Book Review On the First Day of the Week

On the First Day of the Week, Iain D. Campbell, Day One Publications (2005) £8.00 224pages


One comment would suffice for this book READ IT. In a day and age when the Lord’s Day is increasingly under attack, even from those who profess the Lord Jesus Christ, we need every help we can get to shore up the crumbling walls of the first day of the week. Dr. Campbell’s new book is comprehensive, concise, compassionate and clear. It is simple and yet profound. Each of the eight chapters oozes with Scripture and is incised by rich veins of precious and practical truths. The book follows a logical pattern beginning in chapter 1 with “God and the Sabbath” and ending with chapter 8 entitled “Heaven and the Sabbath.” In the chapters between hardly a Scripture that refers to the Lord’s Day is left unturned as the lengthy and helpful Scriptural index indicates. Between the two great pillars of the opening and closing chapters the writer deals with: “Moses and the Sabbath,” “The Prophets and the Sabbath,” “Jesus and the Sabbath,” “The Apostles and the Sabbath,” “The Puritans and the Sabbath” and “The 21st Century Christian and the Sabbath.” Each chapter is set out under simple headings with helpful summary paragraph at the end.
Before you buy any book you should look at the footnotes to see where the writer has been gathering his thoughts, who he has consulted. Dr. Campbell’s new book condenses and brings into our hearing the thoughts of a galaxy of the great and gracious giants of the past.
This is without doubt the best book that I have read about the Lord’s Day. It is a must for every Christian home. Read it with your young people's group, discuss it with your teenagers, make some questions around each chapter for your midweek meeting.
If you haven’t got the £8.00 to buy it sell your MP3 player, your favourite plant in the garden, your walking stick, your dog, your favourite cd – you simply must buy it and let the contents of this book help you call the Sabbath a delight.

Transform our lowly bodies

Transform our lowly bodies - that is the promise of Christ, Philippians 3:21. When the Saviour comes from heaven, the power that He uses to control every atom in this universe He will use to transform the lowly bodies of every single person in Christ. Take a visit to the nursing home and you will see a few lowly bodies - an elderly saint - now unable to hold a drinking cup without drowling - lowly body. Take a vist to the cancer ward - and a Christian man sits, a shadow of his former self, waiting for the gnawing from within to bring things to an end - lowly body. Take a vist to the graveyard where a follower of Christ has placed in the earth the tiny body of his infant child, reduced now to dust with the passing of the years - lowly body. Take a vist to the prison cell of Allan Cameron presented with the hands of his son Richard - lowly body. Take a visit to the jungle hut of the missionary who has just lost his life at the hands of Muslim extremist - see his lowly body dashed in its own blood.
And all these when the Savour comes from heaven will be transformed so that they will be like His glorious body. Blessed be King Jesus who does all things well.

"Faithful God" by Sinclair Ferguson

Orginally a series of addresses given at the EMW conference. If you are looking for a devotional commentary on Ruth then look no further. As ususal Mr Ferguson has that knack of digging up some wonderful gems and setting them in language that is both mind capturing and vivid. The commentary has a warm Christ centred feel to it - which isn't that difficult when going through Ruth. Mr Ferguson shows well the place of this book of Scripture in God's plan for saving sinners. The book is worth reading and having on your shelf not only for the comments on Ruth which are stimulating, but for the appendix. The appendix is on the theme of guidance. It is a letter of John Newtown. If Christians would read this it would keep them from all sorts of silly nonsense about discerning the will of God. Read and be blessed.

Why the Title?

The title of this blog is taken from my favourite psalm - psalm 22. These were words that were on the Lord Jesus mind as He hung between heaven and earth bearing the sin of many in His own body on the tree. He was comforted in that horrible hour by the fact that He would rise triumphant from the grave and be successful in saving a great number of people. At this moment He is in heaven ruling the nations of the earth for the purpose of building His church on the earth. One day He will return to this earth and all will bow the knee before Him. There is only one way to be ready for that day - faith alone in Christ alone.