Between Two Worlds: A Mix of Theology, Philosophy, Politics, and Culture



Saturday, September 16, 2006

What Jesus Demands from the World

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John Piper's 400-page tome, What Jesus Demands from the World, is coming soon. Here is the book description, along with the blurbs.

The four Gospels are filled with demands straight from the mouth of Jesus Christ. These demands are Jesus’ way of showing us who he is and what he expects of us. They are not the harsh demands of a taskmaster. For example, the demand that we come to Jesus is like the demand of a father to his child in a burning window, “Jump to me!” Or like the demand of a rich, strong, tender, handsome husband to an unfaithful wife, “Come home!” What Jesus demands from the world can be summed up as: “Trust and treasure me above all.” This is good news!

In What Jesus Demands from the World, John Piper has gathered many of Jesus’ demands from the four Gospels. He begins with an introduction that puts the demands in a redemptive-historical context, then concisely examines each demand. The result is an accessible introduction for thoughtful inquirers and new believers, as well as meditative meat for veteran believers who want to know Jesus better.

“The Christian gospel is more than just a wonderful offer of saving grace; it is a demand for supreme loyalty, for surrender to the lordship of Jesus. We forget this too easily in our contemporary church, besieged as we are by a philosophy of pluralism that rejects ultimate authority and a culture of rights that scorns submissiveness. But John Piper reminds us of the real truth: obedience to Christ’s commands is our absolute duty; yet, paradoxically, in his service is perfect freedom and joy!”
William J. U. Philip, Minister, St George’s-Tron Church, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

“John Piper reveals in his ‘Word to Biblical Scholars’ his familiarity with the literature and subject matter of the life and teachings of Jesus, and in his comments on the individual demands of Jesus he applies them to everyday living.”
Robert H. Stein, Senior Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“This is now my favorite book by John Piper. In the best tradition of Adolf Schlatter’s Do We Know Jesus? and his ‘hermeneutic of perception,’ What Jesus Demands from the World has changed my life and will certainly change yours because it is based on the pure words of Jesus as revealed in the four Gospels. A must-read for every true follower of Christ.”
Andreas J. Köstenberger, Editor, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society; Professor of New Testament and Director of Ph.D. Studies, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

“This book is a special gift from the pen of John Piper. How long has it been since you carefully reflected upon the authoritative commands of Christ? Through these pages you will encounter the Savior and experience the transforming effects of the gospel. Few endeavors are more worthy of your time.”
C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries

“Scholars, popularists, and now even novelists are falling over each other today in a blind passion to discover an alternative Jesus to the One so magnificently portrayed in the biblical Gospels. In stark and refreshing contrast John Piper clear-sightedly grasps the obvious—the biblical Jesus is worth living for and dying for.”
Sinclair Ferguson, Senior Minister, The First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, South Carolina

“This is a peculiar book. It assumes that the four Gospels are true and unified. It assumes that Jesus not only does things for us but also makes demands of us. And it assumes that Jesus has authority over everyone regardless of their religion, gender, race, income, sexuality, nationality, or culture. You will likely not agree with every point. But you will hear from a Jesus who is more than a soft-spoken, effeminate, marginalized, Galilean hippie-peasant in a dress and has the peculiar notion that he alone is Lord.”
Mark Driscoll, Pastor, Mars Hill Church, Seattle

You can read online the following:

6 Comments:

Blogger Nick Nowalk said...

Can't wait. And great blurb from Driscoll.

9/17/2006 03:59:00 AM  
Blogger J.O. said...

Excited about this volume from Dr. Piper!

Also, I highly reccommend "The Blazing Center" DVD set from Desiring God. My wife and I are really enjoying these messages, and we had a very memorable time of biblical fellowship after hearing Dr. Piper unpack the reasons why God takes delight in Himself.

Thanks for your blog JT!

9/17/2006 02:28:00 PM  
Blogger Mike Garner said...

I've already read quite a bit online and it looks really good. In fact, this might even make me recant my statement that "if you've read Piper once, you've read all of Piper."

When I heard that he was working on this, I was excited. I think this book has the potential to do a lot of good. Interestingly, right before I read about this book here, I was reading John Piper on Lordship Salvation over at Desiring God.

-mike

9/17/2006 06:49:00 PM  
Blogger Phil Steiger said...

So is this a work in the tradition of Divine Command Ethics? Is it broader in scope that that? In either event, it sounds like a fascinating read.

9/18/2006 11:29:00 PM  
Blogger mrclm said...

I'll second Nick's comment! (say hi to your wife for my wife Nick!). Driscoll's blub is so...Driscollesque. What is the publish date for this?


Big Chris

9/19/2006 09:55:00 AM  
Blogger Tim said...

"So the greatest challenge in writing this book has been to discern God’s way of making impossible obedience possible."

"But what is ultimate is that in our obedient lives God be displayed as the most beautiful reality in the world. That is Jesus’ ultimate goal and mine."

Sounds like Piper has written another winner! I wonder if he had a good editor?!?!?!

9/20/2006 02:12:00 AM  

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