John Piper "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ"


INTRODUCTION
I have concluded that great prayer and the Spirit’s wisdom went into this books composition. It is a testimony to the fact that few words need only to be written prayerfully, thoughtfully and from the heart, to present such artistry to the imagination and illumination to the mind. One’s own heart revisits antiquity and begins to see the truths of scripture in a fresh and vibrant way. Dare I say God’s heart and His Son Jesus are presented this way? John Piper has accomplished this for me. I hope he will for you as well. In the next few weeks I will post various excerpts from the book I found meaningful and insightful.

Below is an excerpt from the forward of the book and below that are the chapter titles we will be reviewing. As before please follow along and comment if you will.

A WORD TO THE READER
“… Jesus himself spoke of two kinds of seeing. He said of the uncomprehending crowds, “Seeing they do not see” (Matthew 13:13). One kind is seeing with physical eyes, and the other is with spiritual eyes. When we see with our spiritual eyes, we see the truth and beauty and value of Jesus Christ for what they really are. Thus a blind person today may see Christ more clearly than many who have eyes. Everyone can read the stories of Jesus and “see” the portraits painted by the words of those who knew him. But not everyone sees truth and beauty and infinite value. Some see only myth. Some see foolishness. Some see offense. “Seeing they do not see.” It is as though a child should look at a Michelangelo and prefer a comic strip. Savoring Jesus Christ is the response to this second kind of seeing. When you see something as true and beautiful and valuable, you savor it. That is, you treasure it. You cherish and admire and prize it. Spiritual seeing and spiritual savoring are so closely connected that it would be fair to say: If you don’t savor Christ, you haven’t seen Christ for who he is. If you don’t prize him above all things, you haven’t apprehended his true worth. The aim of this book is to help you see and savor Christ. The only way for this to happen is to use your physical eyes and ears to see or hear the testimonies to Jesus Christ told by those who knew him when he was here.
That is why these chapters are permeated with Bible quotations. It is not my word that counts, but God’s. He has borne witness to his Son. His witness is compelling. May he give you eyes to see and hearts to savor.”

CHAPTERS:
1 SEEING AND SAVORING THE GLORY OF GOD
The Ultimate Aim of Jesus Christ

2 JESUS IS THE GLORY OF GOD
The Deity of Jesus Christ

3 THE LION AND THE LAMB
The Excellence of Jesus Christ

4 THE INDESTRUCTIBLE JOY
The Gladness of Jesus Christ

5 THE WAVES AND WINDS STILL KNOW HIS VOICE
The Power of Jesus Christ

6 SOMETHING GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE
The Wisdom of Jesus Christ

7 THE GLORIOUS POVERTY OF A BAD REPUTATION
The Desecration of Jesus Christ

8 THE INCOMPARABLE SUFFERINGS The Anguish of Jesus Christ

9 THE GLORY OF RESCUING SINNERS,
NOT REMOVING SATAN
The Saving Sacrifice of Jesus Christ

10 THE INCARNATE WEALTH OF THE
COMPASSION OF GOD
The Mercies of Jesus Christ

11 THE TOUGH SIDE
The Severity of Jesus Christ

12 INVINCIBLE LIFE
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

13 THE APPEARING OF THE GLORY OF
OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ

 

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