The Jesus I Never Knew
During my freshman year of high school, a book entitled, The Jesus I Never Knew, was awarded Christian book of the year. Over ten years later, I am just getting around to reading it. And, I wish that I hadn’t waited so long! Philip Yancey (who also wrote What’s So Amazing About Grace?) takes an honest look at the Jesus described in the Gospels. Yancey says, “The Jesus I got to know in writing this book is very different from the Jesus I learned about in Sunday School. In some ways he is more comforting; in some ways more terrifying.” This book is challenging some of my preconceptions and filling in some much needed context in the life of Jesus. It is also forcing me to wrestle with some difficult questions about who Jesus really is and what he expects of me.
The story of God is so fascinating, and I am learning a lot through my experience with Merge. During Merge, we invite you to get into God’s story and relate to the characters. What I am finding is that its central character is more complex than we often allow Him to be. We prefer the Jesus who gives answers, not the One who asks questions. If you haven’t already read this book yet, pick up a copy. You might be really surprised as you take a fresh look at our Saviour - Jesus of Nazareth.
Kelli
