Please explore the following resources that our Resource Team curated. We think they will help you as you dive deeper into the topics discussed in our sermon series Come & See.
Recommended Books:
The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper
This book tackles some of the most important questions in the Christian faith using fifty purposes from the New Testament. It addresses questions such as the following: “Why was Jesus crucified?” “Why did he suffer so much?” “Who sent him to his death?” Most importantly it answers the question, “What does the crucifixion have to do with me?”
40 Questions About the Historical Jesus by C. Marvin Pate
This book answers questions from Jesus’s entire life and ministry, but the final section is dedicated to His crucifixion and resurrection. Pate uses a critical analysis of the Gospel text along with historical and cultural methods of investigation to prove the orthodox view of Christ as the Messiah.
The Crucified King: Atonement and Kingdom in Biblical and Systematic Theology by Jeremy R. Treat
If you love deep theological study—this book is for you! Using both biblical insights and systematic theology, this book demonstrates not only that the kingdom of God and the cross are inseparable but how they are integrated throughout Scripture and Christian theology.
Recommended Articles:
Blog | Cornerstone Church
Patty’s post: Walking the Talk
Desiring God: "Five Truths About the Death of Jesus"
This article offers five biblical truths about what Jesus accomplished on the cross. From dying for His enemies, to reconciling us to God, Jesus and His crucifixion are at the heart of the Christian faith. Rightfully understanding these concepts leads to true worship.
Desiring God: "For Whom Did Christ Die? : Six Reasons Particular Atonement Is for Your Joy
This article explains the importance of Jesus’s atoning blood and justification by faith. It offers evidence for the truth that Jesus died for all people in the world without distinction. Finally, it presents six reasons that we should find joy in the doctrine of Jesus’s death.
The Gospel Coalition: "2 Reasons Jesus Died on the Cross"
This article argues that if we want to rightfully understand the crucifixion, we have to think from God’s point of view. When we do this theologically, the following two reasons for Jesus’s death become clear: Christ died to bring us near to God, and Christ died to reveal God’s character.
The Gospel Coalition: A Crossless Gospel Makes Spineless Christians
This article challenges us to change the way we tackle the subject of the crucifixion in our ministry–especially when it comes to teaching young people. It can be easy to fall into sentimentalism and talk about the love and mercy of God in a way that omits the cross, but this leads to flimsy faith in an already challenging world.
Recommended Podcasts:
Podcasts | Cornerstone Church- Warehouse
Have you ever heard a sermon and thought, "how in the world did he discover that?" Or "Where did he get that idea?" Every week at Cornerstone Church, two teams dig into the biblical text that will be taught during our weekend services. We spend hours talking about the text, context, culture, you name it. But you can't stuff ALL that into a 30-minute message.
That's where we come in. We'll show you the stuff in the warehouse that didn't make it to the stage.
Ask Pastor John: Why Did Jesus Need to Suffer and Die Publicly?
In this short podcast, John Piper offers six reasons for why “we can say that the glorification of Jesus Christ and the achievement of our salvation did indeed require the kind of sufferings he endured…”
The Gospel Coalition: The Toxic Effect of Taking Jesus for Granted
“Taking each other for granted is not a good thing—it’s a recipe for simmering resentment. But the consequences of taking each other for granted are nothing compared to the toxic effect on our relationship with God of taking his Son for granted.” — Gary Millar
The Gospel Coalition: The Death of Christ
“We need to invite the horror of the crucified Christ—its blood and glistening bone and swirling insects—to assault our hearts with that reality so that our hearts might respond and say, ‘This is how I’m loved.’” — Kent Hughes
Knowing Faith: The Cross-Shaped Kingdom
Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley are joined by Jeremy Treat, author of The Crucified King, to talk about the kingdom and the cross and why both are crucial to how we understand and live out the gospel. “You can’t understand the Kingdom with the cross. You can't understand the cross without the Kingdom” - Jeremy Treat
Ask Pastor John: Christ's Death Was No Accident
“His death was designed. It was no accident. It was no fluke of history. It was no mere result of unchecked mob violence. His death was intentional. It was divinely intended — intended from the beginning of time. This is a somber and significant point to grasp from Acts 4:27–28.” –John Piper
Recommended Videos:
The Bible Project: The Crucifixion of Jesus
This video explores the Gospel of Luke 19-23, and how it came about that the innocent Jesus ended up being executed as a revolutionary rebel against Rome. It also shows how Jesus was not at all surprised because he believed that his death would open up a new future for Israel, and for all humanity.
Jesus Film Project: Why Did Jesus Have to Die? (Wonder Series)
This video illustrates our need for the saving work of Jesus on the cross and explains its role in the whole Gospel story. This could also be a helpful tool when discussing the Gospel with older children or students!
Recommended Sermons:
R.C. Sproul: "The Crucifixion (Mark 15:16-41)"
To most bystanders, the crucifixion of Jesus was just another criminal’s execution. But after the centurion witnessed Christ’s death, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39). In this sermon, R.C. Sproul brings us to the foot of the cross as he continues his series in the gospel of Mark.
Why Did Christ Die?: Foundations - An Overview of Systematic Theology with R.C. Sproul
Every sin we commit against God is a capital offense. In order to satisfy the demands of divine justice and to remove the guilt of His people, Jesus Christ died in their place on the cross. In this message, R.C. Sproul lays out the significance of the substitutionary atonement accomplished by Jesus’ death.
Matt Chandler: Justification (Every Angle Series)
Beginning the “Every Angle” sermon series, Matt Chandler compares the gospel to the most precious of gemstones. As we marvel at the good news of Jesus, holding this dazzling stone to the light, every angle of truth is illuminated. In this sermon, Matt speaks on the gospel metaphor of Justification.
Other Recommended Resources:
Song--"Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery" by Matt Papa
Song--"Death was Arrested" by North Point Worship
Song--"It Was Finished Upon That Cross" by CityAlight
Song--"At Last the King" by The Gray Havens
Song--"Royal Blood (Spilled for Us)" by Richlin
Song--"At the Cross (Love Ran Red acoustic session)" by Chris Tomlin
Song--"You Cannot Be Stopped" by Phil Wickham and Chris Quilala