Lost Message

Cover of The Lost Message of Jesus

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Romans 5:8 Numbers 6:24-26

In The Lost Message of Jesus, Steve Chalke presents the church with a stark challenge. With all our preoccupation on doctrine, worship, tradition etc, have we actually lost sight of what Jesus came to show us about the nature of God? For some of us, it is easier to believe that God is judgement or that God is anger and revenge rather than the biblical truth that God is love. It is not just that He loves or chooses to love but that He IS love.

Chalke relates a story about Karl Barth illustrating this truth. At the end of his life Barth was giving a lecture in the US. At the end of his talk a student spoke up and asked, "Professor Barth, after all your years of theological study, what is your greatest insight?". After some moments of silence Barth replied, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the bible tells me so".

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We might think this is a twee little story but the truth it relays is crucial to our understanding of Christianity. Our relationship with God is not based on our perfect understanding of theology, or our ability to move mountains with our faith, or our ability to make it through the day without sinning. It is based wholly and completely on God's immense love for us and our simple faltering reaching out to Him on the cross and saying 'Yes'.