Vintage Jesus is exclusively about Jesus. Who He was, why He came, what He did and what our response to him should be. Based around a series of preaches[1] by Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, this book is an excellent introduction to the person of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Driscoll uses his typical pugnacious preaching to the page to bring the life, work, purpose, love and grace of our Lord to life.

The book is spit into 12 chapters –

1.      Is Jesus the only God

2.      How human was Jesus

3.      How did people know Jesus was coming

4.      Why did Jesus come to earth

5.      Why did Jesus mom need to be virgin

6.      What did Jesus accomplish on the cross

7.      Did Jesus rise from the dead

8.      Where is Jesus today

9.      Why should we worship Jesus

10.  What makes Jesus Superior to other saviors

11.  What difference has Jesus made in history

12.  What will Jesus do upon his return

Driscoll pulls each of these questions apart puts them back together using the bible and only the bible then applies it to modern life.

At the end of each chapter Breshears answers the difficult questions raised by Driscoll. So for example in the Is Jesus the only God chapter Breshears he answers the following questions –

·        Does the bible clearly say that Jesus is God

·        Isn’t Jesus really an angel

·        Since the bible says God cannot die, yet Jesus Died, does that not prove that Jesus cannot be God

·        How could Jesus say “The Father is greater than I” (John 14:28) if He is in fact God

This is an excellent book and I would recommend it to any one who wants to know there Saviour better.

What difference has it made to me?

It has made me realise how much I had put Jesus in a box of my own making and how much I had limited him in my own mind and life. It also helped to show some major areas of sin in my life that I have now repented of. In the everyday fush of life it is easy to forget who Jesus really is, what He has really done for us and what our response to him must be.

The downside?

The downside of the book is the American focus. Driscoll is an American home boy and is very America focused. For example he says if there was no Jesus there would be no America as we know it….. (is that a good or a bad thing)

Also he is very much an ‘in your face’ preacher and often uses course or non-church language in his books. For example in this book he uses the life of Jenna Jameson a porn star to illustrate one of his points

Currently available as Wesley Owens, Amazon, Eden, NFI resources etc etc. I paid £9

Mark Driscoll is the leader of Mars Hill Church Seattle – http://www.marshillchurch.org

Gerry Breshears is professor of theology and chairman of the division of Biblical and theological studies at Western Seminary

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[1] The series of preaches can be found here – http://www.marshillchurch.org/sermonseries/vintagejesus/vintage_jesus_week_01.aspx