TRUTH STANDING ON ITS HEAD

Insight for an Extraordinary Christian Walk from
The Sermon on the Mount

by John N. Day

ISBN: 978-0-9824929-3-2
RETAIL PRICE: $18.95
192 pages

or Pay by Check
Publisher’s Discount available.
Please click here for details.

Praise for Truth Standing on Its Head
“John Day’s book, Truth Standing on Its Head, is a very provocative study of Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. The exposition of the Beatitudes and the exhortation based on them is very arresting: it grabs us and demands our attention. The rest of the book continues with the same energy and thrust. The break with previous tradition, and with our own comfortable presuppositions, is rather merciless, but the uncompromising exposition of the new ethic ultimately drives us to the Cross, where our own failings can be exchanged for the righteousness of Christ.”
—Robert E. Longacre, Professor Emeritus, The University of Texas at Arlington

“John Day has presented an engaging exposition of Jesus’ most famous discourse, the Sermon on the Mount. John blends his own careful study of Matthew 5-7 and scholarly research into a book that is replete with practical applications for God’s people. The book is well suited for readers who want to dig deeper into the teachings of Jesus and their relevance for today.”
—Carl Laney, Professor of Biblical Literature, Western Seminary, Portland, OR

“A whole lot of energy goes into making the Bible more relevant, but through this exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, John Day makes it clear that Jesus needs no PR firm to help Him find a voice in the twenty-first century. How very timely this two-thousand-year-old sermon sounds today. And how refreshing to encounter this faithful, interesting, insightful, and convicting exposition of the world-changing, paradigm-shifting, expectation-shattering teaching Jesus proclaimed to those who would be His followers. Truth Standing on Its Head is a reminder that the most famous sermon ever preached still calls us to radical discipleship.”
—Jeremy Smith, Executive Minister First Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS; Managing Editor, reformation21

“The Sermon on the Mount includes some of Jesus’ greatest, most practical words—words about spirituality, purity, influence, adultery, loving one’s enemies, giving, prayer, boasting, worry, wisdom, and other topics. In his insightful, easy-to-read exposition of Matthew 5-7, Dr. Day discusses these topics in simple, yet sublime concepts. This excellent book can help guide readers into God’s way of looking at life.”
—Roy B. Zuck, Editor Bibliotheca Sacra

“For the Christian, navigating life and following Jesus requires first of all reading the seemingly odd map he drew for us. Fortunately, in our explorations, we can use the keys provided by Pastor John Day to read the map and advance on. Truth Standing on Its Head helps us take our bearings, persevere, and make the walk with confidence.”
—Mirela DeLong, Editor LOGOS, Romania

“During these times and in this culture of seeking self or relying upon one’s own goodness, truly seeking God and relying upon His grace has been largely lost. We are not called to a life of religion, but one of love and obedience.
“This book directs us back to our relationship with God by looking deeply into the mind, words, and life of Jesus Christ. Jesus speaks directly to issues of the heart, which apply to our culture and churches today.
“If you struggle in your spiritual pilgrimage or just want to strengthen your spiritual walk, you will find this to be a thorough and carefully written practical guide for addressing the challenges you face today and deepening your relationship with our Lord. “This book is not for the faint-hearted, but for those who truly seek the living God, are courageous enough to face themselves to seek the truth, and are willing to live in humble obedience to Him. Freedom does not come through the way of the world, but through God’s perfect way, love, and mercy.”
—Glenn Beckwith, SE Asia Regional Director, Mission to Unreached Peoples

“Here is a book that asks, as Jesus asked, ‘Are you hungry? What do you ache for?’ How we answer these questions, how we try to satisfy our hunger and aches, will dictate what we do with our lives. This is exactly where Truth Standing on Its Head comes in: wise counsel for those who hunger for righteousness and ache to see God. Read it and live it.”
—Eric Irwin, Pastor Covenant Presbyterian Church, Issaquah, WA

“I heartily recommend these sermons on the Sermon on the Mount by my friend and fellow pastor, John Day. Dr. Day is a careful scholar who has succeeded in providing an accurate interpretation of the Lord’s bracing words, faithful to their historical and Biblical context. He is an able communicator whose own exposition is clear and easily sustains the reader’s interest. And he is a wise and understanding pastor who applies the text in very helpful ways to our modern life. No Christian can be too familiar with the Lord’s great sermon.”
—Rev. Dr. Robert S. Rayburn, Senior Minister of Faith Presbyterian Church, Tacoma, WA; Stated Clerk of the Pacific Northwest Presbytery (PCA)

“In this splendid exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, John Day exhibits his gifts as both scholar and pastor. The text is handled with technical expertise but is never left as a mere specimen of exegetical method. Rather, the work is winsomely sermonic, constantly in touch with today’s real world and its needs. I highly commend it to pastors and other church leaders as well as serious laity eager to mine the Sermon on the Mount for all its golden nuggets.”
—Eugene H. Merrill, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Old Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminar

“John Day writes well. He makes the Sermon on the Mount alive, relevant, and reflective. This is a GOOD read. Just do it!” Rex A. Koivisto, ThD, Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies, Multnomah University, Portland, OR “In clear, readable prose, John Day moves carefully through the Sermon on the Mount, showing how it embodies Jesus’ paradoxical fulfillment of the law. Practical and pastoral, Truth Standing on Its Head will both encourage and convict, and point the student to the hard and happy way of obedient discipleship.”
—Peter J. Leithart, author, Dean of Graduate Studies and Senior Fellow, New Saint Andrews College, Moscow, ID

“Every Christian in the United States should read Truth Standing on Its Head by Pastor John Day. The gloss of our culture so obfuscates Christian values that even the most devout among us could profitably make use of this penetrating roadmap in their daily lives. Structured around the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor Day, a Biblical scholar, uses informal language and simple contemporary examples to illustrate profound Biblical truths that are not readily apparent. A great guide for focusing on the essentials of the faith in our complex society.”
—Mike Liles, Jr., Author, Christian Faith in Contemporary Society: The Framework for Belief

“Most of us have felt perplexed at one time or another reading the paradoxes of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. What did Jesus mean when He said, ‘Blessed are the persecuted’? How can it be a happy thing to be hurting? Truth Standing on Its Head is a book that will help answer your questions. With careful and responsible study, Dr. John Day shows what he rightly calls the “mind-expanding and life-changing” relevance of Jesus’ Sermon. This book will be a welcome addition to my library as I prepare to preach on Matthew 5-7. Yet, it is written in a way that is clear and accessible to all readers. It is well suited for small group Bible studies or for personal devotions.”
—Chris Brauns, Author, Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds
Pastor, The Red Brick Church, Stillman Valley, IL

“This book strongly challenges our modern complacent lifestyles, but does so in a gentle, pastoral way. It digs deep into the meaning of the Scripture, but makes it accessible to everyone. I felt like I listened to a year’s worth of excellent sermons.”
—Allen Pritzlaff, missionary to Central Asia, speaker on ministry to Muslims

"John Day has created an easy to read, yet profound, examination of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. It’s called Truth Standing on Its Head: Insight for an Extraordinary Christian Walk from the Sermon on the Mount.
Breaking these chapters down into more manageable segments for closer scrutiny, Day has written twenty-two separate studies of Jesus’ largest public discourse.
Each of the twenty-two chapters is fairly brief and to the point. And yet each chapter contains some significant thoughts and ideas pertaining to the passage at hand.
Keeping his comments concise, Day has still managed to communicate the depths of the Sermon on the Mount effectively. While at times his writing style isn’t as engaging or captivating as other chapters within the same book, Truth Standing On Its Head is difficult to put down.
The Sermon on the Mount has seeming been viewed as Christianity simplified. Day draws out the deep meanings of Jesus’ teachings and creates something fresh and new from a topic that is covered frequently in the realm of Christian publishing.
Truth Standing On Its Head is a helpful resource to have on the shelf when studying the Sermon on the Mount. This book easily deserves four stars."
—Jeff Randleman, The Randleman Review