Looks like Goldsworthy has another book coming out on Biblical Theology.  You can read an interview with him about the book here.

HT: Infant in a Cradle

O my Lord,

Let not my ministry be approved only by men,

or merely win the esteem and affections

of people;

But do the work of grace in their hearts,

call in thy elect,

seal and edify the regenerate ones,

and command eternal blessings on their souls.

Save me from self-opinion and self-seeking;

Water the hearts of those who hear thy Word,

that seed sown in weakness may be raised

in power;

Cause me and those that hear me

to behold thee here in the light of special faith,

and hereafter in the blaze of endless glory;

Make my every sermon a means of grace to myself,

and help me to experience the power

of thy dying love,

for thy blood is balm,

thy presence bliss,

thy smile heaven,

thy cross the place where truth

and mercy meet.

Look upon the doubts and discouragements

of my ministry

and keep me from self-importance;

I beg pardon for my many sins, omissions,

infirmities,

as a man, as a minister;

Command thy blessing on my weak,

unworthy labours,

and on the message of salvation given;

Stay with thy people,

and may thy presence be their portion

and mine.

when I preach to others let not my words

be merely elegant and masterly,

my reasoning polished and refined,

my performance powerless and tasteless,

but may I exalt thee and humble sinners.

O Lord of power and grace,

all hearts are in thy hands,

all events at thy disposal,

Set the seal of thy almighty will

upon my ministry.

I had this set, but sold it.  I’ve kicked myself ever since because the price on it just kept going up.  Now Hendrickson Publishers is releasing it again and it’s only $229.99.  It won’t be available until April, but you can pre-order it here.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything, Tullian Tchividjian.  Easily one of my favorite books of 2011.  Tchividjian’s book has recently found some gracious criticism; but for me, I was deeply encouraged and beautifully reminded of Christ’s all-sufficient work.

The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller.  Of course no list would be complete without an annual contribution by Keller.  Keller brings a lot of realism and clarity to marriage.  As usual everything is saturated with gospel content.

Kings Cross, Tim Keller.  Ok, how about two books by Keller from 2011.  The book is essentially an overview of the life of Christ from the book of Mark.  In typical Keller fashion he hits hard against religion and reminds everyone why the gospel is good news.

A New Testament Biblical Theology, G.K. Beale.  I’m just getting into Beale’s work, but what I have read so far has been really helpful.  In this book, Beale is great at connecting the NT & OT together, and bringing out the eschatological nature of Scripture.

What Is the Mission of the Church, Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert.  Another controversial book of 2011.  In my opinion, the authors provide a well-defined, biblically sound, and coherent argument.  I found the book to be encouraging and helpful.

Gospel, JD Greear.  I never heard of Greear until I came across his book; but I sure am glad I found it.  There is much in this book that I connected with, but what I found particularly helpful is how he applied the gospel practically.

Gospel Wakefulness, Jared Wilson.  Like Greear & Tchividjian we get hit again with the gospel.  Wilson wants us to not only understand the sufficiency of the gospel, but to savor its power more sweetly in our churches and in our lives.

The Christian Faith, Michael Horton.  What I get from Horton is that his approach to Systematics is from a clear Redemptive-Historical perspective.  In my opinion, that is what makes his volume unique over others.

Ezekiel, Peter Naylor. Most stuff on Ezekiel is either too dense or too short.  Naylor strikes a balance and provides insightful applications.  The beginning of his commentary is especially helpful where he covers an assortment of interpretative issues.

Historical Theology, Gregg Allison.  Allison’s volume is the companion work to Grudem’s Systematic Theology.  This book is accessible, easy to digest, and a very helpful book on the historical development of Christian doctrine.

What we learn here is that Jesus’ identity (the Christ, the Son of the living God) cannot be separated from his occupation (suffering servant).  We cannot talk about Jesus or claim to have Jesus without his cross.  If we attempt to have a Jesus without the cross, we actually have no Jesus at all.  As a matter of fact, to claim to have Jesus without his cross is not only unbiblical–it’s demonic.  That is why Jesus says to Peter, “get behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to me.”  If we minimize, ignore, reinterpret, or gloss over the agony of the cross and what God was doing at it, then we cannot claim to know Jesus.  The cross is at the heart of Christianity; because at the cross God did for me what I could not do for myself.

The best thing a man can do for his personal Bible reading is join a strong local church where the Bible is preached and the gospel is clear.  Likewise, the best thing a man can do for his personal prayer life is join a strong local church where the Bible is preached and the gospel is clear.

God’s Glory In Salvation Through Judgment, p. 569.

What To Say To Church Members Leaving for Poor Reasons

What to Say to Non-Committal Church Attenders

Moralistic preaching is stimulated by a fear of the scandalous freedom that gospel grace promotes and promises.  The perceived fear is this: if we think too much and talk to much about grace and the radical freedom it brings, we’ll go off the deep end with it.  We’ll abuse it.  So to balance things out, we need to throw some law in there, to help make sure Christian people walk the straight and narrow. (p. 50)

Preachers these days are expected to major in “Christian moral renovation.”  They are expected to provide a practical to-do list, rather than announce, “It is finished.”  They are expected to do something other than, more than, placarding before their congregation’s eyes Christ’s finished work, preaching a full absolution soley on the basis of the complete righteousness of Another.  The irony is, of course, that when preachers cave in to this pressure, moral renovation does not happen.  To focus on how I’m doing, more than on what Christ has done, is Christian narcissism (an oxymoron if I ever heard one)– the poison of self-absorption which undermines the power of the gospel in our lives.  (p.117)

How this woman found herself is how we must find ourselves as well.  This woman recognized her unworthiness and desperateness; and cried out to Jesus.  To find ourselves like this woman is not moralizing the text (be like this person or that person for right standing before God), but ultimately it is to confess and understand our complete failure before the only one who can truly heal us.  When we become aware of our own sinfulness, so we come to discover that 1% of Christ is more satisfying and sweeter than 100% of anything else.   When we find ourselves broken over our sin and humbled before God, so we confess Jesus as our Lord, as our Healer, and as our Savior; and in return God gives me all of his Son.  I don’t just get a morsel or a crumb of Christ, but a get a buffet of his love, a never-ending well of his grace, and a plate full of his mercy.

I’ve said a few times that Greg Beale is one of my favorite authors and by far one of the finest NT scholars.  Beale’s contribution to NT studies is his ability to show linguistic and typological connections between the OT and NT.  This seems to be the aim of his new book on Biblical Theology.  I am sure it will be a tremendous blessing to the church.  It is now available for purchase.  WTS Bookstore is offering it for 45% until November 22.  See and purchase it here.