big story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Quilting takes much patience and precision, just like studying the Bible, but the end result is well worth it.
- Prayer: A Reader’s Guide to a Christian Classic. Marshall Segal looks at Tim Keller’s book Prayer: Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, my favorite book on prayer, and one that I’ve read twice. He writes “For Keller, perhaps the single most important key to prayer is its marriage to the word of God.”
We are reading through Truths We Confess: A Systematic Exposition of the Westminster Confession of Faith by R.C. Sproul. From the Ligonier description:
In Truths We Confess, Dr. Sproul introduces readers to this remarkable confession, explaining its insights and applying them to modern life. In his signature easy-to-understand style and with his conviction that everyone’s a theologian, he provides valuable commentary that will serve churches and individual Christians as they strive to better understand the eternal truths of Scripture. As he walks through the confession line by line, Dr. Sproul shows how the doctrines of the Bible—from creation to covenant, sin to salvation—fit together to the glory of God. This accessible volume is designed to help you deepen your knowledge of God’s Word and answer the question, What do you believe?”
This week we look at WCF 21 Of Religious Worship, and the Sabbath Day. Here are a few helpful quotes from the chapter:
- The Old Testament record of creation shows that God’s work of creation extended through six days, and that He rested on the seventh day and hallowed it. Because of that account in Genesis, the majority report throughout church history has been that God did sanctify the Sabbath day in creation.
- By “hallowing” the Sabbath, God consecrated it, setting it apart as special and holy.
- But from the resurrection of Christ, the Sabbath was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.
- The confession calls on people not only to keep the Sabbath day holy but to prepare for the Sabbath day—an idea that has been all but completely eclipsed in our culture today. That preparation includes a spiritual preparation and preparation in other ways.
- The church, through the ages, has followed Jesus’ teaching by permitting works of mercy and works of necessity on the Sabbath.
- Both the Continental and the Puritan views on the Sabbath are tolerated within the Reformed community.
- The primary focus of the Sabbath day originally was to provide rest for people. So, it is not best to say that our whole time has to be taken up with worship and doing works of necessity and mercy. There is also time to enjoy fellowship and to rest.
