Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ [Hardcover]

 

 

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I want to begin this review with a quote taken from the last chapter:

We live in a day when what sells best in the Christian world are books, sermons, and television programs that are aimed directly at you ' This Is Your Day, You Are the Reason for the Season, Become a Better You, It's Your Time, The Me I Want to Be, The Life You've Always Wanted, and similar titles orbiting around the Youniverse. We would now like to take all the arrows that point to you and bend them back to our Lord. ' p.166, italics original, bold mine.

Thus the purpose for the Jesus Manifesto!

It is a book which seeks to restore the 'Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ', and with great passion, these authors pull no punches! I don't know any Christians who would intentionally deny the Supremacy of Jesus, but we don't always operate as intentionally as we should. So here's a few questions adopted from the book to see if Christ is Supreme in you:
Question: Do You Preach Missional?
Answer:

Why do we preach and teach all sorts of other things [besides Jesus]? As we write these words, there's a lot of talk about being 'missional.' But to be truly missional means constructing one's life and ministry on Christ' God's grand mission is what the New Testament calls 'the eternal purpose.' And in the dead center of that purpose is the living Christ. ' p.57

Question: Do You Strive to Live Like Christ?
Answer:

If Christ is in you, then the Christian life is not about striving to be something you are not. It is about becoming what you already are' "As He is, so are we in this world." [1 John 4:17] ' p.58

Question: Is Conversion About You?
Answer:

True 'conversion' is directed toward the one to whom we convert, the one to whom we turn. It is a life of 'fullness,' in which the 'fullness' is Christ. You are not the point. And we are not the point. Jesus Christ always has been and always will be the point. All the arrows point to Him and not to us. ' p.100-101

Question: Are You A Social Activist?
Answer:

Jesus Christ has never been a social activist or a moral philosopher' While justice is important, justice apart from Christ is a dead thing. The only battering ram that can storm the gates of hell is not the cry of justice, but the name of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of justice, peace, holiness, righteousness, and every other virtue. ' p.105

Question: Are You Endeavoring to be a Successful Christian?
Answer:

Jesus Christ could not be a 'successful' Christian, and He admitted it. Consider His own words: 'Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself'' 'I can of Myself do nothing'.

Question: Are You Called Into the Ministry?
Answer:

For things are as close to God's heart as helping the poor and the oppressed. But preeminently important is Jesus Christ Himself. He is more significant than any ministry, no matter how good or noble. It is possible to worship the god of 'ministry' in place of Christ. ' p. 155

Question: Do You Evangelize: 'Come To Church!'
Answer:

Christians don't shout from the rooftops, 'Come to Church'; they should from the mountains, 'Jesus Christ is born ' come to Christ!' ' p. 173

Point after point after point these authors tear down anything which vies Christ for supremacy. Ministry is not the point, apologetics is not the point, spiritual gifts are not the point, a 'sense' of his presence is not the point, 'spiritual' or 'religious' pursuits are not the point. The point is Christ.

Nothing can ever be preached apart from Christ! If in Church you are learning about 'Worship', 'Evangelism', 'Christian Living', 'End Times', 'Social Activism', 'Spiritual Gifts' or any other hundreds of subjects, and if Christ is not the center in everyone one of those sermons then Christ is not being portrayed supremely.
Final Analysis

Never have a read a book more enthralled on the person and supremacy of Christ than in the Jesus Manifesto. Rich in theology, particularly that bit we call 'Union with Christ'. The doctrine of 'in Christ' is the only possible way to convey anything about us and our mission in a biblical fashion. The authors, in a sheer moment of brilliance as great wordsmiths, manage to convey the concept of 'Union with Christ' in a way I only wished I had thought of first: 'If God wrote your biography, it would be Jesus Christ' [p. 43].

The authors conclude their book with forceful sentiment: 'We would give up everything we've ever written to have penned this one verse.' [p.173.] The verse they quote are the lyrics written down in 1739 by Charles Wesley, you may have heard of it, it's titled 'Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Glory to the New Born King!'

And finally, to leave you with one last quote to meditate on:

Christ is all I need. You can strip everything else away from me, and I would still be left with Christ. Take away my gifts and my ministry; take away signs and wonders; take way the sense of his presence; take away my ability to read; and take away every spiritual and religious pursuit I have, and I will still have Christ. And in having Him, I have everything. ' p. 22 Bold mine

[Disclaimer: Jesus Manifesto was provided by Thomas Nelson through the Booksneeze program for the purpose of this review.]

Christianity seems at this time more than most to be going through something of an identity crisis within the United States. Institutional mainline denominations have been decreasing in membership while the demographics of them are waxing older. Evangelical churches have been closing on a large scale and consolidating into larger "mega-churches" that appear to have a greater presence and role in many communities. However, when pollsters, such as George Barna, examine the responses from members of these larger more "relevant" churches the findings are that there actually isn't much difference in the lifestyles and value systems inside those churches than there is outside.

So what is happening? What is at the core of many of these trends?

Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola believe they have some insight into what is taking place. So these two friends coming as they do from different contexts (Leonard is closely associated with the Emergent Church movement and Frank is a strong influence in the Organic Church movement) unite to present their joint conviction that it is Jesus who is the core of Christianity and it is the core that must be re-established.

The Jesus Manifesto as a book, is an extension of a document prepared by Sweet and Viola and dissseminated through their blogs and social network connections. The brief document (brief realtive to the book) provides an outline of the issues that are fleshed out here.

It's hard to imagine this book being controversial in the sense that anyone would take issue as Christians that Christ needs to be central to everything we are and do. Yet, for some, surprisingly it has been controversial. Some attempt through the use of guilt by association tactics to write off what Sweet and Viola have to say. Not surprisingly, many of these types of comments come from sectors within Christianity that take exception with both organic and emergent elements. Neither of these elements however is strongly present in this book. In fact the authors appear to deliberately avoid those elements, to keep their focus in the book upon Christ as well. Often these types of criticisms come in the context of those who haven't read the book and further are suggesting others not read it, lest anyone become "contaminated" by association with such "radical" proponents. Perhaps those making such claims are best seen as good examples of how Christianity as a movement has moved to elevating other elements and agendas over a primary focus upon Christ that cuts across everything else. At the very least, it's best not to accept generalizations from those who haven't bothered to read the book.

The tone of this book is primarily devotional and meditational. Yes there are elements of theology present but there appears to be an almost deliberate sense of restraint to avoid this book becoming a Christology in a theological sense. No, what is present here are plenty of anecdotal illustrations of a tradition of Christ-centeredness that can be traced throughout Christian history and in many cases from sources or traditions that the authors might not necessarily endorse. True to their own premise they focus upon Christ and in turn focus upon the Christ-centeredness of many who have grapsed that all the "isms" and "ologies" are secondary to the person of Christ Himself.

Every Chapter stands upon its own and can be read out of sequence as desired. The illustrations and anecdotes employed are relavent and to the point.

I found this book challenging and inspirational on a personal level that went beyond theological analysis and deep into the personal, emotional engagement of a personal relationship with Christ. Regardless of the direction one starts or emphasizes in one's own culture, traditions and convictions on important issues, surely there's room for this declaration of Christ centeredness.

5 stars

bart breen

Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola do a great job at restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ. At, times I felt this book lacked a flow from chapter to chapter. It made up for in in Chapter 3 titled, If God Wrote your Biography. For the rest of the book, it felt like I have read this all before. I enjoyed the way it was written and felt that Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola did justice of Jesus' Supremacy and Sovereignty in layman's terms.

If there was any reason to read this book it would be because of chapter 3, titled, If God Wrote your Biography. Leonard Sweet starts by saying, "We open this chapter by making an incredible statement: If God were to write your biography, it would be Jesus Christ." I think that living in a culture where life is all about me, this is such a radical concept. Our life is Christ. We make it about everything else, my possession's, my health, security, ect. Life isn't about that, it really is about Jesus Christ. They the author moves on to ask a question, "How would your biography read if God were to write it?" That is a great question. I think that takes more than a chapter to think about. We are so focused on ourselves. We think that we are inviting God into our stories, but we really God is inviting us into his. It isn't about us. This was a hard chapter to read in a society that I live in. I think that this book is worth it just for this one chapter.

Do you really need another book on the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Christ? Maybe you really love Leonard Sweet? I would recommend this book to a friend in ministry because of chapter 3. I enjoy Leonard Sweet's books in the past, and I enjoyed this one. I give this book 4 out of 5 review.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Jesus Manifesto by Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola
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3.0 out of 5 stars Slow start, great finish
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