Michael Reeves (1) (1974–)

First sentence: Let's get it out in the open right at the beginning. Doesn't something about mission and evangelism just feel "off" to you? Every Christian knows we're meant to share the gospel and look for opportunities to witness to Christ, yet almost all of us find it a genuine struggle, if not a gloomy discouragement.

I loved, loved, loved this book on missions (and evangelism). What sets it apart? It has gone a bit old school in looking at the subject. The author(s) examine(s) WHAT show more fuels missions. And the answer can be found in the first question to several old-school catechisms. Notably, what fuels missions is delight in the glory, majesty, and beauty of God. This book celebrates GOD. Every chapter is written with clarity and passion and with the single goal of making the reader EXCITED about seeing God as He is revealed in the Word.

While reading of this one, I thought of two theologians--A.W. Tozer and John Piper. I was reminded of their zeal and passion for KNOWING God. I was reminded of their absolute devotion to the Word of God.

I loved how substantive it is. Gave me a lot to think about!!!

Quotes:

The problem at the room of all our struggles with mission is almost certainly right at the beginning with our view of God.... Unless we honestly find God to be beautiful and enjoyable, we'll have nothing worth saying to the people around us. Until we see him aright, we'll have no genuine desire to fill the world with the knowledge of our God.
Glory is the weight and reality of a thing shining out, or being brought home to us, reaching us irresistibly. For Jesus Christ to be the "radiance of the glory of God" is for him to be the weight or the substance of God impressed upon us, beaming on us, given to us.

God, in having glory, radiates; in having a Word, speaks; in having a Son, loves. It is his very nature to shine, communicate, and give himself in relationship. This is the beating heart of mission.

We risk projecting our own darkness and selfishness onto the living God, making him far less good and beautiful than he really is. This will always be the result of starting out with our own assumptions rather than his word to us. When we begin to see Jesus as himself the Glory of the Father and let him shape our idea of glory, we find that God is far better than we ever dared to believe, and his glory, beautifully different from our own. Nowhere is this more sharply detailed--and nowhere is the glory of God more tightly defined in Scripture--than on the cross of Jesus.

Only with our eyes on Christ crucified do we see the truth, perspective, and logic of all the providence of God in everything that has happened since the beginning. Only with our eyes on Christ crucified do we see who our God really and truly is.

When Jesus, himself the Glory of God, was lifted up on the cross, it was no fireworks display for his own amusement; no yelling in an empty room. It was a real explosion of God's mercy into our midnight.

Human beings are fallen, and this is why we do not intuitively worship, trust, and love God. The radiance of God's glory shines not into neutrality but into darkness.

If we burden Christians with the guilt of abandoning people to hell, it will be the message of guilt and hell they will pass on, rather than the message of the Savior of sinners and conqueror of hell. Jesus Christ will not be the jewel of the gospel they tell, but only the means to escape a terrible end. Not only this, but the resulting converts will have been motivated by their preexisting instinct for self-preservation. Disciples who are won not by the glory of the Lord to repentance and faith but by an appeal to their own well-being will continue in exactly the same direction. Their newfound faith will be more about themselves than about Christ.

The God we know--or think we know--is the God we will show to the world.

Our delight in God is the main fuel for mission. show less

This is my first experience with a Michael Reeves book (though I own several that are on my TBR list), and it does not disappoint.

Thought-provoking, in-depth, and engaging!

I particularly enjoyed all the Jonathan Edwards quotes--he's one of my fave Great Awakening-era preachers.

I'd agree with other Goodreads reviewers that the subtitle is a bit unrelated/a "misnomer" ("mis-subtitle"? LOL), and was less on evangelism (the main reason I picked up the book) accordingly, but that aside, a very show more good read.

I'm looking forward to reading his books on my TBR list!

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. show less

This book has, more than any other, changed the way I think about the Trinitarian nature of our God. Reeves succeeds in that which he sets out to do: if at all it was still the case that the Trinity seemed like inscrutable doctrinal baggage, I can now fully agree that it’s some of the best news I’ve ever heard.

The problem with much Christology, of both the high and low varieties, is that it can be dry-as-dust boring. Just the mention of the term, and eyes glaze over. The church historians may remember the fire and intrigue of earlier eras, theologians may happily enter the world of doctrinal abstraction, but for most of us, Christology remains opaque. We may be happy that someone is thinking about it somewhere, but we never delve too deeply ourselves.

Michael Reeves, author of the delightful show more Delighting in the Trinity and teacher of theology at Wales Evangelical School of Theology has once again helped us discover the joy of serious theological reflection. Rejoicing in Christ uncovers the joy in all that Christ is and has done for us. In five chapters (plus a brief introduction and conclusion), Reeves worshipful prose reflect on Christ’s divinity; his humanity; his life, death, and resurrection; how we share in his life; and his victorious return and the renewal of all things. This is a short book, but meaty–doctrinally delightful and exuding with praise for the God revealed in Jesus Christ!

In writing this book, Reeves is picking up on the tradition of worshipful theology once common among the Puritans, “Once upon a time a book like this would have been utterly run of the mill. Among the old Puritans, for example, you can scarcely find a writer who did not write–or a preacher who did not preach–something called The Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Christ set Forth. The Glory of Christ or the like” (9). In fact these Puritans are Reeves dialogue partners throughout. He refers often to the works of Richard Sibbes, John Owens, Jonathan Edwards and the like. The caricature of the dour Puritan is not evident anywhere in these pages. Other theologians, pastors, poets and artists of other eras are also woven into his larger Christological song.

I love this book. I appreciate the way that Reeves reveals Jesus as the eternal Word. He declares, “Here, then, is the revolution for all our dreams, our dark and frightened imaginings of God, there is no God in heaven who is unlike Jesus” (14). Reeves invites us to reflect on how the person and character of Jesus shows us what God is like–not who he became when taking on flesh, but the sort of God, God always was. He reflects on who Jesus was and how he shared in the Trinitarian life before his Incarnation. But his Christological reflections also wrestle with Christ’s humanity and what Jesus shows us about what it really means to human–taking up again our function as ‘image bearers of God’ (52). In his incarnation we discover the Christ who has been ‘lifted up on the cross, lifted up from the grave, lifted up to the throne: all to share with the world his victorious life (81). Reeves chapter on our sharing in the ‘life of Christ’ and Christ’s return do not shrink back from reflecting on suffering and difficulty, but uncover the joy of abiding and the hope of restoration. This entire book will help you appreciate the way Christ has given us ‘every blessing in the spiritual realm’ (Ephesians 1:3).

My one small critique, if you may call it that, is that this is sold by IVP’s academic imprint (IVP Academic). While this book should certainly be read by scholarly folk, I would hope that regular readers would not be scared off by this being an ‘academic book.’ This book is great for any thoughtful Christian. I give it five stars!

Notice of material connection: I received this book from IVP academic in exchange for my honest review. show less