King’s Cross (Dutton, 2011)
Author Timothy Keller is the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and the man Newsweek Magazine has called a “C. S. Lewis for the twenty-first century”. Pastor Keller’s stated purpose in writing the book is “to try to show, through his (Jesus’) words and actions, how beautifully his life makes sense of ours.” The author bases his discussion of Jesus’ life on the Gospel of Mark because Mark’s narrative focused on the actual words and (especially) actions of Jesus. King’s Cross is divided into 2 major sections: the identity of Jesus as King (Chapters 1-9) and Jesus’ purpose in dying on the cross (Chapters 10-18). While the second part of the book is an excellent analysis of the Passion Story, the first part seems more applicable to the spiritual struggles of displaced church workers.
The doctrine of the Trinity is central to the author’s premise. The Trinity is characterized by mutually self-giving love. Since God receives love within Himself more powerfully than humans could ever give, God created us not to get joy but to give joy. In order to give joy, following Jesus must become the supreme passion of our lives. Everything else must be secondary, because reality is a battle. Our natural human tendency is to build our lives on something beside Jesus. In fact, every culture says that identity is based on achievement and performance. As our identity becomes rooted in Jesus and His gospel, the critical factor regarding our faith is not its strength, but its object. Our real self will emerge only as we look for Him.
Ultimately, love is the only thing capable of reforging and changing a life at its root. We need to sense and experience God’s love to nourish and strengthen us for the adversities of this life, so that we remain rooted in the Kingdom of God rather than the kingdom of this world.
Note: This book has been retitled. The new title is Jesus the King.
