Book Review: Your Jesus Is Too Safe by Jared Wilson
If your view of Jesus is largely shaped by Joel Osteen, then you should definitely read this book. If you fit the description of a “cultural Christian“, then you should probably read this book. However, if you consider yourself an apprentice of Jesus, that is, someone who wants to imitate and pattern his/her life in a way that Jesus taught, then you should also read this book. Jared Wilson’s book, Your Jesus is Too Safe by in large, is based from a sermon series that he delivered at the church he pastors in Nashville called Element. Jared delivers twelve different Biblical views of Jesus and challenges us not to merely confine Jesus to one of many skewed labels that Jesus has been adorned with in our current culture of mediocracy.
Jared’s writing style is refreshing. He successfully weaves his sarcasm and humor into a serious composition and biblical understanding of Jesus (his humor becomes more snarky in the footnotes). Case in point, here is an excerpt (p. 79):
Jesus: A Brief Biography
We’ll begin with a brief overview of the man known as Jesus of Nazereth — brief because you probably already know the story. We get our information from the four biblical gospels, but mainly the so-called Synoptic Gospels — Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s gospel, which is historically true, defies precise classification, and its surreal style reads like you should be playing the Grateful Dead or Strawberry Alarm Clock while reading it. In any event, the three synoptic gospels give us more direct narrative of the scope of Jesus’ life. Matthew and Luke give us glimpses of the beginning of it, while Mark’s story skips right ahead, begins with the action, and just sort of plows through more action at breakneck speed. Mark’s story is like the Die Hard of the Gospels.
(the footnote states: “Angry yet?”)
While not all tongue and cheek, Jared’s 286 page book is easy to get through because it does not read like a long drawn-out sermon. Another funny footnote is when Jared suggests that the Psalmist were akin to the first bloggers and David was the first emo kid (p. 75).
Mr. Wilson can get down-right scholarly as well. I appreciate the multiple references to Dallas Willard, N.T. Wright and C.S. Lewis. I happen to agree that Willard’s book, The Divine Conspiracy is one of the more important works of our generation.
One of the best pictures that Jared paints in the book is in the chapter ‘Jesus the Judge’ (p. 142):
Jesus is not just our Judge, he’s also our Advocate. He’s like a defense lawyer, arguing on our behalf. For every objection raised by our sin, Christ overrules it by his blood. For every evidence against us — and there is eternal evidence against us — there is eternal satisfaction in the sin-covering of God’s grace.
Overall, I enjoyed this book as it helps to provide a multidimensional biblical view of Christ. Had I attempted to write such a work, I might have added a chapter called ‘Jesus the Teacher’, but to Jared’s credit, he covers some of this in the chapter called ‘Jesus the Man’. I believe the importance of Jesus being a teacher deserves its own chapter however.
I will not hesitate in recommending this book for Christians to read and to those interested in learning more about Jesus through a non ‘Americanized’ lens. Checkout our first podcast here where we have a recorded interview with Jared Wilson just prior to his booking being published.
Links to additional reviews of Your Jesus is Too Safe can be found over at Jared’s blog: The Gospel Driven Church. ¹
1. One footnote of my own: Some of the bloggers that are participating in the blog tour know Jared personally, while others, Jared had no previous interaction with and selected sites based on his own criteria. I fit in the latter category and was introduced to Jared through a simple request to participate in the blog tour.
Nice review Michael, I look forward to reading the book.
Heath — Let me know what you think of the book!