Book Review: Who is this Man? by Ortburg

 Last month I finished Who Is This Man by John Ortburg on audio. And last week I listened to it again. It must be one of the best books I've ever read on the historical life of Jesus of Nazareth and the world-wide, eternal impact of Jesus the Christ.

Honestly, I tend to not finish the majority of books I start. I loose interest, or I get the main point and skip around for the supporting points and I'm on to another one. (Habits I learned in college, I guess.) I also tend to read several books at once. (A product of my short attention span, I'm sure.) But something in Ortburg's book grabbed hold of me like seeing a beautiful sunset after being blind all my life. I found myself saying out-loud several times, "How 'come I never knew that?!?"

The scope of this book is so broad but still so well organized. There are no gaps. No page fillers. No over-your head theology. No ongoing anecdotes. Just pure, page-turning, life-changing facts about Jesus Christ and the world He changed, the world we live in. By becoming "like one of the children" and coming to "do the Father's will," God changed not only the fallen nature of mankind but every single area of human existence. Medicine. Economics. Charity. Civil-rights. Women's rights. Politics. You name it. It's all vastly different than it would be had God not stepped foot on the Earth He created.

Finally, and most importantly to me, Ortburg leaves you asking yourself, if you've never done so, "What IF this man truly is the Son of God?!" He does this without an alter call in a book method. It's more subtle, and so powerful. It's just hard to deny the touch of the divine, given the scope of impact on the world. And once you take a close look at that touch, you realize it is at its core a touch of love on the human heart. 

Jesus was not just "a man" in "the right place at the right time" in history. There's just no way. Jesus IS in fact the Son of God, born of a virgin, creator of all things. Yet he voluntarily humbled Himself to death. Jesus did in fact come to save us from our sins and give us new LIFE in Him. 

Who is this man? 

HE is the Savior, Redeemer, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, and Lord of Lords. Jesus IS the Christ. 

Check it out. Great, great book.  Your Faith will likely grow. At least mine sure did. 

http://www.amazon.com/Who-This-Man-Unpredictable-Inescapable/dp/0310275946

Out of Our Mind for Christ

Have you ever fallen in love? I remember falling in love with April twelve years ago. I thought about her ALL the time; could not wait to see her, talk to her, listen to her, and just look at her face. Every single day the distance between us was painful. At times, I thought I was out of my mind. I wanted nothing more than to live my life for her and with her. So I proposed. And thank God...she said yes!

Perhaps you've had a similar experience with someone you fell in love with. April and I still dote on one another and have a wonderful marriage. But there is nothing like that feeling of first falling in love. It's the foundation for much of the future together. 

I like this verse. "If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God." David Crowder wrote a catchy song based on this verse. Check out this word -- "Convinced." There's a great, strong word. "Convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died." If you were to become convinced that someone died for you would it change your thoughts about that person? Sure would me. I would be compelled by their love for me. Well, it did actually happen-- someone DID in fact die for you and me -- Christ Himself, the Son of God.

Know what I think? He's the one out of His mind. Why would the Creator of the Universe create a way for me? Why would the Son voluntary become that Way and give up His life? Why? Because God's love compelled Him to send His Son. And Christ's love compelled Him to be crucified. Love compels. 

Any time Love compels us to action you can bet that act will be a self-less one. God showed us exactly what that sort of love looks like. And now we, the humbled forgiven vessels of His Spirit, are also compelled by that love. How could we possibly live for ourselves any longer, given the scope of God's loving action? We cannot. And so, in whatever way possible-- in every way the Spirit leads our hearts -- we give up our own mind. We loose our mind in order to have the mind of Christ. "If we are out of our mind, it's for YOU!"

We should not hold back. We should give into Christ's compelling love. And we should act on whatever that love, and God's Spirit, places in our conscience. 

Is there someone you need to love? Let Christ's love compel you.

Is there someone you need to forgive? Let Christ's love compel you. 

Is there someone you need to care for? Let Christ's love compel you. 

Is there someone you need to honor? Let Christ's love compel you. 

As Christ's love compels us to action, it will always look to the world that we are out of our mind. And that's ok, because we are, actually. We are out of our mind. But we're just following God's example. 

In my marriage, I continue to be out of my mind for April. I continue to let my heart compel me to love her more. I continue to try and live my life for her and not for myself. To the extent I do these things our love for one another grows, and our marriage becomes stronger. There is no difference with God, really. Now we get to think about God ALL the time; can't wait to see Him, talk to Him, listen to Him, and just look at His face. We live for Him... because he first died for us! 

Thank you, Father. Thank you, for your LOVE> 

Hebrews 9 The Blood of Christ

For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

We can never loose sight of the Truth - God sent His own Son to become Christ; to sacrifice Himself willingly; to remove our sin nature and give us new life in Himself. We must never believe that anything else can remove our sin nature. Your parents cannot save you. Your friends cannot save you. Your church cannot save you. These may aid in or detract from a better life, and they may increase or decrease your victory over sins, but only Christ Himself enters the Heavens on our behalf in order to remove the sin title placed upon mankind. Only Christ IS our salvation. We must never loose sight of this Truth.




Posted from Mobile.