Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter

by Nancy Guthrie (Editor)

This collection of readings, drawn from the writings and sermons of 25 classic and contemporary theologians and Bible teachers, focuses on the wonder of Christ's sacrifice. In a culture where crosses have become little more than decorative accessories and jewelry, how easy it is for even the most well-intended Christian to rush from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without thoughtfully contemplating the cross and all that it means. Yet we miss out on spiritual riches when we do. So that we all may linger at the cross during the Lenten season-and stay near it the whole year through-editor Nancy Guthrie has compiled this special anthology. It draws from the works and sermons of classic theologians such as Luther, Edwards, Spurgeon, Ryle, and Augustine, and from leading contemporary communicators such as John Piper, R. C. Sproul, Francis Schaeffer, John MacArthur, Skip Ryan, and Joni Eareckson Tada to help readers enter into an experience of Christ's passion and anchor their hope in the power of his resurrection. Each essay in this collection holds to a high view of Scripture and expounds on a particular aspect of the Easter story using the appropriate Scripture passage from the ESV Bible. These readings are sure to prepare people's hearts for a fresh experience of the cross each and every Easter season.

Genres: Christian, Devotional, Christian Living, Theology, Nonfiction, Christianity, Faith

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2009

About the author

Nancy Guthrie teaches the Bible at her home church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as at conferences around the country and internationally, including through her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women. She is the author of numerous books and the host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast at The Gospel Coalition. She and her husband host Respite Retreats for couples who have faced the death of child and are co-hosts of the GriefShare video series.

Reviews

[Julie Durnell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it enough to use again next Lenten season, several essays had some unique perspectives on the Cross; but I enjoyed the Advent one more.

[Joseph Brink · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful collection of meditations for the Easter season!

[Heather Tully · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not sure how many times I’ve read this but it’s always encouraging + thought-provoking. I appreciate that the chapters are short. It would be lovely at a morning Gather with older children!

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this little collection of sermons from some of my favorite theologians, both past and present. I really enjoyed reading these throughout the Lent season.♡

[Sophia Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable book! Each chapter is a sermon by a different theologian, and it was so cool to see the different writing styles/convictions of each Godly man featured. Very thought-provoking, encouraging, Gospel-centered, devotional for the Easter season!!

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the same format as Nancy Guthrie's other edited volume, Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus. That one was readings for Advent, and this one is readings for Lent. They are both very good. I like the range of authors and eras that Guthrie has drawn from in these volumes--though I would recommend even more from the early church fathers, to balance out the readings from the Reformation and later. The length of each chapter is perfect for reading aloud together as a family, and each one that we read was useful for contemplation during the Lenten season and Easter.

[Autumn Klepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great meditations, particularly during Lent, about Jesus. Each chapter is from a different theologian, exerpts from a sermon or book of theirs, about the suffering of Christ before his crucifixion. Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, etc.

[Caroline Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved a lot of these but some of them lost me (again probably a me problem)
I think I prefer a Lent Devo by one person, not a collection. Anyways, Lent is not about my Devo and how I feel about it… He is Risen no matter what I read and I am thankful for that.

[Amy Lee Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It's an inspirational read for me every year as we lead into Resurrection Sunday. For such a small book, it contains a wealth of good teaching. The author has collected writings both classic and modern, touching on topics relevant to the cross and resurrection of Christ. The authors range from Martin Luther and John Calvin to contemporary voices such as R.C. Sproul, John Piper, and J.I. Packer. My childhood pastor even has a selection in here!

The book starts off strong with Martin Luther's "True Contemplation of the Cross" and then leads readers through Holy Week and into the power of the resurrection itself. It's excellent to pick up if you want to be deliberate and contemplative in approaching Easter.

[Josiah Jost · Rating 5 out of 5]

So rich!

[Elias C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guthrie stands on the shoulders of giants here. The best sections are Luther's, Ortlund's, Packer's, and Olson's. Putting each section in order from "road to Jerusalem" to "ascension to Heaven" was a great idea I somehow didn't catch on to until Keller's bit. I wonder to what extent Guthrie edited some of these works, however, because some of these authors are in need of some good editing (cough cough Augustine cough cough Owen). I would've liked to have known what translation of Scripture was used in every section, but that's almost trivial. That said, Guthrie has compiled a profound, holistic survey of many facets of His death and resurrection, and in doing so has given the Church a great gift. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for devotional material, especially around Easter

[Sophia Jesson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the collection of authors. Each excerpt is about 4 to 5 pages and makes for an excellent read to start the day during Lent.

[Emily Flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

25 excerpts - wonderful to do during lent

[Alyssa Cottrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal. I plan to read this and the corresponding Advent book every year.

[Paul Silles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent - 25 short chapters by all sorts of authors. Great for personal devotions. Get it if you can!

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of sermons or studies from history's greatest teachers/preachers, past and present.

I went through this as an exercise for Lent.

These chapters were so good, it will be on my list to read again. For instance

Ch 1: True Contemplation of the Cross - "The whole value of the meditation of the suffering of Christ lies in this, that man should come to the knowledge of himself and sink and tremble." Martin Luther

Ch 2: He Set His Face to Go to Jerusalem - "And their (the disciples') misunderstanding of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem results in a misunderstanding of the meaning of discipleship. This is why this is important for us to see, lest we make the same mistake." John Piper

Ch 3. An Innocent Man Crushed By God - "You see, Jesus died for sin-- not for his own sin. He had no sin, He was in every sense MADE SIN for us. He became all of our rebellion, all of our lying, all of our cheating, all of our adultery, all of our filth, all of our ugliness. He became all of that on the cross." Alistair Begg

Ch 8. The Silence of the Lamb - "...if Jesus had taken up his own defense with the intention of refuting his accusers and proving his innocence, he would have won! But we would have lost, and we would be lost for all eternity." Adrian Rogers

Ch16. Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit - "Jesus was filling his mind and strengthening his spirit not by trying to keep a stiff upper lip or look for a silver lining, as we might say, but by a act of
deliberately remembering and consciously clinging to great prophecies and promises of God. If Jesus did that, don't you think you should do it too?" James Montgomery Boice

Ch 23. Knowing the Power of His Resurrection - "Do you believe in the resurrection as a historical event, and have you also had that profound personal experience of spiritual resurrection?" "A person with a passion for Christ is not necessarily always talking about Christ, but is looking at everything through Christ." Tim Keller

Ch 25. Crucified With Christ - "...if by the Spirit you put to death (go on putting to death, present tense), the deeds of the flesh, you will live." "So as I live my life moment by moment and sense self rearing its ugly head, I count on the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the body." "A thousand times a day I have to say, 'Lord, I sense self rising.'...'Holy Spirit, nail it!" Stephen F. Olford

This book was full of nuggets, the best of the best. I found the chapters challenging and practical. Great book, great reading.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m typically not a fan of devotional books but after being impressed with the editor’s previous book titled Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus: Experiencing the Peace and Promise of Christmas I actually looked forward to reading this book. The editor Nancy Guthrie did an excellent job compiling great writings for Christian meditations concerning Christ’s death and the cross.
The book has twenty five chapters from Christians both past and present. Most of the writings are from preachers although we also see Joni Eareckson Tada making a contribution. These chapters are short enough that makes them ideal for reading aloud together with one’s spouse or family which I did with my wife. Yet what my wife and I appreciated is that each chapter typically packs a lot of meat of Scripture rather than milk which is often the case with Christian devotionals. Since it is both “meaty” and devotional I found myself learning new insight into Christ and His work to save sinners while also being moved to love the Lord more as a result of these new knowledge. This is my ideal for a devotional and this book satisfies it!
What follows are some of the highlights from my reading of the book:
• R. Kent Hughes’ contribution is chapter five in the book. Hughes makes the observation of similarities and contrasts between Christ at the garden of Gethsemane and Adam in the garden of Eden. For instance Adam’s life began in the Garden whereas Christ’s life was heading to an end at the Garden. Adam sinned Eden while Christ overcame sin at Gethsemane. Adam fell to evil in Eden but Christ rose against evil at Gethsemane. Adam hid in the Garden whereas Christ presented Himself. At Eden we see the sword drawn whereas at Gethesemane the sword was sheathed. What an amazing typology!
• I also appreciated Ligon Duncan’s chapter in the book especially with his insight of the irony that the group of armed men came with torches and lanterns at night to catch the Light of the World. These armed men came with swords and clubs to oppose the Prince of Peace. What irony. What contrasts!
• From Joseph “Skip” Ryan’s chapter I learned that Jesus being thirsty in John 19:28 fulfilled the Old Testament Scripture in Psalm 22:15 and Psalm 69:21; I never was aware of Psalm 69:21 before. This chapter was also sobering as Ryan points out how hell is described as a thirsty place in Luke 16:24. What a sobering thought to think one is never satisfied in hell.
Overall I recommend this book!

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is short and small in stature, yet it is a treasure trove of bite-sized meditations on the cross and resurrection of Christ which makes a big impact. It’s a step ladder allowing you to stand on the shoulders of Christian giants from across the centuries and to see the events of the first Easter as the most central, God-glorifying, mankind humbling, faith building events in human history.

I rarely rate books as five stars because I think perfection is near impossible to attain; however, there is not one chapter in this book, not one contributor or contribution that is not worth reading or that is unhelpful. Instead, the short but poignant entries have been selected so carefully and edited so masterfully that you almost forget they’ve been edited as you simply enjoy drawing on the wisdom from giants of the faith, both past and present.

If you’re looking for a devotional prompt for your quiet times in the lead up to Easter, read this book. If you’re a new Christian wanting to know more about the centrality of the cross to our faith, read this book. If you’re a seasoned saint whose heart towards the cross needs to be fanned into flame afresh, read this book. If you’re an unbeliever wondering why it’s so important that a man who lived 2000+ years ago died and reportedly rose again, read this book. In short, whoever you are, find a copy of Keep Me Near the Cross, take it up and read it - I trust you will be blessed by the cross-centred, resurrection heralding, Christ exalting wisdom therein.

[Andrew Mouck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second short-daily-devotional-type book I have read recently, with the first being Sinclair Ferguson’s Love Came Down at Christmas – however this book compiled by Nancy Guthrie was slightly different, in that it was comprised of short selections from a variety of sources. From church fathers to contemporary writers and preachers, this book proved to be a goldmine for meditations on the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.

Rather than touching on the content of the written pieces, I will say that this book acts as an excellent tool in helping prepare your heart for the Easter season. So often I find that significant events like Easter come and go, and I fail to set aside time to meditate on the person and work of Christ. Reading one “chapter” per day kept my eyes on the Saviour throughout the days and weeks leading up to Easter. I recommend this book to those who want to be challenged and humbled while reflecting on the life of Jesus, but you will also find yourself deeply encouraged by the gospel comforts that are present throughout.

In the cross, in the cross
Be my glory ever,
Till my ransomed soul shall find
Rest beyond the river.

Amen.

[richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this amazing book. This book is a mediation book on the cross of Christ. It has 25 chapters and each chapter is written by an author who had a high view of scripture such as, Martin Luther, John Piper, Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, John Calvin, John MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon and so on. Really amazing, each chapter is about 6 pages long and is concerntared on the cross, the build up to it, the cross and then the resurrection. They say this book is good to read for Easter however I believe the cross is for every day, it should be how we live, day by day with the cross in our minds. The cross is the center of all history and everything we would see about God in how he hates sin, how he loves sinners, what his justice looks like, God's mercy, God's love, God's judgement and justice all is seen at the cross if only we would take the time to think and meditate on it. Wonderful book I will keep coming back to.

[Lindsay Crouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will read this book every Easter. What a refreshing collection of men and women preaching Christ Crucified to themselves.

”Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.“
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬-‭11‬

[Ben Potloff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book that helped me ponder and meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus...for me. In Ephesians 3:18-19 Paul prays that the Christians in Asia Minor would have a deeper knowledge of the love of Christ. I desire this deeper knowledge. I want to know Jesus and His love more and more each day. This book was helpful, for me, to that end. Each chapter is an excerpt from books and sermons by some of the best (in my opinion) pastors and authors. (Piper, Packer, Keller, Sproul, Edwards, Ortlund Jr., Spurgeon, Luther, and more!)

I finished this leading up to Easter 2019. It was a helpful tool to get my eyes on Jesus and His cross.

[ladydusk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've owned this for years and years and years. I've probably started it most year. Praise God that he has allowed me to persist and finish it in 2023.

Sermons walking with Jesus to the cross and after contemplating the aspects of His suffering and the calling we have for our lives to suffering and sanctification.

Encouraging, thoughtful. Well worth finishing. I did read this as part of my Lenten selections for my Mother's Morning Basket, but there are only 25 sermons and I finished three today, so it would be easy to go more slowly, if needed. Truly, this could be read with profit at any time of year.

[Watermarked Pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in order to meditate on Jesus’ work through his death and resurrection, and enjoyed it. I didn’t read it to do a deep parse of the doctrinal positions of all the contributors—I already know I disagree with some of them on significant points (Calvinism, for example). But it served the purpose of helping me focus on the meaning of the cross. The only chapter I really disliked was J.I. Packer’s, where he makes some bizarre statements about what he thinks Jesus was doing during the three days when he was dead.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have recently found Nancy Guthrie devotionals from a Pastor's wife's recommendation, I did the Christmas Devotional and then sought out this one for Easter. I really really enjoyed the focus both of these devotionals had on the true meaning and how to grow closer to God during both of this pivotal religious Holidays which can often become and feel very secular. I highly recommend and have placed these in my cabinet to read again next year, they are just that good! Highly recommend both of these devotionals and anything by Nancy Guthrie.

[Jonathan Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short chapters by a wide variety of authors from the early church to modern churches in America today. As a collection of writings, there is a bit of repetition, and a variety of styles and quality. However, the overall feeling of the book is one of drawing near to Christ. There are some little gems in this book, and very little dross. A wonderful meditation.

[Noah Hosking · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 - an Easter themed collation of short excerpts from many great Christian thinkers - historical and modern. Some of them smacked me in the face with the good news of Christ. Others felt like I had picked up an old theology book and only read a 2 page excerpt with unfinished and inconclusive ideas. I will be picking this up again another Easter in years to come.

[Bethany Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely little book - a collection of excerpts to prepare our hearts for Easter. Finished this well after Easter, oh well. I enjoyed the different writing styles and emphases, and can say these short messages have served well to draw me closer to Christ. Thankful for the opportunity to reflect more intentionally and deeply on these things.

[Ruthe Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of Christian devotionals by some of the greatest Christian leaders of the ages, centered around the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. A book to linger over and allow it's truths to seep into your heart and mind. Life changing.

[Sterling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent—very encouraging and thought-provoking. I enjoyed the mix of writings and sermon excerpts from both modern writers and from theologians from centuries ago. I hope to reread this in future years during Lent.