Have you ever wondered about Nazareth as a place to live in the first century? How about Jesus the miracle worker: how did he do the great deeds reported of him in the New Testament? A Man Called Jesus answers these questions and more. It recreates Jesus as a Jew in contrast to the first Christian of the early church. It’s a novel that makes one central assumption about the historical Jesus. He was a man all about love. In doing so it creates a Jesus that is relevant for all times and all places.
J. B. Phillips, best known hitherto for his widely acclaimed translation of the New Testament, has in this series of short plays about the life of Christ preserved the same direct speech and simple, dignified language that so distinguish his translation.The series starts with the first public appearance of the boy Jesus when he talks to the elders in the temple, and ends with a moving reconstruction of the crucifixion as witnessed by the soldiers, by Nicodemus, and bystanders.Written at the invitation of the BBC in England for their Schools Programme, these plays will be welcomed in book form by parents and children, as well as teachers. Schools, churches, clubs, and other groups will find them admirably suited to simple dramatization of some of the events in the life of the Man called Jesus. They will be especially satisfying to the individual reader who will find that this imaginative approach sheds new light upon familiar stories.Turn to Canon Phillips' helpful introduction for his interesting comments on the writing of the plays.
So who was the man called Jesus, and who did you say you are? I was once diagnosed as suffering from lack of identity. Do you know your true identity, where you came from, and where your final abode will be at the end of your earthaEUR(tm)s journey? What if I revealed to you that you already existed before the foundation of the world until you were placed in your earth suit after your parents consummated their marriage vows?In Genesis 1:26aEUR"27, God said, aEURoeLet us make man in Our image, in Our likeness. So God created man in His own image (Spirit form), in the image of God He created him: male and female He created them.aEURGenesis 2:7 says, aEURoeThe lord god formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.aEUR Yes, God breathed into your earth suit, and you became flesh, just like GodaEUR(tm)s Son, Jesus, became flesh.So who was the man called Jesus? He is your twin brother, whether you are male or female. Your identity was lost by AdamaEUR(tm)s disobedience, but you will regain it as I reveal to you the secret in this love letter of how you can change your life and come into the kingdom of God, where he reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords. So who did you say you are?
Jesus Christ is arguably the most famous man who ever lived. His image adorns countless churches, icons, and paintings. He is the subject of millions of statues, sculptures, devotional objects and works of art. Everyone can conjure an image of Jesus: usually as a handsome, white man with flowing locks and pristine linen robes. But what did Jesus really look like? Is our popular image of Jesus overly westernized and untrue to historical reality? This question continues to fascinate. Leading Christian Origins scholar Joan E. Taylor surveys the historical evidence, and the prevalent image of Jesus in art and culture, to suggest an entirely different vision of this most famous of men. He may even have had short hair.
The day after Jesus' death, whatever small mark he made on the world seemed destined to disappear. Instead, his impact on human history has been unparalleled, leading believers and nonbelievers alike to ask, Who Is This Man? In Who Is This Man, bestselling author John Ortberg explores the paradox of Jesus, history's most familiar figure while simultaneously the man no one knows. Who Is This Man traces Jesus' incredible life and legacy from his days on Earth to the present moment, showing us: How his vision of life continues to haunt and challenge humanity The ways his influence has inspired movements in art, science, government, medicine, and education How his lessons about dignity, compassion, forgiveness, and hope continue to influence humanity Join John Ortberg as he shares how Jesus' influence has swept over history and how his vision of life continues to impact us today. Praise for Who Is This Man?: "Sometimes in the clutter and noise of 'religion,' we lose sight of who Jesus is. Once again, John Ortberg helps us do what he does best: he helps us see God as he really is and connect with him amid all the noise. This book is a gift." --Dr. Henry Cloud, psychologist, coauthor of the bestselling Boundaries books "We live in a period where the divide between the secular and the sacred has never been greater. Who Is This Man? bridges this gap by sharing in his inimitable and entertaining style the undeniable and profound impact of Jesus Christ on our world. His impact, over two thousand years later, is more profound on the day-to-day lives of people--believers or not--than the impact of any other person at any point in history. John shows how Christ came to teach us how to live and in the process changed the world forever and for good." --Ron Johnson, CEO, J. C. Penney
The biggest barrier to faith is life itself. Divorce. Cancer. Infertility. Death. There are times in our lives in which God seems very far away. We don't understand His silence. We only feel the intensity of our pain and the echoing question of 'why?' The Bible declares that God is good, but can we still believe this when our lives are falling apart? In Keep Believing, Dr. Pritchard affirms what the Bible declares: that God is good and His mercy endures forever. This is true regardless of our moment-by-moment experience. God has provided comfort in our times of struggle and healing in our times of hurt through the balm of His Word. You believed in the light of day; will you still believe at midnight? Search the Scriptures with Dr. Pritchard for words of encouragement and hope. Put your confidence in the God who sorrowfully watched His Son suffer at Calvary for your benefit. Know that the same loving heavenly Father has everything completely under control. He is with you and longs to comfort you as you struggle through your hard times. Take a tell-tale look at your devotion to the Lord and His never-ending love and commitment to you in Keep Believing. You served God in the sunshine; will you now serve him in the shadows?
Essential reading for anyone interested in the historical Jesus debate, this volume offers a comprehensive and balanced account of research into the person of Jesus.
Originally preached as part of a 40-sermon series shortly before his death, Jesus, Our Man in Glory, by A. W. Tozer covers the first half of the book of Hebrews. Tozer told his congregation in Chicago before preaching this series that he would show the eternal glories of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in every message, and after reading this book and its follow up volume, Jesus, Author of Our Faith, you will likely feel that A. W. Tozer accomplished what he said he would. These first twelve messages show how Christ is glorified and exemplified in all things and now sits at the right hand of His Father. Each chapter is about glory and role of Jesus in the book of Hebrews, as we see in this listing of the chapters: Jesus, Our Man in Glory Jesus, God's Final Revelation Jesus, Heir of All Things Jesus, God's Express Image Jesus, Lord of the Angels Jesus, Standard of Righteousness Jesus, the Eternal Word Jesus, Keeper of God's Promises Jesus, Like Unto Melchizedek Jesus, One Face of One God Jesus, Mediator of the New Will Jesus, Fulfillment of the Shadow
This book will kick up a lot of "religious" dust in all of us. It's what we do when the dust settles and our eyes are opened that will determine where we go from here. It is only when we see Him, that we see our destiny. We must not get offended with the truth. The truth is the only thing that will set us free. The enemy is behind offenses, as he does not want us to reach our destiny. Each one of us has a marvelous, unique destiny marked out by the price Christ paid for it. Hebrews 12:1b puts it simply, "Let us lay aside every weight and sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." We would all agree that the church has a message for the world, but would we all agree that the world has a message for the church? They, most assuredly, do. Their cries identify the reason Christ came to earth as a man and became the sacrifice for those cries. For every cry, there is a provision in His sacrifice. Has the church in general disclosed the real Christ and His sacrifice that brings wholeness and purpose for all people; regardless of denomination, race and background? The world is crying out to the church, "Show Me This Man Called Jesus"! This book reveals truths to the world and the church that will awaken "hope" in both. Hope awakened in the church will bring her out of law into grace. Hope awakened in the world will bring the world to Christ!
