Seeing & Savoring Jesus Christ – Pt. 1
January 1, 2012A Conversational Feedback-Forum
by Pastor Kenny Burchard email me here
A few weeks ago, I encouraged the members of our congregation to order and read a book with me by John Piper entitled “Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ.” You can order it here if you’d like to, and be part of our virtual-book-reading-community-group. You’ll notice on this particular site that you can download an electronic copy too. Just about ANY computer can be set up with a free KINDLE application, and you can read the book right there on your computer – and have it tonight if you’d like.
I was sharing with some friends at lunch today that I really do see it as part of my pastoral responsibility to help shape the libraries of the members of our church. I want to suggest that we all read books together that will help us to understand God’s word better, and walk together in ways that lead us to God’s destination for us. If you’ve been in our church a while, you have also heard me communicate that just over a year ago, I was shocked to see how few JESUS books I had in my library, and the realization of that has compelled me to make a change. If I am following Jesus in the church of Jesus, along with others who are following Jesus, then I need as much information as possible about Jesus. I need to… WE need to SEE and SAVOR JESUS!!! That’s why I wanted to start with this book.
I also believe that WHO we are reading is important. A trip to the Christian book store can be a little intimidating. There are so many books, so many emphases, so many authors, and so many voices. By recommending a book about Jesus by John Piper, I am also recommending (to a large degree) that you listen to John Piper talk about Jesus. In a sense, I am entrusting you to his teaching because I recommend it – and I am commending HIS ministry to you as one that I appreciate very much. So, it’s a “Jesus” book, but it is written by a follower of Jesus. I think both things are important. I hope you enjoy Seeing and Savoring Jesus, and I hope you grow in your appreciation for (and appetite for more books by) John Piper.
In this blog-space, I want to create a safe forum for discussion, reflection, discovery, and interaction. I will be posting my own feedback, and a short list of questions for each of us to respond to each week. In turn, I want to ask you to do the EXACT same thing yourself, as well as attempting to interact with me on the things that I have written. In this way, we can have (as I described it above) a “virtual” community group.
I will do the FIRST post about book content later tonight, but as a starting-place, I’d like to ask you to respond to 3 questions, and leave a reflection below before we ever start discussing the book. Here are the questions…
1. Why (if you did so) did you buy this book, and what do you hope to see happen in your life as you read it?
2. How many books do you have in your library, and how many of them are specifically about Jesus (not counting the 66 books in the Bible, which are ALL about Jesus!!!). Would you care to share some of the titles and authors with us? When I began to intentionally build my “Jesus” collection just over 1 year ago, I only had about 5-6 books that were SPECIFICALLY, PRIMARILY, and ONLY about Jesus.
3. Can you share with the group something about Jesus that you are hope to “SEE” and “SAVOR” more as you begin this journey through the book with us?
I am eager to read this with you, and eager to see more Jesus in 2012.
Peace,
Pastor Kenny
1. Anything that can help me to see Jesus more I am open to.
2. I have a ton of books. I will have to go through all of them to see which ones are specifically about Jesus. Before you brought this subject up i considered all of them about Jesus. I am not sure what your definition is, Do you consider a book about the blood of Jesus about Jesus? Or how about The names of God, or a book about the Holy Spirit. I suppose a book about my christian walk would not be about Jesus, oh well this is gona be interesting.
3. I see hurting people, that are bound by things that are destroying them, young kids committing suicide that need to be set free. I want to know Jesus in a way that will help me to help others into eternity not just a better way of life.
Rosemary,
Your observation/question that perhaps all of the Christian books you have are about Jesus is very interesting to me. I actually think that many Christians mistakenly take this for granted. I think I have done this a lot, and I am learning to think differently. A church might even believe that because we are doing church, we must be focused on Jesus. Over the past few months I have done a lot of thinking about this, and I think that many times we take it for granted that our stuff is Christ-centered when it may not be. We take it for granted that our church must be Christ-centered, when it may not be. I think my question about “Jesus Books” is specifically related to books that are about the life of Jesus, the person of Jesus, the work of Jesus on the cross, and the ministry and teachings of Jesus. The “Names of God” book (I have one of those) is more general theology. The “Blood of Jesus” theme is much more focused on Jesus probably. But even that can be a problem because sometimes books like “The Blood of Jesus” tend to separate the blood FROM Jesus, and make it about the blood itself being some mystical powerful force rather than the symbol of his obedience to God – which he offers to God – and which God accepts. Lots to think about here. Are you reading the book with us? I HOPE SO!
More Jesus
Kenny
I love books on Jesus–the simpler the better! I have started the book and it is a classic. One of my early on readings was “The Day Christ Died” and “The Day Christ Was Born”. Both are by a Catholic author Jim Bishop and to me are classics. I hope they are still in print.
I want to keep my eyes on Jesus this year as all motives rest at His feet. The personhood of Jesus is essential to keeping us focused.
So far loved what I am reading but I like Piper’s other books too.
Sally – Do you still have “The Day Christ Died”? I would be very interested in borrowing that one if you have it. I love to study the work of Jesus on the cross. I also have a GREAT appreciation for Catholic scholarship on the life and sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. In fact, it is easier to find JESUS books, and CROSS books in the catholic bookstore than the Christian bookstore. I did a recent walk-through of both in Fresno, and I was only able to find 6 books that were primarily about Jesus in the Christian store, and tons in the Catholic store. Interesting stuff.
Kenny
I will check to see if it is available but I know that the Hanford Public Library had it at one time. Let you know. Sally
When you suggested this book, Barb and I ordered it for our Kindle’s. We have made it a part of our morning devotional reading, together with other inspirational books. We will be reading Chapter 10 tomorrow. This book has made us adjust some of our paradigms of thinking of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
It will take time to assess the number of books we have in our library both hard cover and electronic to produce a count. But with the specific and narrow definition you have placed on us I suspect the number will be small. We will make this assessment and get back to this blog. We tend to read two to four books a month.
We have already benefited from the messages and prayers of this book. It has helped us really take a look at who Christ really is and how He effects and affects our lives. What a Savior we serve. I’m so glad I got in!
Serving Christ is not about being a good “Club” member of your church; looking like a clubmember, talking like the club talks, and following the club leadership. It is about serving Jesus and knowing Him PERSONALLY. I cannot live for Him through others, the church (club), church leadership; I must have a personal accountability with the King on a daily basis. I am still learning. Traditions learned make the process hard sometimes.
I bought this book for several reasons, but probably mostly because I love how you are encouraging us to really emphasize Jesus in our lives, as well as the idea that we would be able to share with each other what we are learning as we read. It’s community outside of Sundays and community groups.
I also love what Rosemary said about how anything that helps her see Jesus more, she’s open to. That’s how I feel too.
I love to read and have lots of “Christian” books, but I remember you mentioning question #2 in a sermon and thinking about that with regards to our library. I’m not sure that I have any books specifically about Jesus, and only Jesus. I have the workbook for the Jesus the One and Only Bible study, and I LOVED that study. So I’m very happy to be able to begin reading this new book, and start this new year with my focus on Jesus. I want to be able to see and savor everything about Him, but I think I mostly want to be able to understand Jesus with regards to everyday life, so I can live more like Him. But I also feel like I have probably spent more time trying to learn who God the Father is, which was vital for me in understanding relationship, but far less time trying to learn who Jesus, my Savior is.
1. I got your email so I found the book.
2. You would laugh at my library.
3. It is interesting that Piper talks so much about the everything being created to show the Glory of God and in John 17, Jesus prays
1… Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so that the Son may glorify You.
Jesus prays this right before he is about to die.
Then Jesus goes on to say 17:4
I have glorified You on the earth by completing the work You gave Me to do.
Piper talks about God’s universe being awesome let alone earth. Jesus talks about glory being through Jesus’ obedience. Piper says that we are created to know and treasure God’s glory. I then want to know God’s glory.
Frank – I like your feedback. I must see this library of yours. I LIKE TO LAUGH! But seriously, I am happy you’re in on the read for this book.
It is interesting, isn’t it – how Jesus is praying “Glorify me” for “I have glorified you.” My personal belief is that Jesus’ prayer is answered in his resurrection, when the Father VINDICATES Jesus, and finally, for once and for all, affirms him as the “Pleasing Son” by raising him from the dead, and seating him at His right hand (Heb. 1). This is the ULTIMATE glorification of man. In this, Jesus PERFECTLY reflects God, and God is PERFECTLY seen in Jesus – to the degree that Jesus IS the image of the invisible God. God glorifies Jesus BECAUSE Jesus glorifies God. This is why Jesus can say “If you have seen me, you have seen God.”
Think of this… THAT is what Adam, the first human was originally created to be able to say. “Let us make a being who – seeing him, will cause us to be seen.” SO – Jesus comes that humans might show God again. Piper’s point is… “THIS IS WHAT JESUS WANTED” – He wanted to… his chief aim was the glory of God.
We bought the book after you recommended it, and to participate in community further. Our library is extensive and theological books may abound, but one of my favorite books about Jesus is about the foundations of our faith Hebraically. It is essentially a walk through the Old Testament showing how Messiah appears at each and every turn. The words in the intro, though, to me appear distant – treasure, cherish, admire, prize – comparing looking at a Michelangelo and childishly preferring a comic strip – seem to put Jesus on a shelf, rather than an experiential KNOWING Christ. He is coming back for his bride – as his bride I must get to know Him more and more intimately. Us wives have an advantage – we know that no matter how well we know our bridegroom prior to the wedding, we get to know so much more afterward – so we truly understand there is a GREAT KNOWING to look forward to!
We purchased the book to participate in the direction of our pastor and to join with the church as we look at who Jesus is and how we can be more like Him.
Our hard copy library is probably 200 books and is rich in theological books (the result of schooling and teaching) and is probably 1/3 about Jesus. I was most interested in looking at my Kindle library which is now at 140 (mostly free ebooks) and 2/3 are about Jesus.
The idea of “seeing and savoring” is looking for ways in which the author can/will reveal aspects of Jesus which can be used by the Holy Spirit to change and transform me to be more like Jesus. I believe that as I am open to search out the text and examine the scriptures referenced by Piper, I am opening my heart to continue the refining of my soul. The savoring comes as the process removes the worldly and replacing it with the heavenly.