In 1997, the Lord did something R.C. Sproul says he never anticipated: He called him to preach at St. Andrew's in Sanford, Florida. With a lifetime of teaching experience and having taught through books of the Bible in a variety of settings, R.C. Sproul still understood that this call to preach was different:

"...now I found myself appealing not so much to the minds of my hearers as to both their minds and their hearts. I knew that I was responsible as a preacher to clearly explain God's Word and to show how we ought to live in light of it. I sought to fulfill both tasks as I ascended the St. Andrew's pulpit each week."

The St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary series is one of the fruits of R.C. Sproul's preaching ministry, as his sermon series are being adapted in book form. Today, Reformation Trust is pleased to announce the release of Mark, the fifth volume in the series.

In Mark, R.C. Sproul continues his easily understandable writing style, providing invaluable insights into a gospel that he describes as, "overlooked and underappreciated." This introduction to the gospel of Mark is packed with insights and exhortations that will draw you closer to the Savior and encourage you to a greater depth of love and devotion to Him.

Mark is available now.

Read a Sample Chapter | Retail $27, Buy it for $21.60 here

"I am ecstatic at the prospect of reading the St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary series. It represents Reformed theology on fire, delivered from a pastor's heart in a vibrant congregation of our time. Essential reading."

—Derek W. H. Thomas
Minister of Preaching and Teaching,
First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina

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Jesus Didn't Just Die For My Sins

Excerpt from Mark, the fifth volume in the St. Andrew's Expositional Commentary series.

For Jesus to qualify as our Redeemer, it was not enough for Him simply to go to the cross and be crucified. If you ask a six-year-old child, "What did Jesus do for you?" that child, if he or she has been to Sunday school, will answer, "Jesus died on the cross for my sins." That's true, but that is only half of the matter. If all that was necessary to redeem us was for a substitute to bear the punishment that we deserve, Jesus did not have to be born to Mary. He could have descended from heaven as a man, gone straight to Golgotha, died on the cross, risen, and left again, and our sin problem would be fixed.

But if Jesus had only paid for our sins, He would have succeeded only in taking us back to square one. We would no longer be guilty, but we still would have absolutely no positive righteousness to bring before God. So, our Redeemer not only needed to die, He had to live a life of perfect obedience. The righteousness that He manifested could then be transferred to all who put their trust in Him. Just as my sin is transferred to Him on the cross when I put my trust in Him, His righteousness is transferred to my account in the sight of God. So, when I stand before God on the judgment day, God is going to see Jesus and His righteousness, which will be my cover.

That is the gospel.

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Mark is now available in the Ligonier store.

If you're a blogger, Mark is also available to review through our blog for a free book program.