By Grace Alone

Are you truly amazed by God's grace? Or have you grown accustomed to it? Yes, we sing of God's "Amazing Grace," but do you truly understand what you as a Christian have experienced in receiving the grace of God? Or do you take divine grace for granted?

In By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me, Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson laments that "we have lost the joy and energy that is experienced when grace seems truly ‘amazing.'" In an effort to restore the wonder of divine grace, he reflects on it from seven angles, each built around a stanza from a rich but little-known hymn, "O How the Grace of God Amazes Me," written by Emmanuel T. Sibomana, a pastor in the African nation of Burundi.

This book poses probing questions for today's believer: "If I am not amazed by God's grace, can I really be living in it? Can I really be tasting, and savoring, and delighting in it?" But those willing to delve into God's Word with Dr. Ferguson will come away with a deeper astonishment at the depths of God's grace.

Christian Life Conference

Here are some great sermons from the Christian Life Conference at Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis. Sinclair Ferguson and Alistair Begg are excellent preachers and, at the very least, you’ll enjoy hearing their accents!

Luncheon: Sinclair Ferguson-Preaching Christ in All of Scripture

Session 1: Sinclair Ferguson - The Seed of the Woman (Genesis 3:1-15)

Session 2: Alistair Begg - The True Prophet (John 4:21-26)

Session 3: Alistair Begg - The Suffering Servant (Luke 24:39-46)

Session 4: Sinclair Ferguson - The Son of Man (Daniel 7:9-14)

Session 5: Sinclair Ferguson - The Great High Priest (Hebrews 2:5-18)

Session 6: Alistair Begg - The Divine King (Luke 19:28-40)

Session 7: Alistair Begg -The Lamb on the Throne (Revelation 5)

Words Matter

I wish I could have attended this conference in person, but I’ve been enjoying watching the online videos of the National Desiring God Conference from last week. John Piper argued that the way we talk can undercut the cross. This much is clear in 1 Corinthians (1:17; 2:1). Here Paul makes clear that there is a way of talking that exalts self and therefore cripples the cross. But this isn’t the only way of speaking. There’s another kind, a distinctly Christian eloquence, that humbles self and exalts Christ.

Here are links to videos of each talk:

Sinclair Ferguson - “The Tongue, the Bridle, and the Blessing”

Driscoll, Ferguson, Piper - Friday Panel Discussion

Bob Kauflin - “Words of Wonder: What Happens When We Sing?”

Mark Driscoll - “How Sharp the Edge: Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words”

Daniel Taylor - “The Life-Shaping Power of Story: God’s and Ours”

Kauflin, Piper, Taylor, Tripp - Saturday Panel Discussion

Paul Tripp - “War of Words: Getting to the Heart for God’s Sake”

John Piper - “Is There Christian Eloquence? Clear Words and the Wonder of the Cross”

HT: Desiring God