| Review – Next
Door Savior |
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by
Max Lucado
Published by W Publishing Group
Review by Tom Gilbert
Just about anyone who has seriously explored who
Jesus Christ is has grappled with the enormity of the issue of fully
human and fully divine. It is
so difficult to wrap our minds around it that many
people either put Jesus on a lofty pedestal, up in the heavenly clouds
with God or they
reject the divine incarnation, maybe opting instead
for the belief that he was just a really good man.
Max Lucado is smooth. In his book,
Next
Door Savior,
his warm and anecdotal style lures us into being
at ease with this subject. He has a wonderful way of pointing out Jesus’ human
qualities and makes him approachable. However,
once we’ve settled
into the book and feel good about how much Jesus
was at home with saints and sinners Lucado lowers
the boom and leaves us gasping at the extent
God has been willing to go to redeem us.
Such is the amazing grace of God bestowed through the perfect sacrifice
made by the God-man, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the ultimate neighbor, ready to talk and help anyone and ready to confront us when
needed. After 2000 years it’s hard to imagine ourselves alongside the disciples,
walking, eating and conversing with Jesus in the flesh. If we could, how would we act?
Cozy up to him in mock piety with a self-serving agenda? Or would we hang in the back of the
crowd, too ashamed of our past and our behavior to stand in his company?
Max Lucado is a much read and loved author. I think
a great deal of his appeal is the way he personalizes
the Bible for us. The author
sees all of humanity as struggling in life and
includes himself in the many times we stumble. Next Door
Savior points out not only
our need for a savior, but how easily we can
become trapped in shame and depression. Or, as
is sometimes the case, go to the other extreme
and end up as finger-pointing hypocrites.
Jesus wants us to be right-sized; to become comfortable in our own skin by letting God’s love and
forgiveness wash over us and transforms us into His image. In this way we become effective witnesses
to the life-changing power of the Gospel. If we accept the grace-filled gift of redemption
and truly become light to a sin-darkened world then the New Testament tales of Christ come alive
for us and part of our personal testimony. No longer do we marvel or ponder at a distance.
What Jesus did for tax collectors, prostitutes, outcasts and disease sufferers two thousand
years ago he also does today!
This book is easy to read, but don’t let that be deceptive
of the depth of the message. As Lucado points out, there is no person
Jesus won’t touch and no place He won’t go. He’s
reaching out to you and He ’s very close – even right next door.
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Scripture taken from
the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright
© 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society.
All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by
permission of International Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are
registered trademarks of International Bible Society.
Use of either trademark for the offering of goods
or services requires the prior written consent of
International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from
the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright
©1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189, USA. All rights
reserved.
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