Bible Speaks Today Themes – serie

This is a journey through the Bible, which is an exploratory walk rather than a motorway dash. The large number and diversity of biblical passages dealing with the theme of creation underlines its central importance to the biblical message. As a theologian (whose focus is the Bible) and as an eminent astrophysicist (whose subject is the visible universe) David Wilkinson is well placed to try to capture some of the richness of the biblical portrayal of creation. The key to this portrait, believes David Wilkinson, is to see Father, Son, and Spirit in the beginning, the sustaining, and the new beginning of creation, giving life and love in a generosity beyond our imaginings.

When death breaks into our lives, the great questions of human existence and destiny confront us. What is life? What is death? Is there an afterlife? Often it is only in the midst of tragedy that these issues are given much attention - but the basic orientation of Christianity is towards heavenly hope.Bruce Milne takes us on a journey through the biblical teaching about the awesome realities of heaven and hell - destinies central to our understanding of God and humanity. He begins with an examination of some key Old Testament texts, then moves on to the teaching of Jesus, and finally surveys other relevant New Testament passages.Debate continues about this area of Christian belief, but the life to come is a biblical 'fact of life', and the eternal God assures us, repeatedly and clearly, that he will meet us all in eternity.

The root of the word 'mission' means 'sending'. All Christian mission has its fountainhead in the God revealed in Scripture, who sent his Son for us, sends his Spirit to us, and summons all people to himself. The privilege and responsibility of his church, sent into all the world, is to testify by his words and deeds to Jesus Christ, God's unique son, crucified, risen and ascended.The East-West partnership in missiological exploration expounds a variety of Old and New Testament texts, and examines a wide range of issues. The authors' desire is that Jesus Christ might be glorified more and more in the church and in the world; their eager expectation is that one day the whole creation will find its consummation in him, and God will be all and in all.

Many books on the practice of prayer seem to be informed more by the experiences of their authors than by Scripture. However, the Bible not only teaches us about prayer, it also gives us many examples of prayer. It is God's Word to us, and it teaches us how to respond to that Word.Tim Chester's insightful exposition of this central aspect of Christian living is driven by the conviction that we need to reform not only our thinking and behaviour in the light of God's Word, but also our praying.Drawing on a wide range of biblical texts, he explores the foundations and the practice of prayer, and shows that how we understand prayer is necessarily bound up with how we understand the gospel, and God himself.

The message of the Resurrection, believes Paul Beasley-Murray, is not just for Easter. It lies at the heart of the gospel and of the New Testament. It is good news for every day of the year.This accessible and practical exposition takes us back to the firsthand, vivid accounts of the key witnesses who saw the risen and very tangible Jesus: Matthew, Mark Luke, John, Paul, Peter and others. We are brought afresh to the distinctive records that together provide a full-orbed picture of the dramatic days following Christ's resurrection. We see the true meaning of this event, which changed human history for ever.

The God of the Bible is the living, active and self-revealing God. He takes the initiative in making himself known. He is a speaking God, and he calls for a listening people. Those who listen in faith, he draws in love into a relationship that engages every fibre of their humanity and enters every event in their lives.This is a book by a theologian and preacher who believes that the first purpose of a biblical theology is to lead us to the feet of the living God. The book ends with the theme of worship: an attitude and activity that takes us out into the world to serve this living God and to make him known.

The magnificent theme of the cross of Christ is treated in a readable and practical manner. In a wide-ranging exploration, Derek Tidball brings out its implications for Christian living, community and spirituality.Opening up key passages throughout the Bible, Tidball considers the anticipation of the Cross in the Old Testament, the experience of it in the Gospel accounts, its explanation and application in the New Testament letters and the Book of Revelation.He writes: 'Before the cross of Christ countless men and women of every generation and culture have stood in adoring wonder and humble penitence. The cross stands at the very heart of the Christian faith, manifesting the love of God, effecting salvation from sin, conquering the hostile forces of evil and inviting reconciliation with God.'

This book is about the best news the world has ever heard - the message of salvation. The Bible itself is the word of salvation, the message of grace that glorifies God by persuading sinners to believe in Jesus Christ.Philip Ryken opens up God's saving message using the Bible's stories, sermons, letters and poems to explain its own theme of salvation. He has chosen nineteen biblical passages that take us deeper into the biblical teaching on salvation. The centerpiece of each passage has a familiar ring: election, deliverance, redemption, expiation, reconciliation, regeneration, justification, adoption, sanctification and glorification.A passion for the grandness of God's work shows through as Philip Ryken illuminates the contours of the message of salvation.

The invitation to worship God is the highest privilege of human beings - a privilege squandered by sinful rebellion, but also gloriously restored to us through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Biblical worship is a response to God's revelation of himself, empowered by the Holy Spirit, which finds expression in every aspect of human life and experience.At the same time, there is a great deal of music and song in the Bible. Music is a wonderful gift of God in creation, and there is every reason to embrace its riches and harness its power responsibly for the glory of God and the blessing of his people.However, Christians have often been divided over the theology and practice of worship, with differing views about spiritual gifts, the place of liturgy, priorities attached to various functions of the church, the weight given to congregational and 'whole-life' worship, and the role and style of music.While many of these areas are touched on in John Risbridger's excellent exposition, his intention is not to court controversy, but simply to allow Scripture to speak, in the hope of establishing as much common ground as possible. He follows a loosely trinitarian structure, in which the main sections explore the connection between worship and the purpose of the Father, the supremacy of the Son and life of the Holy Spirit. Each section concludes with two chapters on the Psalms, in which we hear a variety of 'voices', and learn to join their distinctive song.

This valuable exposition of the theme of ‘spiritual warfare' is in four sections. The first is concerned with the nature of Satan and his activity in the world God has made. The second examines the different dimensions of Christ’s victory over Satan. The third considers ways in which Christ’s victory over Satan impacts God's people. The final section looks at various areas in which believers must fight sin and Satan. Two concluding chapters examine the weapons with which God equips his people for their spiritual warfare.

Soon after Jesus began his public ministry, he called his first `disciples’. He would teach and train them and then, after his death and resurrection, commission and empower them to go to the `nations’ to make more `followers’ of himself. The risen Jesus is still calling and sending disciples today. If we heed his call the result can be just as transformative and as exciting as it was for the first disciples.While there are no explicit occurrences of the term `disciple’ outside the Gospels and Acts, with only two further biblical references to `followers’ of Jesus, it is Peter Morden’s conviction that we need the whole Bible if we are going to be whole-life disciples. He reflects on Scripture and asks the primary question, `How do we live as committed disciples of Jesus today?’ He explores the foundations, the resources and the practice of discipleship, from a range of Old and New Testament texts.The result is a well-rounded and satisfying picture of Christian discipleship, one that is wonderfully attractive as well as deeply challenging.

Love - such a deceptively simple and popular little word.It is universally agreed that we need love to live and flourish as human beings; and yet, within our contemporary culture, there are numerous confusing, competing and evolving ideas about what 'love' is.There are few greater subjects in Christian theology than love, yet it is a surprisingly complex and challenging concept to understand, let alone live out faithfully. Patrick Mitchel's conviction is that Christians need to be thinking about, and practising, love in compelling and authentic ways. Our task is not only to articulate what love is, but also to show to the world what true Christian love looks like in practice.'The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love' (Gal. 5:6 NIV).Mitchel's exposition explores love in the Old Testament, how the love of God is supremely revealed in the mission and death of Jesus Christ, love in the life and teaching of Jesus and the church's calling to be a community of love. He helps us to grasp afresh the breadth, depth, scope and radically counter-cultural nature of the Bible's teaching on love.With a fully integrated study guide, suitable for both individuals and groups, The Message of Love will help you to see how the Bible's unified teaching on this vital theme can impact your life today.

'For the LORD gives wisdom...he stores up sound wisdom for the upright... The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom' (Proverbs 2:6, 7; 9:10).The Old Testament books of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes are often referred to as the wisdom books of the Bible. The theme of wisdom, however, is not limited to these books: it actually pervades much of the Bible. Dan Estes explores wisdom in key passages in Scripture.In Part 1, he investigates the concept of wisdom in the book of Proverbs: what wisdom is and how it calls out to humans to follow its path. In Part 2, he considers how wisdom is presented in various contexts in the Old Testament, in passages from the law (Deuteronomy 30), history (1 Kings 3-4), prophecy (Jeremiah 8-9) and Psalm 112. Part 3 focuses on Proverbs to learn how wisdom affects our conduct in our work, our speech, our decisions and our righteous living. There is complexity in the biblical message of wisdom. Part 4 shows how the prominent theme of retribution in Proverbs is balanced and qualified in the books of Job and Ecclesiastes. In Part 5, Estes examines the culmination of wisdom in the New Testament, as we see that Jesus is the master teacher of wisdom and the source of all wisdom, and that we are challenged to live by God’s wisdom rather than falling into folly.Throughout the Bible, we are constantly challenged to learn God's wisdom, to live God's wisdom, and to love God's wisdom.

Who do humans think they are?! A cacophony of answers in the face of global challenges - like climate change, artificial intelligence, racism, nationalism, terrorism, feminism, abortion, gene therapy, gender constructivism - shows we do not agree.To a deeply divided, despondent world, the Bible speaks today about the human condition and destiny by pointing us to Jesus Christ, the true human, the image of God.Ian Payne's conviction is that the most important answer to the question of humanity is God. He expounds a comprehensive selection of Old and New Testament passages and examines a range of issues in being human today.The book is structured in three parts following the biblical narrative:Part 1: Created in the image of God Part 2: Image of God renewed in Christ Part 3: Issues in being humanThis biblical theology shows that hope and meaning for humans are found in remembering and trusting God's gift of life and goal of redemption and restoration. With an integrated study guide, this book is perfect for personal and group study and preachers' application of the passages covered.

Across 22 chapters, T. Desmond Alexander expounds the theme of the kingdom of God from selected Old and New Testament texts, showing its relevance for today.God made us to rule with him as his representatives, to establish his kingdom on earth. But Adam and Eve's rebellion alienated humanity from God's kingdom, instead making them slaves to the kingdom of darkness. As the promised ruler, Jesus Christ comes as the perfect king to redeem enslaved humanity. This servant king brings God's kingdom on earth through self-sacrificial love. In hope, we now await the return of the king and the coming of the eternal kingdom.With a fully integrated study guide, suitable for both individuals and groups, The Message of the Kingdom of God will help you to see how the Bible's unified teaching on this vital theme can impact your life today.The Bible Speaks Today series covers every book of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture.

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." John 14:3 (ESV)Jesus Christ was very clear: one day He will return, and we must know the signs of the times, remain watchful, and be ready for when He comes again.In this insightful study, Steve Motyer explores a number of key biblical texts to unpack The Message of the Second Coming. Examining passages from both the Old and New Testaments, he demonstrates that Jesus Christ is the core of the biblical worldview, the climax of the biblical message, the cornerstone of biblical theology and the centrepiece of authentic biblical faith for the twenty-first century. A new volume in the trusted the Bible Speaks Today series of commentaries, The Message of the Second Coming offers a clear, cogent and thought-provoking exposition of what the Bible tells us about the second coming of Jesus Christ and how the lessons drawn from that can be applied to modern Christian living.Used by Bible students and teachers around the world, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for students who want to deepen their understanding of Scripture and its continued relevance today. This volume is also perfect for those preaching on the second coming of Christ and looking for accessible exposition they can draw on for their sermons.This new edition uses the NIV Bible text and its beautiful cover matches the redesigned editions of existing Bible Speaks Today Commentary.The Message of the Second Coming is perfect for anyone looking for compelling commentaries will help them better understand the meaning of the second coming of Christ and how it applies to their everyday life.

The belief that God is a Trinity - one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit - is fundamental to Christianity, central to the whole understanding of the divine nature and the story of human salvation. Although the term 'Trinity' does not appear in the Bible, it expresses thoroughly biblical teaching. It was developed by the early Christians as the only way to account for the revelation of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.Brian Edgar's conviction is that the Trinity is fundamentally simple, thoroughly practical and theologically central - not abstract, obscure or irrelevant. With warmth and clarity, he expounds a range of biblical texts to show that God can indeed be known, and experienced in Christian life and ministry, in his glorious three-in-oneness.

Evil and suffering have always been part of human experience - and they present a significant challenge to Christian belief in a good and all-powerful God.Evil and suffering may be a mystery to us, but they are not a mystery to God. The Bible writers have no time for an unreal idealism, in which the life of faith is free from anguish, pain and perplexity. They are confident that God's power and wisdom are great enough not just to cope with the realities of suffering and evil, but to overcome and transform them, and to enable us to be 'more than conquerors' in a broken and hurting world.With warmth and clarity, Peter Hicks expounds a range of relevant biblical texts that enable us to set the issue of evil and suffering firmly in the context of the nature and purposes of God. Central to his approach is the conviction that the key lies in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the suffering and triumph of God himself. In valuable practical sections he explores the Bible's teaching on how we are to live in a world of evil and suffering.

Despite the teaching of the Bible and church tradition, it seems that many Christians can still lack an appreciation of God the Holy Spirit. He has sometimes been valued more for the gifts he bestows than for who he is; or he has been viewed simply as the 'third person of the Godhead'.However, Keith Warrington's conviction is that the Holy Spirit is more important, more central, more immanently involved in his creation, the church, and individual believers, more often and more strategically, than many Christians realise.When Jesus left his disciples and went to heaven, he gave the best gift he could - the Holy Spirit - knowing that he will be our dynamic guide and partner as we seek to live as God's people. In this practical, biblically based exploration of the Spirit, Warrington encourages believers to recognize that the same Spirit seeks to encounter us and desires that we encounter him.

'Sonship' is an important, yet often overlooked, theme throughout the Bible. Adam, the first human being, is identified as a 'son of God'; Israel is God's 'first-born son'; the covenant with king David is cast in father-son terms; Christians are children of God, 'adopted as sons'; and the same designation brings Scripture to a triumphant conclusion: 'He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son' (Revelation 21:7).The storyline of the Bible is clear, that God is making for himself a family of sons and daughters who will serve him and reign with him in his kingdom for ever - and this purpose is achieved through Jesus Christ, the incarnate Son of God.In his warm-hearted, edifying exposition of this theme, Trevor Burke shows how 'sonship' is the focus of creation, is a metaphor for salvation, carries moral obligation, and is the goal of restoration of broken, suffering humanity. For those whom God the Father adopts into his household as sons and daughters, the family bonds that begin in this life will last for all eternity.

'Any coherent comment on what the Bible says about the Bible, the Christian Scriptures,' says Tim Meadowcroft, 'must address the wider notion that God speaks.' Accordingly, his fresh, wide-ranging exposition of 'the message of the word of God' is structured around four key propositions.The first is the extraordinary, fundamental reality that God speaks - and that when he speaks, he acts. This introduces us to the breadth of God's speaking, both in the text of Scripture and by means of the world that he has created. Secondly, God speaks in the written words of Scripture in a particular way: this is because the biblical texts are unique. Thirdly, God speaks in Christ: the word of God is finally and fully revealed and heard in the person of Jesus, the incarnate Word. From this it follows that the word of God in Scripture is a witness to the revelation of God in Jesus, that Jesus provides a model for interpretation of the Scriptures, and that the Scriptures are best understood and interpreted in the light of Christ. The fourth proposition is that God speaks today: his voice continues to be heard in the light of Christ and through the reading of Scripture.Throughout, Meadowcroft shows how God's speaking is concerned with his glory, and calls into being his people - who themselves are to live out and declare the word of God to others.

Women appear in key places and roles throughout the biblical story-line. In the Old Testament we find Eve in the garden of Eden; the matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah, Leah and Rachel; Deborah and Ruth in the time of the Judges; the prophetesses Huldah in King Josiah's time; the capable woman of Proverbs 31; the passionate woman in the Song of Songs. In the Gospels, various women are involved in the life of Jesus, not least his mother Mary and the first witnesses to his resurrection. The book of Acts includes Lydia the converted businesswoman and Priscilla the fearless teacher. Furthermore, both testaments also contain much teaching about women's life and ministry, for example in prayer, in worship, in marriage and in leadership.Derek and Dianne Tidball's wide-ranging exposition begins with some foundations about women in creation and in the new creation. Next, they survey women under the old covenant. Thirdly, they examine women in the kingdom of God, in the life and teaching of Jesus, and in the final section they deal with women in the new community of the early church, and grapple with some of the more controversial writings of the apostle Paul.Mindful of the complexities, challenges and debates, the authors seek to approach the Bible with humility and integrity, while addressing vitally relevant issues for Christians today with clarity and confidence.

The Bible begins and ends with God dwelling with his people, from Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, to the great multitude in the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation. At each step, God gathered his people together, to speak to them, hear from them, and change them to be more like him. God assembling his people, whom he loves, is what the Bible calls 'church'.The church should aspire to be a group of vibrant, loving, risk-everything people who are passionately committed to living out the values of God's Word and looking forward to the new creation. Churches and their pastors and leaders need to hear what the Bible says about who they are and what they are to do.Chris Green takes 'the message of the church' to mean, first, that the church has a message, which is that God has saved his people through Christ; second, that the church is the created and saved result of that message; and third, that the church is a message, which is that he has saved broken people like us, and by belonging to his people we are trying to respond to him in the ways he requires. His stimulating and insightful exposition begins with a survey of the church 'from eternity, to Eden, to exodus, to exile, to eternity', and then focuses on various dimensions of the church's life and ministry, including its worship, unity, maturity, servants, gifts, holiness, boundaries and future.