The Gospels are full of surprises. Jesus didn’t blend in like the rest of the world, He stood out because of the things He did, said and fundamentally because of who He is; God in the flesh. In ‘Surprised by Jesus‘ Dane Ortlund walks you through the four Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus to help you see the wonder of the gospel and the immense grace of Jesus.
Dane Ortlund has made quite the name for himself in recent years for publishing books that have been very popular, two that immediately come to mind are ‘Deeper’ and ‘Gentle and Lowly’. This book was originally published in 2011 as ‘Defiant Grace’ and was born out of a series of classes that Dane gave at different churches and theology classrooms. The book has been reworked and honed since it was first published.
The heart beat of the book is to surprise people with the real Jesus. Often Jesus can be domesticated in people’s minds, sometimes being shaped into our own image rather than seeing Him for who He is. This book takes you through the Gospels to help you see the real Jesus and to be surprised by Him.
The book is split into four parts, each one focusing on one of the four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life. Here’s the focus of each part and the surprises that Dane touches on;
- Matthew – The surprise of disobedient obedience, where the heart is caught up more with the rules that it is with the Creator.
- Mark – The surprise of the King being treated like a criminal and hanging on a cross.
- Luke – The surprise of the outsiders becoming insiders and the insiders becoming outsiders.
- John – The surprise of the Creator taking on flesh and becoming like one of the created.
I enjoyed the book and it’s goal to get you to see Jesus for who He really is. It is a quite and easy read. Dane clearly has a deep love for the Lord and His Word which is evident as you walk with him through the Gospels.
The best part of the book, in my opinion, was the chapters on Matthew’s Gospel. This book will certainly challenge you, there will be parts where you will be convicted and parts where you’ll be comforted. In these pages you’ll hear the enthusiasm of the author and you’ll hear about the wonder of the immense grace of God to a wayward people. Buy your copy here for under £10!
*** I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not change the way I rate the book. My views are my own. ***
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