3/13/2008

Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ - review


Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper is book designed to guide us toward valuing Christ above all things.

A powerful book that focuses the senses of our mind and heart upon our Savior, Jesus Christ. A taste, if you will from Piper's chapter, The Incarnate Wealth of the Compassion of God:

"It is he who made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture" (Psalm 100:3). There is one ultimate owner in the universe, God. All others are trustees. Neither we nor what we have is finally our own. It is all a trust to be used for the aims of the owner. In a sense, therefore, all sin is embezzling.

But, strikingly, the New Testament describes the wealth of God not mainly in terms of what he created and owns, but mainly in terms of the glory he has from all eternity. Repeatedly we read of "the riches of his glory" or "his riches in glory" (for example, Ephesians 3:16; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 1:27). If God were only rich because he made and owns all things, he would have been poor before creation. But that means he would have created out of need and would be dependent on his creation. But that is not the picture of God we find in the Bible. God did not create to get wealth; he created to display wealth - the wealth of his glory for the enjoyment of his people (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14). (pp 83-84)

Piper gives us meditations of our Lord for us to dwell on and to savor.

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