“ . . . Leland Ryken helps us to meditate deeply on God’s Word by engaging our imagination, our understanding, and our will.”
—Gene Edward Veith, Emeritus Professor of Literature, Patrick Henry College
God’s eternal redemptive plan came to fruition in the events of a tumultuous handful of days. In the two thousand years since, believers have sought to express the horror of Christ’s crucifixion, the joy of his resurrection, and the wonder of the personal and eternal implications of both.
The works of poets and hymnists unite with the poetic testimony of Scripture in this anthology. Forty meditative readings present their work alongside literary explanations from author Leland Ryken. Accompanied by beautiful images produced by artists through the ages, they are designed to fix our thoughts on God and the spiritual life and to awaken our religious affections. Rather than merely recreating the events, these psalms, hymns, and poems lead us to analyze their spiritual meaning and prompt us to respond with heartfelt praise and adoration.
About the Author
Leland Ryken, author of more than fifty books on biblical and literary topics, is the literary editor of the ESV Bible and emeritus professor of English at Wheaton College in Illinois. P&R Publishing
All of us think about the end times. When we reflect on what will happen not only when we die but when this present age ends, some combination of ideas, images, hopes, and fears floods our minds. In The Future of Everything, William Boekestein encourages us to allow our thoughts on the end times to be guided by God’s Word. While combing the Scriptures to find direction related to subjects like death, the millennial kingdom, the return of Christ, the resurrection, judgment, heaven, and hell, Boekestein helps us cultivate a vision for the future that impacts our walk before God’s face today.
William Boekestein has been pastoring Immanuel Fellowship Church since May, 2015. Before that he pastored Covenant Reformed Church, in Carbondale, PA since 2008. He received his B.A. at Kuyper College and his M.Div. at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Prior to entering the ministry he worked in residential construction and taught at a Christian school for several years. He and his wife Amy have four children. He has authored Ulrich Zwingli, A Well-Ordered Church (with Daniel R. Hyde), Why Christ Came: 31 Meditations on the Incarnation (with Joel Beeke), Life Lessons from a Calloused Christian: A Practical Study of Jonah with Questions, and for children, Faithfulness under Fire: The Story of Guido de Bres, The Quest for Comfort: The Story of the Heidelberg Catechism, and The Glory of Grace: The Story of the Canons of Dort.
Just as Mary testified to the resurrection of Jesus, we the church must also testify, and God will use us as he used her and others in the early church, to draw sinners to himself.
1. Messengers of Hope—The presence of the angels hints at the fact that Jesus’s tomb is empty because he rose from death and walked out.
2. Whom Are You Seeking?—Do you seek one to take away your earthly problems, or a Savior and Lord who saves you from the wrath of his Father for your sins?
3. I Have Seen the Lord—If God can use Mary and the early church to testify to Christ’s resurrection and ascension, then he can use you, too.
On September 11, 2016, Pastor Joe Troutman preached “He is Risen; He is Risen Indeed!” from John 20:1-10.
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. If we believe in him, we have already been raised spiritually, and will be raised physically when he returns.
1. On the First Day—Christ’s resurrection was so significant to the early Christians, that they began observing the Sabbath on the first day of the week. Everything has shifted with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
2. Seeing the Signs—The resurrection is the greatest sign that Jesus Christ is God. The signs of Jesus’ resurrection lead John to believe.
3. That He Must Rise—Christ’s resurrection is the new creation. Your rising in him makes you a new creation. You have been changed, and you will be changed.
We know true sorrow in this world, but if Jesus has died in our place and was raised to life, then we most assuredly can have true joy.
1. A Little While—Jesus wants the disciples to know that when the night is at its darkest and he has been arrested, tried and sentenced to death, and when darkness covers the land during his crucifixion, that he will come back to them after his resurrection.
2. Lamentations and Rejoicing—Because we believe he is risen, we have joy despite the trials of life.
On Sunday, November 29, 2015, Pastor Joe Troutman preached “To See the Glory of God” from John 11:28-44.
Just as Jesus had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead and unbind him from his grave clothes, so he has power to raise us from spiritual death and unbind us from slavery to sin.
1. “Deeply Moved,” or Indignant?—Jesus was angry both at the enemy that death itself is, and by the fact that so many chose to remain ignorant that he is the God-sent remedy to death.
2. Jesus Wept—In his full humanity, Jesus shed tears for Lazarus, and for the disbelief on display around him.
3. That They Might Believe—In his full deity, Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out, raising him physically, signifying our spiritual resurrection and foretelling our future bodily resurrection, yet contrasting it with that of the Lord Jesus.
On Sunday, November 22, 2015, Pastor Joe Troutman preached “I am the Resurrection and the Life” from John 11:17-27.
Faith in Jesus Christ takes away our fear of death because he’s the one who raises the dead back to life.
1. Four Days Dead—For the glory of God, it must be undeniable that Lazarus was raised by the power of Christ.
2. Misunderestimation—Despite Martha’s grief, she expresses her faith that Jesus would have healed Lazarus if Jesus had been with them. Martha mistakenly thinks there are limits to Jesus’s ability to raise Lazarus from death.
3. Greater Than Expectation—Not only will God raise all on the Last Day, not only can Jesus raise a man from death who is dead four days, but he can raise one to eternal spiritual life today as well.
On Sunday, November 8, 2015, Pastor Joe Troutman preached “For God’s Glory and For Our Good” from John 11:1-16.
Lazarus’s deliverance from death was, and your salvation from eternal damnation is, accomplished by Jesus Christ for the glory of the Triune God.
1. Expression of Love—Because of his love for Mary, Martha and Lazarus, Jesus stayed two days longer upon reports that Lazarus was ill. They benefited more by his delay than if he had healed Lazarus immediately.
2. Walking in the Day—Jesus knows there’s no safer plae for him to be than right where the Father planned for him to be. The divine nature of Jesus knows his Father’s secret will. There was still time for Jesus to work.
3. For Your Sake, For God’s Glory—Jesus wants his disciples to have true faith in him. His delay in going to Lazarus was for their spiritual good. Sometimes for the sake of God’s glory, people must endure suffering.
Book Description 
About the Author 
On Sunday, October 2, 2016, Pastor 
On Sunday, November 29, 2015, Pastor 
Mid-Cities Presbyterian Church Library 
From Sorrow to Joy (John 16:16-24)
We know true sorrow in this world, but if Jesus has died in our place and was raised to life, then we most assuredly can have true joy.
1. A Little While—Jesus wants the disciples to know that when the night is at its darkest and he has been arrested, tried and sentenced to death, and when darkness covers the land during his crucifixion, that he will come back to them after his resurrection.
2. Lamentations and Rejoicing—Because we believe he is risen, we have joy despite the trials of life.
Listen to “From Sorrow to Joy” (John 16:16-24) at mcopc.org.
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