In Mark 14, we read that as the time for Jesus’ crucifixion drew near, a woman came to Him and anointed His head with an alabaster flask of precious oil. While this heartfelt act of worship provoked the disciples’ disapproval, Jesus celebrated her for doing “a beautiful thing.” Alistair Begg surveys the woman’s action, the disciples’ reaction, and Jesus’ commendation, helping us to see that the only true pathway to lasting honor is to honor Christ.

On the verge of the release of his new book The Man on the Middle Cross, Alistair Begg sat down with Jonathan Carswell, CEO of publisher 10ofThose, to talk about the viral sermon clip that inspired it and how he hopes it can help the church evangelize the lost. Join Alistair and Jonathan as they cover where the book’s central illustration came from, why it focuses on the biblical stories it does, and Alistair’s hopes for how God might use it.

In a church context that held great potential for apostasy, Timothy faced the task of leading through the example of his lifestyle and work. Faithful ministry, Paul explained to him, flows from godly character—speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity—and from wholehearted devotion to Scripture, exhortation, and teaching. Alistair Begg considers Paul’s guidance to Timothy, which can help today’s pastors, too, as they seek to watch themselves and their doctrine closely and see themselves and their hearers saved.

Timothy, the apostle Paul’s protégé, was not only to be alert to the dangers that lay before the people under his care; he was also to make sure that they understood God’s truth. Alistair Begg unpacks Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 4:6–10, which focus on the importance of ministering well, being nourished in the faith, training for godliness, and, ultimately, placing hope in “the Savior of all people.”

In the concluding verse of 1 Timothy 4, Paul instructs Timothy, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” What did he mean by these words? Alistair Begg begins an examination of the answer by looking at the chapter’s opening verses, which outline the apostacy Paul warned about, how it would happen, by whom it would happen, and what its teaching would involve.

As he drew his first epistle to a close, the apostle Peter turned his focus to the elders of the churches to which he wrote, urging them to lead their people with godliness. Elders and pastors are shepherds over God’s flock, Alistair Begg reminds us—ones who should lead by example, cultivating humility, entrusting God with their anxieties, preparing to face adversity, and resting in the security of God’s grace.

In anticipation of the release of his new book The Man on the Middle Cross, Alistair Begg sat down with Jonathan Carswell, CEO of publisher 10ofThose, for a wide-ranging conversation on the relationship between evangelism and pastoring. Listen in as the two discuss such topics as how to start evangelistic conversations, how to balance self-critique with self-forgetfulness, the use of humor in preaching, and more.

In the fourth chapter of his first epistle, in light of all that he’d written up to that point, Peter continued to unpack how the reality of Christ’s sacrifice should shape the day-to-day of the Christian life. Living under the shadow of the cross, Alistair Begg explains, means thinking properly, living differently, and being prepared to face abuse, even as we keep our eyes fixed on the end and endure the path of suffering laid before us.

Having urged the readers of his first letter to “love one another earnestly from a pure heart,” Peter went on to explain what such brotherly love would entail. Alistair Begg unpacks the apostle’s instructions, which clarify that fellowship demands action. In their new life together, Christians must be prepared to feed themselves on God’s Word, establish themselves on the foundation of union with Christ, and stand as witnesses to God’s goodness and glory before a watching world.

The believers of Peter’s day, transformed by God’s grace, faced inevitable accusations from the world around them. In response, Peter urged them to defend themselves not by arguing for their position but by living honorable lives. Alistair Begg walks us through the apostle’s teaching on Christian conduct in the realms of submission to civil government, servants’ duty to their masters, and marriage, helping us to see that the strongest missionary force in the world is not a method or a movement but a Christ-filled, grace-centered, attractive life.